Aspiring, Would-Be, Debt-Free Pharmacy Student at a Private School...

[Greencircle]

From the sound of things, is attending a private pharmacy school debt-free possible after being a post-undergraduate?

I am a post-undergraduate with a dual bachelor's degree in the sciences. I seek to return from my hiatus, namely my pharmacy education, through a private pharmacy school. I have an intern certification already, which is currently inactive; however, I will begin at a private school without any government grants because I am a degree holder. I have transferred from a public pharmacy school to a private one. From what I have heard, the initial annual tuition is approximately $42,000.00 at a non-fixed rate. That is not an amount of money I have saved up and can save up out of pocket each year.

Thus, I will like to join a flexible government program that would subsidize my tuition. Such could include joining the Air Force, Coast Guards, et cetera. I have a respiratory condition and a circulatory one, which are not both very debilitating or hampering. However, I feel worried that mentioning these health conditions could hinder me from getting accepted into such a program. What government program would make my goal possible? Should I not discuss my health conditions on my application to increase the likelihood of me getting accepted into one?

Kindly let me know about my potential options. I would highly appreciate it in advance.

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[WVUPharm2007]

I'd just try to get in-state tuition at your local state pharmacy school

 

[ValeRx]

Such could include joining the Air Force, Coast Guards, et cetera. I have a respiratory condition and a circulatory one, which are not both debilitating or hampering. However, I feel worried that mentioning these health conditions could hinder me from getting accepted into such a program. What government program would make my goal possible? Should I not discuss my health conditions on my application to increase the likelihood of me getting accepted into one?

Unfortunately for you and many other people who wish to join the military... things you'd say are "not debilitating" are permanently disqualifying for service. Almost certainly respiratory conditions. Asthma beyond the age of 12 is disqualifying. You'd need to check with a recruiter because medical standards are constantly changing.

Purposely concealing a health condition is a crime. Especially if they somehow found out you had purposely not disclosed it during your accession process. That's a fraudulent enlistment. Do you take medications for these conditions?

 

[mentos]

Pharmacy school is not worth it even if it were free. You are losing 4 years of opportunity cost, and when you graduate there will be little to no opportunity to use your PharmD.

 

[PharmtoCS]

I would just go to a coding bootcamp or trade school for a fraction of the cost and time spent. You can easily start at high five figure to low six figure salary with massive potential for raises and far less stress/liability.

 

[pencilandpen]

if you got a respiratory and circulatory condition, I dont think the pharmacy working environment will be helpful for that. ... probably the stress from pharmacy will exacerbate that ....

 

[Greencircle]

I'd just try to get in-state tuition at your local state pharmacy school

Thank you for your comment/reply.

I have transferred from one in-state tuition public pharmacy school to a private one locally. However, I must start as a P1 student again with my internship certification inactive. What would be your advice based on this information?

PharmtoCS said:
I would just go to a coding bootcamp or trade school for a fraction of the cost and time spent. You can easily start at high five figure to low six figure salary with massive potential for raises and far less stress/liability.

Interestingly, I have had a company offer me to join their coding boot camp program after graduating. However, my parents insist I pursue pharmacy instead because they claim that "there are no jobs for these coders because of an oversaturated market of them."

pencilandpen said:
if you got a respiratory and circulatory condition, I dont think the pharmacy working environment will be helpful for that. ... probably the stress from pharmacy will exacerbate that ....

I have worked as a pharmacy technician trainee in many retail stores within a pharmacy company for about a year. Furthermore, I have not experienced any issues with my health working there other than occasional coughing.

mentos said:
Pharmacy school is not worth it even if it were free. You are losing 4 years of opportunity cost, and when you graduate there will be little to no opportunity to use your PharmD.

I have worked as a retail pharmacy technician trainee for about a year in various stores of a major pharmaceutical company already. I have networked with a few pharmacy managers and have worked alongside them already. Therefore, I do not think my opportunities would become limited as long as I am their employee. Furthermore, I am likely to work there after graduating with a PharmD. What would be your follow-up advice based on this information? I hope that I have clarified my post-PharmD job prospects in the pharmacy industry.

 

[Greencircle]

Unfortunately for you and many other people who wish to join the military... things you'd say are "not debilitating" are permanently disqualifying for service. Almost certainly respiratory conditions. Asthma beyond the age of 12 is disqualifying. You'd need to check with a recruiter because medical standards are constantly changing.

Purposely concealing a health condition is a crime. Especially if they somehow found out you had purposely not disclosed it during your accession process. That's a fraudulent enlistment. Do you take medications for these conditions?

Thank you for your comment/reply.

