Why Pharmacy?

[Teggie]

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What is your motivation for becoming a pharmacist?

 

[Rxgrrl]

More importantly--what is YOUR reason(s) for being a pharmacist!? 😉

 

[RX CARE]

What is YOUR OWN motivation for pursuing pharmacy? Why does somebody else's reasons matter. You obviously decided to pursue for some underlying reason. Be honest to yourself and bring it out. I realized most people who cannot answer that question just get into pharmacy becoz they are thinking...
" Oh yea...i can count pills for 90k a year ...that's easy" and just jump into pharmacy...

 

[futuredruggist]

For any interview, just say "I like science and I want to help people". Works every time.

 

[patmcd]

For any interview, just say "I like science and I want to help people". Works every time.

You can say that along with most other applicants at your interview. Make it something personal and interesting.

 

[grincheola]

I love posts like these. Someone asks a question, and everyone on this forum jumps down his or her throat because they think they are scamming on interview questions and want an easy answer. Maybe they are just interested in what their fellow peers motivations for pharmacy are. I guess no one ever thinks of that.

Of course their own reason for pursing pharmacy is the most important, but maybe they're just asking a simple question.

My motivation for pharmacy is the fact that I can apply the hard science I am learning in my undergrad to pharmacy school and that I can help people on a day to day basis. I'm also extremely interested in drug therapy and new research avenues in pharmaceutical science for curing diseases and bettering peoples lives. It's a perfect balance between medicine and consultation. You don't have to get your hands dirty if you don't want to but you are still helping people with their medical problems. The moneys not too bad either, but that's just a bonus. 🙂

I am sorry if I came off mean to other people in this forum. I am just frustrated with how people respond to questions like these.

 

[PharmacistApril]

My motivation for pharmacy is the customer service end. I want to educate people about what they are putting into their bodies, side effects, and the possible complications with combinatons with medications. I love to talk to customers, break the ice and find out more about them as well as sharing the knowledge I have about medications with them. I feel that would be a great asset that I could give to a company because I can increase customer retention/satisfaction. I also think that it is a bonus when customers come in and they ask for a certain pharmacist because they feel comfortable with them and I look forward someday to someone comming in asking to speak with me for consultation. ...........and yea the money is a great reward for the work that they do.!!!

 

[futuredruggist]

My motivation for pharmacy is the customer service end. I want to educate people about what they are putting into their bodies, side effects, and the possible complications with combinatons with medications. I love to talk to customers, break the ice and find out more about them as well as sharing the knowledge I have about medications with them. I feel that would be a great asset that I could give to a company because I can increase customer retention/satisfaction. I also think that it is a bonus when customers come in and they ask for a certain pharmacist because they feel comfortable with them and I look forward someday to someone comming in asking to speak with me for consultation. ...........and yea the money is a great reward for the work that they do.!!!

Will you be my pharmacist?

Seriously, my pharmacists at Safeway are very much product-oriented. They have never asked me anything about my health. Yesterday I went in with a side effect question which she looked up quickly. But I cringe when I heard her say "I'm not the proper person to talk about this with" and "you'll have to speak to your doctor". I was just asking about a side effect and it's frequency, come on!

But she did help in that I realized I need a blood test taken to check my liver function with respect to this drug, something my dermatologist never told me as I recall.

The end.

 

[PharmacistApril]

Will you be my pharmacist?

Seriously, my pharmacists at Safeway are very much product-oriented. They have never asked me anything about my health. Yesterday I went in with a side effect question which she looked up quickly. But I cringe when I heard her say "I'm not the proper person to talk about this with" and "you'll have to speak to your doctor". I was just asking about a side effect and it's frequency, come on!

But she did help in that I realized I need a blood test taken to check my liver function with respect to this drug, something my dermatologist never told me as I recall.

The end.

Sure I can be your pharmacist one day lol if I graduate before you ofcourse, lol I have a long way to go still.

This may be off topic but some pharmacists only do this for the money, and I even heard some chatting about it when I volunteered at a hospital pharmacy. Those are the people who will lose their license soon......and they are also the people that aren't eager to help customers sort of like the encounter you came in with the pharmacist. Point blank there are some pharmacist that I would'nt give consent to give my dog a medication. Also there most of the pharmacist I know only want to get to know who they want to they don't give a damn about you, if working as a technician is a middleground for you etc...

