Best Place in USA for a Pharmacist?
Started by TexasBlaze
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LOL.... I lived in Pine Bluff for 3 years...I was the clinical coordinator at JRMC...my first pharmacist job. I know everyone in Pine bluff.... I lived in Arkansas for 8 years...lived in Maumelle..and own a lot in Hot springs village.
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Dang, I should have thought of that! Maybe I can edit my post.
Goodness...how about that Staff Pharmacist position in AK that tops out at $187k.
Sweet Jesus drivin' a Corvette....
Sweet Jesus drivin' a Corvette....
Wow thats amazing! I would have never guessed anyone on SDN had heard of PB. I was born at JRMC. Although, we moved away when I was in the 3rd grade. 6 degrees of seperation is real. Hot Springs is great place to own land/house. Recognized as one of the best places to live.
Did Dr. Roaf deliver you? PB is awful...
It's interesting to say the least, some of those compensation packages were unreal. It does me little good though as most of the jobs are way to the West of me. I need to find the Morgantown/Pittsburgh metro headhunter guy...
That puts to bed the idea that retail pharmacists make waaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy more than hospital. I guess in general its true but obviously there are exceptions. Wow. I imagined a director would have a good salary, but the staff positions, man what a shock!
Desperation is good....but that also means that you'll be partnered up with a staff that likely has as little experience as you do...
Personally, I just want a M-F job. I don't even care what type of job it is...that's why I thought about going through more school...so I could guarantee that for myself.
But..thankfully...there is always mail order...
Personally, I just want a M-F job. I don't even care what type of job it is...that's why I thought about going through more school...so I could guarantee that for myself.
But..thankfully...there is always mail order...
Don't underestimate job satisfaction and personal growth in your profession.
It's not really THAT fun. Honestly, the strip gets old, fast. But everyone is excited when they first move here
any nice positions in UT, NV, AZ, OR ????
A bunch in AZ
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The entire point of entering pharmacy is that it guarantees me the ability to retire early so that I can do what I really want to do....nothing. Now if I can pull in $120k/year....hmmm...that brings me closer...and having set, rational hours and not working during the weekend is key to my job satisfaction. That means I can roll down to Morgantown on Saturdays and catch the Mounties...head up to Heinz Field and watch the Stillers on Sunday...
ZPack - I might hit you up for that list in a year or two... still residency hunting at this point.
I loved Tucson, AZ. Decent cost of living/real estate, medical professionals get paid pretty well, fun downtown area (but will probably get old once >26), good college town/sports, neat old houses near the hospitals. Great live music/bar scene.
I haven't decided if I want to go back yet or not - it isn't the best place for my sport of choice and I need to continue with that while I'm young and stupid!
I was in Charlotte, NC a few weeks ago and that seemed like a fantastic, young city. I've certainly short-listed it for myself.
My little sister is in San Antonio and really enjoying herself, I'd prefer Austin but she works at Sea World.
San Diego is a blast but $$$$$$
I live in Albuquerque now but I'm not it's biggest fan so I will spare commentary.
Personally I'm gearing towards Mid-Atlantic. MD/DE/VA/NC/SC/Northern GA. I don't want to be in the true south but after 10 years in the southwest I don't want a real winter either. I ride horses and "mecca" for my sport is Aiken/Chapel Hill/SouthernPines/Charlottesville.
I loved Tucson, AZ. Decent cost of living/real estate, medical professionals get paid pretty well, fun downtown area (but will probably get old once >26), good college town/sports, neat old houses near the hospitals. Great live music/bar scene.
I haven't decided if I want to go back yet or not - it isn't the best place for my sport of choice and I need to continue with that while I'm young and stupid!
I was in Charlotte, NC a few weeks ago and that seemed like a fantastic, young city. I've certainly short-listed it for myself.
My little sister is in San Antonio and really enjoying herself, I'd prefer Austin but she works at Sea World.
San Diego is a blast but $$$$$$
I live in Albuquerque now but I'm not it's biggest fan so I will spare commentary.
