About Me
I’m a thirty something blonde pharmacist working in retail pharmacy, LTC, home infusion in hospital pharmacy. I have worked many jobs in the past 10 years (gasp!) since being out of pharmacy school. I have been trying to find my place in the pharmacy world, and I’ve tried a little bit of many aspects of this particular field. Until now, I really thought I didn’t belong in pharmacy, but I’ve landed the almost perfect job. I work for a hospital company and most of the time work from home. Is this possible?? Yes. I do miss some of the hands on things of mixing IVs, etc… but I mostly handle drug interventions, order entry, order review, questions from nurses, etc… for up to 10 hospitals at a time. I hope it lasts forever, but if it doesn’t (it’s a pilot program), I will be back on site in a hospital where I feel the most comfortable. It took 8 years after school to find my place… but along the way learned a lot!
Some things to remember about pharmacists:
1. Most have a PharmD degree if they graduated after 1998 or so. Most colleges don’t offer Bachelor of Pharmacy degrees anymore. With that in mind all pharnacists without PharmDs were grandfathered into the system and use DPh (Doctor of Pharmacy) or RPh (Registered Pharmacist) behind their names. A true PharmD will use PharmD. A PharmD means post graduate work sometimes, but sometimes a pharmacist only completed the 2 year requirement prerequisite to enter the four year pharmacy school program. The minimum today is 6 years. Most, due to the competition, have a 4 year degree and then the 4 year pharmacy degree. Some go on to complete Residencies in specific fields. If I wanted to do a residency, I would have gone to medical school. I have a hard enough time being a pharmacist without having to try to be a little doctor running around with a whistle in my mouth constantly scrutinizing doctors’ work on the floor. Some people get off on that; I don’t.
2. Pharmacists are whiners for the most part. They whine about this and that. They whine about their jobs. How many other jobs can you sit on your ass and look at the computer screen all day making sure things are right and make six figures? Not many. Stop whining!!! Gosh, it gets on my nerves.
3. Pharmacists have to deal with stupid people. Nurses. Doctors. Patients. Not all are stupid, but it seems like some are. Somehow they gravitate to me.
4. Pharmacists probably whine because of #3.
5. Pharmacists usually have a manager who had no management training or experience. Because of this, the management of pharmacists is usually led by someone without a clue in management and somehow piss most everyone off because of their lack of training. A pharmacist will work for awhile and get promoted to manager. Then they ass out for the most part.
6. Pharmacists usually because of #5 don’t act very professional in regards to talking about their management. Anything goes. He’s an asshole. He’s stupid. On and on… You will hear it every day no matter where you work unless somehow you get lucky and have a manager with management training. *rare* I had a manager once who was a pharmacist with an MBA. Unfortunately he is the rare exception in that the MBA taught him nothing.
Blonde,
I like your attitude. After years of whining, I have been cured by reading pharmacy blogs. All of us pharmacists should accept the fact that outrageous behavior on the part of the general public and healthcare colleagues is NORMAL, and it gets more outrageous with the passage of time. Take what you expect, and trash it. Most likely, the opposite will occur, and that is what is normal. Accepting that fact will make pharmacy a true paradise. Ditto on the six figures!
Hi,
I didn’t know you’re a hospital pharmacist, until I read this page. Most of the pharmacy blog owners are community pharmacists, and so far, you’re the only one who works at a hospital.
Ah, even hospital pharmacists have a 6-figure salary? I guess it’s partly due to the PharmD?
Oh, wow! The first paragraph of your intro could have been written by me, except that I’m a 40-something blonde hospital pharmacist. I think I have given up on finding my pharmacy niche. I tried for years to make “pharmaceutical care” my passion and my mission, and I’ve finally figured out why it’s not working: because we have tons of responsibility and very little actual authority. I do care about the patients and want to take care of them to the best of my ability (at least, as much as I am allowed), but at the end of the day, I am hanging up that white coat, taking my $$$, and going to Disney World!
I’ve been out of school for about six years now and I’m pretty convinced that I shouldn’t be a pharmacist either. However as you mentioned above, the recompense is good and with the student loans I’m carrying I don’t think I really have another option anyway.
