What exactly is "old school" with regards to older pharmacists

[Old]

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I have heard this term " old school" referenced to those of us not fresh out of school. Wondered what your definition of this term might be. Not sure if it is because we are stricter with controls or early refills, we are mean, not willing to adapt to new methods etc. Perhaps its a compliment and I don't realize it. What is your definition in regards to those of us that have practiced for a few decades. Just curious.

 

[npage148]

It's usually not a compliment. It's a pharmacist usually over 55 who refuses to do things properly (it could be anything) because that's how they did it when they owned this store

 

[Old]

It's usually not a compliment. It's a pharmacist usually over 55 who refuses to do things properly (it could be anything) because that's how they did it when they owned this store

So the young pharms do everything correct?

 

[npage148]

Of course, 100% correct all the time. Plus it's the attitude of the old school pharmacist that is the crux. The proper way is below them because of some vagueness about how pharmacy was done back in the golden ages

 

[Bubba98]

They typically wear sneakers, expensive goofy ties and one of those copper magnetic bracelets that are supposedly good for a bad wrist that golfers wear. They drive a 10 year old Lexus that still looks new and always show up 10 minutes early but never stay a minute late. They generally are well liked and have their loyal customers although stories told about them generally involve a lot of eye rolling. It might be due to their proclivity to telling crude jokes. They call the DMs "suits" and generally get crabby when the subject turns to corporate programs. They play fairly fast and loose with rules and regulations. Their knowledge of secret computer shortcuts and prowess at pharmacy math is Freemason-like. Work productivity stays around 70% but they somehow manage to get it done by the end of their shift and are on the golf course 10 minutes later telling stories about whose first wife was a bigger bitch.....oh and they are sitting on at least a million....but continue to work. I think just to piss us off

 

[Old]

Of course, 100% correct all the time. Plus it's the attitude of the old school pharmacist that is the crux. The proper way is below them because of some vagueness about how pharmacy was done back in the golden ages

"proper way" in reference to what. Not trying to argumentative just curious as to what you are referring. Refusal to follow the law, company policy etc? Sorry you missed the golden ages. With the changes in supply of pharms and demands of chain pharmacy I feel sorry for the new grads. Think to some degree they are being sold a bag of promises of the future by colleges.

 

[Old]

They typically wear sneakers, expensive goofy ties and one of those copper magnetic bracelets that are supposedly good for a bad wrist that golfers wear. They drive a 10 year old Lexus that still looks new and always show up 10 minutes early but never stay a minute late. They generally are well liked and have their loyal customers although stories told about them generally involve a lot of eye rolling. It might be due to their proclivity to telling crude jokes. They call the DMs "suits" and generally get crabby when the subject turns to corporate programs. They play fairly fast and loose with rules and regulations. Their knowledge of secret computer shortcuts and prowess at pharmacy math is Freemason-like. Work productivity stays around 70% but they somehow manage to get it done by the end of their shift and are on the golf course 10 minutes later telling stories about whose first wife was a bigger bitch.....oh and they are sitting on at least a million....but continue to work. I think just to piss us off

You know I don't live in the city, quite rural actually, but do not know any old pharms that are like your description. None. Crabby at corporate programs could come from seeing a few hundred corporate programs that don't go anywhere, prove to be fruitless(perhaps like a lot of the metrics that are required today by the chains) and none of them are about the profession we are in. No metrics on catching interactions, allergies, helping people or saving a life(all of these take more time which results in less scripts filled per hour, less $ in the register which puts you on the list for missing the important metrics). Oddly I know far more young pharms with the new shiny suvs, bmws and fancy expensive apparel. They are always the ones that talk down to the techs that do most of our work for peanuts by telling them how much they make or what expensive new toy they just bought. I don't know any young pharm that comes in early or stays late. never knew any. I have always had more work left by the young pharms than any old pharms. Perhaps it is just perceptions of the different generations

 

[297point1]

Oddly I know far more young pharms with the new shiny suvs, bmws and fancy expensive apparel. They are always the ones that talk down to the techs that do most of our work for peanuts by telling them how much they make or what expensive new toy they just bought. I don't know any young pharm that comes in early or stays late. never knew any. I have always had more work left by the young pharms than any old pharms. Perhaps it is just perceptions of the different generations

So let me see if I have this straight: You asked for help understanding a term used to describe older pharmacists, got defensive after receiving feedback that you deemed to be stereotypical, and then proceeded to make stereotypes against the very people you were seeking help from. Am I missing anything?

