What can you do with a PharmD Degree?

[MrBoba]

Curious, what else can you do with a Pharm D degree besides being a pharmacist in retail, clinical, or hospital?

If I ever get bored of doing a job like that, I'd like to know what else I can do with my expensive hard earned degree. By having a PharmD on your resume, where can you apply and what can you do?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[confettiflyer]

marketing, sales, consultant jobs, PBM type stuff, etc...

you have an unnaturally smooth looking face, it's kind of freakin' me out.

 

[LoudSpeakers]

Curious, what else can you do with a Pharm D degree besides being a pharmacist in retail, clinical, or hospital?

If I ever get bored of doing a job like that, I'd like to know what else I can do with my expensive hard earned degree. By having a PharmD on your resume, where can you apply and what can you do?

What's the difference between clinical and hospital?

 

[IrishRxMan]

I'll modify a quote from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Ahem, the question isn't what can you do with a PharmD, the question is what can't you do with a PharmD. Pharmacists are doing all kinds of things these days and the profession is rapidly expanding past the traditional role of hospital/retail. There are too many possibilities to list, but pharmacists are operating clinics that manage the therapy for different medical conditions which is sort of clinical, but not in the sense of hospital clinical work. You're not going on rounds with the medical team but seeing patients that come to you for treatment and management of medications. Coumadin clinics, pulmonary disease clinics, cardio, etc. The list goes on.

 

[Passion4Sci]

What's the difference between clinical and hospital?

To me, when someone says "hospital pharmacy" I immediately think of the staff pharmacists we have in the in-patient and out-patient pharmacy. They sit at a huge table, 4 pharmacists to a side, and are there all day reading from computers and doing what pharmacists do.

The clinical pharmacists (NOT staff pharmacists, different title, very different duties!) are mobile - They spend most of their day outside of the pharmacy, and roaming the pt. wings, interfacing w/ physicians and doing clinic hours (Warfarin/coumadin, Immunos, etc).

So to me, a clinical pharmacist is someone who does more than just the immobile work of pharmacy itself, and who is more, well, clinical.

@OP - I plan to put teaching at a CC/Univ on my resume at some point in my life. We had a Pharm.D/BCPS teaching PTX and Chem Dep. classes at UC Davis. That's another option if the sales/pharmacy side of the business gets to you.

 

[SHC1984]

marketing, sales, consultant jobs, pbm type stuff, etc...

+1

 

[SHC1984]

To me, when someone says "hospital pharmacy" I immediately think of the staff pharmacists we have in the in-patient and out-patient pharmacy. They sit at a huge table, 4 pharmacists to a side, and are there all day reading from computers and doing what pharmacists do.

The clinical pharmacists (NOT staff pharmacists, different title, very different duties!) are mobile - They spend most of their day outside of the pharmacy, and roaming the pt. wings, interfacing w/ physicians and doing clinic hours (Warfarin/coumadin, Immunos, etc).

So to me, a clinical pharmacist is someone who does more than just the immobile work of pharmacy itself, and who is more, well, clinical.

@OP - I plan to put teaching at a CC/Univ on my resume at some point in my life. We had a Pharm.D/BCPS teaching PTX and Chem Dep. classes at UC Davis. That's another option if the sales/pharmacy side of the business gets to you.

I would love to be a staff pharmacist at a hospital.

 

[Passion4Sci]

I would love to be a staff pharmacist at a hospital.

it seems mindless and tedious to me. If I can avoid it, I will.

 

[phathead]

You can make a can make a hat or a brooch or a pterodactyl...

 

[pharmRxn]

if none of these options above suite you then you can wipe your butt with the degree.

 

[Passion4Sci]

At the very least, it's useful at high school reunions and family gatherings where you can say you're a doctor.

 

[SHC1984]

it seems mindless and tedious to me. If I can avoid it, I will.

So I guess you won't be considering mail order either. Hey, its better than retail at least.

 

[Passion4Sci]

So I guess you won't be considering mail order either. Hey, its better than retail at least.

