Health Occupations

Part I: Outline for research paper

My prime objective is to scrutinize such job as pharmacist and define its

purpose, details, pitfalls and hazards associated with it, and career path.
Research paper will provide comprehensive rationalization of the
occupation field by introducing interpretation of the job after an
interview with health professional employed as pharmacist for two years
minimum.

This occupation focuses on three principles:

1. Community interaction and perception of the contribution of
pharmacy as a whole. There are distinct financial burdens and expenses
related to this type of job. This point identifies socio-economic
determinants of health.
2. Environmental determinants advocate the natural resources
involved in this occupation. The outcomes the process has on the global
condition of world also plays a crucial role in pharmacist’s branch of
activity.
3. The importance of proper understanding of the health-related
problems and solutions to them. Clinical pharmacist is a professional of
the highest class in the sphere of rational use of drugs. Adequate
communication and interaction with people can prompt advancements in
their personal behavior determinants.

Plan of the research

Three internet sources I am going to use to implement this research:

1. Explore Health Careers. Retrieved from
https://explorehealthcareers.org/career/pharmacy/pharmacist/#:~:text=Ph
armacists%20are%20medication%20experts%20and,appropriate%20use
%20of%20their%20medications.
2. Pharmacy is right for me. Retrieved from
https://pharmacyforme.org/learn-about-pharmacy/
3. Indeed Editorial Team. (2021, August 17). What Is the Job of a
Pharmacist? (With Salaries and FAQs). Retrieved from
https://ca.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-does-a-
pharmacist-do