 

[npage148]

Don't worry, next they'll tell us how it WASN'T the boomers that ruined the economy and the current generation is just lazy

 

[Dred Pirate]

They typically wear sneakers, expensive goofy ties and one of those copper magnetic bracelets that are supposedly good for a bad wrist that golfers wear. They drive a 10 year old Lexus that still looks new and always show up 10 minutes early but never stay a minute late. They generally are well liked and have their loyal customers although stories told about them generally involve a lot of eye rolling. It might be due to their proclivity to telling crude jokes. They call the DMs "suits" and generally get crabby when the subject turns to corporate programs. They play fairly fast and loose with rules and regulations. Their knowledge of secret computer shortcuts and prowess at pharmacy math is Freemason-like. Work productivity stays around 70% but they somehow manage to get it done by the end of their shift and are on the golf course 10 minutes later telling stories about whose first wife was a bigger bitch.....oh and they are sitting on at least a million....but continue to work. I think just to piss us off

I am far from "old school" age, but th is describes me pretty good and I take it as a compliment!
I am early every day - never stay late because I get my work done efficiently. Every body likes me 🙂 and I hate the suits!

 

[Dred Pirate]

and being "old school" is not necessarily a bad thing - it can desribe a person who knows how things "really work" vs the idealistic ideals of a new grad

 

[Old]

So let me see if I have this straight: You asked for help understanding a term used to describe older pharmacists, got defensive after receiving feedback that you deemed to be stereotypical, and then proceeded to make stereotypes against the very people you were seeking help from. Am I missing anything?

Accept my apology. You seem to really dislike stereotypes. Odd you would strongly object to them.

 

[confettiflyer]

There's a distinct difference between old school and dinosaur.


Dinosaur = "Vanco trough of 5? Wahoo!"
Old school = Doses by experience, and usually nails it.
New school = Pulls out fancy equation spreadsheet/multi variable calculator, comes up with same result as Mr. Old School.

I think that kind of sums it up.

 

[Jibby321]

Vanco trough of 5^ lol

 

[Dred Pirate]

Vanco trough of 5^ lol

I have only been out of school 12 years and when I graduated trough goals were 5-10.

It is amazing what abx resistance does

Heck we used to use ancef and only move up to vanc after C&S results, now it is the opposite

 

[Jibby321]

I have only been out of school 12 years and when I graduated trough goals were 5-10.

It is amazing what abx resistance does

Heck we used to use ancef and only move up to vanc after C&S results, now it is the opposite

Pretty crazy. We are learning ABX now in pharmacology and therapy. **** sucks. Any advice on remembering therapies?

 

[Dred Pirate]

Pretty crazy. We are learning ABX now in pharmacology and therapy. **** sucks. Any advice on remembering therapies?

for me it was all about memorization - break things into classes (pcn, carbapenem, cephalosportins (1st, 2nd, 3rd gen, etc) - then just think of it as history - what abx came first? then how did the bug develop resistance, what did we do to combat it, (next drug, etc).

best part is, in 10 years everything you learn will be completely different. 🙂

 

[Its Z]

Pretty crazy. We are learning ABX now in pharmacology and therapy. **** sucks. Any advice on remembering therapies?

Learn the bugs and differentiate. G+ G-, Aerobes, and Anaerobes,...learn the fungus while you're at it. Learn the ABX... based on class... and learn what each class is effective against.
Then start reading IDSA Guidelines that are disease specific and understand the treatment recommendation. Pneumonia, Skin Structure Infection, and Intra-Ab... if you understand these 3 broad categories, you're golden for now.

Then work at a hospital and learn the ABX susceptibility patterns of the hospital and the community... by then, you'll start to understand the effective treatment for different infectious diseases for your area.

 

[Its Z]

best part is, in 10 years everything you learn will be completely different. 🙂

I'm sure that was tongue in cheek... but if not, I bet to differ. Many old information we still use. Some new information we will gain. But infectious disease move slow with very little new development. Major changes are driven by resistance patterns.
Yet, it doesn't completely change ID practice in a decade.

 

[KARM12]

Z, you're alive?

 

[Its Z]

Z, you're alive?

indeed

 

[KARM12]

What have you been up to?

