Advice I guess

[Rxgrrl]

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Okay--first of all--I know that there are many people here who are sick of the "what are my chances" posts--but I really do need a place to vent--and NO I am not a troll. I don't expect any responses--especially if they are rude--but if someone reading this does want to respond--it would be nice. 😳 (and yes this is my first post here, but hopefully not my last)

I just graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. My overall GPA is a 3.29. My Biology GPA is around a 3.3, but my Chemistry GPA is around a 2.7 I think. I disdain Chemistry--well, at least I hated having to draw all the damn compounds and memorize the reactions--I was never interested in it--Biology is my niche..but that's going off topic I guess. Yet, people tell me Pharmacy is ALL Chemistry--I don't know if that's true--because I don't really know what is taught in Pharmacy school. 😕 Maybe someone reading this can help me with this, or maybe I should research this myself a bit more.. 😉

So, I think I want to do pharmacy--why? Well, to be honest--it's a good job that pays well--it's high in demand--my grandfather is a doctor--I've always looked up to him--i've worked for him for over 8 years--I've memorized some of the medications and what they are for, etc.

So, I took the PCAT a few years ago--and like a few others here--I did TERRIBLE--so terrible I really don't even want to say my score---but I will be honest and say that it was below 20 percent--it really makes you feel like an idiot when you can't even score 50--I cried for hours.. 🙁 😉

I am studying again for it now--I NEVER studied for it the first time I took it (stupid I know)--so hopefully I will do better this time around--I am taking it again in Octoboer.

So--I guess with all the research I have done on this forum--my chances are pretty crappy--but I guess it is still possible for me to get in.

I know most people reading this are going to ask me, "Are you sure you want to do Pharmacy?" And I can honestly say--no. I have never known what I have wanted to do as a career-- I do know that I want to help people or animals--and that if pharmacy doesn't work out--I think I would make a great nurse--or I might even get my PH.d and work with spiders--but I am already 24--I need to do something soon--

No, I don't want to jump into a career just because it pays well--but at the same time--I don't know what in the hell to do with my life--so I feel that I might as well do something that pays well that I at least THINK I will enjoy..I hope this makes sense.. 😳

I am going to shadow a pharmacist my grandfather (the doctor) knows next week hopefully--so I hope that shadowing her will give me a better idea of how I would like being a pharmacist..

Thanks for reading and sorry for venting here--

Emily

 

[PolarBear21]

Hmm.. not really sure what to say ..

I feel ya though on not being 100% sure on pharmacy.. I have had two internships and I really see myself doing a great job at it, but once in a while I step back and go.. wow! This is what I want to do huh? Then once in a while I go step back even more and say.. maybe I'm rushing into things.. and then I step back another step and go.. maybe I'm thinking I'm rushing into things because its what everyone else thinks I'm doing .. I make no sense 🙄

Anyway.. I actually I don't know where I'm going with this.. but for those people who say you shouldn't apply to pharmacy school for the money.. thats true.. but totally not realistic and they need to get off their high-horse IMO. I've interned at two places and I work on Sundays and experience working under many pharmacists because floaters always work on Sundays at my place and their response to "why pharmacy" always has a money component..... "well paying" "stable" "easy", etc etc..

And .. I'm sure you'll do much better on your PCAT second time around.. especially if you didn't study at all the first time.. What were you thinking though?? haha.. no I'm just kidding, its just I'm not good at chemistry myself and I CAN NOT imagine not studying for that test and taking the chemistry portion without having reviewed general chemistry somewhat. 🙂

 

[Rxgrrl]

Thanks for your response--it really does suck though, not knowing what you want to do as a career--and I certainly DON'T want to jump into any job for the money--it's not about that to me at all--but I do want a good job--that pays decently (at least 50,000 would be nice 😳 ) but above all--I want a job in which I help people..

I know everyone says that--but I do want to help people--I really should have gone into psychology-- 😉

No but honestly--I just got done researching all of these private pharmacy schools--I'm so scared and nervous--I just hope I am doing the right thing is all.

