Career change from IT

[it2rx]

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I am 32 y.o. with a B.S. in Computer Science, and have spent the last 10 years working with reputable IT companies and non-profits in NYC. Although I have fared well with my IT career, I was never passionate about my field. I majored in CompSci because my financial circumstances were not strong - it was important at that time to graduate quickly and get a job. Now I'm at a point in my life where I am more secure financially, and I've come to realize that I need to pursue a more rewarding career in a domain which interests me, and for which I have a strong aptitude. I've considered some options, and am leaning strongly towards Pharmacy.

I need advice on how to go about pursuing my goal of gaining admission to a Pharm.D. program. I'm trying to draw a roadmap/timeline - I need help with this. I know that I will need to take the pre-requisite bio and chemistry courses (I've taken a slew of math and physics courses in college as part of my undergrad degree). I estimate that I will not be able to get admission to Pharm school before 2013 all things considered (pre-req coursework, pharmacy work experience, PCATs).

I'm particularly looking to hear from non-traditional pharm students, mentors, other folks who have switched careers. Is my goal feasible? What are some possible obstacles I might meet, and how should I navigate this new arena?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

[Notecard]

I was a CS major for a year before switching to pharm. I was able to complete my pre-reqs in two years and then apply so 2013 is a good goal.

First you need to research pharmacy schools you want to apply to. Here's a good list with information but for anything more detailed just Google the school.

http://www.pharmcas.org/collegesschools/directoryalphastate.htm

After you find a few schools you would be willing to apply to you need to look at the pre-req list for each one and decide how to schedule your classes. Contact the schools you picked and ask about the time limit for classes taken in the past. You should be able to get away with general electives but any chemistry, biology, and possibly math/physics classes will have to be retaken. The limit can be anywhere from 6-10 years depending on the school.

Once you have all that info you can start scheduling classes for this coming semester and make a plan.

Also consider spending some time before school starts getting to know the profession. Try shadowing a pharmacist or two.

 

[Rouelle]

My situation is similar. I'm 32 y.o. and starting pharmacy school in August. In doing so, I also left a stable career. I've had to take a few classes over the last year to satisfy my pre-reqs. All in all, the life changes haven't been nearly as big a deal as I might have guessed them to be.

As to coursework...the chemistry and biology courses are going to be the most challenging because they (esp. chem) must be taken in sequence. Almost certainly, you will need 2 semesters of general chemistry and 2 semesters of organic (2 years of chemistry if taken in long semesters). You may / may not need biochem as a pre-req. You will likely need 1-2 semesters of general bio or zoology, then a semester of microbiology, and (this varies some with school) anatomy or physiology or both. You could probably do microbiology and anatomy/physiology concurrently.

In my opinion, you need to have finished at least organic 1 prior to taking the PCAT. If you are taking courses only in the long semesters (Fall or Spring), this would put you taking the PCAT after the Fall 2012 semester (in other words, early during the spring 2013 semester). This is, for many schools, too late for application for the Fall 2013 semester. This problem could be fixed if you got one chem class out of the way in a summer semester. If I had do suggest a generic timeline (that might have to be tailored to meet the requirements of your schools), here it would be:

Fall 2011: Chem 1, Zoology (or whatever introductory bio course is required for your schools), any other non-science pre-req your schools want

Spring 2012: Chem 2, microbiology, human anatomy

Summer 2012: Organic 1, PCAT at end of summer

Fall 2012: Organic 2, human physiology, apply to pharmacy school (apply as early as possible because many schools have rolling admission)

Spring 2013: Biochem

Keep in mind that different places have different requirements, so the above might not apply perfectly to you.

Good luck!

 

[it2rx]

@Notecard: It hadn't even occurred to me that my math/science courses might have an expiration date - I will look into that. Thanks for the great insights.

@Rouelle: Thanks for the roadmap - it's exactly what I needed!

Here's the plan of action I've formulated based on your collective feedback:

- Try and get admission to one of two four-year colleges in my area for the 2011 summer intensive session which begins mid-July. Take 2 courses in bio/chem/math.
- Identify 5 pharm schools I really would like to attend, and 5 relatively easy to get into schools that are more likely to accept a non-traditional student. Research their admission requirements and plan for the 2011 Fall semester accordingly.
- Tap into my corporate contacts at J&J, Merck, Abbott Labs and Pfizer, as well as community hospitals/pharmacies and land the best volunteer/PT job opportunity I can get.

