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.
Bad Behavior, Children, Pharmacy, USA, Wild & Unruly | Right | September 21, 2017
(Around the holidays, the tension is really high for people to get their prescriptions on time before going on vacation, so the pharmacy area is packed with close to forty people. I overhear this exchange as I’m ringing up a customer with an especially rude son.)
Me: “That will be $4.50, please.”
Customer: *digs in her purse for her wallet*
Customer’s Son: “Geez, stupid b****. Can’t you hurry up!? I want to go home, now!”
(A lady a few people back snaps her head towards him with a face that is the essence of “Oh, HELL no!”)
Customer’s Son: “God, Mom. Every time we go somewhere, it takes you for-f***ing-ever!”
(The lady a few people back is now breathing very loudly through her nose.)
Customer: “Sweetie, if you wait a minute, we can go get you a burger.”
Customer’s Son: “You bet like hell you are.” *points finger in her face* “You owe me big, woman. I could have been home hours ago out of this s*** heap with you. I’m bored out of my f***ing skull.”
(The lady a few people back is now looking anywhere but at the teenager, shaking her head violently, tapping the side of her purse, and muttering, “Mm-mm, mm-mmmm,” to herself.)
Customer: “Okay, look, honey. We’re done.”
Customer’s Son: “ABOUT D*** TIME, B****!”
(The customer and her son just pass around the corner, when the lady a few people back suddenly swings around, grabs both her teenage sons with one hand, and starts hitting them both with her purse.)
(Some people are staring open-mouthed, others are cheering her on, but I am face-down on the counter, laughing hysterically. When it is the lady’s turn, I am still choking down tears.)
Me: “Yes, ma’am. How can I help you?”
Lady: “You’re laughing, but I’ll do the same to you if I ever hear you talking like that.”
Me: “Yes, ma’am. You’re a great woman.”
Lady: “That’s because I was taught how to respect my parents.”
(Faith in humanity restored. Thank you, purse lady!)
Movies & TV, Pharmacy, USA | Right | September 14, 2017
(I work as a pharmacy technician and, as part of verifying a patient’s identity, I ask them to verify the address we have on file. A man with three rows of skulls tattooed on his forearm is picking up for someone else.)
Me: “Can you verify the address?”
Customer: “[Street number], uh, gosh, it’s the snowman from that Frozen movie!”
(The street was Olaf. I laughed and sold him the prescription.)
Coventry, Pharmacy | Unfiltered | September 8, 2017
Unfortunately, the postcode of where I live doesn’t always show up correctly with all the auto-address fill-in databases in common use. I live on a small private road (let’s call it Minor Avenue) just off a main road (let’s call it Main Road). My address is 6 Minor Avenue, Main Road, Coventry, Postcode. Some databases have it as 6 Main Road, Coventry, which does not exist. Where there should be a building is actually an open plot of land sometimes used as a temporary car park.
When I give my details over the phone, I always double check the person filling in the details has the correct information.
A few months ago, I wasn’t very well, and could foresee me needing a lot of medicine. As such, it was necessary to buy myself a pre-payment prescription card, which I did at the pharmacy. It was them that contacted the company that issues the cards, rather than me, by using their website.
Two weeks later, and I still hadn’t received my card through the post, so I rang up the prepayment people. My card had been dispatched, and when the person I was talking to double checked the details, he saw the problem and burst out laughing.
Him: I see the problem – your card has been sent to the address 6 Coventry. That was all they put
British Columbia, Canada, Pharmacy | Unfiltered | August 21, 2017
I drop off a prescription at the pharmacy counter.
Pharmacist: We’re pretty busy. Do you want to wait or come back in about an hour?
Me: I have some other errands to run. I’ll come back around 1:30.
Pharmacist: That should be fine.
I come back about 1:40. The woman ahead of me in line at the pick-up counter is obviously angry and snarking at the shy young pharmacist. Eventually she steams off.
Me: Hi, do you have a prescription ready for (my name)?
Pharmacist: I’m so sorry. We’ve been really busy. It will probably be another 15 minutes or so. Would you like us to deliver it to your home?
Me: Oh, no. That’s fine. I’ll just run over to (supermarket) and come back.
About 20 minutes later:
Pharmacist: We’re just getting your order together. Do you mind having a seat for a couple of minutes?
Me: No problem.
A few minutes later, she calls me up to get my prescription.
Pharmacist: Thank you so much for being so patient. I’ve already had two people yell at me today.
Me: No problem. It’s not like it was your fault.
Pharmacist: They don’t seem to care about that. Thank you so much again.
Hilliard, Ohio, Parents/Guardians, Pharmacy, Retail, USA | Related | August 9, 2017
(I’m pregnant and recently started showing, which has lead to many comments from customers. Also, the pregnancy has lead me to make lots of silly mistakes which I largely blame on pregnancy brain.)
