Should I do pharm?

[ajroth19]

I am currently in the healthcare field (dental). Want to go into pharm have about half the pre-reqs finished. I am great at physiology, bio, anatomy, O-chem is even ok. I am not the greatest at general chem. How much of pharm school is going to depend on general chemistry. I can say I have a lot of ambition and drive and a great passion for science and helping patients. Are there others out there that struggled through general chem are making it/ made it through pharm school? I am in my mid 20s and thinking of making a career change from dental hygiene to pharm.

Thanks everyone

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[rx2010]

Honestly, you don't even use much chemistry or even organic chemistry in pharmacy school. You just need to know the basics of chemistry, nothing too detailed or complicated. To me, it seems like you use more biology in pharmacy school rather than chemistry; I only recall one class throughout pharm school that used a fair amount of basic chemistry. I hate chemistry, but I love biology, and I'm in my 4th year of pharmacy school right now and I did pretty well. I only made one C throughout my P1-P3 years. You'll definitely be fine pharmacy school even if chemistry isn't your forte.

 

[bigpharmD]

why not dental school

 

[ajroth19]

My wrists hurt, back hurts. It ends up being a very physical job. I love dental and someone want to continue dental hygiene very part time. I'm sure if I went to pharm I wouldn't have time to do both. I am looking at my future and I don't want to end up being the 50 yr old hunch back, bent over patients, with carpel tunnel.

 

[meister]

Pharmacists have back problems too, I think that you'll find that is common among all the health professions.

Both pharmacy and dentistry are excellent choices with guaranteed $50+/hr with little to no call and great lifestyles. If you enjoy dentistry already then I don't see why you'd change, there's nothing more compelling about pharmacy in my opinion over dental. They're both pretty good careers.

 

[ajroth19]

Pharm is absolutely fascinating to me. Plus if I keep going with dental, I would want to become a dentist. Not stay a hygienist. As a dentist I would have to own my own practice. That doesn't sound appealing to me. Managing people is fine, but having to deal with the extra stress of my own practice turns me off.

 

[Pharmacy Kid]

In most pharmacy settings, your back will take hit. Imagine standing (retail) or sitting (hospital) eight hours at at time with minimal breaks.

As a dentist, you don't have to own your own practice. You can be an associate and get paid less (still more than most pharmacists though). Yes, your back and wrist will probably hurt from performing dental procedures.

Both pharmacy and dentistry are pretty good careers. I have relatives in both and from my eyes, pharmacy seems a bit more flexible. Dentistry pays a bit more. Both have a wide variety of career paths (clin spec, academia, public health, community, etc).

 

[BustyPharmD]

Pharm is absolutely fascinating to me. Plus if I keep going with dental, I would want to become a dentist. Not stay a hygienist. As a dentist I would have to own my own practice. That doesn't sound appealing to me. Managing people is fine, but having to deal with the extra stress of my own practice turns me off.

In the pharmacy world...most pharmacist stand the full time for their shift. Some employers consider, sitting as unprofessional. Pharmacist barely have time to eat during a 30min lunch(without being interrupted) or use the restroom. If your curious about pharmacy I would work in a pharmacy as a pharmacy tech or a hospital tech. Then you will see the REAL world of pharmacy and will be able to make the best decision for yourself. Look at it as an investment because I know lots of pharmacist who hate what they do and wished they went into another medical field like dentistry. =)

The grass is not always greener on the other side.

Just saying how it really is.

 

[ajroth19]

Yes, they both have options. Thats why I should do both. Just kidding, I'm not superwoman. I guess I have some deciding to do.

-Thanks

 

[BustyPharmD]

Yes, they both have options. Thats why I should do both. Just kidding, I'm not superwoman. I guess I have some deciding to do.

-Thanks

Pharmacy is one of the best professions if your a female since you can get pregnant and still have the same pay and benefits once you come back from maternity leave. At least that's been the standard for now.

 

[J ROD]

Yes, they both have options. Thats why I should do both. Just kidding, I'm not superwoman. I guess I have some deciding to do.

-Thanks

Look at my sig!!

 

[1dani1]

Here's my $0.02 but here's the caveat: I'm a pharmacist and have never been a dentist.

As stated before, both dentistry and pharmacy are good professions.

From a financial standpoint, I don't think money will be an issue with either choice.

From the standpoint of job satisfaction, you can find fulfillment helping patients in both professions and making a positive impact. In both professions, sometimes your patients will love you (fix their teeth or give them good medication advice, etc.), and at other times they will hate you (give them a root canal or filling OR tell them their insurance will not cover a particular medication).

