Starting as a community pharmacist

[sph3jl]

I am currently half way through completing a hospital pre registration but am considering pursuing community pharmacy as a career.

I am concerned that after completing a hospital pre reg and having competed minimal community pharmacy experience I may need some foundation training before becoming totally competent.

What companies are considered as the gold standard trainers of young pharmacists and how common is a community pharmacy diploma offered as part of training? Are these useful?

In many years I think that I would be interested in owning a community pharmacy, would it be advisable to complete a business course of some kind?
Last but not least, how satisfying is owning your own pharmacy and what salary is an independent pharmacist owning the shop likely to earn?

[johnep]

You want to make a million, start with two million.
johnep

[JonF]

I did my pre-reg in hospital and then went straight into locuming in community. I had worked at BTC in my hols from uni though which did help a bit. The transition wasn't too bad, the only thing i found slightly harder was OTC prescibing, but you soon get up to speed. There are various books available which help with all aspects of OTC prescribing/minor ailments etc.

Find yourself a quiet shop for the first week or so, don't take an agency's word for it when they say shop is quiet. They promised me a quiet shop for my first day qualified and it turned out to be shop doing 600 items a day. Definately in at the deep end, but i survived, just! Wouldn't recommend it though!

Good luck!

[#1_Wasteman]

Come to think of it, what's the difference between a community pharmacist (who doesn't own his own pharmacy) and a locum? Is it just that locums work through agencies?

[JonF]

I don't own a pharmacy, and I'm not a locum.

I'm employed and work in a shop owned by someone else! Locums are self employed and most don't work through agencies, if you do a good job word of mouth will usually fill your diary.

When i started i locumed for a while and used an agency to start with, but after a while, if you market yourself, the calls for work start coming in directly from the shops or locum co-ordinators.

[#1_Wasteman]

Thanks for that info.

Although if you don't mind I have some more questions - is there no way to PM you?

[JonF]

Thanks for that info.

Although if you don't mind I have some more questions - is there no way to PM you?

there is now!

[sph3jl]

Thanks for the replies, would you recommend to start off as a locum instead of through a company then?

Do any of the big companies offer a community equivalent of the hospital diploma, if so how easy is it get this and how valuable are they?

[johnep]

Oh dear, you do have stars in your eyes. Multiples only care that you are reasonably competent and have a certificate. In the old days it was said a corpse with a certificate could get a job.
johnep

[Pharmanaut]

Oh dear, you do have stars in your eyes. Multiples only care that you are reasonably competent and have a certificate. In the old days it was said a corpse with a certificate could get a job.
johnep

Some of the more enlightened ones did.
Can I mention Weldricks, without advertising?