Shortage or Surplus?

[BrownSound]

Forgive my noobness. I will be graduating in a few years and I have been wondering about the future prospects of pharmacy for a while..

1. From the impression I have, it seems like in most urban areas the demand for pharmacists has subdued (some cities are saturated). But I am asking you for your input on whats going on around where you work and is there anything future grads be worried about?

The following two links are from Medscape regarding pharmacist shortage and oversupply.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/521115
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/511648_1

2. Pharmaceutical Care: I know its possible in theory, but is it realistic? Are you optimistic about the future? That pharmacists would be compensated based on the service (clinical) they provide rather than how many scripts they process? What are your views?

I would like to get a general idea of what people think on this forum regarding these two topics. Give me all the anecdotal evidence you have!

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[PharmDstudent]

If you want to work for a chain in an urban area after you graduate, start working for them part-time now. One of the guys that I work with is training to work an hour and a half away in another city because he wasn't a priority for the company when he graduated. Also, he signed a two-year contract.

 

[RxWildcat]

1. From the impression I have, it seems like in most urban areas the demand for pharmacists has subdued (some cities are saturated). But I am asking you for your input on whats going on around where you work and is there anything future grads be worried about?


2. Pharmaceutical Care: I know its possible in theory, but is it realistic? Are you optimistic about the future? That pharmacists would be compensated based on the service (clinical) they provide rather than how many scripts they process? What are your views?

1) There are places with higher demands for pharmacists than others, however there is a definite overall shortage.
2) It isn't just a theory, pharmacists are being compensated for cognitive services all the time. I think it may be some time before all insurances, etc. will pay for the service, but it is being done (and paid for by some insurance companies also).

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

I havent heard of any pharmacist surpluses yet. In the major cities, supply and demand is balanced. In rural areas, the pharmacist shortage has gone down from critical (with exception of Kansas and NC maybe) to jobs being hard to fill.

The thing that worries me most is the increase in pharmacy schools. Bluntly said, we dont need them. No matter how many schools they open, there will always be a shortage in the rural area. If this keeps on going, we will become the next law profession. With over 200 law schools, a lot of lawyers are unemployed or just reviewing legal documents for 20/hour with 100k+ debt. (The demand for top tier lawyers are different of course).

In other words, you can expect to float around in stores for a few months before they station you somewhere in major cities. However 30 minutes to an hour away from most cities, you can expect to find job surpluses (with huge benefits). Most of my classmates have already recieved job offers before they even graduated both in and out of the city. No interviews needed! This might well be the only profession out there that has this going on (especially during a recession).

 

[BrownSound]

but if this trend continues (opening of new schools, decrease in demand), do you see anything to be worried about for future grads such as myself?

I am not complaining or anything, just want to hear what the crowd has to say about the future prospects of finding a job and how the role of the pharmacist might evolve.

 

[fungikid]

I'm also worried. Schools seem to be opening left and right. Why aren't we regulating the opening and accreditation of schools as tightly as the medical profession??

 

[DoctorRx1986]

I see everyone here will be making $50,000 a year by graduation. Hahaha. After so many years in school, it would suck if salaries get cut by half due to a surplus of pharmacists. Everyone is happy in believing a $100k is available at the end of the journey, but what if, just WHAT IF, we end up making only $50k and having to repay your enormous student loans?

 

[RxWildcat]

I see everyone here will be making $50,000 a year by graduation. Hahaha. After so many years in school, it would suck if salaries get cut by half due to a surplus of pharmacists. Everyone is happy in believing a $100k is available at the end of the journey, but what if, just WHAT IF, we end up making only $50k and having to repay your enormous student loans?

The sky is falling!! Oh noooooo!!

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

I see everyone here will be making $50,000 a year by graduation. Hahaha. After so many years in school, it would suck if salaries get cut by half due to a surplus of pharmacists. Everyone is happy in believing a $100k is available at the end of the journey, but what if, just WHAT IF, we end up making only $50k and having to repay your enormous student loans?

I dont think salaries will fall per se, just that new graduates will actually have to interview for jobs.

 

[rxlynn]

Forgive my noobness. I will be graduating in a few years and I have been wondering about the future prospects of pharmacy for a while..

1. From the impression I have, it seems like in most urban areas the demand for pharmacists has subdued (some cities are saturated). But I am asking you for your input on whats going on around where you work and is there anything future grads be worried about?

The following two links are from Medscape regarding pharmacist shortage and oversupply.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/521115
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/511648_1

2. Pharmaceutical Care: I know its possible in theory, but is it realistic? Are you optimistic about the future? That pharmacists would be compensated based on the service (clinical) they provide rather than how many scripts they process? What are your views?

I would like to get a general idea of what people think on this forum regarding these two topics. Give me all the anecdotal evidence you have!

I know that in my urban area the large chain pharmacies typically do not have problems filling all their positions, and at some points of the year actually do not have enough hours for all their pharmacists when you include the permanent floaters. I think a lot of that is because the typical pharmacy grad is younger, often single, and prefers to stay in a more urban area for lifestyle reasons.

However, from what I've heard, if you are willing to go to a rural area with the same company, then you can pretty much write your own ticket. I also had an experience last summer when I went in a pharmacy to interview the pharmacist, and in the course of conversation found out that the company had paid him mileage of close to 100 miles to drive to that location so that store could stay open that day.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

I know that in my urban area the large chain pharmacies typically do not have problems filling all their positions, and at some points of the year actually do not have enough hours for all their pharmacists when you include the permanent floaters. I think a lot of that is because the typical pharmacy grad is younger, often single, and prefers to stay in a more urban area for lifestyle reasons.

However, from what I've heard, if you are willing to go to a rural area with the same company, then you can pretty much write your own ticket. I also had an experience last summer when I went in a pharmacy to interview the pharmacist, and in the course of conversation found out that the company had paid him mileage of close to 100 miles to drive to that location so that store could stay open that day.

Same story here. If I drive half an hour to an hour commute outside of NYC, there are ample supplies of job with huge sign on bonuses and guarantee store placement. However if I stay in the city, I will be floating around for months.