CTLAWYER: I object to your statements
Even retail pharmacists have to train to do the same things that pharmacists did before automation.
All of the pharmacists who’ve helped me and gave me medical advice worked for chains.
There is a difference between a pharmacist and pharmacy technician. I said to ask a pharmacist.
Pharmacists are medically trained and have the education, experience, and training to know what they know AND know when to defer this to a medical doctor.
Consulting windows are still there. Where are you going?
I cannot pick up any prescription without answering YES or NO to needing to Ask the Pharmacist a Question.
Many times I answer YES at my retail chain pharmacy.
And the pharmacists know me and their other customers by name. This is at the most retail of retails.
Okay this is a personal anecdote and your experiences are also rightfully yours….
Still I don’t know what not speaking English clearly has to do with a pharmacist. Your pharmacist needs to have a level of English to communicate with you.
Pharmacies have language services and maybe non-native pharmacists are needed to communicate with their other customers.
English should be provided. If you need to make an added effort to communicate yourself then you can do so by writing out what you are taking or your medical history.
Or find another pharmacist who you can respect.
However it sounds harsh to say that just because someone wasn’t born here or doesn’t speak English like an American that he or she isn’t qualified.
You probably already know that people who were medical doctors in their native countries may be working as a pharmacist today or even at a retail store as a checkout person just because they are still working in their English and/or other factors despite their medical education and experience.