Do you regret pharmacy school/ being a pharmacist?

[sharebear003]

I really want to be a pharmacist, ever since I was a little kid. Now it's time to apply to colleges and all I hear about pharmacy is that it's overcrowded. My parents tell me to be a nurse but I can't imagine doing the stuff nurses have to do. I have good science and math grades and would probably do well in pharmacy school. I'm thinking about St. John's Uni or LIU Post. Anyways just want to hear from some current pharmd students or new grads. Have you had extreme difficulty finding a job? Will knowing a few pharmacists help me get a job- I have some family and friends who are pharmacists. Are you having trouble paying off your student loans- how much are they, if you don't mind me asking?

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[cmg0047]

I am not a pharmacist, but I did get accepted to Auburn HSOP last week and I asked everyone I could about job outlook and career information during my interview session and the 3rd Year students all said that the students who graduated last year were able to find jobs. You just have to be flexible in what you're willing to take which is the same for any job. I was told recently that the Gulf Coast of Alabama was in a serious shortage of pharmacists, so don't worry.

 

[sharebear003]

I was told recently that the Gulf Coast of Alabama was in a serious shortage of pharmacists, so don't worry.

Thanks for your reply but I can't tell if you're being sarcastic... It just sounds like such a random place. No disrespect intended. Do you know anything about the market in NY, specifically Long Island?

 

[cmg0047]

I'm being completely serious. Auburn is located in Alabama therefore I would know about Alabama. I do not know anything about the market up North but as a pharmacist you will have to be flexible in where you want to work even if that means moving out of New England and into a more undesirable climate.

 

[sharebear003]

I'm being completely serious. Auburn is located in Alabama therefore I would know about Alabama. I do not know anything about the market up North but as a pharmacist you will have to be flexible in where you want to work even if that means moving out of New England and into a more undesirable climate.

Thanks for your advice. I have a lot to think about.

 

[deleted158872]

Thanks for your reply but I can't tell if you're being sarcastic... It just sounds like such a random place. No disrespect intended. Do you know anything about the market in NY, specifically Long Island?

Job market in the northeast is extremely saturated.
But job prospect in the south like Florida is good, though.

 

[sharebear003]

Job market in the northeast is extremely saturated. Only 1 out of 4 pharmacists where I did community rotation were full time; the rest were floaters. Only 2 out of 5 pharmacists at the hospital where I did rotation were full timers. I myself cannot find a single pharmacy that hires interns after looking for a year at places within 35 mins of my home and around my campus. I didn't even turn in an application because they just told me flat out that they are not hiring...

But job prospect in the south like Florida is good, though.

But on Indeed.com I see jobs in NYC like
Health System Pharmacist II
Vivo Pharmacy Supervisor
Will knowing a pharmacist help since I can ask them to recommend me? I'm even willing to work part time.

 

[deleted158872]

Connections always help

 

[fewaopi]

But on Indeed.com I see jobs in NYC like
Health System Pharmacist II
Vivo Pharmacy Supervisor
Will knowing a pharmacist help since I can ask them to recommend me? I'm even willing to work part time.

As it has been said many many times on these forums, and you really should learn to search and look up things yourself since that's a required skill on rotation, a lot of those online jobs are non-existent. Employers by law are required to post up openings that don't exist or not plans to hire. And hundreds if not thousands of people apply online, how would you stand out? Do you think HR or pharmacy dept is going to look through all those apps? They have someone already in mind if they actually need one.

If you follow the job boards long enough, you'll see the same positions posted over and over again. It's a formality, there's really no job in many instances. And you have to be lucky with timing. Right person, right time. And connections help big time. If your family members plan to hire you then that helps too. ANd don't waste money on private schools, go public or get serious scholarship awards.

NYC/NJ market is very saturated. The job stats for LIU and St. John's aren't great. They don't make it easy to find either, that's intentional for a reason. Most people I think end up finding a job, it's just a job they don't want or wish to be. Grads get hired by CVS and before they start try to find a way to escape them. It's also a job w/less stability going into the future with mail order so you'll probably work for a bit then be made obsolete and unemployed, bankrupt, etc. So all in all, great profession for people unawares.

All the jobs I have worked have never been through online applications. Those never worked. All in person, cold-call, etc.

