Job market in Illinois vs Nebraska

[hye345]

So, my top two choices for pharmacy school (out of the list that I applied to) are Midwestern CCP and Creighton University, the former being in Illinois and the latter being in Nebraska. I've gotten into Midwestern, and if I also get into Creighton, its gonna be a tough decision. I figured it would help to start the decision-making process sooner than later, should it come to that.

Among others, one of the deciding factors is the job market in each state, since I've been told that a pharmacy school's prestige with regards to employment is regional rather than national. I've also been told that the job market in Illinois is pretty bad, with 5 pharmacy schools pumping out graduates.

As far as the job market in Nebraska, I haven't heard anything good or bad. It only has 2 pharmacy schools, but its not nearly as populated...

Does anyone here have any info that can shed some more light on the employment 'health' of either state?

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[timbutt2]

Nebraska will have a better job outlook in my opinion. There are 5 pharmacy schools in Chicago, not including the UIC Rockford campus so that's a lot of graduates looking for jobs.

 

[BidingMyTime]

My unofficial opinion...Nebraska. I know a couple of pharmacists that just relocated from IL to Nebraska for jobs. Chicago area is extremely glutted with pharmacists--way too many pharmacy schools there. Word on the street is that Walgreens just laid off a bunch of pharmacists in the Chicago area. If you are wanting to work in IL, plan on it being far downstate, not in the Chicago area.

 

[hye345]

Thanks for the info everyone. I figured Chicago is saturated by this point... it was the rest of Illinois that I wasn't sure of. Though, eventually it should spill over into the rest of the state I'm guessing.

 

[TimeZero]

I graduated from MWU-CCP a few years back. I now live and work in Wisconsin. There were a decent amount of my classmates that did find jobs in the area. Most were retail positions. If you are looking to join the workforce upon graduation and staying in the area I would advise against choosing Midwestern. You are going to have an extremely difficullt time just finding tech/intern work. From what I hear, things are getting ridiculous and there is a lot of animosity towards these new schools.

If you are looking into doing a residency then going to MWU-CCP might not be a bad idea. A good portion of the faculty is comprised of pharmacists from the more prestigous insitutions in the area - Rush, Northwestern, Loyola etc.

If you have additional questions feel free to PM me.

 

[wickedone]

How about first considering which city you want to live?

Are you considering Chicago or rural areas. I imagine its difficult to find jobs outside of the city because you only have retail available to you.

I grad. MWU in 02' and have worked various roles with different companies, ie not Wal mart, Walgreens, CVS. Mostly corporate positions.

Chicago will offer these to you: I have friends who work for Astelles, other drug companies, SXC, Caremark, consulting companies like Hewitt, Aon, ( i cant remember the big one that starts with an M), in any case many options are available to you in Chicago especially if you do not limit yourself to retail.

Also consider opening a pharmacy for yourself! I did and it was the best decision I have made.

 

[hye345]

How about first considering which city you want to live?

Are you considering Chicago or rural areas. I imagine its difficult to find jobs outside of the city because you only have retail available to you.

I grad. MWU in 02' and have worked various roles with different companies, ie not Wal mart, Walgreens, CVS. Mostly corporate positions.

Chicago will offer these to you: I have friends who work for Astelles, other drug companies, SXC, Caremark, consulting companies like Hewitt, Aon, ( i cant remember the big one that starts with an M), in any case many options are available to you in Chicago especially if you do not limit yourself to retail.

Also consider opening a pharmacy for yourself! I did and it was the best decision I have made.

Well, I probably wouldn't wanna live in a full-on urban or rural environment... one would be too loud and bustling for me, the other one would be too 'dry'... probably something closer to a suburbs, or even a midsized city.

 

[Stratomaster18]

I graduated from MWU-CCP a few years back. I now live and work in Wisconsin. There were a decent amount of my classmates that did find jobs in the area. Most were retail positions. If you are looking to join the workforce upon graduation and staying in the area I would advise against choosing Midwestern. You are going to have an extremely difficullt time just finding tech/intern work. From what I hear, things are getting ridiculous and there is a lot of animosity towards these new schools.

If you are looking into doing a residency then going to MWU-CCP might not be a bad idea. A good portion of the faculty is comprised of pharmacists from the more prestigous insitutions in the area - Rush, Northwestern, Loyola etc.

