2 years have past since I graduated Pharmacy School in June of 2012. It is quite astonishing how fast time has flown by. It feels as if my graduation was just last month. During my 4th year of rotations I feared it would be very difficult to find job opportunities in the Seattle metropolitan area. There were many jobs available in rural locations, however it has become more competitive in the big cities.
Luckily, my pharmacy internship turned into a per diem inpatient pharmacist job at a hospital. I also landed a per diem job as a long term care pharmacist shortly after becoming licensed. With both of these jobs I was averaging over 40 hours a week. I was very happy and grateful but still felt uneasy about not having a full time job with benefits. After 6 months, I was offered a full time position as a long term care pharmacist. This cemented all the hard work I had put in the past 7.5 years.
Pharmacist Reflection 2 Years after Graduating Pharmacy School
Fast forward and now its 2 years since graduating pharmacy school. I have progressed to become the main IV Pharmacist at the long term care pharmacy. There I manage the IV department and compliance with USP 797. On top of the full time job, I still fill in as needed as a inpatient pharmacist at a local hospital. There, I learn quite a bit from my colleagues for best practices and care for higher acuity patients.
What are my reflections after having 2 years experience as a pharmacist? Or I guess you can say 3 years of life hours of a full time pharmacist (extra hours working at the hospital). Overall, I am happy where I am and glad to have paid off my student loans in 2 years. One of the things pharmacy lacks for me specifically, is having a creative outlet. I enjoy working on projects and trying to think outside the box. To do that I have picked up on hobbies such as videography, photography, blogging, investing, traveling, and creating YouTube videos.
Interestingly, sometimes I do feel as if something is missing in my career or life. I for one have not figured this one out yet. It perplexes me everyday when I wake up and look into the mirror. I have this empty feeling and it is difficult to pinpoint what might be the culprit. Maybe I need to spend more time with friends and family instead of working so much?
What are your thoughts?
At this point in my career I will consider pursuing certifications in geriatrics and pharmacotherapy. This will either push me into pharmacy consulting for long term care or possibly making the push to become a full time hospital inpatient pharmacist. Or maybe I can do something in technology and healthcare? It is exciting and intimating that the possibilities are quite endless. That is my 2 year reflection of being a licensed pharmacist. Thanks for stopping by and reading my rambling and incoherent thoughts.
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