Any non-traditionals out there?

[helpfuldoc2b]

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For all those non-traditionals when did you start pharm school? What degree did you graduate with? what career did you give up for pharm school? Why pharm school and what age did you start pharm school? Any other info you guys would like to share would be great as well...

 

[All4MyDaughter]

For all those non-traditionals when did you start pharm school? What degree did you graduate with? what career did you give up for pharm school? Why pharm school and what age did you start pharm school? Any other info you guys would like to share would be great as well...

I started pharmacy school this year.
I already had a BA and MA (non-science).
I gave up a career as a non-profit executive.
I chose pharm because it was interesting, flexible and pays well.
I 31 years old.
I am married with one child.
I have two cats and a dog.
I live 1.5 hours away from my family during the week to attend pharm school in another city.
Our house is always dirty and we are broke!

 

[eddie269]

I know I don't count but I technically qualify. 😀

I graduated with a BA in Economics.
Worked at Wells Fargo as a licensed personal banker. (series 7 and 66 securities licenses)
Was on the track to become a financial consultant within 1-2 yrs and make the big bucks.
Didn't like the unethical ways of large corporations and career wasn't fulfilling.

Of course, I graduated in 2004 with my BA, then worked at Wells Fargo for 1 yr, then went back to school to finish pre-req's. I will start pharmacy school 8/2007. I'm still 24 turning 25 in March.

 

[dgroulx]

I've been a computer programmer since 1979 (before PCs). It's not what I wanted to do, but it was a living. I met my husband through work, so it wasn't all bad. I went back to school in 2001 and got my BS in Biology in 2003.

Applied to UF & accepted in 2003 at age of 46. My birthday is in December and I just turned 50. I will graduate on May 5th at 9:00am. Not like I'm counting down the hours or anything!😀

Why pharmacy? I've always loved science and thought that I'd like to become a doctor when I was younger. But, life happens and you don't always end up doing what you plan to do. I thought a lot about medical school, but chose pharmacy school. My undergrad school is a small, private, school that is a feeder school for Nova's DO program. If you graduate with a high GPA in the biology program (I was cum laude), you have an automatic acceptance. Pharmacy is better suited to my life style. I like the hours and schedule. I don't really want to touch sick people, either. There's a big ick factor there for me.

 

[rxlynn]

For all those non-traditionals when did you start pharm school? What degree did you graduate with? what career did you give up for pharm school? Why pharm school and what age did you start pharm school? Any other info you guys would like to share would be great as well...

Started in August at age 39.
I have a BS and MS in chemistry.
I initially did environmental consulting and other types of environmentally-related work. Then, for personal and professional reasons, I got a part-time job in a pharmacy as a tech, and LOVED it! Did that for almost 6 years before starting pharmacy school.

 

[Glowwyrm]

I'll start pharmacy school next fall when I'm 34. I'm married and have one child. I have a BS in biochemistry and right now I work in research.

 

[SobeGekko]

For all those non-traditionals when did you start pharm school? What degree did you graduate with? what career did you give up for pharm school? Why pharm school and what age did you start pharm school? Any other info you guys would like to share would be great as well...

I'll start fall 2007
I have a BA and MD
Gave up family medicine
Pharm school because the science is interesting and ways you can use it to impact/improve patient care are more appealing to me than medicine.
Will start pharm school at age 29

 

[twester]

double post - sorry

 

[twester]

For all those non-traditionals when did you start pharm school? What degree did you graduate with? what career did you give up for pharm school? Why pharm school and what age did you start pharm school? Any other info you guys would like to share would be great as well...

I started this year. I had no degree, but had attended college off and on before finally settling into science/pharmacy. I was a network engineer for telecoms here and in Europe. I did NOT give it up for pharmacy, I gave it up to do "something" worthwhile and to get away from dumb-asses like my last "manager". 😀 The decision to pursue pharm school came later. I'd always wanted to be a pharmacist and kept up with pharmacotherapy as a sick kind of hobby, but lacked the self-confidence to go for it officially. I got into school and realized that I was actually good at the science. I'm 41.

 

[helpfuldoc2b]

I started pharmacy school this year.
I already had a BA and MA (non-science).
I gave up a career as a non-profit executive.
I chose pharm because it was interesting, flexible and pays well.
I 31 years old.
I am married with one child.
I have two cats and a dog.
I live 1.5 hours away from my family during the week to attend pharm school in another city.
Our house is always dirty and we are broke!

