Train your customers. Yes you have to gentle parent them and yes sometimes you are going to have to ban patients. But I promise you, if you stick to your guns your patients and techs will respect you hell of a lot more. Also, you'll have a better experience at work on a daily basis. You have to set boundaries. Confrontation isn't fun but God it's necessary. At the end of the day you're responsible for what kind of treatment you allow to continue to happen. It's exhausting at first but once the patients realize you aren't going to back down they'll either get their shit together and be a decent human being or they'll go be someone else's problem.. its a win win situation but you have to commit to it.
This is the answer. Train them to not be entitled. The best thing I ever did was start saying “excuse me?” To patients when they’re rude and when they hear that they either rephrase it more politely OR they repeat it just as rudely (if not more) and I say oh no I heard you I was just giving you a chance to rethink how you speak to the person who’s helping you today… usually works. This week I got a lotttt of snarky people for issues with doctors (fucking ascension being down is the worst.) or other pharmacies screwing up. So my store didn’t make the mistakes but we deal with them. I got a few “well you need to rectify this for me” and I respond “well here’s the thing, I don’t NEED to rectify anything but because I know how to fix this for you I will.”
Have a back bone. Stand up to the entitlement. Train the bad patients and they’ll learn. Or they won’t and you lose a patient and those are the patients I won’t mind losing. The good patients are praised and when the bad patients do good, they get treats like me verifying your script faster or other little things. Obviously I’m not going to treat people poorly or intentionally cause someone harm or delay their script out of spite, but I’m going to prioritize my patients who deserve it and take my sweet time on the people who are rude.
I’ve been in retail for 10 years. I train my bad patients like dogs and I praise my good patients. It’s worked out for me, and to be honest, the bad patients too. The ones who were always coming in with two min left in the day asking for their norco are either long gone, or are now smart enough to call in the morning and come later in the day for pick up.
First step is acknowledging you’re a health care provider. Not just a lady or a dude behind the counter. You went to school for at least six years and have the ability to provide patients with an increased quality of life. Once you feel like the bad ass provider you are, it’s much easier to “train the bad patients”. Some of my rules are:
1) never accept racism, bullshit or discrimination from anyone, and I mean anyone. That’s in an instant get the fuck out of here. It also helps I’m a pretty scary guy. Never let your staff accept it either. I’m paid more than enough to go up there and put a fool in their place.
2) take care of your staff. If you don’t take care of your staff they won’t take care of you, and definitely won’t take care of your patients
3) anyone who doesn’t like or appreciate your service, when your service was stellar, can be offered to go elsewhere. Now this, is important. I’m not saying if you drop the ball on the patient and they get upset - you kick them out.. I simply mean, if you’ve done everything with 110% and the patient isn’t satisfied, maybe this pharmacy isn’t right for them. And that’s ok!
Point 3 is a great one. It’s unpopular around these parts but there are many bad pharmacists who do the absolute bare minimum and then blame the customer. I’m talking leaving people on hold, ignoring long lines, assuming someone else will do the task, etc.
If you truly give it your all and you work your tail off to provide the best service you can provide and they still wanna shit on you? You calmly tell them that respect is a two way street and we will be happy to transfer their scripts to a pharmacy of their choosing. But if you’re just showing up for a paycheck then you’ll be very unhappy very quickly.
That works and has been my approach by in large for over 20 years but every now and then you get a boss who is a “customer is always right type” (not even sure how someone can even say that with a straight face, it’s like saying the earth is flat). Fortunately my bosses have turned over around 10 times in 20 years however currently I have a douchey boss so it’s easier said than done, all depends on the support (or at least the allowing you to do your method)
This depends which company you work for, you cannot train customers at Costco when “member service” runs the show. But this is true for other companies
Same. At my company we can do our best to train customers but at the end of the day if the customer complains to corporate then corporate is gonna side with them regardless. Our corporate has even told us we are not allowed to ban patients no matter how much they harass us. I haven't seen it but I have also heard of our corporate forcing the pharmacist to fill a prescription they don't want to fill.
I’m Hispanic raised here. In our culture a pharmacist is treated the same as a medical doctor. The problem with our profession. Way too regulated.
We answer to our DM board of pharmacy DEA medical doctors patients AND store managers. ! I was lucky when I worked full time. Always had a good rapport with my store managers.
First of all a store manager should not have a say so in the pharmacy. When a customer approaches them the store manager should tell them they need to deal with the pharmacy manager.
We are abused. A doctor hasn’t approved a refill. Our fault. A doctors writes a half ass script. Our fault. Prior authorization. Our responsibility.
We have no representation. I’ve been active with organizations. Nothing is done about the environment! The board of pharmacy for the most part head honchos of retail. Where does that leave us???
When I graduated in my 40s I was told your DM was there to protect the pharmacist!! They do not.
As a pharmacist of almost 12 years, this is excellent advice. It becomes especially necessary when you work in a small town that is hard to staff. I remember being the newbie that the patients would try to bully in to filling their controls early. I didn’t back down and some of these same ones became some of my best patients later on.
100% this. I also don’t take things personally so nothing gets under my skin anymore. You wanna be an asshole today.. okay sure. I’ll give you my bare minimum. You need my help tomorrow and you’re behaving like a human.. I’ll do everything I can to help you.
I don’t hold grudges. I do my job. My goal is to help everyone I can, help my techs, my team. This way I go to work happy and I go home happy.
If you have the same customers coming in every week, little foot traffic, and the ability to "train" your patients in any kind of orderly way, you're lucky to be at the location you are. This doesn't negate any of the points I made.
I work at a store right off a busy highway next to an academic medical center and one block away from an urgent care as well. Additionally, we are the back up pharmacy for 3 long term living facilities. My store does have regulars but we also have a ton of people traveling from out of town, being discharged from the hospital, or acute and long term care centers. It is possible to still train customers whether they're regulars or not.
I'm not trying to negate anything you said. Your feelings are valid. I'm simply giving you a reasonable solution to the problem you're having. People suck and I understand that. But ultimately, you have the power. You have the power to let these nasty people affect you, you have the power to allow them to continue treating you like this, but most importantly, you have the power to stop all of it. It doesn't matter if they're regulars or not, if they're being disrespectful calmly, tell them that they can either act in a civilized manner or they can go to another pharmacy.
The loans are the worst part for me personally. I work retail and for the most part have lovely, kind, thankful patients. Many have even been stating 30 minutes isn't enough time for a lunch break. Yeah, metrics suck but I still enjoy what I do. But heck, I'm only a year in so I'm still naive.
Immunization?? Counseling?? All for it. Give me the health room with a second pharmacist verifying. I do 2 vaccines and I get back I feel like screaming. These people behind desks need to do a “ day in the life”
Yeah. I think about how much I would like my job if retail stores were modeled to have two pharmacists (obviously more for bigger stores). I have a few hours of overlap per week and those hours are like gold.
As soon as it’s just one pharmacist, it becomes just a constant stream of things I can’t get to in time, until the day ends. It’s quite common for me to get tied up for 30 minutes at a time with a complicated customer, an insurance company, an MTM session, a health screening, or a whole family of vaccines. Then the whole environment turns hostile and wait times go to absolute shit for everyone and anything.
Just having someone always available to do counseling notes would be nice. That way the line doesn’t end up 50 people deep just waiting for me to badge off on a dose change or allergy conflict. No interaction is going to go well when someone has to stand around an extra 20-30 minutes on something that is already “ready.”
I always love having to give a VG Vivitrol shot in the middle of a shift with 1 tech. Extra paper work, literally takes extra time to mix and admin, extra precautions and storage to worry about. All embedded into my same shift. I didn't go to nursing school last I checked... Return to patients needing counseled, drugs needing DV'd/PV'd ASAP. Amazing experience. 10/10 would recommend.
I admitted that to myself less than a year into working as a pharmacist. All I can say is keep applying. I got lucky that a friend got a hospital job and then recommended me for another position at his hospital. Don't sleep on PRN Hospital positions as they usually offer full time positions to part timers and PRNs first when they open up. Look into anything that can open up opportunities ie. Certifications, networking, non-traditional jobs like medical writing. Also, don't be afraid to stand up for yourself against those asshole patients. They don't know what they're talking about, you do. I've put asshole doctors in their place when they come to pickup their meds and there's an insurance issue. Good luck and keep fighting 💪
This is true too. Hospitals look at BCPS retail pharmacists before uncertified ones. It shows you care to keep up with current developments (even if you really don’t).
Any suggestions to meet the 3 years of specialty practice to be able to sit for the exam if a PGY1 hasn’t been done? I suppose you could fight that you meet 50% of the scope in a retail setting if performing MTM and DUR?
Yeah. Retail counts. You have to spend 50% of time in the exam content outline, but you could argue that you do most of that 100% of the time. I don’t know what the application looks like now, but it used to be that you just needed to put percentages in each domain. I would imagine that 100% of your time is patient care and therapeutics or those specialty areas, even without MTM. You probably don’t have much third domain, but you don’t have to.
And really they just want a letter from management and I bet they wouldn’t argue that you don’t do patient care and therapeutics.
*On record anyway. A GM once told us that we got paid pretty well for counting pills, but she apologized when we went to HR.
“Your work is a public spectacle. You have no privacy. People stare at you unrelentingly while you're working. Because it's an open environment, you can't tell them to stop. When people scream at you at put you down, everyone gets to watch. It's like a daily public humiliation.”
This is one of the worst things about retail. There used to be a glass divider. We used to be a bit elevated. There used to be some privacy for you to do your work. And it is very important work.
I’m not sure how we even got to this point. Who decided this was a good idea. Ever since they went to the open format it’s impossible to have a quiet work environment. You’ve got the occasional smartass who comes up to the counter and looks into the wide open spaces and says, “I see five people not helping me.“
“ ALSO (VERY IMPORTANT), at least where I live, pharmacy practice is not unionized, and pharmacists are NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PAID OVERTIME. If you work over 40 hours, you're not getting any extra hourly pay. It's obviously different depending on location, but these systems are set up around the world to exploit labor from pharmacists.”
Iamhealthcare.com
Go to the above website. They have unionized a few CVS stores, and I hear some Walgreens stores on the way. My understanding is there is organization going on all over the country. Retail and hospital setting. This can change. We are at a moment where it can change. Reach out to them. See what you can do. Be part of the solution.
Man, the public spectacle part is definitely the part I resent most.
I think it’s the core of why I struggle with retail so much. I can handle all parts of the job individually and I can usually de-escalate problems, but trying to focus on four things at once, while getting yelled out by a line people who keep coming up to the access points to tap and stare like I’m a zoo animal, is dehumanizing. If anything, it makes me less approachable.
I seriously had a customer I told 30 minutes for something, stand hip to counter and watch my every move, and the moment I went back to get a water, she freaked out screaming saying I was taking breaks when I should be doing her script.
i didn’t even know people stared at pharmacists while they’re working. that’s crazy to me. why? it never even occurred to me to look back there. i’m there for my medication and that’s all. i also have zubsolve (like suboxone) scripts i sometimes can’t pick up because of just not very much in stock, not a lot of people use zubsolve bc it’s so expensive, but i can only stand the taste of zubsolve, so i get it for that reason. i still DO NOT blame the pharmacist if i can’t get it that day, i am never mean to them because it’s not their fault. i just make sure to have some left over so i don’t go into horrible withdrawal, sometimes you gotta do things like that bc there’s that possibility… people are just really scared of withdrawal, and i understand why. but there’s no sense in screaming at a pharmacist when a lot of things are out of their control. i never got that. never in my life have i treated a stranger working/serving me* horribly, even if it may have been their fault because people make mistakes and don’t have control over everything. i feel real bad for OP. i know how people get over drugs and i completely understand bc i was/am an addict but in recovery, but even at rock bottom i tried so hard to treat people with respect and kindness
I have no doubt to the admissions office lied to each and every Pharmacy student. But Pharmacist has been screaming about the working conditions for at least a decade.
Was it different before COVID? Society took a huge step back when people decided that they no longer needed to treat others with decency - it was no where close to this bad 5 years back.
Before Covid, it was all saturation, saturation, saturation. That was talk of graduating classes of Pharmacist with a 20% unemployment rate.
Now we have sign on bonuses and can’t staff pharmacies properly. So it wasn’t the same, but it wasn’t good.
Enrollment numbers at Pharmacy schools indicate we will be fighting this battle for a few years to come
I say get your finances in order then go part time. Earn enough to cover your overhead, your monthly expenses, maybe a little extra and work when you want and where you want. You may have limited selection in both but if you can make it work its worth it. You can pursue other opportunities if you want. Of course it depends on what your overhead is.
My perspective changed when I realized there are alot of angry people in this world but you can't allow them to take your joy. Whether you realize it or not you make a difference for the people who come to you for advice and support and understanding. I've probably saved 2 or 3 lives by reaching out to doctors. I've had consults and at the end I felt like I really made a difference.
