Why does everyone cry about how hard pharmacy is?

[kwakster928]

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Please, save your uneducated rant and your mighty assumption of difficulty of academics... it is not even worth talking about it.

Let me tell you what's hard.

1. Trying desperately to get rid of awful feeling of you may have overlooked a critical detail after you processed a salvage chemotherapy order on a patient with multiple organ failure.

2. Trying to present yourself in utmost professional manner in the presence of angry patients, nurses or physicians and calmly argue your rational for making that recommendation.

3. Not to beat yourself over an honest mistake that reached a patient.

4. Not feeling helpless when you are the only rate limiting step to a patient screaming and crying tears in pain when trying to prepare a high concentration PCA pump.

Anyone in pharmacy school with discipline, time management skills, and a brain will figure out the curriculum fairly easily. The real test comes in when you are a practicing pharmacist, and your action (although it may seem so small and incomprehensible for many) may significantly affect your patients and theirs outcome.

Come talk to me when you have mastered that skill and call me with the next challenge. Until then, be quite and go hide in your corner.

 

[Angela1234]

Why does everyone cry about how hard pharmacy is? Try being held up by gunpoint and robbed. Or have a trailer trash woman tell you to come out to the parking lot to beat you up because her stupid oxycontin isn't ready yet. How about having a guy accompany you to your car in the parking lot?

 

[BMBiology]

Please, save your uneducated rant and your mighty assumption of difficulty of academics... it is not even worth talking about it.

Let me tell you what's hard.

1. Trying desperately to get rid of awful feeling of you may have overlooked a critical detail after you processed a salvage chemotherapy order on a patient with multiple organ failure.

2. Trying to present yourself in utmost professional manner in the presence of angry patients, nurses and physicians calmly argue your rational for making that recommendation.

3. Not to beat yourself over an honest mistake that reached to a patient.

4. Not feeling hopeless when you are the only rate limiting step to a patient screaming and crying tears in pain when trying to prepare high concentration PCA pump.

Anyone in pharmacy school with discipline, time management skills, and a brain will figure the curriculum out fairly easily. The real test comes in when you are a practicing pharmacist, and your action (although it may seem so small and incomprehensible for many) may significantly affect your patient care and outcome.

Come talk to me when you have mastered that skill and call me with the next challenge. Until then, be quite and go hide in your corner.

Instant classic post

 

[BMBiology]

I also noticed most pharmacy personnel have huge egos.

Ironic

 

[JoBreeze]

I love how the average reported debt is creeping up, it's now at 300k+. Soon, we'll be talking of pharmacy students with 7 figure debt. Just because someone takes out some obscene loan amount doesn't mean they are entitled to an outrageous salary.

Taking out 300k in loans is a personal choice.

Reminds me of a poster on a certain physician specialty forum crying about his income not supporting his 6 member family.

:cry:Buh buh but the guy at Chipotle isn't a doctor with sooooo much education and 300k debt...😴

 

[zelman]

It's not hard to to make sure you don't give 10mg warfarin to a person needed 1mg, it's stamped on the tablet!

when the order is for 1.0mg it can be tricky

 

[zelman]

How many people getting paid 9 dollars an hour in chipotle making burritos for a living would love to have your job and get paid 55 an hour to make sure that the white warfarin 10 mg tablet in the bottle matches the white
Warfarin 10 mg tablet on the computer screen?

How many items are on the chipotle menu? How many drugs are in your pharmacy? Now, considering that and how many times the people at chipotle have screwed up my order, they wouldn't be making $55/hr for long.

 

[BMBiology]

when the order is for 1.0mg it can be tricky

Maybe the Doc meant to write for 1mg but you were too busy talking to the nice customers and didnt catch it and dispensed 10 mg. Of course it is not your fault. Many patients are on 10mg of warfarin

 

[All4MyDaughter]

With two new private schools in my area, I can tell you that most students come out with 200k+...

Half of these fools, um students, don't know what they got themselves into.

I just don't personally know anyone (in real life) who has that much debt from pharmacy school. I am not sure SDN is a representative sample. I'm sure the data is out there somewhere, if I felt like searching.

 

[fps374]

"You get paid 55 bucks an hour on average to make sure the bottle of Ofloxacin matches the picture of the bottle of Ofloxacin on your screen."