Funny post, wish you the best, you seem really cool!!!
Thanks for the honesty

 

[helpfuldoc2b]

Started in August at age 39.
I have a BS and MS in chemistry.
I initially did environmental consulting and other types of environmentally-related work. Then, for personal and professional reasons, I got a part-time job in a pharmacy as a tech, and LOVED it! Did that for almost 6 years before starting pharmacy school.

Wow, interesting from a consulting position to a tech position for 6 years with a Masters? Curious, what prompted this action and wasnt it a financial strain to go from a consulting salary to 12-15 bucks an hour?

 

[helpfuldoc2b]

I'll start fall 2007
I have a BA and MD
Gave up family medicine
Pharm school because the science is interesting and ways you can use it to impact/improve patient care are more appealing to me than medicine.
Will start pharm school at age 29

I take it your the OP that responded in the MD forum about your circumstances, thanks for your response. Out of curiousity ever think of combining your MD and PharmD degrees to do I dont know what. Did your MD give you a leverage? Does it increase your job opportunities. I bet admissions were suprised of a newly minited MD applying to Pharm School. Did you even have to take the PCAT? Any scholarships?

 

[alwaystired]

I started pharmacy school this year.
I already had a BA and MA (non-science).
I gave up a career as a non-profit executive.
I chose pharm because it was interesting, flexible and pays well.
I 31 years old.
I am married with one child.
I have two cats and a dog.
I live 1.5 hours away from my family during the week to attend pharm school in another city.
Our house is always dirty and we are broke!

don't feel bad, my house is frequently dirty too..... and what pharm student isn't broke?

 

[rxlynn]

Wow, interesting from a consulting position to a tech position for 6 years with a Masters? Curious, what prompted this action and wasnt it a financial strain to go from a consulting salary to 12-15 bucks an hour?

Well, environmental consulting isn't necessarily like Accenture, Deloitte, or something like that, as in I never made anywhere close to six figures. My last job was with the state's Department of Natural Resources. It actually paid pretty well for a state job, but I had already started cranking back on my salary because I had dropped to a 3/4 time position after I had child #1. But,yeah, it was quite a financial drop to go from that to 9.50 per hour (my starting salary when I went to the pharmacy). But, it was prompted by the personal (child issues plus a 2 1/2 hour total per day commute) and the professional (manager at state had pretty much told me even before the 3/4 time cut that I wasn't going to get more responsibility without changing divisions, which I wasn't interested in doing). I'm not cut out to be a stay at home mom, so I needed something to do for awhile. As it turned out, I LOVED pharmacy.

From the financial point of view - I have a husband with a good job, and we had spent quite a few years both working fulltime before the child came along. Also, more importantly, we had no debt at all except for our house loan, and we had not bought the maximum we could qualify for. So, we had enough cushion that we could take the short-term pay cut. My pharmacy employer has been very good to me too - I didn't stay at that 9.50 salary very long🙂 Once they figured out that I was going to be a really good tech, I started getting some really good raises.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Funny post, wish you the best, you seem really cool!!!
Thanks for the honesty

Thanks!

 

[MBarrymorr]

HI Everyone-Wow this is such an interesting informative site. I am a 46 yo female with 25+ years experience in independent pharmacy. Love it!! Finally was in a position to get in school and altho I applied for Fall 07 I don't think I will have my pre-reqs done till Summer or even Fall so I guess it's 08. Took the pcat this year October, even tho I have only had intro chem. Chem and Org Chem are what I need to finish. Comp 72 on the pcat. Not what I wanted but ok for a first run. If pharmacy suits you, it suits you. I can't imagine being in any other field, but want to give my patients more than I can offer them now, and I will when I finish school! 2012? I will be 52. Its never too late to pursue your dream.

 

[thelonius]

I'm a 33 y.o. P1. I graduated in 2000 w/ a BA in music. Sold hi-end pianos for a while, interviewed for Pharm sales rep. position, then went back to school and did all science pre-reqs, a couple of credits short of a BS in bio degree but who cares. I enjoyed science, esp. pharmacology and wanted job stability so seemed like a good fit for me. Originally wanted to go to vet school but after working at vets office for 1.5 years I changed my mind. No regrets. Good luck.

