Post pre-reg

[EricChau]

Dear all,

Firstly, congratulation to all newly qualified pharmacists!!!!

Does anybody know how to develop the career after registration? There are clinical diploma to do in hospital. What about community pharmacist? Are there similar diploma to do while working in community. Can anybody advise me how to make the best use of my next year working as a community pharmacist?

Community pharmacist's job nature is more or less management. Would doing a MBA after a couple of years strengthen the management skills.

Thanks for your advice.

[Lazy Nite]

Hey Eric

Well done to passing ur pre-reg yr!

Do you have an interest for a particular area? Community or Hospital?

If you’re not sure which sector, then here’s sumthing you could do:

1. You could try locuming in both sectors for some months. Register with some locum agencies like ‘mediplacements’ , ‘the locum agency’, ‘locumlink’ and tell them you want few days in community and hospital (in the week). It will let you explore lots of opportunities and get to know the hospitals and community places available. Infact locuming is gateway to your new permanent job!
2. While your locuming – do ask staff at your workplace about opportunities and look in the PJ. There was an article not long ago in the PJ about newly the qualified locuming in both sectors to get the experience and to pay off their Uni fees.
3. Pay is higher for locum jobs too.
4. You can also work variable hours, which gives you plenty of time to prepare for interviews (this is what I did)
5. Locuming can be tough at first – so get sum1 to mentor you in your early days and have a good checking routine. Look at the RPSGB website for this. If you work on ur own get sum1 to check you, but in your early days I would only try get bookings in quieter pharmacies with a dispenser!


Diplomas in hospital:

It depends which area of UK ur in. The new London diploma ‘General pharmacy practice’ is three years. Look at the London school of pharmacy website to check out the diplomas offered.

In Community you also get a diploma, but check with the school of pharmacy. Community is definitely more business like! Look at the CPPE website for courses, and the chemist+druggist/ skills for life offer a business course which you cud do for now….then think about the MBA.

Have a look at this link....quite useful

http://www.rpsgb.org.uk/pdfs/compfutphwfph2app4.pdf

[Sir_Dispensalot]

firstly, congrats for the pass!

secondly, Keele uni used to to a distance learning clinical diploma for community pharmacists that was supposed to be pretty good (only a few days in campus during the summer).

I think Bath offer one now too if Keele's a bit far (can't remember if they do it from the main campus or the swindon one though...)

[SolomonQ]

few routes im considering (in the order listed):

-clinical community pharmacy diploma---->supplementary Rx----->independent prescribing

-MBA---->Msc (pharmacy related)--------->PhD ------> GSK/Pfizer
(or MBA------>Accounting)

-part-time locum Pharmacist/part time artist/part time writer

-MPhys/Msc Physics-----> PhD ------> CERN/MIT????

-Medicine

[Sir_Dispensalot]

after a swift bit of googling, it seems that most of the uk universities with a school of pharmacy seem to offer a diploma in community clinical pharmacy - some offer an MSc too (not sure if that can be done as a distance learner in many places though).

as solly pointed out above, a clinical pharmacy diploma is a good route to becoming a supplimentary prescriber and then on to an independent prescriber

(i have a doctor freind on their way to becoming a gp - when they set up solo i've got first dibs on setting up the surgery pharmacy & acting as a pharmaceutical advisor - swotting up will be needed soon so i might go down the same route!)

[Steve G]

You can definitely do a clinical diploma as a community pharmacist. I'm just finishing one at Aston which is being shut down due to internal university politics. It's a distance learning one, with a study week in each year. It is hard going at times, but I would encourage anyone to do a diploma.

My plan for the next few years is to do another year to convert my diploma to a MSc, then go on to a prescribing course. I may well move sideways into a GP practice, for at least part of the time once I'm prescribing. I can also see myself going back to do a PhD at some point.

[ramroum]

Would you get a higher salary if you do the community clinical diploma? who funds it, and who funds the independent prescribing course if you are working in the community?

If you do locums, who pays your annual registration fees (to the society)? Do all community pharmacies pay the registration fee for their pharmacists? I know that hospitals don't pay it (or contribute only in paying few pounds- about £30-40 a year).

Thanks.

[Sir_Dispensalot]

Would you get a higher salary if you do the community clinical diploma? who funds it, and who funds the independent prescribing course if you are working in the community?.

generally, no, but it could get you a cushier/better job if it was between you and another candidate with no diploma. Some companies will fund courses for you, but you can go it alone if you don't want to be tied to a company.

If you do locums, who pays your annual registration fees (to the society)? Do all community pharmacies pay the registration fee for their pharmacists? I know that hospitals don't pay it (or contribute only in paying few pounds- about £30-40 a year).

Thanks.

Locums pay their own, most community pharmacies will pay yours for you but not all do - something worth checking in interview/negotiations.

[Steve G]

The company I work for has funded my diploma, is going to fund my MSc, and I would expect them to fund a prescribing course if needed. I am certainly going to use my diploma as leverage when negotiating my annual payrise in January.

[ramroum]

Thank you for the replies.