Joy Apopa

Career Analysis
Going through college can be stressful especially if you dont have a future plan. Usually
everyone goes to college to pursue a higher education for a career, yet a lot of people dont take time to
actually look into their career goal then end up graduating then working a job completely unrelated to
their degree. Its important to know not only what it takes to get there but also whats going to happen
once you do. Analyzing my career will help me understand, not only if this is something I want to do, but
is this something practical and worth pursuing. Im still keeping an open mind about my future career,
but I know I want to be in the science cluster whether it be a chemist/research scientist , a pharmacist,
or a biochemist. My current major is chemistry, and my current career goal is Pharmacy. To be accepted
into pharmacy school I have to take all the pre-pharmacy classes during my undergrad. Most of the
classes I am required to take are chemistry classes, which is why I picked chemistry as my major. If I
ever decide to change my mind, my major will still help pave a pathway, but for now my official career
goal is to be a pharmacist.
While talking to my pre-professional advisor she informed me that to be accepted into pharmacy
school I dont have to complete my bachelor's degree and as long as I have all the prerequisites then I
qualify. Not only do I have to complete classes but I also have to take the PCATs and go through an
interviewing process to be accepted into UAMS which is where I hope to attend for grad school. While at
the career fair I talked to a man named Alex Holladay who is a recruiting specialist and he gave me
information about UAMS college of pharmacy along with a couple of pamphlets, including one with
specific information about a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Evaluation & policy. So, If I decide to take my
career one step farther and get a PH.D. in Pharmaceutical Evaluation & policy then having a bachelors
is required along with a Doctorate in pharmacy. (Pharmaceutical Evaluation & Policy, 2016.) This is not
something I have decided on yet, but Im leaning toward it. According to one of the job postings I found,
some of the skills required to be a pharmacist include, to have the ability to perform basic computer

functions, have the ability to work effectively with others as part of a team, the ability to problem solve
and supervise technician(s) and other support staff, to possess good organizational and time
management skills, and to be dependable in attendance, flexibility in work schedule and job
performance. I already posses some of these skills, for example, the ability to work effectively with
others as part of a team, and, to posses good organizational and time management skills.
(Indeed.com). I think one more skill for any job really is also good communication skills, which I would
say I have. Of course theres always room for improvement even with the skills I already posses. Some
skills listed I dont have for example, you must have the ability to problem solve and supervise
technician(s) and other support staff. This is a skill I would be able to observe, working as a technician,
and or shadowing a pharmacist, which would help me develop this skill so when the time comes and Im
in that position I will know and understand what to do. I dont think theres any additional course work
outside my field I would need to complete for these skills. I feel that I will learn and be exposed to
everything Im going to need during my coursework.
I read an article which explained the most common challenges working as a pharmacist and how
to overcome them which include, choosing the right employment opportunity, working with other
healthcare professionals, staying up to date, working with health insurance , and patients. There are
different employment opportunities to chose from after pharmacy school, (pharmainfo.net). You have to
know your own skills, and understand where youd do your best work. Im thinking I want to work in retail
pharmacy. A retail pharmacists is A pharmacist that works in a retail setting has the job description of
compounding drugs, ordering supplies and collaborating with doctors or physicians. Medications can only be
dispensed to customers that have a valid prescription. A pharmacist is not legally allowed to give medications
unless a prescription is shown unless a medication does not require a prescription. Not only does a pharmacist
working in a retail setting dispense medications, but they also make sure that patients understand how to use the
medications

safely and are aware of any drug conflicts with certain medications. (healthresearchfunding.org)

Working with other health care professionals is a challenge because its a teamwork effort. I consider
myself a good team player. I have experience with sports teams, class group projects, team work in

other jobs, and in all these different situations I have worked effectively as a team with other people, so
with experience with working as a team this is a challenge I can overcome. Effective communication
skills is the key to good teamwork. Medicine and technology is always changing and improving everyday
so Its important to stay up to date. I will have to keep reading medical journals and medical news, I will
have to participate in continuing education credits and actively seek out information that will broaden my
horizons and improve my overall knowledge base working with health insurance is unavoidable too,
(pharmainfo.net). As I practice I have to learn as much as I can about the various insurances out there
and actively develop a style for working with them, (pharmainfo.net). Patients may be the most
challenging thing, but that's what its all about. The career is to help people, though its a challenge its
the main goal. In all jobs, you have to work with people, and good civil communications skills is
extremely important. The patient's Id be seeing are people not at their best. They are sick, so you have
to approach them with respect and an open mind, (pharmainfo.net). As pharmacists we all will be faced
with many difficult challenges over the course of our careers...however with the right attitude, communication style
and ever growing knowledge base the challenges we face could turn out to the most professionally and personally
rewarding experiences of our lives, (pharmainfo.net).