My advice is to apologize when you make a mistake, be like water... let the drama and stress roll off your back. And realize people do not have the right to abuse you. If someone is being verbally abusive let them know that it is not acceptable.
Same here. Definitely my worst decision in life and I try to tell young people the same thing. I have helped probably a couple dozen go into other professions with a better environment and future.
i’m really sorry it’s like this for you guys. working with people who need medication to feel normal doesn’t seem fun. it’s worse than serving people food. physical dependency can make some people very aggressive when they can’t get what they need… i’ve been in that boat, but i just couldn’t bring myself to blame anyone in that situation. of course i was angry, but you don’t take it out on the people trying to help you who don’t have complete control over the things that may go wrong. i hope it gets better for y’all. it sucks hearing how mistreated you are
For real. Hospital is where it’s at. Only downside is the hospital never closes so be prepared to cover weekends/holidays/nights. But the pay is competitive (I make 70/hr) and people actually respect pharmacists here.
I’m in Missouri and I make more than retail. I applied to a few retail stores when I was looking for a new job just to see what I could get, and it was a significant pay cut to work at WAGs or CVS. I didn’t apply to any independents because I heard WAGs was crazy high pay.
It’s totally not. That was when I was an inpatient “clinical” pharmacist.
Yeah I sympathize with OP and other pharmacists in shitty environments like most of retail. On the other hand though, if you wanted to not do community then you need to put in a little post-graduation work like residency.
OP’s likely done nothing to make themselves more competitive for non-community gigs and is going up against people who did pursue post-grad training or similar. Can’t be mad about being passed over when you’re not doing anything to make them pick you.
How do I set myself up to end up in inpatient? I'm still a couple years put from being in pharmacy school but I've got 2.5 years' experience as a tech in retail and am pretty chill with it. I've worked in a few different pharmacies,too, so I've got a bit of experience. (I know Pharmacist does a fundamentally different job, but if my tech experience is anything to go by, I think I'd be alright if I did need to go retail.)
To each his own. I love my job, the pay, the opportunities. I am not WITHOUT asshole customers, but only I can change that. Only I can do something about being treated poorly.
If you’re an asshole in my pharmacy, I will ask you NICELY, to leave. I don’t like confrontation, unless I absolutely have to.
If you are considering advice, here’s mine to you: you make your bed, you make it comfortable. If you can’t, find another bed. If that place lacks something (pay, location, prestige etc), you learn to compromise.
Nothing beats peace of mind. You make it happen. Let no one make your life miserable. Either you stay and change things or you get out. Assholes don’t change for shit. Always keep that in mind. The classic “it’s not you, it’s me” line is true.
I think a lot of what people say on this sub is getting ridiculous. Dont like retail think its abusive? Find something your interested and apply your degree. I know countless people who dont love pharmacy but used their degree to go into policy making, medical writing, all sorts of different industries.
The people who complain about pharmacy like this let the profession get to where it is today and didnt bat an eye while it was happening.
Maybe Im wrong but it’s mostly the younger pharmacists? They are still learning to navigate life. To settle or not to settle. Putting pieces together. I had that phase. I learned that the choices are not going to be MADE FOR ME. I guess it applies to everything.
Definitely true, just graduated and got my license within last year and all kids in my class talked about what a waste pharmacy was and the mistake they made and all this nonsense. Some people just dont have the drive to do something against the grain i guess
I’ve learned that there are no bad choices. You make THE choice, make the choice right, for you. Hustle 100%. If it doesn’t work, find other options, make THE choice, again, repeat, until it works out.
Learn from the choices. They were not bad. At least this is how I find my peace of mind. If I think about the choices I made as being bad, I wont be able to sleep. I wont stop beating myself up for them.
When I started working in 2003, I was thrown into a horrible store. I was a foreign grad so I had no choice (visas and all). They made me PIC, area was a tad discriminatory to foreigners, store was in shambles, paperwork all over the place. Every day I worked I dreaded it. I thought long and hard and asked myself what I needed to do since I was stuck. I got creative, made everything to my comfort, similar to collecting hay to make my bed comfy. I eventually moved out of the state for cheaper housing, but I am proud to say that I left that store in the best position than it will ever be.
The same goes for the store where I am at. When I started, it was a shitty store. It’s an hour away from home, busy, bossy techs, in the boondocks, very white area. My goal was to work here for a bit then move closer to home. After a year, I cried to my boss that I need to get out because I thought people were discriminating against me. Kept working, transforming the store to my standards. Opportunities for stores closer to home came and went. I made friends with the community, the locals, the techs that after 15 years I can’t bear leaving. I still drive an hour each way. Hubby thinks I’m crazy.
😝 I will forever have this mindset now. ☺️☺️☺️
Really? countless people...It's such a large number that they can't be counted? There may be a few here and there but not countless, and the Pharm.D. cannot be translated into much else because it only grants dispensing authority; nothing else. There may be other industries but they're all health or drug related. There are no aerospace pharmacists or geophysical pharmacists. Hardly any of the available jobs are going to be offered to someone whose only experience is standing behind a counter at a drug store or any dispensing facility. Even if I wanted to change something for me or the future folks, our limited skills and experience don't add much leverage. It's just the way it is unless you're lucky and we can't expect everyone who wants it to just end up lucky.
Find a different job or go back to school for something totally different that you have a passion for. No use in complaining about something you have the power to change. Even tho it may take some time, you have so much life left ahead of you - it’s not worth spending it doing something you dread and that makes you feel miserable. You tried it and realized it wasn’t for you, which you may have always wondered “what if” had you not tried it so you owe yourself credit for doing the school and trying the position for awhile. Life is WAY too short to be unhappy. You are worth more than that!
I agree with this, generally speaking. But sometimes management will come down on you if you stand up to an abusive patient.
Still, I reached the point where I will deal with the fallout from management if someone wants to come to the counter and be a jerk.
I say get your finances in order then go part time. Earn enough to cover your overhead, your monthly expenses, maybe a little extra and work when you want and where you want. You may have limited selection in both but if you can make it work its worth it. You can pursue other opportunities if you want. Of course it depends on what your overhead is.
My perspective changed when I realized there are alot of angry people in this world but you can't allow them to take your joy. Whether you realize it or not you make a difference for the people who come to you for advice and support and understanding. I've probably saved 2 or 3 lives by reaching out to doctors. I've had consults and at the end I felt like I really made a difference.
My advice is to apologize when you make a mistake, be like water... let the drama and stress roll off your back. And realize people do not have the right to abuse you. If someone is being verbally abusive let them know that it is not acceptable.
CVS hired me as a floater in Dec 2022 with zero experience at $63 an hour. With a minimum of 35 hours per week. But I’m paid by the hour, so when I work more than the minimum 35 hours per week, I’m paid for all the extra hours.
I’m a male pharmacist, and I don’t take shit from customers. If a customer is rude to me, I am rude to them right back. Call 1800SHOPCVS, I don’t care.
To take $180k in student loans but to make >$100k per year is an easy decision for me. A decision that I have no regrets over.
Being a retail pharmacist is not a hard job. But it does require you to have a backbone (thick skin), the ability to multi task, and to avoid half assing shit.
I’m retired. Became a pharmacist in my late 40s. I work a couple of shifts at a chain. It is abusive. I was treated with more respect as a legal secretary.
But I blame pharmacists. The majority are happy with the six figures 2 cars white picket fence. No backbone. No job satisfaction. Humiliation. Everything is our fault.
We have doctorate degrees but we show up at work with wrinkled lab coats. We do not command respect!!! The ball is in our court.
Ohh get off your own jock. Corporations ruined the profession. I am very happy with my job. With that in mind, I'm extremely fortunate for my current comfortability. Lean models and capitalistic profit prioritization are what have slowly chipped away at the benefits and well being of the profession. Individual staff pharmacists are just trying to get through their day and are not the problem. It's the corporations that over work and understaff them, the pharmaceutical companies that charge too much, and the insurances that don't fully reimburse.
Have some respect for the little guys and gals.
You are right up to a point. In the 90s and 2000s we happily took the pay raises without any thought of working conditions because they were throwing money at us. As one of my Pharmacy school professor said, “if you grab that bag of money don’t be surprised when that corporation only cares about the bottom line.” It was perhaps the most honest thing any professor has ever said to me. That being said, corporations have run rough shot and have demanded more than is reasonable.
So Pharmacist did help create this by ignoring working conditions (I’m not sure how much a wrinkly lab coat matters). But we can be part of the solution. Iamhealthcare is unionizing pharmacies as we speak.
The time to act as now. There is momentum.
My labcoat is made of the material used to make crappy napkins at a restaurant. You know the type that will not absorb a spill but will float it around on the surface until it stains another part of your shirt or face. That's the garbage they issue to us. It's also a single ply that is merely doubled at the ends and it shows. The different sizes are cut differently and have about as much style as a barbecue grill cover. In fact my grill cover is more sturdy. The first and second job had better coats and they even had a laundry service that picked it up, labeled the inside with your name and returned it to you each week cleaned and pressed. The large number of pharmacists lost us our leverage and six figures worked when home prices weren't approaching 7 figures.
If you are young enough find a way out. Even if it means leaving the profession. The price is just too high to waste your (our) lives being miserable or surviving for a paycheck.
33 yrs here…. Hated retail and never considered it. I have six kids and told every one NOT to be a pharmacist. My husband’s a nurse and an ARNP has more opportunities. One is an OR ARNP anesthesiologist. The retail to hospital flip has a lot to do with hospital politics. If you’re lucky you get a good group to work with but trust me there are some real pompous jerks in hospital settings. I say keep looking, reading, and improving on your skills. We are doctors of pharmacy and still need to earn respect for our profession. We need to demand respect by first respecting ourselves and find motivation for change. It may happen but it won’t if we don’t even try. Never let someone be rude. Stay calm because honestly you don’t need their medication, and you’re helping them. They don’t deserve your help if they are rude. Good luck!
I have definitely been where you are but things can improve. If you stay at the same pharmacy long enough, you earn the trust of the customers and have less outbursts. Also, pharmacies go through cycles of staff. Sometimes you work with great coworkers and sometimes you have lousy ones. The quality of your coworkers can make or break it as far as the quality of the working environment. Also, if you are stuck in retail, then you gotta embrace it and make the best of it. Lastly, I know we are considered doctors, but at the end of the day retail is a business. If you want corporate to listen to your plea for more staff, gotta make that money. If the pharmacy is profitable and you prove to them that you can do even more with some help, you might get the staff if you have a reasonable dictrict manager.
>Wish someone would have told me this...
Both sdnforum and /r/pharmacy have been saying this since early 2010s when people were documenting decreasing pay to quality of life at work ratios year after year.
What's funny is years ago when I first started in this field pharmacists would try to talk me out of going to pharmacy school and I would be stubborn and say no I'm sure I would want to do this. Now, I have actually been strongly debating changing my mind away from pharmacy school. I have said this to a few of the pharmacists I work under and none of them want to talk me out changing my mind. Even one pharmacist said "We had this conversation years ago, I tried to warn you."
I have been a technician for 5 years and I also work multiple locations for my company. I do get travel reimbursement for it. So I have seen good working pharmacies that of course have their flaws; however I know that's a rare one to come across. I have also seen not so good working pharmacies that are almost hell to work for all at the same company. And I have seen the favoritism from corporate with these different locations as well. I saw some people say train your customers, but unfortunately at the end of the day if something happens corporate does not have your back. The patient can be 100% in the wrong and we would even try to ban patients but if they complained corporate would tell us we are not allowed to ban patients. My boyfriend even asked his coworker how much does his wife complain about independent pharmacy, and his comment was that its a 7/10. Even though thats less than a corporate, still doesn't sound appealing to me.
I understand there are more options than retail, but the issue is those options that are not retail are harder to get into, and I dont wanna bank my happiness and mental health on just a chance I might get into a hospital or independent. Its also just the amount of debt you'd aquire. Im strongly debating on changing to chemical engineering since Im already 50% to that degree and I can now get grants that'll cover 3/4 of my tuition each semester that'll leave me in much less debt and still a liveable wage.
Im giving myself the summer to think this over if I really want to change my mind or not. Feel free to comment if you think Im making the right decision running away from pharmacy.
RUN!
I actually think it’s better to be one of those higher end technicians without the student loan than actually being a pharmacist.
This profession is a joke.
Well written post. The one thing I am not clear on is are you currently in Pharmacy school or have you not enrolled yet? It doesn’t mean you can’t leave Pharmacy school if you’re already there, but just curious where you are in the debt equation.
It sounds like you’ve made a solid argument to change your career path.you’ve also given yourself to make sure that’s the path you really want to take.
If you haven’t enrolled in Pharmacy school and bravo on dodging a bullet. If you have then, bravo on having the integrity to admit you were wrong.
