OCCUPATION: REGIONAL PHARMACY MANAGER

Name: Barbara Gee

Company: Sav-on Drugs

Thumbs up: “My job involves an infinite variety of responsibilities. I am able to effect change by helping pharmacy managers develop their careers. My colleagues are terrific. It is a challenging job with constant growth due to the constant exchange of information between me and my pharmacy managers. I help them to focus on customer service and the other aspects of managing a pharmacy, such as sales and payroll. I like making sure my managers have the support and resources they need.”

Thumbs down: “I visit each store in my region frequently, usually on a daily basis. This means long hours and a lot of time spent on the road and sitting in traffic.”

Next step: “I am always interested in finding technology to make a mundane task easier. This allows our pharmacists to interact with their patients more often. Also I continue to look for ways of making the health-care system more economical and efficient.”

Advice: “You need to be a dedicated person willing to sacrifice personal needs for the betterment of the company. It is important to be a good communicator in dealing with our associates and fellow health-care professionals. It is also necessary to be a good listener in order to support the pharmacy team.”

Salary range: $68,000-$90,000

Hours: 40-50 hours a week.

Educational and training requirements: Pharmacy regional managers are licensed pharmacists with an advanced degree in pharmacy. After obtaining the degree and completing 1,500 hours of practical experience, they are then required to pass state board examinations. Most regional managers have worked for several years as pharmacists and pharmacy managers before being placed in charge of a region.

Job description: Pharmacy regional managers conduct daily store visits and oversee the performance of each pharmacy manager and employee. They analyze sales and prescription volume, develop profit reports and devise ways to improve performance. They also handle customer complaints and oversee training of pharmacy personnel.

Major employing industries: Drug and supermarket pharmacy chains.

For more information: Contact the California Pharmacists Assn. at (800) 444-3851 or the USC School of Pharmacy at (213) 342-1466.

Researched by JANICE L. JONES / Los Angeles Times