Questions prepared for an interviewee and answers

1. What specifically do you do? What are your duties and

responsibilities?
“I am a certified clinical pharmacist. I have a NAPLEX license which
enables me to practice patient-facing work. My job involves cooperation
with healthcare providers, particularly doctors in clinics and hospitals. I
am an important element in this interconnected chain of professionals,
because I develop new drugs, investigate diseases and the organism’s
responses to the cure and peculiar chemical compounds. Furthermore,
what lies in the root of my responsibilities is prescribing those
medications for various health conditions.”
2. Describe some of the most challenging situations you have faced in
this job.
“Once I had a situation in my workplace when consultant refused to
change a medicine, I strongly believe was not suitable for a patient. In
addition to pills causing placebo effect, they also jeopardized the health
of an individual. It was sort of an internal conflict: I have the uttermost
respect for the consultant as we are both in the same occupational area,
however my first and foremost priority is person’s wellbeing, so
eventually I negotiated with the health consultant and assured him to
permit person to switch to another suggested medication. Another thing
that came to my mind is performing under pressure of limited time.
Relatively recently my task was to create 300 samples of vaccine in one
day. In terms of such responsible and precise job it is not bad to have
time allotted for your assignment, because it helps to maintain a
structured plan. On the other hand, I felt lack of time to have a rest and it
consequently affected my focus and ability to tackle different
procedures.”
3. What aspects of this job do you find most satisfying? Least
satisfying? Are you satisfied with this job?
“Generally speaking, I am an ardent supporter of chemistry and I really
enjoy the process of creation of a drug itself. The way you prepare
special substances, warm them at a particular temperature or boil, mix
and stir, modify the parts and with every single try make your final
product better and more effective. What also interests me in my job is
the invention of the medication and the long pathway I need to go
through form the birth of an idea and up to the achievement and
distribution. I spend days and weeks and in rare occasions month in my
laboratory cabinet before introducing my development into broad mass.
The positive facets to my job are simultaneously causing some
downsides. For example, the necessity to wait for a long time while
arriving to the most efficient and appropriate form of a drug. While
formulating something, I understand how many people are eagerly
anticipating the release of the new drug and how many lives could have
been saved. It is also very unpalatable to admit that in society’s eyes, we
– pharmacists – are superheroes, and we truly are by making a
significant contribution into treatment and patient care, but sometimes
we get discouraged with questions that we cannot give answers to.
Nevertheless, this point can be assessed from second angle: cure and
innovative medications are yet to come and completely alter our world
and there is still ample space for discoveries. I guess it depends on the
approach person have chosen to deal with problem: stress, mental block,
and stimulus, ambition are two sides of the same coin. Frankly, I love
my job and I could not imagine myself at any other position. I am
contented with my work and I reckon that great part of myself definitely
belongs to it. Pharmacy is my vocation that empowers me to synthesize
working models.”
4. What types/positions/variations of this job exist? What are the career
options?
“I have been working as a pharmacist for seven years and now I can
assure you that it is not exceptionally about being employed in
pharmacy. Of course, it is possible to remain in a store, but if you wish
to extend your horizons, you may want to join other variants and
courses. Pharmacy is rapidly expanding profession which is classified
into such job opportunities as pharmacist (which in turn is divided into
multiple subtypes), pharmacy technician, pharmacy manager, staff
pharmacist, director of pharmacy, and also pharmacist in charge. You
can always find the niche exactly for you after obtaining the required
qualifications.”
5. How do you rate the importance and meaningfulness of this job?
“Personally, I think that it is fundamental to emphasize how important it
is for people to have pharmacy these days. Starting from a usual
situation of worsening in health condition or illnesses that do not require
hospitalization, and including severe diseases and disorders and serious
medical researches, people seek help in pharmacy and namely such
specialists as pharmacists. It would be no exaggeration to say that this
kind of work has saved lives. As regards the depth of sense of this job,
constant enhancements and new developments demonstrate people that
we could not live normally without pharmacists. Core notion of
pharmacy and pharmacology is preservation of life on the planet, so this
concept proves the idea of vitality and wellness.”
6. What projects have you worked that have been particularly
interesting?
“Many things had happened with me during ages of work and some
proposals are engraved on my memory forever. Being employed as a
pharmacist opens the doors to new chances and it is not limited by only
doing theoretical work. One of the most bright memories I have are from
the projects I was invited to. I recall working at the WHO research
center. WHO hired qualified health care professionals as well as
pharmacists and scientists. The main aim was to investigate society’s
approach to virus and provide aid in the form of effective medications.
The project was held at the massive outbreak of the COVID-19, at the
time when majority of people was scared and did not know what exactly
to do to prevent the disease. However, that campaign both tested people
who voluntarily agreed to take part in it and immunized with vaccines.
That was an impeccable grant into further betterment. Working with
people and seeing their reaction is always interesting. I remember
working at the laboratory, which also resembled farm, where specially
trained team of workers either with education in the sphere of pharmacy
or biochemistry created the milk of mice. Mice and rats are that types of
animals that are often exploited in industrial testing processes and
scientific trials. When it comes to milk, we usually think of cow, goat,
and perhaps sheep as the animal source, but turns out that mouse can
produce extremely useful and healthy milk, which is used for medical
purposes, due to the fact that in its chemical structure it has one gene
completely similar to people’s gene.”
7. What skills and personal characteristics/attributes do you feel
contribute most to success in this type of work?
“Needless to say, successful pharmacists have good memory, show
outstanding knowledges in the disciplines of biology, chemistry, math
and physics, have flair for science and are detail-oriented. Aspects that
are also very important and connected to professional work of
pharmacists include the following: willingness to work very hard
continually, communication, leadership capabilities, critical thinking,
teamwork skills, determination. Computer proficiency is widely
welcomed as nowadays the prevalent way of tackling tasks is via
computer and electronic devices and many measurements of pharmacy
align with computer.”
8. What educational preparation is recommended for an entry-level
position in this field?
“After getting high school diploma or equivalent, an individual must
complete their study and obtain a diploma in bachelor’s degree or pursue
a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), which requires at least six years of
post-secondary study. Next step is taking PCAT (Pharmacy College
Admission Test) – an aptitude test for pharmacists. The Doctor of
Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree program requires at least 2-years of
specific preprofessional (undergraduate) coursework followed by 4-
academic years (or 3-calendar years) of professional study. Pharmacy
colleges and schools may accept students directly from high school for
both the pre-pharmacy and pharmacy curriculum, or after completion of
the college course prerequisites. Students interested in laboratory or
research experience can continue their education by completing a Master
of Science or Ph.D. degree (Explore Health Careers, 2022).”
9. How did you prepare yourself for this kind of work?
“After graduating and finishing my bachelor degree I took a NAPLEX
exam, which is basically a certification that allows me to work as a
hospital pharmacist. I knew exactly that clinical pharmacist implies
having that license, but in spite of this fact I also realized that if
