Common Doubts When Entering Pharmacy IT

Jan 12, 2016 10:53:00 AM · by David Kushan

Was there a time when you weren't sure if this was for you?

Transitioning from a traditional pharmacist role to an IT/informatics pharmacist role is a big step. Although you can do substantial research into the roles' major differences, for many people the true test of whether or not it’s the right career move will come only after they’ve been in the new position for while. This is one reason why it can be good to transition on a part-time basis if you have the opportunity.

To assist our readers with their decision of whether or not to transition into Pharmacy IT/informatics, we asked seven pharmacists if there was ever a time when they felt like the this career route was not for them.

All of the pharmacists really liked the work they were doing. Two of them had no regrets or issues that caused them to doubt their decision. One of the pharmacists dealt with his current pharmacy department (now his past colleagues), causing him to feel like he was now an outsider. Two of the pharmacists said that they needed to get used to the fact that they did not have a specific start and end time to their workday, which they had when working a traditional pharmacy shift. The need to be available, from time to time, “after” the hours to which they were accustomed took some getting used to. What also took adjustment: Working on project deadlines as a team and waiting for others to consistently provide information to complete a job.

However, aside from the nuances mentioned above, everyone was happy with the work they were doing. All felt as if this was a way to use their overall experience and clinical knowledge to improve healthcare, as they perceived it evolving in the future. Each of the pharmacists we talked with also acknowledged that they were the first or second person within their organization to be in this type of role. As a result, they had significant input into the role’s overall responsibilities, which certainly could’ve contributed to a higher satisfaction rate.

So, when joining an organization in this type of capacity, it’s important to see how rigid the responsibilities will be. Questions about the role’s level of flexibility should be asked when researching the position.

General, Consulting, David Kushan

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