Me: “Sorry about that. My daughter stole my brain cells and she won’t give them back.”
Customer: “I’m sure she’ll give them back eventually. I feel like I’ve just started to get back some brain power from my daughter.”
Pharmacy | Dallas, TX, USA | Right | August 3, 2017
(I am a customer in this story, and was in the process of picking up a few prescriptions. I grabbed a small, much-needed item as well to be wrung up.)
Me: *places item on the counter* “Is it all right if I add this to the purchase? If it’s too much trouble I can take it to the front registers.”
Pharmacist: “Nah. This is one tiny item that can fit into the prescription bag. You wouldn’t believe how much people try to pack their cart at pick-up to avoid the line. We don’t have the bags or the means to properly checkout full loads back here.”
(As if on cue, a woman with a full shopping cart and a hand-basket moves in line behind me, hitting my leg in the process.)
(In response to one of our competitors ceasing to sell cigarettes, our chain has adopted a policy of requiring ID for any sales of cigarettes or paraphernalia, no matter how old someone looks. This goes for everything down to tobacco pipe cleaners, which is what a customer is trying to buy.)
Me: “Can I see your ID, please?”
Customer: “You’re kidding, right? I’m 35. You don’t need to see my ID if I look like I’m over 27.”
Me: “No, it’s a new pol—”
Customer: “This is ridiculous.” *she starts telling me her birthday to enter manually*
Me: “I can’t type in—”
Customer: “What do you need, my driver’s license number?!”
Me: “I can’t sell anything having to do with smoking unless I can see photo ID—”
Customer: “What, you want me to go back home and get my driver’s license?! This is f****** ridiculous. I want to talk to your manager. I’ve been driving around all f****** day looking for these f****** cleaners. I’ve been at two f****** shops in just this f****** plaza already!”
(She continues ranting as I go get my manager and tell him the issue. At no point does she stop being audible.)
Manager: “Ma’am, we can’t sell you those unless you have photo ID.”
Customer: “Are you kidding?! I’m thirty-f******-five. You don’t need to see my f****** ID if I look like I’m over twenty-seven. It’s the law!”
Manager: “It’s a new policy, ever since [Competitor] stopped selling cigarettes.”
(I hand her a small flyer about the new policy, an exact copy of the sign that is on our door and at various places around the store.)
Customer: “Then I don’t want any of these.”
(She continues ranting as she walks toward the door.)
Customer: “I drive around for two f****** hours, just going all over god’s f****** creation just to find these f******—”
At The Checkout, Employees, Health & Body, Pharmacy, USA | Working | June 30, 2017
(I have gone to the pharmacy to refill a prescription. The transaction goes completely normal until the very end after I’ve checked out.)
Worker: “Can I interest you in a free doughnut?”
(I look at her in confusion. I wasn’t expecting being offered a doughnut at 12:30 pm from my pharmacy tech, so my brain takes a bit to process that I did hear those words. After a moment, I shake my head.)
Me: “No, thank you!”
Worker: “…that was rather silly to offer someone picking up diabetes medication, huh?”
Connecticut, Overtime, Pharmacy, USA | Working | June 28, 2017
(I work as a pharmacy technician. As a rule, we aren’t allowed to carry non-clear bags (i.e. purses, backpacks, etc.) into the pharmacy, and as a result hand carry in valuables like phones, keys, and wallets. Early on, the lead technicians and managers had figured out I would stay later if asked, sometimes up to two hours after my shift had ended. This would usually end in my girlfriend or some other friend calling me at the pharmacy worried to see if I was still there or had gotten home yet. To stop from being asked to stay later, I start sneaking out of the pharmacy through the side door, which is one way. It is after a shift with at least one coworker who has a reputation of trying to talk me into staying later, and it is a busy night. I slip out the side door, am grabbing my things to leave, when I realize I left my keys in the pharmacy. Unfortunately, the only way to get into the pharmacy is through the front half-door. I try to get back in unnoticed by my coworkers, which doesn’t work at all. As I’m grabbing my keys, my coworkers stop me.)
Coworker #1: “What, you left without saying goodbye?” *standard procedure so that we know which areas of the pharmacy aren’t covered*
Manager: “Yeah, we were just discussing that. You do that a lot.”
Me: “If I say I’m leaving, you guys usually try to make me stay later.”
Coworker #2: “See? I told you she’d say that!”
Coworker #1: “Yeah… I probably would’ve asked you to stay later.”
(I can’t say I wasn’t asked to stay later after that night, but at least since saying something in front of the manager, the lead techs would give me at least a few hours notice of wanting me to stay later.)
