The nature of pharmacy as a profession

Under_Graduate

Hi, I don't know if this is the most suitable forum, but saw the other thread on pharmacy and figured, bound to get a few responses.

I'm looking for all things pharmacy related.

I'm basically looking to change career paths, and in terms of what I'd like to achieve with that, I understand pharmacy may tick them boxes.


Working as a pharmacist, is it possible to do it in a less intense fashion than other professions?
I am a civil engineer.
The work was extremely pressurized with long hours.

Other life commitments made me retire from that (I'm 29 BTW).

I want a profession that pays reasonably okay, covers my expenses, but perhaps is not so demanding - something where I can choose to work part time if I wish.

Qualifications.
Is it possible to do a conversion course in pharmacy?
Perhaps there are places in England that would cater to this?

Stheno

If you are the same OP who posted the same query about a life working as a software development, then my advice to you would be to take some time out, stop looking for a get rich quick job, and see a career coach to help you understand where your strengths lie and evaluate a career for you then.

Given your desire for a career/job which involves "I want a profession that pays reasonably okay, covers my expenses, but perhaps is not so demanding - something where I can choose to work part time if I wish", being a pharmacist may allow you to work full time, I knew two women who did so, but if you found being an engineer pressurised, I'm not sure you'd find being responsible for dispensing drugs which may ultimately kill people less so.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057491979

Under_Graduate

being a pharmacist may allow you to work full time, I knew two women who did so

I assume you meant, "work PART time"...?

Stheno

I did, apologies, the rest of my post however, is more relevant.

You seem to be looking at jobs/careers which generate high financial reward after a period of significant experience, and expecting that doing a conversion course with no experience, and working part time, will enable you to generate a decent standard of living.

Pharmacy and development both involve very similar skills, attention to detail, ongoing education, a commitment to use your free time to keep yourself up to date with changes in regulations/the industry/new technologies/drugs

Are you seeing a pattern here at all?

Under_Graduate

Stheno wrote: »

I did, apologies, the rest of my post however, is more relevant.

You seem to be looking at jobs/careers which generate high financial reward after a period of significant experience, and expecting that doing a conversion course with no experience, and working part time, will enable you to generate a decent standard of living.

Pharmacy and development both involve very similar skills, attention to detail, ongoing education, a commitment to use your free time to keep yourself up to date with changes in regulations/the industry/new technologies/drugs

Are you seeing a pattern here at all?

Much like engineering.

That being said, I mean, pharmacy is less labor intensive than development, right?

I mean, my posts seem to be construed as my basically wanting to freeload or something, which of course is not the case.
I understand I'll have to work hard and apply myself, and that's fine.
I just don't want to do it to such an intense degree.
That's not to say I don't want to do it at all...

It was simply mentioned in the other thread that something like pharmacy could be a more suitable career path to meet those kind of needs.

Stheno

Under_Graduate wrote: »

Much like engineering.

That being said, I mean, pharmacy is less labor intensive than development, right?

I mean, my posts seem to be construed as my basically wanting to freeload or something, which of course is not the case.
I understand I'll have to work hard and apply myself, and that's fine.
I just don't want to do it to such an intense degree.
That's not to say I don't want to do it at all...

It was simply mentioned in the other thread that something like pharmacy could be a more suitable career path to meet those kind of needs.

I'd say it may be less intensive in terms of time, but you'll still need to spend significant time staying up to date, and being aware of new treatments, regulations, what is covered by the HSE etc. It's very heavily regulated, compared to IT and Engineering it's the most rigourously regulated, which adds layers of intensity to it.

And you'd have to do the degree from scratch, there is no conversion course.

angeldelight

I'd give pharmacy a miss to be honest. It is possible to work part time but the money has taken a serious battering in the last few years. industrial pharmacy may be better but jobs are like gold dust. You'd need to do the whole 5 year course too.

malnurtured

angeldelight wrote: »

I'd give pharmacy a miss to be honest. It is possible to work part time but the money has taken a serious battering in the last few years. industrial pharmacy may be better but jobs are like gold dust. You'd need to do the whole 5 year course too.

