How US pharmacists view Foreign Grad Pharmacists

[yannl]

Here is a thread on the SDN forum that shows insight to how US pharmacists regard foreign graduates:

 

Are foreign PharmDs going to affect our salary? - Student Doctor Network Forums

[knok]

Do you think that all these 105 articles http://www.www.urch.com/forums/pharmacy-forum/72431-articles-related-pharmacist-shortage.html I have collected are telling a lie. Come on! There are solid references sponsored by government, Pharmacy Manpoer Project and others.

 

I wanted to say something when I saw that post last week but it was not worth arguing. If it is not true, budget will not be approved to study about the shortage.

 

As a MBA graduate, the pharmacy industry is not like the computer industry. US industry becomes a service industry. Industry that provides service will be left in the country. All others will be outsourcing so that companies can remain competitive.

 

In computer industry, manufaturers can shift their products to other countries to gain competitive advantage, which is called outsourcing. Outsourcing is hurting American workers because money is sending out of the country.

 

Bill Gate negotiates with Congress about H-1B because he wants to keep research department here in the USA. I can't imagine if he sends everything to India. What will happen to US economy. What happens to all American workers who work for him? Follow the jobs to India? Not to mention intellectual property that is concerned if that happens.

 

One of my friends who work as an computer engineer is coming back to be a pharmacist because her company will outsource her department to India soon. Which way is better?

 

Nowaday, CVS and hospitals have outsourced some departments. As far as I know, hospitals outsourced administrative department to India and other countries.

 

Pharmaceutical industry is totally different than computer industry. Computer schools invest a lot less than pharmacy schools. I can say this because I have studied both areas and I know what it is all about. The number of pharmacy students in each country is a lot less than computer students.

 

I cannot understand why people compare pharmacists with computer people. It is a different scenerio.

 

You can send (outsource) computer projects to India easily. Will you send American people to buy medication outside the country?

 

It may happen soon if Americans cannot access to healthcare and cannot talk to pharmacists because of high workload.

 

Also, pharmacists have jobs available anywhere, no matter where they are. People who come here may have other reasons to be here, not only because of an economic reason.

 

It is an era of globalization. Again, there is a good book named Globalization. If anyone is interested, you can search for it. Then, I hope that this book will help people to understand situation and how globalization works.

 

Eventually, there will not have border for production. I can't imagine if, one day, when Information Technology has progressed, pharmacists may work from home by using technology. That is a scary thing to think about. That is when companies may outsource pharmacy tasks to ther countries with really cheap labor.

 

I know that there are some locations that use technology for double checking prescription but it is not good enough to see the medicines when looking through video.

 

I want to say this, as a foreign pharmacist graduate and a US graduate, "Pharmacists, no matter where you come from, should not be your own worst enemies. We should be united to keep our profession because if we won't, cancer will spread. We may lose our profession to robotic technology." Missoulian: Pharmacists face uncertain future in rural Montana

 

About communication ability, it is good to use good language but I always remember a seminar session when my professor assigned articles in a textbook chapter 1 written with a very good English and chapter 7 written by a foreign professor. One of my classmates complained about Chapter 7, "I can't believe that this chapter is put in the textbook. It contains poor grammar and poor English is used."

 

The professor answered immediately, "Which chapter do you think that has better content? " When you read articles or textbook, don't pay attention only how good English the author is but you should ask yourself, "What do I learn from this article? Some books use good English but there is nothing in there. Think about it." :(

 

Patients and public health should be the most concern.

[yannl]

I didn't say anything about your previous posts Knok!!!, I copied that thread to just give others an idea how some US pharmacists regard us foreign grads.

My ultimate reason is to create awareness for us, that not all US pharmacists are "happy" about the H1b process,not caring if that there is a need to hire from other countries. Pharmacist shortage in this country is a fact, how others feel about it is something not bad knowing too.

[knok]

Yannl,

 

"You" is not refering to you, yannl. I refered to the poster who said, "There is no shortage."

 

Thank you for your post. I appreciate it.

 

I am sorry for the confusion.

 

Knok

[resu]

Hi Knok,

 

I read that thread which shows US pharmacists angerness toward us. But my main concern is that do they want only good language or they want good mind too. I am also working in the pharmacy. I see that sometime p'cist whoud like to relay on their technicians who don't have such a huge knowledge of subject rather than us who have good knowledge of subject and degree too. I personally believe that english is necessary to communicate better, but it doesn't mean that person who doesn't have same accents has no knowledge.

 

Besides this, the people over here should know that America is a country of immigrants. They are not the only persons who have right to work here. I think more than 50% of the people here are immigrants. Besides that general rule over here says that here government and people believe in equality, but I always feel that they always be partial to us. So many times, in my job, I feel partiality. Then at that time where is that rule about equality that they generaly believe in. They have to understand that in this world we have to face lots of competition and who do the best can get a chance, it doesn't matter that from which country they are. I am telling these to the people who don't like us as p'cists.

[knok]

Resu,

 

Thanks for your comment. Because there are such pharmacists who think only inside the box and forget to look outside it.

 

When pharmacy benefit managers squeeze out the profit margin of drugstores and wage of pharmacists is escalating, chains have to try to survive by increasing the number of prescriptions per pharmacist.

 

All in all, even though you earn $60/hour, the number of prescriptions you have to dispense is as same as you earn $40 dollars/hour because at $60 an hour, you burn out, no bathroom, no lunch break, you have to finish 400-500 prescriptions while working at $40/ hour, you may fill only 120-180 prescriptions per day. You can work with less pressure, probably 5-6 days a week and will be in profession longer.

 

Finally, when you earn $60/hour, you decide to work 3- 4 days a week. What's a difference? Working in that busy environment is not healthy.

 

There are 5 interviews. If there is no need at all, why are there 5 interviews? That's a lot.

 

This article is written by another MBA graduate:

 

Are escalating wages damaging the profession? - - Drug Topics

 

Does anyone know whether Pharm.D in the US includes macro and micro economic course and operating management in the curriculum?

 

I am not insulting. I am just curious that it seems that knowledge in that area is missing or burying somewhere after they graduate. Some people are enjoying the shortage, unknowingly, it hurts the profession in a long run.

[Aussiepharmer]

Are americans not even fond of Canadians getting licensed in US? I read somewhere half of them come to US. And what about those from other English speaking countries like Australia and UK?