 

[RxStudentatUB]

Quoted straight from the user AOLsux: (a lot of excellent points brought up here)

I don't have numbers, but I have plenty of evidence. Just open up your eyes and you will see whats going on and read every comment on r/pharmacy. I don't want to be a jerk by saying this, but pay more attention to the people that have been in the business for a long time than the people in school that think they know more than the people actually in the business. Some of these guys in school don't want to admit to themselves what is actually going on. Talk to some pharmacy owners also, they will tell you the same thing I am telling you. I wanted to buy a pharmacy within a year or so, now I won't buy a pharmacy for half price.

1. Mail Order is going to reduce jobs significantly. Insurance companies are pushing almost everyone to mail order. They do this in several ways...

Some patients can only refill the same drug a few times before they are forced to switch to mail order.

Patients are being called and told to switch to mail order. Sometimes they will even get a discount on their copays. For some old people its just easier to have it mailed to you then have to get up and go to the pharmacy and wait.

Some reimbursements for pharmacies are BELOW cost, so some pharmacies are turning customers away for some prescriptions. This makes it harder for the patient to get the drug, it makes the pharmacy look bad, and it gets patients really mad and frustrated at the pharmacy even though its not the pharmacy's fault. They are making the pharmacy look like the enemy. So sometimes they want to move to mail order to avoid problems like this.

Soon (if they don't already exist, I'm not sure if they do) you will see plans that have a cheaper premium by lets say maybe $20/monthly that require mail order. People will jump all over this because their premiums are super expensive already.

Any day now, Medicare will probably switch to mail order. They have to if they want to cut costs.

Get ready to see most independent pharmacies shut down within the next 5-10 years. You are going to walk into a pharmacy one day (in 5-10 years) and you will ONLY see emergency drugs. You will see antibiotics, pain meds, and not much else. A mail order pharmacy can get you your medicine within a few days if its not an emergency. They will open up more and in every state if they have to.

1. Pill Dispensing Robots - In my state we have a limit on the number of techs per pharmacist. Some bigger pharmacies have already switched to these robots and many more will also. What do you think the mail order pharmacies use? Robots so they have less pharmacists.
   
   
2. They used to give huge bonus for you to go to areas that no one goes to. Now for some people, if they want a job they have to move to those areas. Big cities are over-saturated.
   
   
3. Some pharmacies that have been in business forever have closed and more will close. Independent pharmacies used to be a gold mine if you knew what you were doing. Their profits have been going down every year. Our customers used to increase all the time, now we probably lose at least 1-1.5 customers to mail order for every new customer. So you will see more and more independent pharmacies close, some have already. How do you make money if you are making a couple dollars per prescription for most prescriptions? Do you know how much it costs to run a pharmacy per hour?
   
   
4. I have friends that could not transfer back to where they used to live (before school) for over a year because there were no openings. He flew down here so many times for ONE interview.
   
   
5. Pharmacists are being forced to work harder then ever. I have a friend that does 250 a day with 1 tech and NO cashier. Keep in mind that she has to deal with doctors, phone calls, insurance, crazy customers, AND in my state you have to consult for every new RX. You don't like doing 250 with you and a tech? Good, quit, there's a line of pharmacists waiting to be hired and they will take less pay than you.
   
   
6. I know pharmacists that have taken $45-50 an hour at independent pharmacies. That's a big pay cut. One of them doesn't even get insurance. One owner told me that his friend told him to get rid of 2 of his techs and pay him only $45 an hour to do their job because he's having a hard time finding a job.
   
   
7. Like everyone else said, too many schools opened up too fast. Also, many pharmacists are retiring later.
   
   
8. The economy is bad so some poor people will start to skip doses or not take as directed to save a few dollars. This means less prescriptions filled. Guess what? These people are the first to switch to mail order.
   

If you have any better options available to you, consider one of them. Nothing is worse than owing $100k-250k and not having a job. I'm telling you right now from someone who has a lot of experience in this business. Open up your eyes and see what is going on. I've seen all the actual numbers over the years for my pharmacy and I have talked to a lot of other people I know. I know a lot of people who are pharmacists and a few pharmacy owners. I hear the same thing from all of them. I'm deeper in than most people and I am getting out. It's a bad time in the US to become a pharmacist or doctor or just about anything medical related.

