The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7156 p51-52
July 14, 2001

  Pharmacist careers
  Pharmacist awards
  Sale of P medicines
  Primary care pharmacy
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  The Journal

Pharmacist careers (2 letters)

Industrial opportunities

From Dr C. Minchom, MRPharmS

Perhaps it is time to remind ourselves that it is we who are in control of our careers and future. There are many interesting career paths for those trained inpharmacy. I entered pharmacy with the intention of helping patients. After experiencing hospital and community practice before graduation, I chose to work in the pharmaceutical industry. My choice was made in the belief that I would be able to put into practice a wider spread of the training I received and to ensure a varied career. It was a good choice — I have helped develop three marketed products currently benefiting patients. I have had the opportunity to travel ultimately and unexpectedly to work outside the UK. I cannot say that my career has always been Utopian: as with all careers it has had low points. Although travel and expatriation might not appeal to everyone, the opportunities I have found in industrial pharmacy allow choice which as a theme appears to be lacking in recent correspondence in your columns.

There appears to be a misconception that entry to industrial pharmacy is only available to men with a higher degree who enter straight after graduation. The Industrial Pharmacists Group survey of 1997 showed that over 40 per cent of industrial pharmacists are women, that over 55 per cent practise without a higher degree and that a similar percentage enters industrial pharmacy from another sector of the profession. For some roles within industry, experience gained after several years of practice in hospital or community pharmacy can be advantageous (eg, medical information, clinical trial supply logistics).

I am not suggesting that NHS service does not offer choice, nor am I belittling the challenges facing those in the profession who work for the NHS or advocating that such an apparent radical career change is right for all. I am suggesting there are other interesting alternatives that use our professional skills and training and that also offer opportunities for those willing to take control.

Colin Minchom
Toronto, Canada

Look around

From Mr L.W. J. Chapman, MRPharmS

I take account of the shocked despair of Ian Wood (PJ, 12 May, p654), Ben Hewitt (PJ, 26 May, p719) and Caroline Foley (PJ, 26 May, p714). It took me many years to find a niche outside pharmacy, but I found it eventually in a civil service job helping engineers forecast river flows and expected floods in Ontario. It is true that I took a step down in pay, but not a big one. Moreover, the job involved instructive scientific seminars, the occasional course in hydrometeorology at the University of Toronto, a certain amount of travel, and also the responsibility to give the occasional talk to others on the subject. It was satisfying to me when a flood forecast in which I had participated proved to be reasonably accurate and saved the lives of people and animals.

Feeling dissatisfied? Start looking around. Eventually, with the right approach, pharmacists can leave pharmacy behind them, using the education they worked hard at for something else.

Leonard Chapman
Toronto, Canada

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