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Hi roy,
I am currently undertaking the required one year pre-registration training.
My goal at the end of the year will be to establish myself as a locum pharmacist.
Why???
To become familiar with all facets of the community pharmacy industry, so as to be a successful owner one day.
All I need from you is info into how you established yourself as a company (i.e. ABN) and any tips and hints that only you could have.
Would this be a good move do you think????
(Hopefully, you can share it with me and other new graduates who are also wearing my size 10's)
Thanks again
John

Dear John
This may be a long reply, and might spread over two articles - this is what I know - it is good to know that some one is interested.

It is traditional for Pharmacists to move into the locum sector after they have owned a business, and had 30+ years experience.

You could do regular locum days at a limited number of pharmacies - in fact this might be a good place to start for six months or so. That way, you will get to see four or five pharmacies, become confident with the systems, gain the confidence of the staff, and improve your own confidence.

This is a lot easier that doing what I do, which is blocks of not less than one week.

Doing this kind of locum is not the bludge you might think it is.

You have to hit the ground running at 9am on Monday, and step straight into the shoes of the owner.

The staff are suspicious of you. The patients don't know you. The systems are unfamiliar, and you probably don't know the dispense software.
You are on your own!
YOU are IT!
YOU are in charge!
The buck stops with YOU!

It can be quite daunting, even for guys who have owned their own business for 30 years.
The staff will test you out on the first day, and your reputation will have gone before you on the grapevine.
This is why it is better to start gently, and slowly. Even if you get a neutral reputation that is much better than having negative stuff being said about you.
Pharmacists do talk, about locums - and so they should - they are trusting their pharmacy to you for a week or two, and want to get away on a holiday without worrying about what is going on at the shop.

The basic rule is that you have to be up the front and visible. You have to take control of the whole shop - not just the dispensary. You have to be always prepared to take control in a variety of situations, and I do believe that you really need the experience of having run your own show before you set off as a locum.

Let me give a couple of examples

1 - You arrive at the pharmacy one morning to find that there has been a major fire in the shopping centre overnight, and it is still burning. The owner is in Europe.
What do you do?
You are in charge.
You are the owner's representative in his absence.
No one else will do it - you can't throw your arms in the air and run away.
Think about it - what would you do - where would you start - could you handle it?
I have been there and done that!
I don't think I could have done it without having the experience from my own business.

2 - You are sitting in your visible position in the Pharmacy.
I always find an up-front position in the Pharmacy.
I have worked off the top of filing cabinets, and out on the front counter.
If you get lucky you will have a pharmacist desk and chair.
You have to be able to see everyone who comes into the pharmacy.
You have to be able to supervise everything that goes on in the Pharmacy.

You see this guy come in who needs a good wash - dressed in stubbies and thongs - you think "Oh oh…. Here we go!" One of the senior girls goes forward to take a script from him.
You have to be right behind her, but not intervene until you sense that she needs you.
The guy is very agitated, and hands over a script for Normison - the script doesn't specify tabs or caps.
He has "conned" this script out of the compliant GP next door, and all the legal requirements are there.
The girl takes the script, checks his name and details carefully as a new patient, and goes off to clerk the script.
You should stay there with the patient.
While you are waiting, you politely, but firmly tell him that you are going to give him tablets.
He says he wants the capsules.
You say "No - tablets ONLY!"
He starts on this long story about why he can only take capsules.
"No!" you say.
"I want the script back" - he says.
"No!" - you say "you are going to get the tablets or I am going to have a word with the doc"
The girls all have their heads down - you are on your own.
The eye contact is important.
He realises you are not going to budge.
He takes the tablets.
You have saved his fingers.
You get many brownie points.
From there on you have new respect from the girls, but you are knackered for the rest of the day from that confrontation.
How would YOU handle that situation?
It would have been easier to stay in the dispensary, with your head down.

YOU NEED SOME CONFIDENCE BUILDING EXPERIENCE before you jump into locum work!

With regard to an ABN number, you just apply for one.
There is an application form on the web.
I was advised not to bother setting up a company - the tax advantages have almost all gone.
I just trade under my own name.
You should get yourself professional indemnity insurance and Guild Membership.
With regard to getting yourself started, just talk to a few pharmacists, and say you are available.
Throw your name into the wholesalers - they all keep lists of relievers.
If you are really adventurous, register with Ravens Services in Queensland.
They have pages and pages of remote (and not so remote) locum jobs with fares and accommodation paid. Ravens will want to check references, and you will need to get registered in Qld.
This is a simple reciprocal arrangement, but does take a month or two to arrange.
Only cost $138 I think.

Hope this helps. Feed me back any other comments or requests you might have. I might continue this article in the next edition.

In the e-classified section of the Computachem site there is a section reserved for "student work experience" and another for "Pre-registration Students".
This would be an ideal site for students to register with, because these are the future readers of the e-magazine.
It is also a good site for relievers.
One recently asked to be taken off because the number of enquires increased drastically after the first run of i2P.
Maybe one of you bright young students out there would be prepared to promote the site and the e-classifieds to your peer group.
It would be good to read about the experiences of the post Grad - there was an interesting article this month (Feb) in Australian Pharmacist which confirmed my worst fears about how students and post grads are treated/used in preceptor pharmacies.

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