Personally I'm gearing towards Mid-Atlantic. MD/DE/VA/NC/SC/Northern GA. I don't want to be in the true south but after 10 years in the southwest I don't want a real winter either. I ride horses and "mecca" for my sport is Aiken/Chapel Hill/SouthernPines/Charlottesville.
That sounds ideal doesn't it? Perhaps you'll find that elusive M-F mail order job. But without personal growth in the profession of Pharmacy, your option and opportunity to find those jobs will be much more difficult. In fact, when your resume just has a PharmD and experience as a staff pharmacist at a mail order pharmacy, you will not be a desired candidate when that dream job comes about. You and your wife can certainly retire early. But that will mean a very strict discpline and dedication to lead a very frugal lifestyle.
Money is a funny thing. Most people end up living to the lifestyle of their earnings...which makes it difficult to save. And there are unpredictable events in life. Trust me.
Whatever you do, give it all you got and do your best. That's what will lead you to a fulfilling life. You're still in school..and probably very tired of it. So it's easy for you to say..I'll just get a job..make my 120K..and then go to football games on saturdays. But your wants and desires change. Trust me on that too.
I'm not really high on retail jobs. And I do believe retail distribution will eventually become very efficient. When that happens, there may come a day when retail jobs won't be so plentiful.
Does your little sis swim with Shamu?
not yet - she's hoping to get that promotion next year. This year she was in the sea lion/otter stadium. At least in there from the very beginning there is lots and lots of hands-on work with the animals. But it's looking like she may get to Shamu stadium in the spring! (it often takes several years before you get a lot of one on one time with the killer whales, seems they're afraid of you getting eaten or something)
Cool!!
It was very inspiring to see them work with Shamu. Because you can tell how much they love what they do. I felt they were very fortunate. To find the true calling in their lives.
I was there in May with my family. I sat way on the top...my daughter insisted she sit up front. More power to her. She got soaked!
I agree. SeaWorld is great! It is amazing how the animals and trainers respond to each other. I am sure that for those individuals lucky enough to have that career it is a dream come true.
Yeah, especially considering they do it for less than I make as an intern! My sister loves her job - she's 20. We left Thanksgiving dinner early to get to SA for her interview, she found out around Christmas that she didn't get it. But the beginning of March she got a phone call that they were hiring a 2nd round so she dropped out of school and went to SA.
Good for her I say! I still can't wrap my brain around the idea of just dropping out of school indefinitely (I took some time off in undergrad to drink beer and work full time for $8/hr) but she's happy with her job and you're right - she does truly love it and it takes a special person to follow their dreams. They're better people than I am, I can't think of a single thing I would willingly do for the forseeable future for $10/hr.
Of course you also have to take into consideration the fact that I dislike what pharmacy has become. I really should have just gotten a PhD in pharmacology. That **** is actually interesting. Pharmacy nowadays is all about god damn therapeutics...which to me is the most boring, unchallanging thing imaginable. It's just staying on the cutting edge of journals and guidelines it seems to me...and applying it. I know that's a shallow description, but that's how I see it. That's why there is no way in hell I'll ever do a residency...you pretty much lock yourself into applied therapeutics in some fashion. Same with medical school.
My "dream job" would be doing something that involves somehow putting a lasso around the jumbled, insane mass of white matter floating inside my skull.....you know....harnessing my creativity...it's the only attribute I have that I think surpasses my pharmacist colleagues....IMO, anyway. I'd be a damn good professor...I've been able to come up with crazy ass analogies off the top of my head to explain complex **** to the younger students for some time now. (Well, Danny..let's say...uh...Augmentin basically gives the bacteria AIDS... ) In fact, I've had a whole bunch of people tell me I should be a professor. Unfortunately, you almost have to do a residency to be a professor...and my grades and intangibles on paper are piss poor. My only shot would be at WVU due to an assortment of reasons ranging from practicality to other stuff....and they REALLY don't like me to begin with....so that isn't too likely.
