Concerned Guy Looking out for Girlfriend

[engmedpt]

....alright got answers I needed. Done with this thread.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[engmedpt]

....

 

[zelman]

Hi,
Girlfriend will matriculate to a top 20 pharmacy school. Retail was never the goal. Main goals would be working in industry and eventually MSL. I've seen the big threads and frustrations for oversaturation. Not trying to get 500 responses here. Just wanted to ask, does obtaining a residency have the same problem as retail in regards to the market?

No. Getting retail jobs can be done with some persistence and flexibility on the applicant's part. There are finite number of residency spots, and it's far too low for the number of graduates.

Are there specific residencies that are more viable or will be more viable in the future (obviously hard to predict)?

What do you mean by viable?

What is the salary for a residency like? Are you paid absurdly low like the med residents?

Low & yes. Go here and look up random ones. They all have salary listed. Most I've seen is $52K for middle of the desert.

is the lifestyle essentially just working full time with supervision

No. It's more like working 2 full time jobs (~60 to 80 hours per week).

(that would be great to get a start on loan repayment)?

Not likely to happen to a great extent.

As for MSL, is breaking in more of an experience thing (i.e. working for years in your specialty) or who you know? Shes already got some contacts. Please keep it simple. REALLY dont want this to blow up. Just hoping for some answers then deleting post.

Almost all jobs in pharmacy are who you know.

 

[RX2090]

Hi,
Girlfriend will matriculate to a top 20 pharmacy school. Retail was never the goal. Main goals would be working in industry and eventually MSL. I've seen the big threads and frustrations for oversaturation. Not trying to get 500 responses here. Just wanted to ask, does obtaining a residency have the same problem as retail in regards to the market? Are there specific residencies that are more viable or will be more viable in the future (obviously hard to predict)? What is the salary for a residency like? Are you paid absurdly low like the med residents? is the lifestyle essentially just working full time with supervision (that would be great to get a start on loan repayment)? As for MSL, is breaking in more of an experience thing (i.e. working for years in your specialty) or who you know? Shes already got some contacts. Please keep it simple. REALLY dont want this to blow up. Just hoping for some answers then deleting post.

Doing your girls bitch work? Have her research herself. You're either the nicest guy in the world or a pushover

 

[engmedpt]

^Im the nicest guy in the world. Thanks for the unnecessary compliment. When somebody gets an acceptance and busted it, its probably the worst thing to do to have them start immediately worrying about the future than relaxing for a while.

 

[engmedpt]

...

 

[zelman]

She won't have a problem getting a residency. From what I saw, it looks like they only last one year and are paid around 40-50k a year. That's not bad if it's only a year, but that pay is horrific. Are all residencies only 1 year or does it of course vary? Don't know if you know that off of the top of your head. Appreciate your post.

Check the link I posted. Most are 1 year, but some are two.

 

[BenJammin]

Hi,
Girlfriend will matriculate to a top 20 pharmacy school. Retail was never the goal. Main goals would be working in industry and eventually MSL. I've seen the big threads and frustrations for oversaturation. Not trying to get 500 responses here. Just wanted to ask, does obtaining a residency have the same problem as retail in regards to the market? Are there specific residencies that are more viable or will be more viable in the future (obviously hard to predict)? What is the salary for a residency like? Are you paid absurdly low like the med residents? is the lifestyle essentially just working full time with supervision (that would be great to get a start on loan repayment)? As for MSL, is breaking in more of an experience thing (i.e. working for years in your specialty) or who you know? Shes already got some contacts. Please keep it simple. REALLY dont want this to blow up. Just hoping for some answers then deleting post.

I call BS. It has nothing to do with lying and everything to do with experience. Pharmacy has many avenues so if her work experience is limited, I can promise you she has no idea what her main goals will be leaving pharmacy school. Lots of classmates went into school thinking they would do hospital and many are doing retail either because they couldn't cut it or they hated hospital.

 

[engmedpt]

....

 

[spacecowgirl]

What do you want? You are getting answers. You are asking a question like "how much is a car?" What kind of car? New or used? What features? No one can give you a succinct answer like you seem to be seeking.

Residencies are 1-2 years depending on what you want to do afterwards. The first year is general, the 2nd year is specialty. They are pretty competitive because the number of spots <<<<< applicants so don't assume it's a sure thing for your GF. The 50K pay cited here is pretty high, I would say 40K is ambitious. As for workload, it depends on the residency. Some are 60+ hours some are not. Mine is not as I don't believe in exploiting my resident to work absurd amounts and think work/life balance is important.

As for working as an MSL, I have no idea. I can't help you there, sorry.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

I would concentrate on industry fellowships if she is interested in Pharma.

 

[rxglasshalffull]

the thing is, your gf wont graduate until about 4 1/2 years later, things can and will change a lot, especially in pharmacy, in the next 5 years. no matter what we tell you now, it will be a different picture when your gf graduates. but let me tell you, things are not getting better. and please keep in mind that most pharmacists work in retail, and 80% retail = CVS/WAGs. and yeah, you heard stories about working for those two.

 

[trailerpark]

I always lol when I see a post worrying about the future of pharmacy and it starts by mentioning the OP will be going to a top 20 or top 10 school as if that's some kind of golden ticket.

