A Career In Pharmaceutical Journal Analysis

I have graciously been given the opportunity to broaden my horizons and learn a variety of practices in the pharmaceutical environment. Since the October of 2017 I have been employed at Hoey Apothecary under the care and teaching of many pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. At Hoey Apothecary I work as a pharmacy assistant, and only because of the Youth Apprenticeship Program that Monona Grove High School has offered to it’s students. During my time in the program I having developed a variety of skills and learned the inner works of the cooperation between the technicians and pharmacists. Specifically as an assistant, I am tasked with the responsibilities of; ensuring that the patients are receiving the correct prescription, at the right time,

As future pharmacists, we are going to face with not only the medications but also the patients, which the former ones are our tools while the latter ones are the people we use correct tools to care about. We are required to combine our pharmacy knowledge among medications with patients’ different health conditions to create the patient-centered care and provide the best outcomes. However, this care trend is in transition now, from professional-orientated to patient-centered.

During the two and a half years of my pharmacy journey, I have been thinking what can a pharmacist do within the healthcare interprofessional team to better help the patients in order to achieve the best health outcome. I work in a clinic as well as inpatient pharmacy, additionally, I had my rotations at CVS and Regions Hospital. all these experiences shape my version of the pharmacists at different settings. Therefore, in various pharmacy settings, pharmacists can work differently with the whole healthcare team. The recent PED-Rx events inspired me how important pharmacists can play roles in when working in a team.

The contribution of pharmacists in a clinical setting and community pharmacy is significant that the workforce benefit from. When the workforce understands their medications and complies with the prescribed treatment plans the work center becomes healthy and the potential of increased productivity becomes a realistic and profitable proposition for the organization. When the workforce takes advantage of the healthcare services the pharmacists provide in a community and clinical pharmacies productivity and profit are at high potential reality.

I have spent my time as a student pharmacist learning about opportunities within clinical pharmacy and making certain that I was equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed. In my pursuit, I became an active member of pharmaceutical organizations, held multiple leadership positions, attended clinical conferences, established research projects, participated in community service events, and other initiatives. I excelled academically, which was manifested in not just a high academic standard but also in tutoring fellow classmates and arranging sessions with other pharmacy students to help them improve time management and study skills. I shadowed pharmacists and residents before my advanced pharmacy practice experiences commenced to discover which areas of clinical pharmacy I found intriguing. I have obtained valuable pharmacy practice experiences in five specialties thus far including inpatient internal medicine, long term acute care, geriatrics and telehealth, and primary care. Through these rotations, I built upon the knowledge I acquired from my didactic courses but also developed patient-centered approaches and strengthened my clinical skills. I enjoyed many aspects of my rotations, including contributing pharmacotherapy recommendations, providing patient education, attending rounds and interdisciplinary team meetings – all of which have solidified my desire

Pharmacists have many different responsibilities to their patients, these include promoting patient’s safety through checking the patient’s medication and keeping good records every time a patient fills a new prescription or refills prescription filled (Leagle, 1994). Pharmacists should also improve

Studying at the West-Mec Pharmacy Technician program will eventually help me reach my long term goal of becoming a hospital pharmacist. This program will give me the benefit of hands-on training and will teach me the necessary skills that are required for a pharmacy technician. I want to have a career as a pharmacist in the future and I understand that becoming a pharmacy technician is not required, but it is a huge benefit. Pharmacists dispense medication and other remedies. They need to understand the importance of doses, allergens and other chemical reactions that may cause harm to the patients. Because of this, pharmacists are important to the medical field. I chose a pharmacist as my career because I want to ensure that my patients

The demand for the medical services offered by pharmacists increases every year as the elderly population grows and the number of prescriptions increases to meet their needs. The United States Census Bureau recently found that 1 in 5 Americans will meet the age criteria necessary to be considered elderly. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores projects the growth of filled prescriptions in the United States from 4.1 billion in 2015 to 4.7 billion by 2021. Pharmacists perform a variety of tasks beyond just filling prescriptions, such as researching new drugs, working in hospitals, and writing patents. The high demand for pharmacists provides a wide array of career choices in both the private and public sectors.

When I was in high school, I had a mentor ask me, “What career would you like to have when you graduate”? Those words still lingering in my head until this day and to be honest I really didn’t know what answer to give him because I was still unsure. He then chose to put it in my mind that Pharmacy Technicians are important and they are needed just about every day. I took it upon myself to do some research. In 2010, I read that in 2009, there were approximately 267,000 pharmacists and, in 2008, 326,300 pharmacy technicians. Between 2003 and 2009, the number of pharmacists in the workforce increased by 35,000.

Anyone within Pharmacy can tell you that multitasking and communication skills are your two best friends. On a tuesday when I was at Wallgreens, for an example, a lady came in and one of the technicians did not hear the woman correctly so she

I noticed that sometimes the pharmacists were dealing with people who were rude and thankless. The rudeness of others did not scare me away from pursuing pharmacy because I knew the pharmacists were only doing their best to provide the patients with quality service. This reminded of my experiences with service and how sometimes it is a thankless task, but that does not mean the task is any less significant. Personally, I found that the willingness to answer my questions and give me advice about my medication to be very positive experiences. These encounters with my pharmacists made me feel confident that I had found the place within healthcare where I would receive the personal sense of fulfillment that I had hoped to

I began working as a pharmacy technician in September of 2015. I became a certified pharmacy technician in July 2015. As a technician, I am responsible for accurate entry of patient data and prescriptions, filling prescriptions, mixing compounds, and answering and making phone calls. Communication skills were vital in clarifying prescription with doctors’ offices and resolving insurance rejections. At the pharmacy, I have developed a strong understanding of pharmacology. Patient privacy and exceptional customer service were paramount practice.

As we know today technology plays an important role in everyday life. Whether its business related or simply making communication much faster it also plays a big part in pharmacies world-wide. With community pharmacies expanding and more prescriptions getting filled in each day, technology can help speed up the process of drug preparation. Reduce the number of medical errors, and help patients have access to health care by reducing the need of hospital attendance. With the benefits of technology in pharmacy practice this helps physicians or pharmacist have more time with their patients and go over medications needed.

As the medical industry grows, new jobs form, however, pharmaceuticals continues to play a major role in health care. Moreover, “pharmacists are assuming increasingly critical roles in modern health care teams, providing direct patient care and advocacy” ("A Brief History of Pharmacy," 2016). To begin with, pharmacists are the medical workers who dispense prescription and medication to patients and have special knowledge of the use, composition, and effects of the medication they give. Pharmacists must be able to provide safe and efficient medication, offer advice, and provide accurate prescriptions for all their patients. There are many types of pharmacists like “clinical, community, and consulting pharmacists” ("What Pharmacists Do," 2015). In addition, although additional exams may be needed for the transfer of licensure depending on which state one goes to, pharmacists are employed in every part of the United States. Furthermore, pharmacists can work in pharmacies that are in the grocery or drugstore, the clinic or hospitals, or they could work for the government. Pharmacists are important members of the health care team by ensuring the patient take proper medication and avoid harmful drug interaction. However, before they could start working and aiding others, students pursuing a career in pharmaceuticals must first go through at least six years of school and graduate as a Doctor of Pharmacy. Then the graduated student must pass two exams, a licensure, and a law exam

The pharmaceutical industry has and is still an evolving field. Pharmacists are educated professionals who not only distribute medications, but they also give patients reassurance and build a trust within the community. I am part of that trust and relationship as I had numerous visits to the pharmacy while growing up.