Future of Pharmacy
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Original post by DrFantastic
Pharmacy job prospects are zilch. I've had expereicne in two different pharmacies and both say that the chance of getting a job is zero. Hell, a friend's brother did Pharmacy and has to travel 7 miles daily to get any work in a Boots Pharmacy. I live in a very saturated area, round about 20 pharmacies within a 2 mile radius and yet he has to travel. Says it all.
It's a shame, Pharmacy looked like a good option for me as a prospective applicant. Obviously tutors will tell you to study Pharmacy. Students apply, pay money and the tutors get a little bit richer.
As a prospective student looking to start in 2013, please please I would encourage thinking twice about Pharmacy. It's very very hard to get a job and conditions are going downhill fast.
It's a shame, Pharmacy looked like a good option for me as a prospective applicant. Obviously tutors will tell you to study Pharmacy. Students apply, pay money and the tutors get a little bit richer.
As a prospective student looking to start in 2013, please please I would encourage thinking twice about Pharmacy. It's very very hard to get a job and conditions are going downhill fast.
7 miles?! That's about the distance between where I live and the closest city. I wouldn't call 7 miles a great distance. That's a lot of pharmacies in a small area though. My town has 2. Why would an area with a 2 mile radius need 20 pharmacies?!
Looked like a good option for me too. I'm starting this September. And yet all the pharmacists I personally know, who stand nothing to gain from advising me to do pharmacy, say it's a good career and they recommended it. That said, even when I was applying, at one of the open days the admissions tutor was saying that pharmacy is becoming increasingly competitive and that graduates were being told "You can get a pre-reg place on the condition that you get a certain class of degree."
Either way, I will emigrate if I have to. Somewhere must have work.
Original post by DrFantastic
Pharmacy job prospects are zilch. I've had expereicne in two different pharmacies and both say that the chance of getting a job is zero. Hell, a friend's brother did Pharmacy and has to travel 7 miles daily to get any work in a Boots Pharmacy. I live in a very saturated area, round about 20 pharmacies within a 2 mile radius and yet he has to travel. Says it all.
It's a shame, Pharmacy looked like a good option for me as a prospective applicant. Obviously tutors will tell you to study Pharmacy. Students apply, pay money and the tutors get a little bit richer.
As a prospective student looking to start in 2013, please please I would encourage thinking twice about Pharmacy. It's very very hard to get a job and conditions are going downhill fast.
It's a shame, Pharmacy looked like a good option for me as a prospective applicant. Obviously tutors will tell you to study Pharmacy. Students apply, pay money and the tutors get a little bit richer.
As a prospective student looking to start in 2013, please please I would encourage thinking twice about Pharmacy. It's very very hard to get a job and conditions are going downhill fast.
Stop talking rubbish. 'The chance of getting a job in pharmacy is 0' LOL!
Original post by aspirinpharmacist
7 miles?! That's about the distance between where I live and the closest city. I wouldn't call 7 miles a great distance. That's a lot of pharmacies in a small area though. My town has 2. Why would an area with a 2 mile radius need 20 pharmacies?!
Looked like a good option for me too. I'm starting this September. And yet all the pharmacists I personally know, who stand nothing to gain from advising me to do pharmacy, say it's a good career and they recommended it. That said, even when I was applying, at one of the open days the admissions tutor was saying that pharmacy is becoming increasingly competitive and that graduates were being told "You can get a pre-reg place on the condition that you get a certain class of degree."
Either way, I will emigrate if I have to. Somewhere must have work.
Looked like a good option for me too. I'm starting this September. And yet all the pharmacists I personally know, who stand nothing to gain from advising me to do pharmacy, say it's a good career and they recommended it. That said, even when I was applying, at one of the open days the admissions tutor was saying that pharmacy is becoming increasingly competitive and that graduates were being told "You can get a pre-reg place on the condition that you get a certain class of degree."
Either way, I will emigrate if I have to. Somewhere must have work.
Don't worry, the people here are over exaggerating everything.