circumstances change and I would need to work for another type of
pharmacist I will nevertheless have this license which proves my
permission to be a pharmacist. I must admit that I studied a lot and
pondered whether I really want to be a pharmacist. I understand that
pharmacy involves work with people and most importantly their health
and wellness so I need to be informed of the latest inventions and
changes and be confident in the medical topic. Otherwise I cannot be
proclaimed a specialist in this field. On top of that, work in a clinic is
really energy consuming and the workload is high, so in order to ensure
the highest efficacy of work I have to get enough rest.”
10. What prior experiences (paid or unpaid) would be helpful for
someone pursuing a job in this field?
“It is beneficial to have previous experience working with an inventory
management system. If you are familiar with this process and know how
to handle this technology, you are likely to be comfortable with these
programs to meet patient needs. By and large, teamwork skills always
play an essential role in determining whether you will be able to pursue
a job in real life. Having hospital or community pharmacy experience
increases your chances of proceeding with a job of pharmacist.
Moreover, depending on what kind of pharmacist you want exactly to
apply, business or project management background can be really useful.
In practice, people who are employed as behind the counter pharmacists,
pharmacy technicians or even people who run their own business of a
pharmaceutical company find such specialized skills valuable. You can
also build up your productivity if you have worked in community-based
public health agency. Any experience in regard to factual recognition of
natural science subjects is significant. For instance, various scientific
competitions and researches are taken into account by managers when
employing a person on particular job. It demonstrates that you have been
absorbed by this broad scope of knowledges and casts light on many
personal features as responsibility, accountability and accuracy.”
11. What is the employment outlook? How much demand is there for
people in this field?
“Pharmacy will definitely continue to broaden its sphere of influence.
As our population grows, the necessity for qualified specialists rises,
too. Employment is predicted to face a surge in pharmacist job market.
Working environment encompasses retail pharmacies, which are
operated by chain drugstores, supermarkets, and mass merchants,
clinics, hospitals, laboratories, governmental structures, and offices.
There are also several advancement prospects: person primarily engaged
in hospital pharmacy can possibly upgrade to the ruling position of chief
pharmacist or director of pharmacy after accumulating considerable
quantity of practice. I believe that soon enough there will be increasing
request for young individuals, whose passion is pharmacy. Specialists’
task is to delegate society towards move of healthy living and rational
use of drugs. As I have stated before, the demand for professionals will
only soar, especially taking into consideration the latest events and
circumstances presented as global pandemics and hostilities.”
12. Explain for whom this type of work is the most suitable.
“Strong-willed students may be defined as those prepared to undertake
this job. Furthermore, if person is ready to dedicate to the scientific
research, he or she will achieve success in this theme. I would like to
mention the struggle of motives that some people tend to have. They do
not want to be occupied precisely as doctor at hospital, but still are
engrossed in medicine, biology, and chemistry. In this case pharmacy is
the best occupational field for people, because they still can conduct
researches and examine the medicinal chemistry and aid people in form
of healthcare.”
13. Would you recommend this type of work to anyone? What would
you say to those who want to apply for this job in future?
“Although I am employed as clinical pharmacist for 7 years, I am not
empowered to impose that type of work on anyone. Everything on our
planet must be balanced. Not everyone is capable of working in this
occupation, whereas the world simultaneously would gain no advantages
if there were no other professions and people specially prepared for
them. I can only suggest people to start their journey and advocate them
for right decisions. It is neither precaution nor warning – it is my sheer
advice. People who already see themselves employed as pharmacists and
combine their talent with characteristics mentioned before may listen to
my tips and tactics. Nowadays we see an increasing need for individuals
engaged in pharmacy and drug development. My response is devoted
not only to the potential target audience, who is somehow interested in
medicine or science-related disciplines, but every person who wants to
be educated and know more about prospects of working as a pharmacist.
Regardless of where exactly you want to work, whether it is druggist,
clinical research, pharmacological industry, or experiments on the basis
of laboratory or even the leader of the company, you have to remember
that your effort means you can save life and gradually make its quality
better. Never give up. If it seems to you that pharmacy is your vocation
– then go ahead and do whatever it takes on your way to reach the goal.
Keep in mind that development and education never end and only by
studying your whole life and honing your skills you can keep your brain
in tone.”
14. What is the best way to search for work in this type of work? What
are the advancement opportunities?
“There are actually multiple ways that you can use to approach
pharmacy, but my general recommendation is to be in constant
movement, and therefore it is not an isolated case when companies or
factories notice how hard-working you are and send you an invitation
letter. Keep lines of communication open. You can also look for the job
online by browsing the opportunities in your area. You may even go to
your local pharmacy to inquire whether or not it requires workers. Do
not forget to analyze the credibility and asses the reputation of the
company when revising their website or data. Another effective method
is signing up for an interview where you can show your abilities and
knowledges. Majority of pharmaceutical students serve their internship
at hospitals to finish their medical qualification and at the same time to
train, thus they can become assistants or remain in that hospital for a
longer period. Advancement pathways vary from the area of pharmacy.
Now there are up to 13 areas to specialize in. This demonstrates great
flexibility. This way, a clinical pharmacist can go on and delve deeper
into research or science, pharmacist in charge may become a director,
and of course besides that fact, any pharmacist can additionally graduate
the pedagogy and teach other students in medical colleges.”
15. What is the salary range for various positions in this field?
“To be honest with you, there is a wide range of factors that affect the
salary of pharmacists. For instance, the location of their work, country,
identical version of pharmacy, previous experience, and marks of the
exam. Because of that, my statistics might be slightly irrelevant to those
commonly promulgated now. Present-day average annual salary is
$125,000 - $130,000. Wages typically start from $75,000 and go up to
as high as $165,000 per year. The amount of money that worker earns
differs according to their professional orientation. By and large, head
pharmacists, directors of the pharmacy, and those who lead the
organization apply not only their practical knowledges, but strategies of
management, and all of the above makes this layer the most profitable.
Next position is occupied by pharmacists in charge. Following level is
shared between clinical pharmacists and managers. Lastly, such
professionals as staff pharmacists close the list of pharmacists’ profits.
However, it is important to mention that there exist novel practice
settings of pharmacists’ occupations apart from conventional ones:
federal health center, fellowships, veterinary pharmacy, pharmacy
analytics and business intelligence, ambulatory care pharmacy,
psychiatric pharmacy, and pharmacy informatics.”
16. Is it possible to take a tour of the agency/organization?
“Yes, absolutely. It is possible for an individual to take a look at the
place they would like to work in. For example, if you wish to preferably
join the clinic I am working in, you can easily contact the office directly
with your inquiry, explain your situation and exemplify your choice with
facts, after that you should register yourself as a visitor, schedule your
visit, and you are welcome to attend the clinic. As far as I can tell, our
clinic with pleasure encourages greater diversity in admissions.”