Any other ideas/suggestions?

Thanks once again, and I'll keep you posted on my progress.

 

[pharmschooler]

@Notecard: It hadn't even occurred to me that my math/science courses might have an expiration date - I will look into that. Thanks for the great insights.

@Rouelle: Thanks for the roadmap - it's exactly what I needed!

Here's the plan of action I've formulated based on your collective feedback:

- Try and get admission to one of two four-year colleges in my area for the 2011 summer intensive session which begins mid-July. Take 2 courses in bio/chem/math.
- Identify 5 pharm schools I really would like to attend, and 5 relatively easy to get into schools that are more likely to accept a non-traditional student. Research their admission requirements and plan for the 2011 Fall semester accordingly.
- Tap into my corporate contacts at J&J, Merck, Abbott Labs and Pfizer, as well as community hospitals/pharmacies and land the best volunteer/PT job opportunity I can get.

Any other ideas/suggestions?

Thanks once again, and I'll keep you posted on my progress.

You're getting some great advice and you have some excellent ideas. There is growth in pharmacy IT; if you can combine your IT background with a PharmD, you may have some excellent prospects for jobs.

Here's a few hints of my own:

-Some areas of the country don't mind if you take most of your math/science prerequisites at a community college. If the pharmacy school you are applying to doesn't state an overt preference when asked, you may be able to save some cash by attending a two year instead of four year college.

-Think long and hard about your reasoning for switching into pharmacy. Be able to articulate your reasoning in essay form and when interviewed. It's best for non-traditional students if you can show how your unique background will contribute to your success as a pharmacist.

-Talk to your math and science professors as you take their course and articulate your pharmacy goals to them. Maybe even let them know you plan to ask them for a recommendation down the road. Go to office hours with questions. Work hard. Show them how much you want it. Then, when you need your letters of recommendation for PharmCAS, they'll be prepared. It helps to give your LOR writers a brief bio of yourself that they can reference while writing nice things about you. 😀

-If your grades, letters of recommendation, essays, interview skills and PCAT are strong, 10 school applications may be overkill. Target your schools based on average grades and PCAT scores and apply accordingly. If you're great at interviewing, with great LORs, experience, and a 3.7+ GPA and 80+ PCAT, you stand a good chance at getting into most pharmacy schools in this country. It might also be to your advantage to look at schools with special programs or strengths that dovetail with your interests. Perhaps there are pharmacy schools that offer specific programs in pharmacy IT that might be useful.

-Don't ever think of your IT background as a disadvantage. It's a huge advantage for you, and you should be able to communicate this succinctly to interviewers. Think about it; who would they expect to have a better work ethic, a 20 year old kid who hasn't had a job or a professional with years of experience? The bias is always that mid-career professionals are inflexible, so you need to prove that isn't the case. Other than that, being a non-traditional can be very advantageous.

Best of luck!

One more thing: there has been a lot of talk recently of saturation in the field of pharmacy. I really encourage you to do your homework and decide if that's a risk you're willing to take. For me, I don't see myself anywhere but pharmacy, so it's what I'm going after. If you decide this is the path you want to take, be selective about your school choice. Choose the best school you can get into/afford. The state schools seem to have good reputations across the board, but the privately owned schools (especially the newer ones) some people liken to diploma mills. I'm sure that's far from the truth, but the perception of the school by other pharmacists is something to keep in mind.

 

[NaOH]

Absolutely, OP. My B.S. is in Management Information Systems, I worked 2.5 years in the field before getting laid off and realizing that 2.5 years of experience means just about jack diddly squat in our current environment. Starting at UAMS this fall at the age of 30. I am of the opinion that, all other things being equal, non-trad students have some advantages over the fresh-outta-prereqs 20-year olds - you've proven your basic intelligence by obtaining a degree, and you've proven that you can get and hold down a job over the long haul. Nearly all the non-trad students I've met have been very dedicated to their studies, and typically represent the top grades in the class. Being older, adcoms might see you as more mature, more stable, and - importantly - more likely to succeed. So, yes, you are definitely on a good track. Knock down your prereqs, nail the PCAT, and you'll be golden. 👍

 

[it2rx]

@NaOH: thanks for sharing your experience and for reinforcing my confidence! Congratulations on making it to UAMS, and good luck with your career!