Too many people think that having a piece of paper with Mpharm scrawled across It warrants £30,000 plus. They complain that it's hard work (which it isn't, they should try working in other sectors such as my time in hospitality where you're told to bring in £20,000 a day, smash that target regularly and still get paid £6.50 an hour) and that the conditions are aweful (try standing for 14 hours shifts serving thousands of customers)!!!
Having experienced both community and hospital pharmacy I've come to the conclusion that community is a joke in comparison. You rarely apply any clinical knowledge (the hospital pharmacists I work with frequently insult and look down on community pharmacists) and the job in itself is significantly easier in comparison.
I've always thought that £36,000 is excessive for someone who slaps a label on a box (most community pharmacists). Those who deserve it are those who go the extra mile for the company and bring in additional revenue for the company. This Is the case for most of my freinds who have done this and are now pharmacy managers on £45,000 + and love their jobs and are not scared of grafting.
I think those people who complain should really try experiencing other industries before sharing their views.
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Having experienced both community and hospital pharmacy I've come to the conclusion that community is a joke in comparison. You rarely apply any clinical knowledge (the hospital pharmacists I work with frequently insult and look down on community pharmacists) and the job in itself is significantly easier in comparison.
I've always thought that £36,000 is excessive for someone who slaps a label on a box (most community pharmacists). Those who deserve it are those who go the extra mile for the company and bring in additional revenue for the company. This Is the case for most of my freinds who have done this and are now pharmacy managers on £45,000 + and love their jobs and are not scared of grafting.
I think those people who complain should really try experiencing other industries before sharing their views.
This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Original post by pharmasaurus
Too many people think that having a piece of paper with Mpharm scrawled across It warrants £30,000 plus. They complain that it's hard work (which it isn't, they should try working in other sectors such as my time in hospitality where you're told to bring in £20,000 a day, smash that target regularly and still get paid £6.50 an hour) and that the conditions are aweful (try standing for 14 hours shifts serving thousands of customers)!!!
Having experienced both community and hospital pharmacy I've come to the conclusion that community is a joke in comparison. You rarely apply any clinical knowledge (the hospital pharmacists I work with frequently insult and look down on community pharmacists) and the job in itself is significantly easier in comparison.
I've always thought that £36,000 is excessive for someone who slaps a label on a box (most community pharmacists). Those who deserve it are those who go the extra mile for the company and bring in additional revenue for the company. This Is the case for most of my freinds who have done this and are now pharmacy managers on £45,000 + and love their jobs and are not scared of grafting.
I think those people who complain should really try experiencing other industries before sharing their views.
This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Having experienced both community and hospital pharmacy I've come to the conclusion that community is a joke in comparison. You rarely apply any clinical knowledge (the hospital pharmacists I work with frequently insult and look down on community pharmacists) and the job in itself is significantly easier in comparison.
I've always thought that £36,000 is excessive for someone who slaps a label on a box (most community pharmacists). Those who deserve it are those who go the extra mile for the company and bring in additional revenue for the company. This Is the case for most of my freinds who have done this and are now pharmacy managers on £45,000 + and love their jobs and are not scared of grafting.
I think those people who complain should really try experiencing other industries before sharing their views.
This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
I haven't experienced community pharmacy yet (I'll have to do 4 weeks community as part of my pre-reg year) but I have heard many hospital pharmacists (including those who came into my uni to give lectures) insult community pharmacists and community pharmacies especially Boots. However from my experience as a patient in both hospital and in the community I have to agree, I also think (and I know people will disagree here) but the New Medicines Service seems like a load of crap. Essentially they are getting paid large amounts of money for asking questions that they should be asking by default.
See an example here
http://www.nhsemployers.org/sitecollectiondocuments/nms_interview_schedule_mh080811.pdf
And other details on this site.
http://www.nhsemployers.org/PayAndContracts/CommunityPharmacyContract/CPCFservicedevelopments2011/newmedicineservice/Pages/NewMedicineService.aspx
I would not want to work in community pharmacy, I would rather go back to my old job as a hospital healthcare assistant (and that is real hard work, and uses as much brain power as many community pharmacists these days).
I just hope I am getting the wrong impression from a few bad pharmacists/ pharmacies, if not then I struggle to see community pharmacy growing (or even surviving) in the future.