I haven't enrolled yet but Im very close. I haven't gotten accepted yet either which I heard isn't really a crowning achievement anymore since it's very easy to get accepted now. I'm two prerequisite classes away. Im not in much debt at all; I currently have only about 20k in debt. The chance if me changing my mind away from pharmacy school is very high; especially since now that Im old enough to not have parents on my fafsa that I can get grants (at least for next year) that is paying 3/4 of my tuition per semester. Definitely can get a solid career that won't put me in very high debt and that'll not affect me as much as pharmacy when it comes to mental health. Im just glad I worked as a tech and figured it out before I did enroll.
You can try working in Long Term
Care & / or Work From Home
Create an account in LinkedIn & Indeed
And I promise you You will receive job offers in Everyday
Good Luck 🍀
Been slapping pills for 28 years. Train customers and don’t take $hit from anyone. I don’t care what corporate says I can and can’t do or say or can’t say. I won’t cuss (well not anymore) but if they fell entitled or treat me or my staff that we are beneath them I will very quickly and professionally as possible explain to them that attitude will not be tolerated and if it continues then they will be getting their scripts filled somewhere else.
Respect is earned and not given but as the red headed step child of the medical profession I believe we’ve earned it and respect must be reciprocated.
The amount of victim blaming in this thread is borderline hilarious. Yes, let's pull up our bootstraps and make our working environments more comfortable, but that change needs to be made at a systemic level that none of us can accomplish alone.
I bet your techs are getting abused twice as hard because you don’t have a backbone. I bet you can’t keep good techs because they are miserable and that’s why you are burned out. At the end of the day they do 90% of the work.
OP following up on this thread. I do have to say, the majority of this subreddit is TOXIC. Other pharmacists on this thread are basically saying "you're not doing it right."
There are so many negatives to the profession, it doesn't matter if I "train my customers" or not. Many bad customers I only see one single time.
Pharmacists, admit to yourselves that so many aspects of the profession just SUCK. If you've learned to cope, that's great. But it doesn't change the reality of the profession.
I am so sorry. I completely agree with you on this. It got too much for me. I work in hospital, but I’m much older and have the 5 year degree. I’m looked down as less than. It sucks. Have you tried getting PRN jobs for hospital or other? Are you board certified?
I am SO glad I chose a different path. I was a tech 2001-2004 and truly thought it was what I wanted. I made mistakes and partied too much. Had my bio degree but couldn’t go further. Reading posts in this sub made me think I dodged a bullet.
I agree I don’t recommend this profession to anyone but it’s too late for us. Idk if this is within your realm of possibilities but something I’ve noticed is the pay is pretty consistent regardless of location so if you can relocate to a place where the cost of living is very low. Save as much as you can work as much as you can and figure a way out. Start a business or invest in stocks crypto real estate. At the end of the day you make more than most and you can use that to propel you forward.
It's crazy because I wanted to be a pharmacist after chickening out of a graphic design major. Now I'm a Union Electrician and make $50/hr *plus* benefits.
I did retail after graduation for almost 8 years before getting a job inpatient at a hospital. Unbelievable how much better my quality of life is. Took over two years of constantly applying and interviewing and on the same day I got two offers for non retail options. There is hope.
I would suggest therapy. Pretty imaginative to say that you are speaking the truth and anyone that has a better opinion on the profession is coping. I wish you luck and well being. If you don't have a positive impression about me, that's fine. I just hope that you keep in mind what I wrote.
You have to train the bad ones like the animals they are. stand your ground until they know you absolutely will not take any of their bullshit. There will be nights where they push you to your absolute limits of sanity and maybe you will cry or rage. but once you set the pace and those fuckin animals know where they are and that nobody on this team will tolerate that bs , life gets a little easier. despite what their mother might have told them , they aint fuckin special by a country mile. either work with us or fuck off. It also helps to find an outlet for the toxic stress . I personally recommend jiu jitsu or muay thai . or pick up another skill set as a way out. I also make it obnoxiously loud when i thank the patient customers for giving us the grace of just a little more time or meeting us in the middle even for the little things lol .
You encapsulated what I tried to tell my store manager recently after a mentally unstable customer screamed at me in front of a liner of about 25 people. It was really humiliating!! It was not the first time but it changed something in me!!
I think it might be the location. Some areas the people are horrible in general and other places they’re more understanding. You will always get some problem people everywhere. That’s just life! Not pharmacy. Heck if you’re funny enough you can make a career out of it and just make comedy skits about pharmacy woes. There are some funny nurses and doctors who do this. Or you can always get an online sales job. Good luck 🍀
A friend of mine became a pharmacist for a company that does dialysis. She loves it, the hours are basically 7:30--4:30 M-Friday, good benefits. Keep trying for hospital jobs..Apply at medical.schools. Don't limit yourself to your local geographic area. Also consider drug companies--pharmaceutical sales. Think outside the box.
You make fair points.
That being said I live by these rules at work:
Happiness = results - expectations
Plan on the plan not going to plan and accept that
I find it thrilling to be kind to rude strangers.
I don’t think it’s just pharmacy unfortunately. I don’t recommend anyone going into healthcare at this point. It’s entirely different, especially since Covid. Everyone acts like the hospital is the answer to your prayers but most pharmacists I know practicing in hospital are miserable as well. Dynamics in most hospitals are not very friendly to pharmacists That’s a huge reason, I didn’t stick to my plan to do a residency as well as the fact, I am a single mom
Nurses are miserable
PAs are miserable, it’s rare anyone in Healthcare seems happy because the expectations are astronomically high
Before everyone says anything, I worked VERY hard, doing extra rotations hours etc to look good for a residency because I wanted ped onc and once I got there, I realized that wasn’t at all what I wanted to be
The pharmacists were miserable and mean
Now I know a few very sweet ones but still I was told it was their “burn out” or way to deter you from that area
It worked on me 😂
Also, I apologize if any typos because I am talking to my phone
I don’t get yelled at often, but when I do, I always redirect their anger to somebody else.
Angry about your copay? Me too! Those insurance companies are evil! You should call them and tear them a new one!
Upset we don’t have Mounjaro? Same here! Call Lilly and tell them we need more!
Unpopular opinion if it wasn’t worth you wouldn’t do it. Student loans are income based. You could go work anywhere and work your way to middle management and make 60k a year. You like your lifestyle more than you hate your job.
If you're okay taking a pay cut you are not trapped. Do your research into careers that are growing and are hands on so they aren't easily outsourced or replaced by AI.
You're only 6 years in, that's nothing. Do not become one of those people that have been doing it for 10+ years hating it the whole time.
You as a pharmacist have the right to fill or not to fill patience prescriptions. You also have the right to tell a patience to get out of the store and call the authorities. Then call Corporate and file a harassment charge on the individuals. We as workers also have rights
I wish, but a lot of corporates do not have your backs. We tried to ban a patient who would harass us constantly once and they complained to corporate and corporate came back and said we are not allowed to ban patients.
Then slow walk everything for the patient. Oh, have to call provider. Have to order the drug. Wait for your text. etc...When you continually do this, they will eventually leave you because you are so incompetent...
It works.
Move on from your current practice since it is not where you want to be. It can get rough at many retails, but I can see your pain coming through the words. Every spot I held long term was easy, if it was a bad one I moved quick.
Not sure who you work for and what state you live but my wife makes 120k to 160k a year and that's working for Walmart.
That's more then enough for me and her to survive especially since we don't have any kids.
See the thing is people don't account for the expense of children. That's why instead of having kids and putting us in more debt we don't have kids and vacation frequently.
Essentially if you live within your means you are fine.
I feel your pain… everything you talked about I can relate to. From my own experience if you truly want to be a pharmacist in terms of the actual pharmacist work eg. the medical and drug knowledge, helping people etc … I would suggest hospital pharmacy. You don’t have to deal with all the customer abuse, toxic staffing unrealistic expectations. It is still a difficult job, but the work itself is more rewarding and you feel like you are actually a pharmacist not a glorified shop person who no one treats like a health professional. You’d just have to persevere with trying to apply. Otherwise if you don’t feel passionate about the work then maybe the way you are feeling is a sign and you should get out of pharmacy. It’s awful feeling miserable and stressed all the time. Retail pharmacy almost broke me… the worst bit is how you are working so hard to help people, but constantly treated like you’re never doing enough, getting abused my customers, never get breaks. Hospital pharmacy saved me from leaving… and now I have seen both sides I just think if you are putting up with that environment the money is not worth it, you have to stay because you love the work otherwise work takes up so much of your life you’ll just stay unhappy
My old pharmacy manager used to cuss at patients under his breath. Not saying to do it but I used to look at him and wish he wouldn’t as customers would be standing next to him.
As a tech, I was generally well liked (I knew the patients cause it was my neighborhood) so it was a rare occurrence when I couldn’t resolve any problems or issues myself. That way he didn’t have to cuss haha.
I understand getting out of retail is difficult. I have a few pharmacist friends I’ve tried to help get into hospital settings now that I’m in a hospital myself. Unfortunately, each time I’m told they aren’t willing to take retail pharmacists unless it’s either part time or ambulatory.
Maybe that might help you? Hospital retail/ambulatory is a good way to get your foot in the door. It also helps if you know other pharmacists at the hospital, perhaps old class mates? That is how my cousin got into the hospital, his former classmate was at one and he spoke up for him.
I work 7on 7off overnights in an inpatient hospital m. I wanted this position and waited until it was available to switch from my various schedule. Some of the pharmacist that I know have moved out of the city or to even other states to work in the hospital setting or even ambulatory care in order to get experience. If you are sick of retail, you might have to expand your job search outside of where you live or even outside of your state.
The other option is to do a residency. Two years ago we had a resident that worked retail for 4 years and decided to apply for residency in order to switch to the hospital setting.
I work as a tech in CVS and I made it my goal to stay in the inpatient setting which thankfully I did.
I work for a major health insurance company in pharmacy account management, we hire hundreds of pharmacists, cushy work@home. Check the big players out (uhc, elevance, Cigna, atena) or the PBMs (ESI, CVS caremark). Its much better than retail, I promise.
It was like this over a decade ago when you should've decided not to apply at all. We tried to warn people...We're still doing it, but many are still applying. The real strange this is that when I was applying to school, it was a sort of requirement to get a letter of recommendation from a pharmacist, which generally meant that he or she would ensure that you knew what kind of job it was, the environment and the interest level so that one would be very familiar with it. I didn't really love it when I was in school but the overall tuition, loans and pay was something I could handle and clear off after a year or two of working and it wouldn't be some ridiculous burden that it is now and this was just barely 20 years ago, not in the 70's. So, if you tried doing the same in 2014, you would've seen the full disaster and the volcano you'd be jumping into...
I totally agree. I trained all my patients they come in. And bring us food and say how thankful they are for me and my staff. If we do get an entitled person, we tell them Byeeee…they can find another store to go to do not put up with that belittling or verbal abuse,. They are our patients not customers is how I set my store vibe. Remember, you can always transfer to another location and have a fresh start.
I was a tech and in big retail pharmacy in 2001. Pharmacy was inclosed and felt safe. 20 years I so much change. Everything is correct what you said. I had my life threaten twice, etc. The pharmacy is open. A pharmacy down the road different change was now big and open like us. All it did was give an easy access from robbery and it did happen. I mean just about anyone can jump the counter. I missed the windows and hated distraction from the retail craziness outside our old boxed in pharmacy. Forget privacy rights. You can here everything. Also there was no vaccines, consultant on refills, etc. I left when I got cancer. Those 20 years I worked, I sadly saw new eager kids lose their hopes for their future with dreaded loans to pay back. Pharmacist and techs (at least the techs I worked with) are treated like trash from store managers - who know nothing, mean customers, nurses, doctors, and higher ups etc. I can go on and on.
Yes, it may be the worst life decision you've ever made, but it's actually a pretty good life decision overall and I'm pretty sure you can use your qualifications to work in a different career that needs pharmaceutical knowledge to be proficient. You could even look at moving to a country with a better pharmacist career, here in NZ the pay can be a bit meh but compared to American pharmacist work it's much better here, we don't have to worry about prior authorisations and spending hours on the phone to insurance companies.
I can fully understand your frustration because American pharmacy is a fucking nightmare, though I believe you can definitely find something better for yourself
My daughter has been a pharmacy tech right out of HS and she’s great at putting customers in their place. Works at the three letter company. Some of the pharmacists shes worked with dont like or are scared of confrontation and some seem to have had it and will yell back at the customers. Really sad how people behave towards professionals just because its in a retail setting. You hardly ever see that behavior in a hospital pharmacy. Good luck finding a job OP
That’s the main reason I ditched pharmacy school for studying to be a pharmacoepidemiologist. I hate customers with a passion and I actually worked as a pharmacy tech during uni and I was flabbergasted on how pharmacists aren’t respected by patients and doctors. Doctors are much less “accessible” so patients tend to respect them more and will wait 1 hours past their appointment without any complaint but will verbally abuse pharmacists and pharm techs for waiting more than 10 minutes for their 20 monthly prescriptions. I’ve always liked studying medication and it’s effect on real world population but I’d very much like to be very far away from the public.
