Questions for current pharmacists

[rjm546]

I have a report I need to do for a class and just wanted a couple of pharmacist to answer these questions. I've already asked a couple of pharmacists out in town but just wanted to see if their answers were any different from yours.

1) What do you think is the biggest misconception about how the general public views pharmacists?

2) What direction do you see pharmacy going towards in the near future?

3) What is the biggest issue in retail pharmacy today?

4) What are some of the challenges you face being a pharmacist?

5) What do you think a person would need to do to be successful in this profession?


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[rxforlife2004]

1) What do you think is the biggest misconception about how the general public views pharmacists?

In public: Pharmacists = overpaid pill counter.

2) What direction do you see pharmacy going towards in the near future?

More toward patient-care and physician-like (hopefully), and pharmacy school length will be even long that possibly will require students to complete residency before practice.

3) What is the biggest issue in retail pharmacy today?
Insurance issues, formulary, who pays what...

4) What are some of the challenges you face being a pharmacist?
A lot...I am a hospital pharmacist. So this is the list: challenging the MDs on the orders (wrong dosage, route, etc...),notifying nurse/MD about drug/drug interaction+ allergies, etc... dealing with nurses, dealing with JCAHO, etc..

As for retail, it would be: insurance, early refill, drug addicts, copays, high volume, etc...

5) What do you think a person would need to do to be successful in this profession?

Calm but not quiet...
Pay attention to details
Good communication skills