@pharmschooler: That was some seriously great advice - it gave me plenty to think about. I definitely plan to leverage my IT as well as non-profit background - I'm confident that I have more than a decent chance getting into pharma school as long as I nail down a great GPA and PCAT score.

As to your point about saturation in the field of pharmacy, that is the one thing I'm worried about. I don't have much qualms about switching out from my career in IT, as I haven't felt much inspired by it. I badly want to go to pharmacy school for a number of very good reasons; but it is a huge risk to give up a stable career and invest 6 years, hard work and major life sacrifices only to land up in a saturated market with poor career prospects and a huge debt.

This is an article I came across in my research - I'd really like to hear what you all think of it, as I weigh the pros and cons of making this career change.

Thanks again to everyone - this forum is a great resource for me, and every post has been invaluable!

 

[pharmschooler]

@NaOH: thanks for sharing your experience and for reinforcing my confidence! Congratulations on making it to UAMS, and good luck with your career!

@pharmschooler: That was some seriously great advice - it gave me plenty to think about. I definitely plan to leverage my IT as well as non-profit background - I'm confident that I have more than a decent chance getting into pharma school as long as I nail down a great GPA and PCAT score.

As to your point about saturation in the field of pharmacy, that is the one thing I'm worried about. I don't have much qualms about switching out from my career in IT, as I haven't felt much inspired by it. I badly want to go to pharmacy school for a number of very good reasons; but it is a huge risk to give up a stable career and invest 6 years, hard work and major life sacrifices only to land up in a saturated market with poor career prospects and a huge debt.

This is an article I came across in my research - I'd really like to hear what you all think of it, as I weigh the pros and cons of making this career change.

Thanks again to everyone - this forum is a great resource for me, and every post has been invaluable!

I think the article is very accurate. If it were me, I would not recommend going to school in California (as the author did) because the schools are among the most expensive, plus the cost of living is through the roof. I really hope you have some savings because pharmacy school is quite expensive now and you want to limit your loans, if possible, so you don't end up in the author's situation. There are a few state schools that are pretty inexpensive for residents (U of Idaho, Montana, and South Dakota State come to mind), but you have to live there for at least a year before becoming a resident, and admission is never guaranteed.

Will you be willing to move states for a pharmacy job? That's what it might take. I think a lot of students expected to find jobs close to home or in large cities, but there may not be that many jobs available in those places.

I've run some numbers and I think a lot of the lack of jobs is due to a few things (other than just a glut of new graduates):

-Pharmacists retire later than expected or die on the job because it's mostly a mental job. You really can work as a pharmacist until you die. When their stocks, houses, and 401ks crashed, a lot more of them chose to work much longer. Perhaps we'll see more retirement with an economic recovery, but I wouldn't be certain.

-The economic downturn meant a lot of previously insured people became uninsured and stopped taking their medications or going to the doctor because it was no longer affordable. It was a bit of a paradigm shift..."well, I might as well just die at home now..."

-Pharmacies have gotten leaner in tough times. They do more with fewer people than they did just a few years ago. I don't know much about this, but there have been some technological advances in pharmacy that cut back on the workforce.

 

[GeologyPharmD]

I am 32 y.o. with a B.S. in Computer Science, and have spent the last 10 years working with reputable IT companies and non-profits in NYC. Although I have fared well with my IT career, I was never passionate about my field. I majored in CompSci because my financial circumstances were not strong - it was important at that time to graduate quickly and get a job. Now I'm at a point in my life where I am more secure financially, and I've come to realize that I need to pursue a more rewarding career in a domain which interests me, and for which I have a strong aptitude. I've considered some options, and am leaning strongly towards Pharmacy.

I need advice on how to go about pursuing my goal of gaining admission to a Pharm.D. program. I'm trying to draw a roadmap/timeline - I need help with this. I know that I will need to take the pre-requisite bio and chemistry courses (I've taken a slew of math and physics courses in college as part of my undergrad degree). I estimate that I will not be able to get admission to Pharm school before 2013 all things considered (pre-req coursework, pharmacy work experience, PCATs).

