my advice is that,,,, work in the retail first b4 you even apply for pharmacy schools. 70-80% of graduates WILL get into retails (no joke). Retail is where the job market is. You think you can make lots of money becoming a pharmacist? you think there is bright future? nice car? nice house? ppl respect you? doctrine degree? Re-think. There is no bathroom break, no time for any meal, ppl talk **** about you, tuition is ridiculous (federal loan interest is 6.8%) and no one will ever care that you have a doctrine degree. YOU NEED TO WORK IN THE RETAIL B4444444444 you decide to become a pharmacist. Oh, now you might say, i will just become a hospital pharmacist. HOHOHO, it is damn competitive. remember 70 - 80 % will be retail pharmacists. Plus hospitals low ball you with like 45 dollars/hr. Just do simple math. If you have 200k loan with 6.8% interest, how much should you pay back each month? Pharmacist will bring home about 6000 dollars/month average (if you work in retail and this is after tax). You will end up paying like 4000 dollars for 5-6 years assuming the principal and interest piling up EVERYDAY. That is right EVERYDAY. Wanna live your life with just 2000 dollars/month for 5-6 yrs AFTER becoming a pharmacist?
The investment is just not worth it nowadays. Think about the future, you worked ur ass off for intense curriculum in school, and you paid sh-it loads of money for your tuition. AND there is no freakin job out there that you gotta relocate? leaving your family and friends? Isnt it so damn depressing?
Grab any pharmacist (not the dinosaur ones), and ask them. YES, everyone kinda complains about their jobs and whatnot. BUT, pharmacy is much worse than other healthcare fields at the present. Heed my word ppl....I EFFIN regret coming to pharmacy school. It is just not worth it with all the tuition we pay and the tight job market.
Once you work for the chains, you will know what I mean.