Starting salary for pharmacist

glut22

Hi guys,

I just want to enquire what the going rate is for a newly qualified pharmacist in this day and age of cutbacks - as in yearly salary for a permanent job.


I may need to barter and I need to be in the know!

TheRingslayer

80k basic

echo beach

TheRingslayer wrote: »

80k basic

Dream on.

spurious

High 30s or so.
http://www.payscale.com/research/IE/Job=Retail_Pharmacist/Salary

locum-motion

TheRingslayer wrote: »

80k basic

You're fookin dreaming!

angeldelight

TheRingslayer wrote: »

80k basic

Half it and you're close

palmcut

glut22 wrote: »

Hi guys,

I just want to enquire what the going rate is for a newly qualified pharmacist in this day and age of cutbacks - as in yearly salary for a permanent job.


I may need to barter and I need to be in the know!

A newly qualified pharmacist can expect between 32k and 35k per annum.
Over the years this will increase. The days of 80k are long gone.
An experienced pharmacist (15 years) who also manages the full business aspects of the pharmacy in addition to working as a pharmacist can expect around 70k to 75k per annum.

Abby19

glut22 wrote: »

Hi guys,

I just want to enquire what the going rate is for a newly qualified pharmacist in this day and age of cutbacks - as in yearly salary for a permanent job.


I may need to barter and I need to be in the know!

Starting salary for an hospital pharmacist is €31,831. Check out Page 18
http://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/Benefits_Services/pay/July%202013.pdf

Nonoperational

I don't know where some of the figures are coming from in this thread, but anyway, 40-45k starting as a support pharmacist. After 3 years you can apply for supervising positions which start from 65k+

angeldelight

Nonoperational wrote: »

I don't know where some of the figures are coming from in this thread, but anyway, 40-45k starting as a support pharmacist. After 3 years you can apply for supervising positions which start from 65k+

Last year I'd have agreed with you, figures I've been hearing this year are starting at 35k and supervising starting at 55k

locum-motion

Nonoperational wrote: »

I don't know where some of the figures are coming from in this thread, but anyway, 40-45k starting as a support pharmacist. After 3 years you can apply for supervising positions which start from 65k+

You're dreaming too. Those days are gone.

echo beach

Like everything else it comes down to supply and demand.
Demand is falling as cutbacks mean the manta is 'doing more with less' and 'less' means less staff, especially less of the most expensive staff.
Supply is increasing. Not only are there 150+ Irish graduates joining the register each year there are more than that joining via the EU route. Over half of pharmacists are now under 35 which gives you some idea of the influx over the last few years.
Angel Delight is close to the mark but remember those figures are often based on a 45hr working week including late nights, weekends and bank holidays and for management roles it is usually dependent on reaching certain targets.

Nonoperational

locum-motion wrote: »

You're dreaming too. Those days are gone.

I have friends that have been offered the kind of money I've mentioned in the past months.

30K would only be about €12 an hour. I wouldn't work for that, I don't think many would. A quick look through my recent emails and there have been a few support roles going for around the €45k mark.

Xeyn

angeldelight wrote: »

Last year I'd have agreed with you, figures I've been hearing this year are starting at 35k and supervising starting at 55k

20k bump after 3 years? not bad.

Mr Williams

Mr Williams wrote: »

Mod Snip, post deleted

I actually think that people don't realise how ****ing difficult doing a pharmacist's job is.

usersame

Abby19 wrote: »

Starting salary for an hospital pharmacist is €31,831. Check out Page 18
http://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/Benefits_Services/pay/July%202013.pdf

That's more than a doctor!

Dingle_berry

Xeyn wrote: »

20k bump after 3 years? not bad.

Is there any further qualification or study required besides 3 years practise? Does the practise have to be clinical?

Phoebas

Mr Williams wrote: »

Mod Snip, post deleted

But if you could train a monkey to be a pharmacist, you could get paid a lot more as a top end animal trainer.

angeldelight

Dingle_berry wrote: »

Is there any further qualification or study required besides 3 years practise? Does the practise have to be clinical?

3 years practice which the PSI say should be in the area you are going to be practicing in but I don't know how much they police it.

It is a big jump after three years but it's a massive jump in responsibility, more than people realise I think

Dingle_berry

angeldelight wrote: »

3 years practice which the PSI say should be in the area you are going to be practicing in but I don't know how much they police it.

I can't think of any other profession with a similar pay increase that doesn't require an increase in qualifications at the same time? And for it to not even be properly regulated?

angeldelight wrote: »

It is a big jump after three years but it's a massive jump in responsibility, more than people realise I think

What is the difference between the roles? (I'm aware of the importance of pharmacists ensuring that doctors don't poison their patients, formulating things like chemos, maintaining stocks & records of controlled substances etc - I'm not part of the "trained monkey could do it" brigade)

locum-motion

Xeyn wrote: »

20k bump after 3 years? not bad.

Dingle_berry wrote: »

Is there any further qualification or study required besides 3 years practise? Does the practise have to be clinical?

angeldelight wrote: »

3 years practice which the PSI say should be in the area you are going to be practicing in but I don't know how much they police it...

Don't forget, that what was said was... (my emphasis)

Nonoperational wrote: »

...After 3 years you can apply for supervising positions...

You won't necessarily get them. There's only one supervising pharmacist role per pharmacy. So that's quite a bit less than 1-in-3 pharmacists are supervising, I think, and perhaps 1-in-4 (not sure exactly what pharmacist and pharmacy numbers are at the moment, but it's in the ballpark of 6,000 and 1,700).

