If you are reading from Europe, or perhaps you have just moved to Ireland, and have never heard of a locum pharmacist before, let me fill you in. A locum pharmacist is a temporary or relief pharmacist, who is registered with their country’s Pharmaceutical society and provides a service to different pharmacies by working shifts when agreed.
A pharmacy is unable to open without a pharmacist on the premises, thus locum pharmacists fill gaps in rosters and provide cover when a store’s regular pharmacist is out sick, on maternity leave, or on vacation. These gaps can be a short, single shift in a variety of different places at different hours, or they can be long-term, covering extended periods of leave such as maternity or sick leave in one specific pharmacy. These tend to be known as “block bookings” or “stay aways”, and often the locum pharmacist will travel and stay locally during the duration of the booking.
There are plenty of benefits to locuming. Below are five reasons you should consider locum work with Clarity Locums:
Travel the Country
If you’ve just arrived in Ireland, there’s a high chance you’ll want to do some exploring. Maybe you want to visit a particular county before deciding to settle down there? Working as a locum pharmacist lets you do this. Pharmacy locum jobs are available in every county across the country. So, whether you want to take on a block booking in Dublin’s fair city, or travel along the Wild Atlantic Way and pick up a few shifts along the west coast as you go - Clarity Locums lets you have control over what locations you work in. Find out how to use our app to find shifts in particular locations in our blog post.
Make Extra Money
One of the great things about working as a locum pharmacist is that pharmacies are willing to pay a higher rate to fill the gaps in their roster. Depending on the time of year, and demand, Locum pharmacist rates could be as high as €70+ per hour. On top of this, pharmacies may offer paid lunch breaks, free parking, etc. View our available positions and their rates over on the Clarity Locums app today.
Have a More Flexible Schedule
You may be coming to Ireland as a fresh graduate, or you could have some years of experience under your belt. Both studying and working full time can be exhausting, and lead to burnout. Locum work is completely flexible, and allows pharmacists to choose how often they work. Some locums may decide to maximise their profits, while others may value a better work/life balance and want to have more time at home. Working as a locum means you are in control of your own schedule. Traditional, permanent employment will limit you to a set number of holidays per year, but this isn’t a problem with locuming - simply work when and where you want.
Gain More Experience
Working in a range of different locations and different pharmacies means that as a locum pharmacist you will be exposed to different environments and different people! Every store will have its own way of organisation, different dispensary programmes, various management styles, etc. This experience can be extremely useful going forward and help you in making future career decisions if you decide to take on a full time pharmacy job later on. This experience will also allow you to develop important interpersonal and professional judgement skills, enabling you to become a more well-rounded, and ultimately a better, pharmacist.
Build a Network
Working in different pharmacies all around the country opens you up to meeting a lot of new people, and gives you the opportunity to develop professional connections and create a great network. Remember: Ireland is small – Always be friendly, professional, and a team player! You never know who you’ll be working with next. Keep track of any relationships you make along the way by developing a Linkedin Profile and connecting with colleagues. Don’t forget to follow and add Clarity Locums as an employer on your page too.