So you have passed your exam, and are now wondering what next? Here is a short article about what the next best steps are from a veteran pharmacist.
- Register with the GPhC - you need to pay a fee every year to remain registered, to be accepted you will need to declare that you have not been convicted of a criminal offence.
- Get professional insurance - some pharmacists do not get personal insurance, as they are generally covered by shop insurance, however, if you are a locum, it is seen as best practice. The top providers of insurance are the NPA and PDA.
- Get a good Pharmacist CV together - have a look at our pharmacist CV examples, learn from their mistakes and write one which makes you stand out of the crowd! Remember, keep it simple, one page, well-designed, and succinct.
- Register with a locum agency - with your new CV, send it to as many locum agencies as possible. The pharmacist job market is extremely overcrowded the more avenues you can explore for work the better.
- Do your CPD in advance - you need to do at least 4 CPD entries a year (with a minimum of 2 planned CPD), take this time to get started, you could do your first CPD to try and plan out your new career...
- Get accredited - if you mainly do your locums in a specific area, make sure you are trained in local NHS procedures for EHC and Minor Ailments etc. Also, access the CPPE site and get nationally accredited for services such as Child Protection and MURs. Private services are becoming ever more popular from community pharmacy, get accredited with a private PGD provider which offers PGDs which can move with you.
- Differentiate yourself - every year more and more pharmacy schools are opening up, which means you are in a profession which is getting more and more competitive. You need to differentiate yourself, why not try the following: get Cross-Platform Accredited, PGD Accredited, or even apply to become an Independent Prescriber.
- Upgrade your skillset - Get a free account on hubnet.io and start training to provide extra services at the Pharmacies where you work. Having untethered PGDs for Travel and Influenza can greatly increase your attractiveness to potential employers.
- Become a prescriber - if you are looking to become a more clinical pharmacist you should eventually look at becoming an independent pharmacist prescriber. Have a look at the variety of settings and specialities that come with expanding your knowledge and becoming a Pharmacist Independent Prescriber.
- Become a Superintendent - this position comes with a lot of responsibility. Essentially, it means you will be responsible for the clinical governance aspects of the pharmacy organisation. The job often entails writing Standard Operating Procedures and monitoring the pharmacy to make sure that it is clinically sound.