 

[GreyFox2002]

This is a good question. Yes, I'm sure a lot of people are strictly in it for the money. I think this is a terrible idea. It doesn't matter how much money you make in your profession. If you don't enjoy it, your life will become a misery.

This is one reason why I chose to become a pharmacist than a physician. Yes, pharmacists get paid well. However, most individuals with an advanced degree get paid well. Physicians make at least twice as much, if not more, than what a pharmacist makes. However, medicine never really interested me or was an option. I could have done it; but the amount of work required (quality of life issues), as well as the lack of vertical movement in the field or ability to switch career paths within the field, made me sour on it.

I've wanted to pursue a career in the biomedical sciences and/or health sector because I enjoy meeting all kinds of people and assisting them with my knowledge. I also absolutely love the biomedical sciences as well as chemistry. If I'm bored I'll occasionally curl up with an advanced science book or read something online about various topics. I also want a lifelong learning process; this field certainly provides it.

I chose pharmacy because it reflects those above parameters, but also provides significant horizontal and vertical career opportunities. Not all PharmD's decide to work in the community pharmacy, as most of the public believes. The hospital pharmacist is becoming more involved in drug decision making, especially with complex multiple complaint patients. Medical doctors are increasingly becoming aware, and reliant on, the wealth of information that Pharmacy Doctors can provide. This in turn can revolutionize the industry; reducing malpractice claims from drug effects, reducing workload, and reducing medical costs. Thus, I'm really interested in hospital pharmacy, because it allows me to provide professional judgement in clinical cases at a high level. It also really has a bright future. I believe that the above-described hospital pharmacist will become more and more prevalent in the medical field. I think this is the future of the PharmD.

I'm also very much interested in research, and the PharmD degree provides that avenue for me in the future. A lot of schools offer dual degree programs and/or fellowships that allow a PharmD to find an area of research to specialize. I'd be interested in these programs. I also think the clinical training that a PharmD degree provides becomes invaluable experience for those that enter the clinical trial/R&D workforce.

There, do those sound like legitimate reasons to enter pharmacy? 🙂

 

[acetyl]

This is a good question. Yes, I'm sure a lot of people are strictly in it for the money. I think this is a terrible idea. It doesn't matter how much money you make in your profession. If you don't enjoy it, your life will become a misery.

This is one reason why I chose to become a pharmacist than a physician. Yes, pharmacists get paid well. However, most individuals with an advanced degree get paid well. Physicians make at least twice as much, if not more, than what a pharmacist makes. However, medicine never really interested me or was an option. I could have done it; but the amount of work required (quality of life issues), as well as the lack of vertical movement in the field or ability to switch career paths within the field, made me sour on it.

I've wanted to pursue a career in the biomedical sciences and/or health sector because I enjoy meeting all kinds of people and assisting them with my knowledge. I also absolutely love the biomedical sciences as well as chemistry. If I'm bored I'll occasionally curl up with an advanced science book or read something online about various topics. I also want a lifelong learning process; this field certainly provides it.

I chose pharmacy because it reflects those above parameters, but also provides significant horizontal and vertical career opportunities. Not all PharmD's decide to work in the community pharmacy, as most of the public believes. The hospital pharmacist is becoming more involved in drug decision making, especially with complex multiple complaint patients. Medical doctors are increasingly becoming aware, and reliant on, the wealth of information that Pharmacy Doctors can provide. This in turn can revolutionize the industry; reducing malpractice claims from drug effects, reducing workload, and reducing medical costs. Thus, I'm really interested in hospital pharmacy, because it allows me to provide professional judgement in clinical cases at a high level. It also really has a bright future. I believe that the above-described hospital pharmacist will become more and more prevalent in the medical field. I think this is the future of the PharmD.

I'm also very much interested in research, and the PharmD degree provides that avenue for me in the future. A lot of schools offer dual degree programs and/or fellowships that allow a PharmD to find an area of research to specialize. I'd be interested in these programs. I also think the clinical training that a PharmD degree provides becomes invaluable experience for those that enter the clinical trial/R&D workforce.

