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What does a specialist pharmacist do?

Life of a Military Pharmacist?

  • Hi, I'm a licensed R.Ph Pharm.D pharmacist and am considering applying for a commission through a medical services recruiting office to become a pharmacist medical officer. I'm been exploring the options that exist in the AF, Navy, and Army, and have yet to decide on a branch that I ultimately wish to pursue a career in. My question is what is the life of a military pharmacist like? My reason for joining would be my desire to serve my country, but I was also attracted to the thrill of being able to see new places and try new things. I know deployments are possible for all branches, to be stationed abroad or in a war zone, which I'm totally fine with and would actually prefer/volunteer for. I'm just worried that the job may ultimately be too much of a "desk job" in a lot of ways. Trust me, I wasn't under the impression that I would be "Action Pharmacist - Now with Kung-Fu Grip!" or anything, it's just that even for a medical job that it's rather mundane. The doctors even at least get interesting jobs like flight surgeon. As a pharmacist, I am qualified to do much more than most realize, and am not limited to being stuck in behind a counter at wal-mart. It doesn't seem like the jobs such as critical care pharmacist or ICU pharmacist exist in military life. What are the possibilities of entering with my Pharm.D. and applying for a non-medical commission to start a military officer career outside of pharmacy? I've tried to ask both normal and medical recruiters this question, and neither want to answer. The medical recruiter says it's a question for the regular recruiters and the regular recruiters see I have a medical degree so they instantly try to refer me to the medical recruiters. Could I begin an officer career in a non-medical area and transfer to pharmacy later in life? I've heard of people having a secondary MOS, AFSC, etc., could I have a new primary job and have pharmacy as a secondary? I just don't know what the life of a military pharmacist is like (both when on base stateside and deployed), or what opportunities are available. Any help would be appreciated. I've been doing research and talking with recruiters, but not making a whole lot of headway.

  • Answer:

    1. Regular commissions and direct commissions are two separate things. 2. Anyone with a BS degree, can apply for OCS with a regular commission. If you want a regular commission, then simply don't mention your PharmD when you talk to a recruiter. Then you can ask for any Branch and will commission as a 2nd Lt You could at a later date, become a army pharmacist, as long as you were still state certified Keeping that certification is gonna be hard, if your not a practicing pharmacist 3. Direct commissions are for doctors, lawyers, nurses, pharmacist - they go to a special short version of OCS They can never rebranch or do another non medical MOS 4. Military pharmacist do the exact same thing civilian pharmacist do, you will work in a hospital or pharmacy on post, filling perscriptions all day.

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you will NOT be offered a commission in anything other than Pharmacy with your credentials. it's just like being a civilian one except the clothes are uglier.

Mrsjvb

It depends on the branch. But you could expect to wake up when they tell you to, do some PT, do something pharm related, then go home. If you are in the Army or Marines you could also expect that somewhere in the day you will do some odd job such as cut the grass. When deployed you could expect the same thing except instead of going to the barracks or home you go back you wherever you stay (I doubt they even deploy Pharmacist). Good luck.

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