Considering pharmacy as an older student

[PolliePocket]

I'm looking for some advice, hopefully someone else has also been in a similar situation.

I'm 32. I currently have a good career making 80k and am in line for a promotion to make 100k by next year. I work 60+ hours a week and the long and short of this post is: I'm tired and unfulfilled and have no work-life balance.

I did some college straight out of high school and couldn't stay focused, so I dropped out. I was a top student in high school and an average student in college. Again, I wasn't really focused and still got Bs. I'm in a much different mind set now, many years later, and have been considering pharmacy pretty heavily.

With my current work schedule, there is absolutely no way to juggle school and my job, so I would need to find something less intense in order to accommodate adding classes to my days. My plan is to work for 2 more years at this job, bank as much money as possible, and then switch jobs and start my pre-reqs.

Am I completely crazy?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[pms_testosterone]

Do you have any pharmacy or other health care experience? I'd really recommend getting some before upending your life to pursue this goal. Even by volunteering in a hospital pharmacy for 3-4 h/week.

 

[AHossain]

You should ask and make this thread for the real pharmacy students and pharmacists in the pharmacy forum. This forum is for people who are not even in the field yet, hence the title "pre-pharmacy. "

 

[PharmtoCS]

I'm 32. I currently have a good career making 80k and am in line for a promotion to make 100k by next year. I work 60+ hours a week and the long and short of this post is: I'm tired and unfulfilled and have no work-life balance.

Remember that the majority of pharmacists end up in retail. By working for CVS after you graduate, you will likely have to put in well over 40 hours to get caught up on your work if you're salaried, not to mention that you would be on your feet all day trying to do everything while dealing with nasty customers. Would the grass really be greener in terms of work-life balance?

Financially, it's a no-brainer to stick with your current job. You are giving up a stable position for a profession with an already terrible job market that continues to get worse each year as pharmacy schools continue to open with no end in sight. I do like your plan of saving up for tuition so that you can graduate with no debt, but remember that it's still $200k in tuition and $200-300k post-tax lost income over 4 years. In total, you may lose up to $500k in opportunity cost by going to pharmacy school for a field which new grads are increasingly underemployed or unemployed.

If I were you, I would just work and invest until you have enough money to afford to work at a lower-paying but satisfying job, or even retire early.

 

[LoveWillSaveTheDay]

I'm looking for some advice, hopefully someone else has also been in a similar situation.

I'm 32. I currently have a good career making 80k and am in line for a promotion to make 100k by next year. I work 60+ hours a week and the long and short of this post is: I'm tired and unfulfilled and have no work-life balance.

I did some college straight out of high school and couldn't stay focused, so I dropped out. I was a top student in high school and an average student in college. Again, I wasn't really focused and still got Bs. I'm in a much different mind set now, many years later, and have been considering pharmacy pretty heavily.

With my current work schedule, there is absolutely no way to juggle school and my job, so I would need to find something less intense in order to accommodate adding classes to my days. My plan is to work for 2 more years at this job, bank as much money as possible, and then switch jobs and start my pre-reqs.

Am I completely crazy?

Definitely work in a retail store even if it's just one day during the week. A majority of pharmacist jobs are retail and they tend to pay the highest. Working in a hospital is good too, but just keep in mind that those jobs are rare for a new pharmacist with no experience or residency. I love retail so I don't see it as a pain that most people say it is.

A huge part is also where you live, or where you plan to live. Note that pharmacist jobs on the east coast and west coast are extremely competitive since those areas are saturated.

Whatever you decide, remember that pharmacy is NOT the only saturated career, regardless of what some may say. Now that anyone can take out government loans, it allows everyone an opportunity... so many other career choices are starting to become saturated as well.

I hope you find your happiness somewhere!

 

[pharmasaurusRex17]

Working either retail or hospital is good as Love stated up there. She's right; and I honestly love pharmacy whether it be retail or clinical or whatever. It's the profession that drove me to go far and to where I am and I have high respects to each part of the profession. Actually, the retail pharmacists are the ones I respect most because theyre the ones in the front lines.

Pharmacy is saturated, but it's not compared to many other careers. You just have to know how to work hard in the beginning and considering you're an older student, you'd be perfect for that work hard lifestyle. The maturity level is much higher and thus they know their stakes so they play the game correctly.

Best of luck, and if you need help, reach out and build those connections . If you're passionate, you will skyrocket in no time in this field. <3

 

[APN-59 rph]

I'm looking for some advice, hopefully someone else has also been in a similar situation.

I'm 32. I currently have a good career making 80k and am in line for a promotion to make 100k by next year. I work 60+ hours a week and the long and short of this post is: I'm tired and unfulfilled and have no work-life balance.

I did some college straight out of high school and couldn't stay focused, so I dropped out. I was a top student in high school and an average student in college. Again, I wasn't really focused and still got Bs. I'm in a much different mind set now, many years later, and have been considering pharmacy pretty heavily.