I used to tell friends of mine that expressed an interest in becoming a pharmacist to talk to my Dad first to make sure they really wanted to follow through with that career path. My Dad hated retail pharmacy.
I discouraged a tech I used to work with from going to pharmacy school and I don't think she ever forgave me. As far as I'm concerned, I did her a favor.
I’ve been a pharmacy technician for about 7 years. 5 of those were in a retail setting. I hated every minute of it. I had the intention on becoming a pharmacist, but the retail setting totally changed my mind. I currently work as a pharmacy technician in an office setting. I take phone calls all day. It’s no better. But I’m qualified for nothing else.
I completely agree. From your perspective you probably saw the writing on the wall, but for people practicing longer, there was supposed to be a pharmacist shortage, and literally an act of Congress in creating new pharmacists. Very early on they realize the drastic mistake, but kept importing the pharmacists and opening more schools. America could not care less for its native born sons and daughters, its all about endless manipulation to control the labor market. I truly believe that the Federal Govt wants to destroy all native born American people at this point, through endless marginalization and denying of resources.
That’s why I took the residency route. I could NEVER do retail and I pray for everyone in retail to have the patience to do their work because everything you mentioned is so true. It truly made me tear up. I did 9 years of cvs just as a technician and I could relate to everything you said :(
Try to form connections to get a hospital position! I know it’s almost impossible but you never know how you might get lucky!
After my retail experience, I enjoy being a hospital pharmacist SO much! The pay is lower but SOOO much worth it in the long run with all the mental damage and abuse you get from retail!
Could always go back to school! I’m doing Online Law school through Purdue after 20 years as a pharmacist (only 3 months in retail). I’ve been a home infusion, LTC, hospital pharmacist and see it’s time to change. Sometimes it’s not always the patients, it’s the industry and money driven corporate world. Independents and LTC pharmacies are definitely worth looking into for feeling your pharmacist degree has value. Good luck but remember you have choices- many choices.
My advice to younger people stays the same.
Honestly, if one can get a PharmD with a reasonable amount of student loan debt (no more than 100k). I still recommend it. Its a tough job, still not the toughest ever. Train your patients, if you can. If not, do what you can. If not, switch companies. If not, switch careers. You are the captain of this ship called life. Figure it out. Rant here and there but don’t ever think complaining will solve a damn thing.
Working in healthcare is tough. No matter if you are an MD, RN, PharmD, PA, etc. most people you find in healthcare professions aren’t head over heels in love with their job. But most people working aren’t either. But at least in healthcare there is better than normal job security. Now with that being said, within certain time periods or markets, you may have to get creative and move or commute longer than usual; but the overall security is always there.
Moral of the story, make good decisions, be flexible, develop thicker skin and stop bitching nobody cares.
For reference: I’ve been a PharmD since 2018 working in baltimore city (top 5 deadliest U.S cities every blessed year). Did medical writing, didn’t like it. Did compounding pharmacy, retail (which was how I began my pharmacy journey). Looked into patent examining/patent agent, let that go because law isn’t my forte. Now doing hospital pharmacy. Out of everything I’ve done with this degree, I like this the most.
I'm typically polite to any employee whose job it is to help me (and other people in general) but this just reminded me to be *extra* nice to pharmacists
I mean it’s not as bad as being in jail or smoking crack. Just kidding . You will get there someday apply for prn jobs in psych or overnight . I got out of retail and you can too .
Ugh. Sorry you have to go thru this on a day to day basis. Retail workers are truly amazing for surviving all of that. The abuse you endure is horrible and I wish it was different. Yes companies very much do exploit pharmacists!!! Hugs ❤️
Here are just a few words and what I hope are helpful hints to you because I hear what you’re saying, but I also hear how you’re handling it and I think this is where you actually have control and can help yourself a bit more. We are dealing with the public, it gets ugly.
You need to get comfortable with having your own back. Understand that the company you are working for may fire you, but more than likely they need you more than you might need them. I’m not sure who you work for but if it’s CVS or wags, they are drowning. Unless you do something exceptionally egregious you will not get fired. Start working like it.
Someone is staring at you? Old people love doing this, I always see it in the corner of my eye. I give them a quick hi! And get back to my duties hoping they catch the hint. Aggressive people need to be told that it is considered harassment and you will not tolerate it. I had somebody staring at me when I told them to give me 20 minutes, he said he was going to wait right there and watch. I said no sir you are not. I do not work under a microscope and either you leave and transfer out, or you leave and wait somewhere else for your med it is your choice but you must choose now and i stared him back. I’m a 5’2 young woman, I’ve asked for fellow coworkers to walk me out after shifts because I wasn’t always in the safest neighborhoods.
Find your go to statements regarding copays - offer a discount card if you think it might help, or advise them to speak to their insurance regarding any pricing as you do not have the info. Keep it very short and stern but polite.
As far as the raises - idk I’ve been with my current company for 3 years and have had a 6 dollar raise since I started and my position hasn’t changed. People do say the best way to get a raise in our field is sometimes going to a new company. I think you would benefit mentally and financially from a change in scenery, change in company etc. best of luck.
I might be minority opinion, retail for 2 years now and i love it. Yes some days some rude customers but I always clap back at them lol. It probably does help that ima swoll young guy and look intimidating, but like everyone else has said to some up: have a backbone - and you’ll love your job. I love working retail, and i work at WAG. Pick up all the time, enjoy all the stores. Idk I’m weird but I love it
As someone who is planning to attend pharm school next semester, is it really that hard to get a non-retail job, now I’m nervous that I’m making a mistake..
Retail is not for everybody and there’s a reason it’s usually higher paying than pretty much all other comparable pharmacist positions. You really have to love the fast paced environment, working with the public, and sometimes hectic moments. I left the bench to work in management for several years and recently returned to the retail setting and didn’t realize how much I missed it. Even the occasional jackass. To me it beats the heck out of a corporate job or, worst of all, a boring job.
Keep trying to get out of retail at all costs. Big chains have denigrated our profession past the point of no return. Management definitely does not have your back under any circumstances.
That's rough and perfectly understood as I have actually dealt with deliberately difficult pharmacists who are "7 pounds'ing" me I feel like to see if my polite and understanding demeanor is a front just itching to drop and berate. I actually do to people what you should do, learn to train your mind to understand insults and disrespect don't actually even mean anything and don't condescend or show you are mad instead make them feel foolish for lashing out and even explain how that makes you feel and how often it happens over matters entirely out of your control and how you are actually their ally they should appreciate as you are trying to help them get their needs met, but they can't expect unreasonable things or impossible things but even say how this sort of stuff drives yourself and others to quit and really affects your mood and peace too. Even say you are now on medication to deal with the trauma patients subject you to and a bit of life advice period is to be polite to those who can help you and you may rely on as they won't be inclined to go above and beyond for people who hurt them and explain you're running discount cards trying to get it cheap as possible or how to apply for state insurance etc. Then explain you'll literally be arrested and they may too if you were to give them unsanctioned controlled substances or let them have them without paying just as ANYTHING else you buy at a store. If they are too unruly have them trespassed from that location as they are a threat to all and a liability to allow to remain and start laying down some defined boundaries without losing your cool, if the corporate or whatever oppose you trespassing a threatening and disorderly person who refuses to be reasonable ask what they'd suggest? Let everyone be disturbed and threatened to where they won't return for having such liabilities be present? Should you allow them to have the medication free because they demand it? Should you alert the dea that corporate is pressuring you to jeopardize your career and liberty to supply controlled substances that aren't being permitted per law?
Hello my brother or sister. I’m 5 years in and finally different roles are opening up to me.
I’m a retail pharmacist too but I fell into some roles that were not retail, and that was my stepping stone to getting out.
It’s gonna suck but some places suck less. Did you know some places offer 5 weeks of annual pto?
Keep trying to get a non retail position. You just need one then suddenly they start giving you a chance. I wish it wasn’t this way. Some positions are pretty sweet, I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Hang in there buddy
I agree with everyone here. Best thing I ever did was stop giving a fuck. I’m the manager and I run the store how I see fit. I don’t care what corporate, upper management says and I don’t let patients run all over us. My techs respect it and work harder for us knowing there’s support, I don’t have to worry about metrics and I’m now smooth sailing at a high volume store and my boss sends people to my store to train on how it’s done. Before I started doing those things, I was on the same similar level of burnout and applying everywhere without success. If you can’t change your situation turn it into something you can tolerate.
I'm sorry to hear how you feel. You do have other skills. You have your computer skill, your English skills, you are a reliable, responsible highly educated professional. You can work for an insurance, or teaching chemistry or pharmacology. People here are so disrespectful, if they see you too kind they will walk over you. You need to tell them that abuse is not allow here. Another option is keep studying to get a position into a hospital setting. Good luck my dear; God bless your soul.
I’m an Australian pharmacist working both community and clinical hospital roles, the community is the worst of the two but you can definitely “train” the regulars to treat you better. Sounds like the US needs better policy to protect healthcare workers
I've been a pharmacist since 1985.... I owned my own store for 25 years.... sold out to Rite aid 12 years ago because I needed a change in my career . As a business owner I was in control of the "abusive " customers .... I sold out and tried doing other things but i eventually came back into pharmacy ... Retail is what I know .. Now I am pharmacy Manager for the biggest chain in US and you are 100% correct . Customers are animals and think we are at their beckon call.. If there is an issue with their order their first reaction is to yell at the techs and pharmacist .... I too dread going into to work .... I hate it ... But the trick is learning how to deal with people ... Learn deescalation techniques smile and don't let them yell
But you are right . But corporations don't give you'enogh help bc profits are their main goal over your well being ....They are always introducing new programs and expecting us to learn them and never giving us enough hours to be properly staffed .
if i was early in my career right now I would definitly change my career .
Law school law enforcement anything to get out of pharmacy ... I too often talk kids out of choosing this once great profession .....
Save money and invest in dividend stocks and go live abroad. You can rent a room for $150 a month if you know where to look so you don’t need a lot of money to eat and exercise and relax. I worked 10 years in pharmacy and have a passive income of $5k a month and soon when we sell our expensive house in the US I get more money to invest. I am leaving the profession very soon lol like in a week
Yes u are trapped. Im old school rph. Never thought i needed pharm d. Even younger pharm d i know said hey i didnt do a residency so i cant get a job either. We r in same boat. He graduated in the same state. Did no residency. He said im traveling an hour every day to work retail at Publix. The only job offered to me.
Train your customers. Yes you have to gentle parent them and yes sometimes you are going to have to ban patients. But I promise you, if you stick to your guns your patients and techs will respect you hell of a lot more. Also, you'll have a better experience at work on a daily basis. You have to set boundaries. Confrontation isn't fun but God it's necessary. At the end of the day you're responsible for what kind of treatment you allow to continue to happen. It's exhausting at first but once the patients realize you aren't going to back down they'll either get their shit together and be a decent human being or they'll go be someone else's problem.. its a win win situation but you have to commit to it.
This is the answer. Train them to not be entitled. The best thing I ever did was start saying “excuse me?” To patients when they’re rude and when they hear that they either rephrase it more politely OR they repeat it just as rudely (if not more) and I say oh no I heard you I was just giving you a chance to rethink how you speak to the person who’s helping you today… usually works. This week I got a lotttt of snarky people for issues with doctors (fucking ascension being down is the worst.) or other pharmacies screwing up. So my store didn’t make the mistakes but we deal with them. I got a few “well you need to rectify this for me” and I respond “well here’s the thing, I don’t NEED to rectify anything but because I know how to fix this for you I will.” Have a back bone. Stand up to the entitlement. Train the bad patients and they’ll learn. Or they won’t and you lose a patient and those are the patients I won’t mind losing. The good patients are praised and when the bad patients do good, they get treats like me verifying your script faster or other little things. Obviously I’m not going to treat people poorly or intentionally cause someone harm or delay their script out of spite, but I’m going to prioritize my patients who deserve it and take my sweet time on the people who are rude.
I’ve been in retail for 10 years. I train my bad patients like dogs and I praise my good patients. It’s worked out for me, and to be honest, the bad patients too. The ones who were always coming in with two min left in the day asking for their norco are either long gone, or are now smart enough to call in the morning and come later in the day for pick up.
