What made you pick Pharmacy??

[Comet208]

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I am interested in what branch and pharmacy everyone is interested in and why.

I'll start: I prefer hospital pharmacy b/c it allowes working in a team of healthcare professionals and provides direct patient interaction. Also, there are great potentials for growth (you can become the head of the pharmacy dept.. etc. )

 

[kristakoch]

I am interested in what branch and pharmacy everyone is interested in and why.

I'll start: I prefer hospital pharmacy b/c it allowes working in a team of healthcare professionals and provides direct patient interaction. Also, there are great potentials for growth (you can become the head of the pharmacy dept.. etc. )

WOW - what hospital do you plan on working in? Direct patient care, that rarely happens, even with clinical pharmacists on the floor. All that the usually do is check over orders for right dose, drug, etc. On my peds rotation, I did get to go on rounds, but never talked to the pts or anything, only really talked to the residents and attendings. I don't know, maybe you are just a pre-pharm or a 1st year and are still idealistic, I hope I didn't just break your bubble. But, most people I know go into hospital because there are no patient interactions, just interactions with MD, RN, etc.

Anyways, I like hospital for just that reason, and the fact that you use more of your clinical skills and critical care skills than you ever would in community. But that said, I am starting a community pharmacy care residency in September, mainly for the fact of I have no real community experience and I should gain some and this would be the best way.

 

[b*rizzle]

WOW - what hospital do you plan on working in? Direct patient care, that rarely happens, even with clinical pharmacists on the floor. All that the usually do is check over orders for right dose, drug, etc. On my peds rotation, I did get to go on rounds, but never talked to the pts or anything, only really talked to the residents and attendings. I don't know, maybe you are just a pre-pharm or a 1st year and are still idealistic, I hope I didn't just break your bubble. But, most people I know go into hospital because there are no patient interactions, just interactions with MD, RN, etc.

Anyways, I like hospital for just that reason, and the fact that you use more of your clinical skills and critical care skills than you ever would in community. But that said, I am starting a community pharmacy care residency in September, mainly for the fact of I have no real community experience and I should gain some and this would be the best way.

👍 You may save this fella from some potential embarrassment during an interview. It became even more apparent to me after landing my retail pharmacy job the distinction between what makes people choose clinical over retail and vice versa.

To the OP: Your description of "why pharmacy" sounds like more of an appropriate response for a retail job. An interviewer may be kind enough to not point out the discrepancy, but could possibly doubt your sincerity and use this as a way to weed you out -- especially given the volume of applicants in recent years. This just doesn't apply to pharmacy school, but to but any other job. Whether or not this is actually what you want to do with your PharmD, I would suggest brushing up on what clinical and retail jobs entail, if you haven't had any experience with one or both of them.

I'd also look into some current topics of debate in the field, since this will give you further insight into either branch of pharmacy (although it's not just limited to clinical and pharmacy) and will render you able to produce a more thoughtful response when prompted with the inevitable question "why pharmacy?"

 

[starsweet]

👍 You may save this fella from some potential embarrassment during an interview. It became even more apparent to me after landing my retail pharmacy job the distinction between what makes people choose clinical over retail and vice versa.

To the OP: Your description of "why pharmacy" sounds like more of an appropriate response for a retail job. An interviewer may be kind enough to not point out the discrepancy, but could possibly doubt your sincerity and use this as a way to weed you out -- especially given the volume of applicants in recent years. This just doesn't apply to pharmacy school, but to but any other job. Whether or not this is actually what you want to do with your PharmD, I would suggest brushing up on what clinical and retail jobs entail, if you haven't had any experience with one or both of them.

I'd also look into some current topics of debate in the field, since this will give you further insight into either branch of pharmacy (although it's not just limited to clinical and pharmacy) and will render you able to produce a more thoughtful response when prompted with the inevitable question "why pharmacy?"

Where can you find a site that has these current pharmacy issues?

 

[b*rizzle]

Where can you find a site that has these current pharmacy issues?

The Pharmacy FAQ link on this forum is a good start; there are lots of links to different professional organizations and online newsletters/etc. You don't need to devour it all unless you want to; you may find that there are a few topics in particular that interest you more than others and that's okay. I've been fortunate enough to be able to speak with people in many different fields of pharmacy, and I've found that being able to speak insightfully and thoroughly about one topic creates a much stronger impression than cursory knowledge of many different things. Don't take this advice at face value; you still need to know what's going on in the field in general.

Also, the PharmD student forum is a good place to peruse because you'll get a feel for some of the issues that current pharmacy students are dealing with. Little bits and fragments of info I've picked up on the PharmD forum have given me tremendous insight into "little things" that I might not have thought about.

I will warn you; the knowledge doesn't come overnight; it's taken lots of personal experience and reading and research to get to the point where I feel like I can openly and intelligently discuss my reasons for wanting to go into pharmacy and not feel like I'm giving a "canned" answer.

The point is that you're trying to show the interviewer that you've put a lot of thought into your choice and are passionate about it. It's not just about "knowing things" -- it's being enthusiastic about them. Remember that you are trying to get into a very competitive and rigorous academic program. You're not just investing in the next four years; reciprocally, the pharmacy school is investing in you. Do as little or as much as you deem necessary to portray yourself as a worthy investment.
🙂

 

[Comet208]

Thank you all for your feedback. I have recently found my passion for pharmacy and still investigating about it. I never said direct patient care though, i said direct patient interaction which happens both is clinical and community pharmacies. If i was interested in patient care, I'd apply to med school. The image of a clinical pahrmacist that i have comes from what i have read and been told by current pharmacy students. If normally a clinical pharmacist doesnt interact with the patients, i am willing to go that extra mile (10 ft) and see how they are doing when i have nothing better to do on the floor.

having said that, i admit that my reaosns may be weak now which is due to having very little exposure to the profession. in all honestly, i know that i'd enjoy it but cant pin point anything specific (for the time being).

please correct me if i am wrong. thx.

 

[aubieRx]

when i shadowed at a hospital there was direct patient interaction.

For example, a diabetes patient was advised about diet etc. Insulin levels were adjusted while talking to the patient.

 

[b*rizzle]

having said that, i admit that my reaosns may be weak now which is due to having very little exposure to the profession. in all honestly, i know that i'd enjoy it but cant pin point anything specific (for the time being).

please correct me if i am wrong. thx.

You'll see; one day it will just suddenly all make sense. My "ah-ha!" moment wasn't that long ago.

Good luck!!

 

[LBS615]

when i shadowed at a hospital there was direct patient interaction.

For example, a diabetes patient was advised about diet etc. Insulin levels were adjusted while talking to the patient.

A pharmacist can not give a diabetic patient advice about their diet- that is the job of the dietitian or certified diabetes educator. I am a dietitian starting pharm school next month- you do not know how many times I see patients on coumadin who think they can never have any dark greens- because that is what the pharmacist or MD told them- even if you look in the older drug info books given out with coumadin they would provide a list of foods that were high or medium in vitamin k. Everything in moderation.

 

[ForgetMeNot]

A pharmacist can not give a diabetic patient advice about their diet- that is the job of the dietitian or certified diabetes educator. I am a dietitian starting pharm school next month- you do not know how many times I see patients on coumadin who think they can never have any dark greens- because that is what the pharmacist or MD told them- even if you look in the older drug info books given out with coumadin they would provide a list of foods that were high or medium in vitamin k. Everything in moderation.

Just remember not every one gets it wrong. I co-taught a warfarin class with a pharmacist and we made sure to emphasize that it's a consistent diet that we were looking for, not an avoidance of medium/high vitamin K foods.