apprehensive about pharmacy

[skwave]

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Hello all--
im new to sdn. I have been reading a few of the posts regarding the oversaturation of pharmacists and to be honest, I am very apprehensive about pharmacy school. I start this fall. I never intended to do retail; more along the lines of pharmd/phd and work in industry. However, with so many pharmacists potentially unemployed, perhaps the pharmaceutical industry may become much more competitive.
I guess I am just really down about my career choice now. However, I do not really want to do anything else with my life. I really do love pharmacy, but I feel like the profession will not need me 🙁
By the way, money is not a problem for me; even if I made 60K/year I will be happy.

Does anyone have any thoughts? words of encouragement?

 

[patmcd]

If its want you really want to do for your career, then do it.

 

[Trankuil]

There is a lot of justifiable negativity on these forums, but there are still open jobs out there, they just arent in every city anymore. If pharmacy is what you want, do it. but if your going to get out, get out now before wasting the money in school.

 

[joetrisman]

Its a gamble whatever you go into these days. Step up to the table and place your bets!

 

[bear9288]

Hello all--
im new to sdn. I have been reading a few of the posts regarding the oversaturation of pharmacists and to be honest, I am very apprehensive about pharmacy school. I start this fall. I never intended to do retail; more along the lines of pharmd/phd and work in industry. However, with so many pharmacists potentially unemployed, perhaps the pharmaceutical industry may become much more competitive.
I guess I am just really down about my career choice now. However, I do not really want to do anything else with my life. I really do love pharmacy, but I feel like the profession will not need me 🙁
By the way, money is not a problem for me; even if I made 60K/year I will be happy.

Does anyone have any thoughts? words of encouragement?

i am also very apprehensive about pharmacy school this fall and i am facing the exact same dilemma.

i think the consensus is...there are still jobs, but they aren't easy to come by. at this rate, the future job market is looking bleak. jobs will be difficult to come by and you have to put in a lot of extra effort to "stand out".

but also remember we are in a recession/depression (depending on who you talk to). also, there are tons of factors that can affect the future of pharmacy including: healthcare reform, MTM or other services that pharmacists can push for (though, many pharmacists do not seem very pro-active), and the economy.

at the current state, if you really love it, then go for it but there are no guarantees you will be receiving 100k.

i'd also like to note that, at this rate, salaries will go down. i assume it will go down depending on the amount of surplus graduates. if i had to guess, and this isnt an educated guess im just pulling this figure out of my @ss, pharmacists will be making closer to 70k-100k, and go to a public pharmacy school. it makes a huge difference. more like a 60k-100k difference. goodluck.

this is solely my opinion.

 

[rxlea]

The boomers need to hurry up at retire. They smoked and screwed their lives away, got into good jobs without having to have any real credentials, and are now sucking us dry 😛

 

[joetrisman]

The boomers need to hurry up at retire. They smoked and screwed their lives away, got into good jobs without having to have any real credentials, and are now sucking us dry 😛

Speaking of boomers retiring, when my dad heard I got my intern license, he said it was finally time to let his rph license expire. I felt like he was passing the torch 😍 He was actually already "retired" but would sometimes pickup relief work.

 

[skwave]

thanks for the reply guys. I will take what you say into consideration. I have some soul searching to complete.

 

[RNtoPharmD]

Pharmacy is not the only field that suffers from the economy. I heard many nurse practitioners also cannot find jobs and end up working as bedside RN after getting Master. Many new grads RN cannot find jobs. And their schools are probably mushrooming at a even faster rate than pharmacy school. I read psychology forums here. Seems like same things is happening there too. Grass is not always greener on the other sides.

http://allnurses.com/nurse-practitioners-np/new-np-job-490416.html

http://allnurses.com/nursing-news/why-cant-new-483380.html

The most important question to ask ourselves is whether pharmacy is our passion. Are we interested in pharmacy because of extrinsic or intrinsic factors? Are there other fields that we are "intrinsically" interested and pay well?

 

[INTPThinker]

Its a gamble whatever you go into these days. Step up to the table and place your bets!

Pretty much!

 

[jinga]

Pharmacy is not the only field that suffers from the economy. I heard many nurse practitioners also cannot find jobs and end up working as bedside RN after getting Master. Many new grads RN cannot find jobs. And their schools are probably mushrooming at a even faster rate then pharmacy school. I read psychology forums here. Seems link same things is happening there too. Grass is not always greener on the other sides.

The most important question to ask ourselves is whether pharmacy is our passion. Are we interested in pharmacy because of extrinsic or intrinsic factors? Are there other fields that we are "intrinsically" interested and pay well?

Very well-stated. Frankly, if wages fall, I'll be fine with it. Pharmacy is a sweet profession. However, pre-pharmers: GO TO A CHEAP SCHOOL. If you plan on paying 150-200K in loans for pharmacy school, IMHO, you're flipping insane! 🙂

Very very few careers are a safe bet in today's economy!

 

[VCU07]

In the end you must to what will make you happy. When I first joined these forums 5-6 yrs ago, I asked a similar question and got some very good responses from people that advised me to follow my dreams. From that, I never looked back and here I am today ready to start med. school.

People can speculate as to what will happen to pharmacy as a profession in the future, but the fact remains that no one really knows. You can not live you life based upon speculation or worries, b/c I guarentee you that if you pass up this opportunity you will think about it the rest of your life. Again, do what will make you happy. As for the economy, it will always have its ups and downs, but eventually there will be an up again. I have no idea what will happen with salaries, but if you are not set on making six figures, then what does it matter?