If you have additional questions feel free to PM me.

Yeah you can't get a job anywhere in Chicago. I'm a P1 at UIC right now and have been trying to get a tech job years and have been unsuccessful. I still can't get one even though I'm a student now. Previous IPPE preceptors have tried to get me one; everywhere I go, I'm being told that instead of hiring people they're letting go both techs and pharmacists.

As far as the animosity towards the new schools, you're right. They are not respected much, and I have even heard from some pharmacists that they refuse to take students from the new schools because they are incompetent.

 

[Smiles425]

That's strange. I'm also a PI at UIC and I feel like I receive a job opportunity every two weeks. Don't you get emails from students saying " hey, my pharmacy manager is hiring and he'd like to interview P1s from UIC. Please send me your resume if you are interested"? I get these emails all the time and its starting to feel like spam Also, I've been getting callbacks from posting my resume on monster now that I'm in pharmacy school. It's all a far cry from the way the jobhunt was going BEFORE I became a P1 at UIC.

 

[Stratomaster18]

That's strange. I'm also a PI at UIC and I feel like I receive a job opportunity every two weeks. Don't you get emails from students saying " hey, my pharmacy manager is hiring and he'd like to interview P1s from UIC. Please send me your resume if you are interested"? I get these emails all the time and its starting to feel like spam Also, I've been getting callbacks from posting my resume on monster now that I'm in pharmacy school. It's all a far cry from the way the jobhunt was going BEFORE I became a P1 at UIC.

No I don't get those. The only ones I get are when people are looking for someone whose already a current employee to cover their shift. Hmmm....perhaps I'll try monster.

 

[Smiles425]

No I don't get those. The only ones I get are when people are looking for someone whose already a current employee to cover their shift. Hmmm....perhaps I'll try monster.

Yeah, the emails I get are definitely asking for resumes. Maybe it depends on what organizations you are a part of. It's all about networking I guess. You definitely want to apply for the UIC externships though. Very good money and perks.

 

[CUninja]

Omaha area saturated too. They generally hire from:

-people who grew up in Neb
-their past residents
-people who didnt fit the above two categories but went to UNMC/Creighton.

As for the western part of the state, that I dont know.

 

[hye345]

Omaha area saturated too. They generally hire from:

-people who grew up in Neb
-their past residents
-people who didnt fit the above two categories but went to UNMC/Creighton.

As for the western part of the state, that I dont know.

Hmm, so if you go to school there, and/or grew up there, you're on their good side. Makes sense enough

Its interesting about the animosity towards the new schools in Chicago... Not to sound overly callous, but wouldn't that give students from MWU (and UIC) a relative edge, since both schools aren't considered new?

 

[Smiles425]

Hmm, so if you go to school there, and/or grew up there, you're on their good side. Makes sense enough

Its interesting about the animosity towards the new schools in Chicago... Not to sound overly callous, but wouldn't that give students from MWU (and UIC) a relative edge, since both schools aren't considered new?

I think the answer is Yes and No. I hear that UIC is considered and "old" school because its over 100 years old. However, I also hear that the job market in Chicago is getting so bad that now even Midwestern (about 20 years old) is starting to be viewed as "new" by some people. Not generally I don't think though.

 

[Stratomaster18]

I think the answer is Yes and No. I hear that UIC is considered and "old" school because its over 100 years old. However, I also hear that the job market in Chicago is getting so bad that now even Midwestern (about 20 years old) is starting to be viewed as "new" by some people. Not generally I don't think though.

Yeah and I'd say that most of the current practicing pharmacists in the Chicago area are UIC Alum since Midwestern was founded in '91. They would lean more towards highering people from UIC since they went there as well and know the program.

 

[StevePerry]

So, my top two choices for pharmacy school (out of the list that I applied to) are Midwestern CCP and Creighton University, the former being in Illinois and the latter being in Nebraska. I've gotten into Midwestern, and if I also get into Creighton, its gonna be a tough decision. I figured it would help to start the decision-making process sooner than later, should it come to that.

Among others, one of the deciding factors is the job market in each state, since I've been told that a pharmacy school's prestige with regards to employment is regional rather than national. I've also been told that the job market in Illinois is pretty bad, with 5 pharmacy schools pumping out graduates.