From a flexibility standpoint, as far as I know dentists usually have to practice in a particular setting i.e. a dental office (again, I'm not one so there could be some variances that I am not aware of). Nowadays pharmacists can work almmost anywhere, they are not limited to standing behind a retail counter, especially if you get a Pharm.D and do a residency. You can work in ambulatory care clinics, inpatient, outpatient, ER (in some facilities), drug companies, insurance companies, technology companies (think Health 2.0), law firms, or even do your own thing! You can be a consultant pharmacist, or even choose to work full time for an agency and thus set your own schedule. You can work for a PBM, or even work in non-traditional roles where your clinical drug knowledge is leveraged for other uses such as in pharmacy informatics, clinical and/or medical informatics, clinical research associates, medical science liaisons, pharmaceutical sales rep... the list does go on.

Okay, I admit, I am obviously biased towards pharmacy because it's what I know well and honestly, I have done so many different things with this degree that I wouldn't change it for any other. Granted, I may very well be in the minority of pharmacists who actually like their jobs and enjoy the profession but believe me, the minority is growing in number as more and more clinical pharmacists are being churned out.

Alright, I'll stop now...

I hope this is helpful to you in some way.

 

[johnep34]

I am at the end of my pharmacy career, having started as a Saturday boy in 1950. I relinquish my registration on December 31st.
Pharmacy has taken me all over the world and I have mostly loved every minute. I got out of full time retail in 1960 and went into industry, while keeping my hand in by doing locums (relief) at weekends.

Over at pharmacy-forum.co.uk (sorry not a link), has recently been much discussion on alternative careers.
johnep

 

[pharmd718]

I am at the end of my pharmacy career, having started as a Saturday boy in 1950. I relinquish my registration on December 31st.
Pharmacy has taken me all over the world and I have mostly loved every minute. I got out of full time retail in 1960 and went into industry, while keeping my hand in by doing locums (relief) at weekends.

Over at pharmacy-forum.co.uk (sorry not a link), has recently been much discussion on alternative careers.
johnep

You are an inspiration. I have been practicing for 5 years one. 1 year in retail and 4 in hospital. I hope to experience new and wonderful things...

 

[StaviZFingerZ]

Yes, you should do pharm.

 

[SHC1984]

why not dental school

B/c dentist don't have the luxury of working FROM HOME! thats why!

 

[SHC1984]

I am currently in the healthcare field (dental). Want to go into pharm have about half the pre-reqs finished. I am great at physiology, bio, anatomy, O-chem is even ok. I am not the greatest at general chem. How much of pharm school is going to depend on general chemistry. I can say I have a lot of ambition and drive and a great passion for science and helping patients. Are there others out there that struggled through general chem are making it/ made it through pharm school? I am in my mid 20s and thinking of making a career change from dental hygiene to pharm.

Thanks everyone

I dropped out of dental school to do pharmacy and I am SO glad I did it! Want reasons? read my first thread in the pharmacy forum. There are soooo MANY reasons why Pharmacy>>>>>>>>>>>>>Dentistry.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=570765

 

[Pharmachic]

I dropped out of dental school to do pharmacy and I am SO glad I did it! Want reasons? read my first thread in the pharmacy forum. There are soooo MANY reasons why Pharmacy>>>>>>>>>>>>>Dentistry.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=570765

I've searched and read threads on this forum for months and finally decided to post. In several threads you've mentioned wanting a job that doesn't involve interaction with people. I've deduced you're 1 of those people who think your grades will guarantee u a position in whatever u do. Newsflash: grades are not the ONLY determinant. U (rather your parents) chose pharmacy as your career simply because it pays well. Given your education background and what appears to be your personality, as seen on this forum, IMO research would suit u best. Why not get a PhD and work for a pharmaceutical company instead? Just a thought...

 

[SHC1984]

I've searched and read threads on this forum for months and finally decided to post. In several threads you've mentioned wanting a job that doesn't involve interaction with people. I've deduced you're 1 of those people who think your grades will guarantee u a position in whatever u do. Newsflash: grades are not the ONLY determinant. U (rather your parents) chose pharmacy as your career simply because it pays well. Given your education background and what appears to be your personality, as seen on this forum, IMO research would suit u best. Why not get a PhD and work for a pharmaceutical company instead? Just a thought...

Thanks for posting. I have thought about doing IMO research. Is a PhD required to work for a pharmaceutical company? Or is a fellowship enough?

 

[Argentium]

Thanks for posting. I have thought about doing IMO research. Is a PhD required to work for a pharmaceutical company? Or is a fellowship enough?

Depends. Most people in research have PhDs or MDs though you can help run clinical trials as a pharmd

 

[PharmacistReb]

The only thing in pharmacy school that resembles general chemistry is pharmaceutics. I took it first semester of my first year, hated it, but it wasn't that bad.

Everything else is just basic knowledge of chemistry. You won't find the undergrad gen chem type classes in pharmacy school. Thank goodness