what makes a good pharmacist

[firework]

What personalities do you think one should have to be a good and happy pharmacist?

I know it sounds strange, I think I want to be a pharmacy technician more than pharmacist. I really like filling prescriptions, I find it very relaxing, peaceful and fulfilling. I can do it 10 hours straight without feeling bored. I also like doing inventory, putting price tags on, finding the bags for the patients, organize prescriptions, etc. I am worried I will not be a good pharmacist because I like dealing with medicines rather than patients.

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[crazybob]

What personalities do you think one should have to be a good and happy pharmacist?

I know it sounds strange, I think I want to be a pharmacy technician more than pharmacist. I really like filling prescriptions, I find it very relaxing, peaceful and fulfilling. I can do it 10 hours straight without feeling bored. I also like doing inventory, putting price tags on, finding the bags for the patients, organize prescriptions, etc. I am worried I will not be a good pharmacist because I like dealing with medicines rather than patients.

Do you mean certain types of patients or all patients?

Maybe a change in setting may help. If you like dealing with medications and very few patients, then doing inpatient or nuclear pharmacy might be what you like.

 

[Its Z]

communication and personal skills are the 2 most important traits.

 

[powertoold]

communication and personal skills are the 2 most important traits.

So you'd rather have a personable pharmacist with a 4% error rate versus one that has a 2% error rate but isn't very good with people? I find that it's difficult to have the best of both worlds since a personable pharmacist also tends to socialize with the coworkers and doesn't spend enough time verifying the prescriptions, etc..

I'd agree with communication skills, but the pharmacist also has to have good knowledge of what to communicate.

 

[owlegrad]

What personalities do you think one should have to be a good and happy pharmacist?

I know it sounds strange, I think I want to be a pharmacy technician more than pharmacist. I really like filling prescriptions, I find it very relaxing, peaceful and fulfilling. I can do it 10 hours straight without feeling bored. I also like doing inventory, putting price tags on, finding the bags for the patients, organize prescriptions, etc. I am worried I will not be a good pharmacist because I like dealing with medicines rather than patients.

I won't try to speak to what makes a good pharmacist because I am still a student. As for being a happy pharmacists, the secret is the same for everyone:

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Philippians 4:11

Good advice.

I also agree with the idea that you may enjoy institutional or nuclear pharmacy more than retail. Or maybe mail-order?

 

[WVUPharm2007]

communication and personal skills are the 2 most important traits.

Well, I'm boned.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Well, I'm boned.

What are these things... These "skills" he speaks of?

 

[Its Z]

So you'd rather have a personable pharmacist with a 4% error rate versus one that has a 2% error rate but isn't very good with people? I find that it's difficult to have the best of both worlds since a personable pharmacist also tends to socialize with the coworkers and doesn't spend enough time verifying the prescriptions, etc..

I'd agree with communication skills, but the pharmacist also has to have good knowledge of what to communicate.

i will take a robot pharmacist with zero percent error rate and make him a frontline soldier. but i will take the mistake prone pharmacist who can deal with people and make him a manager.

 

[socalpharm86]

So you'd rather have a personable pharmacist with a 4% error rate versus one that has a 2% error rate but isn't very good with people? I find that it's difficult to have the best of both worlds since a personable pharmacist also tends to socialize with the coworkers and doesn't spend enough time verifying the prescriptions, etc..

I'd agree with communication skills, but the pharmacist also has to have good knowledge of what to communicate.

With 13k new grads a year, this scenario shouldn't be likely

 

[powertoold]

i will take a robot pharmacist with zero percent error rate and make him a frontline soldier. but i will take the mistake prone pharmacist who can deal with people and make him a manager.

But then both of the pharmacists would be "good" in their own respective positions.

If I had to define a "good" pharmacist, I'd value motivation and ambition to advance the profession and patient care, an open mind, and a willingness to learn (even the tedious material, which there is a lot of in pharmacy).

I don't care how personable someone is; if one doesn't have ambition and motivation, it'd be difficult to find the energy to be a good pharmacist. One would have to continually challenge the status quo and keep finding new and innovative methods to practice pharmacy.