(I have gone to my local pharmacy to see if they have a cream suitable to put on a small insect bite on my 8-month-old’s face. They do not. I have also picked up some formula, and a lipstick for myself. The assistant has already been very confrontational with me, telling me off for not taking the baby to see a doctor about the bite. I am feeling very uncomfortable as she puts the rest of my items through the till, so I try and lighten the mood.)
Me: *to baby, in a joking voice* “Don’t worry, little man, a bit of concealer and you’ll be ready to impress the ladies in no time!”
Assistant: “What?! You can’t do that!”
Me: “Of course I won’t. I was joking.”
Assistant: “Do you have any idea how dangerous that could be? You have no idea what’s in those sort of products! Besides, babies are already beautiful!”
Me: “Yes, I’m sorry; I should not have made a joke about it.”
(She pulls the lipstick I have bought out of the basket.)
Assistant: “See! I knew you weren’t joking! You can’t put this on your child’s face!”
Me: “That’s for me. That’s bright red lipstick!”
Assistant: “Lipstick! That’s even worse! Why would you put lipstick on a baby?!”
Me: “I’m not going to put lipstick on my baby!”
Assistant: “I’m not going to sell this to you. Go home and take your baby to the doctor as you are supposed to.”
(I hurried out, feeling pretty tearful. I dutifully went to the doctor, who quite frankly was perplexed why I was there for such a minor problem! My son’s face cleared up within a day, and at no point did he wear the lipstick — it just wasn’t his colour!)
Pharmacy | Toronto, ON, Canada | Right | May 19, 2017
(I am talking to a regular customer, who is looking to lose some weight before her wedding, about a fitness professional I follow on YouTube who posts workouts and meal plans for free to help people. There is a customer next to me who is being helped by my coworker.)
Customer #2 : *to me and [Customer #1 ]* “Are you calling her fat?”
Me: *startled* “No, I am not. We’re just talking about fitness and—”
Customer #2 : “You should love your body. Don’t go telling her to change it to fit YOUR standards!”
Me: “I’m not telling her to—”
Customer #2 : *to [Customer #1 ]* “Don’t you love yourself?”
Customer #1 : “I do; I do. I just want to lose five pounds before my wedding.”
Customer #2 : “No! That’s the media talking! You’re being brainwashed.”
Customer: “No, it’s my doctor talking. I’m all for body positivity but a health professional is telling me to lose weight.”
Customer #2 : “When you die from diabetes, don’t come looking for help then!”
Customer #1 : “I couldn’t because I’d be hypothetically dead.”
(Customer #2 sputtered and walked out without her change.)
(Since it’s nearing the Christmas season, we are currently doing donations for a cancer foundation. I lost my grandfather to lung cancer earlier this year.)
Me: “Your total is $[total]. Would you like to donate a dollar to [Cancer Foundation] today?”
Customer: “No, I would not.”
Me: “Okay, no problem.” *hits ‘no’ to proceed to payment screen and am about to tell the customer she can swipe her card*
Customer: “I won’t donate because there’s already a cure for cancer. It’s the biggest conspiracy out there.” *laughs*
(All I could do was just fake laugh, smile, and wish her a good day. If you don’t want to donate, just say no. That’s it!)
Pharmacy | Pittsburgh, PA, USA | Working | March 30, 2017
(A few years ago, I was with a friend at a local pharmacy. She was looking for water-based lubricant, but could find none on the shelf. I told her that she should ask the pharmacist, since they would know if they stocked the item, and if not they could call other stores to find out. She expressed nervousness that the pharmacist would judge her, and I assured her that it would be entirely unprofessional to do such a thing, but that if it bothered her I would go and ask in her stead. After waiting in line the following exchanged took place.)
Me: “Hello, could you tell me if this, or one of your affiliated stores, carries water-based lubricant?”
Young Pharmacist: “What?”
Me: “Water-based lubricant.”
Young Pharmacist: *looks uneasy* “Why do you need it?”
Me: *confused at the question* “Personal use.”
Young Pharmacist: *becoming irritated* “I need to know exactly what you plan to do with it!”
Me: “Why?”
Young Pharmacist: *suddenly looking upset* “Because it is a controlled substance!”
Me: *thinks he is joking* “No, it’s not.”
Young Pharmacist: *more upset* “Yes, it is!”
Me: *now getting irritated at this very unprofessional behavior* “No! It’s not!”
Young Pharmacist: *now irate* “Yes, it is, and unless you tell me what you plan to do with it I will not sell it to you!”
Me: *now very irate* “For f******!”
Young Pharmacist: *now suddenly pale and uneasy looking* “What?”
Me: *still upset* “For f******! Probably with sex toys involved as well! Anal and vaginal fucking! Now, do you have it or not?!”