So what does that leave me with?
Hospital? Boring..with the ****iest hours imaginable.
Retail? More boring..but at least you're closed on Xmas.
Mail order? Also boring....but at least you get decent hours.
I love it when people out on rotations ask me what I want to do..because there isn't anything I really want to do that is accessible for me. I usually tell them I want to retire.
I need to figure out a way to get paid for drawing up humorous pharmacy-related educational cartoons.
I'd buy them. and keep extra copies for students who come through on my rotations.
if you developed a wii game for studying the boy and I would certainly buy it. even better if you could make it competitive or dr mario style.
How's Albuquerque in terms of pharmacy jobs?
you hear different things from different people. But there's a Walgreen's on every corner and they always need people as well as multiple thriving grocery store pharmacy chains. We also have an Express Scripts (or whatever they're called now).
New Mexico is pretty progressive as far as pharmaceutical care goes so you can be pretty hands on in your practice if you want to be. There are several hospitals in town including a VA, a cardiac specialty hospital, and the University hospital (a level-one trauma center, children's hospital, cancer center). There are several more hospitals but I don't have any experience with those facilities.
New Mexico is pretty progressive as far as pharmaceutical care goes so you can be pretty hands on in your practice if you want to be. There are several hospitals in town including a VA, a cardiac specialty hospital, and the University hospital (a level-one trauma center, children's hospital, cancer center). There are several more hospitals but I don't have any experience with those facilities.
im also taking note too ..i too was wondering about the samething 
How do I find a job in another state while staying with the same company upon graduation ? Should I talk about it with my district manager? Can he contact any district manager in the area I am interested in?
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Could I have a copy too? raysanouo*at*yahoo.com
May be I am looking too far for my dream job.
May be I am looking too far for my dream job.
thanks!
Ok, curiosity got the cat...I'm intrigued by this list. Do you mind sending it to mmm_etoh*at*hotmail*dot*com ? Thanks in advance!
My primary target is Texas, I have a lot of family in various places (austin and dallas)
I was thinking of going to galveston because I like the beach, or maybe houston or san antonio...
I really like the fact that you can literally buy a mansion for 400k-500k in texas, I love that... In some cities, (LA and NYC) 400-500k will get you nothing, maybe a condo.... lol
Anyways I am also interested in this "List" Z, so please email to me at
verma604 @ gmail
I was thinking of going to galveston because I like the beach, or maybe houston or san antonio...
I really like the fact that you can literally buy a mansion for 400k-500k in texas, I love that... In some cities, (LA and NYC) 400-500k will get you nothing, maybe a condo.... lol
Anyways I am also interested in this "List" Z, so please email to me at
verma604 @ gmail
OK - Now that I've picked myself up off the floor where I've been laughing for the last 5 minutes - you've got to be kidding about the public transportation system in Atlanta. I've lived in Atlanta for quite a few years, and rode the system daily for 7 years to work - it has to be one of the worst transportation systems in the country. Yes, if you are just commuting from the airport to a downtown hotel, it's pretty nice. Otherwise, here's the facts:
The subway and buses (MARTA) only cover two core counties (Fulton and Dekalb) because they were the only counties that initially (or now) taxed themselves to pay for the system. There are only two lines (one running N-S and one running E-W). Some of the other counties are just starting to run their own, very limited bus systems. There is no commuter rail at all. The system is rarely used by anyone who has another commuting option, except for things like going to the airport or to a Braves game. If you plan to live in the suburbs where generally better public schools are, you won't have any service at all, and even if you did you wouldn't have any sidewalks to walk to the bus stop.
So, there are a lot of good reasons to move to Atlanta, but please don't do it for the transportation! And, don't even get me started on the horrible traffic - I'm moving my family out of here as soon as I finish pharmacy school.