Jobs are like gold dust? What makes you think that? I'm looking to do Pharmacology in UCD with the end goal of working in 'big pharma' after a Masters/PhD probably, but I didn't ever get the impression that there were no jobs in the sector.

Under_Graduate

Under_Graduate wrote: »

Much like engineering.

That being said, I mean, pharmacy is less labor intensive than development, right?

I mean, my posts seem to be construed as my basically wanting to freeload or something, which of course is not the case.
I understand I'll have to work hard and apply myself, and that's fine.
I just don't want to do it to such an intense degree.
That's not to say I don't want to do it at all...

It was simply mentioned in the other thread that something like pharmacy could be a more suitable career path to meet those kind of needs.

You **** up, people can die. I consider it a very demanding and stressful job. There is no conversion course as there is very little crossover between engineering and pharmacy. Stents maybe?

malnurtured

Deleted User wrote: »

You **** up, people can die. I consider it a very demanding and stressful job. There is no conversion course as there is very little crossover between engineering and pharmacy. Stents maybe?

Not to derail the thread, but I've seen you post on the other pharmacy thread where you and some other lads were saying that it's not worth doing anymore. I'm one of those 17 year olds who has to fill out this damned CAO, would you recommend a job in the pharmaceutical industry ('Big Pharma') at all or should I look elsewhere?

angeldelight

malnurtured wrote: »

Jobs are like gold dust? What makes you think that? I'm looking to do Pharmacology in UCD with the end goal of working in 'big pharma' after a Masters/PhD probably, but I didn't ever get the impression that there were no jobs in the sector.

Going that route there may be jobs, I wouldn't know. Certainly trying to get into industry with just an MPharm is rare. I was only commenting on it from a pharmacist point of view

Tree

You can break into big pharma (manufacturing) with a range of degrees (biotech/mecheng/chemisty). There's been a big expansion into biopharma in ireland lately. Always lots of administrative jobs in regulated industries too.

This discussion seems to be about dispensing pharmacy.

malnurtured

angeldelight wrote: »

Going that route there may be jobs, I wouldn't know. Certainly trying to get into industry with just an MPharm is rare. I was only commenting on it from a pharmacist point of view

Getting into the industry with an MPharm is harder than with an MSc? That's interesting, seeing as MPharm courses (the RCSI one..?) are higher points and seemingly in higher demand than the regular BSc/MSc in Pharmacology.

Hmm. I guess I should disassociate all this bad press about dispensing Pharmacy from the pharmaceutical industry and the job opportunities there, but isn't the decline in one linked to the other? Are wages going down across the board for biomed? Then again, Industrial Pharma entails working for a company, HSE cuts don't affect you.

Dingle_berry

malnurtured wrote: »

Getting into the industry with an MPharm is harder than with an MSc? That's interesting, seeing as MPharm courses (the RCSI one..?) are higher points and seemingly in higher demand than the regular BSc/MSc in Pharmacology.

Hmm. I guess I should disassociate all this bad press about dispensing Pharmacy from the pharmaceutical industry and the job opportunities there, but isn't the decline in one linked to the other? Are wages going down across the board for biomed? Then again, Industrial Pharma entails working for a company, HSE cuts don't affect you.

Remember that CAO points are only a popularity contest. You can't tell anything about career prospects from CAO points.

There are roles for pharmacists in the manufacturing industry but not as many jobs as there are for pharmacologists and other scientists.

The last two decisions on public sector (HSE) pay were to increase take home pay (pay scale amalgamation and the lansdowne rd agreement). I'm not sure if you meant allied healthcare instead of biomed?
Public sector pay cuts tend to follow on from private sector cuts as companies will feel changes in the economy before the government feels the changes in reduced income taxes etc. In the pharma industry the profitability of a plant may depend on a patent with a finite lifetime..

locum-motion

malnurtured wrote: »

Getting into the industry with an MPharm is harder than with an MSc?..

Absolutely.

