I find out yesterday the Izmir plan fell through. Instead there is talk now of leaving tomorrow, Saturday, to another beach place ~2 hours from here. By now I don't know what to think. Whatever happens, happens.
Yesterday we visited the Bayer factory in a section of Instanbul called Capa. We are invited by Pelin, a student who is on intern there. It's a typical factory. We have a presentation on the overview of all operations followed by a tour and then complimentary lunch.
During the presentation I'm interested to hear there are very little positions, which we were told about, actually held by pharmacists or had to do with pharmacy. I think the positions that did have to do with a pharmacy education were with marketing and product development. The building is big. There are many spacious offices and meeting rooms connected through hallways to the operations areas. Bayer is a German company and we learn, at this particular plant the common medicines produced are - among others - aspirin, cough/cold syrups, and hormone-products like birth control.
As we move from the presentation to the tour... the more I can tell that industrial pharmacy is not for me. After being there I have to say, and this is my opinion, but I just think the pharmacist doesn't belong much in the factory. They have plenty of business people, marketing, and engineers to do the job they need. In fact most, if not all, were chemical engineers. Certainly it's not a place most of us should be if we wish to develop the scope of the profession. It's not a place of influence for pharmacists. Much more so engineers.
But whatever my thoughts I had a great time experiencing this place, met the chief of operations - a nice man - and more friends/interns. Before today I had no idea how a factory goes about producing the medicines we dispense for granted everyday.
It's almost lunchtime. Erdem has promised to find me a place, with a friend, specializing in organ meats and I will hold him to it.
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