Also the community salaries (post-pre-reg)are ridiculous if you compare what you have to do to get to that salary in hospital now (i.e. residencies and diplomas) it is a joke (okay maybe thats a bit harsh, but its not far off).
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by firestar101
What do you suggest we do then. There are not many other options out there.
I keep seeing young people say this. I know everyone is desperately looking for an alternative, talking as though there is nothing else but grey clouds. Sadly this is just a clever deception by the Universities that have swayed the masses for generations, promising better lives with a degree. It's simply not the case any more.
Please look into apprenticeships and other vocational qualifications. The Government and jobseekers have a lot of resources available, and my son is going to be taking this direction.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/educationandlearning/14to19/optionsat16/dg_4001327
Max age is around 25 to start the courses, so consider this first and University after. Nothing stopping you returning to University later in your life, but the apprenticeship window is very short. Good luck, all. Hope this helped.
Original post by DrFantastic
Pharmacy job prospects are zilch. I've had expereicne in two different pharmacies and both say that the chance of getting a job is zero. Hell, a friend's brother did Pharmacy and has to travel 7 miles daily to get any work in a Boots Pharmacy. I live in a very saturated area, round about 20 pharmacies within a 2 mile radius and yet he has to travel. Says it all.
It's a shame, Pharmacy looked like a good option for me as a prospective applicant. Obviously tutors will tell you to study Pharmacy. Students apply, pay money and the tutors get a little bit richer.
As a prospective student looking to start in 2013, please please I would encourage thinking twice about Pharmacy. It's very very hard to get a job and conditions are going downhill fast.
It's a shame, Pharmacy looked like a good option for me as a prospective applicant. Obviously tutors will tell you to study Pharmacy. Students apply, pay money and the tutors get a little bit richer.
As a prospective student looking to start in 2013, please please I would encourage thinking twice about Pharmacy. It's very very hard to get a job and conditions are going downhill fast.
Im sorry but whoever told you that there is zero chance in getting a pharmacy job is either lying or grossly exagerating. There are many jobs out there but yes it is getting difficult to sustain jobs as more and more people qualify. But to stay there are no jobs is simply negative sensationalism.
Original post by college80
Im sorry but whoever told you that there is zero chance in getting a pharmacy job is either lying or grossly exagerating. There are many jobs out there but yes it is getting difficult to sustain jobs as more and more people qualify. But to stay there are no jobs is simply negative sensationalism.
I agree, many pre-regs struggle to get permanent jobs after qualifying especially in hospital (not sure how bad it is in community) and this is likely to get worse. Many of these new pharmacists are now relying on locum work. However the idea that there is zero chance of getting a job is ridiculous. If you are willing to move your chances massively increase and in my opinion the best pre-regs will get jobs wherever they wish (from my observation during placements). Jobs don't appear en mass at the end of a pre-reg year, they appear throughout the year, someone who doesn't have a post-qualification job at the end of pre-reg may get one within a few months of qualifying.
Pretty much all healthcare professions have the same problem (but most have it upon graduation not a year after), medicine and optometry as mentioned but also physiotherapy and nursing (the nursing problem has been round for a while, I have met many that work as HCAs for months-a couple of years).
Original post by firestar101
Many feel that pharmacists may not even be needed in the future
Why? Are people suddenly curing their ailments without medicines? Or did you mean to say that the UK may not require such a HIGH number of pharmacists, because by making such sweeping statements youre unnecessarily scaring people.
The obvious and most promising idea would be to go abroad where countries are desperately crying out for pharmacists and will give them a reasonable wage. The UK govt can't even bother to pay their doctors properly, let alone us pharmacists.
I mean seriously did it take a degree to work that much out?
Original post by DrFantastic
Pharmacy job prospects are zilch. I've had expereicne in two different pharmacies and both say that the chance of getting a job is zero. Hell, a friend's brother did Pharmacy and has to travel 7 miles daily to get any work in a Boots Pharmacy. I live in a very saturated area, round about 20 pharmacies within a 2 mile radius and yet he has to travel. Says it all.
figures that living in an area saturated with pharmacies would make it somewhat difficult to find a job. However, to eliminate this predicament from your life you could MOVE areas or even country.. i mean was that SO hard to work out...people in various other careers do it...