I'm particularly looking to hear from non-traditional pharm students, mentors, other folks who have switched careers. Is my goal feasible? What are some possible obstacles I might meet, and how should I navigate this new arena?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Hey, I'm in the same boat as you 🙂 Geology>IT>Business Owner/Operator. Just a note on something I have learned: A good majority of the schools I have been looking at do not accept course work older than 10 years, or if they do, it may hinder you attempt at admission to the PharmD program. You might want to look into whether you will need to retake the entire pre-pharm curriculum for your time line. Good luck!

 

[Missferg]

I'm in a somewhat similar situation as well, I am 30 years old and was recently accepted in a very reputable physician assistant program however after thinking long and hard and staring down the 75k in tuition in a field I'm only luke warm about I decided to withdraw my acceptance from the program. However pharmacy has always been in the back of my mind I currently work as a medical technologist in a clinical lab and have for the last 5 years I love my job but have always wanted a little bigger paycheck and more "status" I guess. Sometimes I get tired of telling people that "yes" you have to go to college to be a med tech and have heard people say "you are so smart why don't you do something else" for so long that sometimes I think I'm selling myself short by just working in a lab. Any way those are the factors that pushed me in the PA direction but I am strongly considering pharmacy school since it seems to be a helping profession of course but it is a little more behind the scences much like the lab. Anyone have an similar experience to this? Thanks in advance.

 

[chent09]

I am a 33 year old pre-pharmacy student, non-traditional. I got my B.A. from Political science background and a teaching credential. I plan on apply to pharmacy school in a couple of years after I take organic chemistry and a year of biochemistry. I am applying to only schools in CA. I feel like as a non-traditional student, it is more advantageous in that I am more focused. But nevertheless school is difficult since I have all these hard classes to take. I would suggest a person going into this path to get as high of a GPA as possbile and get some pharmacy tech. experience. Pharmacy schools want to see that one is committed to this profession and have the academic background to back it up. i am hoping to get at least a 3.5 GPA with my classes and working at least a year before I apply to Pharmacy school.

 

[it2rx]

I think the article is very accurate. If it were me, I would not recommend going to school in California (as the author did) because the schools are among the most expensive, plus the cost of living is through the roof. I really hope you have some savings because pharmacy school is quite expensive now and you want to limit your loans, if possible, so you don't end up in the author's situation. There are a few state schools that are pretty inexpensive for residents (U of Idaho, Montana, and South Dakota State come to mind), but you have to live there for at least a year before becoming a resident, and admission is never guaranteed.

Will you be willing to move states for a pharmacy job? That's what it might take. I think a lot of students expected to find jobs close to home or in large cities, but there may not be that many jobs available in those places.

I've run some numbers and I think a lot of the lack of jobs is due to a few things (other than just a glut of new graduates):

-Pharmacists retire later than expected or die on the job because it's mostly a mental job. You really can work as a pharmacist until you die. When their stocks, houses, and 401ks crashed, a lot more of them chose to work much longer. Perhaps we'll see more retirement with an economic recovery, but I wouldn't be certain.

-The economic downturn meant a lot of previously insured people became uninsured and stopped taking their medications or going to the doctor because it was no longer affordable. It was a bit of a paradigm shift..."well, I might as well just die at home now..."

-Pharmacies have gotten leaner in tough times. They do more with fewer people than they did just a few years ago. I don't know much about this, but there have been some technological advances in pharmacy that cut back on the workforce.

Thank you once again for the reality check and the solid advice.

I didn't trust the optimistic outlook painted by pharm school websites - and I'm not so certain about the Dept of Labor projections either.

One thing is certain - if I'm going down this path, it means that I have to excel in my coursework. I also need to leverage my IT background, as it gives me a great opportunity to distinguish myself from the crowd. This career switch is going to be a huge challenge in a lot of ways, but I feel it in my bones that I really want to do this. I guess I'll start out with the pre-reqs and that should be a good predictor for my future performance.

Heading back to school this Fall, and super excited about it!

 

[it2rx]

@GeologyPharmD - Yes, I probably will have to re-take most, if not all of my pre-pharm curriculum; however, since I've been out of school for 10 years, and have not had any bio/chem since high school, I'm looking at it as an opportunity to get a good solid base for pharm school. Thanks for posting, and good luck to you as well!

@Missferg - Since I'm a novice here, I'll let others do the advising. I'd just like to say that this is by no means an easy road, however if you want it badly enough, you'll find a way to make it happen. Never mind what others say - focus on what you want, and think long and hard whether you have the potential to get there. Best of luck to you!

