Not a Necessity

Seeing all the new comercials and advertisements for new drugs definately has an effect on the sales. Think back to the 1990's when there was a new push for anti-depressant drugs such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft. According to the companies, the sales tripled just through the 1990's and they became one of the top-selling categories of drugs sold. But are these drugs safe, even though so many people readily request and purchase them? Since these is evidence that doctors and their offices are linked to these drug companies, have you ever thought about why they are prescribing what they are?

Research suggests that the more doctors are exposed to sales representatives out of the pharmaceutical company, the more likely they are to favor the drugs they have heard most about. They are influenced to prescribe these expensive medications even if there is a different option that is equally effective and less costly to the patient. More recently, there has been several studies on the side effects of these widely used drugs. According to clinical studies, the side effects of anti-depressants can be sexual problems, severe withdrawal, allergy reactions, and increased risk of suicidal behavior. It makes me wonder why a parent concerned about their depressed child would put them on a medication that increases the risk of suicide. Even more severe, research found that the anti-depressant Serzone was linked to hepatitis and even liver failure. I think I would much rather find another way to cope with depression then make my health worse when trying to fix one thing that is wrong. This just proves the most advertised product is not always the best, it is better to know the facts before putting toxic chemicals for things that don't need immediate attention. There was one story during this depression section that really caught my eye. It is from a conference that was held in Washington D.C. that are public meetings. This was their story:

"Our daughter Julie had been excited about college and scored 1300 in her
SATs," Tom Woodward told the FDA advisers soon after the hearing began. A few
weeks after her final school exams, following what her parents describe as a
normal bout of teenage trouble, Julie was diagnosed with depression and
prescribed Zoloft. After a week on the ddrug she went into the family garage and
hung herself. "Instead of picking out colleges for our daughter, my wife and I
had to pick out a cemetery plot for her," Woodward said, his voice full of
sadness and anger. "Instead of looking forward to visiting Julie at school, we
now visit her grave."

Hearing this story, anyone would think twice about taking a prescription if it wasn't absolutely needed. It is known now that many of the people on these medications are not in that "need" category of anti-depressants. It is to make them feel a little better than they were before.

Another new drug stream coming through recently has been hormore replacement treatment through pill supplements. Lesa Henry, head of major drug company Wyeth, has been under a constant criticism for the way she marketed her new and innovative system to help all struggling women through menopause. As the drug came out, she instantly turned to celebrity faces to advertise. She hired supermodel Lauren Hutton to sell the new drugs. The company chose to focus on the consequences of "estrogen loss" and claimed that the following lie ahead for women after menopause: Alzheimer's disease, heart attack, colon cancer, cataracts, teeth loss, night sweats, vaginal dryness, bone fractures, and more. If I were to read this article they wrote in Parade magazine insert, I would be horrified because I honestly don't know all the effects of menopause. This drug company is harboring horrifying things that will scare their patients into buying and exposing themselves to the treatment Wyeth has made. Later, the FDA said regulations forbid Wyeth from making one-sided claims and not mentioning any side effects. But by the time the FDA caught it, the damage was done. The exposure to this new drug was out and people knew about it. It seems the only people you can trust with actual advice is the ones that are not involved with the drug companies. A group like National Women's Health Network advocate that menopause is a natural process and that it is not a disease of deficiency or loss.

Reading through this book, makes me question every advertisement on TV and makes me listen a little closer to the side effects and possible risks of taking the medication. Even though I do believe some people need them, there are those who are prescribed medication that are not in absolute need of the help the drug would do. All the advice from this book says, think twice and read the small print.

These People Are Calling You Sick

As I resume my book, I find more and more interesting facts inside that are blog worthy. As I have said before, these companies and doctors are broadening the guidelines to make everyone a patient. These two doctors from Vermont, Dr. Lisa Schwartz and Dr. Steve Woloshin, are also concerned about this growing trend. Dr. Schwartz says, "It's an effort to make everybody sick, and the trend is global." Later in the book she also says, "We've scared everyone into this state and drugs offer an easy way that you can do something about it." They both agree that the problem isn't lowering your cholesterol, but it is looking at the bigger picture of health and preventing the things that result from the high cholesterol. The cholesterol is the starting point, they are really trying to prevent heart disease, stroke, and premature death. Dr. Schwartz and Dr. Woloshin agree with a majority of modern doctors, that these medications should only be given to patients who have already suffered from some form of the more serious conditions because in those patients, the medications would benefit them the most. They are giving these drugs to people who are not immediately in need of them.