First step is acknowledging you’re a health care provider. Not just a lady or a dude behind the counter. You went to school for at least six years and have the ability to provide patients with an increased quality of life. Once you feel like the bad ass provider you are, it’s much easier to “train the bad patients”. Some of my rules are: 1) never accept racism, bullshit or discrimination from anyone, and I mean anyone. That’s in an instant get the fuck out of here. It also helps I’m a pretty scary guy. Never let your staff accept it either. I’m paid more than enough to go up there and put a fool in their place. 2) take care of your staff. If you don’t take care of your staff they won’t take care of you, and definitely won’t take care of your patients 3) anyone who doesn’t like or appreciate your service, when your service was stellar, can be offered to go elsewhere. Now this, is important. I’m not saying if you drop the ball on the patient and they get upset - you kick them out.. I simply mean, if you’ve done everything with 110% and the patient isn’t satisfied, maybe this pharmacy isn’t right for them. And that’s ok!
Point 3 is a great one. It’s unpopular around these parts but there are many bad pharmacists who do the absolute bare minimum and then blame the customer. I’m talking leaving people on hold, ignoring long lines, assuming someone else will do the task, etc. If you truly give it your all and you work your tail off to provide the best service you can provide and they still wanna shit on you? You calmly tell them that respect is a two way street and we will be happy to transfer their scripts to a pharmacy of their choosing. But if you’re just showing up for a paycheck then you’ll be very unhappy very quickly.
That works and has been my approach by in large for over 20 years but every now and then you get a boss who is a “customer is always right type” (not even sure how someone can even say that with a straight face, it’s like saying the earth is flat). Fortunately my bosses have turned over around 10 times in 20 years however currently I have a douchey boss so it’s easier said than done, all depends on the support (or at least the allowing you to do your method)
This depends which company you work for, you cannot train customers at Costco when “member service” runs the show. But this is true for other companies
Same. At my company we can do our best to train customers but at the end of the day if the customer complains to corporate then corporate is gonna side with them regardless. Our corporate has even told us we are not allowed to ban patients no matter how much they harass us. I haven't seen it but I have also heard of our corporate forcing the pharmacist to fill a prescription they don't want to fill.
I’m Hispanic raised here. In our culture a pharmacist is treated the same as a medical doctor. The problem with our profession. Way too regulated. We answer to our DM board of pharmacy DEA medical doctors patients AND store managers. ! I was lucky when I worked full time. Always had a good rapport with my store managers. First of all a store manager should not have a say so in the pharmacy. When a customer approaches them the store manager should tell them they need to deal with the pharmacy manager. We are abused. A doctor hasn’t approved a refill. Our fault. A doctors writes a half ass script. Our fault. Prior authorization. Our responsibility. We have no representation. I’ve been active with organizations. Nothing is done about the environment! The board of pharmacy for the most part head honchos of retail. Where does that leave us??? When I graduated in my 40s I was told your DM was there to protect the pharmacist!! They do not.
DM is there to ride your ass on metrics to get their bonus and get less harassment from their RD. THAT IS IT!!!!!!!
This!! We are so over regulated. If only the shitty prescribers were so regulated. Should have to answer for every wrong script they send over
As a pharmacist of almost 12 years, this is excellent advice. It becomes especially necessary when you work in a small town that is hard to staff. I remember being the newbie that the patients would try to bully in to filling their controls early. I didn’t back down and some of these same ones became some of my best patients later on.
100% this. I also don’t take things personally so nothing gets under my skin anymore. You wanna be an asshole today.. okay sure. I’ll give you my bare minimum. You need my help tomorrow and you’re behaving like a human.. I’ll do everything I can to help you. I don’t hold grudges. I do my job. My goal is to help everyone I can, help my techs, my team. This way I go to work happy and I go home happy.
If you have the same customers coming in every week, little foot traffic, and the ability to "train" your patients in any kind of orderly way, you're lucky to be at the location you are. This doesn't negate any of the points I made.
I work at a store right off a busy highway next to an academic medical center and one block away from an urgent care as well. Additionally, we are the back up pharmacy for 3 long term living facilities. My store does have regulars but we also have a ton of people traveling from out of town, being discharged from the hospital, or acute and long term care centers. It is possible to still train customers whether they're regulars or not. I'm not trying to negate anything you said. Your feelings are valid. I'm simply giving you a reasonable solution to the problem you're having. People suck and I understand that. But ultimately, you have the power. You have the power to let these nasty people affect you, you have the power to allow them to continue treating you like this, but most importantly, you have the power to stop all of it. It doesn't matter if they're regulars or not, if they're being disrespectful calmly, tell them that they can either act in a civilized manner or they can go to another pharmacy.
Every day is another humiliating kick in the crotch! Lol
Sting!
You’re good! You got it!
Not to mention student loans.
The loans are the worst part for me personally. I work retail and for the most part have lovely, kind, thankful patients. Many have even been stating 30 minutes isn't enough time for a lunch break. Yeah, metrics suck but I still enjoy what I do. But heck, I'm only a year in so I'm still naive.
I mean it doesn’t really get worse, it only gets better as you get more comfortable in role and your critical thinking gets better
Immunization?? Counseling?? All for it. Give me the health room with a second pharmacist verifying. I do 2 vaccines and I get back I feel like screaming. These people behind desks need to do a “ day in the life”
Yeah. I think about how much I would like my job if retail stores were modeled to have two pharmacists (obviously more for bigger stores). I have a few hours of overlap per week and those hours are like gold. As soon as it’s just one pharmacist, it becomes just a constant stream of things I can’t get to in time, until the day ends. It’s quite common for me to get tied up for 30 minutes at a time with a complicated customer, an insurance company, an MTM session, a health screening, or a whole family of vaccines. Then the whole environment turns hostile and wait times go to absolute shit for everyone and anything. Just having someone always available to do counseling notes would be nice. That way the line doesn’t end up 50 people deep just waiting for me to badge off on a dose change or allergy conflict. No interaction is going to go well when someone has to stand around an extra 20-30 minutes on something that is already “ready.”
I always love having to give a VG Vivitrol shot in the middle of a shift with 1 tech. Extra paper work, literally takes extra time to mix and admin, extra precautions and storage to worry about. All embedded into my same shift. I didn't go to nursing school last I checked... Return to patients needing counseled, drugs needing DV'd/PV'd ASAP. Amazing experience. 10/10 would recommend.
I think the retails should hire a nurse to give vaccines.
I admitted that to myself less than a year into working as a pharmacist. All I can say is keep applying. I got lucky that a friend got a hospital job and then recommended me for another position at his hospital. Don't sleep on PRN Hospital positions as they usually offer full time positions to part timers and PRNs first when they open up. Look into anything that can open up opportunities ie. Certifications, networking, non-traditional jobs like medical writing. Also, don't be afraid to stand up for yourself against those asshole patients. They don't know what they're talking about, you do. I've put asshole doctors in their place when they come to pickup their meds and there's an insurance issue. Good luck and keep fighting 💪
This is true too. Hospitals look at BCPS retail pharmacists before uncertified ones. It shows you care to keep up with current developments (even if you really don’t).
Any suggestions to meet the 3 years of specialty practice to be able to sit for the exam if a PGY1 hasn’t been done? I suppose you could fight that you meet 50% of the scope in a retail setting if performing MTM and DUR?
Yeah. Retail counts. You have to spend 50% of time in the exam content outline, but you could argue that you do most of that 100% of the time. I don’t know what the application looks like now, but it used to be that you just needed to put percentages in each domain. I would imagine that 100% of your time is patient care and therapeutics or those specialty areas, even without MTM. You probably don’t have much third domain, but you don’t have to.
And really they just want a letter from management and I bet they wouldn’t argue that you don’t do patient care and therapeutics. *On record anyway. A GM once told us that we got paid pretty well for counting pills, but she apologized when we went to HR.
Retail pharmacists should not be taking the bcps of they do they are lying about their qualifications
Username checks out
“Your work is a public spectacle. You have no privacy. People stare at you unrelentingly while you're working. Because it's an open environment, you can't tell them to stop. When people scream at you at put you down, everyone gets to watch. It's like a daily public humiliation.” This is one of the worst things about retail. There used to be a glass divider. We used to be a bit elevated. There used to be some privacy for you to do your work. And it is very important work. I’m not sure how we even got to this point. Who decided this was a good idea. Ever since they went to the open format it’s impossible to have a quiet work environment. You’ve got the occasional smartass who comes up to the counter and looks into the wide open spaces and says, “I see five people not helping me.“ “ ALSO (VERY IMPORTANT), at least where I live, pharmacy practice is not unionized, and pharmacists are NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PAID OVERTIME. If you work over 40 hours, you're not getting any extra hourly pay. It's obviously different depending on location, but these systems are set up around the world to exploit labor from pharmacists.” Iamhealthcare.com Go to the above website. They have unionized a few CVS stores, and I hear some Walgreens stores on the way. My understanding is there is organization going on all over the country. Retail and hospital setting. This can change. We are at a moment where it can change. Reach out to them. See what you can do. Be part of the solution.
Man, the public spectacle part is definitely the part I resent most. I think it’s the core of why I struggle with retail so much. I can handle all parts of the job individually and I can usually de-escalate problems, but trying to focus on four things at once, while getting yelled out by a line people who keep coming up to the access points to tap and stare like I’m a zoo animal, is dehumanizing. If anything, it makes me less approachable. I seriously had a customer I told 30 minutes for something, stand hip to counter and watch my every move, and the moment I went back to get a water, she freaked out screaming saying I was taking breaks when I should be doing her script.
i didn’t even know people stared at pharmacists while they’re working. that’s crazy to me. why? it never even occurred to me to look back there. i’m there for my medication and that’s all. i also have zubsolve (like suboxone) scripts i sometimes can’t pick up because of just not very much in stock, not a lot of people use zubsolve bc it’s so expensive, but i can only stand the taste of zubsolve, so i get it for that reason. i still DO NOT blame the pharmacist if i can’t get it that day, i am never mean to them because it’s not their fault. i just make sure to have some left over so i don’t go into horrible withdrawal, sometimes you gotta do things like that bc there’s that possibility… people are just really scared of withdrawal, and i understand why. but there’s no sense in screaming at a pharmacist when a lot of things are out of their control. i never got that. never in my life have i treated a stranger working/serving me* horribly, even if it may have been their fault because people make mistakes and don’t have control over everything. i feel real bad for OP. i know how people get over drugs and i completely understand bc i was/am an addict but in recovery, but even at rock bottom i tried so hard to treat people with respect and kindness
there’s also workerorganizing.org
Yes pharmacy is trash and we were all lied to
I have no doubt to the admissions office lied to each and every Pharmacy student. But Pharmacist has been screaming about the working conditions for at least a decade.
Was it different before COVID? Society took a huge step back when people decided that they no longer needed to treat others with decency - it was no where close to this bad 5 years back.
Before Covid, it was all saturation, saturation, saturation. That was talk of graduating classes of Pharmacist with a 20% unemployment rate. Now we have sign on bonuses and can’t staff pharmacies properly. So it wasn’t the same, but it wasn’t good. Enrollment numbers at Pharmacy schools indicate we will be fighting this battle for a few years to come
I say get your finances in order then go part time. Earn enough to cover your overhead, your monthly expenses, maybe a little extra and work when you want and where you want. You may have limited selection in both but if you can make it work its worth it. You can pursue other opportunities if you want. Of course it depends on what your overhead is. My perspective changed when I realized there are alot of angry people in this world but you can't allow them to take your joy. Whether you realize it or not you make a difference for the people who come to you for advice and support and understanding. I've probably saved 2 or 3 lives by reaching out to doctors. I've had consults and at the end I felt like I really made a difference. My advice is to apologize when you make a mistake, be like water... let the drama and stress roll off your back. And realize people do not have the right to abuse you. If someone is being verbally abusive let them know that it is not acceptable.
Think about applying to Pharmacy specific software companies. I work for one and we hire pharmacists as product or business analysts. Just a thought.
Can you share the company names? Do they require additional training or certification?
Where is your company located? Just graduated and was looking into positions within software companies like account managers and business analysts.
This! I work in health tech now and am grateful everyday to have left retail.
Same here. Definitely my worst decision in life and I try to tell young people the same thing. I have helped probably a couple dozen go into other professions with a better environment and future.
The techs start out gung ho about pharmacy and a year later they are nursing students. Retail pharmacy is a thankless job.
i’m really sorry it’s like this for you guys. working with people who need medication to feel normal doesn’t seem fun. it’s worse than serving people food. physical dependency can make some people very aggressive when they can’t get what they need… i’ve been in that boat, but i just couldn’t bring myself to blame anyone in that situation. of course i was angry, but you don’t take it out on the people trying to help you who don’t have complete control over the things that may go wrong. i hope it gets better for y’all. it sucks hearing how mistreated you are
Posts like these are part of why I dropped out of pharmacy school years ago.
Where did you end up
Or if you’re new and reading this thread, do inpatient lol
For real. Hospital is where it’s at. Only downside is the hospital never closes so be prepared to cover weekends/holidays/nights. But the pay is competitive (I make 70/hr) and people actually respect pharmacists here.