Nope, isn't even on my RADAR.

I'll be avoiding retail and mail-order like the plague.

If I have to work in either, I won't complain, but I'd prefer to be more clinical in my scope of practice.

 

[SHC1984]

Nope, isn't even on my RADAR.

I'll be avoiding retail and mail-order like the plague.

If I have to work in either, I won't complain, but I'd prefer to be more clinical in my scope of practice.

Same here. I am not very picky...I will do anything except retail. You want to do clinical? so you are planning on doing a residency then?

 

[confettiflyer]

Same here. I am not very picky...I will do anything except retail. You want to do clinical? so you are planning on doing a residency then?

I'll work retail like...one day a week. I can go in like it's monday and leave like it's friday, all in one shift, hahaha

 

[Passion4Sci]

Same here. I am not very picky...I will do anything except retail. You want to do clinical? so you are planning on doing a residency then?

Yeah, I will do whatever it takes. I am really interested in the Pharmacotherapy (BCPS) clinical specialization also.

First, I have to ace my interview... =/

 

[SHC1984]

I'll work retail like...one day a week. I can go in like it's monday and leave like it's friday, all in one shift, hahaha

One day a week won't be too bad. Just make sure you pick a slow store with no drive thru!

 

[SHC1984]

Yeah, I will do whatever it takes. I am really interested in the Pharmacotherapy (BCPS) clinical specialization also.

First, I have to ace my interview... =/

YOU WILL get into UCSF! I have fate in you!!! Although I still have NO clue how exactly they are going to choose their applicants w/o a standardize exam. That question gets me everytime. However with your GPA and your undergrad degree being from such a good college I really doubt you will have any trouble getting in. Have they started inviting people for interviews already?

 

[Passion4Sci]

YOU WILL get into UCSF! I have fate in you!!! Although I still have NO clue how exactly they are going to choose their applicants w/o a standardize exam. That question gets me everytime. However with your GPA and your undergrad degree being from such a good college I really doubt you will have any trouble getting in. Have they started inviting people for interviews already?

Thanks for the vote of confidence! We won't hear from UCSF for a long time since they do not have rolling admissions. I have gotten an interview invite from UoP, and if I get in there and UCSF, it'll really be a big decision. I'd hate to turn down UCSF but fiscally it'd be more responsible.

I'm going to wait to cross that bridge until I get to it...

 

[SHC1984]

Thanks for the vote of confidence! We won't hear from UCSF for a long time since they do not have rolling admissions. I have gotten an interview invite from UoP, and if I get in there and UCSF, it'll really be a big decision. I'd hate to turn down UCSF but fiscally it'd be more responsible.

I'm going to wait to cross that bridge until I get to it...

I thought UoP is much more expensive than UCSF?? It definetly was for dental school...didn't look into pharmacy...lol UCSF is only 26k a year...not bad...3k cheaper than my school. lol...

 

[delano2000]

Yeah, I will do whatever it takes. I am really interested in the Pharmacotherapy (BCPS) clinical specialization also.

First, I have to ace my interview... =/

Me too. Hopefully I can be a BCPS in infectious diseases once I get done with my residency (assuming everything goes according to plan).

 

[confettiflyer]

One day a week won't be too bad. Just make sure you pick a slow store with no drive thru!

I actually didn't mind working drive-thru as a tech...you kind of got the excuse to sit at the window with glass separating you and the pt and zone out while the transaction happened. It was definitely one at a time vs. in store when you had a line of people giving you/the pt the stare of death.

Aside from the tech dedicated to prior auths/problems (DE3), drive-thru was the 2nd most calm "section" of the pharmacy.

 

[Passion4Sci]

I thought UoP is much more expensive than UCSF?? It definetly was for dental school...didn't look into pharmacy...lol UCSF is only 26k a year...not bad...3k cheaper than my school. lol...

Sure, UoP is more expensive for a couple reasons

1. It's a 3 year program so automatically the fees charged will be higher than a 4 year program (As they want the same amount of money in a shorter time, right?)