Hopefully, you will remember my post 4 yrs from now and be glad you are a practicing pharmacist making a difference in your patient's lives. GL

 

[1ive2die]

In the end you must to what will make you happy. When I first joined these forums 5-6 yrs ago, I asked a similar question and got some very good responses from people that advised me to follow my dreams. From that, I never looked back and here I am today ready to start med. school.

People can speculate as to what will happen to pharmacy as a profession in the future, but the fact remains that no one really knows. You can not live you life based upon speculation or worries, b/c I guarentee you that if you pass up this opportunity you will think about it the rest of your life. Again, do what will make you happy. As for the economy, it will always have its ups and downs, but eventually there will be an up again. I have no idea what will happen with salaries, but if you are not set on making six figures, then what does it matter?

Hopefully, you will remember my post 4 yrs from now and be glad you are a practicing pharmacist making a difference in your patient's lives. GL

^^Great advice from someone who is getting out of the profession at the right time.

 

[skwave]

the feedback from you all is great.Really appreciate it. I still worryabout my ability to complete the phD given my indecisiveness...and sometimes (read: just within the past week) wonder if the DO route may have been better....However, my mom who is a pcp loves her job, and said she sees me much more doing research.
I must admit since I dont have a life outside of school, by choice--im a bit of a hermit, the DO degree looked appealing bc I would constantly find work and use what ive learned to help others (pharmacy remains my strongest interest though). I guess I just want to always be able to work...
If I am being paranoid or short-sighted, please tell me. Sometimes Im blind to my crazy 🙂

 

[IndustryPharmD]

I never intended to do retail; more along the lines of pharmd/phd and work in industry. However, with so many pharmacists potentially unemployed, perhaps the pharmaceutical industry may become much more competitive.

Pharmaceutical industry has been competitive for pharmacists for quite a while... not in the least because there are VERY few positions that can be filled exclusively by pharmacists. Vast majority are open to people with a range of degrees or any degree at all. And almost all require industry experience. There was a very short-lived MSL expansion a few years back that was an easy way to get into industry for PharmDs but that's been over for a while, and fields other than medical information/quality assurance/pharmacist in early stage clinical trials sites have always been VERY competitive and difficult to get into.

I really do love pharmacy, but I feel like the profession will not need me 🙁

Then go for it. There will still be jobs out there, and good graduates will always find something. It just won't be a guaranteed job at graduation for everyone. Just like any other profession, pharmacy will have some competition.

 

[pinipig523]

Hello all--

By the way, money is not a problem for me; even if I made 60K/year I will be happy.

Does anyone have any thoughts? words of encouragement?

I think this is spoken like someone who is naive to the financial aspects of a career choice.

60K gross/yearly = approx 40K net.
40,000/12 mo = 3,200 a month.
3200 - 1000 (student loans for about 100,000) = 2200 a month for the next 20 years as you pay off your loans.

Not to mention time lost doing grad school (pharm).

2200 a month.

Subtract a house and a car... and you have pretty much 0.

 

[rxforlife2004]

Run from pharmacy while u can...if u think u can easily make 100+/yr and handed in a job as before. I would not do pharmacy if i have to go back to school at this time. 120 K + in loan debt and not even guaranteed an income....working for Mc donald can't even pay for the student loan debt.

There are just too many....I repeat...too many pharmacists in the US right now. The market is flooded. A job posted in my area will easily generate at least 20+ applications, even a part-time one. How sad.

 

[skwave]

I think this is spoken like someone who is naive to the financial aspects of a career choice.

Since you do not know my financial situation, I'd say you were too quick to jump to conclusions. I will not owe 100,000 once I graduate school; coupled with the fact that I want to pursue a dual pharmd/phd degree, I may owe significantly less than what you may have in mind.

My only concern was not having the opportunity to find employment in something I love due to the oversaturation I keep reading about.
If you have something to add pertaining to that, then Im all ears. 🙂

 

[womp]

Run from pharmacy while u can..A job posted in my area will easily generate at least 20+ applications, even a part-time one. How sad.

Um isn't that the real world?

What six-figure job position doesn't get more than 20 apps?

Every MBA job has hundreds of applicants for a $100k salary. Less than 10% of PhD grads find a tenure-track position, about 20-30% find industry work, and the rest have to go do a postdoc with no guarantee of finding a job when finished.

The only major six-figure career with fewer applicants per job is medicine. But that's not a fair comparison, since they have residency match (which is also hundreds per spot) and a far more selective admissions to boot.

Pharmacy really has it pretty damn good in perspective, so good it has spoiled everyone.

The only thing truly bad about pharmacy is that it's hard to stand out and easy to go with the flow and be like every other retail pharmacist. Unlike medicine, you can't use the boards to "prove" you are better than other applicants. Retail pharmacies could care less how well you did as long as you are licensed and can do the work.

 

[rxforlife2004]

I think this is spoken like someone who is naive to the financial aspects of a career choice.

Since you do not know my financial situation, I'd say you were too quick to jump to conclusions. I will not owe 100,000 once I graduate school; coupled with the fact that I want to pursue a dual pharmd/phd degree, I may owe significantly less than what you may have in mind.

My only concern was not having the opportunity to find employment in something I love due to the oversaturation I keep reading about.
If you have something to add pertaining to that, then Im all ears. 🙂

If u don't really care about the money and the job market, then u should have done something else more interesting, like composing music, or painting, or playing piano. I am sure those are far more interesting than pharmacy...

 

[womp]

If u don't really care about the money and the job market, then u should have done something else more interesting, like composing music, or painting, or playing piano. I am sure those are far more interesting than pharmacy...

you have a very artistic inner child