Pharmacy degree?
I will be starting A2 in September and was thinking about doing pharmacy once i finish my A levels. However while reading the forums ive noticed there is a lot of negativity about doing pharmacy. Mainly community pharmacy as it is very saturated and pay is not very well. I did 2 weeks work experience at a pharmacy and felt the pharmacists job was calm perhaps as it was a smaller pharmacy. Most of the time they would just make a few phone calls and check prescriptions after they were dispensed. Anyway i then heard pharmacy is only worth it if you get into hospital pharmacy. So i was hoping to find out the estimated salary for both community and hospital and why hospital pharmacy is considered better. I have heard around 30% get into hospital pharmacy so it is tough. Also when do you choose which type of pharmacy you want to go into. Is it while you are doing the degree?
Thank you
Deleted the thread thinking i wouldn't receive a reply. Any way gonna redo it as response from FallenPetal was very helpful.
Thank you
Deleted the thread thinking i wouldn't receive a reply. Any way gonna redo it as response from FallenPetal was very helpful.
(edited 6 years ago)
On hospital vs. pre-reg...
In hospital, you will be on the pay banding structure, starting at a 6 and moving up to 7 after a few years. There is potential to be a band 8 Pharmacist, but this is usually reserved for very senior roles, so base your pay expectations on 7 banding, which ranges between £30-40K:
http://www.nhsemployers.org/agendaforchange
Community is harder to estimate as it is private, but you can expect something in the £30-40K range.
Comparing the two, hospital generally starts out lower paid, but it does eventually catch up - especially as pay in community isn't what it used to be. That said, specific pay will depend largely on what area of the country you are in. Also, you need to bear in mind that you'll qualify at the earliest in 7 years time, so the pay landscape may be very different.
You don't have to decide what sector you want to go in at any point - it largely depends what pre-reg you decide to do. People who do community pre-regs tend to stay in community, hospital pre-regs tend to stay in hospital. While it is technically possible to switch, the two require different skillsets, so Pharmacists generally prefer to stay within the same field.
Pretty much everything you've read on this forum of Pharmacy has an element of truth to it. I wouldn't say these gripes exist uniformly - hence why the job seemed chill in comparison to you - but they are a possibility. If things like *****y working conditions were brought up, it wasn't because every dispensary is bad, but because some of them are - and it's better to go into the degree aware that the job isn't always roses than to be blindsighted by it the first day of pre-reg. I will also emphasize there is a more to job than checking the odd presciption and making phone calls.
Hospital pharmacy is considered better because it's more interesting. Community can be a little... mindless, for lack of a better term. Occasionally you'll get an interesting prescription or over-the-counter question, but for the most part, it's dispensing the same medications over and over and telling people how to manage a common cold. Some people do genuinely enjoy this, but with hospital, you get far more direct involvement with the patient's care plans. Of the two, hospital utilizes more of the degree, I feel.
Also, while it may not be obvious from a two-week placement, there can be huge pressure in community to meet targets, sometimes to the point of bullying by management. About a year ago, Bootswas reported on for pressuring Pharmacists to perform MURs for profit, rather than need -
https://www.theguardian.com/business...rmacists-union
https://www.theguardian.com/business...ood-of-letters
I would read both of those. Also, it's not just Boots pulling this kind of crap, it's all of the big chains - Boots just happened to get caught.
In hospital, you will be on the pay banding structure, starting at a 6 and moving up to 7 after a few years. There is potential to be a band 8 Pharmacist, but this is usually reserved for very senior roles, so base your pay expectations on 7 banding, which ranges between £30-40K:
http://www.nhsemployers.org/agendaforchange
Community is harder to estimate as it is private, but you can expect something in the £30-40K range.
Comparing the two, hospital generally starts out lower paid, but it does eventually catch up - especially as pay in community isn't what it used to be. That said, specific pay will depend largely on what area of the country you are in. Also, you need to bear in mind that you'll qualify at the earliest in 7 years time, so the pay landscape may be very different.
You don't have to decide what sector you want to go in at any point - it largely depends what pre-reg you decide to do. People who do community pre-regs tend to stay in community, hospital pre-regs tend to stay in hospital. While it is technically possible to switch, the two require different skillsets, so Pharmacists generally prefer to stay within the same field.