The MPharm degree prepares you for a career as a pharmacist - that could be in Community, Hospital or Industrial Pharmacy. It's a fairly wide degree.

If a pharmacist enters the industry, they will be competing for jobs/advancement against people with more specialised BSc's or MSc's.

AFAIK, virtually all pharmacists in industry go on to study for further degrees.

malnurtured

locum-motion wrote: »

Absolutely.

The MPharm degree prepares you for a career as a pharmacist - that could be in Community, Hospital or Industrial Pharmacy. It's a fairly wide degree.

If a pharmacist enters the industry, they will be competing for jobs/advancement against people with more specialised BSc's or MSc's.

AFAIK, virtually all pharmacists in industry go on to study for further degrees.

You say here that you can get into the industry with a specialised BSc, but would it be worth your while without a MSc/PhD? I've heard some stories about people doing busywork for pennies if they don't have any postgrad stuff done. Old wive's tales maybe?

sheesh

Pharmacy might be a hard course to do too have you thought about Pharmaceutical assistant most pharmacies need them.

Have you thought about insurance it can be reasonably ok and the money goes up pretty good as you go through the different levels. companies that insure large shopping centres look for engineers civil would be perfect.

Under_Graduate

sheesh wrote: »

Pharmacy might be a hard course to do too have you thought about Pharmaceutical assistant most pharmacies need them.

Have you thought about insurance it can be reasonably ok and the money goes up pretty good as you go through the different levels. companies that insure large shopping centres look for engineers civil would be perfect.

Is there a pharmaceutical assistants course or something?

To get into insurance?
Is further study necessary for that also or how does that work?

locum-motion

malnurtured wrote: »

You say here that you can get into the industry with a specialised BSc, but would it be worth your while without a MSc/PhD? I've heard some stories about people doing busywork for pennies if they don't have any postgrad stuff done. Old wive's tales maybe?

What I meant was that people with a MPharm are at no advantage (depending on the specific role, of course) over people with (for example) a BSc in Microbiology, Biochemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry or some such.

While a MPharm degree will have covered all of those areas and more, it will not have covered any of them in as much detail as the person with the BSc will have done.

To advance in the industry, I suspect that both the MPharm and the BSc (Biochem.) will need to do a MSc/PhD.

malnurtured

malnurtured wrote: »

Not to derail the thread, but I've seen you post on the other pharmacy thread where you and some other lads were saying that it's not worth doing anymore. I'm one of those 17 year olds who has to fill out this damned CAO, would you recommend a job in the pharmaceutical industry ('Big Pharma') at all or should I look elsewhere?

Personally, I really enjoy pharmacy. I went into it for the wrong reasons (money) but I lucked on the fact that I really enjoy it and contributed to some extent to improving people's lives.

If all you are going into for the money, I would avoid.

If you are interested in medication/pharmacology and helping people, I would recommend. I know for as much as I moan about pharmacy that I couldn't see myself doing anything else.

locum-motion

locum-motion wrote: »

What I meant was that people with a MPharm are at no advantage (depending on the specific role, of course) over people with (for example) a BSc in Microbiology, Biochemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry or some such.

While a MPharm degree will have covered all of those areas and more, it will not have covered any of them in as much detail as the person with the BSc will have done.

To advance in the industry, I suspect that both the MPharm and the BSc (Biochem.) will need to do a MSc/PhD.

I think one aspect of an MPharm that is useful in industry is that you can act as a QP (qualified person) straight away. To earn the big bucks, you need to do a PhD though.

sheesh

Under_Graduate wrote: »

Is there a pharmaceutical assistants course or something?

Yes I don't know where I assume there is one in Dublin and maybe cork

Under_Graduate wrote: »

To get into insurance?
Is further study necessary for that also or how does that work?

with a civil engineering degree they would probably train you up while you are working whether they still do that Idon't know but it is an option.

palmcut

There are no longer any courses for pharmacy assistants.

There are several courses for pharmacy technicians.(including Carlow IT)
The pharmacy technician course is for two years.

