By this logic, the very best job (according to BLS) is motion picture projectionist. Additionally, all pharmacy students should drop out of school and become makeup artists. I’m not saying that projected job growth is a useless figure, but it is best considered in the context of number of new graduates entering the field and unemployment rates for that field. Genuinely, you might as well say that no one should pursue a career as a pediatrician. Given that pharmacy is a stable career with low unemployment, I think the most important question is whether you want to be a pharmacist. If it’s something you hate, there isn’t so much money and job prospects that you should do it anyway. If you care about this profession, I don’t think there is any reason (at this point) to not pursue the career you want. The original poster might be best off leaving pharmacy school if they do, in fact, hate pharmacy and not just that one job in pharmacy. That doesn’t mean that it’s a bad career for everyone. Most pharmacists will find employment and pay for most pharmacists will exceed 100k. About 50% of pharmacists will work in a retail position, about 27% in hospitals per BLS. Retirement and career transfer rates are about the same as NAPLEX pass rates even with the projected decrease in new job growth. I’m all for realism, but don’t let pessimism cloud your judgment.
I think for people who want to go into healthcare, Xray, CT scan, MRI tech is the way to go... Can get that done in 2-3 yrs and have the ability to make close to 6-figure.
Realistically, if your purpose is maximizing your lifetime earning potential then you should not be working in a medical field at all. I don’t think the numbers you are quoting for anticipated yearly pay are very accurate since they don’t line up with BLS data. If you are making under $120k per year, you are in the bottom 25th percentile per BLS. About 18% of pharmacist positions are just categorized as other by BLS (that would include regulators, educators, consultant pharmacy, industry ect). A combined 50% of pharmacists are in positions that could be classified as retail. Other major employment categories are hospital (27%) and ambulatory care (5%). It’s a decent job with decent prospects. For the original poster, I think it’s fair to say that pharmacy isn’t an easy money gold mine and they should take that into consideration when making their final decision. Pharmacy also isn’t what you are making it out to be. Your statements are simply factually incorrect based on the best data we have from BLS. Unrealistic pessimism doesn’t serve the original poster any better than delusional optimism.
Neither good nor bad. Just showing what I make lol
Can you cite your sources because you are saying the survey data is incorrect but you aren’t providing any alternate resources. You are of course welcome to your opinion, but statements like “pharmacists is the worst profession” is just opinion. Additionally, the factual statements you are making to support that opinion are incorrect. Even your explanation for salary being inflated in survey data makes no sense unless 75% of pharmacists are either working in California or are nearing retirement. Actually, if that were true, everyone should go into pharmacy because (per your argument) 75% of pharmacists are about to retire. I wonder if you are confusing median and mean.
For the love of god, stop saying Cali. Nobody here calls it that unless they’re doing it ironically to make fun of LL Cool J…and then you’re dating yourself.
There’s a real Lake Wobegon effect on this forum. Everyone says they’re doing well but that they know they’re doing better than everyone else. Particularly the new grads with student loans who just can’t get a break.
The information I gave (that you disagree with) is from BLS. Your conclusions are not based on survey data from BLS. In fact you are arguing that the data from BLS is inaccurate (not sure what you are basing that conclusion on). In terms of saturation, BLS predicts that turn over from retirement will approximately keep pace with NAPLEX pass rates. It’s not a growing industry with extreme need in all markets, but it’s far from a saturated industry.
www.inhersight.com
I love how this 200challenege website is a website literally made by someone on these forums and this guy loves citing it as if it's actually relevant. I guess I could go make a website with some stupid crap on it and cite it as factual...
You're one to talk about ignorance to the facts. You make up your own facts and say there are 'national spreadsheets' and when Abby Atwood presented the BLS stats you simply said no thats wrong. There is no arguing with you since you just believe whatever you want and wont even present your data. have you looked at BLS lately? distribution of pharmacists isn't 70% retail like you claim but whatever dude, keep sipping that koolaid.
Every hospital job I’ve had has been unionized. The pharmacists in the other health system in my area just voted to unionize. They ended up getting a 20% raise with their first contract. You’re likely in a crappy state where unions in general aren’t particularly popular (and not powerful due to pro-business state laws). Either way, you can do something about it. Unionizing isn’t easy. You need to convince the majority of your coworkers that it’s a good idea and realistically >85% if you want your employer to take you seriously. But you can be the change I stared of pages and pages of whining in an Internet forum.
I am sorry, I am not one of the "little doomers", but the state of the profession is alarming at best. You have been a pharmacist since MAY, now that is impressive, a whole 3-4 months and you have this incredible clarity and conviction about the profession. Why don't you come talk to me after, let's say 36 years and 6 months, but then again you know everything now, so why wait!
| On-Time Graduation Rate (4 Years) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Class Year | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Graduation Rate | 84% | 92% | 90% |
| First Time Passing Rate on NAPLEX | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Graduates | 2020 Graduates | 2019 Graduates | |
| TTUHSC Pass Rate | 81% | 93% | 89% |
| State Pass Rate | 83% | 87% | 89% |
| National Pass Rate | 84% | 87% | 87% |
| Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Class Year | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| 3rd Year - Percentile Rank | 55 | 57 | 59 |
| 4th Year - Percentile Rank | 53 | 64 | 72 |
| Graduates Entering Residencies | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Class Year | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Number of Graduates | 31 | 40 | 39 |
I know you are looking at these responses, wondering when this train went off the tracks (we stopped making sense!). We apologize, seems there was a massive derailment a while back. Seriously, as a former immigrant, and a current pharmacist, I have to say, if your heart is in it, stay the course. If you put time and effort in it, the pharmacy profession is not all bad. Every person who is on this forum, and is telling you to cut bait (leave) is gainfully employed as a pharmacist, making a living. Pharmacy has been very good to me, provided me with the means to support a family, pay my bills, AND make my parents proud. In immigrant families, the last point is very important. My sister is an MD, and this is the least acceptable profession I could do.
Long live and prosper like Leonard Nemoy! Sorry I also derailed! Geaux Red Raiders!
LoL that was me! I bought a San Francisco hoody at the Golden Gate bridge tourist shop cause it was foggy and coldSo Calif. is acceptable but not Cali?
I read it as "Caliph".lol I like how I described you to a T
Yes, Calif. is acceptable because no one says “Caliph” it’s usually just completed to “California”
Also, old post cards would be addressed this way and it reminds me of old times.
i promise you not everyone got a full-time job even if you happened to ask ALL your classmates. and still believed their answers