Pretty much everything you've read on this forum of Pharmacy has an element of truth to it. I wouldn't say these gripes exist uniformly - hence why the job seemed chill in comparison to you - but they are a possibility. If things like *****y working conditions were brought up, it wasn't because every dispensary is bad, but because some of them are - and it's better to go into the degree aware that the job isn't always roses than to be blindsighted by it the first day of pre-reg. I will also emphasize there is a more to job than checking the odd presciption and making phone calls.
Hospital pharmacy is considered better because it's more interesting. Community can be a little... mindless, for lack of a better term. Occasionally you'll get an interesting prescription or over-the-counter question, but for the most part, it's dispensing the same medications over and over and telling people how to manage a common cold. Some people do genuinely enjoy this, but with hospital, you get far more direct involvement with the patient's care plans. Of the two, hospital utilizes more of the degree, I feel.
Also, while it may not be obvious from a two-week placement, there can be huge pressure in community to meet targets, sometimes to the point of bullying by management. About a year ago, Bootswas reported on for pressuring Pharmacists to perform MURs for profit, rather than need -
https://www.theguardian.com/business...rmacists-union
https://www.theguardian.com/business...ood-of-letters
I would read both of those. Also, it's not just Boots pulling this kind of crap, it's all of the big chains - Boots just happened to get caught.
Original post by tcameron
Community pharmacy is in no ways chill. Maybe you wasn't there on a busy day. it is a job that requires a lot of responsibility and therefore holds risk of mistakes constantly.
Perhaps i should retract that statement as i was only there for 3-4 hours a day early morning and off the 2 weeks the main pharmacist probably only stressed out a few days when stock did not arrive. But yes the dispensers and other workers generally stayed busy.
Original post by FallenPetal
On hospital vs. pre-reg...
In hospital, you will be on the pay banding structure, starting at a 6 and moving up to 7 after a few years. There is potential to be a band 8 Pharmacist, but this is usually reserved for very senior roles, so base your pay expectations on 7 banding, which ranges between £30-40K:
http://www.nhsemployers.org/agendaforchange
Community is harder to estimate as it is private, but you can expect something in the £30-40K range.
Comparing the two, hospital generally starts out lower paid, but it does eventually catch up - especially as pay in community isn't what it used to be. That said, specific pay will depend largely on what area of the country you are in. Also, you need to bear in mind that you'll qualify at the earliest in 7 years time, so the pay landscape may be very different.
You don't have to decide what sector you want to go in at any point - it largely depends what pre-reg you decide to do. People who do community pre-regs tend to stay in community, hospital pre-regs tend to stay in hospital. While it is technically possible to switch, the two require different skillsets, so Pharmacists generally prefer to stay within the same field.
Pretty much everything you've read on this forum of Pharmacy has an element of truth to it. I wouldn't say these gripes exist uniformly - hence why the job seemed chill in comparison to you - but they are a possibility. If things like *****y working conditions were brought up, it wasn't because every dispensary is bad, but because some of them are - and it's better to go into the degree aware that the job isn't always roses than to be blindsighted by it the first day of pre-reg. I will also emphasize there is a more to job than checking the odd presciption and making phone calls.
Hospital pharmacy is considered better because it's more interesting. Community can be a little... mindless, for lack of a better term. Occasionally you'll get an interesting prescription or over-the-counter question, but for the most part, it's dispensing the same medications over and over and telling people how to manage a common cold. Some people do genuinely enjoy this, but with hospital, you get far more direct involvement with the patient's care plans. Of the two, hospital utilizes more of the degree, I feel.
Also, while it may not be obvious from a two-week placement, there can be huge pressure in community to meet targets, sometimes to the point of bullying by management. About a year ago, Bootswas reported on for pressuring Pharmacists to perform MURs for profit, rather than need -
https://www.theguardian.com/business...rmacists-union
https://www.theguardian.com/business...ood-of-letters
I would read both of those. Also, it's not just Boots pulling this kind of crap, it's all of the big chains - Boots just happened to get caught.
In hospital, you will be on the pay banding structure, starting at a 6 and moving up to 7 after a few years. There is potential to be a band 8 Pharmacist, but this is usually reserved for very senior roles, so base your pay expectations on 7 banding, which ranges between £30-40K:
http://www.nhsemployers.org/agendaforchange
Community is harder to estimate as it is private, but you can expect something in the £30-40K range.
Comparing the two, hospital generally starts out lower paid, but it does eventually catch up - especially as pay in community isn't what it used to be. That said, specific pay will depend largely on what area of the country you are in. Also, you need to bear in mind that you'll qualify at the earliest in 7 years time, so the pay landscape may be very different.