Tree

Deleted User wrote: »

I think one aspect of an MPharm that is useful in industry is that you can act as a QP (qualified person) straight away. To earn the big bucks, you need to do a PhD though.

Oh that's interesting, most of the people I know who went to be QP's did a postgrad after ind experience and a BSc in something that's not straight pharm.

malnurtured

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Personally, I really enjoy pharmacy. I went into it for the wrong reasons (money) but I lucked on the fact that I really enjoy it and contributed to some extent to improving people's lives.

If all you are going into for the money, I would avoid.

If you are interested in medication/pharmacology and helping people, I would recommend. I know for as much as I moan about pharmacy that I couldn't see myself doing anything else.

I am interested in medication and pharmacology and medical drugs in general, I'm pvery into chem/bio at LC level. That said, I'm wondering whether an MPharm or a BSc (in microbiology/mol biology/biochem/pharmacology) would be a better career choice.

Reading about the hits that Pharmacists have taken pay wise recently on here, added to the fact that I'd be more interested in making the drugs people take rather than dispensing them, I'm leaning towards the industry side of things.

locum-motion

sheesh wrote: »

Yes I don't know where I assume there is one in Dublin and maybe cork
...

So you really actually don't know at all, do you?

In actual fact, as Palmcut has pointed out, the Pharmaceutical Assistant course does not exist any more. You haven't been able to become a Pharmaceutical Assistant since the 80's, and as soon as all the ones that qualified before then have died or retired, the qualification will cease to exist.

malnurtured

malnurtured wrote: »

I am interested in medication and pharmacology and medical drugs in general, I'm pvery into chem/bio at LC level. That said, I'm wondering whether an MPharm or a BSc (in microbiology/mol biology/biochem/pharmacology) would be a better career choice.

Reading about the hits that Pharmacists have taken pay wise recently on here, added to the fact that I'd be more interested in making the drugs people take rather than dispensing them, I'm leaning towards the industry side of things.

Realistically, you will earn a lot less with Bsc in industry than you would as a pharmacist. You would be looking at a minimum of 8 years study before making goodish money.

sheesh

locum-motion wrote: »

So you really actually don't know at all, do you?

In actual fact, as Palmcut has pointed out, the Pharmaceutical Assistant course does not exist any more. You haven't been able to become a Pharmaceutical Assistant since the 80's, and as soon as all the ones that qualified before then have died or retired, the qualification will cease to exist.

sorry about that. Well done on pointing that out.

locum-motion

sheesh wrote: »

sorry about that. Well done on pointing that out.

I was just quite surprised that you would answer a question that you quite clearly did not know the answer to!

Nonoperational

Deleted User wrote: »

You **** up, people can die. I consider it a very demanding and stressful job. There is no conversion course as there is very little crossover between engineering and pharmacy. Stents maybe?

You'd want to be trying pretty hard to kill someone....

Depends on your personality I guess, but stressful isn't a word I'd associate with being a pharmacist.

palmcut

Nonoperational wrote: »

You'd want to be trying pretty hard to kill someone....

Depends on your personality I guess, but stressful isn't a word I'd associate with being a pharmacist.

Accidents do happen and medication errors also happen and sometimes can be fatal.There is considerable stress in working as a dispensing pharmacist. Making sure that the patient gets the correct medication is a huge stress; as is trying to avoid errors.The responsibilty of safe dispensing is extremely stressful. A misplaced decimal point might make someone very ill.Dealing with the HSE is another form of stress. Procuring some drugs is a nightmare all of it's own.The main stress is being confident that you have correctly dispensed.The well being of the patient is paramount.

echo beach

Nonoperational wrote: »

You'd want to be trying pretty hard to kill someone....

Depends on your personality I guess, but stressful isn't a word I'd associate with being a pharmacist.