There, do those sound like legitimate reasons to enter pharmacy? 🙂

Hmmm...maybe.

But tell me what you really think?

 

[ForcedEntry]

What is your motivation for becoming a pharmacist?

The ladies!

 

[GreyFox2002]

Hmmm...maybe.

But tell me what you really think?

Haha.

Those reasons were all true, but I was trying to help jog the OP's mind to give him some ideas. I'm also jogging my mind for my interview; albeit I won't say all that.

 

[babietuan323]

The ladies!

^^
*high five*

 

[Rxgrrl]

I'm sorry if I came across as being rude--but it is really hard to tell who is being sincere on a forum..but my reasons for pursuing pharmacy are my reasons--and sorry, but I feel more comfortable keeping them to myself. 🙂

 

[honeykrown]

I'm sorry if I came across as being rude--but it is really hard to tell who is being sincere on a forum..but my reasons for pursuing pharmacy are my reasons--and sorry, but I feel more comfortable keeping them to myself. 🙂

Then u shouldnt have replied to the post or said something at all.

Anyways i ahvent found a reason yet. Apart from loving science helping pple. I love hands on, (customer care no-no), and the thought process is also interesting.

Does anyone know about pharmacist actually involved in the process of drug making, as in working in pharmaceutical company rather than just retail, hospitals and what nots. I like the tot of mixing my own cough syrup (as the lady in university of pittsburgh told me)

 

[GreyFox2002]

Then u shouldnt have replied to the post or said something at all.

Anyways i ahvent found a reason yet. Apart from loving science helping pple. I love hands on, (customer care no-no), and the thought process is also interesting.

Does anyone know about pharmacist actually involved in the process of drug making, as in working in pharmaceutical company rather than just retail, hospitals and what nots. I like the tot of mixing my own cough syrup (as the lady in university of pittsburgh told me)

Yea, pharmacists, especially those with PharmD's, are prevalent in the industry. Their primary work is involved with clinical trials, though they can do research too. You also have compounding pharmacists.

 

[JerryPharmD]

it's something that I like to do and will be able to support my family doing it

 

[twester]

I've been an amateur pharmacist for most of my adult life. I finally decided to go pro. It amazes me that we can put chemicals into people and profoundly affect the way their bodies function. The more I learn, the deeper the fascination becomes. Drugs... 😍

 

[Pharm47]

I've been an amateur pharmacist for most of my adult life. I finally decided to go pro. It amazes me that we can put chemicals into people and profoundly affect the way their bodies function. The more I learn, the deeper the fascination becomes. Drugs... 😍

Does "amateur pharmacist" = "drug dealer"?

 

[Klemmentine]

.

 

[Brixius]

What is your motivation for becoming a pharmacist?

Access to Percocet.

 

[twester]

Does "amateur pharmacist" = "drug dealer"?

Sure doesn't. 🙂

 

[Rxgrrl]

Then u shouldnt have replied to the post or said something at all.

Anyways i ahvent found a reason yet. Apart from loving science helping pple. I love hands on, (customer care no-no), and the thought process is also interesting.

Does anyone know about pharmacist actually involved in the process of drug making, as in working in pharmaceutical company rather than just retail, hospitals and what nots. I like the tot of mixing my own cough syrup (as the lady in university of pittsburgh told me)

Geez--I just can't ever seem to get along with people on this board anymore--it's insane.

Well--I should just leave this alone--but I feel you have no basis to tell me that I shouldn't have commented in this thread--my comment was NOT rude--not in the least--and if anyone thinks it was--they are dead wrong.

I don't even know why I said sorry--I guess it's because someone else made the comment that someone (I assume me) jumped down Teggie's throat--😱 which I feel is very inaccurate.. how is saying.."More importantly why do you want to be a pharmacist? 😉 " rude? 😕

Even more importantly--I do feel that MANY people come here to "steal" answers from people for potential interview questions. It happens--however, I'm not saying that the person that created this thread is one of those people...I have no proof of that--however, I have no proof against that--so I always feel hesitant to answer questions like these.

I'm just concerned--for instance, I received many PM's from people wanting to read my personal statment--I never sent it to them (thank God)--because it turns out they were NOT even in pharm. school yet.