As said in the video, muscle pain or weakness can become a rare but serious side effect. That is the problem with these drugs. Cholesterol lowering medications, or statins as they are called in medical terms, can be harmful for people who have not had serious problems before such as a heart attack or stroke. In the book, it talks about how there is not much long term research done. In a recent review of clinical trials of the statins, only a third of all the trials were fully reported. Most didn't mention any side effect and omitted anything wrong with the drug or even the possible side effects. The two main severe, but rare, side effects of these drugs area fatal muscle wasting condition called rhabdomyolysis and liver damage. Patients who are not in immediately need of these medications are taking a risk of developing new health problems they never had before the drug was taken. The medication Baycol made by Bayer has had 11,000 lawsuit cases against them for these same sever side effects. Bayer claims they marketed the medication responsibly but they are handling each law decision case by case.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review and assess the safety and effectiveness of medications. They are a respected government company that is relied on by all Americans for their decisions about the drugs that come out on the market. During the recent years though, more than half the funding for the FDA comes directly from the pharmaceutical industry. Some of these people's salaries are dependant on the funding. These pharmaceutical giants are dominating the drug world, the patients who buy the products they produce, and even government organizations that consider and review our safety. While I was reading through that paragraph about the FDA, it makes me question the government progam and I wonder if there is any bias there when passing drugs through inspection. No matter who you consider to have knowledge of medications whether is your doctor of the FDA source, they all seem to be connected and may be biased toward these drug companies that are giving so much money back to the source.

The chapter ends in a well written paragraph that I thought was good enough to share.

"Perhaps the biggest obstacle to a more rational debate about cholesterol,
heart disease, or any other health problem, is the simple fact that too many of
the people we turn to for advice on such matters-our doctors-are tied to the
makers of drugs. Sometimes those ties involve serveral hundred thousand dollars
a year, sometimes just a few warm doughnuts."

Natural Approach

As I do still desire to be a pharmacist, I currently work in a very different place. I work for two chiropractors who believe in all natural health. I took a small break from the book I'm reading simply because a lot of the scandals going on throughout the drug world are exactly why my bosses stay away from it. So, I thought I would take a moment to explain a little about the natural side of healing from sickness with no need for prescription drugs.

Dr. Cretsinger and Dr. Cuhel both believe in natural health. They believe the body can heal itself from any disease or sickness and will repair itself back to health. It is shown everywhere throughout the office. Even our white board says, "Health is a natural phenomenon. No prescriptions needed." I've heard many times that the body has powers that not everyone knows about. They deal with patients who are struggling with a variety of issues such as autism, frequent headaches, sinus problems, digestion troubles, joint stiffness, back pain, and anything else that they might be able to help you with. As I have been told, as we take medications and get vaccinated we are actually hurting our bodies and not letting them run at their full potential. I do get adjusted from these doctors and do believe the body can heal itself, in some cases. Both the drug companies and these natural chiropractors are on the opposite side of the battle, while one tries to push as many drugs out as possible the other tries to stay away from any medication no matter what the case.

Some stories are interesting to hear as I sit at the front desk. I have parents share with me about how their children rarely get sick, have had a learning disability and are now functioning normally, and even people who have had serious issues such as seizures and those have stopped altogether. When you hear these experiences of the long time patients, it makes me wonder how that is possible. I grew up knowing the doctor knows all and you take the medication if you are told, it is there to help you. Now working here, it is interesting how just being around these people influence me. Of course I go to the doctor when I am sick in case it is serious, but I no longer believe that medicine cures all.

