The Absence | A Short Film

A middle manager at a shadowy corporation, Benjamin Moss is just following orders when he accepts an important mission to hunt down stolen documents.

When he arrives at a mysterious town where many of the inhabitants have vanished, he is forced to confront the devastating consequences of his work and must choose whether or not to continue to obey his messianic boss.


The Absence from Alex DeMille on Vimeo.

Superhero Pharmacist Depression

I'm telling you prospective pharmacy students, the profession of pharmacy is increasingly dynamic.

Pharmacists are also continuously losing their professional autonomy. You may begin your schooling with certain expectations about your career choice, but those expectations can change 180-degrees, even before your graduate. Those changes are also going to happen out of your control, and mainly under the direction of corporate demands.

Some pharmacists can't live happily working under those conditions.

So, if you decide to become a superhero pharmacist without researching whether you're well-suited for constant change, working in a restrictive corporate environment, sitting in a cubicle all day, or can't deal with further loss of autonomy, then your career choice may eventually affect your psyche.

But, don't just take my word for it. See for yourself -


Source: Andrew M Films | HT: Gizmodo: The Depressing Truth About Being a Superhero

Do You Want To Be A RoboPharmacist?

I think that I may have mentioned a while back that I went to pharmacy school mainly to please my ex-wife, who said that she wouldn't stay married to me if I didn't become a pharmacist. As Dr. Phil might say to me. "So, how's that working out for you?"

I know that times are tough, and that you're seeking the safety of a well-paying career. But before you apply to pharmacy school, makes sure that a pharmacist is truly someone you can envision being.

Do you really want to become part of a profession where conformity rules, where many of us can only survive if we "comply" with corporate demands, and are expected to "obey" without complaint? Can you envision becoming a robopharmacist, working for one of the PBMs or one of the chains? Can you do that for 25 years?

Be true to yourself, and don't do anything because someone else pressures you into it. Just imagine what your first job interview would be like after graduating and becoming licensed if you did.

[Damn! Perfect original video link removed by source]

From The Beginning | An Ending

It's hard to believe I've been writing this pharmacy blog for two years now. And you know what?

It's also been two years since I've last worked in a pharmacy. After I quit my last job, I told everyone that I was finished working as a pharmacist. Of course they didn't believe me, and even in the back of my own mind, perhaps I didn't really fully believe it myself. It was very difficult walking away from a lucrative position, but I did it.. and I'm glad I did. I live a MUCH happier life now.

But now that I'm out of it, I'm not sure how long I can continue writing about pharmacy.

Logically, if someone is not working in the profession, that person can't fully understand what's going on and offer credible views and opinions. Plus, as time goes on, I don't really care what happens with pharmacy either. Pharmacy is quickly becoming a part of my past, and I'm losing interest in it.

So, while I'm thankful for the people who've been reading my blog from the beginning, understand that I'm probably going to be writing less frequently, less about pharmacy, and more about human nature, crime, ethics, morality, safe sex, politics, or any other unusual crapola that interests me personally.

I'm Just A Professional

A 50-year-old Canton pharmacist who owned and operated 26 pharmacies in the metro-Detroit area was sentenced to 17 years in prison, U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today.

According to the USDOJ press release -

Evidence presented at a six-week jury trial concluding in August 2012 showed between 2006 and 2011, the pharmacies billed Medicare and Medicaid more than $57 million. At least 25% of those billings were for drugs that were either medically unnecessary never dispensed. Additional amounts were fraudulently billed to private insurers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

The pharmacies operated on a business model that paid kickbacks to physicians in exchange for writing prescriptions for expensive medications. The affiliated doctors would also write prescriptions for controlled substances, without regard to medical necessity, which would be filled at the pharmacies and distributed to paid "patients" and patient recruiters. The expensive non-controlled medications would be billed but not dispensed.

Of the 26 defendants charged in the original indictment in this case, 20 defendants have either pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial. Six defendants are scheduled for trial in June. Out of 12 pharmacists charged, 11 have been convicted at trial or pleaded guilty, with one waiting to be tried. Out of four doctors charged, two have pleaded guilty, with two waiting to be tried. (my emphasis)

I know that I've discussed this topic before, and probably will again, but if this USDOJ press release doesn't illustrate the legal consequences of difficult choices a healthcare professional faces in the workplace every day, and learning to say "NO!" when it's appropriate, then I don't now what else will.

Attempting to rationalize poor choices by saying "Everyone else is doing it.", using the excuse that "I'm just doing my job." or that "I'm just a professional following orders." isn't going to save your ass.

I understand that there a lot of inequities in both the healthcare and judicial systems, and that you may be thinking that you're in desperate financial circumstances, but the Government is CRACKING DOWN HARD on both healthcare fraud AND prescription drug abuse. Don't let our job defeat you.

Make the right choices and don't put yourself in a position that you may later come to regret.

Just Watching The Wheels

It seems as though other pharmacists just can't understand how I could quit the profession and enjoy sitting at home watching the wheels go 'round and 'round. Truthfully, I'm happy not working, not being rushed all of the time, not getting it from both ends, and being able to view things independently.

Putting The Past Behind Me

I'm tired of bitching about my career choice and I've reached a new decision point in my life. I think that I've said all that I have to say about pharmacy and will begin traveling down a different path.

So, I've decided to quit working as a pharmacist and am putting my past behind me. I'm not too sure what's on the horizon for me, but I can safely say that it won't be something in the healthcare field.

If you're wondering why I've come to this career decision, I'm pretty sure that my previous blog posts and Tweets explain it. Otherwise, this video pretty much sums up my journey as a pharmacist on the run, always in search of greener pastures that don't exist.

[Original video link removed by source]