Off the Script

Minor ailments prescribing has finally come to Ontario! What does this mean for pharmacist wages, and how does this relate to artificial intelligence?? 

Thanks to our sponsor, PharmaEpass. Use code "OTS" at checkout for $200 off PEBC and OSCE prep courses!

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Hayride by anbuu and Florent Garcia End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

We have talked about pharmacists being passive before on Off the Script. But how does this impact our profession? And why is there a culture of silence in pharmacy? On this episode we discuss the idea of quality improvement, the difference between hospital and community practice, and the impact of silence on pharmacy practice.

Thanks to our sponsor, PharmaEpass. Use code "OTS" at checkout for $200 off PEBC and OSCE prep courses!

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Hayride by anbuu and Florent Garcia End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Privatization of healthcare is a hot topic in Ontario, and Doug Ford promises that privatization will solve many of healthcare's current problems. But what are the problems which healthcare faces? And does privatization fix issues for the public, or for the government? Aleksa, Faizan, and Chris navigate their own curiosities and frustrations with Canada's healthcare system while answering the question: are we asking the right questions about healthcare?

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

In the previous golden age of pharmacy, anyone with a pulse could have graduated with a degree and then went on to make boatloads of money in pharmacy. Nowadays the wages point towards a golden age, but pharmacists are leaving the profession in droves. Could we really be entering another golden age? 

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Would you consider yourself a specialist or a generalist? Pharmacists can go either direction but we believe one is better than the other... Aleksa, Faizan, and Chris also discuss good faith conversations and demonstrate exactly what they preach in this episode. Listen to find out how to have discussions and arguments while remaining honest and respectful!

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

When should you even consult a banner when opening a pharmacy? And should you take upfront cash to open a pharmacy? We explore whether pharmacists are bad at business, how pharmacies actually make money, and how opening a pharmacy looks from the perspective of a pharmacy banner. 

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Our current financial model has remained largely the same, but our profession has greatly changed. Rebates, Ordinary Commercial Terms, Kickbacks - Whatever the name, they all mean the same. Why are the finances within pharmacy kept so secret? Let’s discuss how money is actually made within pharmacy and what it means for YOU. Whether you are a staff pharmacist, pharmacy student, or any other position within pharmacy, it is crucial that you understand how pharmacies keep their lights on. 

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

In this episode, Aleksa interviews Androu Arsanious. They discuss what makes an unconventional career path as a pharmacist, the often-unexplored fringes of the profession and the ways by which you can make yourself competitive for positions that many pharmacists aren’t even aware of and how to uncover them.
Throughout the interview we explore the concept of personal narratives and how you can use your own in all aspects of your life.

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

These days, pharmacists are part of a much larger picture when it comes to healthcare, and are a crucial part of a patient's circle of care. For some reason however, we have a hard time telling our story and making sure the public understands exactly what we do. This week on Off the Script, we take a deep dive into the reasons why pharmacists are not the greatest salespeople when it comes to our own profession, and what you can do to make sure our true value is understood.

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Aleksa Stankic joins Off the Script as a new co-host! We discuss the value of pharmacists and how pharmacists can demonstrate their value in different healthcare settings. Next, we explore how we landed on pharmacy as our career choice and where we work now.

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

How can you stand out in community pharmacy? How do you open a pharmacy just after graduation? Should you even consider opening a community pharmacy? These questions and more answered in our interview with Michael Kani, owner of Idylwyld Pharmacy.

Thank you to Juno for sponsoring this episode! Check out joinjuno.com/p/offtherx to see how Juno can reduce your student loans for free!

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

How do you make a lasting impact on an interview? Or better yet, how do you secure that interview in the first place? We have tiptoed around the subject before, but today Faizan and Chris talk about their strategies to 'sell themselves' and land their dream jobs.

Thank you to Juno for sponsoring this episode! Check out joinjuno.com/p/offtherx to see how Juno can reduce your student loans for free!

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Is it possible to form a union in community pharmacy? Will unions bring the profession together or further divide us? In this episode we discuss the pros and cons of unions in pharmacy and whether unions can even be formed right now.

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Pharmacy is falling behind. We need to adapt.
In our interview with Michael Cardinal from TherAppX, we discuss digital health tools and how pharmacy practice can become more efficient.

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

The COVID19 vaccine is here! Are we saved from COVID19 and the awful year of 2020? Not just yet... Faizan and Chris discuss how pharmacy has changed from COVID and pandemic fatigue.

The reimbursement model in pharmacy has stayed the same for far too long. All the negativity in the profession will not go away until the funding model changes. Listen to find out how pharmacists can finally adapt.

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Explain what a pharmacist is in one sentence. Having a hard time? Check out our newest episode where we talk to Jamie Kellar about what it means to be a pharmacist and why we're proud to be a part of this profession.

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Pharmacists are inherently conflict avoiders, but their profession puts them right in the middle of conflict. Check out this week’s episode on why pharmacists struggle with leadership and taking charge.

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Thank you so much to our listeners for sticking around for 1 year! Look forward to the exciting projects and ideas we have in the future!

