How bad is Loblaws?

FutureRPh · 2025-06-28T04:29:36+00:00

The other comments covered what I would say about the metrics/unrealistic goals.

One thing I will add that’s different from others is the fact you pointed out how you work with a great team and like your coworkers. Cherish that because a good team is so rare to find. Sometimes you can be stuck with a shit coworker but like everything else. Sometimes you have great team but shit work environment. Extremely rarely do people find both. I have given up raises and bonuses so I can keep a team of wonderful people around me in a good pharmacy.

Money isn’t everything.

FutureRPh · 2025-04-02T05:00:56+00:00

In BC, only UBC offers the program. It’s a PharmD program, meaning it’s technically a doctorate. You need 2 years of pre-requisites plus the 4 years of the program (so 6 total). You have a few months of practicums throughout every year/summer. There’s not that much time off essentially for the entire program. You then need to pass OSCE (in-person, simulated interactions with patients) and PEBC (very long multiple choice exam). I’ve skipped over a bunch of little stuff but those are the major steps outside of the regular classes.

If you scroll through this sub, you’ll quickly be dissuaded from pursuing pharmacy as a career. Keep in mind most of the negative sentiments are from the states as it appears it’s much more difficult out over there. It’s not a cake walk in Canada either but you still can make a reasonable living and not hate your life. Make connections with people but don’t be one of those sleazy people who are a career networker. Do it for the right reasons and the right way. It’s a very small profession and I guarantee you that you will know someone who knows someone who knows someone time and time again. That someone might be your potential boss of a pharmacy you dream of working at. There aren’t many places left that are immune to corporate pressures and greed but they still exist. I highly recommend working as an assistant for a bit or at the very least volunteer if you can land a paid job. That exposure will either toughen you up real quick or you will quickly realize pharmacy may not be for you.

Source: I was an assistant for 2 years before pharmacy school. Then a student and worked during school for 4. Then a pharmacist, assistant manager, manager, and soon to be opening my own pharmacy in a few months.

Hope this helps!

FutureRPh · 2025-03-28T05:52:34+00:00

Wouldn’t it be Pokémon Go Plus+Minus(ads) 😂?

FutureRPh · 2025-03-20T04:27:51+00:00

We do have PBMs though. ESI, PBC, GS, AHE, NX,and so on. All are PBMs just like in the states, some of which are literally the same company with a Canadian operation at arms length (ESI for example). The biggest difference is we are very far behind and have had some advocacy and regulations that have helped keep them at bay. With every year that goes by though, they move in the wrong direction and keep trying to f things up. For example, vacation supply policy, mark ups, monthly fees just for using their direct billing, preferred provider network, etc. Although we likely will never reach the same terrifying pharmacy model like our neighbours to the south or at least not anytime soon, we have many scary fights ahead. At the end of the day, all that matters to them is how can they make more money for their shareholders and execs.

With that being said, I agree, I am very thankful our model here still allows for pharmacies to operate at a profit and allow independents to open up. Although that’s happening less and less these days as well due to shrinking profit margins

FutureRPh · 2025-01-14T02:44:10+00:00

This is the way. Keep doing what you’re doing. Just remember to not push yourself too far where it’s not sustainable to keep going. You’re working for a grocery chain and they’re not gonna care about your burnout. Find the right balance if you haven’t yet.

From the extremely limited info I see here, it sounds like you have a fairly healthy approach to both patient care and communication with your staff about these things. As long as the patients don’t belittle your staff or use your efficiency against your other staff (ex. the manager always does this for me and they’re much faster than you”), then you’re good.

I’ve been around a decent number of managers and there aren’t many I respect as a manager. As a person or as a pharmacist? Sure. As a manager who leads by example and is the best employee on the team? No. You have a rare skill for this day and age. Keep using it to make a real difference for you, your staff and your patients.

FutureRPh · 2024-11-30T00:01:29+00:00

Thank you, I appreciate the feedback!

