What made you go into pharmacy?

Started by Conflagration
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Conflagration

Conflagration

Avatar from MeluuArts of dA.
10+ Year Member
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The last board on this is two years old, and I sort of figured that there was no need to bring back the dead if we can have a new one.

Why did you choose pharmacy? Knowing what you know now, would you choose it again? Would you recommend it to others? Why or why not?
 
Conflagration said:
The last board on this is two years old, and I sort of figured that there was no need to bring back the dead if we can have a new one.

Why did you choose pharmacy? Knowing what you know now, would you choose it again? Would you recommend it to others? Why or why not?
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I wanted a job that was in very high demand, was low stress, lots of respect from strangers so I would feel special and TONS OF CA$H. If I could do a do-over I would have studied harder so I could be an M.D (NOT D.O!).
 
Hello2011 said:
I wanted a job that was in very high demand, was low stress, lots of respect from strangers so I would feel special and TONS OF CA$H. If I could do a do-over I would have studied harder so I could be an M.D (NOT D.O!).
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I wanted anything with a Dr. title and a white coat with my name on it so I can feel special. I didn't care whether it was M.D., D.O, Pharm. D., D.D.S, D.M.D., etc. Just not a Ph.D because they aren't considered real Dr.'s. :hello:
 
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Working as a Pharmacy Tech my last year in high school is the reason I decided to go into Pharmacy. Initially, I applied at Walgreen's just because I wanted a job. But once I started working in the field, I enjoyed it and decided to pursue it. I didn't find out how much Pharmacists made until I actually decided I wanted to pursue Pharmacy. The six figure salary is definitely a plus!!! In addition to helping people, I also love the fact that I can be a health care professional without having to be "hands-on", such as nurses and doctors🙂
 
I worked retail for a year during undergrad while I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. I was 18-years-old and I kept hearing about the awesome salary and bonuses. I genuinely enjoyed being a technician, loved learning pharmacology on the side, and loved organic chemistry in school.

So, I figured pharmacy school was a good option for my life. I just didn't realize there was such much politics involved.
 
Its Z said:
But youre a compassionless know it all a-hole unicorn. :meanie:
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Wow, you are really immature. I mean, you really can't let my comment go. I'm the dumb*ss, and you're still dwelling on my stupid, pointless comment.

And I even told you that I understood what you were saying. I understand why you feel that way. I get it. But it doesn't change my perspective.

So, I can't really say I'm disappointed that you wouldn't hire me.
 
Chris co2012 said:
Wow, you are really immature. I mean, you really can't let my comment go. I'm the dumb*ss, and you're still dwelling on my stupid, pointless comment.

And I even told you that I understood what you were saying. I understand why you feel that way. I get it. But it doesn't change my perspective.

So, I can't really say I'm disappointed that you wouldn't hire me.
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If you deserved a mature informative response from me, then you would have gotten one.
 
I am in a different situation- I am currently in medical school and am applying to Pharmacy schools. Can someone outline some of the benefits of being a pharmacist over a physician?

Besides the schooling.

Thanks
 
Its Z said:
If you deserved a mature informative response from me, then you would have gotten one.
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No, it's not the response I'm referring to here. Obviously, you're not the brightest if you can't see that.

You went into a whole new thread and made the same stupid comment, which wasn't even a response. It was just a spiteful comment that you felt the urge to make.

I don't really care, to be honest. I'm just pointing out the fact that you called ME the dumb*ass and then are feeling this great need to keep beating the dead horse.

I GET YOUR POINT. I UNDERSTAND. NO NEED TO CONTINUE.
 
Suddenly I feel the need to continue.

Half of my pharmacists are residency trained. They are all hardworking dedicated clinicians who perform hybrid clinical/staff role who couldn't be more compassionate about patient care.

Your skewed view of most of residency trained pharmacists being compassionless know it all a-hole does much injustice to the core crew of up and coming young healthcare professionals who are out there making a difference everyday.

