Being a Pharmacist - Dream or Forced?

[WeirdPharm]

I just thought of posting this here for those who've gotten accepted into pharmacy school.

Have you always wanted to be a pharmacist? Do you still dream of becoming a pharmacist now that you're a pharmacy student in the best pharmacy school?

Or are you like those whose dream is to be an artist and was forced into pharmacy?

I know in my case, I have to put 10x the effort into doing this. Don't get me wrong, pharmacy is a very interesting field - the more I'm exposed to it, the more I get motivated. But it never hurts to ask...or post a silly thread like this.

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[PharmDstudent]

I want to finish my PharmD. I'll think about being a pharmacist after that. You don't get to magically become a pharmacist just because you've been in school for four years, i.e. you can't just sit in class and wake up four years later as a PharmD. You actually have to study and apply yourself during a very stressful time of your life. After you've jumped through enough hoops, you'll get to call yourself a pharmacist (but only after that).

If my nose twitched, my best friend was a genie, or I had a magic wand, I'd become a mermaid. So in effect... this pharmacist thing is forced.

Maybe I'll just see if Evian's hiring...

 

[WeirdPharm]

I want to finish my PharmD. I'll think about being a pharmacist after that. You don't get to magically become a pharmacist just because you've been in school for four years, i.e. you can't just sit in class and wake up four years later as a PharmD. You actually have to study and apply yourself during a very stressful time of your life. After you've jumped through enough hoops, you'll get to call yourself a pharmacist (but only after that).

If my nose twitched, my best friend was a genie, or I had a magic wand, I'd become a mermaid. So in effect... this pharmacist thing is forced.

Maybe I'll just see if Evian's hiring...

I lol'd all over the mermaid thing. No offense if it was truly your dream.

Although I do believe that there wouldn't be any pharmacist shortages if one day we all woke up to be PharmDs. But I think I'll blame that, realistically, on shortage of pharmacy professors.

What school are you going to if you don't mind me asking?

 

[ChargerSRT]

In high school I wanted to go into architectural drafting. I was really good at it too and I qualified to compete at the national high school VICA architectural drafting competition. When I was a senior, I started looking to into job demand and salary statistics for draftsmen/architects. I was worried because the majority of work in this area is based off of marketplace demand and I wouldn't be paid really well.

I read that healthcare jobs were in high demand and I attended a carrier fair where I met a hospital pharmacist. From there I job shadowed a few hospital and community pharmacists and decided pharmacy. I have since been really happy with my choice.

The best of all, I was able to use my love of architecture and drafting to design and build my parents lake cabin. My dad and I have physically built this cabin all by ourselves, using my plans for framing, electrical, plumbing… you name it. Now, I plan to design and build my home when I graduate from pharmacy school in THREE WEEKS!

I think I would have been happier going into architecture, but I am very happy as a pharmacist and the pay isn't that bad either!

 

[stroodle]

I actually wanted to be MD first but after reading the pre-allopathic board on this website...no dice. My dad and brother are actually both doctors and after reading the MD forum, I realized having a God complex isn't just a genetic thing....also I hate half the people in my undergrad class who want to be a doctors lol. I'm sure theres jerks in pharm too but I haven't encountered it yet.

With all that in mind, I started reading the pharmacy forum and other sites and then realized it was more my thing. Job shadowed a pharmacist (and a dentist just to make sure) and it was a slam dunk.

 

[PharmDstudent]

I lol'd all over the mermaid thing. No offense if it was truly your dream.

Although I do believe that there wouldn't be any pharmacist shortages if one day we all woke up to be PharmDs. But I think I'll blame that, realistically, on shortage of pharmacy professors.

What school are you going to if you don't mind me asking?

Oh it's my dream alright! I even have a seashell bra. I wore it in 2002 at this frat's Halloween party. I absolutely loved it and so did my date!
I'm trying to figure out how to wear it again... hmmmmm maybe for Mardi Gras.

