During my freshman year in high school, my science teacher assigned us to interview people in the community about how they use science in their careers. Although I don’t remember most of the people I spoke with, I can tell you that I spent meaningful time with a local community pharmacist who changed my life.
What I saw was a man who loved his career and truly cared for his patients. In an instant, I knew that I wanted to become a pharmacist, and I never wavered from that goal throughout high school.
Knowing what you want to be when you grow up at age 14 is unusual, but it is very liberating. I simply had to work backwards to figure out how to achieve my goal of becoming a pharmacist.
After high school, I chose to attend Ohio Northern University (ONU) because it had a unique pharmacy program. Rather than attending college for 2 years and then applying to the pharmacy program, ONU students were admitted to the College of Pharmacy from day one.
Although it was expensive, being in pharmacy school from day one and avoiding the risk of rejection made it worthwhile for me.
In college, I spent a lot of time in the library. Although the classwork was difficult, I did well with one exception: organic chemistry.
I did fail organic chemistry—a notorious “weed out” course—but I successfully retook the class over the summer and graduated on time with the rest of my classmates. Failing a course is a difficult stumbling block, but I stood strong and persevered.
Today, I’m thankful for the wonderful pharmacy profession for so many reasons.
First, I’m thankful that community pharmacists are the health care professionals most accessible to the public. If my local pharmacist wasn’t accessible to me, then I likely would have taken a different career path.
Second, I’m proud of the work we pharmacists do, the diversity of our career options, and the relationships we share with our patients and fellow health care providers.
Pharmacy is a profession that makes a real difference in people’s lives. It certainly has made all the difference in mine.
Pharmacy | Peachtree City, GA, USA | Right | August 20, 2016
(I work for a very large pharmacy/convenience store that has a very specific return policy. If it’s an item of our brand, it can be returned no matter what: empty, destroyed, no receipt, anything. However, it’s returned and you’re given a ”money card,” which can be used on anything in-store except for prescriptions and cigarettes. A woman from the neighborhood knows this and this occurs almost daily. Today is my last day working.)
Me: *currently restocking the candy in front of my till when I hear a loud cough and see the customer standing three spaces away waiting* “Ma’am, may I help you?”
Lady: “About f****** time. I have a return. I demand you help me now!”
Me: *I walk back to my till, grabbing her items on the way, and start the return by scanning her receipt, noting that she paid with food stamps for her purchase* “Okay, this shouldn’t be an issue. Do you have the food stamp card used? I just need to scan it to reimburse you.”
Lady: “It’s not a food stamp card, you assumptive piece of s***! It’s just for us folks who don’t have a rich daddy to pay for s***. And no, I don’t have it with me.”
(She proceeds to grab the receipt from me.)
Lady: “Just give me one of those d*** cards, okay? God, you take forever.”
(I cancel out the return and begin a return without receipt, which requires my manager to okay that I am activating the card.)
Me: “Okay, this should be just fine; just give me one moment to get my manager to activate the card.”
Lady: “Of course. Hurry up; I don’t have all day, Princess.”
(At this point, I’ve had to deal with her so many times that I am almost joyfully taking my time. I knock on my manager’s office and let him know who it is and what’s going on.)
Manager: “Ma’am, this will just take me a quick moment. Can I ask why you’re returning this?”
Lady: “It’s f****** disgusting. All your products are. Just give me my card finally.”
(My manager tells her how to use the card and gives it to her with a printed balance.)
Lady: “I’m just going to use it now, you f****** idiot. Princess, can you finally get off your fat a** and get me a carton of [Cigarette Brand] and two lighters?”
Manager: “Ma’am, I have already told you that you cannot buy cigarettes with this card.”
Lady: “I don’t care! Bad enough you can’t give me my money back. Let me get my f****** cigarettes.”
(At this point, I’m completely shocked. Usually, telling her gets her to go to a different store.)
