Thread by @MeganARech

Another one of my colleagues took a nice, cushy MSL job and I just met a new staff pharmacist at my 🏥 who is PGY2 CC-trained and doesn’t WANT to do clinical anymore. At 36, I’m now the “old” one amongst our clinical pharmacist. It’s led me to reflect on why that is. A 🧵: (1/)

Starting out, so many of my residents’ 5-year goals read like this: “I want to work at an academic center where I can teach, precept & do research”. Then after 5 years, they jump ship. What happens? (2/)

For starters, it’s really hard to be on service constantly. Our physician colleagues often get time off-service, but it’s rare in clinical pharmacist positions. It’s hard to balance (and excel!) at non-stop patient care, admin tasks, teaching, research, etc. long term. (3/)

We’re always trying to prove our worth. Being a clinical pharmacist means we’re always trying to expand our scope and services, take on more responsibility, and innovate, all while cutting costs in drug budgets and elsewhere. Over time, this can be exhausting. (4/)

Public/C-suite perceptions need work. If I can’t get my parents to understand what I do (& my dad is a retail pharmacist), it’s difficult to teach the public. We rarely encounter pharmDs being interviewed in the media - we’re the experts in practice but not always in public. (5/)

Culture matters. It’s hard to want to take on more responsibility when you don’t feel seen or respected- especially true during COVID. Also, outside of academia, career advancement is limited without giving up patient care. (6/)

Now I’m certainly not accusing anyone of selling out or giving up, and or criticizing my institution. We need attrition to retain our trainees. My point is that we need to evaluate how all these factors lead to *premature* attrition (without another burnout survey 🙄). (7/)

I can’t offer many solutions. I am the “old” clinical pharmacist d/t ability to pursue interests outside of patient care: mostly research, some teaching. Some protected research time gives me a great balance & challenges me in new ways, without bringing as much home. (8/)

I’m sure that attention to burnout & emphasis on self-care will help, but I encourage new clinical pharmacists to carve out a niche in something you’re passionate about: teaching, research, advocacy, residency development, etc. - find something in addition to patient care! 9/)

Interested in what others think! Tagging some fellow “old” (Winking face) clinical pharmacists. (10/ )
@EMToxRx @HeavnerPharmD @JasonMordino @JoannaCCPharmD @erin_barreto @Prof_J_NYC @ETNCCRX @gmjones09 @karenccrx @KLFrx @mmPharmD @ACCP #TwitteRx