Lolol just referring to pharmacy school i'll admit it's not that difficult, but yet again not everybody has the same skills/personal life (eg. parents divorce, illness)

But you still make retail sound WAYYY too easy. I'm an intern, and i'll admit it's not too bad, but RPh is a whole different ballgame.

if you want to be a quality employee and please your boss, you better spend all your focus and energy on unachievable metrics,
get used to working 14 hour days while resisting p***ing your pants several hrs,
devouring a meal in 5 minutes if you're lucky,
frequent turnover and motivation of techs who have no pharm experience and get paid jacksh*t for the stress they deal with (and watching every move so that a "Smith" who was prescribed ibup is not given aderall for another "smith" at pickup),

annnd as most new grads are hired as floaters, they have the joy of driving 90min. to do 400 in 14hrs, drive home for 90 min, and do the same thing again the next day at another store 90min. away in the opposite direction, all the while people who have never seen you in their pharmacy before automatically assume you don't know what you're doing and constantly let you know

I haven't had the joy of any of this yet, but I certainly have witnessed it
(that sign on bonus with waste management looks more attractive every time I see that commercial )

I get that all good paying jobs have tremendous amounts of stress, but it's more the physical/health concerns of retail pharmacy that don't fit in line with other professions. It wouldn't be so bad if a lunch break were required (it kills me whenever I call a local dr.'s office and their message machine prompts that they're on lunch break from 11:30-1:15 daily-------reaaaally???)

but if you were only talking about school.....it's not bad

 

[AlPacino]

I'm sorry I just can't take anybody with the name Nate Robinson serious.

 

[NateRobinson]

U mad bro

 

[AlPacino]

U mad bro

Sorry, I just can't do it 🙁

 

[Sugoi Travis]

I can't really tell how difficult the field is with threads and posts like these. I know it's somewhere between "you're gonna have to work hard to get that position" and "run away from pharmacy and never look back." What gets me is that people are more willing to complain than are willing to talk good about the profession.

I like the human immune system; I like drugs; I find it interesting that we have things that can combat microorganisms/viruses or alter our body in ways that can lead us to being cured. I like the idea of being that middleman who has to have the eyes of an eagle, putting our vast array of knowledge to use so that drug conflictions don't occur.

Do these people exist on the forums, or am I going to have to get used to people bitching and moaning about how horrendous pharmacy turned out from now until the day I die? This doesn't mean that naysayers will dissuade me from pursuing the field; I'm still going in regardless because I find the stuff pharmacy teaches you to be very, very interesting.

I'd like an honest view of how the field is turning out, if that's not too much to ask. There's so much negativity on the forums that I feel like I'm seeing an all too radical side to this. But if this view is reality, then I guess I have little choice but to deal with it.

 

[BidingMyTime]

I'd like an honest view of how the field is turning out, if that's not too much to ask. There's so much negativity on the forums that I feel like I'm seeing an all too radical side to this. But if this view is reality, then I guess I have little choice but to deal with it.

Generally speaking, people don't rave when they are happy. They just rant and rave when they aren't. I think most pharmacists are happy with their job, but because they are happy they don't have a lot to say.

I've been a pharmacist 25 - 30 years. I have worked in both hospital & retail, chains & independents. I enjoy both, I enjoy my current job, and I have absolutely no regrets about going into pharmacy. I think the job outlook for pharmacists is better than some other majors, and certainly no worse than any other job in this non-hiring-non-retiring economy. I think one should watch their loan debt when considering getting any college degree.
I think the majority of the pharmacists I've worked (although certainly not all of them), are also happy with their choice of pharmacy as a career.

 

[hye345]

Generally speaking, people don't rave when they are happy. They just rant and rave when they aren't. I think most pharmacists are happy with their job, but because they are happy they don't have a lot to say.

I've been a pharmacist 25 - 30 years. I have worked in both hospital & retail, chains & independents. I enjoy both, I enjoy my current job, and I have absolutely no regrets about going into pharmacy. I think the job outlook for pharmacists is better than some other majors, and certainly no worse than any other job in this non-hiring-non-retiring economy. I think one should watch their loan debt when considering getting any college degree.
I think the majority of the pharmacists I've worked (although certainly not all of them), are also happy with their choice of pharmacy as a career.