Don't get me wrong, chiropractors do use pills to help people. They are all organic and allergen free, such as dairy fee and gluten free. These medications are actually natural enzymes that help the body function better. As I have been there, I take probiotics that actually have come out in the main medicine market now to. They are very useful for helping any digestive problem. Other supplements they carry are omega fish oil, vitamin C and D, and many other digestive enzymes that can help a variety of issues. We sell a variety of supplements and they all seem to help, we have had to bad feedback. By taking these organic medicines on a regular basis like you would an antibiotic or prescription, it can help strengthen your immune system also. That is why people who regularly come in and take their nutritional supplements are rarely sick and see a positive change in their health. It seems odd to me how just something that is simply organic can change the outcome of people's health. I do believe sicknesses that are bacterial, like step throat, need medical attention and may require a antibiotic. Recently though, I think if you take health supplements regularly and see a chiropractor that you may be that lucky person that never gets sick or has anything wrong with them. As the doctors would say, the physicians are pushing drugs and not looking at any consequences. Prescription drugs are so normal to us that we never doubt when they are prescribed. It makes me wonder when I look back at all the prescriptions I have taken and all the trips to the pharmacy, were all those really necessary or is it just so they can make money? After hearing the chiropractors and learning the natural approach to the human body, it makes me question further why so many people are dependent on medications. Reading the current book I am, I can see why these companies would cause so much controversy. This may make people think twice about if you need that prescription or not.

The Masters of Manipulation

Look at the prescription anyone is currently on and ask yourself a few simple questions. How did this drug become popular in the market and how did people come up with it? These are questions that some people in the medical field are asking as more and more medical practitioners are getting paid by the vary drug companies they order from. While reading Selling Sickness by Ray Moynihan and Alan Cassels, these men are uncovering very interesting facts in the medical field that are hidden from the public. They are exploring why these pharmaceutical companies grow so widely in a matter of a few years. Next time you go to the doctor, there may be a prescription that is recommended for you.

Everyone goes to the doctor to get cured from a sickness they think they have, but would if the doctors are actually making you feel more sick then you really are? There has been research done that proves pharmaceutical companies are paying doctors to sell their product. Therefor, the more the doctor prescribes then the more the pharmaceutical company makes. So it just makes me wonder, then whose fault is it for making everyone depend on medication. Is it the doctors fault for prescribing it, or the pharmaceutical companies fault for bribing the doctors?

They first take a look at a problem that is sweeping across America and many other countries. High cholesterol is a very common problem, but now it seems as if they recommend half the adult American population to be on a prescription for it. Companies such as AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and most of all Lipitor have been booming from the recent concern that high cholesterol can cause many other conditions such as heart attack and stroke. These men who researched for this book collected some very interesting information. During the developing research of high cholesterol, in the early 1990's there were approximately 13 million Americans that could have benefited from medication due to high cholesterol. Due to the broadening of guidelines that consider Americans having high cholesterol, by 2004 they considered over 40 million Americans having high cholesterol. I do understand that there could be other aspects that could raise these rates such as food or exercise, but the drug companies every few years review the guidelines that doctors use to diagnose health problems such as high cholesterol.

The pharmaceutical companies, as some may say, dominate medicine. They have the power to influence doctors, persuade patients, and put out massive amounts of drugs to flow through every pharmacy throughout the world. When you go to a pharmacy and look around through the rows and rows of medicine bottles, there is always some multimillion dollar company behind it. The pharmacists are given the supplies to distribute as needed, and recently the numbers are growing. It would be interesting to see how the number of prescriptions grow from one year to the next. These medical giants have the power to make any sort of drug famous throughout the world just by influence and a little manipulation. They tell doctors all the benefits, show all the good research they have, and finally see who caught on to their presentation. Some research shows that some doctors that innocently attend these conferences become paid speakers themselves for various drug companies. Doctors would be getting their own salary, plus the payment from the drug companies for being an advocate for it. They have nothing to lose by being apart of the massive companies that everyone who needs medication relies on. In the past few years, pharmaceutical companies have grown massively and we are all along for the ride. I plan to read more of this interesting research out of the book and report back on any new ways we are being manipulated and not realizing it. Think twice next time your doctor prescribes something you may not need.