The subway and buses (MARTA) only cover two core counties (Fulton and Dekalb) because they were the only counties that initially (or now) taxed themselves to pay for the system. There are only two lines (one running N-S and one running E-W). Some of the other counties are just starting to run their own, very limited bus systems. There is no commuter rail at all. The system is rarely used by anyone who has another commuting option, except for things like going to the airport or to a Braves game. If you plan to live in the suburbs where generally better public schools are, you won't have any service at all, and even if you did you wouldn't have any sidewalks to walk to the bus stop.
So, there are a lot of good reasons to move to Atlanta, but please don't do it for the transportation! And, don't even get me started on the horrible traffic - I'm moving my family out of here as soon as I finish pharmacy school.
That's not the problem in New Orleans. The sidewalks themselves are hazardous, because they either buckled after hurricane Katrina or got ruined when the debris from the gutted houses was removed by trash companies using forklifts.
I saw a lady trip the other day,
.
When I was there for the Sugar Bowl, it got me everywhere I wanted to go, fast. I'm not planning on living anywhere near a suburb...nor have kids...ever.....so maybe Atlanta is okay...eh?
Yeah - you and Mrs. WVU ought to be raking in enough dough that you can afford to live in one of the new swanky lofts or whatever downtown and be close to subway station. Just be sure to check it out carefully first.
Actually, scratch that...I doubt I could live in Atlanta. I recalled being unable to find a Diet Pepsi ANYWHERE in the entire town. It's like the Coca-cola mafia was running the joint or something. I actually had to walk 2 miles to a Dairy Queen inside this hotel to get one from my hotel.
There's a Coke headquarters in Atlanta. I did a research project last semester on the Coca-Cola company for my Intro to Business elective (pharmacy school elective).
Sorry to say it, but they probably have a monopoly there.
Although, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and a few other companies only have Pepsi products. If you could find one of those restaurants, I think you could live there.
I grew up in Little Rock and Suburbs (if there is such a thing) Lived in Little Rock, Benton, and out in the sticks near Paron (if you know this one, you got lost). My bro dated a girl out in PB, that was a commute. Wanted to go to UAMS, but they're not to keen on taking out-of-stater's and I moved to Cali 8 years ago.
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It snows in Dallas sometimesIt does not drop below 60 until January in SA.
Don't forget sleet, hail, freezing rain, and tornados. Oh and torrential downpours and flooding depending on where you live in the metroplex. Incessant winds in some areas as well. Did I mention I hate Texas.
But I lived in AR way too long to like it. Besides, who could possibly be a Texas fan when stuck in the nasty brown panhandle.Well, I digress. I've got in-laws in Lakehills just above NW SA. It's a nice area, humid as all getout though. Of course, what can you expect in the Gulf Stream areas of the south.
Don't forget sleet, hail, freezing rain, and tornados. Oh and torrential downpours and flooding depending on where you live in the metroplex. Incessant winds in some areas as well. Did I mention I hate Texas.
Well, I digress. I've got in-laws in Lakehills just above NW SA. It's a nice area, humid as all getout though. Of course, what can you expect in the Gulf Stream areas of the south.
I couldn't have said it better myself!
I hate Idaho!
...I tried to post photos of the sidewalks and streets in New Orleans, but they were linked to private info. Oh well, maybe I can figure out another way to post them.That's not the problem in New Orleans. The sidewalks themselves are hazardous, because they either buckled after hurricane Katrina or got ruined when the debris from the gutted houses was removed by trash companies using forklifts.
I saw a lady trip the other day,
Philly, ugh. I spent last year living in S. Philly and am glad that I'll never have to live there again. Yeah, we had a few good neighbors and there are some great sites in the city, but overall the people are very rude and disgruntled. Example, my wife used to get honked at consistently during her 3rd trimester while walking across intersections b/c she moved too slow for most Philadelphian's patience level. Who honks at pregnant women? C'mon. The 406 homicides last year and the filthy streets are more reasons not to go there.
However, I did know some people who lived in Center City and loved it, but I think it was b/c they didn't venture too far beyond downtown.
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