 

[it2rx]

I am a 33 year old pre-pharmacy student, non-traditional. I got my B.A. from Political science background and a teaching credential. I plan on apply to pharmacy school in a couple of years after I take organic chemistry and a year of biochemistry. I am applying to only schools in CA. I feel like as a non-traditional student, it is more advantageous in that I am more focused. But nevertheless school is difficult since I have all these hard classes to take. I would suggest a person going into this path to get as high of a GPA as possbile and get some pharmacy tech. experience. Pharmacy schools want to see that one is committed to this profession and have the academic background to back it up. i am hoping to get at least a 3.5 GPA with my classes and working at least a year before I apply to Pharmacy school.

I'm so glad you posted - as our situations are so similar.

When did you start taking your pre-reqs and what coursework are you taking now?
I'm aiming for Fall 2013 admission - what does your timeline look like?
After a background in polsci, how do you find all these science classes?
Finally, why are you only applying to schools in CA?

Look forward to hearing more from you - and good luck with your classes!

 

[pharmschooler]

Thank you once again for the reality check and the solid advice.

I didn't trust the optimistic outlook painted by pharm school websites - and I'm not so certain about the Dept of Labor projections either.

One thing is certain - if I'm going down this path, it means that I have to excel in my coursework. I also need to leverage my IT background, as it gives me a great opportunity to distinguish myself from the crowd. This career switch is going to be a huge challenge in a lot of ways, but I feel it in my bones that I really want to do this. I guess I'll start out with the pre-reqs and that should be a good predictor for my future performance.

Heading back to school this Fall, and super excited about it!

Best of luck. I'm starting pharmacy school this fall. I've had my questions (am I out of my mind to spend so much on education?), but honestly, I'm very excited. It's what I want to do, and I see a niche I want to pursue. I just hope it's still there when I graduate! 🙂

 

[it2rx]

Best of luck. I'm starting pharmacy school this fall. I've had my questions (am I out of my mind to spend so much on education?), but honestly, I'm very excited. It's what I want to do, and I see a niche I want to pursue. I just hope it's still there when I graduate! 🙂

That was one of the things that made me stop and think really hard about this. But after further research, I realized that if I go to a state school, the tuition won't be as high as I imagined it to be - so that made it a little easier.

I'm going to pre-pharm open house at a school in my area next month -hopefully I'll get answers to some specific questions, like the validity of my past coursework, etc.

Wish you all the best, pharmschooler! You've got the focus and committment that's required - hopefully the market will be yours for the picking when you're done 👍

 

[UMterps]

it definitely takes a leap of faith switching careers. I have found my non-traditional background assisted me greatly in experiencing opportunities many of my peers did not have during pharmacy school. Once rotation sites learned of my experience and knowledge in programming, IT, management, etc., it opened doors to step outside of the clinical setting at hospitals and into projects that had me working with cerner, baxter, and hospital leadership. I saw classmates toiling away looking at charts while I was busy attending meetings and helping plan the training of employees on the scheduled EMR deployment. I definitely poured hours in outside of my rotations, but it paid off in the end. I may have struggled with therapeutics because biology, A&P, micro was not my background, but what I learned is that pharmds with that background are a dime a dozen. pharmds who can branch out in non-traditional roles, act as liasons between IT and clinical staff, or even those that have great interpersonal skills to work on multi-disciplinary teams and attack projects from a different prospective are not only welcomed, but needed. the previous posts are all great advice. another bit of advice is that if you're not planning to take your pre-reqs at a single institution, make sure that the courses you take in sequence at one institution satisfy the pre-requisite for the next course at the other institution. I was told I needed to re-take chem 1 and 2 in order to take the lab component. I did so over the summer at a community college to save money, but had to verify w/ the university i attended for the year which courses satisfied the pre-reqs for organic 1&2. good luck w/ your endeavor!

 

[it2rx]

UMterps - great to hear about your experience. I'm hoping to do the same. Not having taken bio or chem since high school, I'm worried that I might struggle there - but overall, I think my work experience from the last 10 years have rendered me a better student. it'll take a lot of work, but I'm committed and optimistic about making it in this field.

I'm meeting with pharm school advisors next month to discuss/confirm that the pre-reqs I plan to take at a college here will be accepted. And I plan to complete all my pre-reqs at the same school to avoid issues with credit transfers.

