The Side Effects Blog

Top 5 Things That Should Be Illegal (But Aren't) in Pharmacy
Top 5 Things That Should Be Illegal (But Aren't) in Pharmacy
And Yet Here We Are Pharmacy is a highly regulated profession. We have federal laws, state laws, board rules, DEA numbers, audit trails, and approximately 47 forms for everything. But... Read more...
Ranked: Every APPE Rotation from Best to Absolute Rock Bottom
Ranked: Every APPE Rotation from Best to Absolute Rock Bottom
A completely unscientific, deeply accurate ranking of every APPE rotation — from the one that changed your life to the one that involved a hallway and a project with no... Read more...
Happy Birthday to the Man Who Built Your Entire Profession
Happy Birthday to the Man Who Built Your Entire Profession
Today, May 3rd, is the birthday of William Procter Jr. You probably weren’t taught to celebrate it. That’s exactly the problem. Read more...
10 Things Your Pharmacist Knows About You (That You Never Told Them)
10 Things Your Pharmacist Knows About You (That You Never Told Them)
You walked in for a prescription. You left having been professionally evaluated. You just didn't know it. Read more...
How Coca-Cola Was Invented by a Pharmacist (And Why It Definitely Wouldn’t Get Past the FDA Today)
How Coca-Cola Was Invented by a Pharmacist (And Why It Definitely Wouldn’t Get Past the FDA Today)
A pharmacist invented Coca-Cola in 1886. It contained cocaine, was marketed as a cure for morphine addiction, and had zero clinical trials. The FDA would like a word. Read more...
From NAPLEX to Your First Day: The Untold Story
From NAPLEX to Your First Day: The Untold Story
Congratulations. You passed. Now brace yourself. You studied drug interactions at 2am. You survived rotations. You sat in a windowless testing center, filled in bubbles with your entire career on... Read more...
What Pharmacy Technicians Actually Do (Beyond Counting Pills)
What Pharmacy Technicians Actually Do (Beyond Counting Pills)
Pharmacy technicians are far more than pill counters. They catch errors, manage complex inventory, navigate insurance systems, and provide essential patient care. Here's what they actually do—and why they're the... Read more...
Things Your Pharmacy Professor Said That Still Haunt You
Things Your Pharmacy Professor Said That Still Haunt You
Some pharmacy professor quotes are motivational. Some are existential warnings. All of them are still ringing in your ears. Here's a rundown of the phrases that shaped how you practice—and... Read more...
Why Pharmacists Are Healthcare's Most Underestimated Professionals
Why Pharmacists Are Healthcare's Most Underestimated Professionals
Pharmacists have 8+ years of post-secondary education and catch medication errors that save lives daily. Yet most people still think they "just count pills." Here's the gap between what pharmacists... Read more...
Pharmacy Burnout Is Real: Here's What the Data Shows (And What You Can Do)
Pharmacy Burnout Is Real: Here's What the Data Shows (And What You Can Do)
61% of pharmacists are significantly burned out. That's higher than surgeons, oncologists, and emergency medicine practitioners. But the real story isn't just stress—it's systemic failure, moral injury, and a profession... Read more...
Pharmacy Student Survival Gear: Must‑Have Apparel for Rotations and Exams
Pharmacy Student Survival Gear: Must‑Have Apparel for Rotations and Exams
Surviving pharmacy school isn’t just about memorizing kinetics and conquering OSCEs—it’s also about having the right pharmacy student survival gear to get you through rotations, exams, and endless study marathons. From dress‑code‑safe... Read more...
Best Pharmacy Graduation Gift Ideas Your PharmD Will Actually Love
Best Pharmacy Graduation Gift Ideas Your PharmD Will Actually Love
Pharmacy school isn’t just “a few extra science classes.” It’s years of exams, clinical rotations, 3 a.m. study sessions, and counseling patients who “don’t like to take pills.” When your... Read more...