[Hardastarboard]

Pharmacy requires even more education now than it used to. Like many professions, the education requirements have been raised. I have heard from a couple of pharmacists that it's not a particularly gratifying profession, either. Any FReeper pharmacists care to weigh in?

[Mr Ramsbotham]

Correct me on this, someone, but it's hard to see why the education requirement is so stringent if all you're doing is dispensing drugs, as opposed to compounding them from scratch. It would be like needing a degree in biology to count out eight chicken nuggets and put them in a box.

[ClearCase_guy]

Slightly related:

The WSJ a few months ago had a profile of two guys (brothers-in-law, I believe). One was a doctor. He worked long hours, struggled with tons of red tape and regulation, saw many patients, and earned $150,000. Good money, certainly, but not fabulous. The other guy was a dentist. He worked short hours, had little red tape, had a friendly family-oriented practice, and earned $300,000. He said, "Dentistry is a great career. I always tell people to have their kids go into it. But, as soon as the government decides to do to me what they did to general medical, the good times will disappear."

[WillamShakespeare]

Why do we need so many pharmacists? Like Tom Cruise says all you need is excercise and vitamins.

[sittnick]

Of course, this doesn't bother feminists and liberal democrats (e.g. Blagojevich of Illinois) who want to force pharmacists to provide abortifacients and "morning after" pills against their conscience.

[vetvetdoug]

There was a previous discussion about medical related salaries where I noted that all of the pharmacists in my area clear $100K and was soundly dissed. The physicians, orthopods/anesthesiologists/cardiologists/neurologists, all clear $300K or better per year. GP physicians average here about $200K/year. I watch what other medical professionals make because I have the same amount of education and make $55K as a veterinarian.

[4everontheRight]

My husband works for a company that writes software for pharmacies, medical offices, etc. The big thing with his company and their competitors is robotic pharmacists....machines to dispense drugs. I am afraid the shortage won't matter soon.

[old-ager]

Can you say H-1 ?

[MarkL]

I've got a number of family members who are (retired) pharmacists. They're continually getting calls for full or part time work. I also know a married couple who are both pharmacists, and they LOVE their work, and they're making a ton of money.

I've heard that some companies are offering "signing bonuses" as high as $20,000 for a 5 year committment.

Mark

[SirLinksalot]

Can a Pharmacist's job be conceivably outsourced at all ?

[Joe Miner]

Just learning to read doctors' scribbles probably takes a year or two of college.

[small voice in the wilderness]

Bump...

[cynicom]

Most of their time is spent as pill counters. Very little time is spent dispensing advice.

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

"If patients don't have access (to pharmacists), they run the risk of adverse effects from drug interactions."

If the pharmacist isn't there to fill the prescription, maybe the doc's will have to write less - this would certainly go a long way toward reducing adverse drug interactions.

[VOA]

bump

[BikerNYC]

It's the organic chemistry class, a pharmacy major killer.

[television is just wrong]

More HB-1Visas coming more filipino and South American workers to fill a position for jobs Americans won't do.