Health Careers Spotlight:
Pharmacist (Clinical)

Pharmacists work closely with physicians and other health practitioners to ensure that patients are treated with the safest, most effective medications. Pharmacists routinely review medication orders, prescriptions, and medication profiles to help ensure appropriate drug selection, doses, and dosing schedule. They look for drug-drug and drug-food interactions that may be harmful. If a pharmacist identifies a drug related problem or detects a potentially dangerous situation, she/he is responsible for notifying the doctor, patient, or both, and recommends potential alternatives.

Pharmacists with advanced training may collaborate with other providers to focus on direct patient care activities. These activities may include policy development or research rather than reviewing and approving prescription orders. They help make sure people can afford their medications, look at responses to drug therapies and address ways to minimize drug side effects.

The demand for pharmacists is expected to be high through 2010 due to the increased needs for pharmaceuticals by a larger and aging population. Also, scientific advances will make more drug products available, while increasingly sophisticated consumers will be seeking more information about medications.Pharmacists typically earn between $60,000 and $80,000 per year.

For more information on a career as a pharmacist or another health career, please call 802-527-1474.

Sheila Gencarelli is a Clinical Pharmacist in General Medicine at Fletcher Allen Health Care. Sheila received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Rhode Island. In addition, Sheila completed her Pharmacy Practice Residency at Fletcher Allen Health Care. We recently visited with Sheila to discuss her experiences working in the Pharmacy field.

Q How did you become interested in becoming a Pharmacist?
A When I was in high school, my best friend’s father, Bill Faraclas, owned a pharmacy in Connecticut and I worked there. He was a great inspiration.

Q How long have you been working in the pharmacy field and did you consider any alternative careers?
A I’ve been a pharmacist for 15 years. I did consider becoming a nutritionist or physical therapist. However, I love my pharmacy career. It’s the right balance of challenge, satisfaction, and flexibility.

Q What personal needs are satisfied by your occupation?
A I love to teach, and I get the opportunity to do that with pharmacy residents, medical residents and colleagues. I love to learn and pharmacy provides continuous opportunities for learning. The most satisfying part of the job is knowing that I made a difference to a sick patient by helping to ensure they received the appropriate drug therapy.

Q In what ways has being a pharmacist changed you as a person?
A It’s taught me how to teach myself, since there are always so many things to stay up on in pharmacy. It’s also inspired me to always challenge myself.

Q Describe the demands of your job?
A I work 24 hours a week, rotating days and shifts. The pressures often come from large volume of medication orders that need to be reviewed before being given to patients. The stress is trying to be careful, yet quick. The job is complex in that I must know about many drugs, how to monitor them, dose them, watch for interactions, etc. I also have to make many recommendations throughout the day to doctors regarding changing or adjusting medication orders. People problems exist because there’s a large group of pharmacists with different abilities working together.

Q What is a typical day like for you?
A I start the day by rounding with one of the medical teams, discussing patients, and making recommendations. Once that’s done, I review medication orders, resolve medication problems, write communications regarding patients, and monitor patients on certain medications. In addition, I supervise the technician staff. The technicians enter medication orders, fill the medications and deliver them to the patient care areas.

Q What personal characteristics are desirable to be good at this job?
A Good communication skills, enthusiasm to learn and teach, and resourcefulness.

Q What kind of people do you work with?
A My coworkers are smart and conscientious. The doctors are appreciative and our patients are sick.

Q What are the best and worst things about your career?
A The best thing is that it’s challenging, rewarding and allows for a part-time career so that I can spend time with my children. Flexible hours are possible, since hospitals need pharmacists 24 hours a day, every day. The most frustrating aspect is that I never have enough time to learn everything. I would like to put more time into my job, but love being able to spend more time with my family. So I have to sacrifice some to have both.

Q What high school classes should be taken to prepare for a career in pharmacy?
A Chemistry, biology and calculus.

Q What are the career ladder possibilities in this field?
A They include specializing in an area, such as infectious diseases, critical care, oncology, or pediatrics. Management, clinical coordinators, teaching at a college of pharmacy are a few opportunities for advancement.

Q What changes are occurring in the field of pharmacy?
A Pharmacists are becoming more highly trained. In addition, you now see more pharmacists prescribing medications and independent practices.

Q How does the economy impact pharmacy?
A There will always be jobs in health care. Pharmacists are in demand, so the salaries are very competitive.

Q What advice would you give someone who is planning to enter this field?
A Spend some time with a pharmacist. Contact a college of pharmacy to get an idea of the curriculum. Do it!