Thanks for posting - I'm interested in getting more details about your IT/Pharm transition. Will PM you if that's okay.

 

[GeologyPharmD]

@GeologyPharmD - Yes, I probably will have to re-take most, if not all of my pre-pharm curriculum; however, since I've been out of school for 10 years, and have not had any bio/chem since high school, I'm looking at it as an opportunity to get a good solid base for pharm school. Thanks for posting, and good luck to you as well!

That's exactly what I was thinking. There is no way I could remember enough gen. Chem. (took it Soph. year in college) to pass OChem at this point. You sound like you have a good head on your shoulders, and that paired with determination will get you where you want. 👍

 

[it2rx]

My experience:

Friday afternoon, the office closed early; so I printed out a dozen copies of my updated resume, and decided to visit the pharmacies in my area, just to get a sense of how easy or difficult it is to get a job/internship.

Most of the privately-owned pharmacies said flat out NO, and wouldn't even take a copy of my resume. I persisted and asked one pharmacist what her reasons were for declining, and how I could improve my chances of finding a placement. She said they that most privately owned pharmacies are overstaffed, and that I would likely have a better chance with the chain pharmacies. Now I live in a predominant European/Russian neighbourhood, and I think they prefer to hire Russian speaking employees, so that could just have been an excuse. I did meet with better reception at the 4 chain pharmacies I visited - one pharmacy manager told me that she'd have hired me if she hadn't filled the position recently. She thought it was great that I was there in person, instead of just filling out online applications; and promised to forward my resume to her colleagues. I'll of course cultivate that relationship in case it leads to work down the line.

The immediate goal is to secure work/internship in a pharmacy before school starts in September. I'd appreciate your feedback/advice/tips. Is online application the best way? How did you land your first pharmacy placement?

 

[Passion4Sci]

My experience:

Friday afternoon, the office closed early; so I printed out a dozen copies of my updated resume, and decided to visit the pharmacies in my area, just to get a sense of how easy or difficult it is to get a job/internship.

Most of the privately-owned pharmacies said flat out NO, and wouldn't even take a copy of my resume. I persisted and asked one pharmacist what her reasons were for declining, and how I could improve my chances of finding a placement. She said they that most privately owned pharmacies are overstaffed, and that I would likely have a better chance with the chain pharmacies. Now I live in a predominant European/Russian neighbourhood, and I think they prefer to hire Russian speaking employees, so that could just have been an excuse. I did meet with better reception at the 4 chain pharmacies I visited - one pharmacy manager told me that she'd have hired me if she hadn't filled the position recently. She thought it was great that I was there in person, instead of just filling out online applications; and promised to forward my resume to her colleagues. I'll of course cultivate that relationship in case it leads to work down the line.

The immediate goal is to secure work/internship in a pharmacy before school starts in September. I'd appreciate your feedback/advice/tips. Is online application the best way? How did you land your first pharmacy placement?

Sounds like your experience is very similar to what people are going through. Pharmacy is relatively quick and easy way to make 6 figures and that is not escaping people's attention.

You can't be an intern unless you have an intern license, so stop asking people to be an intern. You can be a volunteer, though, which might be an option you should look more deeply into. Start with the Red Cross and local hospitals.

I got my job by pounding the pavement and landed at an indy with 0 experience, BUT it was before most of the worst of the "Great Recession" - Not long after I was hired, we needed another tech, and the requirement was "min. 6 mos exp" and a year later it was "2-3 years exp req'd". That's the standard now.

Before September, though? You're probably out of luck. That's really short notice for all but a company that really needs to hire someone stat.

 

[it2rx]

Passion4Sci - I have to admit, that was a bit discouraging given my experience...I guess I'm being too ambitious.

Thanks for the tips though! I'm not done exhausting all my options/leads, but I'll keep your advice in mind as I try to secure a placement.

 

[it2rx]

update:

still haven't secured that pharmacy placement I was looking for, but i just landed a job as an adjunct professor at the school where i'll be taking my pre-pharm courses. i'm going to be teaching pre-calculus.

i guess this is better than doing nothing or working an IT job? plus, i was shocked to find out just how well it pays.

currently studying for the ptcb exam, hoping to take it before school starts in september. got the mosby book - thanks for the advice, SDN!