One great advantage of being a pharmacist is the paycheck. This isnt the reason Im pursuing
the career but its a good advantage about it. Starting salaries are $80K-$100K+ a year, which is a pretty
good amount of money. If I were to chose to stay and work in arkansas, The median annual Pharmacist
salary in Little Rock, AR is$114,063, as of November 07, 2016, with a range usually between $107,275-$121,795
not including bonus and benefit information and other factors that impact base pay, (salary.com). Another nice

advantage Is I can have job mobility, stability, and flexibility. Pharmacists are employed in every part of the
country. Pharmacy licensure is generally reciprocal between U.S. states, however, additional tests or criteria may
be required to transfer licensure status. Pharmacists may be able to establish non-traditional or part-time work
hours, depending on the practice setting. Most Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy, so pharmacists are
needed all throughout the U.S, (aacp.org). Every state has a hospital, and a CVS, Walgreens, or some

other type of retail pharmacy. We always need people who work in health care related jobs so wherever

Ill need to move to I can find employment. Its not a location specific career. Also there is a demand for
pharmacists across the U.S. There is an ongoing demand for pharmacy services throughout the U.S. in most
sectors of the profession. The demand is fueled by the following factors: Increased demand for patient services,
increase in number of prescriptions filled each year, increase in the number of medicines available on the market,
increase in the elderly population, (aacp.org).

While interviewing a Biochemist, I found out a lot about that profession, that makes me lean
towards pharmacy as my career choice even more. He had a Ph.D. in biochemistry and it took him 6
years to get a job. It required a lot of networking. I asked him what he would do differently if he could go
back and he said I would chose a professional career like a medical doctor or similar. I also asked if he
made a lot of money and he replied Not really, I make enough to get by. Now he worked for years for
his Ph.D. and it took him years to find a job. Thats something I dont want with my career and is a main
reason of why I want to work as a pharmacist. While looking for some disadvantages I watched a video
called Pharmacy: Reality vs Expectations, by ENGINEERED TRUTH, on youtube. It was an interview
with a friend who's a pharmacist, and his friend told him about what he expected before the career, and
what he actually experienced in the career. This was very surprising on my part because I had the same
exact expectations. While hearing his reality, about how its harder to get vacation time and how the jobs
not as simple as counting pills, It was very eye-opening, but it didnt turn me away from the career.
Other disadvantages include 1. Education and Training Requirements: Most professions require minimal
schooling or training, but pharmacy is not one of these fields. A pharmacists must complete a high level of
education and retain a doctorate degree. Clinical work training is also a part of the program and can be very
demanding. The path to becoming a pharmacist is not easy and requires both dedication and effort. This means
that you need to be aware of the educational and training requirements before you begin the program. 2. Work
Conditions and Job Duties Vary Greatly: Even though flexibility can be seen as a positive, the diversity in this field
can be viewed as a downside to some. The working conditions pharmacists are exposed to and job requirements
that are mandated vary based on setting where employment is gained. The job duties are not constant over the

entire profession, which means that special training or further education might be required for certain job positions
in this field. (healthresearchfunding.org)

Personally to succeed in this career I would say I need to improve on my social/communication

skills, which is something i'm working on and i'm going to keep working on, and I will also have to
improve in my leadership skills, because I will be in a place of leadership as part of the my job duties.
Academic pharmacy is immersed in a sea of constant change. Internal influences like interprofessional education
or enhanced learning environments, and external influences such as new accreditation requirements, expanding
scope of practice, and availability of research funding are driving change.1-5 Effective leadership is necessary to
guide students, faculty members, and staff. Leaders are facing the challenge of continually aligning goals for the
success of the institution with each employees personal ideals, particularly in matters relating to promotion and
tenure.6 Servant and transformational leadership, which have existed since the 1970s, both claim to successfully
navigate change.7,8 We explore these two leadership styles to evaluate which is better suited for the academic
pharmacy environment.( ajpe.org.) The scholarly article went into a lot of detail about the different styles

of leadership on the job.

5 years I see myself in my first year of pharmacy school. I would have already graduated with my
bachelors of arts degree in chemistry. I would have had work experience as a pharmacy technician and I
would be currently working as a technician as well. 10 years from now I would have graduated with my
doctorate and I would have been working as a retail pharmacist for 2 years. I would have applied and
been admitted into the Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Evaluation & Policy program at UAMS. I would either be
in my first or second year there and I would be working to complete 4 years of study. 20 years from now
I would have taken other classes and will have my BA in Chemistry and a BA in Foreign Languages for
spanish and ASL and I will have my Pharm D. degree and my Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Evaluation &
Policy. I will either continue working at a retail or just work in conducting research that evaluates the
value of pharmaceutical products, services, and financing systems. (Pharmaceutical Evaluation &
Policy, 2016.) My language degrees would be more to my own benefit and will also advance me in my
career by being able to communicate with more people.

Work Citations
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Hershey S. Bell (2016). The Role of Servant Leadership and Transformational Leadership in
Academic Pharmacy. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education: Volume 80, Issue 7, Article
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