Thank you for your honest level-headed perspective.

 

[Angela1234]

Try looking for work or asking around to see if there are any pharmacist openings or speaking to people. Then you'll have an outlook on the profession.

 

[NateRobinson]

I can't really tell how difficult the field is with threads and posts like these. I know it's somewhere between "you're gonna have to work hard to get that position" and "run away from pharmacy and never look back." What gets me is that people are more willing to complain than are willing to talk good about the profession.

I like the human immune system; I like drugs; I find it interesting that we have things that can combat microorganisms/viruses or alter our body in ways that can lead us to being cured. I like the idea of being that middleman who has to have the eyes of an eagle, putting our vast array of knowledge to use so that drug conflictions don't occur.

Do these people exist on the forums, or am I going to have to get used to people bitching and moaning about how horrendous pharmacy turned out from now until the day I die? This doesn't mean that naysayers will dissuade me from pursuing the field; I'm still going in regardless because I find the stuff pharmacy teaches you to be very, very interesting.

I'd like an honest view of how the field is turning out, if that's not too much to ask. There's so much negativity on the forums that I feel like I'm seeing an all too radical side to this. But if this view is reality, then I guess I have little choice but to deal with it.

Judging by the way you articulated yourself in that post, you are a very intelligent person. You will be fine. 80% of pharmacy is being able to read packets quickly- foreigners are at a huge disadvantage because they can't read fast enough. A lot of people would claim that I was a genius when we were doing didactic courses, but the harsh truth was the fact that they couldn't read as fast as I could.

 

[theSully]

I know undergrad music majors that complain about how hard their music program is because they have to go to rehearsal for an hour after class 1 day a week.

There HAS to be more to it than that...that's their fourth ensemble, a quartet with people they don't like or something.

Granted, that one hour of rehearsal could easily equate to another 5-10 hours of practicing a week. But yeah, on the surface, they're being utterly ridiculous.

Of course, I could be a bitter violist who was required to play in an opera or musical every semester, on top of the 3 ensembles I was already in. Along with playing in 3 regional semi-pro symphonies, which also took a fair bit of time. I think back at the amount of music I was learning back then with a sort of awe.

 

[Bier9999]

Chill the **** out. Punch a wall. Vibe to some Dean Marley. Re-Lax.

Not exactly a Marley fan but I am a big advocate of relaxation through music. I actually find Pink Floyd to be very relaxing after trials of hearing meditation, yoga, and nature music. I think all retails should play Comfortably Numb at least once on their PA system.

Then again, my friends ask me why do I listen to old British music and not listen to Katy Perry or Justin Bieber.

 

[desklamp]

This post is ******ed. And before you all start flaming me, let me explain why as rationally as possible.

People have different expectations, different career goals, and different standards in any professional school, be it medical or pharmacy. Exhibit A: A medical student wanting to match into psych is going to have a different time than someone wanting to match into ortho.


Same with pharmacy. The guy who wants to go into retail is going to have an entirely different time than the guy who wants a fellowship or residency. Retail does not put that much emphasis on grades (I think, at least) particularly if you've been working at a store for 10 years and are pretty much already set in terms of your job out of school.

Residency/fellowship is another matter. The match rate is like...50%? Somewhere around there. And thanks to all the new grads now, to be competitive you need to be a leader. You need (or it helps) to do research. You need to maintain a high GPA. You need to volunteer. You need to work part time. You obviously need to know your **** and also do yearly trips to Ghana so you can show residency directors pictures of you holding foreign babies (that was...a joke). .Straight Bs are going to hinder you unless you have mad connections. Not doing research or having a leadership position may hold you back as well. So we are stuck with doing everything, or at least doing one thing really well, even if it makes us want to curl up in a ball and cry sometimes. Them's the breaks.

Then we have personal expectations. I am one of those people who feels like a complete and utter failure if I don't get straight As. I know that is absolutely stupid, GPA doesn't reflect intelligence necessarily, and I know that isn't practical but that is how I was raised and that is how a lot of other people were raised, and some of us actually get a good sense of accomplishment from doing well on an exam even if it stresses us out in the process. I fully respect people who get As and Bs or Cs or whatever. So why make fun of those of us who want the 90 over the 85? Leave Britney alone. We are human beings.