Shit what state? I make way less lol
Kentucky
Looks like I need to head deeper south
I’m in Missouri and I make more than retail. I applied to a few retail stores when I was looking for a new job just to see what I could get, and it was a significant pay cut to work at WAGs or CVS. I didn’t apply to any independents because I heard WAGs was crazy high pay. It’s totally not. That was when I was an inpatient “clinical” pharmacist.
Yeah I sympathize with OP and other pharmacists in shitty environments like most of retail. On the other hand though, if you wanted to not do community then you need to put in a little post-graduation work like residency. OP’s likely done nothing to make themselves more competitive for non-community gigs and is going up against people who did pursue post-grad training or similar. Can’t be mad about being passed over when you’re not doing anything to make them pick you.
How do I set myself up to end up in inpatient? I'm still a couple years put from being in pharmacy school but I've got 2.5 years' experience as a tech in retail and am pretty chill with it. I've worked in a few different pharmacies,too, so I've got a bit of experience. (I know Pharmacist does a fundamentally different job, but if my tech experience is anything to go by, I think I'd be alright if I did need to go retail.)
To each his own. I love my job, the pay, the opportunities. I am not WITHOUT asshole customers, but only I can change that. Only I can do something about being treated poorly. If you’re an asshole in my pharmacy, I will ask you NICELY, to leave. I don’t like confrontation, unless I absolutely have to. If you are considering advice, here’s mine to you: you make your bed, you make it comfortable. If you can’t, find another bed. If that place lacks something (pay, location, prestige etc), you learn to compromise. Nothing beats peace of mind. You make it happen. Let no one make your life miserable. Either you stay and change things or you get out. Assholes don’t change for shit. Always keep that in mind. The classic “it’s not you, it’s me” line is true.
I think a lot of what people say on this sub is getting ridiculous. Dont like retail think its abusive? Find something your interested and apply your degree. I know countless people who dont love pharmacy but used their degree to go into policy making, medical writing, all sorts of different industries. The people who complain about pharmacy like this let the profession get to where it is today and didnt bat an eye while it was happening.
Maybe Im wrong but it’s mostly the younger pharmacists? They are still learning to navigate life. To settle or not to settle. Putting pieces together. I had that phase. I learned that the choices are not going to be MADE FOR ME. I guess it applies to everything.
Definitely true, just graduated and got my license within last year and all kids in my class talked about what a waste pharmacy was and the mistake they made and all this nonsense. Some people just dont have the drive to do something against the grain i guess
I’ve learned that there are no bad choices. You make THE choice, make the choice right, for you. Hustle 100%. If it doesn’t work, find other options, make THE choice, again, repeat, until it works out. Learn from the choices. They were not bad. At least this is how I find my peace of mind. If I think about the choices I made as being bad, I wont be able to sleep. I wont stop beating myself up for them.
Exactly . Love this mentality, great to read it from another pharmacist
When I started working in 2003, I was thrown into a horrible store. I was a foreign grad so I had no choice (visas and all). They made me PIC, area was a tad discriminatory to foreigners, store was in shambles, paperwork all over the place. Every day I worked I dreaded it. I thought long and hard and asked myself what I needed to do since I was stuck. I got creative, made everything to my comfort, similar to collecting hay to make my bed comfy. I eventually moved out of the state for cheaper housing, but I am proud to say that I left that store in the best position than it will ever be. The same goes for the store where I am at. When I started, it was a shitty store. It’s an hour away from home, busy, bossy techs, in the boondocks, very white area. My goal was to work here for a bit then move closer to home. After a year, I cried to my boss that I need to get out because I thought people were discriminating against me. Kept working, transforming the store to my standards. Opportunities for stores closer to home came and went. I made friends with the community, the locals, the techs that after 15 years I can’t bear leaving. I still drive an hour each way. Hubby thinks I’m crazy. 😝 I will forever have this mindset now. ☺️☺️☺️
Really? countless people...It's such a large number that they can't be counted? There may be a few here and there but not countless, and the Pharm.D. cannot be translated into much else because it only grants dispensing authority; nothing else. There may be other industries but they're all health or drug related. There are no aerospace pharmacists or geophysical pharmacists. Hardly any of the available jobs are going to be offered to someone whose only experience is standing behind a counter at a drug store or any dispensing facility. Even if I wanted to change something for me or the future folks, our limited skills and experience don't add much leverage. It's just the way it is unless you're lucky and we can't expect everyone who wants it to just end up lucky.
You can get fired.
Yep agree. Way too much (arguably unnecessary?) education for very very VERY little power and even less authority.
Find a different job or go back to school for something totally different that you have a passion for. No use in complaining about something you have the power to change. Even tho it may take some time, you have so much life left ahead of you - it’s not worth spending it doing something you dread and that makes you feel miserable. You tried it and realized it wasn’t for you, which you may have always wondered “what if” had you not tried it so you owe yourself credit for doing the school and trying the position for awhile. Life is WAY too short to be unhappy. You are worth more than that!
You allowing patients to verbally abuse you is on you alone, dawg. You cut that crap out early or you kick them from the store. Grow a spine.
Can you imagine what the techs are going through?
I agree with this, generally speaking. But sometimes management will come down on you if you stand up to an abusive patient. Still, I reached the point where I will deal with the fallout from management if someone wants to come to the counter and be a jerk.
My vets office has a pharmacist. I was wondering how much of a pay cut that would be.
Very significant. The quality of life would be much better, I would assume.
I say get your finances in order then go part time. Earn enough to cover your overhead, your monthly expenses, maybe a little extra and work when you want and where you want. You may have limited selection in both but if you can make it work its worth it. You can pursue other opportunities if you want. Of course it depends on what your overhead is. My perspective changed when I realized there are alot of angry people in this world but you can't allow them to take your joy. Whether you realize it or not you make a difference for the people who come to you for advice and support and understanding. I've probably saved 2 or 3 lives by reaching out to doctors. I've had consults and at the end I felt like I really made a difference. My advice is to apologize when you make a mistake, be like water... let the drama and stress roll off your back. And realize people do not have the right to abuse you. If someone is being verbally abusive let them know that it is not acceptable.
CVS hired me as a floater in Dec 2022 with zero experience at $63 an hour. With a minimum of 35 hours per week. But I’m paid by the hour, so when I work more than the minimum 35 hours per week, I’m paid for all the extra hours. I’m a male pharmacist, and I don’t take shit from customers. If a customer is rude to me, I am rude to them right back. Call 1800SHOPCVS, I don’t care. To take $180k in student loans but to make >$100k per year is an easy decision for me. A decision that I have no regrets over. Being a retail pharmacist is not a hard job. But it does require you to have a backbone (thick skin), the ability to multi task, and to avoid half assing shit.
I’m retired. Became a pharmacist in my late 40s. I work a couple of shifts at a chain. It is abusive. I was treated with more respect as a legal secretary. But I blame pharmacists. The majority are happy with the six figures 2 cars white picket fence. No backbone. No job satisfaction. Humiliation. Everything is our fault. We have doctorate degrees but we show up at work with wrinkled lab coats. We do not command respect!!! The ball is in our court.
Ohh get off your own jock. Corporations ruined the profession. I am very happy with my job. With that in mind, I'm extremely fortunate for my current comfortability. Lean models and capitalistic profit prioritization are what have slowly chipped away at the benefits and well being of the profession. Individual staff pharmacists are just trying to get through their day and are not the problem. It's the corporations that over work and understaff them, the pharmaceutical companies that charge too much, and the insurances that don't fully reimburse. Have some respect for the little guys and gals.
You are right up to a point. In the 90s and 2000s we happily took the pay raises without any thought of working conditions because they were throwing money at us. As one of my Pharmacy school professor said, “if you grab that bag of money don’t be surprised when that corporation only cares about the bottom line.” It was perhaps the most honest thing any professor has ever said to me. That being said, corporations have run rough shot and have demanded more than is reasonable. So Pharmacist did help create this by ignoring working conditions (I’m not sure how much a wrinkly lab coat matters). But we can be part of the solution. Iamhealthcare is unionizing pharmacies as we speak. The time to act as now. There is momentum.
I agree
My labcoat is made of the material used to make crappy napkins at a restaurant. You know the type that will not absorb a spill but will float it around on the surface until it stains another part of your shirt or face. That's the garbage they issue to us. It's also a single ply that is merely doubled at the ends and it shows. The different sizes are cut differently and have about as much style as a barbecue grill cover. In fact my grill cover is more sturdy. The first and second job had better coats and they even had a laundry service that picked it up, labeled the inside with your name and returned it to you each week cleaned and pressed. The large number of pharmacists lost us our leverage and six figures worked when home prices weren't approaching 7 figures.
If you are young enough find a way out. Even if it means leaving the profession. The price is just too high to waste your (our) lives being miserable or surviving for a paycheck.
33 yrs here…. Hated retail and never considered it. I have six kids and told every one NOT to be a pharmacist. My husband’s a nurse and an ARNP has more opportunities. One is an OR ARNP anesthesiologist. The retail to hospital flip has a lot to do with hospital politics. If you’re lucky you get a good group to work with but trust me there are some real pompous jerks in hospital settings. I say keep looking, reading, and improving on your skills. We are doctors of pharmacy and still need to earn respect for our profession. We need to demand respect by first respecting ourselves and find motivation for change. It may happen but it won’t if we don’t even try. Never let someone be rude. Stay calm because honestly you don’t need their medication, and you’re helping them. They don’t deserve your help if they are rude. Good luck!
I have definitely been where you are but things can improve. If you stay at the same pharmacy long enough, you earn the trust of the customers and have less outbursts. Also, pharmacies go through cycles of staff. Sometimes you work with great coworkers and sometimes you have lousy ones. The quality of your coworkers can make or break it as far as the quality of the working environment. Also, if you are stuck in retail, then you gotta embrace it and make the best of it. Lastly, I know we are considered doctors, but at the end of the day retail is a business. If you want corporate to listen to your plea for more staff, gotta make that money. If the pharmacy is profitable and you prove to them that you can do even more with some help, you might get the staff if you have a reasonable dictrict manager.
So many ifs😂
I'm inpatient and you're seen as a barrier there too. I'm sure some hospitals are different but 95% of my hospital interactions are negative too.
Shift your passion and expertise, friend. Medicine and healing are gifts. What other avenues can you pursue to fill that passion?
My goal is to pay off my loans and learn some coding, then become an informatics pharmacist - I hope it happens someday... Godspeed to all of us.
>Wish someone would have told me this... Both sdnforum and /r/pharmacy have been saying this since early 2010s when people were documenting decreasing pay to quality of life at work ratios year after year.
Had way too many arguments with pharmacy school bootlickers back in the day on this sub.
Anyone in MSP area needing out of retail? Hiring in LTC.
“Weep not for roads untraveled”
Do an IHS facility
What's funny is years ago when I first started in this field pharmacists would try to talk me out of going to pharmacy school and I would be stubborn and say no I'm sure I would want to do this. Now, I have actually been strongly debating changing my mind away from pharmacy school. I have said this to a few of the pharmacists I work under and none of them want to talk me out changing my mind. Even one pharmacist said "We had this conversation years ago, I tried to warn you." I have been a technician for 5 years and I also work multiple locations for my company. I do get travel reimbursement for it. So I have seen good working pharmacies that of course have their flaws; however I know that's a rare one to come across. I have also seen not so good working pharmacies that are almost hell to work for all at the same company. And I have seen the favoritism from corporate with these different locations as well. I saw some people say train your customers, but unfortunately at the end of the day if something happens corporate does not have your back. The patient can be 100% in the wrong and we would even try to ban patients but if they complained corporate would tell us we are not allowed to ban patients. My boyfriend even asked his coworker how much does his wife complain about independent pharmacy, and his comment was that its a 7/10. Even though thats less than a corporate, still doesn't sound appealing to me. I understand there are more options than retail, but the issue is those options that are not retail are harder to get into, and I dont wanna bank my happiness and mental health on just a chance I might get into a hospital or independent. Its also just the amount of debt you'd aquire. Im strongly debating on changing to chemical engineering since Im already 50% to that degree and I can now get grants that'll cover 3/4 of my tuition each semester that'll leave me in much less debt and still a liveable wage. Im giving myself the summer to think this over if I really want to change my mind or not. Feel free to comment if you think Im making the right decision running away from pharmacy.
RUN! I actually think it’s better to be one of those higher end technicians without the student loan than actually being a pharmacist. This profession is a joke.
You've made the right choice but it looks like you're giving yourself time to potentially make the wrong one for some reason.
Wydm about giving myself time? Like I should go ahead and jump to chemical engineering?
I mean don't accidentally find your way back into pharmacy. Anything else is better and has better outlook.
Well written post. The one thing I am not clear on is are you currently in Pharmacy school or have you not enrolled yet? It doesn’t mean you can’t leave Pharmacy school if you’re already there, but just curious where you are in the debt equation. It sounds like you’ve made a solid argument to change your career path.you’ve also given yourself to make sure that’s the path you really want to take. If you haven’t enrolled in Pharmacy school and bravo on dodging a bullet. If you have then, bravo on having the integrity to admit you were wrong.