Doesn't anyone else fear that someone is going to steal your reasons/etc.--or am I just overly paranoid here? 😕

"Just because you're paranoid..doesn't mean they're not after you.."

M

 

[Ray1234]

Geez--I just can't ever seem to get along with people on this board anymore--it's insane.

Well--I should just leave this alone--but I feel you have no basis to tell me that I shouldn't have commented in this thread--my comment was NOT rude--not in the least--and if anyone thinks it was--they are dead wrong.

I don't even know why I said sorry--I guess it's because someone else made the comment that someone (I assume me) jumped down Teggie's throat--😱 which I feel is very inaccurate.. how is saying.."More importantly why do you want to be a pharmacist? 😉 " rude? 😕

Even more importantly--I do feel that MANY people come here to "STEAL" answers from people for potential interview questions. It happens--however, I'm not saying that the person that created this thread is one of those people...I have no proof of that--however, I have no proof against that--so I always feel hesitant to answer questions like these.

I'm just concerned--for instance, I received many PM's from people wanting to read my personal statment--I never sent it to them (thank God)--because it turns out they were NOT even in pharm. school yet.

Doesn't anyone else fear that someone is going to steal your reasons/etc.--or am I just overly paranoid here? 😕

"Just because you're paranoid..doesn't mean they're not after you.."

M

lol. there are hundreds of books for interview that you can buy, read, and copy paste the answer. If you do that i dont think that anybody have problem. There are interview feedback section where you can find questions. it is human-nature to find the answer to be feel competent about the interview. ppl want to compare their answers to check how others are doing on those questions. I was passing thru the same phase and asked several ppl about interview question and funny thing was that most of them seem to be inspired by those funny interview books.

Eg. when i asked "what is your weakness"?
i thought ppl will have genuine reason for it... lol
most of them answer it : "My weakness is that i am perfectionist".
it is written in the interview book that put your weakness that wont hamper the job you are looking for. and also it must be something that you have realized the mistake and have already taken steps to rectify it.

are you kidding me??? i dont think that it is something the interviewers do not know about. And if they dont want to be creative and repeat the same set of questions then they should be accustomed to the same set of answer. I do not blame anybody.

i also read books in stress management. it says avoid the situations that provoke stress. LOL. Lets avoid it.

I also read books about conflict resolution. one of the interview questions "what if someone's belief is different that yours, how would you deal with those situation?" . LOL.
Book says: respect others' belief. Lets respect each others belief here too.

One more funny thing. Cram those interview books but make sure you want to put those answer in a natural flow. It means you know the questions you know that answer and you are just acting to put it as if you have a good bulk of brain to put those things together in such a way that it will appear natural that you just thought it and gave the geguine answer. LOL

You know all the questions and you probably know all the answers. I wonder if our interveiwers do not have any idea about it. LOL
I dont think that i have ever faced any ethical dilemma working in a pharmacy. so i have to make it up. coz i want to get into a pharmacy school. LOL
I know my weakness but if i say that i will probably wont get into a pharm school. LOL. secret: lets hide it. LOL

I am supposed to sell myself in such a way that i am a product that does not have any defect.

They talk about ethical issues and moral integrity in interview. :LOL one of the interview question: "what if one of your friend will tell you that he has a question paper for tomorrow's biochemistry test" tell me what would you do. According to those ethical book or interview book whatever... you will be supposed to come up with something that you will try to persuade this fellow that he is doing wrong. and let the authority know about it so that it wont happen anymore and no one will be in advantageous or disadvantageous situation just becoz this fellow has a term paper for tomorrow's test.
SEE the Dilemma: here we all have our term paper for tomorrow's test. We all know that most of the questions will be from the set of questions already been posted in SDN's feedback. LOL.
We prepare the answer and try to give it a natural flow.

I do not see any ethical standard here.

Sorry about a long comment but i had no intention to hurt anyone. I am also genuinly interested to get into a pharmacy school like you guys.
The only problem is that we all want to get into a pharmacy schhool and the way they want to judge the best candidate is kind of skewed to one side. I hope we all are aware of that and hope they are aware of it too.