New Technologies

Technology is always changing throughout with world. In the early years of pharmacy, there was no help with the work. They had to count every pill by hand, write every script themselves, make the labels, prepare the vials, dispense the medication, and consult the patient all while serving multiple people. As anyone could imagine, this would not be a very efficient way of working throughout the day. There would most likely be prescriptions not filled for people who would need them immediately. That is why recently in the past few decades, pharmacy technology has become one of the largest growing industries for efficient equipment. Gerald Zlotnik, executive vice president of Medic Discount Drug said, ". "In order to make a living, a pharmacy has to fill 220 to 230 scripts a day. That's a lot, when filling, dealing with third parties and calling doctors. Pharmacists are under constant strain. Technology must free them up. We have to find a way to alleviate the non-essential tasks and get pharmacists out front consulting."

One of the major benefits to an automated machine would be the quantity it can put out. As I have seen in both Walgreens and St. Luke's Hospital, who both have automated output machines, these machines work wonderfully. They are accurate, quick, and prepare the whole prescription for the pharmacists to just check over and deliver. Both the pharmacists and the technicians could be working on multiple prescriptions because this machine prepares some for them. The "robot" as I learned the pharmacists call it, works in an interesting way. It has dozens of cabinets that hold a certain prescription, they usually fill it with the most popular pills that they dispense. When the pharmacists scans the code on the script from the doctor, the robot goes to work. It dispenses the correct number of pills the prescription calls for, dumps them into the vial of the correct size, and runs it down to an output slot where the pharmacist picks it up. Then the pharmacist only has to check the prescription to make sure it's the correct medication, put a sticker label on it, and then the medication is ready for the customer. It is a both simple and efficient way they can output the maximum number of prescriptions daily.

Also, these robots are fixing the one problem pharmacists fear most. They never want to give the wrong prescription to a customer. Facts say that one death per day is caused by a patient ingesting the wrong medication. These robot contribute much high precision rates and are very effective at producing every medication accurately. These machines read numbers, scan labels, and count accurately so that it always fills the exact prescription that is called for. Any pharmacist would agree that these robots are essential for producing all the prescriptions for the day. Humans couldn't put out as many prescriptions and then there would customers that need the medication that can't get it. All this technology has dramatically helped the pharmacy industry and keeps changing to find more efficient and accurate ways to get the maximum number of prescriptions out for the day.

Education Never Ends

Whoever you look at in the medical field, whether it's your pediatrician from birth or an surgeon in the hospital, we all know they have spent long hours in a school system. If not, maybe consider changing who your doctor is. Doctors go to school for years to learn everything there is about the human body, and everything they can about what the environment can do to the body. Even though pharmacists don't go quite as long as doctors, they still have a long road.

Pharmacy courses consists of organic and inorganic chemistry, biology, calculus, rhetoric, and any science classes an individual might take outside of the curriculum. A aspiring pharmacists must take two years of general educations classes, then apply for the College of Pharmacy. When accepted into the specialized school program, there are four more years of study before going into the field on your own. Also you must take two standardized tests before entering the College of Pharmacy and also exiting. From everyone I have heard from in the medical field, it is rigorous coursework but there are always ways of getting through it by studying and getting involved with others in your classes if you ever need help.

After pharmacists go into a pharmacy, lets say they are in there for 10 years after they are out of college, how do they keep up with all the new drugs and changing ways of medicine. As you flip through the TV channels next time, watch for new drugs you have never heard of to be advertised even if they are over the counter. Going into a pharmacy, there must be a lot of work outside of just scanning and distributing medication. Continuing education is crucial for the medical field. As I have researched, they must maintain some level on continuing education within a number of years. They have many options whether it is a online course, classroom course, or seminar. Also there are many different magazines that are offered that can help pharmacists with recent news in the field or any new findings that are being published or set into effect. When I worked in a daycare for a few years, we had the same type of education. We were responsible for finding any classes offered or events that would count towards our continuing education that we had to get done in one year. So in other words, I've already experienced the job of continuing education for a career.