As AD says, your 3 years practice has to be in the relevant area of practice: you could have 25 years experience as a hospital pharmacist, and you would not be allowed act as supervising pharmacist in a community pharmacy. Each year every pharmacist must re-register, and as part of the process you have to sign a declaration of what area you practice in. If you've been ticking the 'Hospital' box for 25 years, the PSI won't accept your application to be the SvP for a community pharmacy. Also, as part of the pharmacy's contract with the HSE, a copy of the SvP's CV must be provided to the HSE. They won't accept it either, if there isn't the requisite experience shown.

Nonoperational

That is indeed a good point locum. Absolutely no guarantee of getting a supervising job after 3 years.

Dingle_berry wrote: »

What is the difference between the roles? (I'm aware of the importance of pharmacists ensuring that doctors don't poison their patients, formulating things like chemos, maintaining stocks & records of controlled substances etc - I'm not part of the "trained monkey could do it" brigade)

A supervising position means you are responsible for everything that goes on in the pharmacy from ensuring regulatory requirements are being met to ensuring compliance with SOPs, managing stock, managing the business itself, sorting out day to day things like rotas etc. The buck stops with you and your paid for that.

Dingle_berry

So there is one supervising pharmacist per pharmacy? Even in large clinical pharmacies? Are there grades above supervisor in the pharmacy?

Again it's the only profession that I can think of where you can get such a promotion without further education...

Minier81

Dingle_berry wrote: »

Again it's the only profession that I can think of where you can get such a promotion without further education...

Seriously?? Most professions give promotions based on experience and not just further education.

Dingle_berry

Minier81 wrote: »

Seriously?? Most professions give promotions based on experience and not just further education.

Incremental pay increases aren't promotions, it's the same job you're just more experienced at it. Pharmacists don't get increments?

palmcut

locum-motion wrote: »

Don't forget, that what was said was... (my emphasis)



You won't necessarily get them. There's only one supervising pharmacist role per pharmacy. So that's quite a bit less than 1-in-3 pharmacists are supervising, I think, and perhaps 1-in-4 (not sure exactly what pharmacist and pharmacy numbers are at the moment, but it's in the ballpark of 6,000 and 1,700).

As AD says, your 3 years practice has to be in the relevant area of practice: you could have 25 years experience as a hospital pharmacist, and you would not be allowed act as supervising pharmacist in a community pharmacy. Each year every pharmacist must re-register, and as part of the process you have to sign a declaration of what area you practice in. If you've been ticking the 'Hospital' box for 25 years, the PSI won't accept your application to be the SvP for a community pharmacy. Also, as part of the pharmacy's contract with the HSE, a copy of the SvP's CV must be provided to the HSE. They won't accept it either, if there isn't the requisite experience shown.

5,047 pharmacists and 1,809 registered pharmacies.

Minier81

Dingle_berry wrote: »

Incremental pay increases aren't promotions, it's the same job you're just more experienced at it. Pharmacists don't get increments?

Obviously incremental pay is not a promotion. A change in "grade" is a promotion, and in the private or public sectors a change in grade is not as straight forward as completing further education but more likely to be based on relevant experience and skills.

masterboy123

for doctor its 38K

usersame wrote: »

That's more than a doctor!

Just Like Heaven

masterboy123 wrote: »

for doctor its 38K

Intern start is €30,257.

masterboy123

Interns ≠ Doctors... thats why the term intern is used. isnt it?

fewtins wrote: »

Intern start is €30,257.

drkpower

masterboy123 wrote: »

Interns ≠ Doctors... thats why the term intern is used. isnt it?

Interns are absolutely doctors. The only difference is that they have provisional registration with the medical council rather than permamnent registration. They are fully qualified doctors, entitled to do pretty much anything that a Senior House Officers (the next grade up) is entitled to do. Its similar to a lawyer getting a new job and being on probation for a year; they are a lawyer all through that year despite being on probation.

The widespread misunderstanding as to the status of NCHDS/'juinor' doctors etc really grinds my gears especiallly when the answers are only a google away.....

usersame

masterboy123 wrote: »

Interns ≠ Doctors... thats why the term intern is used. isnt it?

The saying "****e rolls down hill" may help you understand the term intern better

I didn't realise a hospital pharmacist can't transfer to been a supervising pharmacist. How is hospital pharmacy in Ireland anyway?

Xeyn

I've found that generally hospital pharmacists are pretty good and rather helpful. Even in the public sector.
I worked in a private Dublin hospital as a registrar and I thought the pharmacists were fantastic.

echo beach

Dingle_berry wrote: »

Again it's the only profession that I can think of where you can get such a promotion without further education...

It not so much a promotion as doing a different job and taking on a lot of responsibility.
The position of supervising pharmacist was created by the Pharmacy Act of 2007 and the education to perform that role has always been provided by a pharmacy degree and professional qualification. The additional requirement for three years relevant experience (which many people weren't' happy with at the time) is to ensure that every pharmacy is under the direct personal control of a pharmacist who is not only qualified but has the experience and also the maturity to supervise other staff, accept responsibility and provide leadership. Continuing education is a professional requirement for pharmacists so after three or more years there will be a considerable amount of education clocked up although they may not have acquired a specific formal post-graduate qualification.

The impression may have been given that the salary jumps by 20k overnight, which of course isn't the case. Many people moving into the role of supervising pharmacist have many years experience and may have been earning close to that salary level in their 'support' role, depending on the extent of their duties.