Knowing what you know now, would you have pursued Software Engineering?

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JakeSill

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Less school loans. More jobs.

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No. That is a completely different skill set. People, at least people who are successful, don't pick their careers solely based on money, they pick them based on what their skills and interests are. If I hadn't been a pharmacist, I would have been a teacher (overlap there is that pharmacists teach their patients and/or nurses.) I liked teaching, I liked science, I was a bit skilled at both (obviously I got much better skilled after going through college.) I have little interest in how things work or in creating things, which is why I would have no interest in engineering, and would never have considered that as a career field.

No wonder so many people are unhappy these days, if they are picked their careers based on what they think will make the most money, not on their interests & skills. (If you want money, then find a career that uses your skills and interests and pays well.)
 
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No, I'd probably pursue a Ph.D. and go into academia or try for an MD/DO or PA. Software engineering as a job doesn't appeal to me. I have many friends going into it as well, and I feel they may see saturation in the near future as well.
 
If I had the skills, I would. I tried an intro programming class and got a C. My friend in that class ended up buying a million dollar home in cash a few years ago...

That's the thing with pharmacy. ANYBODY can be come a pharmacist. Just look at all the pre-pharm forums where people with Cs and Ds get into pharmacy school. That's why our profession tanked.

Not everyone can do software engineering. You have to be young and very skilled. The field changes dramatically every year and you have to constantly learn the new techniques. There aren't 50-60 year old software engineers like there are 50-60 year old pharmacists. Go to your local state university and see how many students make it past the first couple of freshman classes. I think that intro class I took had 120 or more students in it, and less than half of that made it. Whereas in pharmacy only a few would drop out.
 
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I started out CompSci. Soooo boring, I couldn't do it. It's fun as a hobby, ****ty when it's an assignment. I'm happy in pharmacy.
 
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I'd probably have stayed in WV. Done something crazy intentionally like walk around a public park naked. Gotten declared mentally unfit to hold a job. Get put on disability for free healthcare and food stamps, plus like $800/month in money. Go to the doctor once a month for my #180 percocet 10/325 to sell. That's like $2000 tax free all told...get me a cheap trailer on some plot somewhere. Living on your own increases your SSDI check. Get DSL internet and pirate TV from one of those Kodi IPTV services. Then just sit around all day and play video games/watch sports.

That's the life right there.
 
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Software engineering also gives you a much better quality of life. You actually get to sit at a desk, work at a slower pace, and don't have angry customers berating you all day, which are one some of the main reasons so many of us prefer to work in hospital over retail where the majority of the jobs are. Software engineers also get lunch breaks if not catered gourmet meals, whereas retail pharmacists are often lucky to even have the opportunity to eat lunch.
 
Software engineering also gives you a much better quality of life. You actually get to sit at a desk, work at a slower pace, and don't have angry customers berating you all day, which are one some of the main reasons so many of us prefer to work in hospital over retail where the majority of the jobs are. Software engineers also get lunch breaks if not catered gourmet meals, whereas retail pharmacists are often lucky to even have the opportunity to eat lunch.

I can't help but wonder whether you are comparing the top ~30% of software engineers to the bottom 30% of pharmacists (in terms of work conditions...).
 
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Software engineering also gives you a much better quality of life. You actually get to sit at a desk, work at a slower pace, and don't have angry customers berating you all day, which are one some of the main reasons so many of us prefer to work in hospital over retail where the majority of the jobs are. Software engineers also get lunch breaks if not catered gourmet meals, whereas retail pharmacists are often lucky to even have the opportunity to eat lunch.

Nope. You get lunch at some workplaces, but i'd argue quality of life is lower... have to meet deadlines, deal with management, bring work home, work longer hours at no extra pay to get stuff done, deal with client issues, have to be creative all day every day (new problems to solve all the time)... you get burned out quick! Everything has pros & cons - grass is always greener!
 
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Lol. No. I don't think software engineering is for me.
 
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definitely not...I am less productive sitting down
 
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