Thanks again for responding.. 😀

 

[rxlynn]

Okay--first of all--I know that there are many people here who are sick of the "what are my chances" posts--but I really do need a place to vent--and NO I am not a troll. I don't expect any responses--especially if they are rude--but if someone reading this does want to respond--it would be nice. 😳 (and yes this is my first post here, but hopefully not my last)

I just graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. My overall GPA is a 3.29. My Biology GPA is around a 3.3, but my Chemistry GPA is around a 2.7 I think. I disdain Chemistry--well, at least I hated having to draw all the damn compounds and memorize the reactions--I was never interested in it--Biology is my niche..but that's going off topic I guess. Yet, people tell me Pharmacy is ALL Chemistry--I don't know if that's true--because I don't really know what is taught in Pharmacy school. 😕 Maybe someone reading this can help me with this, or maybe I should research this myself a bit more.. 😉

So, I think I want to do pharmacy--why? Well, to be honest--it's a good job that pays well--it's high in demand--my grandfather is a doctor--I've always looked up to him--i've worked for him for over 8 years--I've memorized some of the medications and what they are for, etc.

So, I took the PCAT a few years ago--and like a few others here--I did TERRIBLE--so terrible I really don't even want to say my score---but I will be honest and say that it was below 20 percent--it really makes you feel like an idiot when you can't even score 50--I cried for hours.. 🙁 😉

I am studying again for it now--I NEVER studied for it the first time I took it (stupid I know)--so hopefully I will do better this time around--I am taking it again in Octoboer.

So--I guess with all the research I have done on this forum--my chances are pretty crappy--but I guess it is still possible for me to get in.

I know most people reading this are going to ask me, "Are you sure you want to do Pharmacy?" And I can honestly say--no. I have never known what I have wanted to do as a career-- I do know that I want to help people or animals--and that if pharmacy doesn't work out--I think I would make a great nurse--or I might even get my PH.d and work with spiders--but I am already 24--I need to do something soon--

No, I don't want to jump into a career just because it pays well--but at the same time--I don't know what in the hell to do with my life--so I feel that I might as well do something that pays well that I at least THINK I will enjoy..I hope this makes sense.. 😳

I am going to shadow a pharmacist my grandfather (the doctor) knows next week hopefully--so I hope that shadowing her will give me a better idea of how I would like being a pharmacist..

Thanks for reading and sorry for venting here--

Emily

Hi - if you have access to a career center through your school you just graduated from, have them give you some aptitude testing and Myers-Briggs, if you've never had that done. That might give you some other ideas of careers that suit your personality.

It's ok not to be sure what you want to do at your age - I always envied my friends who had know that they wanted to be a doctor since they were 12. I was personally never like that. Shadowing a pharmacist is a great idea - ask her lots of questions about what a regular day is like, her dislikes and likes about the job, etc. Try to think about how you like to work - knowing that you want to work with people is good. Expand on that - do you want to do something hands-on (more like nursing). Do you want to work with a group - more like teaching?, etc. It will help you narrow down possibilities if you can learn how you most like to work (unfortunately for me, that process took me quite a long time).

As far as the course work for pharmacy school, if you get on the Internet and look at some of the course listings for pharmacy schools, that should give you a very good idea of how much chemistry is involved (pretty good amount - some depends on what school you go to).

Good luck.

 

[ForcedEntry]

Emily,

Don't worry, your fears are completely normal. On average, a person has three distinct careers is their lifetime. Although chemistry is fundamentally a major component of pharmacy, it is by far not the only component as you know. However, I don't think you will sate your love for biology. Maybe spiders would be better (they are pretty damn cool). But, if you truly do want to help people, I think a retail position may feed this need better than a basic psychology degree, which won't pay squat.

Anywho...I am a firm believer that anything is possible. I found this out many years ago for myself. Just set your goals rationally, devise a strategy for success, and implement yourself. "Success isn't measured by how many times you fall. Success is measured by how many times you get back up" - not sure where I saw that, but it is a great mantra.

Because of your mature approach, I would say knock down the PCAT wall and you should do fine in pharmacy. You can always lean on your peers for the new chemistry stuff. They may lean on you for biology. 🙂

In sum, take the team approach.

 

[moi]

I feel your pain on not knowing what to do. I graduated in May of '05 with a B.S. in Computer Science, started working in June and got laid off in October. That got me thinking about what I really wanted out of a career. Since I don't know what I would enjoy, in other words, I don't have a particular passion, I decided to be logical about it and leave out the "enjoying what I do" aspect. I want a career where I can make enough money to live comfortably; I want to have a somewhat regular schedule; I want job security - I'm one of those people who doesn't want to move from job to job and can work at the same place for 20 years; I want to work with people, at least to some extent; I want a career where I can work in different environments.