You’re pretty funny blonde pharmacist. I’m amazed at how many hits you have on your site (12K)…pretty impressive. We’re looking for Area Pharmacy Supervisors for our health professions staffing agency but before you barf, check out the site and if you’re interested…give me a call at 916-201-2025.
ciao,
EC
I’ve really enjoyed your blog….however, after seeing so many retail Rph blogs, yours was the first one from a hospital pharmacist. I moved from my hometown to work in mail-order cuz I’m a wimp. HAHA. (however, I’m mulling over moving back to hometown to be closer to family, but then crappy jobs galore in Houston). Feel free to email me
It saddens me to read your site. So many discontented pharmacists. I graduated in 1991 and am still joyfully and passionately serving the public in a retail pharmacy setting. There is more to life than $$. Find something you enjoy doing and pursue it - in our country you can pay your bills in thousands of ways - stop doing something that brings you no fulfillment and chase another dream!
Pharmacist ~ 20 yrs. Have just learned that I don’t have the aptitude for it… but am enjoying ascertaining what aspects of the profession I can bring to my next job that will make me ‘happy and fulfilled’.
Did residency, worked hospital many years. In some situations had puke management (watch out for old married spinster-types who’ve never had a real personal challenge or reward in their lives like caring for children or loved ones), or in other situations wonderful managers with great communication skills.
Have gone agency route to try out different scenarios in retail, community, chains, clinics, different hospitals. Wherever I go, there are patients and co-workers that appreciate someone with a cool head (doesn’t get too easily upset about little things e.g. shut out of computer for a few hours, no restroom in the pharmacy, too hot/cold –that persistent draft of cold air that hits the shoulder causing a cramp by day’s end, and patients with this or that prejudice on arriving to the counter–there is usually an underlying pathophysiological problem!). A good solid core of knowledge and sense of humor is necessary, and precautions like wearing support hosiery and comfortable shoes help immensely!
One of the best things has been introduction to CPD such as what is available in Canada, UK, to be able to assess what I do want to do the next 25 yrs in pharmacy.. CPD-continuous professional development or something like that, focuses on development of the professional career. Face it, every experience we have brings something to the next challenge, and we’re always modifying how to handle things (unless we live under nazi managers who usurp our own authority). I think CPD is the next wave in pharmacy career fulfillment here in the ‘States.
First of all, you get better posting material working in retail. People today are the best fodder for blogs and I don’t get much of that anymore. It’s probably going to help me LIVE longer in the end, but not as much CRAP to write about. Secondly, as far as six figure salary goes in hospital… a lot of times it is location related and not PHARMD or NON PHARMD related. Pharmacists I know (both with and without the PharmD) make roughly the SAME in hospital save for one difference. IMAGINE THIS! GASP — years of experience!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s a novel thought!
I’m a pharmacist but I don’t blog about it. I have enough of it at work. I don’t want to rehash it in a blog. I’ve worked retail, hospital, LTC, home infusion, owned my own store and work for the state government. All the complaining and “whining” I’ve done and heard over the years hasn’t done a bit of good. Funny thing is, the new grads are still coming out with the pie-in-th-sky idea that they’re an important part of the “health care TEAM” and will make a difference as they take their $$$ behind the counter at Walgreens. I get offers (as I’m sure you do) every day-yesterday Walgreen’s offered $25,000 sign on bonus. They’d have to offer $1 million before I’d even think about it.
Wow. Is it really that bad? What if I you have low expectations?
I’m only a freshman in undergrad and I’ve been carefully considering medicine or pharmacy…
I look up blogs of people working in the health care professions and I continually find nothing more than complaints and rants… very little positive reflections. Perhaps its only the disenchanted who blog… Anyway, I know that whether you work in medicine or in pharmacy you have to put up with a lot of bureaucratic crap and deal with annoying co-workers, but is there nothing to enjoy in what you guys do? If I went into clinical pharmacy, I would expect limited patient exposure and influence, but does that truly diminish the meaning of your job? I just think it’s a matter of expectations…
You hit the pharmacy profession right on the head. I am a mother of 3 and am going through the same thoughts, frustrations and disappointments as some of the others who have commented. I have asked my current employer (mail order) to allow me to work from home - even asking for less pay….but no luck. And in such a rural area I have little choices. Where did you find your job and are there any more openings. Why should any mother have to always choose between working long hours to make ends meet and their family when home-based pharmacists could benefit employer and employee!
Please help me if you have any suggestions!
Hi Blonde RPh
Great blog. I am a brown hair/eyes pharmacist from NJ. Are you attending the meeting in Galveston, TX (TPA)?
If not, what do you think?
I cannot attend but I will be sending in $ for membership.
Keep up the great work blondie RPh.
Take er easy.
Rob
Love your site.