Ray

 

[Rxgrrl]

Wow! Thank you so much for your response--you comment helped me to understand that I really am being paranoid and stupid. So I am sorry to everyone for making a big deal out of nothing... 🙂

 

[honeykrown]

y i said u shouldnt have posted to the reply was that u said ur reasons are better kept to urself. If they are better kept to urself u should not have replied that was what i meant. and i never said u were rude or anything.

but still anyways i wasnt trying to jump down ur throat either.

 

[melonld]

Here is full of smell of gunpowder. 🙂
The major reason I want to be a pharmacist is the influence from my uncle who is a pharmacist himself and he is doing research also. He is a role model for me to look up to. I like him very much, and I like to watch him at work, the way he treats his patients. Surely, I like science subjects and I am doing well in them. I like to help people (really a cliche) with professional knowledge, that makes me feel like I am needed, I am worth to be trusted and be relied on. I enjoy that kind of feeling. I have thought about being a surgeon but I don't feel comfortable to work with blood (hemophobia??). 🙁

 

[sdn1977]

The ladies!

Why......thank you!😀

 

[sdn1977]

Now....after being humorous (or....at least trying😳 )...I'm going to try to give this thread some perspective...

Rxgrrl....You're initial answer was perfect - what is YOUR reason for becoming a pharmacist? However, your motivation, is perhaps, not the very best. At some point....there is no competition - it is just you and yourself. Don't worry about what others are thinking or doing...its just you & what you have to contribute. Stay with that!

honeykrown....you have, perhaps, good intentions, but everyone has an opinion & the ability to express it. Although you later apologized (kind of...), having the ability to allow others to exprers their thoughts is of value...if not to you, then perhaps to someone else. As for pharmacists who are actually involved in industry...yes, there are 3 from my own class who went into industry. They are now vice-presidents of major drug firms, but they do not compound their own cough syrups. Compounding has become a very complicated and difficult aspect of pharmacy which, if you're really interested, you need to begin a separate thead on.

For the OP.....this truly is a standard question to ask. Yes...there are many standard answers - but there is not one "right" answer.

Try to look into yourself - what, really, do you have ot offer? We can teach anyone the simple process of licking & sticking, checking pyxis, etc....

But....what can you offer? Do you have something unique that perhaps will want an admissions committee to bet their resources on you? Do you have the ability, drive & desire to communicate & educate? Are you a member of an underserved community? Would that community benefit from your own particular skills? Do you have an interest in a specialty - why????

See???? Try to look into yourself - don't just try to answer the question. Some schools are really looking for folks who can be forces for change within the profession...others are looking to provide pharmacists to fill the employement gap. Your answer might need to be tailored to who your audience is.

I hope you see the difference & you all are open to the differences we all see in each other!

Good luck to all of you!

 

[honeykrown]

honeykrown....you have, perhaps, good intentions, but everyone has an opinion & the ability to express it. Although you later apologized (kind of...), having the ability to allow others to exprers their thoughts is of value...if not to you, then perhaps to someone else. As for pharmacists who are actually involved in industry...yes, there are 3 from my own class who went into industry. They are now vice-presidents of major drug firms, but they do not compound their own cough syrups. Compounding has become a very complicated and difficult aspect of pharmacy which, if you're really interested, you need to begin a separate thead on.
Good luck to all of you!

And to think i had a biased mind about u (sdn1977) from a previous post dont know which (now i got it out but i do feel better), but not the less...

i got what u said about expressing ur feelings and i felt bad that she read it that way. I understand that writing is a difficult way to express urself cos it lacks the tone, pitch and quality speech might add and people might read and misinterprete it certain ways. This i learnt from Interpersonal communcation class.

I guess i would take ur advise about starting a new thread on that. I will really liek to compound not be a manager of a drug firm (tho that might not be bad after all)

Thanks a Zillion

 

[sdn1977]

And to think i had a biased mind about u from a previous post (now i got it out but i do feel better), but not the less...

i got that and i felt bad that she read it that way. I understand that writing is a difficult way to express urself cos it lacks the tone, pitch and quality speech might add and people might read and misinterprete it certain ways. This i learnt from Interpersonal communcation class.

I guess i would take ur advise about starting a new thread on that. I will really liek to compound not be a manager of a drug firm (tho that might not be bad after all)

Thanks a Zillion

I really have no idea what you just wrote. But...ok!