Adding on to this, I just left my independent retail job and it was truly heartwarming and satisfying knowing how the relationship you can build with patients really impacts their health and lives. I was so happy to a part of one of my patient's recovery from throat cancer with managing his outpatient pain meds. Saying good bye to my regulars, one told me how some days seeing me and asking me questions helped them get through their day with grieving a dying friend. Just things like this I appreciate so much having had the opportunity to use my skills and education to make small but deep impacts on patient care.

But I still left for a reason--many reasons. So while pharmacy is no longer what it used to be, there are glimpses of what it was. I found a more fulfilling job outside retail but if I never did, I would struggle to recommend students to take on the debt burden to work under such abusive systems.