You are right. I will contact various recruiters to see if I would qualify. What would be your take on student loan forgiveness programs? Could I join one in addition to a government program? Have you personally known about how such programs work? I would much appreciate your advice in advance.

 

[PharmtoCS]

Interestingly, I have had a company offer me to join their coding boot camp program after graduating. However, my parents insist I pursue pharmacy instead because they claim that "there are no jobs for these coders because of an oversaturated market of them."

This is false. It’s based on early 2000s information.

Programmers have had one of the best job markets out of all professions since the early 2010s. Compare that to pharmacy where massive consolidation and layoffs have occurred within the last few years while the number of student’s graduating from pharmacy schools have doubled.

 

[KidPharmD]

Thank you for your comment/reply.

You are right. I will contact various recruiters to see if I would qualify. What would be your take on student loan forgiveness programs? Could I join one in addition to a government program? Have you personally known about how such programs work? I would much appreciate your advice in advance.

As someone else with a "non-debilitating" medical condition, trust me when I say you won't qualify. It won't hurt to ask, but don't get your hopes.

PSLF is the "loan forgiveness" program. It requires that you work for a for a government or non-profit entity, make a 120 payments, and meet a few other criteria. Since you have to make 10 years of income based payments, it isn't exactly the same as being debt-free at graduation.

 

[Sparda29]

As someone else with a "non-debilitating" medical condition, trust me when I say you won't qualify. It won't hurt to ask, but don't get your hopes.

PSLF is the "loan forgiveness" program. It requires that you work for a for a government or non-profit entity, make a 120 payments, and meet a few other criteria. Since you have to make 10 years of income based payments, it isn't exactly the same as being debt-free at graduation.

Yep, my knees are arthritic as fk after years of continuing to play sports with a Torn ACL and not fixing it. I was told I couldn't join.

 

[alpha12]

Interestingly, I have had a company offer me to join their coding boot camp program after graduating. However, my parents insist I pursue pharmacy instead because they claim that "there are no jobs for these coders because of an oversaturated market of them."

If there is one thing I learned in life it is to not listen to your parents regarding your career. I was just like you. My parents told me to go to pharmacy. I didn't listen to them and now they thank me for not listening to them because they learned how bad pharmacy has become. I became a software engineer. I work from home because of the coronavirus and play ps4 most of the time while "working" and I get paid more than pharmacists and don't have any of their stress levels.

 

[mentos]

I have worked as a retail pharmacy technician trainee for about a year in various stores of a major pharmaceutical company already. I have networked with a few pharmacy managers and have worked alongside them already. Therefore, I do not think my opportunities would become limited as long as I am their employee. Furthermore, I am likely to work there after graduating with a PharmD. What would be your follow-up advice based on this information? I hope that I have clarified my post-PharmD job prospects in the pharmacy industry.

I would say that's putting all your eggs in one basket. Are these managers you've worked with in a hiring position? Typically, pharmacy managers do not hire pharmacists. They only hire technicians. How many new grads have been hired at these places recently? Out of those, how many have applied for the position? Any pharmacist position these days has hundreds if not thousands of applications. My workplace has only hired a couple per diem pharmacists in the past two years and they struggle to get more than two shifts per month. So if your plan is based on the hope that you'll get a job at one of these select places in four years, then my advice is the same.

 

[Sine Cura]

Is becoming a pharmacist really aspirational? More like concessional

 

[ValeRx]

and play ps4 most of the time while "working"

That sucks. I play PS5.

 

[alpha12]

That sucks. I play PS5.

Can't find one and I ain't paying a scalper 1k. What's the difference any way? Can't notice a difference between the two systems.

 

[Dred Pirate]

I don't clam to be an expert- but I have had several friends join the Navy as rph's - the way their process worked is that they didn't join until between their 2nd and 3rd professional year. (for the last two years of school) - I don't think you can join earlier (at least they couldn't) and with your stated issues - that is a huge gamble.

 

[ValeRx]

Believe it or not, the military is actually pretty competitive now. With both Army and Navy, there were less than 4 spots open last year. In fact, some of the branches don't even offer student loan repayment anymore and very few incentives. This is always changing. Unlike physicians, pharmacists do not get specialty pay, so you make what any O-3 would make and no additional.

 

[mentos]

I don't clam to be an expert- but I have had several friends join the Navy as rph's - the way their process worked is that they didn't join until between their 2nd and 3rd professional year. (for the last two years of school) - I don't think you can join earlier (at least they couldn't) and with your stated issues - that is a huge gamble.

I had a classmate apply for the Air Force during 2nd professional year for this reason and was surprised that he wasn't accepted. He was a former Marine.