Even though I plan on being in school for a full six years after high school, the continuing education doesn't even amount to half the work I've done throughout my life in schools. I am more than willing to take a couple hour class or seminar if that's all it takes to have the continuing education. I actually think it would be interesting finding out all the new technologies and drugs that are coming out for the future. It will be a field that never stops changing.

Criminal Act

I always have wondered when young people talk about their prescription drug use as a recreational high, where did they come from. You hear these kids that participate in these activities talk about how they bought them, what happened after they took them, and most of them say they would buy them again. In my experience, I know they are readily available and some people take advantage of the people who share their illegal prescription drugs.

As I said earlier, in my job shadow experience all the pharmacists are very careful with all the logging and counting of these "C II's" which are well known and possible substance abuse pills. They are counted, re-counted, written in a book, and then signed with a date and time. That is why I question, where do these come from? Also how are they all so readily available?

The first people I question are the doctors. As I assume, these drugs on the street are excess of legitimately filled prescriptions. So why do these people have so many extra or are not in need of them? The first and only people that control quantity are the doctors. The way society has become, doctors are one of the people we trust most. We go to them with sickness, pain, almost anything life threatening or not. I understand some people need pain medication for extreme circumstances and various other reasons. The doctors prescribe the amount they see fit for the extent and the pain of the injury or situation. They are innocent as long as they file a legal prescription and use their best judgment for the order. The pharmacists don't have much to do with the prescription except to fill it. They can't change or alter the prescription without doctor consent. So it moves on to be sold to the specific person's name who is on that order.

The next people that come up are the patients. They need the prescription that comes up, so we assume. Most of the "C II" prescriptions are needed for behavioral of extreme pain medications, which anyone would think that patient would need every last one of them. That is where the confusion comes in. If the patient needs these pills so badly that a doctor would go ahead and write a prescription, how are they being sold? I know with my experience, getting my wisdom teeth out to be specific, they do give you a few more to hold you over until a refill comes in. I was on pain medication and I did see that after I no longer had any pain, there were still pills left. Which all come back to the doctors. Why was I prescribed more pills then needed?

This is where the streets come in. People longing for money and looking for any way to get it, this is their golden treasure. Advertise to a few friends you have some pills, set a price, and make some fast money on the street. People who are selling these drugs are not worried about the kids health, the effects that could happen, or where the kids will end up. The money is key for anyone who tries to sell these illegal prescriptions on the street.

In my opinion, to stop this illegal use of prescription drugs, the doctors should be more carefully configuring the amount given to people with the risk flagged pills. There are to many close calls and even deaths with kids getting ahold of prescription pills off the street. Thinking and also talking to a pharmacist during my job shadow, this is a frustrating subject even for them because they deal with it also. They have to log and be careful and responsible for everything they do while handling these pills because of these people who sell them. A simple legal prescription, filled by a pharmacist, and taken my the patient become a dangerous substance on the street. Somehow, this can be limited or stopped.

The Facts

Looking into pharmacy, there were quite a few things that attracted me. One was definitely the money, as I had mentioned earlier in a blog post, also the atmosphere of working around people, and the steady hours. I don't personally like those jobs that you never know when you are leaving or how many days a week you will work. Even though pharmacists sometimes work days, nights, or weekends, it is still a steady schedule that you are assigned to work. I personally wouldn't mind working either days or nights. Pharmacists of course work in pharmacies but there are a variety of places they are located such as drug stores, retail stores, privately owned, or in the hospital. Almost everywhere you go to shop for necessities or groceries, if you take a minute to look around there would be a pharmacy.

Pharmacists work hard to get where they are in their careers. Pharmacy requires a lot of study and schooling before getting into the profession. All pharmacists must graduate from a accredited pharmacy school. Luckily for me, the University of Iowa is one of those main schools. They have a College of Pharmacy that you must apply to. Receiving a pharmacy degree takes six years. The first two years are all general education classes and become your undergraduate degree. You also must take a "PCAT" test that qualifies you for the specialized college. That is the score that they mainly look at to see if you are eligible for admission or not. At the beginning of your second year, you apply to the College of Pharmacy. This is the part that is very competitive. The College of Pharmacy only selects a set number of students for the program and all the others are able to apply the next year. I learned all of this through the University of Iowa, they have been very helpful. Hopefully, I will get in within my first year of applying.