2. It's a private school.

However, I believe the cost of UoP vs. UCSF will be defrayed by the fact that I'll be able to have my own house in Stockton and my wife will be able to live in graduate student housing, saving a HUGE amount of money in living in the Bay. In the semi-decent parts of Berkeley, you're looking at minimum $1,800/mo for 450 square feet (a closet). I did the 450sq-ft thing when I was a bachelor, and don't care to repeat it.

There's also the 3 year aspect - That's another year I've got in industry, or doing my residency and then in industry, sooner than I'd even be graduated from UCSF.

It's all a crapshoot. Maybe I won't get into any school, then I'll have made all these plans for naught. Perhaps my overwhelming condescension and arrogance will turn off every AdCom and I'll end up asking my wife for an allowance for the rest of my existence. Who knows? =P

 

[MrBoba]

marketing, sales, consultant jobs, PBM type stuff, etc...

you have an unnaturally smooth looking face, it's kind of freakin' me out.

I'm interested in marketing and sales actually. How odd. Well first, I need to work on getting that degree anyway. I have a lot of hard work to do if I want to save my science GPA =X

And, that's a very flattering photo of my skin. I have a few scars from acne. The lighting was just very, very good that day.

 

[SHC1984]

I actually didn't mind working drive-thru as a tech...you kind of got the excuse to sit at the window with glass separating you and the pt and zone out while the transaction happened. It was definitely one at a time vs. in store when you had a line of people giving you/the pt the stare of death.

Aside from the tech dedicated to prior auths/problems (DE3), drive-thru was the 2nd most calm "section" of the pharmacy.

Drive thru isn't bad...nothing is bad...I just hate it b/c every retail store I work at is a "slow" store so there is only ME and the pharmacist...so I am stuck doing everything. I don't like doing drive thru when I have 10 million other things to do plus 3 phone calls to answer. If I was just stuck doing ONLY the drive thru I will be a much happier camper! My favorite is just typing in scripts. So relaxing just me and my best friend the COMPUTER!

 

[SHC1984]

Sure, UoP is more expensive for a couple reasons

1. It's a 3 year program so automatically the fees charged will be higher than a 4 year program (As they want the same amount of money in a shorter time, right?)

2. It's a private school.

However, I believe the cost of UoP vs. UCSF will be defrayed by the fact that I'll be able to have my own house in Stockton and my wife will be able to live in graduate student housing, saving a HUGE amount of money in living in the Bay. In the semi-decent parts of Berkeley, you're looking at minimum $1,800/mo for 450 square feet (a closet). I did the 450sq-ft thing when I was a bachelor, and don't care to repeat it.

There's also the 3 year aspect - That's another year I've got in industry, or doing my residency and then in industry, sooner than I'd even be graduated from UCSF.

It's all a crapshoot. Maybe I won't get into any school, then I'll have made all these plans for naught. Perhaps my overwhelming condescension and arrogance will turn off every AdCom and I'll end up asking my wife for an allowance for the rest of my existence. Who knows? =P

I understand what you mean now. UoP would be cheaper for you. Just like Mercer and my state school is pretty much the same price for me b/c my state school is 15k a year but I will have to pay for housing and food etc. But here at Mercer, I only pay for the tuition 29k and everything else is covered by a relative. Maybe UNC would still be cheaper, but I try to make myself feel better by saying it won't! I can't ever justified wasting money when I don't have to (unless its on shoes!!!!).

Oh UCSF might give you a better chance of landing the residency of your dreams though b/c it has a better rep. Not sure how true that is but UCSF is rank #1, so residencies will strongly favor that factor.

 

[phathead]

Man no one got my Airplane! reference

 

[pharm B]

I did. I was trying to find an app to make a diploma into origami items!

 

[Doremi2015]

it seems mindless and tedious to me. If I can avoid it, I will.

Could you elaborate? I've always wondered what it really is like as staff hospital pharmacist vs retail since they're both checking orders ( from what I can tell during rotations).