The professor shortage is pretty bad. It's hard for people to chose academia when retail's paying 100K.
I think I'd be a good professor. Maybe I'll teach on the side if my other choices don't work out.

 

[inquirer89]

I enrolled into an engineering-based program in high school with dreams of working in the aerospace industry. It turns out that I did not like it, and at the same time my mother (a nurse) got me to volunteer at her hospital. Working in that environment lead me to meet and work for the pharmacists. After volunteering at the pharmacy for the past 3 years, researching the career, and staying advocate in my aspirations (SDN was very helpful), I have become certain that this is what I want to do.

 

[Requiem]

I think going the B.Sc.Pharm -> PharmD route (canadian) will allow me to teach at the university level while still doing some clinic/rounding hours, which is exactly what I want. I feel it's a great variety, having students, being a preceptor, a prof and a clinical pharmacist.

As well, teaching is the best way to solidify learning - trying not to waste all the hours I've spent learning this stuff.

To answer your original question - my original goal wasn't the doctor of pharmacy route, I was thinking I may major/pursue a PhD in Math but this allows me to get there a lot quicker, with a much more stable position. Teaching is the underlying passion.

 

[fungikid]

PharmDstudent, you might want to take a look at these (warning: mature content!):

Look at this one first! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4b7o4CJDdw
Then take a look at this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrytucEvuF8&feature=related

Requiem, I'm pretty sure you know already, but I'll say it anyway. The entry-level PharmD program (2+4) is coming very soon to universities in Canada. The University of Montreal has already implemented it and University of Toronto is going to follow suit as soon as 2010. I'm personally very excited about this!

http://www.pharmacists.ca/content/cpjpdfs/nov_dec06/EntryLevelPharmD_Koleba.pdf

 

[PharmDstudent]

PharmDstudent, you might want to take a look at these (warning: mature content!):

Look at this one first! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4b7o4CJDdw
Then take a look at this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrytucEvuF8&feature=related

Now you've got me thinking... how would she reproduce without turning into a human?
Sorry... but I'm not really a big fan of animated Disney movies; they're too mushy and cheesy.

Here's a list of my favorite fantasy creatures/characters (in descending order):
1. mermaid
2. fairy
3. Willie Wonka
4. James from James and the Giant Peach
5. Luke as a mouse from The Witches
6. Alice from Alice and Wonderland
7. Jessica Rabbit

I really like snails too! I brought one home from out of the country a few years ago. It died in captivity though, so don't get your skirts in a ruffle.

 

[medicalCPA]

I really like snails too! I brought one home from out of the country a few years ago. It died in captivity though, so don't get your skirts in a ruffle.

I love snails! Eating them, that is...And Disney animated movies are good; their animated movie sequels are crap.

 

[Requiem]

PharmDstudent, you might want to take a look at these (warning: mature content!):

Look at this one first! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4b7o4CJDdw
Then take a look at this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrytucEvuF8&feature=related

Requiem, I'm pretty sure you know already, but I'll say it anyway. The entry-level PharmD program (2+4) is coming very soon to universities in Canada. The University of Montreal has already implemented it and University of Toronto is going to follow suit as soon as 2010. I'm personally very excited about this!

http://www.pharmacists.ca/content/cpjpdfs/nov_dec06/EntryLevelPharmD_Koleba.pdf

Yup, I'm aware. I'm graduating next year though with a B.Sc. so that's the only option available for me.... The french are totally on their own in Canada though, as im sure you're aware.

 

[FruitFly]

My dream was to be a Supreme Court Justice or an Ambassador to a fun European country such as Monaco. This is the next best thing...

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

My dream was to be a Supreme Court Justice or an Ambassador to a fun European country such as Monaco. This is the next best thing...

Oooh...I had fun in Monaco. I didn't think they had a US ambassador though? You may have to settle for Paris.

 

[OhFear]

my original dream, back in high school, was to be a computer engineer.

drugs are way more fun than computers, though.

