CAREER PATH ESSAY

In comparison to independent pharmacies I've visited, chain pharmacies generally run more
efficiently. This covers a variety of topics, including the software, the pharmacy's layout, and the
process flow. For instance, a small conveyor belt wrapped around the back of the counter at
several Walgreens stores was used to move bins from the technician to the pharmacist. When the
stores are busy, small gestures like these are helpful. You have the opportunity to observe their
efficiency while working for them in addition to experiencing it. You will have a model to
follow and be able to identify areas for improvement more quickly if a pharmacy is not nearly as
effective in the future.

Small chain pharmacies offer two main career options for pharmacists: management and staff. A
chain community pharmacy operates four or more locations, according to the definition used in
this definition.

Small chain pharmacies are frequently thought of as fantastic locations to perform simple, initial
patient health checks. Particularly as the role of small chain pharmacy pharmacists in overall
patient care continues to expand, such as by offering immunizations and medication therapy
management (MTM) services, quick evaluation of symptoms, laboratory values, and other
indicators can help direct patients' therapy.

The size and needs of the pharmacy or organization determine the scope of a manager's
responsibilities in chain community pharmacies. The pharmacy manager oversees the staff,
patient care services, inventory management, hiring, training, and development, as well as
general business management at the store level. Because they provide crucial pharmacy business
decisions with real-world practice knowledge and experience, pharmacists are essential in the
upper management of corporate chains.

Experience working in a chain pharmacy is very helpful when applying for other positions,
whether they be within the chain or elsewhere. One recent example is the company's decision to
create regional managers and a single national director for its outpatient pharmacy. For all of
those positions, they actively sought individuals with chain experience; candidates with prior
work as a regional manager inside a chain stood out in particular.

In addition to being efficient, chain pharmacies are often more effective than independents in
internal operations. An internal operation could include everything from record preservation to
inventory management to written policies and procedures.

Chains manage every aspect of legal and third-party compliance. Managing investigations,
creating policies and processes, claims reconciliation, medication pricing, and many other things
fall under this category. Additionally, it entails renewing credentials for third parties and
employing new ones. Chain pharmacies do occasionally have to pay fines for breaking the law
and for third-party compliance, but this is extremely infrequent.
A pharmacist in a small chain pharmacy should keep making efforts to reduce prescription errors
and raise safety. There were 77 million prescription-related errors in small chain pharmacies in
2009, according to "Improving Patient Safety in the Small Chain Pharmacy." Approximately
85% of all errors are "mechanical" and are brought on by using the incorrect medication, dosage,
or instructions. The majority of mistakes are made when entering and filling orders. During a
final check, pharmacists find about two-thirds of all mistakes, and 5–15% of mistakes are found
by customers.

Since there are so many opportunities at large chain pharmacies, we find it disappointing that so
many pharmacists believe there is little room for progression. Additionally, chains may offer
positions in supply chain management, project management, legal, and internal compliance.

In the chain community pharmacy, I cannot perform without getting a pharmacist license, in
contrast to pharmacists in the pharmaceutical sector who are permitted to function without one.

I must also be a recognized immunizer or be willing to acquire one within 90 days of

employment if I want to work in the chain community pharmacy. It has grown more challenging
to get a full-time staff pharmacist position, incredibly shortly after graduation, due to the rise in
the number of pharmacists graduating each year and the stagnation of full-time roles in many
community and retail stores so I must be hard-working enough to perform full-time pharmacist
roles.

Experiences like earlier employment as a pharmacy technician or as a pharmacy intern in a retail

store environment can help me to land a career as a staff pharmacist at that chain community
pharmacy.

I must be able to show that they can manage the volume of prescriptions or patients in a store
that might not be completely staffed or trained. Additionally, I must be able to resolve problems
and quickly pick up on pharmacy software and technology.

When an insurance plan is not active or does not cover a particular product, I must be able to
communicate with patients effectively, suggest discount services, and/or offer patients other
payment options. I also need to be familiar with the shortcuts and gaps in various insurance
plans.

It is not expected of a first-time candidate to have all this expertise under their bag because
knowledge of pharmacy software and pharmacy operations is generally learned via experience.

In short, the reason to choose this area is that community pharmacists often work social hours that are
predetermined each week for this purpose. The pharmacist can therefore balance his or her career and
personal life. As I work in the community, I will be able to establish a connection with my clients,
improving both their experience and my ability to offer better and more focused counseling because I will
have a more complete understanding of their lifestyle. Rural and isolated parts of the UK already have a
greater need for community pharmacists, a situation that will only get worse as fewer students are willing
to perform in this area. In addition to my pharmacy license, I will have extra business duties as a
community pharmacist. This will provide me with the information and skills that I need to someday
become a chemist.