I hope one day you'll learn the truth. Pharmacy residency isn't an attempt to make pharmacists "physician-like" nor are they as you described and firmly believe.
 
Its Z said:
Suddenly I feel the need to continue.

Half of my pharmacists are residency trained. They are all hardworking dedicated clinicians who perform hybrid clinical/staff role who couldn't be more compassionate about patient care.

Your skewed view of most of residency trained pharmacists being compassionless know it all a-hole does much injustice to the core crew of up and coming young healthcare professionals who are out there making a difference everyday.

I hope one day you'll learn the truth. Pharmacy residency isn't an attempt to make pharmacists "physician-like" nor are they as you described and firmly believe.
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You know... I would take this comment serious if you would have had omitted the first sentence.

I'm not going to sit here and argue about it because this is an irrelevant conversation to the thread. But I will say that pharmacists have been complaining their way to doctorates. They have pushed their way into becoming wannabe physicians (and yes, that's totally true).

The retail world is crap to most residents and they do not respect it. Guess what - retail is the entire history of pharmacy. But to most residents, only the inferior do retail. And because of that mindset of whining, we're pushing ourselves to the semi-top.

And a RESIDENT had the nerve to ask at a meeting: "What about nurses and their push for becoming doctors? That just shouldn't happen." So wait... nurses should know their place but pharmacists should create opportunities to become more. Bulls***.

That's my perspective. Anything further should be in my thread or in a PM.
 
And all this is because I am a compassionless know it all a-hole unicorn who likes to help people. :meanie:
 
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Chris co2012 said:
You know... I would take this comment serious if you would have had omitted the first sentence.

I'm not going to sit here and argue about it because this is an irrelevant conversation to the thread. But I will say that pharmacists have been complaining their way to doctorates. They have pushed their way into becoming wannabe physicians (and yes, that's totally true).

The retail world is crap to most residents and they do not respect it. Guess what - retail is the entire history of pharmacy. But to most residents, only the inferior do retail. And because of that mindset of whining, we're pushing ourselves to the semi-top.

And a RESIDENT had the nerve to ask at a meeting: "What about nurses and their push for becoming doctors? That just shouldn't happen." So wait... nurses should know their place but pharmacists should create opportunities to become more. Bulls***.

That's my perspective. Anything further should be in my thread or in a PM.
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Are you a pharmacist?
 
Its Z said:
crap.. SF is in field goal range. dang it.
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So, I have never been to NO until Midyear this year. After a trip to LSU Medical Center on Monday night of Midyear, I don't plan on going back any time soon.

Haha!! TD SF!
 
cycloketocaine said:
so, i have never been to no until midyear this year. After a trip to lsu medical center on monday night of midyear, i don't plan on going back any time soon.

Haha!! Td sf!
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OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What is with this game?!?!?
 
Well, SF and NO are my 2 favorite NFL teams. Even though I grew up in NO watching Manning (Archie not Eli or Peyton) play, you couldn't not like Joe Montana and the Niners.

It's fitting now that I'm in Northern Cal...I might as well support the Niners.
 
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cycloketocaine said:
Lol, that's what the nurses and doctors told me. They asked if I was insured and when I said yes, they asked why in the world I would come there.
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Tulane Ave is pretty rough. I had a rotation at that "medical center" on Tulane Ave, but then I was moved to New Orleans East. :scared: And let's just say... I have no problems dealing with just about any thug, drug dealer, etc.
 
Back on track: I always knew I wanted to work in health care, and struck everything else off the list one at a time. After I got a job (okay, my first experience was as a hospital volunteer) and got into the program, I realized that it was not a career by default, but what I really wanted to do.

And when I saw what the salaries were (~40K in the late 1980s), I knew this was gonna be one long, difficult road to get there.
 