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook for 2010-2011 pharmacists make anywhere from $92,000 to $123,000 per year. The salary depends on the status of pharmacist you are and how long you have been in the profession. The job outlook for opportunities is very good for the future. This is a growing field and is always looking for new pharmacists to come in to existing large corporations. Employment is expected to grow by 17 percent, and there are already around 270,000 pharmacists in employment. Those numbers seem large, but when I look around at St. Luke's and in the job shadows it doesn't seem exaggerated. Some pharmacists can become specialized such as oncology, nuclear, geriatric, or psychiatric. These require special courses and exams for their narrowed field. I am not very interested in those, I still have my eye on the retail pharmacy. They both make a lot of money, work with people, and have a good job outlook. Pharmacy seems to look like a positive career for me with those facts.

It's Volunteer Time

After deciding to look into a career in pharmacy, I did a few job shadows and researched a bit about what it would be like to work there. I had a feeling there was another way I could get involved, and after talking to a few friends I found it. I decided to volunteer at St. Luke's Hospital in the pharmacy. I applied online, and waited patiently for a reply. The woman called, I went through the interview process, and they asked when and what I wanted to do. I told them that I would like to talk to patients, but I knew what I had to do. I needed to get into the St. Luke's Pharmacy and check out whats going on down in the basement, where it is located. I agreed to volunteering on Thursday evenings.

As I went into St. Luke's like a nervous young adult walking down the long hallways and riding the elevators, I almost felt important like I was a part of the hospital. I went to the lower level and checked in. We got my badge, uniform, and signed some forms. The woman showed me around the lower level and we went into the pharmacy. Everyone was very nice there, they greeted me and showed me the different tasks I could be doing every Thursday when I'm there. I got a tour of the pharmacy, as I thought of every pharmacy I went to, this one was very different from all the rest. They run their machines different, they have a lot more job descriptions for people who work there, and they have very different procedures. As a volunteer, I'm not allowed to touch any of the drugs or do anything with them. After 5:30 after most people leave, I did get some time to do sort of a short job shadow. Chris Flesner is a pharmacist at St. Luke's Hospital, Kennedy senior Emily Flesner's mom, and she has helped me out a lot through this process. Any questions about the career or how she got there I can always ask.

Every Thursday it's the same process. I go in and see who is responsible for telling me what they need done, I sort prescription slips, fill the medicine robot, input privacy notices, and file paperwork. As I do these tasks, I always have my eyes on the pharmacist. Being inside the pharmacy, even though I do small office type jobs, I get the opportunity to watch the job of a pharmacist and ask questions if they have time. I have learned a lot from all the women that work there. I've watched them fill prescriptions, answer phone questions, ship out medication, and solve problems that come up with orders.

St. Luke's had given me a new look into pharmacy. Retail pharmacy, compounding pharmacy, and hospital outpatient pharmacy are all very different. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to experience all of these places. I have learned a lot from all the people I have met, all the questions that have been answered, and all the different jobs I have been able to see. Even volunteering every week at St. Luke's in the pharmacy, I still think being a retail pharmacist is the thing for me. It is the job shadow I liked the most, and I can image myself working there for my career.

A Different Medicine

I picture a pharmacist sitting behind the well lit counters in the back of a drug store waiting for those anxious patients that come running toward them to fill their prescriptions. The pharmacist calmly explains the medications and the patient happily leaves the store. I think that is what most people who imagine with the word pharmacist. I never knew the other side of the pharmacy where there is more science involved. When I heard about these places called "compounding pharmacies" I didn't have a clue to what would go on there. The chiropractor I work for told me one of her friends is a clinical pharmacists at a compounding pharmacy and she would be happy to ask if a job shadow would be possible. I also went into this job shadow, like the last one, not knowing much about what I was going to see.

I got up bright and early and went to CarePro Health Services. They are in downtown Cedar Rapids, but serve majority of Iowa with their delivery services. There was a lot to see as I went into the building that is a pharmacy, special foods store, doctors office, and professional offices. I started my journey by looking around their store. They offer foods there that are hard to find in the main stores. They sell gluten free, dairy free, and replacement foods that can't be found easily. They also make their own vitamin supplements in the pharmacy that are all organic and free of any possible allergies. After looking around the foods, I moved onto the compounding pharmacy.

