PRACTICING PHARMACISTS TAKE A LOOK BACK That’s an easy one. I got into Pharma by serendipity and I remember wishing someone had taken time to tell us in pharmacy school about the many wonderful opportunities for pharmacists outside of hospital and retail.
You are your best asset; Invest in yourself early and invest well.
Dr N (New Jersey)
As a foreign graduate, I wish I knew to be more intentional about what it took to get into graduate school and get my pharmacist reciprocity done quicker than I did. Dr O (Massachusetts)
WHAT I WISH I KNEW IN PHARMACY SCHOOL! Strength in crowdsourcing!
W
e asked many early to mid-career pharmacists (mostly females) practicing in various sectors across the country to tell us one thing they wished they knew for sure when they were in pharmacy school or as a fresh graduate. It was so much fun reading their responses because no two responses were 22 CAREER-Rx MAGAZINE
alike. Hear from them in their own words and learn from their own backward glances in the mirrors. I wish I knew that leading an
organization/department would require a robust understanding of effective leadership and how to manage the financials of the department. I would have spent more time studying
those materials and would have either gotten a dual degree MBA or an MBA right after school. Dr. V (Pennsylvania) I wish I knew how broad the profession of pharmacy was and that someone had taught us about all the other roles that pharmacists could effectively fill outside of hospital, retail and Pharma. Dr K (Pennsylvania)
That life after pharmacy school would be a marathon and a path with many exciting twists and turns. I wish I also knew to cultivate stronger relationships with my professors while in school and to maintain some of those relationships even after school. Dr T (Pennsylvania)
I wish someone had explained fully the ins and outs of lifelong professional learning and development. That it goes way beyond getting your continuing education every two years. I wish we had been taught how to be strategic and intentional with professional learning. Dr J (Texas)
I wish I knew to take the hardcore rotations during pharmacy school rather than placing all my eggs in one basket of post-graduate residency.We had a dual PharmD/PA track that would have been an additional 1.5 years. I wish I knew to be a trailblazer and go that route. In short I wish I knew to diversify my skill set back then. Dr U (Arizona)
I wish I had done a full 4 year undergrad program
before entering pharmacy graduate school. I had an Associates degree prior to pharmacy school and although I did quite well, I think the extra experience of completing the undergrad program would have helped with better adjustment. Also I wish I knew to be more intentional about finding my tribe (in this case my wonderful study group) earlier in pharmacy school. I would say the same thing for life after school, be intentional about your relationships, make sure they are life giving ones. Dr C (New Jersey)
I wish I had been taught more about soft skills like emotional intelligence and self regulation. Skills that would have contriuted to being a better team member who can skillfully take a step back and analyze situations and interact better with peers and supervisors on one’s team. Dr A (New Jersey)
— ———————————————————————————————— What about you? What would you add to this based on your recent experience, having successfully graduated as a pharmacist and started out in your career? Even if you think you have nothing to add right now, no matter what, you can always take a healthy dose of learning from what I call OPE or Other People’s Experiences and make with it what you will. Happy careering. We are all rooting for you. CAREER-Rx MAGAZINE
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