Original post by pharmasaurus
Of course it will. You have to think that the recruitment teams only have a piece of paper to go on in the initial selection process. It's not difficult to get a first class these days so experience is where you stand out. That will only get your foot in the door though. You have to prove yourself to be an asset to the company during the placement stage and I'd guarentee they'll offer you a well paid position.
I'm a second year with 3 hospital placements this year and one industrial. I was told by a supervisor for one of the hospital research placements that I was the only second year at strathclyde and RGU who was interviewed. I beat out 3rd and 4 years for one of the 3 positions.
Experience is essential.
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I'm a second year with 3 hospital placements this year and one industrial. I was told by a supervisor for one of the hospital research placements that I was the only second year at strathclyde and RGU who was interviewed. I beat out 3rd and 4 years for one of the 3 positions.
Experience is essential.
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well done on beating 3rd and 4th year students!
Now it's starting to make sense to me, in terms of how vital experience is.
In your opinion, do you reckon it's down to the laziness of people in the third and fourth years that cost them vital placements?
Just wondering.....
and with regards to the hospital placement coming up, what should i expect? I'll be doing my placement in a teaching hospital, so will that differ from a normal hospital placement?
Thanks for your reply above.
Original post by James A
well done on beating 3rd and 4th year students!
Now it's starting to make sense to me, in terms of how vital experience is.
In your opinion, do you reckon it's down to the laziness of people in the third and fourth years that cost them vital placements?
Just wondering.....
and with regards to the hospital placement coming up, what should i expect? I'll be doing my placement in a teaching hospital, so will that differ from a normal hospital placement?
Thanks for your reply above.
Now it's starting to make sense to me, in terms of how vital experience is.
In your opinion, do you reckon it's down to the laziness of people in the third and fourth years that cost them vital placements?
Just wondering.....
and with regards to the hospital placement coming up, what should i expect? I'll be doing my placement in a teaching hospital, so will that differ from a normal hospital placement?
Thanks for your reply above.
I woudnt know, all my placements are at teaching hospitals. I could guess however; on my current eight week placement at Aberdeen royal infirmary I spend my time in a variety of different wards. Last two weeks was in acute medicine, short stay, intensive care and in the following weeks ill be spending my time in the surgical ward, at a GP surgery with a primary care pharmacist learning how she prescribes etc. ive been told that its best to do a placement at a teaching hospital as all the speciality wards like cardio thoracic, endocrine, radio pharmaceutical etc won't be available for you to experience at a community hospital.
Just to reiterate my point above, my current placement is a hospital research placement, it (in my opinion) is the only reason why I secured the Glaswegian research placement which follows this one.
The recruiters saw that I had this placement and it gave me the edge against my competitors who were y senior but may have lacked necessary experience (she did say my CV was impressive in its on right though ^_^)
Experience is essential!
This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Lol compared to what some of my friends have to travel for work (those in the trade etc) each day, travelling 7 miles for work is pretty chill. I dont usually agree with old people, but in this stance us young people have it too easy. If its saturated in London, why not relocate? Plenty of jobs in East Anglia, the North etc. During my pre reg applications I got rejected by most multiples in London, apart from one which offered me a place in Bristol. If you need to relocate, then so be it, in the current economical situation plenty of people have had to do it and you wont find much sympathy regarding this imo.
Original post by ScoobyB4
Lol compared to what some of my friends have to travel for work (those in the trade etc) each day, travelling 7 miles for work is pretty chill. I dont usually agree with old people, but in this stance us young people have it too easy. If its saturated in London, why not relocate? Plenty of jobs in East Anglia, the North etc. During my pre reg applications I got rejected by most multiples in London, apart from one which offered me a place in Bristol. If you need to relocate, then so be it, in the current economical situation plenty of people have had to do it and you wont find much sympathy regarding this imo.
Totally agree. Where I live, 7 miles is standard. I live in a commuter town basically, so nearly everyone has to travel that far to get to work. And relocating is common enough, humanity has been doing it for years. If your country is going through an economic crisis, it's fairly common to emigrate somewhere else.
