What to do to branch out

[radio frequency]

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I have a pretty unicorn pharmacist job, but all this Covid downtime has me thinking about my future.

I like my job, but it isn’t very portable and I am enjoying the golden handcuffs at work. Leaving to go anywhere else would likely involve a large paycut. My concern is, what happens ten years down the line. Basically, my job doesn’t feel secure, and I’m not willing to go to the chains if this job dries up somehow.

I have thought about returning to school, but I’m not sure I have the stomach for it right now. Sounds painful. Any suggestions for diversifying? I do not have a residency. I don’t really care if my future job is in pharmacy or not, but it would be nice to build on my pharmacy skill set and knowledge.

I feel sort of like I’m stuck and it’s not a great feeling.

 

[harvoni_rituxan]

computer science, no need to elaborate more

 

[Emmet2301]

Healthcare Management?

Research?

 

[BMBiology]

Were you furloughed?

 

[radio frequency]

Were you furloughed?

They call it furlough, but it's just temporary reduced hours. I almost wish I was furloughed so I could have more time to dig into ideas.

 

[pencilandpen]

lottery ticket

 

[APN-59 rph]

Carefully review the opportunity for your own business...Start as a side effort and if it works..grow it....THAT is how little guys get rich...Take a couple of small and mid sized owners out for a beer and ask how they did it....Don't parallel the phcy biz...unless you can find three or four owners who are not pretty worried....Steer clear of food and gin mills...

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Liquidate everything. Use savings to open a bar/grill on the beach in Panama. Live above the bar. Flirt with cute European tourists for the rest of your life.

That's my backup plan.

That or moving to Estonia and committing computer crimes.

 

[lord999]

Liquidate everything. Use savings to open a bar/grill on the beach in Panama. Live above the bar. Flirt with cute European tourists for the rest of your life.

That's my backup plan.

That or moving to Estonia and committing computer crimes.

Here's an easier plan. Get some occupational physician to declare you disabled, collect SSDI, and garden/read/go rustic the rest of your life.

Much less work for similar life expectancy.

You want to make money, defraud the government or go into the other drug business. If you can keep it under the radar and don't mind living at the margins, the black market economy has plenty of work right now.

More serious note, @giga 's advice is why I work Fed and getting fired is basically impossible, and I would start thinking about administration. Directors are always sought after.

But to some extent, you will need to trade comfort for security, a certain loss for an uncertain benefit. What is it to you and who do you affect?

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Here's an easier plan. Get some occupational physician to declare you disabled, collect SSDI, and garden/read/go rustic the rest of your life.

Much less work for similar life expectancy.

You want to make money, defraud the government or go into the other drug business. If you can keep it under the radar and don't mind living at the margins, the black market economy has plenty of work right now.

More serious note, @giga 's advice is why I work Fed and getting fired is basically impossible, and I would start thinking about administration. Directors are always sought after.

But to some extent, you will need to trade comfort for security, a certain loss for an uncertain benefit. What is it to you and who do you affect?

I don't need any instructions on that one. That's called "the plan" back in West Virginia. And you don't have to live that spartan to be honest.

Here's what you do.

1) Do something crazy in public.
2) Get 302'd.
3) Serve your "time" inside the mental health facility.
4) Get declared mentally incompetent.
5) Get you a cheap apartment in a dying town. You can get a studio apartment for $350/mo in my home town. (Example:Great location!!! - apts/housing for rent - apartment rent)
6) Draw SSDI, get your food stamps, get your medicaid.
7) Go to the pain doctor. Get your #180 oxycodone 10mg a month to sell. If you are diabetic, get your doctor to write you a script for test strips. Sell them on eBay. Use the profits to buy cheapo Walmart brand ones that are 1/5th the price.
8) Come up with varying schemes to get money on the side. Or save money. I know a guy that pays the clerk at a local hotel $20/mo to let him eat breakfast there every day at the free continental breakfast. Stuff like that.
9) Lay in the cut, watch daytime TV.
Bonus) If you want a raise, just have a **** ton of kids.

That's the plan. And, actually, with my lifeftime earnings, I'd actually be able to draw $2,934 a month if I got SSDI. I could easily live a solid, middle class lifestyle in West Virginia, Detroit, upstate New York, or somewhere like that. Keep in mind, I'm not going to be paying for healthcare or food. That's pretty comforting, actually.

 

[Chrish]

99% of rphs would be clueless about their future if their career in pharmacy is over..

 

[radio frequency]

99% of rphs would be clueless about their future if their career in pharmacy is over..

Which is why I'm hoping to be in the weird 1%. I'm adaptable, at least.

 

[mentos]

99% of rphs would be clueless about their future if their career in pharmacy is over..

Most of them would start over and take out another 200k in loans to go to school for another 4 years.

 

[Jbrl]

Which is why I'm hoping to be in the weird 1%. I'm adaptable, at least.

What do you currently do? Might help to make recommendations more specific to you

 

[MilknCheerios]

My techs and I have bounced around ideas in the event a meteor hit our pharmacy and we could no longer do it anymore. Their Ideas ranged from opening up a child daycare, a food service (think coffee shop, gelato bar, food truck), pet spa; it was very encouraging that they all had back up plans. Pharmacy is the comfort zone and even though it's challenging sometimes, it's not terrible enough to jump ship and try something completely different.

 

[radio frequency]

Most of them would start over and take out another 200k in loans to go to school for another 4 years.

Gross. No more loans!