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]

Pharmacist Job Market Redux

Following up on my previous post about a tightening pharmacist job market, I think it's important to understand that while employment opportunities are currently available in the profession, there's still a risk that some of us superheroes may face the prospect of unemployment because we don't yet have Federal provider-status recognition protecting us when cost-containment issues involved with the ACA come into effect next year.

But, if we stick together, perhaps we can prevent those potential job losses.

For example, if you find yourself in a difficult position like Master of Degrees, who recently graduated, is at the mercy of repaying a six-figure student loan debt, and whose loan interest rate just doubled, then it may be time to call in Captain Generica for a some backup.

If that Plan A doesn't work, then consider enlisting the services of Plan B, an older and experienced pharmacist who'll show you how to kick 'em where it hurts. The more we help each other, the better.

So remember, while it's important to keep up a good attitude and incorporate a keen sense of humor about becoming unemployed, don't forget that there will be other superhero pharmacists willing to join the fight against being under the thumb of the Just Us League.

Teamwork is the key to victory. If they view pharmacists as a unified formidable force, they'll be less likely to battle against us. All we have to do is to be able to see the big picture, put aside our petty differences, join forces, and consolidate our powers together as one.


The Adventures of Unemployed Man from Unemployed Man on Vimeo.

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.

Eliminating Human Beings From The Hiring Process

There's a reason why corporations have worked so hard to put themselves in the driver's seat over the past decade. With a tough economy and nearly everyone on the internet, one job opening promoted online can receive thousands of applications. Now they can make people jump through all kinds of unnecessary hoops in order to find a job.

So with competition fierce and many firms now using software rather than human beings to hire, Paul Solman explores whether it is worth it to apply online or if there are better strategies to get employed.


Source: PBS Newshour: Making Sen$e

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]

Big Dreams | A Short Film

You've worked hard your entire career, but you never were able to envision the big picture about where you're were headed. It's only after years of experience that you're finally able to see the writing on the wall. And like many professionals who thought the good times would last forever, it's starting to cause you more than a little anxiety.

Tony is one of those professionals. He foolishly bought into the bullshit he was handed by some of the leaders in his profession, and now he has nightmares about his current circumstances.

Unfortunately, a man who doesn't plan ahead and isn't prepared to address his problems, often goes to extreme measures to stop them. For many like Tony, there's no pill that will cure this type of ill.

[Original full video link removed by source]


Big Dreams (2012) - Teaser [ By F.C.Rabbath ] from F.C.Rabbath Creations on Vimeo.

Pharmacist Job Market

It's reportedly a much tougher job market for recent pharmacy graduates. But they're stand-up people, persistent, and with good senses of humor. I'm sure that they'll all be able to use their newly gained powers to eventually find employment in the profession.


Monster.com - Superhero from Townhall on Vimeo.

Which Path Will You Take?

On February 6, 2005, the New York Times reported that Paul Kornak pled guilty to fraud and criminally negligent homicide a month earlier.[1] Kornak was a nonphysician employee at the Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center (SVAMC) in Albany, New York. On November 21, 2005, a federal judge sentenced Kornak to the maximum prison term of six years. According to a local report, "At least one veteran died and 64 others suffered unduly or were harmed by the forgeries, which involved manipulating their medical backgrounds so they would qualify to participate in lucrative drug studies ...."[2] A decade earlier, two pharmacists had warned that patients were placed at risk or had died because of similar unethical experimentation.[2]

This is the first paragraph excerpted from Jeffrey Fudin's story, Blowing the Whistle: A Pharmacist's Vexing Experience Unraveled (pdf) published in Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 2006;63(22):2262-2265. ©2006 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Posted on Medscape.com 01/03/2007

I thought I would mention pharmacist Fudin's story because of three reasons.

Firstly, because it isn't often that you'll hear or read stories of heroic pharmacists, fighting against the multitude of apathetic supervisors, unethical leaders, or criminal operatives found throughout the healthcare system, and risking it all to do the right thing. Jeffrey Fudin is one of those heroes, and someone whose actions I truly admire. He's the kind of pharmacist we should all try to emulate.

