Worried about my pre-reg situation

[CJH86]

Hi....

basically I am really keen on becoming a hospital pharmacist.

long story short - I have been unable to get a pre-registration place (for next year) in a hospital....despite asking for feedback on interviews and analysing everthing rigorously i am still clueless where i went wrong and quite stressed about the whole situation

I have a lot of experience in community and know i dont want to do this as a career, but at the same i feel pressured to try and get a pre-reg place somewhere asap! I have heard its not that easy to get a hospital pharmacist post after doing a pre-reg in community. So i am wondering, if i were to take a pre-reg in community, are there any steps could i take which would help me get a hospital job afterwards? or am i just worrying too much!

thanks

[Pharmanaut]

Hi....

basically I am really keen on becoming a hospital pharmacist.

long story short - I have been unable to get a pre-registration place (for next year) in a hospital....despite asking for feedback on interviews and analysing everthing rigorously i am still clueless where i went wrong and quite stressed about the whole situation

I have a lot of experience in community and know i dont want to do this as a career, but at the same i feel pressured to try and get a pre-reg place somewhere asap! I have heard its not that easy to get a hospital pharmacist post after doing a pre-reg in community. So i am wondering, if i were to take a pre-reg in community, are there any steps could i take which would help me get a hospital job afterwards? or am i just worrying too much!

thanks

Not much you can do - you have to get onto the register somehow.
Get some good hospital contacts at your local RPSGB branch and put out the word.

[paul2008]

Its not easy to move from community to hospital and it may not be what you expect but it can be done, just start applying for jobs in the January of your pre-reg . If you appear enthusiastic, friendly and willing to make a go of it you are sure to get a hospital post at the bottom of the ladder.

Try to get a two week hospital cross sector placement during your pre-reg. You may end up working there after pre-reg. A word of warning though not all hospitals are as good to work for so if you don't like it consider another place talk to your colleagues who wwork in hospital and see how they are getting on at different places and if their hospitals have vacancies. Your friends can also tell you about the personalities of the people at their hospitals and then you can decide if you will fit in or not so as not to waste time applying.

Good luck

[KerryPharm]

Hi....

basically I am really keen on becoming a hospital pharmacist.

long story short - I have been unable to get a pre-registration place (for next year) in a hospital....despite asking for feedback on interviews and analysing everthing rigorously i am still clueless where i went wrong and quite stressed about the whole situation

I have a lot of experience in community and know i dont want to do this as a career, but at the same i feel pressured to try and get a pre-reg place somewhere asap! I have heard its not that easy to get a hospital pharmacist post after doing a pre-reg in community. So i am wondering, if i were to take a pre-reg in community, are there any steps could i take which would help me get a hospital job afterwards? or am i just worrying too much!

thanks

To be honest it's not as difficult as you think to move from community to hospital, particularly if you move immediately after pre-reg as you need a lot of clinical knowledge to pass pre-reg exam. If you do cross sector placement in hospital as well try and make good relationships and show that you are enthusiastic.
At the hospital where I work we have 2 pharmacists that started in community and it hasn't held them back!

Also have you thought about clearing places in hospital- if you are flexible about where you want to do your pre-reg you can sometimes find places through this method.

[johnep]

Dinner last night with chief pharmacist at Addenbrookes, Cambridge. Told me had not filled all their pre reg places this year. Cambridge is a great place to live.
johnep

[vanquish s]

i can concur. When travelling to papworth for my placement the area was amazaing. Roling green hills and grazing animals everywhere. Great place to live a traditonal country life

[fmaster]

Competition is too stiff this year, plus I have noticed that most people selected for interview is all random and down to luck, they don't read applications at all or skim it.

[CJH86]

Thanks for all the advice, really appreciated competition must be very stiff this year, i know a lot of very good students who missed out on interviews/places. Seems to be an excess of community places still avaliable though.

Dinner last night with chief pharmacist at Addenbrookes, Cambridge. Told me had not filled all their pre reg places this year. Cambridge is a great place to live.
johnep

really?! i was under the impression they all were filled as it didn't go through clearing I am fairly local.....would it be worth ringing them?

[fmaster]

Nah mate don't bother, that information is incorrect, I emailed the lady and she said they had filled all their places.

[CJH86]

I hadnt got my hopes up