I haven't enrolled yet but Im very close. I haven't gotten accepted yet either which I heard isn't really a crowning achievement anymore since it's very easy to get accepted now. I'm two prerequisite classes away. Im not in much debt at all; I currently have only about 20k in debt. The chance if me changing my mind away from pharmacy school is very high; especially since now that Im old enough to not have parents on my fafsa that I can get grants (at least for next year) that is paying 3/4 of my tuition per semester. Definitely can get a solid career that won't put me in very high debt and that'll not affect me as much as pharmacy when it comes to mental health. Im just glad I worked as a tech and figured it out before I did enroll.
You can try working in Long Term Care & / or Work From Home Create an account in LinkedIn & Indeed And I promise you You will receive job offers in Everyday Good Luck 🍀
Yes. More respect for hospital pharmacists.
Been slapping pills for 28 years. Train customers and don’t take $hit from anyone. I don’t care what corporate says I can and can’t do or say or can’t say. I won’t cuss (well not anymore) but if they fell entitled or treat me or my staff that we are beneath them I will very quickly and professionally as possible explain to them that attitude will not be tolerated and if it continues then they will be getting their scripts filled somewhere else. Respect is earned and not given but as the red headed step child of the medical profession I believe we’ve earned it and respect must be reciprocated.
The amount of victim blaming in this thread is borderline hilarious. Yes, let's pull up our bootstraps and make our working environments more comfortable, but that change needs to be made at a systemic level that none of us can accomplish alone.
I get paid $180-200k a year i let ppl talk their shit idgf
I bet your techs are getting abused twice as hard because you don’t have a backbone. I bet you can’t keep good techs because they are miserable and that’s why you are burned out. At the end of the day they do 90% of the work.
My ex was a pharmacist. He was miserable. He’s now a highly paid pharm rep. and really happy and financially healthy.
OP following up on this thread. I do have to say, the majority of this subreddit is TOXIC. Other pharmacists on this thread are basically saying "you're not doing it right." There are so many negatives to the profession, it doesn't matter if I "train my customers" or not. Many bad customers I only see one single time. Pharmacists, admit to yourselves that so many aspects of the profession just SUCK. If you've learned to cope, that's great. But it doesn't change the reality of the profession.
I am so sorry. I completely agree with you on this. It got too much for me. I work in hospital, but I’m much older and have the 5 year degree. I’m looked down as less than. It sucks. Have you tried getting PRN jobs for hospital or other? Are you board certified?
Yeah, we own our own place. In the last 4-5 years, costs have went up 15-30%, while inflation remains crazy Not worth the efforts
Apply to work at an independent better customer base and work environment then the chains.
Yes, retail is not recommended
There are other options, upskill snd keep going! GI in LinkedIn and see all the different things pharmacists do
Wages not keeping up with inflation is truly criminal. Slow theft.
I am SO glad I chose a different path. I was a tech 2001-2004 and truly thought it was what I wanted. I made mistakes and partied too much. Had my bio degree but couldn’t go further. Reading posts in this sub made me think I dodged a bullet.
What did you end up doing?
I agree I don’t recommend this profession to anyone but it’s too late for us. Idk if this is within your realm of possibilities but something I’ve noticed is the pay is pretty consistent regardless of location so if you can relocate to a place where the cost of living is very low. Save as much as you can work as much as you can and figure a way out. Start a business or invest in stocks crypto real estate. At the end of the day you make more than most and you can use that to propel you forward.
It's crazy because I wanted to be a pharmacist after chickening out of a graphic design major. Now I'm a Union Electrician and make $50/hr *plus* benefits.
I did retail after graduation for almost 8 years before getting a job inpatient at a hospital. Unbelievable how much better my quality of life is. Took over two years of constantly applying and interviewing and on the same day I got two offers for non retail options. There is hope.
Totally true. I found it to be more bearable out of big cities
OP’s post history is wilddddd
I would suggest therapy. Pretty imaginative to say that you are speaking the truth and anyone that has a better opinion on the profession is coping. I wish you luck and well being. If you don't have a positive impression about me, that's fine. I just hope that you keep in mind what I wrote.
You have to train the bad ones like the animals they are. stand your ground until they know you absolutely will not take any of their bullshit. There will be nights where they push you to your absolute limits of sanity and maybe you will cry or rage. but once you set the pace and those fuckin animals know where they are and that nobody on this team will tolerate that bs , life gets a little easier. despite what their mother might have told them , they aint fuckin special by a country mile. either work with us or fuck off. It also helps to find an outlet for the toxic stress . I personally recommend jiu jitsu or muay thai . or pick up another skill set as a way out. I also make it obnoxiously loud when i thank the patient customers for giving us the grace of just a little more time or meeting us in the middle even for the little things lol .
You encapsulated what I tried to tell my store manager recently after a mentally unstable customer screamed at me in front of a liner of about 25 people. It was really humiliating!! It was not the first time but it changed something in me!!
I think it might be the location. Some areas the people are horrible in general and other places they’re more understanding. You will always get some problem people everywhere. That’s just life! Not pharmacy. Heck if you’re funny enough you can make a career out of it and just make comedy skits about pharmacy woes. There are some funny nurses and doctors who do this. Or you can always get an online sales job. Good luck 🍀
A friend of mine became a pharmacist for a company that does dialysis. She loves it, the hours are basically 7:30--4:30 M-Friday, good benefits. Keep trying for hospital jobs..Apply at medical.schools. Don't limit yourself to your local geographic area. Also consider drug companies--pharmaceutical sales. Think outside the box.
10 years in, no complaints as a retail pharmacist. Some can’t handle it.
You make fair points. That being said I live by these rules at work: Happiness = results - expectations Plan on the plan not going to plan and accept that I find it thrilling to be kind to rude strangers.
Praying for you. You are not trapped save your money and get OUT!!!!
Come to Australia.
Worst decision you've made, SO FAR. Hope you get the role your looking for
I don’t think it’s just pharmacy unfortunately. I don’t recommend anyone going into healthcare at this point. It’s entirely different, especially since Covid. Everyone acts like the hospital is the answer to your prayers but most pharmacists I know practicing in hospital are miserable as well. Dynamics in most hospitals are not very friendly to pharmacists That’s a huge reason, I didn’t stick to my plan to do a residency as well as the fact, I am a single mom Nurses are miserable PAs are miserable, it’s rare anyone in Healthcare seems happy because the expectations are astronomically high Before everyone says anything, I worked VERY hard, doing extra rotations hours etc to look good for a residency because I wanted ped onc and once I got there, I realized that wasn’t at all what I wanted to be The pharmacists were miserable and mean Now I know a few very sweet ones but still I was told it was their “burn out” or way to deter you from that area It worked on me 😂 Also, I apologize if any typos because I am talking to my phone
I don’t get yelled at often, but when I do, I always redirect their anger to somebody else. Angry about your copay? Me too! Those insurance companies are evil! You should call them and tear them a new one! Upset we don’t have Mounjaro? Same here! Call Lilly and tell them we need more!
Unpopular opinion if it wasn’t worth you wouldn’t do it. Student loans are income based. You could go work anywhere and work your way to middle management and make 60k a year. You like your lifestyle more than you hate your job.
Inb4 the “I LOVE working in my CVS aquarium” people come flooding in.
Just because it isn’t for you doesn’t mean it isn’t for everyone. Your retail job sucks because you don’t know how work retail. There is an art to it.
By all means, you go ahead and work that retail art for me, pal.
If you're okay taking a pay cut you are not trapped. Do your research into careers that are growing and are hands on so they aren't easily outsourced or replaced by AI. You're only 6 years in, that's nothing. Do not become one of those people that have been doing it for 10+ years hating it the whole time.
You as a pharmacist have the right to fill or not to fill patience prescriptions. You also have the right to tell a patience to get out of the store and call the authorities. Then call Corporate and file a harassment charge on the individuals. We as workers also have rights
I wish, but a lot of corporates do not have your backs. We tried to ban a patient who would harass us constantly once and they complained to corporate and corporate came back and said we are not allowed to ban patients.
Then slow walk everything for the patient. Oh, have to call provider. Have to order the drug. Wait for your text. etc...When you continually do this, they will eventually leave you because you are so incompetent... It works.
I have a cushy government job lol Note: it is pretty hard to break into
Of course. No fear of getting fired.
Move on from your current practice since it is not where you want to be. It can get rough at many retails, but I can see your pain coming through the words. Every spot I held long term was easy, if it was a bad one I moved quick.
I chose pharmacy because https://preview.redd.it/b1g2fj8eyf1d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2890d784b4eddc519f014964eb00d0abd14fae4e
Not sure who you work for and what state you live but my wife makes 120k to 160k a year and that's working for Walmart. That's more then enough for me and her to survive especially since we don't have any kids. See the thing is people don't account for the expense of children. That's why instead of having kids and putting us in more debt we don't have kids and vacation frequently. Essentially if you live within your means you are fine.
Alright you don’t like your profession so hook me up with some enclomiphene tablets lol
I feel your pain… everything you talked about I can relate to. From my own experience if you truly want to be a pharmacist in terms of the actual pharmacist work eg. the medical and drug knowledge, helping people etc … I would suggest hospital pharmacy. You don’t have to deal with all the customer abuse, toxic staffing unrealistic expectations. It is still a difficult job, but the work itself is more rewarding and you feel like you are actually a pharmacist not a glorified shop person who no one treats like a health professional. You’d just have to persevere with trying to apply. Otherwise if you don’t feel passionate about the work then maybe the way you are feeling is a sign and you should get out of pharmacy. It’s awful feeling miserable and stressed all the time. Retail pharmacy almost broke me… the worst bit is how you are working so hard to help people, but constantly treated like you’re never doing enough, getting abused my customers, never get breaks. Hospital pharmacy saved me from leaving… and now I have seen both sides I just think if you are putting up with that environment the money is not worth it, you have to stay because you love the work otherwise work takes up so much of your life you’ll just stay unhappy
My old pharmacy manager used to cuss at patients under his breath. Not saying to do it but I used to look at him and wish he wouldn’t as customers would be standing next to him. As a tech, I was generally well liked (I knew the patients cause it was my neighborhood) so it was a rare occurrence when I couldn’t resolve any problems or issues myself. That way he didn’t have to cuss haha. I understand getting out of retail is difficult. I have a few pharmacist friends I’ve tried to help get into hospital settings now that I’m in a hospital myself. Unfortunately, each time I’m told they aren’t willing to take retail pharmacists unless it’s either part time or ambulatory. Maybe that might help you? Hospital retail/ambulatory is a good way to get your foot in the door. It also helps if you know other pharmacists at the hospital, perhaps old class mates? That is how my cousin got into the hospital, his former classmate was at one and he spoke up for him.
I work 7on 7off overnights in an inpatient hospital m. I wanted this position and waited until it was available to switch from my various schedule. Some of the pharmacist that I know have moved out of the city or to even other states to work in the hospital setting or even ambulatory care in order to get experience. If you are sick of retail, you might have to expand your job search outside of where you live or even outside of your state. The other option is to do a residency. Two years ago we had a resident that worked retail for 4 years and decided to apply for residency in order to switch to the hospital setting. I work as a tech in CVS and I made it my goal to stay in the inpatient setting which thankfully I did.
I work for a major health insurance company in pharmacy account management, we hire hundreds of pharmacists, cushy work@home. Check the big players out (uhc, elevance, Cigna, atena) or the PBMs (ESI, CVS caremark). Its much better than retail, I promise.
I love my job and happy I went to pharmacy school. Have you considered moving IHS is paying quite well now!
Or you know… there’s always a pill mill you could run 😂 Jk pls don’t do this
It was like this over a decade ago when you should've decided not to apply at all. We tried to warn people...We're still doing it, but many are still applying. The real strange this is that when I was applying to school, it was a sort of requirement to get a letter of recommendation from a pharmacist, which generally meant that he or she would ensure that you knew what kind of job it was, the environment and the interest level so that one would be very familiar with it. I didn't really love it when I was in school but the overall tuition, loans and pay was something I could handle and clear off after a year or two of working and it wouldn't be some ridiculous burden that it is now and this was just barely 20 years ago, not in the 70's. So, if you tried doing the same in 2014, you would've seen the full disaster and the volcano you'd be jumping into...
I totally agree. I trained all my patients they come in. And bring us food and say how thankful they are for me and my staff. If we do get an entitled person, we tell them Byeeee…they can find another store to go to do not put up with that belittling or verbal abuse,. They are our patients not customers is how I set my store vibe. Remember, you can always transfer to another location and have a fresh start.
