Posted by Cam W. on September 4, 2001, at 22:56:53
In reply to Re: Cam, posted by Phil on September 4, 2001, at 21:04:00
Phil - It is not really a case of getting a job, it's a case of getting a job that won't piss me off too much. There are several unpublicized jobs, but they are with people that I'd have a hard time working for.
I have applied for a pharmacy job in Alaska in a mental health clinic. There are several snags, though: green card (probably not a problem), U.S. pharmacy competency test (NAPLEX - Only need 75%, so that would not be a problem), state jurisprudence test (again, not a problem to pass, if I studied the laws, most are the same as ours).
The biggest hurdle is time; they only hold these tests a couple of times a year, and you have to apply 60 days prior to the test. Also, the tests are not cheap. Then there is airfare and hotel when writing the test.
All in all, I don't really think it is going to be worth my time. I'd like a clinical job, but I don't have a PharmD degree (and really don't want one). Besides, my wife does not like the healthcare system in the U.S., and doesn't want to raise our family there (although she is trained in the Canadian equivalent of Healthy Families America).
I have applied for 2 hospital jobs in town, and I think I have a good chance to get at least one of them. I do have some psychiatrist friends that I am going to hit up, to see if they can do anything.
I have references from the Regional Director of Mental Health Services, the Health Canada Drug Inspector for the northern half of the province, and a Head Psychiatrist for one of the loops through the north. I will be phoning the Head Psychiatrist for Mental Health Services (he sent me a brochure for this year's Schizophrenia Conference and I have to thank him; at the same time I will ask for a reference).
I would like to stay involved in the mental health field, but my job was so specialized that no one really knew what I was doing, but I think I filled cracks in the system that needed filling.
I pity the pharmacist who my old boss (who has the contract for Mental Health, and won't give it to me) hires for my job (still isn't filled, but was advertised in the paper and the job description was totally wrong - hee-hee). I left nothing of what I was doing behind. The only thing that is left is the things I did in the past, and are only noted in the accreditation of Mental Health Clinic.
I may have a chance to get the job back, when the contract runs out in April, but I have no experience in how to set up a company, or if it would be worthwhile. I also don't know how to market myself properly. I could probably go around and flog my skills to some of the smaller Mental Health Clinics (ie. once or twice a month) in the North.
I will land on my feet, again; I am sure of it, but this waiting really sucks. I have been keeping up with my reading, but there really is no money in the government for a community pharmacist to specialize in mental health (although, I do think I really made a difference).
Well, that was rambling; I think I'll stop before I kill any chance of ever getting a job ;^)
Hmmmm...perhaps an online psychopharmacology consulting job....- Cam
poster:Cam W.
thread:10625
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010901/msgs/10810.html