As far as the job market in Nebraska, I haven't heard anything good or bad. It only has 2 pharmacy schools, but its not nearly as populated...

Does anyone here have any info that can shed some more light on the employment 'health' of either state?

Dude, this thread is like asking do you like the smell of armpit or butthole better?

 

[homeslice]

Yeah, the emails I get are definitely asking for resumes. Maybe it depends on what organizations you are a part of. It's all about networking I guess. You definitely want to apply for the UIC externships though. Very good money and perks.

Verified. Although word on the street is that they're getting rid of the tuition waiver.

 

[wucool33]

How about first considering which city you want to live?

Are you considering Chicago or rural areas. I imagine its difficult to find jobs outside of the city because you only have retail available to you.

I grad. MWU in 02' and have worked various roles with different companies, ie not Wal mart, Walgreens, CVS. Mostly corporate positions.

Chicago will offer these to you: I have friends who work for Astelles, other drug companies, SXC, Caremark, consulting companies like Hewitt, Aon, ( i cant remember the big one that starts with an M), in any case many options are available to you in Chicago especially if you do not limit yourself to retail.

Also consider opening a pharmacy for yourself! I did and it was the best decision I have made.

Are those drug companies even hiring new grads anymore? I don't see any postings by them on job sites...

 

[CYP3A4]

I went to MWU-CCP and I believe the education I got was excellent. The faculty is great and the rotation sites are top notch. I believe both MWU and UIC have very good reputations. I have since left Chicago so I don't know about the pharmacy community's opinion about the new schools or their students but I am sure it isn't good Just keep in mind, going to a school in a particular area doesn't mean you have to live there. I lived and went to school and Chicago but ended up working in Miami. Don't limit yourself!

 

[IndustryPharmD]

Are those drug companies even hiring new grads anymore? I don't see any postings by them on job sites...

I know Abbott recruited for a couple fellowships at the Midyear this year... I think they had a couple jobs too, but not for new grads. There has been a bit of an expansion at a few companies located out there in the last year or two, so things are not too gloomy in Illinois, though the openings I have heard of were not for new grads.

 

[IndustryPharmD]

So, my top two choices for pharmacy school (out of the list that I applied to) are Midwestern CCP and Creighton University, the former being in Illinois and the latter being in Nebraska. I've gotten into Midwestern, and if I also get into Creighton, its gonna be a tough decision. I figured it would help to start the decision-making process sooner than later, should it come to that.

Creighton is a pretty good school, one of the best interns I have ever worked with was from Creighton. From what I hear, there are jobs in Nebraska, but they may not be in the Omaha area, and if you want to stay in Omaha/Lincoln you may have to wait a few months before you land a job. I do have a good friend who lives in Omaha, and while her interns are finding jobs, it's not as easy as it used to be.

 

[Its Z]

I know Abbott recruited for a couple fellowships at the Midyear this year... I think they had a couple jobs too, but not for new grads. There has been a bit of an expansion at a few companies located out there in the last year or two, so things are not too gloomy in Illinois, though the openings I have heard of were not for new grads.

Abbot or Hospira? what are they pushing......dexmedetomidine?

 

[wucool33]

I know Abbott recruited for a couple fellowships at the Midyear this year... I think they had a couple jobs too, but not for new grads. There has been a bit of an expansion at a few companies located out there in the last year or two, so things are not too gloomy in Illinois, though the openings I have heard of were not for new grads.

Thank you for the reply I know it might be better to ask you this on your "industry forum", but since you already replied here, I might as well just ask... Since these companies aren't looking at new grads, how difficult would it be to move from a retail/hospital setting to an industry setting after a year or two after graduation?

 

[IndustryPharmD]

Since these companies aren't looking at new grads, how difficult would it be to move from a retail/hospital setting to an industry setting after a year or two after graduation?

I don't know for certain, since all the pharmacists in industry that I know of have either done a fellowship or were hired more than 5-6 years back, before the current cutbacks really started. From what I know, it is easier switching from a clinically-oriented specialist position (i.e. oncology, etc. - can be ambulatory or hospital) or drug information as compared to traditional hospital or retail staff. Most positions require industry experience, so pharmacists usually enter on either drug information, MSL, or drug safety side... so whatever makes you a better candidate for those positions is what helps the most, I would think.