Manager: *speaking to me* “Did her original receipt show food stamps again?”
Lady: “THEY ARE NOT STAMPS!”
Me: “Yes.”
(At this point, my manager asks for the card so he can “fix the issue” and hands it to me.)
Manager: “Can you please dispose of this for me? As for you, ma’am, I demand you leave. This is the fifth time you’ve tried to get cigarettes with food stamps and I cannot take this.”
Lady: *completely irate* “No! I demand my god-d*** f****** cigarettes, you f****** c***!”
(Knowing this is my last day, I look at her completely stone faced and snap the card in half.)
Me: “You need to leave. Now.”
(She later came back that day with a police officer, claiming that we stole from her. My manager took the officer into the room, explained the situation, and showed him both the returned product and the snapped card. She was arrested for food stamp fraud.)
Manager: “You can go home early today. When you’re at college, do something not to end up here.”
(A customer comes up to me with two packages of a popular over-the-counter drug brand; one is for treating cold symptoms and one is a sleep aid only.)
Customer: “I’m not sure which one to get.”
Me: *pointing to the orange box* “Well, this one treats symptoms of a minor cold, like stuffy nose and chest congestion, and this one—” *pointing to the blue box* “—is a sleep aid.”
Customer: “Which one should I get?”
Me: “Do you have a cold or do you need help falling asleep?”
Customer: “I don’t know. Can you put them behind your back and mix them up, then I’ll just pick a hand and go with it.”
Me: “It might just be better to choose the one that fits your symptoms.”
Customer: *pushing the boxes at me* “No, this will be fine. Just mix them up behind your back, and I’ll pick one.”
Me: “Um, okay.” *dutifully puts the boxes behind my back and switches hands*
(The customer picks the hand that was holding the sleep aid.)
Pharmacy, Retail | AL, USA | Working | August 8, 2016
(We recently get a new scheduling manager that is horrible about communicating with everyone and often changes the schedule at the drop of a hat. Leading up the Black Friday, I’ve been checking the upcoming schedule multiple times every day to insure I am off both Thanksgiving and Black Friday and I indeed am. I even call on Thanksgiving to insure that I am off on Black Friday and again it is confirmed. While out with my family I get a call from the scheduling manager.)
Me: “Hello?”
Scheduling Manager: “[My Name], where are you?”
Me: “With my family.”
Scheduling Manager: “You’re supposed to be here!”
Me: “No, I’m not. I checked all last week and everyday and even called yesterday to make sure, [Scheduling Manager]. My name was not down.”
Scheduling Manager: “Well, you need to come in.”
Me: “No.” *hangs up*
Scheduling Manager: *calls me a few more times which I ignore then texts me* “Please, you need to come in. I’m sorry for the confusion. I’ll have to work a 13-hour shift if you don’t.”
Me: *texts back* “I am not coming in. I was not on the schedule for today. Stop texting me.”
Scheduling Manager: *texts* “Please!”
Me: *texts* “No.” *turns off phone*
(I turned my phone back on after I got back home. I had numerous messages from her. I complained to the manager above her who said she would sort it out. The scheduling manager left two months later.)
(I go to a podiatrist because I have a fungal infection, and he wrote me a prescription for some pills and says that he will send it to the pharmacy. I go to the pharmacy for the medicine.)
Me: “Hello, I’m here to pick up this prescription?”
Clerk: “Okay.”
Me: “Here it is.”
(I hand what the doctor gave me over. It has the pharmacy name and address, and the doctor’s name and address. She frowns and squints at it, looks at the computer, and frowns again.)
Clerk: “This is your doctor?”
Me: “Yes, Dr. [Name].”
Clerk: “Okay…”
(She gives me a narrow-eyed suspicious look and leaves. I figure that she went to give it to the pharmacist to fill. I wait a minute, and then ask again.)
Me: “Hello, I’m trying to pick up my prescription?”
Same Clerk: “Name?”
