Welcome to our group Mental Health and Wellness Check in! A space for us to connect and share with each other. Start by posting your thoughts, sharing media, or creating a poll.

A seismic shift has occurred in physician autonomy. Historically, most US doctors were "owners" of their practices. By 2026, more than 75% of US physicians are estimated to be employees of a larger entity rather than partners in a private practice.

• Drivers of Employment: Rising overhead, complex electronic health record (EHR) requirements, and the desire for a better work-life balance have pushed younger doctors toward salaried positions.

• Impact on Autonomy: While employment offers financial stability, many physicians report "moral injury" or burnout due to lost clinical autonomy and high "relative value unit" (RVU) productivity quotas set by corporate owners.

As the pharmaceutical industry shifts from small-molecule "pills" to large-molecule "biologics" (like antibodies), the tools used to manufacture these drugs have become a major sector.

Bioprocessing tools include large-scale Bioreactors where genetically engineered cells produce therapeutic proteins. The trend in 2026 is "Single-Use Technology" (SUT). Instead of large, permanent stainless-steel tanks that require expensive cleaning and sterilization, manufacturers use giant, sterile plastic bags. This allows for "flexible manufacturing," where a factory can switch from producing a cancer drug to a flu vaccine in a single day, simply by swapping out the plastic liners.

Pharmacy is supported by several specialized scientific fields that ensure drugs are safe, stable, and effective:

• Pharmaceutics: The study of how to turn a new chemical entity (NCE) into a medication that can be safely used by patients (e.g., turning a powder into a tablet or an injectable).

• Pharmacology: The study of how drugs interact with the body. This includes Pharmacokinetics (what the body does to the drug—absorption, metabolism, excretion) and Pharmacodynamics (what the drug does to the body).

• Pharmacognosy: The study of medicines derived from natural sources, such as plants, animals, or marine organisms.

• Medicinal Chemistry: The science of designing and synthesizing new drug molecules.