With my current work schedule, there is absolutely no way to juggle school and my job, so I would need to find something less intense in order to accommodate adding classes to my days. My plan is to work for 2 more years at this job, bank as much money as possible, and then switch jobs and start my pre-reqs.

Am I completely crazy?

I don't generally bother..but yours is a special case....
First..re-read all after "I'm 32". Because that pretty much sums up the career of your basic RPh..I have been in the biz 30 plus years now (fortunately not full time) and I can best describe the job as high speed drudgery. I got in when the shortage was just firing up and so was the pay. Because of pre-req's it only took me 3 or so years and tuition was cheap ( you got any GI bill?). Pay up and up....jobs everywhere...NOW to the present..Long, extremely expensive "doctorate" that barely applies to where most of the jobs are (chains with horrid working conditions). I use "most of the jobs" reservedly. I don't apply for jobs but those that do seem to be having quite a challenge depending on location. Triple the number of new grads...pay leveling and likely going to trend down..students telling me of 200k debt load..And the latest around here..techs at the satellite pharmacies with a video link between ONE actual pharmacist and at least two other locations...i.e. two or three less pharmacists needed..It won't matter to me but I predict that the high speed drudgery will be automated to the hilt within 10 years..that will put you at 40 y.o. plus......very likely heavily in debt....etc....
You absolutely must get some real hands on experience..AND get the lowdown from some peeps in the trenches....Do NOT...NOT wander into this job....The school masters have forked tongues...State and national pharmacy clubs...same....heads up..good luck

 

[PolliePocket]

Do you have any pharmacy or other health care experience? I'd really recommend getting some before upending your life to pursue this goal. Even by volunteering in a hospital pharmacy for 3-4 h/week.

I did 8 years in dental as a receptionist/insurance biller/trainer.

 

[PolliePocket]

Remember that the majority of pharmacists end up in retail. By working for CVS after you graduate, you will likely have to put in well over 40 hours to get caught up on your work if you're salaried, not to mention that you would be on your feet all day trying to do everything while dealing with nasty customers. Would the grass really be greener in terms of work-life balance?

Financially, it's a no-brainer to stick with your current job. You are giving up a stable position for a profession with an already terrible job market that continues to get worse each year as pharmacy schools continue to open with no end in sight. I do like your plan of saving up for tuition so that you can graduate with no debt, but remember that it's still $200k in tuition and $200-300k post-tax lost income over 4 years. In total, you may lose up to $500k in opportunity cost by going to pharmacy school for a field which new grads are increasingly underemployed or unemployed.

If I were you, I would just work and invest until you have enough money to afford to work at a lower-paying but satisfying job, or even retire early.

I'm currently in retail. The hours are killing me. I don't mind the environment of retail, it's the hours. I have ZERO outside life. I don't see friends or family ever. I miss everything because I'm always working. Even a slight reduction in hours would be a relief. Aside from the fact, that I feel like I was meant for something more than what I'm doing now. I'm fascinated by pharmacy. I didn't just pick it out of a hat as a decent paying job. I live in a small town area, and have some connections from my current retail job that could land me a position after graduation.

 

[PolliePocket]

I don't generally bother..but yours is a special case....
First..re-read all after "I'm 32". Because that pretty much sums up the career of your basic RPh..I have been in the biz 30 plus years now (fortunately not full time) and I can best describe the job as high speed drudgery. I got in when the shortage was just firing up and so was the pay. Because of pre-req's it only took me 3 or so years and tuition was cheap ( you got any GI bill?). Pay up and up....jobs everywhere...NOW to the present..Long, extremely expensive "doctorate" that barely applies to where most of the jobs are (chains with horrid working conditions). I use "most of the jobs" reservedly. I don't apply for jobs but those that do seem to be having quite a challenge depending on location. Triple the number of new grads...pay leveling and likely going to trend down..students telling me of 200k debt load..And the latest around here..techs at the satellite pharmacies with a video link between ONE actual pharmacist and at least two other locations...i.e. two or three less pharmacists needed..It won't matter to me but I predict that the high speed drudgery will be automated to the hilt within 10 years..that will put you at 40 y.o. plus......very likely heavily in debt....etc....
You absolutely must get some real hands on experience..AND get the lowdown from some peeps in the trenches....Do NOT...NOT wander into this job....The school masters have forked tongues...State and national pharmacy clubs...same....heads up..good luck

I appreciate the advice. I will talk to the pharmacy owners I know and see what their thoughts are for the area.

 

[deleted462159]

Hours and salary aside - you mentioned you are feeling unfulfilled. Yes, pharmacy will give you more work-life balance. But how passionate are you about the work? Most people would not find pharmacy very fulfilling, especially in retail. I would think long and hard about it - and talk to pharmacists in various settings to understand what they like/dislike about their jobs.

 

[BlackWarrior]

Have you ever considered nursing? There are 2nd career nursing programs out there where you can obtain a BSN in as little as 15 months - 2 years. The pay in California is good for working a 3x12 schedule. You'll have 4 days off a week to do whatever you want. If you want to work more, you can pick up extra shifts. I would say nursing is very flexible.