 

[chibipinkbunny]

As a kid I wanted to be an architect. Don't know what happened to that dream In high school I wanted to be a theoretical physicist, but I found out I hated physics. I'd been dancing all of my life and wanted to be a professional ballet dancer, but a serious injury at age 16 forced me to quit. At 17 I tried to be a model, but I developed an eating disorder so my mom made me stop. At about age 19 I wanted to be a pharmacist, and here I am ^_^

 

[Doowai]

SOrry, I am not a pharmacist. I am a med school graduate and will be...am supposed to start residency this summer. Being an MD was something that I had on my goal list but not my dream job list

My dreams of what I wanted to be included:
1) Billionaire
2) Bruce Lee
3) a lowland gorilla
4) a rhino
5) Genghis Khan (dream jobs include time travel)
6) Spock on the starship Enterprise

 

[FatimaMohamed]

dream yeah allright!

 

[loo]

Pharmacy, although it has been intellectually stimulating and good to me, has not been my "dream".

I just realized my dream of becoming a veterinarian recently by being accepted to vet school this past week.

It's better than a mermaid with a vagina...

 

[Moxxie]

Pharmacy, although it has been intellectually stimulating and good to me, has not been my "dream".

I just realized my dream of becoming a veterinarian recently by being accepted to vet school this past week.

It's better than a mermaid with a vagina...

Congratulations!

I originally wanted to be an MD, but after shadowing several in high school I decided I didn't want the stress. I then pursued journalism for a while, then psychology, until I took an intro to Bio class and fell back in love with Biology. My dream at that point was to be a vet, and I even got into vet school back in 2002. But silly me had also been working in research and was offered a really great position if I became a grad student. Two and a half years into my PhD, though, I realized that my heart just wasn't in it - I love medicine, and I love science, but I didn't want to work in a lab my whole life. After doing some serious soul-searching (i.e. not just jumping into a major/program when it became interesting), I chose pharmacy. And I'm so happy that I did!

So pharmacy was not my "dream" career to start with, but I think that it's the best thing for me.

P.S. I did want to be a firefighter REALLY bad when I was a kid

 

[loo]

Congratulations!

I originally wanted to be an MD, but after shadowing several in high school I decided I didn't want the stress. I then pursued journalism for a while, then psychology, until I took an intro to Bio class and fell back in love with Biology. My dream at that point was to be a vet, and I even got into vet school back in 2002. But silly me had also been working in research and was offered a really great position if I became a grad student. Two and a half years into my PhD, though, I realized that my heart just wasn't in it - I love medicine, and I love science, but I didn't want to work in a lab my whole life. After doing some serious soul-searching (i.e. not just jumping into a major/program when it became interesting), I chose pharmacy. And I'm so happy that I did!

So pharmacy was not my "dream" career to start with, but I think that it's the best thing for me.

P.S. I did want to be a firefighter REALLY bad when I was a kid

Now THAT is cool! You've had the guts (and brains) to have the ability to try a lot of things and be successful at it. Glad you found your niche, Moxxie!

It's funny...I never felt "forced" into pharmacy. I saw it as practical alternative to other majors out there and a career that had a lot of built-in flexibility should my life plans change. I can say one thing, and that is that I've NEVER regretted going into pharmacy.

 

[PharmDstudent]

Pharmacy, although it has been intellectually stimulating and good to me, has not been my "dream".

I just realized my dream of becoming a veterinarian recently by being accepted to vet school this past week.

It's better than a mermaid with a vagina...

You could say that I'm a mermaid without a tail... I already have that other part (unfortunately ). So... I would say that if your vet school acceptance is better than a mermaid with a tail, then you're a lucky dog!

 

[loo]

You could say that I'm a mermaid without a tail... I already have that other part (unfortunately ). So... I would say that if your vet school acceptance is better than a mermaid with a tail, then you're a lucky dog!

Yeah...that's it!

My logic is way off, but you obviously got my point! That youtube parody of the mermaid was funny...