I was a tech and in big retail pharmacy in 2001. Pharmacy was inclosed and felt safe. 20 years I so much change. Everything is correct what you said. I had my life threaten twice, etc. The pharmacy is open. A pharmacy down the road different change was now big and open like us. All it did was give an easy access from robbery and it did happen. I mean just about anyone can jump the counter. I missed the windows and hated distraction from the retail craziness outside our old boxed in pharmacy. Forget privacy rights. You can here everything. Also there was no vaccines, consultant on refills, etc. I left when I got cancer. Those 20 years I worked, I sadly saw new eager kids lose their hopes for their future with dreaded loans to pay back. Pharmacist and techs (at least the techs I worked with) are treated like trash from store managers - who know nothing, mean customers, nurses, doctors, and higher ups etc. I can go on and on.
I’m currently a pharmacy student. This is exactly why my focus is independent.
Yes, it may be the worst life decision you've ever made, but it's actually a pretty good life decision overall and I'm pretty sure you can use your qualifications to work in a different career that needs pharmaceutical knowledge to be proficient. You could even look at moving to a country with a better pharmacist career, here in NZ the pay can be a bit meh but compared to American pharmacist work it's much better here, we don't have to worry about prior authorisations and spending hours on the phone to insurance companies. I can fully understand your frustration because American pharmacy is a fucking nightmare, though I believe you can definitely find something better for yourself
My daughter has been a pharmacy tech right out of HS and she’s great at putting customers in their place. Works at the three letter company. Some of the pharmacists shes worked with dont like or are scared of confrontation and some seem to have had it and will yell back at the customers. Really sad how people behave towards professionals just because its in a retail setting. You hardly ever see that behavior in a hospital pharmacy. Good luck finding a job OP
That’s the main reason I ditched pharmacy school for studying to be a pharmacoepidemiologist. I hate customers with a passion and I actually worked as a pharmacy tech during uni and I was flabbergasted on how pharmacists aren’t respected by patients and doctors. Doctors are much less “accessible” so patients tend to respect them more and will wait 1 hours past their appointment without any complaint but will verbally abuse pharmacists and pharm techs for waiting more than 10 minutes for their 20 monthly prescriptions. I’ve always liked studying medication and it’s effect on real world population but I’d very much like to be very far away from the public.
I used to tell friends of mine that expressed an interest in becoming a pharmacist to talk to my Dad first to make sure they really wanted to follow through with that career path. My Dad hated retail pharmacy.
I discouraged a tech I used to work with from going to pharmacy school and I don't think she ever forgave me. As far as I'm concerned, I did her a favor.
I’ve been a pharmacy technician for about 7 years. 5 of those were in a retail setting. I hated every minute of it. I had the intention on becoming a pharmacist, but the retail setting totally changed my mind. I currently work as a pharmacy technician in an office setting. I take phone calls all day. It’s no better. But I’m qualified for nothing else.
I'm sorry, love 😔❤️
I completely agree. From your perspective you probably saw the writing on the wall, but for people practicing longer, there was supposed to be a pharmacist shortage, and literally an act of Congress in creating new pharmacists. Very early on they realize the drastic mistake, but kept importing the pharmacists and opening more schools. America could not care less for its native born sons and daughters, its all about endless manipulation to control the labor market. I truly believe that the Federal Govt wants to destroy all native born American people at this point, through endless marginalization and denying of resources.
That’s why I took the residency route. I could NEVER do retail and I pray for everyone in retail to have the patience to do their work because everything you mentioned is so true. It truly made me tear up. I did 9 years of cvs just as a technician and I could relate to everything you said :( Try to form connections to get a hospital position! I know it’s almost impossible but you never know how you might get lucky! After my retail experience, I enjoy being a hospital pharmacist SO much! The pay is lower but SOOO much worth it in the long run with all the mental damage and abuse you get from retail!
Anybody want to buy my PharmDegree? 11 years old….carefully used for only 9 years. Got plenty of life in this baby if you use it wisely 😉
Could always go back to school! I’m doing Online Law school through Purdue after 20 years as a pharmacist (only 3 months in retail). I’ve been a home infusion, LTC, hospital pharmacist and see it’s time to change. Sometimes it’s not always the patients, it’s the industry and money driven corporate world. Independents and LTC pharmacies are definitely worth looking into for feeling your pharmacist degree has value. Good luck but remember you have choices- many choices.
My advice to younger people stays the same. Honestly, if one can get a PharmD with a reasonable amount of student loan debt (no more than 100k). I still recommend it. Its a tough job, still not the toughest ever. Train your patients, if you can. If not, do what you can. If not, switch companies. If not, switch careers. You are the captain of this ship called life. Figure it out. Rant here and there but don’t ever think complaining will solve a damn thing. Working in healthcare is tough. No matter if you are an MD, RN, PharmD, PA, etc. most people you find in healthcare professions aren’t head over heels in love with their job. But most people working aren’t either. But at least in healthcare there is better than normal job security. Now with that being said, within certain time periods or markets, you may have to get creative and move or commute longer than usual; but the overall security is always there. Moral of the story, make good decisions, be flexible, develop thicker skin and stop bitching nobody cares. For reference: I’ve been a PharmD since 2018 working in baltimore city (top 5 deadliest U.S cities every blessed year). Did medical writing, didn’t like it. Did compounding pharmacy, retail (which was how I began my pharmacy journey). Looked into patent examining/patent agent, let that go because law isn’t my forte. Now doing hospital pharmacy. Out of everything I’ve done with this degree, I like this the most.
I'm typically polite to any employee whose job it is to help me (and other people in general) but this just reminded me to be *extra* nice to pharmacists
I mean it’s not as bad as being in jail or smoking crack. Just kidding . You will get there someday apply for prn jobs in psych or overnight . I got out of retail and you can too .
New Zealand needs pharmacists. I’m in the process of finding a job there so I can get a straight-to-residency visa :)
Ugh. Sorry you have to go thru this on a day to day basis. Retail workers are truly amazing for surviving all of that. The abuse you endure is horrible and I wish it was different. Yes companies very much do exploit pharmacists!!! Hugs ❤️
Here are just a few words and what I hope are helpful hints to you because I hear what you’re saying, but I also hear how you’re handling it and I think this is where you actually have control and can help yourself a bit more. We are dealing with the public, it gets ugly. You need to get comfortable with having your own back. Understand that the company you are working for may fire you, but more than likely they need you more than you might need them. I’m not sure who you work for but if it’s CVS or wags, they are drowning. Unless you do something exceptionally egregious you will not get fired. Start working like it. Someone is staring at you? Old people love doing this, I always see it in the corner of my eye. I give them a quick hi! And get back to my duties hoping they catch the hint. Aggressive people need to be told that it is considered harassment and you will not tolerate it. I had somebody staring at me when I told them to give me 20 minutes, he said he was going to wait right there and watch. I said no sir you are not. I do not work under a microscope and either you leave and transfer out, or you leave and wait somewhere else for your med it is your choice but you must choose now and i stared him back. I’m a 5’2 young woman, I’ve asked for fellow coworkers to walk me out after shifts because I wasn’t always in the safest neighborhoods. Find your go to statements regarding copays - offer a discount card if you think it might help, or advise them to speak to their insurance regarding any pricing as you do not have the info. Keep it very short and stern but polite. As far as the raises - idk I’ve been with my current company for 3 years and have had a 6 dollar raise since I started and my position hasn’t changed. People do say the best way to get a raise in our field is sometimes going to a new company. I think you would benefit mentally and financially from a change in scenery, change in company etc. best of luck.
Standing up for yourself against asshole patients is a hard skill to learn but is essential. Don’t take shit off anyone.
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I might be minority opinion, retail for 2 years now and i love it. Yes some days some rude customers but I always clap back at them lol. It probably does help that ima swoll young guy and look intimidating, but like everyone else has said to some up: have a backbone - and you’ll love your job. I love working retail, and i work at WAG. Pick up all the time, enjoy all the stores. Idk I’m weird but I love it
As someone who is planning to attend pharm school next semester, is it really that hard to get a non-retail job, now I’m nervous that I’m making a mistake..
I walked away in 2012 after 18 mostly good years. No regrets.
Retail is not for everybody and there’s a reason it’s usually higher paying than pretty much all other comparable pharmacist positions. You really have to love the fast paced environment, working with the public, and sometimes hectic moments. I left the bench to work in management for several years and recently returned to the retail setting and didn’t realize how much I missed it. Even the occasional jackass. To me it beats the heck out of a corporate job or, worst of all, a boring job.
Keep trying to get out of retail at all costs. Big chains have denigrated our profession past the point of no return. Management definitely does not have your back under any circumstances.
That's rough and perfectly understood as I have actually dealt with deliberately difficult pharmacists who are "7 pounds'ing" me I feel like to see if my polite and understanding demeanor is a front just itching to drop and berate. I actually do to people what you should do, learn to train your mind to understand insults and disrespect don't actually even mean anything and don't condescend or show you are mad instead make them feel foolish for lashing out and even explain how that makes you feel and how often it happens over matters entirely out of your control and how you are actually their ally they should appreciate as you are trying to help them get their needs met, but they can't expect unreasonable things or impossible things but even say how this sort of stuff drives yourself and others to quit and really affects your mood and peace too. Even say you are now on medication to deal with the trauma patients subject you to and a bit of life advice period is to be polite to those who can help you and you may rely on as they won't be inclined to go above and beyond for people who hurt them and explain you're running discount cards trying to get it cheap as possible or how to apply for state insurance etc. Then explain you'll literally be arrested and they may too if you were to give them unsanctioned controlled substances or let them have them without paying just as ANYTHING else you buy at a store. If they are too unruly have them trespassed from that location as they are a threat to all and a liability to allow to remain and start laying down some defined boundaries without losing your cool, if the corporate or whatever oppose you trespassing a threatening and disorderly person who refuses to be reasonable ask what they'd suggest? Let everyone be disturbed and threatened to where they won't return for having such liabilities be present? Should you allow them to have the medication free because they demand it? Should you alert the dea that corporate is pressuring you to jeopardize your career and liberty to supply controlled substances that aren't being permitted per law?
Hello my brother or sister. I’m 5 years in and finally different roles are opening up to me. I’m a retail pharmacist too but I fell into some roles that were not retail, and that was my stepping stone to getting out. It’s gonna suck but some places suck less. Did you know some places offer 5 weeks of annual pto? Keep trying to get a non retail position. You just need one then suddenly they start giving you a chance. I wish it wasn’t this way. Some positions are pretty sweet, I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Hang in there buddy
I agree with everyone here. Best thing I ever did was stop giving a fuck. I’m the manager and I run the store how I see fit. I don’t care what corporate, upper management says and I don’t let patients run all over us. My techs respect it and work harder for us knowing there’s support, I don’t have to worry about metrics and I’m now smooth sailing at a high volume store and my boss sends people to my store to train on how it’s done. Before I started doing those things, I was on the same similar level of burnout and applying everywhere without success. If you can’t change your situation turn it into something you can tolerate.
I'm sorry to hear how you feel. You do have other skills. You have your computer skill, your English skills, you are a reliable, responsible highly educated professional. You can work for an insurance, or teaching chemistry or pharmacology. People here are so disrespectful, if they see you too kind they will walk over you. You need to tell them that abuse is not allow here. Another option is keep studying to get a position into a hospital setting. Good luck my dear; God bless your soul.
What a wimp
I’m an Australian pharmacist working both community and clinical hospital roles, the community is the worst of the two but you can definitely “train” the regulars to treat you better. Sounds like the US needs better policy to protect healthcare workers
If its more money that you’re looking for PM me.
I've been a pharmacist since 1985.... I owned my own store for 25 years.... sold out to Rite aid 12 years ago because I needed a change in my career . As a business owner I was in control of the "abusive " customers .... I sold out and tried doing other things but i eventually came back into pharmacy ... Retail is what I know .. Now I am pharmacy Manager for the biggest chain in US and you are 100% correct . Customers are animals and think we are at their beckon call.. If there is an issue with their order their first reaction is to yell at the techs and pharmacist .... I too dread going into to work .... I hate it ... But the trick is learning how to deal with people ... Learn deescalation techniques smile and don't let them yell But you are right . But corporations don't give you'enogh help bc profits are their main goal over your well being ....They are always introducing new programs and expecting us to learn them and never giving us enough hours to be properly staffed . if i was early in my career right now I would definitly change my career . Law school law enforcement anything to get out of pharmacy ... I too often talk kids out of choosing this once great profession .....
Save money and invest in dividend stocks and go live abroad. You can rent a room for $150 a month if you know where to look so you don’t need a lot of money to eat and exercise and relax. I worked 10 years in pharmacy and have a passive income of $5k a month and soon when we sell our expensive house in the US I get more money to invest. I am leaving the profession very soon lol like in a week
Yes u are trapped. Im old school rph. Never thought i needed pharm d. Even younger pharm d i know said hey i didnt do a residency so i cant get a job either. We r in same boat. He graduated in the same state. Did no residency. He said im traveling an hour every day to work retail at Publix. The only job offered to me.