It would be remarkably easy to kill somebody when working as a pharmacist. Dispensing some prescriptions exactly as written by doctors would be the best way to go about it. There are prescriptions for the wrong drug; for the wrong dose (by a factor of ten or a hundred due to a misplaced or missing decimal point); for drugs that interact with drugs prescribed by other doctors; there are prescriptions that were for a different patient altogether and, my own favourite, prescriptions transcribed from a hospital prescription that bear no resemblance to the original except perhaps starting with the same letter.
The only reason pharmacists aren't regularly killing people is because they take their job very seriously and do it very well. Regardless of your personality, that IS stressful. Every minute spent dispensing is spent under stress.

Dealing with the public in any capacity is stressful. Add in the fact that most people we deal with are ill, or under the pressure of caring for somebody they love who is ill and are trying to navigate our dysfunctional health system and that stress is greater again.

A pharmacist will also usually be responsible for all the staff working in a pharmacy, including older and more experiences unqualified staff who may resent some 'young wan' telling them what to do.

There are financial pressures and targets to meet but undoubtedly the single biggest source of stress, for me anyway, is dealing with the HSE.

For your own sake, if you have a problem dealing with stress then forget about pharmacy, in the community at least, as a career.

Nonoperational

palmcut wrote: »

Accidents do happen and medication errors also happen and sometimes can be fatal.There is considerable stress in working as a dispensing pharmacist. Making sure that the patient gets the correct medication is a huge stress; as is trying to avoid errors.The responsibilty of safe dispensing is extremely stressful. A misplaced decimal point might make someone very ill.Dealing with the HSE is another form of stress. Procuring some drugs is a nightmare all of it's own.The main stress is being confident that you have correctly dispensed.The well being of the patient is paramount.

Accidents can happen sure, but it's not particularly stressful. Check the prescription, get the drug, put it through the computer, check if any of the interactions the computer gives you are significant, double check and you're done. I guess we have a different interpretation of what stress is...

echo beach wrote: »

It would be remarkably easy to kill somebody when working as a pharmacist. Dispensing some prescriptions exactly as written by doctors would be the best way to go about it. There are prescriptions for the wrong drug; for the wrong dose (by a factor of ten or a hundred due to a misplaced or missing decimal point); for drugs that interact with drugs prescribed by other doctors; there are prescriptions that were for a different patient altogether and, my own favourite, prescriptions transcribed from a hospital prescription that bear no resemblance to the original except perhaps starting with the same letter.
The only reason pharmacists aren't regularly killing people is because they take their job very seriously and do it very well. Regardless of your personality, that IS stressful. Every minute spent dispensing is spent under stress.

Dealing with the public in any capacity is stressful. Add in the fact that most people we deal with are ill, or under the pressure of caring for somebody they love who is ill and are trying to navigate our dysfunctional health system and that stress is greater again.

A pharmacist will also usually be responsible for all the staff working in a pharmacy, including older and more experiences unqualified staff who may resent some 'young wan' telling them what to do.

There are financial pressures and targets to meet but undoubtedly the single biggest source of stress, for me anyway, is dealing with the HSE.

For your own sake, if you have a problem dealing with stress then forget about pharmacy, in the community at least, as a career.

I disagree that it wold be remarkably easy to kill someone.

locum-motion

Nonoperational wrote: »

... but stressful isn't a word I'd associate with being a pharmacist.

Have you been a pharmacist long?

echo beach

Nonoperational wrote: »

I disagree that it wold be remarkably easy to kill someone.

You are entitled to your opinion but you may not be aware of just how dangerous prescription medicine can be if not used properly.

Three fatal cases off the top of my head.
A partially sighted person got morphine tablets 100mg instead of 10mg and took them twice a day for five days before he died.
A person was prescribed methotrexate every day instead of once a week and that dose was continued in hospital after he was admitted suffering from symptoms of toxicity.
A man given high doses of an antibiotic along with a cholesterol lowering medicine.

The reason those ones stick in my mind is because I've seen those errors on prescriptions myself. Three easy opportunities to kill someone.

palmcut

echo beach wrote: »

You are entitled to your opinion but you may not be aware of just how dangerous prescription medicine can be if not used properly.