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Honed in on hospital pharmacy? Learn how you can secure that dream position! Rachel Liu, our interviewee this week, completed her hospital residency at University Health Network and she shares her residency experience and tips.

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Every pharmacist has struggled with a clinical decision - it's normal But how can we become more comfortable with making hard choices?

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Really? The BIGGEST change? Yes! Medication backorders, less research, and more await us in the near future... Don't wait until it's too late, listen to learn more!

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Hospital pharmacy has been on the mind of many students since the beginning of pharmacy school 💭 But before you set your sights on hospital practice, let's take a step back and explore what really makes hospital pharmacy so great 🕵️‍♂️

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Massive changes are coming to Ontario healthcare. Bill 74, The People’s Health Care Act, will merge Ontario's 14 LHINs and other prominent health organizations under a single umbrella known as Ontario Health. Will this be Ford's great move to end hallway medicine?

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

The first interview from Off the Script features Faraz Razzagh, a graduate from the 2019 class at University of Toronto. Faraz now holds a position at a large pharmaceutical company and shares his insights on how he reached his current position.

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

It has been a rollercoaster of a year for pharmacy's budget in Ontario. But with the support of pharmacists across the province, advocacy has managed to save the profession!

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

The first PRN of this season tackles pharmacy school applications! Listen to hear how Faizan and Chris approached the application process.

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Community pharmacists are the last line of defence in the healthcare system, so why is this crucial career looked down upon?

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

"The Golden Age of pharmacy is over and there are no more jobs for pharmacists." Is this statement an exaggeration, or reality? Tune into the season 2 premiere of Off the Script to hear the truth about the current job market!

Intro song written by Shaan Singh. Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Perhaps the most exciting upcoming development for Ontario healthcare is common ailments prescribing for pharmacists. With common ailments, many patients will benefit from easier access to care. But are pharmacists qualified for this promotion? 

Intro song: Middle School (feat. Magnus Klausen) by Blue Wednesday, Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

Most senior citizens in Canada take more than FIVE medications everyday for their chronic conditions. But what if we could prevent these conditions entirely? Faizan and Chris explore why patients, pharmacists, and the entire healthcare system should appreciate preventative medicine.

Intro song: Middle School (feat. Magnus Klausen) by Blue Wednesday, Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and Birthday Girl by Blue Wednesday End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen  

It's summer time and that means it is vacation season! Make sure you're fully prepared for your travels with this week's episode about travel medicine. 

Intro song: Middle School (feat. Magnus Klausen) by Blue Wednesday, Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen  

Thousands of Canadians have been affected by the opioid crisis and this week we talk about the nature of opioid medications, the history of the crisis, and what everyone can do to prevent deaths from opioids. 

Intro song: Middle School (feat. Magnus Klausen) by Blue Wednesday, Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen  

The Ontario Government has released their budget for 2019 and there are many cuts across all of healthcare. Off the Script dives into what these changes mean for pharmacists, patients, and their healthcare.

Intro song: Middle School (feat. Magnus Klausen) by Blue Wednesday, Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen 

8 hour shifts with no breaks? What about 16 hours? Unfortunately, neither of these occurrences are uncommon. This week Off the Script brings to light the grueling work environment of community pharmacy.

Intro song: Middle School (feat. Magnus Klausen) by Blue Wednesday, Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen 

When you go to your pharmacy, not everyone behind the counter is a pharmacist. It takes a whole cast of different jobs to run the pharmacy and we explain the roles of all these different people in this week's PRN.

Intro song: Citrine by Toonorth, End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen   

Many pharmacies carry homeopathic products on their shelves, and these products claim to cure ailments ranging from the common cold to treating depression. Chris and Faizan explore homeopathic products and see whether any of these claims hold true!

Intro song: Middle School (feat. Magnus Klausen) by Blue Wednesday, Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and By the Seaside by L'indecis x Saib, End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen 

If you are under 25, your medications may now come at a cost! On April 1st, the Ontario Government changed who is covered under OHIP+. Listen to find out what these changes were and why they were made.

Intro song: Citrine by Toonorth, End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen   

Vaccinations have been around for over 2 centuries, but a recent movement has made people hesitant to get their regularly scheduled shots. Faizan and Chris take a look at the anti-vaccination movement from both sides: pro-vax and anti-vax. 

Intro song: Middle School (feat. Magnus Klausen) by Blue Wednesday, Intermission music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz and By the Seaside by L'indecis x Saib, End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen

What exactly is the difference between brand name and generic medications, or is there any difference at all?

Intro song:  Citrine by Toonorth, End music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen  

Wouldn't it be nice if you could select any medication off the shelf for yourself? Faizan and Chris explain why certain medications are kept out of reach and which medications may be available soon over the counter...

Intro song:  Citrine by Toonorth, Intermission and end music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen 

Remember the EpiPen backorder last year? 💉 That was one of 100s of medication backorders which affected all Canadians last year. 🙍‍♂️🙍 Listen to the latest episode of Off the Script to learn more about why backorders happen and what YOU can do as a patient or pharmacist.

 Intro song: Middle School (feat. Magnus Klausen) by Blue Wednesday, Intermission and end music: Takin' You For a Ride by Pandrezz, more music at: http://chillhop.com/listen