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Maria
Student
Troutdale, Oregon
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What kind of work is done in a pharmacy? What is your most favorite and least favorite part of working as a pharmacist? Why did you choose pharmacy as a career?
I'm currently starting trade school and I would like to get to know more information about the career I'm interested in getting into. I don't have any experience in working in a pharmacy, I've only worked retail before. I'm interested in getting into Pharmacy because I want to be able to help people in need. I hope to get a job at a hospital where I’ll hopefully make medicine for the patients that need it.
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1 answer
Seth Cohen, Pharm.D
I am an informatics pharmacist specializing in hospital information systems
4
Answers
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
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Seth’s Answer
"What kind of work is done in a pharmacy?" It depends on what pharmacy you work at. Retail/outpatient pharmacies dispense medications, counsel patients, provide vaccinations and other services. Many outpatient pharmacies compound patient-specific medications on request. Some outpatient pharmacies can provide sterile IV medications, or have subspecialties such as diabetes care or HIV. Hospital pharmacies provide medications for whatever level of care the hospital provides. Long term care pharmacies supply medications for patients in long-term care. Mail-order pharmacies are like a retail or outpatient pharmacy but generally do not have face-to-face interaction with their patients.
"What is your most favorite and least favorite part of working as a pharmacist?" I'm not a fan of standing for long periods of time, which is why I tend to focus on hospital pharmacy for work.
"Why did you choose pharmacy as a career?" My mother (a nurse) pointed out that unlike some careers, health care never goes out of style. When I was in college originally I thought I wanted to be a journalist. Moving away from that career was a wise one, even though I had no way of predicting what the Internet would do to newspaper circulation.
"I don't have any experience in working in a pharmacy, I've only worked retail before." I too had only worked retail and not within a pharmacy prior to pharmacy school. My classmates who had hands-on experience in a pharmacy were ahead of me in their knowledge just from handling medications. I recommend that, but you'll probably need pharmacy technician certification to become a pharmacy tech. This varies state-to-state, so you should look up your state's Board of Pharmacy to see what it says about certification requirements.
"I'm interested in getting into Pharmacy because I want to be able to help people in need. I hope to get a job at a hospital where I’ll hopefully make medicine for the patients that need it." That's one of the things I enjoy about being a pharmacist. Discovering that you can improve someone's health by reviewing their conditions and medication regimens can often make a big difference in their quality of life. In hospital pharmacy it can sometimes be the difference between life and death for a patient. I'm not trying to stress you out on that - just pointing out that sicker people need care that isn't provided at other pharmacy jobs.
"What is your most favorite and least favorite part of working as a pharmacist?" I'm not a fan of standing for long periods of time, which is why I tend to focus on hospital pharmacy for work.
"Why did you choose pharmacy as a career?" My mother (a nurse) pointed out that unlike some careers, health care never goes out of style. When I was in college originally I thought I wanted to be a journalist. Moving away from that career was a wise one, even though I had no way of predicting what the Internet would do to newspaper circulation.
"I don't have any experience in working in a pharmacy, I've only worked retail before." I too had only worked retail and not within a pharmacy prior to pharmacy school. My classmates who had hands-on experience in a pharmacy were ahead of me in their knowledge just from handling medications. I recommend that, but you'll probably need pharmacy technician certification to become a pharmacy tech. This varies state-to-state, so you should look up your state's Board of Pharmacy to see what it says about certification requirements.
"I'm interested in getting into Pharmacy because I want to be able to help people in need. I hope to get a job at a hospital where I’ll hopefully make medicine for the patients that need it." That's one of the things I enjoy about being a pharmacist. Discovering that you can improve someone's health by reviewing their conditions and medication regimens can often make a big difference in their quality of life. In hospital pharmacy it can sometimes be the difference between life and death for a patient. I'm not trying to stress you out on that - just pointing out that sicker people need care that isn't provided at other pharmacy jobs.
Thank you so much for the response. It was very informative and it gave me a few new viewpoints.
Maria
You are welcome! If you have other questions, feel free to ask away. If I don't know the answer hopefully another pharmacist can answer.
Seth Cohen, Pharm.D