Me: “Name.”
(She goes and gets it, but doesn’t hand it over.)
Same Clerk: “ID?”
Me: *gives it*
Same Clerk: “Address?”
Me: *gives it*
Same Clerk: *scowls suspiciously, frowning at computer*
(At this point, I’m getting annoyed. It’s been over 15 minutes.)
Me: “It’s me! That’s my prescription!”
Same Clerk: “Well… okaaay.”
(She hands it over, along with my ID, still unsure. Not all of us are drug abusers, lady.)
Me: “Ma’am, your copay for your prescription is five cents.”
Customer: “You selfish little c***! My copay should be zero! Does it look like I have that kind of money on me!?”
Me: “Ma’am, it’s a nickel. I think you can find one in the cup holder of your car. I’m sorry, but I can’t sell you your prescription without it being paid for.”
Customer: “Well f*** you and this f****** store! I’m calling your management!”
(Two hours later.)
Boss: “We had a complaint about you today. Care to explain?”
Me: “She couldn’t pay for her five cent prescription.”
Pharmacy | Toronto, ON, Canada | Right | July 15, 2016
(I am a pharmacy student currently working as a technician at a local pharmacy. A patient who is on a blood-pressure lowering medication is now starting a new lowered dose.)
Me: “Hi, Mr. [Patient]. I just wanted to make sure that you’re aware the doctor is changing the dose for your medication?”
Patient: “Yup, I was getting lightheaded and passing out from the medication.”
Me: “Oh, that’s unfortunate. Well, hopefully this new dose works out better for you!”
Patient: “Yeah, so I was on top of my wife and then suddenly I blacked out and I fell on top of her, and it just really killed the mood, y’know? After that, the moment was just over
(I work at a pharmacy as a cashier. The pharmacist on duty has been working here for years and knows all of our regulars. A customer has a question for him so I forward it over to him without much of a thought.)
Pharmacist: “All right, we’ll try that. Cross your fingers and toes!” *pause* “Okay, it worked. Have a good day!”
(He hangs up the phone and bursts out laughing.)
Pharmacist: “Well, I feel like an a** right now.”
Me: “What happened?”
Pharmacist: “Mrs. [Name]? The one I just got off the phone with? I told her to cross her fingers and toes and she doesn’t have legs.”
Customer: “I’d like to fill a prescription but I also wanted to ask about this medicine.” *puts two boxes of OTC painkillers on the counter* “Can I use this for my migraine?”
(I start by asking her various questions about the migraine to see whether she should get something OTC or if she should see a doctor. I also ask about contraindications for the particular drug. From the answers I get I explain to her that the drug she chose on the shelf is not suitable for her and I go to the shelf to get a different medicine. All in all this has not taken more than a few minutes, and going to the shelf and back a maximum of 15 seconds. As I return she’s really upset with me and snaps.)
Customer: “How come you got so preoccupied with this? I told you I was here to fill a prescription!”
Me: “Okay, just so you know, sir, a three-month supply of this medication is going to cost you about $400.”
Customer: “What?! No. You’re wrong. When I picked it up last it was a third of that!”
(I look up his payment and pick up history in the system.)
Me: “It looks like this new prescription is the same medication as the last but you’re allowed to pick up three months at a time instead of just one. Is that correct?”
Customer: “Yes! But it’s never this expensive!”
Me: “Well, you’re picking up more at one time which is why it is a higher cost.”
Customer: “No! You’re wrong. It’s not supposed to be this expensive!”
Me: “Well, I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t set the prices. Your insurance company tells us what to charge you based on your plan.”
(This commences a 10 minute rant about how this medication is too expensive and he KNOWS he shouldn’t owe this much because he has been in the industry for 20 years and has a PhD.)
Customer: “When I picked it up last month it was only $133! It shouldn’t be $400!”
Me: “So… you previously picked up a one month supply for $133? And you’re upset because this three-month supply is three times the cost of the one-month supply?”