Secondly, because most of the abusive, unethical, corrupt, or criminal stories pharmacists discuss with each other usually involve retail or community pharmacy practice. If you've read any pharmacist blogs or Twitter posts, you'll see that the they tend to focus on the abuses suffered at the hands of the chains, the PBMs, or even their patients. Many pharmacists mistakenly tend to think that such abusive situations don't happen as often in hospital pharmacy practice. They do.

I also wanted share pharmacist Fudin's story because, also having worked at VAMCs twice in my itinerant career, I've found the work environments to be THE MOST toxic of any I've experienced, and the hospitals staffed with some of THE MOST sociopathic people (including a few pharmacists) that I've come across in my life. So, I can understand how pharmacist Fudin would, almost unbelievably, have to fight so hard, and against so many, when just trying to the right thing for his patients.

And thirdly, here's the worst part -

One veteran reportedly died because of these intentional crimes. Yet, only one of the perpetrators or enablers was held criminally-liable, and served (minimal) time in prison.

I can't help but wonder - were any of the supervisors whom dismissed pharmacist Fudin's efforts ever even reprimanded for their apathetic or unethical behaviors, are they still working at that one VAMC, or have they retired or moved on to other positions?

If you happen to run into such a supervisor, how will you react? Have you decided beforehand which path will you take when something similar happens to you?

The Interview

It's a tough economy and you've allowed yourself to get into a position where your debt load now leads you into desperation. The pressure is on, now what are you going to do?

How far would you allow yourself to be manipulated by an employer just so you can be underpaid, overworked, unappreciated, and abused by someone who views you simply as a dispensable liability?


The Interview (2011) from Bursteardrum on Vimeo.

Happy Labor Day

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend, that is if you can afford to take it off.


Softwhere music video New Age Wage Slave from Softwhere on Vimeo.

Economic Realities

I think I may have found the reason behind all of the recent economic problems, and perhaps even our long-standing retail pharmacy problems.

Don't Let The Economy Get You Down

It's a tough economy and people are doing whatever they have to in order to provide for their families. But, new pharmacy graduates have it a little easier than most and don't need to take drastic actions. It's not as bad as often perceived. Don't let your fears get the best of you and lead you to make poor employment decisions.

[Original video remove by author]

Are You An Automaton?

One of the unfortunate things about life is that one gets caught up in the enthusiasm of work in the rush to become rich or feel important to others. We always want to "win", to beat the other guy, no matter the potential consequences of our actions. It's only as one gets older and reflects on our past decisions, when we realize our errors in judgment.

I wonder how different the world would be if we reflected beforehand, while we're still young, and didn't follow the herd, didn't blindly follow orders, and didn't become an automaton?

We can do it if we live below our means, avoid debt, keep a well-funded emergency fund, save a significant portion of our earnings, and invest wisely. These simple steps will empower us to say "no" when presented with difficult decisions that could negatively affect ourselves, our loved ones, our peers, and any other innocent victims - and keep us from going down the path to the dark side of healthcare.


Automatons from wreckandsalvage on Vimeo.

Pharmacy Truth In Advertising

The one thing about this profession that I can't stand is all of the phony bullshit and political correctness. How many times have you read a pharmacy job opening that actually told you the truth and what's to be expected? Never, right?

So, when I read this recent pharmacy technician job listing on Craigslist, I couldn't help but crack up. How truthful is this?

We need a Pharmacy technician for 20 hours a week. The office will be moving to Recker and Ray in May, but for now the Pharmacy is at Alma School and Guadalupe. To do this job, you must LISTEN, the last technician just wanted to complain about everything and never let anyone else talk. This job is flexible, and requires scrubs. Bags or Purses will not be allowed in the pharmacy. You will start out as a contractor and then your hours will steadily increase as time goes by. The last technician had a lot of DRAMA, keep your drama at home. I don't want to hear about your Ex, your children or your car, its your job to be here on time at the times that we set up and you are there to work, not talk to your boyfriend/girlfriend, not text your friends, not bid on something on EBAY or shop on Amazon. If you want a job and will work, then apply, if you want a job where you can be social and goof off, look elsewhere.

Whoever wrote this ad, thank you very much for telling it like it is and partially restoring my faith that a few pharmacists actually have the balls to speak their minds.