Oswego (WSYR-TV) - The pharmacist shortage strikes again. This time, the P&C pharmacy in Oswego shut down for three days, because there was no one around to run it.
Pockets across the country are having the same problem we are: there are more prescriptions, the population is getting older, but there aren't enough pharmacists to handle the demand.
All Bill Bellow wanted to do was to get his wife's prescription filled.
“One of pharmacists had vacation and was gonna take it. This morning, I found out that vacation was schedule for many months.”
Bellow says the P&C pharmacy shut down Friday and Saturday. It’s usually closed Sundays.
“They have a responsibility to people who expect to be able to come here and get their medication.”
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores says there are 120,000 pharmacist positions at places like Kinney Drugs. 6,000 of those jobs are vacant. P&C's pharmacy isn't considered a chain drug store, but it's affected just the same.
Penn Traffic, P&C’s parent company, issued this statement: "We are striving to do everything possible to avoid any interruptions in service...however we are not immune to what is happening overall in the pharmacy industry with respect to shortages of available pharmacists. We are focused on ensuring coverage and minimizing inconvenience to our customers."
But Bellow was inconvenienced. He says if there was a simple note on the door, he would have made other arrangements.
“Mine turned out not to be life threatening, however it's just a matter of time until it is.”
Bellow says a pharmacist told him that several P&C pharmacies in the Syracuse area will be shutting down here and there, throughout this month because of vacation time. Penn Traffic didn't comment on that.
From Tuesday, July 30, 2007:
Camillus (WSYR-TV) - The Wegmans School of Pharmacy in Rochester is just about a year old.
The Albany College of Pharmacy has been growing: in enrollment, programs, and campus buildings. Both schools are working to help alleviate the shortfall of pharmacists.
We went to the Kinney Drugs in Camillus to talk with a local student about why she wants to go into the field.
Amanda Vincentini is on summer break, but she's still learning, behind the counter.
“You can fill prescriptions, fill medications, almost everything a pharmacist can do except the final check where they bag it and it's ready to go.”
Amanda has worked there on and off through college, but it isn't an official internship. But, in her 6th year, she'll work in a lot of pharmacies; she'll do six 5-week rotations.
“Some are in hospitals and some are in retail settings, and I think that's great cause you'll get so much more experience.”
It's a tough course, heavy on math and science, and six years is a long time to go to college, but what started as a suggestion from her mom, has grown into a love of the field.
“You work with patients. It’s awesome. They come in and leave, say thank you so much. That’s all it takes in your stressful day, you're like, wow, this is all worth it.”
In less than 2 years, Amanda will graduate and have her name on a plaque in record time.
“I'm going to get out of college and get a job right away, what a great thing to know.”
An average starting salary of about $100,000 doesn't hurt, either.
In addition to the Albany College of Pharmacy and the Wegmans School of Pharmacy, there's the Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health at Long Island University, the SUNY Buffalo School of Pharmacy, and St. John's University College of Pharmacy.
From July 26, 2007:
DeWitt (WSYR-TV) - With summer vacations, you may notice your pharmacy is short-staffed.
There's a shortage of pharmacists nationwide and here in Central New York.
Earlier this month, a number of Eckerd Pharmacies closed down because too many pharmacists took vacation at the same time. (Click here to read that story)
Allen Krassenbaum could probably do his job with his eyes closed. He comes from a long line of pharmacists.
“I love pharmacy. Been doing it for 41 years, couldn't think of doing anything else. I love it.”
Allen's domain is behind a K-Mart pharmacy counter. But, he could work anywhere he wanted.
“We get calls from head hunters all the time, trying to pull us away from our stores. It’s very, very common.”
Pharmacies are busier than ever. The population is getting older. And, more than 1 billion prescriptions have been written in the past decade.
Plus, there are only five pharmacy colleges in New York State. That’s one less than when Allen was a student. And the curriculum is tougher; it's now a 6 year program.
“When I went, it was a 5 year program, then it was a 4. When my father went, a 3, my uncle, a 2 year program. My father bought a store from a man who never went to school and was a druggist.”
There isn't just the corner drug store anymore. Most grocery stores, Wal-Marts, and Targets all have pharmacies. In North Syracuse, if you go up the street from a P&C, you've got the Eckerd at Sweetheart Corners. If you go south on Route 11, there's another Eckerd.
According to the State Board of Pharmacy, there are only about 462 pharmacists to go around in Onondaga County. To fill the holes, retired pharmacists are still working part time, and floaters try to fill the gaps.
Despite the shortage, the Albany College of Pharmacy tells us they've more than doubled their graduating class in the past decade.
Some of those graduates, though, are becoming mail-order pharmacists, working through the internet.
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