Three fatal cases off the top of my head.
A partially sighted person got morphine tablets 100mg instead of 10mg and took them twice a day for five days before he died.
A person was prescribed methotrexate every day instead of once a week and that dose was continued in hospital after he was admitted suffering from symptoms of toxicity.
A man given high doses of an antibiotic along with a cholesterol lowering medicine.

The reason those ones stick in my mind is because I've seen those errors on prescriptions myself. Three easy opportunities to kill someone.

A woman died two years ago after using Daktarin oral gel (OTC) whilst taking Warfarin. (this happened in Ireland)

Nonoperational

Nonoperational wrote: »

Accidents can happen sure, but it's not particularly stressful. Check the prescription, get the drug, put it through the computer, check if any of the interactions the computer gives you are significant, double check and you're done. I guess we have a different interpretation of what stress is...



I disagree that it wold be remarkably easy to kill someone.

Disappointing to see a doctor have this kind of attitude.

Ever had to make an intrathecal chemotherapy by yourself in the middle of the night?

Having to simultaneously deal with complex enquiries from an ICU, NICU and PICU ward at the same time.

Induct somebody on a randomised double blind clinical trial?

Dose a patient on methadone with them never been on methadone before?

I think anybody who works in hospital has their stressful days whether they are doctors/ nurses/ whatever. At the end of the day, we are all professionals and I would never try to put down somebody else's profession.

jungleman

My brother is a pharmacist and he hates it. He feels pretty much like a glorified shop assistant. He's leaving the profession now to do a Masters in something completely different.

He would tell you to avoid it.

Nonoperational

Deleted User wrote: »

Disappointing to see a doctor have this kind of attitude.

Ever had to make an intrathecal chemotherapy by yourself in the middle of the night?

Having to simultaneously deal with complex enquiries from an ICU, NICU and PICU ward at the same time.

Induct somebody on a randomised double blind clinical trial?

Dose a patient on methadone with them never been on methadone before?

I think anybody who works in hospital has their stressful days whether they are doctors/ nurses/ whatever. At the end of the day, we are all professionals and I would never try to put down somebody else's profession.

I'm also a pharmacist. I didn't find it stressful when I worked as a pharmacist. I'm not going to change my opinion to make you feel better. I'm not at all putting it down, all I'm saying is that in my opinion it's not a very stressful job.

echo beach wrote: »

You are entitled to your opinion but you may not be aware of just how dangerous prescription medicine can be if not used properly.

Three fatal cases off the top of my head.
A partially sighted person got morphine tablets 100mg instead of 10mg and took them twice a day for five days before he died.
A person was prescribed methotrexate every day instead of once a week and that dose was continued in hospital after he was admitted suffering from symptoms of toxicity.
A man given high doses of an antibiotic along with a cholesterol lowering medicine.

The reason those ones stick in my mind is because I've seen those errors on prescriptions myself. Three easy opportunities to kill someone.

These examples are always trotted out. I never said you didn't have to be competent. Basic competency would ensure these errors are picked up.

locum-motion wrote: »

Have you been a pharmacist long?

A few years now...

So you aren't a doctor/ studying medicine?

Nonoperational

I don't remember saying I wasn't?

This is ridiculous. I worked as a pharmacist for years and I didn't find it stressful. It's my opinion. If you find it stressful that's perfectly fine.

Nonoperational

Nonoperational wrote: »

I don't remember saying I wasn't?

This is ridiculous. I worked as a pharmacist for years and I didn't find it stressful. It's my opinion. If you find it stressful that's perfectly fine.

Yes, just because you worked as a pharmacist and found it stress free doesn't mean all all our jobs are stress free. It was your condescending tone which was the issue. I look forward to correcting all your drug errors in the future.

Ps: Pharmacist is a protected term. Illegal to claim you are one unless you're registered

Nonoperational

Did I say your job was stress free? I said that in my opinion and my experience it's not a very stressful job. You find it stressful, good for you.

Deleted User wrote: »

I look forward to correcting all your drug errors in the future.

