Yes, the Pharmacy Market is Saturated!

So let me dispel the misconception that getting a pharmacy degree ensures your job safety for the rest of your life

Many people tell me, "Oh you are lucky you are getting a pharmacy degree because there will always be demand for pharmacists."

YES and NO

Yes, health care professionals will always be needed.

No, the pharmacists market is currently saturated so getting a pharmacy job is just as difficult and competitive as any other job.

After attending a pharmacy career night tonight, I learned how saturated the market really is and that many companies are not hiring in certain areas or hiring at all. Also, there are more pharmacy schools popping up around the country making jobs more competitive.

Attending 6 years of school and getting a pharmacy degree does not guarantee ANYTHING especially in this economy or the current market and it especially does not guarantee "luck" as many people tell me.

October is American Pharmacists Month!

In the last quarter century, pharmacy has expanded its role within the health care delivery system from a profession focusing on preparation and dispensing of medications to patients to one in which pharmacists provide a range of patient-oriented services to maximize the medicine's effectiveness.

Pharmacy is practiced in a wide range of settings: community pharmacies, hospitals, long term care facilities, the pharmaceutical industry, mail service, managed care, and government (Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, Indian Health Service, Public Health Service). A survey identified 112,000 pharmacists in community pharmacy (66,000 in chain pharmacies; 46,000 in independent pharmacies), 40,000 in hospitals, and 21,000 in consulting, government, academic, industry and other settings.

Educational requirements for pharmacists currently include: a six-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). This extensive training makes the pharmacist the most knowledgeable health care professional when it comes to medicines and their use.

The pharmacist is on of the most accessible and most trusted health professional. In 1998 -- for the 10th consecutive year -- America’s pharmacists topped the Gallup Poll list of businessmen and professionals for their "honesty and ethical standards."

Medicines today have great power to heal and to improve the quality of life for millions of Americans. But medicines also may do serious harm if not taken correctly. This is where the role of the pharmacist is most important. You should choose your pharmacist as carefully as you choose a physician. It is best to use only one pharmacy so all medication records are at one location. This way there will be less risk of duplicating medicine or having one prescription interact harmfully with another.

Pharmacists who know their patients and have their medication profiles on file will be aware of possible harmful drug interactions or allergies to certain drugs. The pharmacist also will be able to discuss possible side effects; what foods, drinks, or activities that should be avoided while on a medication; what to do if you miss a dose; and a wide range of other helpful information.

The pharmacist is a key health care professional in helping people achieve the best results from their medications. Americans should choose a pharmacist they trust and build a partnership for good health.

Halloween Costume Ideas

Tic Tac Toe - Glue a container of Tic Tacs to the toe of your shoe.

Paper Shredder - Get some sheets of paper or old bills and envelopes and punch a hole in them. Then put a ribbon or rope through the hole and tie it around your neck. When someone asks what you are, shred some paper!

Quarter Pounder - Carry around some quarters and a hammer. When someone asks you what you are, pound a quarter.

Devil's Advocate - Carry a sign that says, "Vote for the Devil."

Quarterback - Wear a black shirt and tape a quarter to your back.

Cereal Killer - Dress in black and glue mini cereal boxes to your shirt. Stick plastic knives into the boxes and add some ketchup for "blood."

Black-Eyed Pea - Paint black circle around your eye and wear a white T-shirt with a large letter "P" on it.

Zebra - Wear a bra on the outside of your shirt and paint the letter "Z" on it.

Buccaneer - Hang a dollar from each ear.

CD Burner - Wear a blank CD around a neck and carry a pack of matches or a lighter.

God's Gift to Women - Gift wrap a large box and cut holes in the top and sides for your head and arms. Add a gift tag that says "To: Women" and "From: God."

Babysitter - Strap a doll to your rear-end and sit on it.

Peter Pan - Put a pan on your head with a name tag on it that says, "Hello, I'm Peter."

Dr. Pepper - Wear medical scrubs and attach peppers to your shirt.

Identity Crisis - Wear any color shirt and stick name tags, each with a different name, on the shirt.

What Psychiatric Patients Can Teach the World

1. Every person is an human being so treat them as you would want to be treated.

2. Judging other people makes you ignorant and makes you miss out on a lot of extraordinary opportunities

3. The problems that I worry about on a day to day basis are insignificant in comparison to the problems that psychiatric patients deal with.

4. Everyday, be grateful for the mental, physical and emotional health that you have, as these are the most important things in life.

5. Everyday, be grateful for the upbringing you had (you may not have gotten a new car at 16, but you were not abused, beat down, abandoned, exposed to drugs, pressured into theft, etc)

6. Psychosis DOES NOT equal dumb. Psychotic people have unique talents and skills just like all other humans.

More lessons to be learned...

Stop #5 on My Rotation Tour!

I am now back on some more familiar ground in Des Moines; however, I do miss good old Emmetsburg.

I am completing my fifth rotation at a county hospital, focusing mainly on the psychiatric patients that come in. I am working with a professor from Drake at the site who is phenomenal. Since most students really enjoy the professor and learn a lot from the professor in class and at the site, this particular rotation site becomes highly sought after.

The rotation gets me up early in the morning but keeps me going all day so there is little time to get bored or even look at the clock. Since a Drake faculty member is the preceptor, the rotation is very organized, scheduled and BUSY (with projects, presentations, questions and assisting in teaching a course). No day is the same but I like it that way. I am already learning a lot in just the first few days. The patients not only teach me about their mental illnesses but about life lessons, how to treat others, being nonjudmental and the good in life. I can only imagine how fulfilling this rotation will be in the end!

Congratulations!

Congratulations the newlyweds,

Mr. and Mrs. Hollis!!

I had the honor of being apart of this very special couple's wedding this weekend. The bride I have known since kindergarten and the groom for over 7 years. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception in downtown Chicago was unforgettable. I wish them only the BEST!