 

[KUMoose]

I, too, started pharmacy school this year (waving the one time I went through Kentucky to A4MD) and am 33 for just over a month.
I have an AAS degree that basically says I can do what I did.
The previous 12 years were spent in the IT field, from help desk to server jocky to network design to programming.

I really didn't like where IT was going and the lack of stability in the field, I wanted something more flexible and less stressful on me. So I decided to move 1000 miles from my family and friends without (yet) selling my house to spend nearly $40k for 1 year of school. Seriously, I had not been happy in IT, I liked helping people but I was tired of the corporate more for less and if I'm in a small company I want to own or run the damn thing. So instead of focusing on my consulting business I decided to scrap the whole darn thing.

As a side note, I knew I made the right choice when I was sitting in a lecture over the job possibilities and I got a chill and my mind opened wide. Those moments of epiphany certainly smack me over the head.

Tom
(Charter member of Low Chi and Maryland Class of 2010 student pharmacist)

 

[Serenity Now!!!]

For all those non-traditionals when did you start pharm school? What degree did you graduate with? what career did you give up for pharm school? Why pharm school and what age did you start pharm school? Any other info you guys would like to share would be great as well...

I graduated w/ a BA in Historyfrom CUNY/QC.The career that I "gave up" was a Chemistry teacher. I always wanted to be in medicine, just didnt know what. I was a Pre-Pharm w/ a scholarship@ SJU in '94(b4 they had a PharmD pgm) but being a knucke-head I got in with the wrong crowd and lost my scholarship due to bad grades so I had to drop out (I know its tragic😀 ) I eventually enrolled at QC but bad decisions, poor advice, bad timing, lack of resources etc.I eventually became a teacher(thats a whole 'nother story in itself)...I had enough Chem and Bio creds to get a H.S. Science license. Teaching was fun and very rewarding for the first couple years but only ANOTHER teacher whose taught in an inner-city H.S. can really understand the hopeless and Depressing situation this career eventually becomes...for every one child you reach, you still have 100+ that you dont! be very afraid for our country in the next 20 yrs!(Damn, here I go ranting about the state of education again, let me stop)
I chose pharmacy b/c my wife (..my girl @ the time) started talking to me about it,(I was taking night classes after school b/c I was getting burned out w/ teaching and i was still w/ my 'pipe-dream' of being an MD) did my own research and said "F--- it, give it one more try!!!" and here I am. A First year, who'd a thunk it!
My advice is dont be intimidated by the process. I didnt have anyone who thought i'd make it this far! or tell me how to go about things. Its supposed to be tough; its a weeding out process. Also it isnt always quite clear what ADCOMS are looking for: sometimes its High GPA's, or Experience, or committment, point is YOU dont know so unless their requirements specifically prohibit your acceptance id give it a shot 'cause you never know.👍
almost forgot I started trying to get into Pharmacy @ 30, Im 33 now

 

[terse]

Very interesting stories in this thread. Keep them coming 🙂
Well I'm still doing pre-reqs, but I graduated and got my BS in Finance in 2005. Worked for a little over a year as a financial analyst... didn't enjoy the corporate world, and didn't find it very rewarding as someone mentioned earlier. I'm in school full-time trying to get pre-reqs out of the way and while it's been a strain financially, I'm hoping things will pay off. I'll be applying for 2008 and I just turned 24. Some of the stories here are quite inspiring and motivating 👍

 

[pharmboy30]

was a Medical Technologist for 5 years. got sick of looking through a microscope and there wasn't any room for advancement besides being a manager. Started at 26.
pharmacy school because I was bored out of my mind being a MT, didn't want med school cause I like my free time and wanted to start a family sooner than later (was married at the time) and more money, and in pharmacy, there is always something to learn.

 

[klebsiella]

For all those non-traditionals when did you start pharm school? What degree did you graduate with? what career did you give up for pharm school? Why pharm school and what age did you start pharm school? Any other info you guys would like to share would be great as well...

I started this year. I have a BS in Microbiology. I was a microbiologist working in Sterilization research for a pharmaceutical company. I wanted to do something different.

 

[lazydazy]

i have a BA in Biochem, was in grad school for Med Chem for a little over a year and hated working in a lab on research and quit. Worked as a chemist for 2 years to figure out what I wanted to do w/my life. Volunteered as a pharm tech for a hospital and enjoyed it. I decided to apply and take to prereqs I needed. I started when I was 26 y/o. Glad I made the change too!