All this logic led me to pharmacy. About 3 times every week, I also wonder if I'm doing the right thing, but I always go back to the list I made and remind myself that Pharmacy fulfils most, if not all, of those goals.

I guess what I"m saying is, it might help to ask yourself what you want out of a career - not a job, but a career - looking 20, 30, 40 years down the line.

Hope it helps 🙂

 

[bananaface]

It is alot of chemistry. If you want to get through pharmacy school you are going to have to be willing to immerse yourself in it and learn it. Alot of it has to do with learning particular chemical structures that lead to various pharmacological activities. And, there are some complicated reaction series you'll have to memorize.

 

[sdgirl1507]

Okay--first of all--I know that there are many people here who are sick of the "what are my chances" posts--but I really do need a place to vent--and NO I am not a troll. I don't expect any responses--especially if they are rude--but if someone reading this does want to respond--it would be nice. 😳 (and yes this is my first post here, but hopefully not my last)

I just graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. My overall GPA is a 3.29. My Biology GPA is around a 3.3, but my Chemistry GPA is around a 2.7 I think. I disdain Chemistry--well, at least I hated having to draw all the damn compounds and memorize the reactions--I was never interested in it--Biology is my niche..but that's going off topic I guess. Yet, people tell me Pharmacy is ALL Chemistry--I don't know if that's true--because I don't really know what is taught in Pharmacy school. 😕 Maybe someone reading this can help me with this, or maybe I should research this myself a bit more.. 😉

So, I think I want to do pharmacy--why? Well, to be honest--it's a good job that pays well--it's high in demand--my grandfather is a doctor--I've always looked up to him--i've worked for him for over 8 years--I've memorized some of the medications and what they are for, etc.

So, I took the PCAT a few years ago--and like a few others here--I did TERRIBLE--so terrible I really don't even want to say my score---but I will be honest and say that it was below 20 percent--it really makes you feel like an idiot when you can't even score 50--I cried for hours.. 🙁 😉

I am studying again for it now--I NEVER studied for it the first time I took it (stupid I know)--so hopefully I will do better this time around--I am taking it again in Octoboer.

So--I guess with all the research I have done on this forum--my chances are pretty crappy--but I guess it is still possible for me to get in.

I know most people reading this are going to ask me, "Are you sure you want to do Pharmacy?" And I can honestly say--no. I have never known what I have wanted to do as a career-- I do know that I want to help people or animals--and that if pharmacy doesn't work out--I think I would make a great nurse--or I might even get my PH.d and work with spiders--but I am already 24--I need to do something soon--

No, I don't want to jump into a career just because it pays well--but at the same time--I don't know what in the hell to do with my life--so I feel that I might as well do something that pays well that I at least THINK I will enjoy..I hope this makes sense.. 😳

I am going to shadow a pharmacist my grandfather (the doctor) knows next week hopefully--so I hope that shadowing her will give me a better idea of how I would like being a pharmacist..

Thanks for reading and sorry for venting here--

Emily

Well, here is my perspective on the matter. I've worked for in the biotech industry now for about 5 years. Yes- a good salary, nice work environment, job stability is extremely important. A good balance of those attributes will be very favorable for a great lifestyle. You don't have to love your job or have "passion" about your job for it to be rewarding. I'm guessing for most of us, our family and our time off is what constitutes content and if pharmacy contributes financially or otherwise to that end, then yes, go into pharmacy.

You don't have to have everything decided right now and your grades aren't bad either. What do you expect getting on the PCAT if you didn't even study? I'm sure most people would not do well either if they did not study to some extent. Just keep at it and take everything in stride- you will do well!

 

[Rxgrrl]

Thank you all so much for your kind responses--I really do appreciate you all taking the time to respond back to me. 😳 😀

 

[PharmMnM]

wow i feel the exact same way as you do! im not very fond of chemistry but love biology.

its good to hear your story because I can totally relate to you.

 

[Rxgrrl]

That's great--I'm glad that someone else feels the same way I do! *hugs*