 

[rxglasshalffull]

i went to a top 20 pharmacy school, prestigious and established. im happy with where i am but where i went to school was irrelevant to all my past, future, current and once-potential employers.

 

[lcow2004]

Hi,
Girlfriend will matriculate to a top 20 pharmacy school. Retail was never the goal. Main goals would be working in industry and eventually MSL. I've seen the big threads and frustrations for oversaturation. Not trying to get 500 responses here. Just wanted to ask, does obtaining a residency have the same problem as retail in regards to the market? Are there specific residencies that are more viable or will be more viable in the future (obviously hard to predict)? What is the salary for a residency like? Are you paid absurdly low like the med residents? is the lifestyle essentially just working full time with supervision (that would be great to get a start on loan repayment)? As for MSL, is breaking in more of an experience thing (i.e. working for years in your specialty) or who you know? Shes already got some contacts. Please keep it simple. REALLY dont want this to blow up. Just hoping for some answers then deleting post.

I have a friend that landed a MSL position right out of a PGY1 residency after pharmacy school. Sounds like MSL jobs typically look for people with more clinical training under their belt so I think the residency and pharmacy school is definitely the way to go. So if she has the residency piece locked down, I don't think she should have a problem finding a MSL job since many of them look specifically for PharmD with residency. My friend who got the MSL position didn't even go to a Top 20 school and did not know anyone in industry and no experience. She just applied and got the position after in person interview but she said they care about what you look like as companies want to have someone presentable to their customers so it depend if your gf is at least look ok too... hope this helps!

 

[spacecowgirl]

Nobody GAF about where you went to pharmacy school. OK, maybe if you go to a diploma mill, but outside of that, it does not matter.

 

[ExpressMaiL]

Hi,
Girlfriend will matriculate to a top 20 pharmacy school. Retail was never the goal. Main goals would be working in industry and eventually MSL. I've seen the big threads and frustrations for oversaturation. Not trying to get 500 responses here. Just wanted to ask, does obtaining a residency have the same problem as retail in regards to the market? Are there specific residencies that are more viable or will be more viable in the future (obviously hard to predict)? What is the salary for a residency like? Are you paid absurdly low like the med residents? is the lifestyle essentially just working full time with supervision (that would be great to get a start on loan repayment)? As for MSL, is breaking in more of an experience thing (i.e. working for years in your specialty) or who you know? Shes already got some contacts. Please keep it simple. REALLY dont want this to blow up. Just hoping for some answers then deleting post.

Are you asking for your girl or yourself? Anyways, estimated stipend for PGY1 @ UCLA is 45k.

 

[zelman]

...The 50K pay cited here is pretty high, I would say 40K is ambitious...

I said highest I've seen, not average. It has actually gone up since I looked 2 years ago.

 

[dblock05]

Sorry for the useless comment ahead of time, but what the hell has your GF been doing in pharmacy school? Why are you asking these questions for her? Its not about being nice but she would be able to relate and understand alot more than you since you're not a pharmacy major.

I don't know what pharmacy school she goes to but there should have been numerous opportunities to get the answers to these questions.

 

[BidingMyTime]

She won't have a problem getting a residency.

Unless one of her parents own a hospital and has promised her a residency, there is no way you can know that she "won't have a problem" getting a residency.' Residencies are very competitive, and there are many more applicants then there are slots.

Also, nobody cares about going to a "top 20" school in pharmacy. While many employers & residency directors are leary of the new schools that have opened up in the past 10-15 years, any school older than that will be considered equally.

Typically, residencies pay about 1/3rd of an average pharmacists salary. A residency will involve more projects & presentations, than a regular pharmacist job would. 60-80 hour weeks are not uncommon, although some of the residents work (like preparing a presentation), can be done at home. There is a thread on residencies in the FAQ.

Completing a residency is no guarantee of a job, although all employers look favorably on that. The vast majority of pharmacist completing residencies will have regular pharmacist jobs, not strictly clinical or unicorn jobs.

One should only go to pharmacy school, if they would be happy working retail, because the vast majority of pharmacists will be working in retail. Going to pharmacy school and planning "only" to work in industry, is like going to medical school and planning "only" to be a dermatologist. Reality is, most medical students will end up in primary practice (IM, pediatrics, family medicine.) Reality is most pharmacists will end up in retail. It's good to have goals & work towards them, but you SO needs to be OK with the back-up plan as well.

 

[oldstock]

....alright got answers I needed. Done with this thread.

I always make a habit to quote the original post. This serves many purposes: 1. The person I reply to will know that my post is directed at his/her original post, 2. for reference/record.

#2 is good, esp. in case like this. I don't like this poster. He asked these questions for his "girlfriend" ?? then deleted his posts... what is really going on here ??

 

[Thestrugglez]

I always make a habit to quote the original post. This serves many purposes: 1. The person I reply to will know that my post is directed at his/her original post, 2. for reference/record.

#2 is good, esp in case like this. I don't like this poster. He asked these questions for his "girlfriend" ?? then deleted his posts... what is really going on here ??

Sadly, you can't expect everyone to be grateful to strangers on the internet who selflessly devote their own time to answer personal questions.

 

[oldstock]

Sadly, you can't expect everyone to be grateful to strangers on the internet who selflessly devote their own time to answer personal questions.

I know... just saying