 

[Dred Pirate]

I'm sure that was tongue in cheek... but if not, I bet to differ. Many old information we still use. Some new information we will gain. But infectious disease move slow with very little new development. Major changes are driven by resistance patterns.
Yet, it doesn't completely change ID practice in a decade.

yes mostly tongue in cheek - but it is one area - like many in medicine - that you have to keep on top of -

 

[Its Z]

What have you been up to?

This and that...and some more.

 

[Old Timer]

This and that...and some more.

Glad your back. I miss the witty commentary. I thought for a moment you ran of with a drug rep as you both vanished at about the same time.

 

[Its Z]

Glad your back. I miss the witty commentary. I thought for a moment you ran of with a drug rep as you both vanished at about the same time.

2014 was the most difficult, challenging, and busiest year for me. 6 different audits and surveys.. 4 CMS and 2 Internal. In addition to a massive expansion of our operation and services.

 

[confettiflyer]

Oddly I know far more young pharms with the new shiny suvs, bmws and fancy expensive apparel.

I've been taught from a very young age to dress for the position you want, that usually involves nice clothes. For a lot of younger people, they haven't yet figured out how to look professional in cheaper professional clothes.

As for the new cars, it's your generation that enabled it! When a parent offers a car as a graduation gift, said new pharmacist would be an idiot to turn that down.

They are always the ones that talk down to the techs that do most of our work for peanuts by telling them how much they make or what expensive new toy they just bought.

This is just bizarre. I haven't run across any pharmacists, young or old (or dinosaur) that talk that way to any technician. You work with a bunch of as*holes.

I don't know any young pharm that comes in early or stays late. never knew any. I have always had more work left by the young pharms than any old pharms. Perhaps it is just perceptions of the different generations

Work life balance. But really it's different depending on location/culture. I have discussions with management in case I'm on the clock for OT, so we're very much encouraged to pass on the work and clock out/go home. Some people used to clock out and continue working, then we were told absolutely not from a liability and legality perspective. If our names are appended to orders at 5:15pm but our time card says we're off the clock as of 5pm, it's a major problem.

In other workplaces, if there's a strong culture of finishing what started on your shift and not passing anything off, then this culture is not being passed on to new hires and becomes a failure to incorporate said employee.

But overall I like my generation's tech savviness, philosophy and modus operandi, despite our sporadic quirks with expectations. It's a fun challenge incorporating us into the workforce with a bunch of old timers running the show and waiting to check out.

 

[BidingMyTime]

They typically wear sneakers, expensive goofy ties and one of those copper magnetic bracelets that are supposedly good for a bad wrist that golfers wear. They drive a 10 year old Lexus that still looks new and always show up 10 minutes early but never stay a minute late. They generally are well liked and have their loyal customers although stories told about them generally involve a lot of eye rolling. It might be due to their proclivity to telling crude jokes. They call the DMs "suits" and generally get crabby when the subject turns to corporate programs. They play fairly fast and loose with rules and regulations. Their knowledge of secret computer shortcuts and prowess at pharmacy math is Freemason-like. Work productivity stays around 70% but they somehow manage to get it done by the end of their shift and are on the golf course 10 minutes later telling stories about whose first wife was a bigger bitch.....oh and they are sitting on at least a million....but continue to work. I think just to piss us off

I think you and I must surely have worked with some of the same people. All of this is SO true.

 

[pharmasaur]

they tend to know every single fact about the 10-20 drugs that were available back in the day but know nothing about the new stuff since the 1990's..and frankly dont care to learn lol
they also have a lot of misinformed facts about drugs. i work with a pharmacist who tells patients that omega 3 fatty acids prevent heart attacks bc they work as a blood thinner 😵

 

[Jibby321]

Thanks for the info Z and dred. It's A lot of information. Guess I should make some flash cards. Haha

 

[owlegrad]

I never took old school to be insulting, I always took it to mean someone who has been around forever. Maybe they care more about the label being straight than is reasonable, and sure maybe they need to go ahead and retire, but I never took it as anything inherently bad.

 

[Ackj]

To me, "old school" mean less focus on the law/insurance, and more "give the patient what they need." Insurance says refill too soon? Well take a few and we'll bill them some other time. Don't have the $ for a copay? Well the third party reimbursement covers the cost, so that's good enough. It's sort of a mix between being jaded, avoiding an argument/hassle/long phone call, and not having much to lose in case you get canned.

 

[SClENCE]

Old school = verification robot

When I started as a tech, one of our pharmacists was a 73 year old lady. Not kidding. She was filling prescriptions is a 450 script/day store and would pull out her magnifying glass to look at hard copies.