Compounding is a whole different way at looking at medicine. Their main purpose is to change medicine into different forms such as a tablet to liquid at the request of the patient. As I talked to Lucinda Harms, the clinical pharmacist there, she explained that a lot of what they do is changing tablets to liquid for children, and making hormone supplements for both men and women. I watched as the pharmacy technician made a testosterone gel for a women and filled progesterone capsules. It was very interesting to see how they change the standard prescription. I also toured the home infusion part of CarePro. They deliver IV medicine to patients all over Iowa. They make custom bags for the patient that have an IV system at home and ship them by mail. All the mixing and creating goes on in sterile rooms that require careful sanitation. It was neat because they also have windows surrounding the pharmacies, so if you happened to be waiting you can actually watch the pharmacists work in both the compounding and IV rooms.

CarePro also does a more scientific part of the pharmacy scale. They get prescriptions from doctors for the IV and they much figure out what size of bag, how much excess, how many bags for the dosage required, and make a label of the entire order. As I helped, I noticed with some of the orders it can be very tricky because there are a lot of restrictions on size and quantity of a certain solution. The pharmacists that work in this part are very good at math. This also goes for the compounding section of CarePro. The pharmacy technician must figure out if they change the state of the medication, if the dosage and the quantity the same. They change things and must rearrange the formula to the correct state to figure out with the patients information what needs to be changed. It seems like a very complicated and long process.

I am not so interested in this level of pharmacy. They have a lot more work to do for a small outcome. I don't think I would do well if my job was to rearrange formulas and do the math that it requires to send out the IV bags. I also wouldn't like how things change all the time. Even one of the women there said everything is always changing and it sometimes is hard to keep up. It was interesting to watch, but I couldn't see myself doing that day to day. I am more interested in the retail side of pharmacy. That immediately appealed to me when I researched it, and I was reassured when I did a job shadow at Walgreens. Even though the compounding job shadow was very interesting, I see myself doing the retail pharmacy and enjoying that more as my career of choice.

Experience in the Field

After exploring the career of a pharmacist, I wanted to get a first hand look at what they do. I read a few websites and a few books, but nothing can prepare you like going and experiencing the job yourself. While searching for ways to get into the pharmacy world, I found out I am very fortunate to have Becky Stephens as a teacher here at Kennedy. Her twin sister happens to be a pharmacist at the Walgreens on 16th Ave. and Edgewood Road. The nice teacher that Becky is, she talked to her sister and I was given the opportunity to do a job shadow for the day. I went into the job shadow not knowing much about what a pharmacist actually does.

Everyone knows they work in a pharmacy, they fill prescriptions, and they distribute to patients that need them. Spending the day there opened my eyes to what they really do. It surprised me that the pharmacist doesn't handle the medication much. The pharmacists take prescriptions by phone from doctors, hospitals, or patients who need refills. After they write the prescription, they enter all the information into the computer system. They look for any warnings for drug interactions, any other prescriptions that need filled also, or any possible substance abuse warnings. It is interesting how much information they can receive by just looking up someones information and the drug they are requesting. There is a pharmacy database that links all the pharmacies together, that way the pharmacist can see if the patient is overfilling or is filling at another pharmacy and trying to get another refill to early. They have to be careful filling any prescriptions, but especially careful with "C2's". These are the possible substance abuse drugs which some include anything with oxycodone, percocets, morphine, anything with codeine or hydrocodone, or any behavioral medication like Ritalin. These drugs are always charted and counted multiple times after filling a prescription. That is the most dangerous part of their day, they have to be very accurate and no pill can disappear or be uncounted. That is a serious offense and could end up in termination of their job is something was misplaced. Something else I noticed while there was quite a few drugs that were prescribed I knew about, simple things like allergy medicines, strong Tylenol, and things you hear about on a daily basis that you wouldn't think you would need a prescription for. While there, I watched the couple pharmacists there fill prescriptions for pills, liquids like cough syrup or children medicines, and inhalers. They have a very wide variety of pills since there are brand name and generic. One thing pharmacists do is consults if someone doesn't know how to use the prescription, or needs advice about if they should use the generic or not, or side effects of the drugs. This is where pharmacists use their knowledge background the most. They have to explain how the drugs work, and if there are any alternatives if the person is unhappy with an outcome of a prescription they have been on. Many people's questions though are very basic such as how many times to take it, or with or without food. At the end of filling a prescription they much print out a detailed sheet of any restrictions or special instructions while using the prescriptions. Everything has to be very detailed and easy to follow.