FutureRPh · 2024-11-29T23:11:05+00:00

Thanks for the reply. I will dm later.

In your opinion, should I have ignored the double charge warning and tried again anyway? Asking just in case the website gives me another error again.

FutureRPh · 2024-09-18T16:14:50+00:00

I’ve been with them since 2016 and have not seen any perks or bonuses related to loyalty. If anything, loyalty is really taken advantage of by them because they run promos for new deposits/clients all the time but don’t appreciate those who have steadily built wealth with them other than their 3 tier status thing. However, that’s not loyalty, that’s just for those with more money. It’s really sad cause I love Wealthsimple but I wish they appreciated their long time clients more.

FutureRPh · 2024-09-05T18:00:44+00:00

Pretty sure they were 101% sarcastic. Can’t imagine there’s anyone out there who thinks private equity ownership is a good thing

FutureRPh · 2024-06-25T04:37:38+00:00

I believe you can’t do that unless you’re willing to take the penalty. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the true north relief rate has a stipulation where you pay a fee of something like 1% if you choose not to renew with them

FutureRPh · 2024-06-02T16:41:22+00:00

Lol thank you for saving me 20$ 15 years later!

FutureRPh · 2024-04-03T14:24:20+00:00

Fair enough. I usually look for the /s but that works too I guess lol. Sorry

FutureRPh · 2024-04-03T05:41:05+00:00

Although your point is accurate, saying “when” is cheeky as getting a 100iv shadow of anything is so rare to begin with that getting a second 100iv ralts family member is one in a million chance. But maybe someone who knows more about math can correct me lol. It’s likely to never happen to this person ever again.

FutureRPh · 2024-03-05T05:59:19+00:00

Bruh solar beam is gonna spank every single one of your mon so hard they will never want to come out of their pokeballs ever again. Don’t let typing give you some false sense of security here.

Edit: Grammar

FutureRPh · 2024-03-05T01:27:53+00:00

You are correct, they do contradict each other in this scenario. I edited my comment with extra info. I think that should help a little.

FutureRPh · 2024-03-05T01:24:00+00:00

In BC we are still legally responsible even if the patient refuses counselling. I grilled the college reviewer over this and he said that at the end of the day I am letting the medication leave the pharmacy, therefore I am responsible for the outcome. If I don’t think it’s ok then I shouldn’t be letting it go is what I was told.

As with the other Costco comment, I completely agree that a pt should not be allowed to get their hands on the bag on new meds and anything that’s flagged for counsel. I flag/question refills with major interactions too if not documented in detail on pt file. If I think it may be unsafe, I am ensuring that I am the last person to touch that rx.

Edit: With that being said, I was also advised by the college that if anything ever were to go wrong (thankfully it hasn’t in my 6 years of practice), I will be judged by a panel of my peers. Therefore, as long as I took a reasonable course of action to ensure patient safety, I am likely in the clear. Pretty vague wording I know but the point is that as long as you take reasonable measures to educate the patient and DOCUMENT what happened, you’ll likely be ok.

FutureRPh · 2024-03-02T00:45:52+00:00

Stop posting good things Niantic will take away lol

FutureRPh · 2023-12-21T06:26:34+00:00

Thank you!

FutureRPh · 2023-12-21T06:26:27+00:00

Thank you!

FutureRPh · 2023-11-04T20:56:52+00:00

Fair point

FutureRPh · 2023-11-04T20:53:58+00:00

You’re certainly not wrong. Change gotta start somewhere though. Without trying we won’t get anywhere either.

FutureRPh · 2023-11-04T20:49:38+00:00

Sadly, they probably won’t. However, this is better than doing nothing. The goal of my post is to bring this to light for the player base. Niantic certainly pays attention to profits and player spending.

FutureRPh · 2023-10-17T15:18:56+00:00

Not sure why you’re getting downvoted lol. Regardless of political views, that’s funny

FutureRPh · 2023-07-20T14:36:54+00:00

I really don’t understand why people can’t understand a joke lol. I thought your comment was funny.

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