What made you decide pharmacy was for you?

[DHS1]

I want to hear some of your stories/reasons on how you made the decision to be a pharmacist. I'm hoping your stories can help me make my choice as well.

Thanks!

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[DHS1]

BUMP

Sorry if what I am asking is unclear. I am wondering how you became interested with pharmacy, and why you decided to make the decision of being a pharmacist. What are the pro's/con's of being a pharmacist? Anything to help me make my decision.

 

[Pharm47]

It all started when I was 15. I tore my anterior cruciate ligament, and had to have reconstructive surgery. It was pretty cool, actually. The doc cut out the middle third of my patella tendon and used two screws to secure it in place of my now-defunct ACL.

Needless to say, the surgery left me with some serious pain. Thank goodness for vicodin and percocet!!

A couple years later, I tore my other ACL. Darn. Looks like I'll need more controlled substances.

Once I ran out, I decided that a career as a pharmacist would be the least painful way to guarantee a constant supply of said narcotics. I mean, I couldn't continue to experience these destructive injuries! Instead, I'll just study real hard for four years, get a stellar GPA, and apply to pharmacy school. With my PharmD in hand, life would be a breeze.

(Note...I'm bored at work and there is no truth to this statement. Except I did tear both my ACLs, and they did prescribe narcotic pain meds. My mom decided that Advil would do the trick however, and refused to fill my prescriptions. It hurt a lot. I'm still bitter.)

 

[loneranger]

It all started when I was 15. I tore my anterior cruciate ligament, and had to have reconstructive surgery. It was pretty cool, actually. The doc cut out the middle third of my patella tendon and used two screws to secure it in place of my now-defunct ACL.

Needless to say, the surgery left me with some serious pain. Thank goodness for vicodin and percocet!!

A couple years later, I tore my other ACL. Darn. Looks like I'll need more controlled substances.

Once I ran out, I decided that a career as a pharmacist would be the least painful way to guarantee a constant supply of said narcotics. I mean, I couldn't continue to experience these destructive injuries! Instead, I'll just study real hard for four years, get a stellar GPA, and apply to pharmacy school. With my PharmD in hand, life would be a breeze.

(Note...I'm bored at work and there is no truth to this statement. Except I did tear both my ACLs, and they did prescribe narcotic pain meds. My mom decided that Advil would do the trick however, and refused to fill my prescriptions. It hurt a lot. I'm still bitter.)

wow, i thought it was all true until the end. Can I use that during my interview?

 

[DHS1]

It all started when I was 15. I tore my anterior cruciate ligament, and had to have reconstructive surgery. It was pretty cool, actually. The doc cut out the middle third of my patella tendon and used two screws to secure it in place of my now-defunct ACL.

Needless to say, the surgery left me with some serious pain. Thank goodness for vicodin and percocet!!

A couple years later, I tore my other ACL. Darn. Looks like I'll need more controlled substances.

Once I ran out, I decided that a career as a pharmacist would be the least painful way to guarantee a constant supply of said narcotics. I mean, I couldn't continue to experience these destructive injuries! Instead, I'll just study real hard for four years, get a stellar GPA, and apply to pharmacy school. With my PharmD in hand, life would be a breeze.

(Note...I'm bored at work and there is no truth to this statement. Except I did tear both my ACLs, and they did prescribe narcotic pain meds. My mom decided that Advil would do the trick however, and refused to fill my prescriptions. It hurt a lot. I'm still bitter.)

Oh, life as a pharmacist is boring? What do you do all day? What field of Pharmacy are you in?

 

[ZpackSux]

When I got a call from a USC Pharmacy School Professor saying "Congrats, you have been accepted..." I decided being a pharmacist may be a good thing.

 

[eddie269]

When I got a call from a USC Pharmacy School Professor saying "Congrats, you have been accepted..." I decided being a pharmacist may be a good thing.

Ahhh, you guys crack me up. You literally had me LOL-ing!

 

[Pharm47]

Oh, life as a pharmacist is boring? What do you do all day? What field of Pharmacy are you in?

I don't know about life as a pharmacist...I work as a business consultant. I'll start pharm school in the fall.

 

[cycloketocaine]

It all started when I was 15. I tore my anterior cruciate ligament, and had to have reconstructive surgery. It was pretty cool, actually. The doc cut out the middle third of my patella tendon and used two screws to secure it in place of my now-defunct ACL.

Needless to say, the surgery left me with some serious pain. Thank goodness for vicodin and percocet!!

A couple years later, I tore my other ACL. Darn. Looks like I'll need more controlled substances.

Once I ran out, I decided that a career as a pharmacist would be the least painful way to guarantee a constant supply of said narcotics. I mean, I couldn't continue to experience these destructive injuries! Instead, I'll just study real hard for four years, get a stellar GPA, and apply to pharmacy school. With my PharmD in hand, life would be a breeze.

(Note...I'm bored at work and there is no truth to this statement. Except I did tear both my ACLs, and they did prescribe narcotic pain meds. My mom decided that Advil would do the trick however, and refused to fill my prescriptions. It hurt a lot. I'm still bitter.)

YOU'RE still bitter??? How bout me. I tore my ACL in half, and my dad left me in the front yard laying where I fell, because he thought I was faking. Ha. Then, he wouldn't let me go to the doctor and so I "walked" on my knee for about 2 weeks, until it got so big that he had to take me to the doctor. So anyhoo, by the time I got to the doctor I had ground my meniscus down to nothingness. So, here I am, 22 years old, and am having to schedule my first knee replacement. Thanks Dad.

