Work life of pharmacist compared to doctor.

[plsfoldthx]

Is work life much easier for a pharmacist compared to a doctor or are they equally stressful? Do you pharmacists ever feel really stressed out? What are some day to day advantages of going pharmd instead of md.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Sparda29]

Is work life much easier for a pharmacist compared to a doctor or are they equally stressful? Do you pharmacists ever feel really stressed out? What are some day to day advantages of going pharmd instead of md.

Easier in some ways, harder in some ways. If you're a retail pharmacist at CVS, you're looking at 14 hour shifts, always being pressured by the district management to have better numbers, customer service issues, no breaks, standing almost all day. But you generally only work 2 1/2 days a week with alternating weekends.

I know that MDs have a lot of work to take home and whatnot.

 

[J ROD]

Most pharmacist work around 40hrs/wk and go home and enjoy life....

Most docs dont unless they are in the few, very competitive specialities.

Not to mention the different levels of responsibility......

 

[rxlea]

In pharmacy, you can leave work "at the office". If you are in hospital pharmacy, you will have normal hours, great pay and benefits and (at least at our hospital), 3 weekends off a month. If you work overnights, you work 7 days on and 7 days off. So, if you take vacation for a week, you actually get 3 weeks. Plus overnights get paid more.

 

[StaviZFingerZ]

it really depends on the position. i know for a fact i work much less hours than my physician friends. i dont work weekends or holidays. they all do. at the same time all my dentist friends and family work a very sane schedule. i have a unique job working from home..then i travel to my hospitals...usually 1 night a week away from home. actually im posting now from phoenix airport....plane delay.

i wouldnt trade my job with any physician right now....but then again my jobs werent alwyas this rosy either.

 

[jinga]

it really depends on the position. i know for a fact i work much less hours than my physician friends. i dont work weekends or holidays. they all do. at the same time all my dentist friends and family work a very sane schedule. i have a unique job working from home..then i travel to my hospitals...usually 1 night a week away from home. actually im posting now from phoenix airport....plane delay.

i wouldnt trade my job with any physician right now....but then again my jobs werent alwyas this rosy either.

Sounds like a B/A gig, Stavi. Good for you.

 

[StaviZFingerZ]

4 years intense pediatric hospital experience, 7 years of clinical and staff experience and 5 years of DOP experience got me the job..

 

[PharmaTope]

well it depends on where pharm is going with surplus age and likely decreased salaries. it depends what you want out of life. med may be tougher but you may get more out of it from the patient interaction and involvement.

also hospitalists work 7 days on 7 off.

ED physicians work 10-15 shifts a month and have plenty of off time to do other things.

i know physicians who work as hospitalists then run other businesses with their off time. people assume that all of medicine is primary care slaving away for hours and fighting insurance. it isn't always that

if checking orders is your thing, then pharm is for you.

if doing hands on stuff, procedures, etc, medicine is for you.