Ps: Pharmacist is a protected term. Illegal to claim you are one unless you're registered

Pathetic. How long are you qualified now? 1 year is it.

locum-motion

Nonoperational wrote: »

...but stressful isn't a word I'd associate with being a pharmacist.

locum-motion wrote: »

Have you been a pharmacist long?

Nonoperational wrote: »

I'm also a pharmacist...
...
A few years now...

You surprise me.

Do you know the old saying about poker? If you're playing poker, you should be able to tell who at the table is the one that doesn't know what they're doing. If you can't, it's you.

I would say that if you don't find it stressful being a pharmacist, then you might be missing something.

Nonoperational

Nonoperational wrote: »

Did I say your job was stress free? I said that in my opinion and my experience it's not a very stressful job. You find it stressful, good for you.





Pathetic. How long are you qualified now? 1 year is it.

What's pathetic? At least I'm not illegally claiming to be a pharmacist when I'm not one. What does how long I'm qualified have to do with anything?

oppenheimer1

Deleted User wrote: »

You **** up, people can die. I consider it a very demanding and stressful job. There is no conversion course as there is very little crossover between engineering and pharmacy. Stents maybe?

There is nothing unique to pharmacy or indeed to any health science about that.

Compared to consultancy engineering, pharmacy is far more relaxed. You turn up in the morning and go home in the evening and do the same thing the following day. The profession (for most pharmacists) is obviously not deadline orientated, which acts like a stress ratchet.Community pharmacy has little or no overtime and simply consists of dispensing medications and checking prescriptions for accuracy and contraindications.

Nonoperational

You couldn't make this up. Do ye want to keep going until I say that I found it a stressful job?!

The need for self justification on this thread is gas.

oppenheimer1

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

There is nothing unique to pharmacy or indeed to any health science about that.

Compared to consultancy engineering, pharmacy is far more relaxed. You turn up in the morning and go home in the evening and do the same thing the following day. The profession is obviously not deadline orientated, which acts like a stress ratchet.Community pharmacy has little or no overtime and simply consists of dispensing medications and checking prescriptions for accuracy and contraindications.

I'm a hospital pharmacist and unfortunately most of my overtime is unpaid which I have to do multiple times a week. I don't understand your deadline orientated comment. Iv abx? Emergency chemo for new diagnosis of all? These are all quite significant deadlines.

oppenheimer1

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm a hospital pharmacist and unfortunately most of my overtime is unpaid which I have to do multiple times a week. I don't understand your deadline orientated comment. Iv abx? Emergency chemo for new diagnosis of all? These are all quite significant deadlines.

Hospital pharmacy is a bit different granted where there are genuine resourcing issues. The deadline comment was in the main directed at community pharmacy where the majority of pharmacists in Ireland are employed. My brother and two of my closest friends work in the community and they have a great life, The only thing they complain about are working the one Sunday a month and late closing at 8pm. All are handsomely paid earning in well excess of 60k per year, which isn't bad for someone under 30.

Stress? Please, pull the other one.

Nonoperational

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm a hospital pharmacist and unfortunately most of my overtime is unpaid which I have to do multiple times a week. I don't understand your deadline orientated comment. Iv abx? Emergency chemo for new diagnosis of all? These are all quite significant deadlines.

Why don't you get paid for OT? That's one of my pet hates. Nobody should work for free. Even we get paid the majority of our OT now!

Under_Graduate

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Hospital pharmacy is a bit different granted where there are genuine resourcing issues. The deadline comment was in the main directed at community pharmacy where the majority of pharmacists in Ireland are employed. My brother and two of my closest friends work in the community and they have a great life, The only thing they complain about are working the one Sunday a month and late closing at 8pm. All are handsomely paid earning in well excess of 60k per year, which isn't bad for someone under 30.

Stress? Please, pull the other one.

I didn't want to comment cause, I have no experience of pharmacy, but I'm glad someone did.

Engineering was damn stressful, and mistakes are damn expensive to resolve.
Just in my mind, visualizing doing what I see pharmacists do, count and dispense pills, I just don't see the stress or "extreme pressure", as was here described, in that.

60k a year?
Holy....