Young Pharmacist: *looking very uncomfortable* “I’ll need to get my manager to approve that.” *runs to the backs and has a heated sounding conversation just out of earshot*
(At this point, an older woman who is clearly the head pharmacist comes up to the counter, looking clearly annoyed to be pulled away from whatever she was doing.)
Older Pharmacist: “Hello, I am the head pharmacist here. Would you explain to me what you need the controlled substance for?”
Me: “F******! Sex! Fornication! Probably involving sex toys since certain ones melt if you use the wrong personal lubricant.”
Older Pharmacist: *looking confused* “Personal lubricant is not a controlled substance…”
Me: “That’s what I told him!” *points to Younger Pharmacist* “But he refused to believe me, then demanded to know what I was using it for, then dragged you up here, and now here we are!”
Older Pharmacist: *looks at Younger Pharmacist* “Seriously? You seriously dragged me up here for this?” *turns to the computer* “What kind were you looking for?”
Me: “I need a water-based lubricant; nothing fancy. Do you or any other store in the chain close by carry it?”
(The older pharmacist types for a while, and the younger pharmacist looks uncomfortable.)
Older Pharmacist: “I’m not seeing anything; you probably have to get it online.”
Me: “Thank you very much for all of your help.”
(As I turn to walk back to my friend I hear this exchange between the Older and Younger Pharmacists.)
Older Pharmacist: “If you are going to work in this field you have to stop being this way about sexual and reproductive items or you will not last long.”
(I went back to my friend, informed them of the outcome, and we left. I am so happy that they dealt with me instead of her, as she would have left the pharmacy in tears with no answers.)
(I am at the pharmacy, picking up several medications. To pick up any medications, you have to give the address they have on file. Further, one of the medications is Schedule II, which means I need to have my ID. I pull out my ID and have it ready, waiting for the pharmacy tech to ask for it.)
Tech: “All right, your total is [price]. You can scan your card now!”
Me: *thinking they may have forgotten one of my medications* “Um… is my [controlled substance] in there?”
Tech: “Oh! Yeah, it is! I’ll need to see your ID.”
Me: *hands over the ID*
Tech: *finishes ringing me up, and starts handing me the bag, before pausing* “Oh, what’s your address?”
Me: “[Address].”
Tech: “All right, here you go!”
(As I left, I remembered I’m usually supposed to give my date of birth as well. Kinda takes the “controlled” out of controlled substances when I could’ve gotten it with nothing but a name… I’m just glad I caught it before the person got in big trouble.)
Pharmacy | Toronto, ON, Canada | Right | March 29, 2017
(I’m the customer in this one, calling into the store. I have worked in customer service for years and as such I tend to get a lot of “oh, thank heavens!” reactions from staff. This is one.)
Me: “Hi, I’d like to get a refill on [X] medication.”
Pharmacist: *in trepidation* “Uhh… let me just check if we have your three-months’ refill.”
Me: “No worries.”
Pharmacist: *sounding even more worried* “Ma’am, I am so sorry, but it doesn’t appear we have the full supply. When do you need them by?”
Me: “I’m out as of tomorrow, but that’s no problem; it wouldn’t be the first time I get a week’s supply and come back for more when you have it.”
Pharmacist: “I can try calling another… Do you think… Wait, what? Really?”
Me: “Sure. Happens at least half the time. You only have a few customers on this medication and apparently we all like to refill at about the same time.”
Pharmacist: “And you’re not… You’re okay?”
Me: *laughing* “I’m not cranky-customer-type. My goal is never to be the one you go home complaining about!”
Pharmacist: “Ma’am, you are my favourite customer today. Possibly this month.”
(It’s already been a long day as I answer a patient’s phone call.)
Me: “Thank you for calling [Store] pharmacy; how can I help you?”
Female Customer: “I want you to delete [medication] from my file! I don’t want it to ever be filled there again. I get my medications in the mail now, and I don’t want you to screw it up.”
Me: “Okay, ma’am, I’ll leave it here in your profile but we won’t fill it. We will only fill it if you ask us to.”
Female Customer: “No, I want it deleted!”
Me: “Okay, I will delete it.”
(I don’t delete it because patients who get their medications in the mail always run into a problem sooner or later and need to get a few pills from us until their order arrives from the mail.)
Female Customer: “Great! Oh, and can you fill [supposedly deleted medication] for a few tablets? My mail order will be late this month.”
(I am helping a customer whose prescription for Cialis 20mg has expired. The customer only has Cialis 5mg still on file, which someone has filled for him instead of the 20mg.)
Me: “Were you wanting to wait until your doctor faxed back about the 20mg Cialis?”
Customer: “No, I’ll just pop four of the 5mg. Although I really want the 20mg ones since they do the work!”
Me: “Do you only take one of the 20mg Cialis?”
Customer: “OH, YA! Except if I’m at a crazy party, and then I pop a few.”
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