Bad job market for PharmD, Pharmacologist instead???

[Manayy]

I read a lot of "if i knew about the saturation i would of picked another career"...."pharmacy is not worth it anymore"......"i advise not spend 4yrs of your life, you'll come out with nothing but loans"...."heading to business instead" etc.

How about becoming a clinical pharmacologist??
The job outlook is good, getting better every year considering baby boomers getting older.
The pay is good. 91k-104k (btw how does one break six digits in this career?)
If you have a passion for pharmacology, why not?

I would like to know why or why not, also any pros and cons you may have.
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[chemguy79]

I read a lot of "if i knew about the saturation i would of picked another career"...."pharmacy is not worth it anymore"......"i advise not spend 4yrs of your life, you'll come out with nothing but loans"...."heading to business instead" etc.

How about becoming a clinical pharmacologist??
The job outlook is good, getting better every year considering baby boomers getting older.
The pay is good. 91k-104k (btw how does one break six digits in this career?)
If you have a passion for pharmacology, why not?

I would like to know why or why not, also any pros and cons you may have.
CHIME IN!

A PhD program is not a guaranteed 4 years. I know of 2 colleagues out of ~50 who actually finished in 4 years. Furthermore, a post-doc is practically implied which means another 1-2 years of work. Pharmacy programs are set in stone with their curriculum.

PhD students typically work 60 hours/week in the lab, along with teaching requirements, etc. Pharmacy students study for classes and are in class for that period of time. (Depends on preference, but I'd much rather study then spend time in the lab trying to analyze data, set up gel electrophoresis plates, etc.)

A fairly high percentage do not finish their PhD. A very low percentage fail finish their PharmD.

Most companies are looking for obligatory work experience prior to hiring as a Pharmacologist. PharmD graduates aren't expected to have work experience.

If one of your comments about the field is breaking into six digits and wondering how that happens, I don't know if a Pharmacology program is for you. New graduates are NOT making the upper edge of the salary range, period. Two pharmacologists at my pharmaceutical company, one MS the other PhD, aren't even close to that range after a few years of experience.

Bottom line, shadow a clinical pharmacologist.

 

[crazybob]

You have to remember that if you're going towards R&D, you are dependent on funding. If there's not enough money available, you may not get to do what you want.

 

[WhiteSnows]

The opposite is true. Pharmacologists have no jobs. My Pharmacologist professor told me not to do it.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Sounds like a bad idea.

PharmD is still very safe.