Honestly, I still have a hard time answering this question. What I do know though...I love going into work everyday. I enjoy diving into a patient's profile to look for a solution to a problem. I enjoy the people I work with and the constant learning that is necessary for me to continue to be successful. I always enjoy a drug info question that makes me scratch my head and go head first into a medline search...haha
 
Its Z said:
Well, SF and NO are my 2 favorite NFL teams. Even though I grew up in NO watching Manning (Archie not Eli or Peyton) play, you couldn't not like Joe Montana and the Niners.

It's fitting now that I'm in Northern Cal...I might as well support the Niners.
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Wow! You're the first person I've encountered that has admitted to watching the Saints during their "Glory Years" of the 70's and 80's. I hope you never had to wear a bag over your head or refer to the team as the Aints.
 
On the note of football, the Patriots are such trolls. Brady quick-punted in third down and actually kicked the farthest kick in the game. Then a huge brawl ensued between some Broncos and Patriots players.

I love the playoffs. xD

Thank you all for all the responses, I really do appreciate it. =D
 
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Im starting pharmacy school in August but I picked pharmacy cause I almost died of a rare allergic reaction to Lamictal when I was in high school. Really got me thinking about how/why that stuff happens. Been hooked on it since. Work as a tech now and love going to work and can't wait for the next four years to fly by.
 
flyerschickxox said:
Im starting pharmacy school in August but I picked pharmacy cause I almost died of a rare allergic reaction to Lamictal when I was in high school. Really got me thinking about how/why that stuff happens. Been hooked on it since. Work as a tech now and love going to work and can't wait for the next four years to fly by.
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Well, it only flies by in retrospect. So prepare for a long wait.
 
What made me go into pharmacy was the realization that seemingly healthy people may be taking 5 or medications on a daily basis (hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol problems, and the list goes on...). Read about MTM's starting up in different places, and was sincerely excited about it. Although it seems that in reality, MTM's only available in few clinics and most consultations in retail need to be done in 30 seconds or less in peak hours, I still sincerely believe that pharmacists are the ones who can take care of these patients. (And therefore, conditions must improve in retail...sigh) I am a pharm tech at an independent pharmacy with daily average above 200 rx's, but my pharmacist still helps out a lot of patients choose OTC meds, supplements, and talks to patients on a personal level. I hope that I also will become an approachable and friendly pharmacist myself in any setting I may be in. Starting pharm school (but haven't decided which one) this fall.
 
Chance brought me into the field (as a tech) almost 8 years ago. There were no jobs in which I could use my psych degree, anyway. Worked at a couple of places and took pre reqs. Ended up in hospital inpatient and been there ever since. I guess I was just drawn to it and with each passing day, I realize how much it was meant to be. It's my dream field. Couldn't be happier with my choice. Life is stressful but, overall, very good.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk
 
true interest in pharmacy.

That saying about never working a day in your life if you have a passion for what you do is true. I go to chill (work), and I get paid two weeks later. I don't even take breaks coz I dont wanna leave my station. (LTC pharmacy)

Every now and then it will feel like work, but for the most part, its just professional medical trivia to me.
 
A fascination with pharmaceuticals and a desire to help the public understand how they work.
 
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Its complicated. :laugh:

I think the bottom-line was that I wanted a secure future (looked that way at the time) with anything else that I get along the way as icing on top. The PharmD really is a versatile degree if one seeks the opportunities and I always saw it as my foundation.
 
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The only healthcare profession where I wouldn't have to touch sick people. And healthcare only because it would offer decent job security and salaries.

And the more I learned about variety of job opportunities for pharmacists, the more I liked the idea. So I stuck with it, and so far, I have no regrets whatsoever. I don't think any other degree would have provided me as good a balance of all the things I was looking for. Even though pharmacy school was and still is the most boring thing that ever happened to me. 🙂
 
Wanted to work healthcare , loved chemistry and pharmacology, and most importantly , wanted a field that would offer good opportunities for part time work. pharmacy has way more flexibility in this regard than any of the other "doctorate" health programs. 40-50hr/week is for suckers
 
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