Another factor contributing to stress: which school you attend. Some schools throw you into classes with med students. Some schools are pretty easy.

So that's my argument, and why I find OP's post to be purposefully inflammatory and...well...stupid. Sorry.

 

[Sugoi Travis]

Judging by the way you articulated yourself in that post, you are a very intelligent person. You will be fine. 80% of pharmacy is being able to read packets quickly- foreigners are at a huge disadvantage because they can't read fast enough. A lot of people would claim that I was a genius when we were doing didactic courses, but the harsh truth was the fact that they couldn't read as fast as I could.

Too bad my GPA says otherwise. It's funny how a single number can subject a person under intense scrutiny. Not all GPAs are equal.

 

[Lnsean]

You guys need to lighten up. Especially those of you still in pharmacy school.

I'm about to graduate pharmacy school And I can honestly say that besides the usual BS, I didn't stress at all. Nada. I lived my life, spent time with girls, played video games, played sports, spent time with family and went to the gym constantly. All on top of actually learning the material and working 25 hours a week the last 4 years.

So many people here complain and say stuff like "IM SO STRESSED" and "MY SEX DRIVE HAD DIMINISHED." What the holy hell is wrong with you people? Why do you stress so much? It's really not that hard. Take a chill pill. Relax. You have a hard exam coming up? Have a drink. Smoke a blunt. Take a pill. Whatever you need to do to calm down. Then, sit down, take your book out, and BELIEVE that you will do great. Don't neglect your loved ones, don't neglect your body and become an obese piece of crap, don't become one of those grade A losers that people like me and my preceptors make fun of on rotations on a daily basis. Chill the **** out. Punch a wall. Vibe to some Dean Marley. Re-Lax.

And to those of you that work for a chain and bitch all day about how tough it is, you guys are just as bad. I work in a store that does just under 4,000 scripts a week in a bad neighborhood and is severely short staffed at times and I don't complain. Instead of having a goddamn panic attack, do what's in front of you, help your patients, and go home at the end of the day.

Then there's the group who sits there behind their computers and goes "OMG THAT PATIENT DIDNT WANT TO WAIT 30 MINUTES FOR HIS EYE DROPS!!" Guess what, ******? He shouldn't have to wait 30 minutes for his eye drops Script. All you have to do is print the label, scan the box and then label the box. How hard is that? If I was. A patient and some ******* intern/rph told me I had to wait longer than 15 minutes so he could take his time labeling a box, id be mad too. And this is coming from a pharmacy intern that works for a huge chain that does an insane amount of scripts on a daily basis.

It's your job. You get paid 55 bucks an hour on average to make sure the bottle of Ofloxacin matches the picture of the bottle of Ofloxacin on your screen. Do your job and shut the **** up.

Re-Lax.

Anything medicine is not hard...it just takes time and determination. Almost all of the stuff is memorization based..."this is how it works, just know it."

You know what is hard? Creativity is hard. That's why you see few people (especially asians...I'm asian myself) pursue careers that take creativity because it can't be learned or taught. You can't open a book and be taught how to write the next Harry Potter or to think of a novel product or website. Medicine is a linear career at best and a flat-line at worst.

 

[JoBreeze]

Anything medicine is not hard...it just takes time and determination. Almost all of the stuff is memorization based..."this is how it works, just know it."

You know what is hard? Creativity is hard. That's why you see few people (especially asians...I'm asian myself) pursue careers that take creativity because it can't be learned or taught. You can't open a book and be taught how to write the next Harry Potter or to think of a novel product or website. Medicine is a linear career at best and a flat-line at worst.

When you say medicine do you mean pharmacy?

Also, what's the difference between "linear" and a "flat line?"

 

[Lnsean]

When you say medicine do you mean pharmacy?

Also, what's the difference between "linear" and a "flat line?"

Yes, medicine...healthcare in general.

Linear= predictable progression = safe career choices
Flat lining= no progression but no risk of falling off either= safe career choices (although pharmacy is a bad example of a safe career choice these days...lol)

 

[JohnFe]

Yes, medicine...healthcare in general.

Linear= predictable progression = safe career choices
Flat lining= no progression but no risk of falling off either= safe career choices (although pharmacy is a bad example of a safe career choice these days...lol)

Awe, Hmmmmmmmm....