What's The Point?

I'm sitting in class today listening to my fellow classmates ask various questions throughout the multitude of courses we have on a daily basis. Through all of the student associations stopping by (Remember to come play beach volleyball everyone!), to the overly peppy IPPE instructors (You can really make a difference in someone's life!), I find myself ending each day with the same question.

What's the point?

I have a fairly good gauge of what at least half of the students in my class are like. For years I have had a tendency to observe people and gather an idea of who they are as a person. It's a hobby if you will.

There are some who lack a backbone, many who know nothing about the profession and more than a few who lack decent communication skills. These, are your future pharmacists.

As I head to work, I observe the interns and other undergrads who attempting to be accepted to school. There's the girl who gives a blank stare to everyone who comes to the counter, the intern who is unable to answer a simple question, the pharmacist who doesn't know the difference between Zaditor and Zyrtec eye drops.

And for the record, there is no difference.

Throughout the pharmacy blogosphere we have pharmacists, technicians and interns across the country yearning for change. Some, most notably Eric, Pharmacist, have taken it in their own hands to fight the good fight.

Good ole J.P. attempted something grand with The Pharmacy Alliance, but it has never gotten off the ground for various reasons.

And I think I have traced this fact to two many problems.

1) Obtuseness
2) Lethargy

The former is simply ignoring what is surrounding you. My classmates, thus far, seem to be quite keen on this. I would say ignorance would be a better word, but it is so clearly presented so many times that ignorance is not an excuse.

Lethargy might be the even bigger problem. Those who see the problems, but do not care enough to act on it. With older pharmacists, I can somewhat understand this because the profession has changed so drastically from what they first envisioned that it may very well be overwhelming.

A simple solution, at least in my eyes, is to start young. Get them while they're still in pharmacy school. Begin now to open the eyes and brains of my fellow classmates to what the world is truly like.

Start a revolution if you will.

Then, and only then, will we develop a point. We have excessively bright minds in this field that could be put to much better use than simply clearing a DUR. If organizations like the APhA won't do it, then perhaps students need to get involved with a new organization. One that will actually prepare people for the real world.

Until then... What's the point?