I'll say this for those who through "emigration" as an easy solution: Just came back from holiday in the states, the economy as a whole is quite bad over there, I would say worse than Europe. Looking at things in a broad perspective, while here you still have a decent chance of making coin through a university education, in the States for working class/middle class folk it is quite bad. People are "over qualified" as the sit on a chair jobs are either closing down or being outsourced, and the only job opportunities I have seen (East Coast tri state area, West Coast (Cali) and the Pacific North West) are $9 p/h fast food jobs. While converting the degree is a fairly decent process, getting an intern as a foreigner is near enough impossible based on the requirements these days... Canada? Still cool from what I have heard but they have put their high skill migration policy on hold for review until 2013 q1. Depending on what gets proposed then, this may/may not remain a viable option.
Arab states? No thanks. The looks I get from the "brothers" when I go for a stroll down Reagents Park wearing that boglioli and canali
, I wonder how I'll get treated in their back yard lol...
Arab states? No thanks. The looks I get from the "brothers" when I go for a stroll down Reagents Park wearing that boglioli and canali
, I wonder how I'll get treated in their back yard lol...Original post by ScoobyB4
I'll say this for those who through "emigration" as an easy solution: Just came back from holiday in the states, the economy as a whole is quite bad over there, I would say worse than Europe. Looking at things in a broad perspective, while here you still have a decent chance of making coin through a university education, in the States for working class/middle class folk it is quite bad. People are "over qualified" as the sit on a chair jobs are either closing down or being outsourced, and the only job opportunities I have seen (East Coast tri state area, West Coast (Cali) and the Pacific North West) are $9 p/h fast food jobs. While converting the degree is a fairly decent process, getting an intern as a foreigner is near enough impossible based on the requirements these days... Canada? Still cool from what I have heard but they have put their high skill migration policy on hold for review until 2013 q1. Depending on what gets proposed then, this may/may not remain a viable option.
Arab states? No thanks. The looks I get from the "brothers" when I go for a stroll down Reagents Park wearing that boglioli and canali, I wonder how I'll get treated in their back yard lol...
Arab states? No thanks. The looks I get from the "brothers" when I go for a stroll down Reagents Park wearing that boglioli and canali
, I wonder how I'll get treated in their back yard lol...Right. That's it. Screw this. I'll go and do an English degree or something for laughs instead. Not that it'll help. But still.
Edit: Just to clarify, I'm not demeaning English degrees, in any way. I love English, I miss doing it at school. Just that it's very different to pharmacy and it would probably give me the same chances of becoming a pharmacist, given the current climate.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by aspirinpharmacist
Right. That's it. Screw this. I'll go and do an English degree or something for laughs instead. Not that it'll help. But still.
Edit: Just to clarify, I'm not demeaning English degrees, in any way. I love English, I miss doing it at school. Just that it's very different to pharmacy and it would probably give me the same chances of becoming a pharmacist, given the current climate.
Edit: Just to clarify, I'm not demeaning English degrees, in any way. I love English, I miss doing it at school. Just that it's very different to pharmacy and it would probably give me the same chances of becoming a pharmacist, given the current climate.
If I had my way I would have gone off to SOAS, done something on islamic/arabic studies and smoked shisha all day...
Original post by ScoobyB4
If I had my way I would have gone off to SOAS, done something on islamic/arabic studies and smoked shisha all day...
Good life.
Think I'll drop out, spend years applying and failing to get into drama school (I have the acting skills of a teapot) and eventually living in a cardboard box. In Hawaii. Where it rains.
Original post by aspirinpharmacist
Good life. Think I'll drop out, spend years applying and failing to get into drama school (I have the acting skills of a teapot) and eventually living in a cardboard box. In Hawaii. Where it rains.
Think I'll drop out, spend years applying and failing to get into drama school (I have the acting skills of a teapot) and eventually living in a cardboard box. In Hawaii. Where it rains.Are you going to uea this year?
Original post by firestar101
Are you going to uea this year?
Yeah, I am. I'm ridiculously excited.
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