You don't have to decide what sector you want to go in at any point - it largely depends what pre-reg you decide to do. People who do community pre-regs tend to stay in community, hospital pre-regs tend to stay in hospital. While it is technically possible to switch, the two require different skillsets, so Pharmacists generally prefer to stay within the same field.
Pretty much everything you've read on this forum of Pharmacy has an element of truth to it. I wouldn't say these gripes exist uniformly - hence why the job seemed chill in comparison to you - but they are a possibility. If things like *****y working conditions were brought up, it wasn't because every dispensary is bad, but because some of them are - and it's better to go into the degree aware that the job isn't always roses than to be blindsighted by it the first day of pre-reg. I will also emphasize there is a more to job than checking the odd presciption and making phone calls.
Hospital pharmacy is considered better because it's more interesting. Community can be a little... mindless, for lack of a better term. Occasionally you'll get an interesting prescription or over-the-counter question, but for the most part, it's dispensing the same medications over and over and telling people how to manage a common cold. Some people do genuinely enjoy this, but with hospital, you get far more direct involvement with the patient's care plans. Of the two, hospital utilizes more of the degree, I feel.
Also, while it may not be obvious from a two-week placement, there can be huge pressure in community to meet targets, sometimes to the point of bullying by management. About a year ago, Bootswas reported on for pressuring Pharmacists to perform MURs for profit, rather than need -
https://www.theguardian.com/business...rmacists-union
https://www.theguardian.com/business...ood-of-letters
I would read both of those. Also, it's not just Boots pulling this kind of crap, it's all of the big chains - Boots just happened to get caught.
Hi so if i do pharmacy where most likely i will i think i am more interested in the hospital side which seems tougher but more rewarding if it occurs. Anyway what sector did you do your pre reg in and did you enjoy it?
Original post by M_Hashmi15
Perhaps i should retract that statement as i was only there for 3-4 hours a day early morning and off the 2 weeks the main pharmacist probably only stressed out a few days when stock did not arrive. But yes the dispensers and other workers generally stayed busy.
I'm a pharmacy student going into second year and from doing hospital and community placements I've seen it get very stressful that the pharmacist (usually only one in community) having to be running around to get things done as quick as possible. Also depends the area I guess, if you were next to a GP surgery you'd probably seen it a lot more hectic
Original post by tcameron
I'm a pharmacy student going into second year and from doing hospital and community placements I've seen it get very stressful that the pharmacist (usually only one in community) having to be running around to get things done as quick as possible. Also depends the area I guess, if you were next to a GP surgery you'd probably seen it a lot more hectic
From the 2 which did you enjoy more and think you will be doing a pre-reg in?
Original post by M_Hashmi15
From the 2 which did you enjoy more and think you will be doing a pre-reg in?
Well hard to decide now for sure. But from speaking to a hospital pharmacist at a placement she told me at community there is a lot more risk as there is often only one pharmacist and hard to get second opinions so if you make mistakes it's solely on you. But in hospital, nurses and doctors and other pharmacists are always there to sometimes do the work you don't want to or pick up on mistakes.
Hospital seems more interesting to me tbh because I'm not really a people person if I'm honest and with community you'll really have to be
Original post by M_Hashmi15
Hi so if i do pharmacy where most likely i will i think i am more interested in the hospital side which seems tougher but more rewarding if it occurs. Anyway what sector did you do your pre reg in and did you enjoy it?
Which people prefer out of hospital and community comes down to individuals more than anything else. While hospital work is considered more engaging, has some actual career progression and avoids many of the glaring pitfalls of community, there are still some downsides -
a) Highly competitive.
b) Applicants have to be more prepared to relocate to work in a hospital setting.
c) You have to be prepared to work in hospital for several years before it really pays off
d) Less flexible as locuming is not so much of an option
Community was a no brainer for me, personally, because all of the above was a dealbreaker. Especially c - I wasn't really that interested in a career in Pharmacy, so there was little point in me starting in hospital.
I liked my pre-reg, but I will qualify that statement: The pharmacy I worked at was far from chill. Much of the time, it was disorganized chaos. Oddly, I actually prefered working there compared to 'chill' Pharmacies (I had nothing to do all day and was bored out of my skull), but I've seen firsthand how bad community can get. Ultimately, your working environment will be determined by people above your head, people who are incentivised to put profit ahead of your patient's safety - and the kicker is that if something happens you will be the one held responsible, not them.
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