 

[Its Z]

yeah right....good luck with an ambtious and motivated arsehole who cant communicate and pisses off everyone.

 

[Its Z]

pharmacy is a people business based on customer service. most pharmacists tend to carry enough knowledge base to perform the job. but it aint the ambition or motivation that sets one a part rather the pharmacist who provides the best customer service and who effectively communicates leading to a better patient outcome through a teamwork that sets one a part.

 

[Mariachi]

yeah right....good luck with an ambtious and motivated arsehole who cant communicate and pisses off everyone.

Thumbs up

Pharmacy seems to attract too many antisocial/ anal-retentive gunners... Pharmacy is a team sport, it's not just about one individuals "error rate." If your presence behind the counter causes conflict and unnecessary stress in your coworkers, the whole work flow gets screwed up.

 

[pharm B]

yeah right....good luck with an ambtious and motivated arsehole who cant communicate and pisses off everyone.

This is a universal concept. Do they end up in academia when they can't get promoted in retail?

 

[powertoold]

pharmacy is a people business based on customer service. most pharmacists tend to carry enough knowledge base to perform the job. but it aint the ambition or motivation that sets one a part rather the pharmacist who provides the best customer service and who effectively communicates leading to a better patient outcome through a teamwork that sets one a part.

Then we're probably just arguing semantics here. You can definitely have motivation and ambition to provide great customer service?

Check out this excerpt (don't know the source the book got it from though):

http://books.google.com/books?id=XW...3#v=onepage&q=introverted pharmacists&f=false

I agree that most pharmacists have enough knowledge to do the job, unfortunately, not well. I'm not going into details, but many people will agree with me, especially regarding older pharmacists.

 

[charfdorn]

What personalities do you think one should have to be a good and happy pharmacist?

I know it sounds strange, I think I want to be a pharmacy technician more than pharmacist. I really like filling prescriptions, I find it very relaxing, peaceful and fulfilling. I can do it 10 hours straight without feeling bored. I also like doing inventory, putting price tags on, finding the bags for the patients, organize prescriptions, etc. I am worried I will not be a good pharmacist because I like dealing with medicines rather than patients.

I think you should be a technician. There's nothing ignoble in that, or unworthy of respect, and you don't have to take on six figures in debt to do it.

 

[powertoold]

I am worried I will not be a good pharmacist because I like dealing with medicines rather than patients.

lol, ironically, in retail pharmacy, technicians are dealing with patients more than pharmacists...

 

[MountainPharmD]

I can only speak for the retail side. You have to have the right personality as well as the right frame of mind. This list is in no way exhaustive. Just a few things off the top of my head......

1. You must genuinly like practicing pharmacy. If you got into this for the money or a guaranteed job you will be miserable.
2. Detail oriented
3. Ability to work under pressure.
4. Able to multitask. You must be able to accuratly and quickly do at least three things at once, most of the time more.
5. Good comminication skills with customers and your staff.
6. A very thick skin. People lose thier mind when they come into the pharmacy. You must learn to not take it personnel.
7. A short memory. Let things go like ****ty customers, bad days, idiot upper management ect. No sense holding on to bad things.
8. Ability to leave work at work. Clear you mind, lock the gate and go home happy.
9. Focus on the 1% of patients who actually appreciate what you do.

 

[PharmJunkie]

I can only speak for the retail side. You have to have the right personality as well as the right frame of mind. This list is in no way exhaustive. Just a few things off the top of my head......

1. You must genuinly like practicing pharmacy. If you got into this for the money or a guaranteed job you will be miserable.
2. Detail oriented
3. Ability to work under pressure.
4. Able to multitask. You must be able to accuratly and quickly do at least three things at once, most of the time more.
5. Good comminication skills with customers and your staff.
6. A very thick skin. People lose thier mind when they come into the pharmacy. You must learn to not take it personnel.
7. A short memory. Let things go like ****ty customers, bad days, idiot upper management ect. No sense holding on to bad things.
8. Ability to leave work at work. Clear you mind, lock the gate and go home happy.
9. Focus on the 1% of patients who actually appreciate what you do.

I really agree with the qualities you listed here. This is exactly the qualities that each pharmacist should have.