 

[Pharm47]

YOU'RE still bitter??? How bout me. I tore my ACL in half, and my dad left me in the front yard laying where I fell, because he thought I was faking. Ha. Then, he wouldn't let me go to the doctor and so I "walked" on my knee for about 2 weeks, until it got so big that he had to take me to the doctor. So anyhoo, by the time I got to the doctor I had ground my meniscus down to nothingness. So, here I am, 22 years old, and am having to schedule my first knee replacement. Thanks Dad.

Weird. After tearing both of mine, I was able to walk, even run. Granted I waited for the swelling to subside...but I even considered finishing my Track season before getting surgery. They did have to take out my meniscus on both (at least one of the "pads" or whatever they're called). I'm sorry you're already having a knee replacement!! That is my biggest dread!

 

[sdn1977]

YOU'RE still bitter??? How bout me. I tore my ACL in half, and my dad left me in the front yard laying where I fell, because he thought I was faking. Ha. Then, he wouldn't let me go to the doctor and so I "walked" on my knee for about 2 weeks, until it got so big that he had to take me to the doctor. So anyhoo, by the time I got to the doctor I had ground my meniscus down to nothingness. So, here I am, 22 years old, and am having to schedule my first knee replacement. Thanks Dad.

OUCH! Is this for real??? Do you & your dad still talk?

To answer the OP - I had to write a paper in high school about a career & just picked pharmacy. That was at the very beginning of "clinical" pharmacy (and....this was before the internet so I really had to do research to get the info!!! ). A friend of the family owned a pharmacy so I worked there for a summer. Then found out I had a knack & liking for chemistry in college.

Finally - UCSF sent me a valentine - I got my acceptance Feb 14 - that was when I knew I made the right choice - haven't looked back yet.

 

[cycloketocaine]

OUCH! Is this for real??? Do you & your dad still talk?

Yeah, I'm for real. I like to remind him sometimes when I feel like being mean. I tore mine completely in half, when my Dr saw my MRI, he was impressed with the damage I did. My leg was so unstable (my lower leg would just move weird ways because of the lack of an ACL) I was unable to really walk very much or run until I got it fixed.

 

[ZpackSux]

Yeah, I'm for real. I like to remind him sometimes when I feel like being mean. I tore mine completely in half, when my Dr saw my MRI, he was impressed with the damage I did. My leg was so unstable (my lower leg would just move weird ways because of the lack of an ACL) I was unable to really walk very much or run until I got it fixed.

Now..I know for sure I can kick your butt on the golf course...bring it on!

 

[cycloketocaine]

Now..I know for sure I can kick your butt on the golf course...bring it on!

Pssshhhaaa. They could cut it off at the knee and I'd still win.

 

[ZpackSux]

Pssshhhaaa. They could cut it off at the knee and I'd still win.

I'm gonna get my buddy who's a prof at OU rx school to flunk you....

 

[DHS1]

Heh looks like this thread went a bit off topic. Out of all the jobs, how did you come up with pharmacy? I would really like to know.

 

[BadgerFan]

I want to hear some of your stories/reasons on how you made the decision to be a pharmacist. I'm hoping your stories can help me make my choice as well.

Thanks!

I always knew I wanted to do something in the healthcare field. In high school I was originally thinking dentistry, but after speaking with my dentist about his job, I figured it wasn't for me. My older brother is an MD in his radiology residency now and after what he went through in Med school, with working very long hours and taking 3 board exams (with 3 or 4 more exams left), that wasn't for me. My younger sister is an RN and although nursing would be fine, she did have to go through a few years of cleaning people up after crapping themselves. What started me in pharmacy was my girlfriend's father, who owns 5 stores in Wisconsin. After talking with him and shadowing a few of his pharamcists, that was the direction I wanted to go. I enjoy science and working with people. It seemed like a good fit.

 

[pharmacistUH]

My story...My junior year of highschool, my dad came up to me and we had a talk about what my future goals were, where I wanted to go to college, yadda yadda. Originally I wanted to go undeclared and find a career path in school. My neighbor (pharmacist who graduated from UH a long time ago) came over the next day and mentioned that pharmacy was a growing profession, making alot of money, with job security, blah blah. I was interested, but I didn't know ANYTHING about pharmacy, so I went with him to work one day and I liked the atmosphere. The next year I got my PTCB certification and started to work for him during summers and long breaks. I grew to love the job more than the rewards, and so here I am now.

 

[eddie269]

Heh looks like this thread went a bit off topic. Out of all the jobs, how did you come up with pharmacy? I would really like to know.

The reason why it went off topic was because this thread has been covered a million times on SDN. You can try doing a search and there will be archives of answers from past and present members. Good luck.

 

[chem123]

hey, i dont know if you still care DHS1, but the reason i picked pharmacy, I HATE history, english...anything that requires reading alot of boring and pointless crap...soo i was more of a scince person, i hate memorizing but memorizing like biology stuff that is pointless and realistic...was ok for me...i like chemistry its interesting...soo m like ok i neeed to do something science...science major?? ok bachelors in bio or chem MAKE NO MONEY...so no i wont do that...i hate teaching...( make no money), i get disgusted fast...and dont wanna wait forever...soo cant be a doctor...PHARMACY WAS PERFECT...doesnt take as much time...clean...make very good money....starting 80,000....hehehe

 

[chem123]

also..respect and stability...u'll have a job anywhere u decide to go in the world...(hopefully), plus u know even tho i'm 19, when i look at ingredients or like the structural formulas of specific medications...I LOVE THE FACT THAT I'M NOT CLUELESS and understand what they are talking about...it makes me feel soo smart ...and it really is interesting stuff....