Customer: “YES!”
(Sadly this man did not see the math and proceeded to stay for the next 45 minutes and tell me exactly what was wrong with the entire industry and why it was my fault. Unfortunately, I have more stories about this guy from this 45 minute encounter alone.)
(I work in a pharmacy where I hear about how awful the new healthcare laws are at least four times a day. I personally have Marketplace coverage and keep my mouth shut all the time, but this one is too stupid to overlook
Customer: “I need refills on my medication.”
Me: “Okay, let me look it up… I’m sorry, sir, you have no refills left. I can fax the doctor to ask for more.”
Customer: *stares at me like I just committed murder* “See! This is that d*** Obamacare! I need my medication!”
Me: *in the calmest voice possible* “Sir, do you understand how pharmacy works? You used all your refills already. If you would like I can try to call the White House and see if President Obama can authorize a new prescription.”
(I pick up the phone and call information and ask to be connected to the White House.)
Customer: “Don’t be rude to me! You’re obviously an Obama lover.”
Me: “No, I just wanted you to see how uneducated and ridiculous you sound. By the way Obama is not in the office right now so you’ll have to wait on those refills. Have a great day!”
Cashier: *ringing me up* “Okay, ma’am, your total today comes to—” *pauses a moment and looks like a deer in the headlights* “$6.66…”
(I calmly gets my money to pay and the cashier finishes bagging my items, still looking like a deer in the headlights. Finally my receipt is being printed out.)
Cashier: “Do you, uh, want your receipt?”
Me: “Yes, please!”
Cashier: *takes receipt and crumples it into a ball and TOSSES it onto the counter* “Here you go.”
Me: *shocked* “Uh, thanks…” *takes receipt and straightens it out*
(The clerk opens the drawer under the counter where they keep the stamps. She takes out a book of stamps…and another…and another…and another until every book of stamps in the drawer is on the counter.)
Clerk: “These are all we have. Is this enough for a whole book?”
Pharmacy | Melbourne, VIC, Australia | Right | May 17, 2016
(We have a lot of multicultural customers come into our store and as I love languages I like to ask about their accents and learn a phrase or two if I can. A young woman and her elderly mother have been talking in another language before coming to my register.)
Me: “Hi there, did you find everything okay? And do you mind me asking what language that was?”
Daughter: “It’s a dialect of Italian.”
Me: “How would I say ‘have a nice day’?”
Mother: “Fi una bella giornata.”
(As I hand them their purchases.)
Me: “Well, then, fi una bella giornata!”
Daughter: “Very good!”
(The mother then says something in Italian before slapping me in the rear.)
Pharmacy | Tampa, FL, USA | Working | April 30, 2016
(I work with a small mom and pop pharmacy for several years. Due to budget cuts it is necessary to layoff an employee. After discussing our options the owner decides to fire a technician who, though friendly, is relatively lazy. This is when Survivor first debuted.)
Boss: “So, [Coworker], you’ve been voted off the island.”
Pharmacy | Edmonton, AB, Canada | Right | April 21, 2016
(Working in a busy pharmacy, a teenage boy and his girlfriend came up to the counter.)
Boy: “I’m looking for the condoms.” *smiling at his girlfriend, she’s looking embarrassed*
Me: “Aisle 10, right hand side.”
Boy: “Yeah, but you see, I need some extra-large condoms. The regular ones are way too small for me.” *smirking at his girlfriend*
Me: “Seriously?”
(I stand back, heave my leg up on the counter and point to it.)
Me: “See this ankle? I recently broke it, and had a cast on. I used regular-sized condoms on it to waterproof it when I had showers. If your penis is larger than this—” *pointing to my leg still up on the counter* “—then I seriously suggest you keep it away from her—” *pointing to girlfriend* “—as it’s going to do some serious damage!”
(Both boy and girlfriend walked away without saying another word.)
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