This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Juniorchemstudent

New Member
5+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2017
Messages
9
Reaction score
1
Preparing for pharmacy school and considering a career as a armed forces pharmacist. Does anyone have any info on pharmacist life and duties in any of the armed forces. Also any opinions of it is a good option to consider instead of hospital or retail.

Members don't see this ad.
 
What specific questions do you have? Could you elaborate on why you are considering a career as an Armed Forces pharmacist? Are you only interested in the Armed Forces or would you be interested in all of the Uniformed Services (i.e. USPHS in addition to the five branches of the Armed Forces)?
 
I don't know if @Caverject is still around, he also has recent (as in he is in the uniform right now) experience, @giga is presently uniformed for USPHS. There's a couple with recent outs including the moderator. My general opinion is that you are an officer first and whatever your technical background is second. Don't be surprised about your assignments in certain areas. USPHS has better control over having their officers do the jobs that they are trained for, DoD, much less so. It also helps that pharmacists can read, write, and do math adequately such that they can be sidejobbed into other positions as well (and actually for flag ranks, you have to have your ticket punched for certain sidejobs).

Also, the pay and benefits work out that you get less and you often work more than 40 hours due to the administrative responsibilities of being an officer. Don't believe the marketing hype about compensation. The thing they don't hype (enough) is that while you will never get the same guaranteed level of compensation as would normal civilian life, if you intend to make it a lifer, the institution turns around and takes care of you in a way that no civilian outfit does (short of a religious institution for their clerical practitioners). You will never be destitute and without adequate means should you make it to honorable discharge retirement irrespective of your health status. (That is changing with the rule changes to the military pensioning status which is a huge screw-you to careerists but treats non-careerists much better.) I don't really think it's a bright idea to go in unless:
1. You're so desperately poor that you need the service scholarship (or you need citizenship).
2. or, You intend to be a career uniform for whatever motivational reason suits you.
3. or, you don't know what you want to do with your life (BUPERS figures that out for you if not)

A noncareerist loses more ground when they transition back from the old days. However, thanks to the market, that might be changing. Also, except for some positions in USPHS which are very technical in nature, you will eventually have to promote above your comfort level, work a job that you may not necessarily be trained for, supervise people and be supervised by someone that you cannot get rid of (you can't quit like the civilian), and you will relocate for the good of the service.

I wish I still had the percentages with me on how made it to retirement. It's an astonishingly low number and which drives the continued need for O-3 expendables. That's also changing due to the nature of the economy as positions and billets are much more competitive than they used to be, and people no longer are brevetted (in a position and rank above their official paperwork rank and job) as commonly as even a short time ago.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Members don't see this ad :)
I decided to sign up for the army. I have 5 years enlisted Military experience so I certainly have an idea of what I am signing up for. My question is since I don’t have student loans, they are asking me to sign for 4 years for a 30 k bonus. Does this mean in my case I don’t get any special pay till after my 4 years or they’ll pay me still because I didn’t sign up for student loan repayment?

I would recommend talking to a couple pharmacists who work active duty. It's really easy. Go online, look up different military medical clinics and ask to speak with an active duty pharmacist.

For me, the military has been a blessing. I went the HPSP route, but still came in with $120K in debt. There are special programs which you can absolve much of your loans through additional service. I ended up paying only $30K out of pocket for almost $220K/6 years of schooling.

Currently, pay scales are not reflective of actual compensation. For example, after I came back from deployment, after all deductions and what not, I was in the 10% pay bracket. Additionally, board certification and special pay is now $21K/year after your initial 3 years commitment. However, if you take the student loan forgiveness after the initial 3 years, then you can't get the $15K/yr special pay.

There are a lot of other benefits, but overall, my civilian salary runs between $120-150K when accounting for the benefits.

Finally, please take lord9999's remarks with a grain of salt. He may have served, but doesn't really know what is happening currently. Call someone who is actually in (Maj / Lt Col) to understand all the nuances. There is a difference between the different branches of service. Also, many people are switching to the new retirement system because it is better for those under 10-12 yrs time in service.

V/r
Maj, USAF
 
At least in the air force, accession bonus and special pay are consecutive. There is nothing preventing you from taking both, but they will have you for 6 years instead of 4.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Don’t take the bonus. You get $30k for 4 years ($7.5k/yr) and give up your $15k per year specialty pay for those first 4 years. The bonus is never a good deal. It’s used to lure people in who then realize they’ve been had when they can’t apply for special pay.

Current Navy pharmacist.

I love it and hate it at the same time. Don’t do it for the money. Don’t do it if you don’t like mentoring and leading people. Don’t do it if you can’t handle conflict (and not all conflict is bad - you need to figure out how to have good conflict in military medicine). Don’t do it if you want an 8-5 Monday through Friday.

Do it if you want a chance to lead people and truly want to take care of them. Do it if you want the challenge of running an operational Pharmacy less than a year out of school (or other similar jobs that you wouldn’t get the opportunity to do in the private sector). Do it if you thrive in organized chaos and can be flexible but also stick to your principles. Do it if you want your life to change. You won’t be the same person you were when you went in (unless you do a 3 and out - some people hold on to themselves for that short period of time). I’ve changed in ways I love and in some ways I don’t like so much.

I can say one thing the military has done for me - I no longer question myself or my abilities. I know I can succeed in any task or challenge that I face. It has given me the tools to just get it done. So there’s that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
Current USAF Lt. Col. Started in Army, transferred to AF after 7 years. Always a pharmacy officer. Agree with most of what has been said. Also want to add that, the longer you're in, and as you get promoted, the further away from the patient you'll get. Administrative burdens take the place of the operational ones. I've met way too many young Captains who honestly believed they could sit in a coumadin clinic all day for twenty years. We have civilians for that. We need people to lead from the front. If you reach out to your nearest (or furthest for that matter) MTF (military treatment facility) and speak to the Chief of Pharmacy (Army) or Pharmacy Flight Commander (AF), they'd be happy to have you come visit and learn what day-to-day life is like.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Top