AboutMary E Scott, RPh, CGP Expertise I am a certified geriatric pharmacist with over 23 years experience as a long-term care consultant to nursing homes. I also do community-based consulting on an individual basis. My facility-based monthly newsletter on pharmacy topics is read by nurses in over 200 long-term care facilities in 5 states.
Experience I received a BS in Pharmacy in 1980 with post-graduate work in public health. I have had a Consultant Pharmacist license since 1984.
Organizations American Society of Consultant Pharmacists .I received certification in geriatric pharmacy in 1998.
Question I'm starting pharmacy school in the fall and I was wondering what exactly is a barbituate? Also i was wondering how is the work load...Can you manage being married and going to school very well? I have only worked in a retail pharmacy for a month...Is that really ok? Or should i get more experience before school starts?
Answer Hi,Mary!
A barbituate is a class of drugs which contains phenobarital (anti-seizure med) and secobarbital (sleeping med). Barbiturates(BAR-bit-ur-ate),not Bar-BIT-ur-ate)are not commonly used anymore because of the side-effects, and they tend to accumulate in the body,causing respiratory depression which could lead to death. There are safer drugs on the market now.
I couldn't advise you on the work load in pharmacy school; it's been a long while since I was an undergraduate!
It's always good to work in a pharmacy while in pharmacy school. You pick up a lot outside of school, and can find a mentor in your outside job.
Advice from pharmacists that you work with is always a good thing. Also, some pharmacy chains will pay for pharmacy school if you agree to work for them for a certain period of time after you graduate.
Hope this helps, Mary