Watching the pharmacists was very interesting, even as an on looker I learned a lot about how careful they need to be when checking for the correct prescription, how many different kinds of situations they have to deal with as they explain to people how the drugs work and how to take them, and how much these educated people know. While working with them, I talked to a few pharmacy technicians who are going to school for pharmacy while working there. They all agreed it is hard to keep a steady job with enough hours and study the intense work load they get in the College of Pharmacy. I also talked with a man who is just finishing school and felt very fortunate to have the job placement he did, because now after graduating he has a set in stone job placement. All of the people working there went to the University of Iowa for their education, since that is one of the only accredited pharmacy schools in Iowa. They all say it was worth the long road of education and they enjoy their jobs.

Doing the job shadow at Walgreens reassured me of the career choice. Just spending part of a day there gives you a whole new look on how your future will look in the career you choose. I understand the schooling is long and tough, but seeing all the pharmacists at work showed me what I am working towards. I was very fortunate to get the opportunity to explore more into retail pharmacy, and see how the job works being a pharmacist in a drug store.

Deciding the career of my future

Within the years of middle school, I started exploring careers that I maybe could look into as I get older. The Family and Consumer Science class at Harding Middle School really helped me figure out what careers are possible and gave me a brief idea on the vast opportunities out in the job market.

As a young adult, I always wanted to make a lot of money at whatever I chose to do. While in middle school, I saw this poster of all the salaries of major jobs that are available and pharmacy was one of the top. There are many other very well paying jobs, but pharmacy caught my eye and I chose to further explore the field. I'm not sure why, but becoming a pharmacist really interested me. I liked how they have a set schedule and work normal business hours, they have a very interesting education path, and of course they make quite a bit of money. I see people's families around me that are always struggling to pay the bills or give their children what they want, and I don't want to be that person. I am someone who never wants to struggle. I want to live a comfortable life and never have to have those extra worries that control how you live. With making that much money, as long as it is spent and saved smart, there is no reason to ever struggle. That is my overall goal with choosing a career based on money.

As I am in high school now, I also enjoyed Chemistry. I did well in it, and now in AP Chemistry I am still successful. Chemistry is one of the main subject matters when it comes to being a pharmacist. So, since i am good at it why not give it a chance. I've talked to several pharmacist who all say the same thing, Chemistry is what you will learn almost everyday for your six years in school. I already planned on going to school to achieve at least a masters degree, so this program really suits me well.

Pharmacist, I think, have an interesting job. If seems like a career where you never stop learning because there will always be new drugs or new health information. After all the schooling and trainings, in the end it seems to be a good job that will always be reliable. There are many pharmacies all around the country and there will always be a demand for prescription drugs. To me, it seems as if there will always be pharmacies around and they will always need help. If you think about it, every Walmart, Target, Hyvee Drugstore, and CVS all have major pharmacy stations. The most common places people go to shop is where the convenient pharmacy is located at. All pharmacies are not in stores though. There are also hospital pharmacies and compounding pharmacies. It is such a broad and big field that there is many different job titles that could be given.

As I leave high school, if it is possible, I am going to try to work at a pharmacy as a tech to be around the atmosphere while studying. I think that would help me because it is more hands on and real life experience instead of reading everything out of a book in class. I know the college courses will be difficult, but I am willing to give it my all. I've always wanted to have a job where I enjoy the field and make the around of money that will be more than enough for my future. Within six years of getting out of high school, I hopefully will be a successful and certified pharmacist.