 

[cmg0047]

Quoted straight from the user AOLsux: (a lot of excellent points brought up here)

I don't have numbers, but I have plenty of evidence. Just open up your eyes and you will see whats going on and read every comment on r/pharmacy. I don't want to be a jerk by saying this, but pay more attention to the people that have been in the business for a long time than the people in school that think they know more than the people actually in the business. Some of these guys in school don't want to admit to themselves what is actually going on. Talk to some pharmacy owners also, they will tell you the same thing I am telling you. I wanted to buy a pharmacy within a year or so, now I won't buy a pharmacy for half price.

1. Mail Order is going to reduce jobs significantly. Insurance companies are pushing almost everyone to mail order. They do this in several ways...

Some patients can only refill the same drug a few times before they are forced to switch to mail order.

Patients are being called and told to switch to mail order. Sometimes they will even get a discount on their copays. For some old people its just easier to have it mailed to you then have to get up and go to the pharmacy and wait.

Some reimbursements for pharmacies are BELOW cost, so some pharmacies are turning customers away for some prescriptions. This makes it harder for the patient to get the drug, it makes the pharmacy look bad, and it gets patients really mad and frustrated at the pharmacy even though its not the pharmacy's fault. They are making the pharmacy look like the enemy. So sometimes they want to move to mail order to avoid problems like this.

Soon (if they don't already exist, I'm not sure if they do) you will see plans that have a cheaper premium by lets say maybe $20/monthly that require mail order. People will jump all over this because their premiums are super expensive already.

Any day now, Medicare will probably switch to mail order. They have to if they want to cut costs.

Get ready to see most independent pharmacies shut down within the next 5-10 years. You are going to walk into a pharmacy one day (in 5-10 years) and you will ONLY see emergency drugs. You will see antibiotics, pain meds, and not much else. A mail order pharmacy can get you your medicine within a few days if its not an emergency. They will open up more and in every state if they have to.

1. Pill Dispensing Robots - In my state we have a limit on the number of techs per pharmacist. Some bigger pharmacies have already switched to these robots and many more will also. What do you think the mail order pharmacies use? Robots so they have less pharmacists.
   
   
2. They used to give huge bonus for you to go to areas that no one goes to. Now for some people, if they want a job they have to move to those areas. Big cities are over-saturated.
   
   
3. Some pharmacies that have been in business forever have closed and more will close. Independent pharmacies used to be a gold mine if you knew what you were doing. Their profits have been going down every year. Our customers used to increase all the time, now we probably lose at least 1-1.5 customers to mail order for every new customer. So you will see more and more independent pharmacies close, some have already. How do you make money if you are making a couple dollars per prescription for most prescriptions? Do you know how much it costs to run a pharmacy per hour?
   
   
4. I have friends that could not transfer back to where they used to live (before school) for over a year because there were no openings. He flew down here so many times for ONE interview.
   
   
5. Pharmacists are being forced to work harder then ever. I have a friend that does 250 a day with 1 tech and NO cashier. Keep in mind that she has to deal with doctors, phone calls, insurance, crazy customers, AND in my state you have to consult for every new RX. You don't like doing 250 with you and a tech? Good, quit, there's a line of pharmacists waiting to be hired and they will take less pay than you.
   
   
6. I know pharmacists that have taken $45-50 an hour at independent pharmacies. That's a big pay cut. One of them doesn't even get insurance. One owner told me that his friend told him to get rid of 2 of his techs and pay him only $45 an hour to do their job because he's having a hard time finding a job.
   
   
7. Like everyone else said, too many schools opened up too fast. Also, many pharmacists are retiring later.
   
   
8. The economy is bad so some poor people will start to skip doses or not take as directed to save a few dollars. This means less prescriptions filled. Guess what? These people are the first to switch to mail order.

If you have any better options available to you, consider one of them. Nothing is worse than owing $100k-250k and not having a job. I'm telling you right now from someone who has a lot of experience in this business. Open up your eyes and see what is going on. I've seen all the actual numbers over the years for my pharmacy and I have talked to a lot of other people I know. I know a lot of people who are pharmacists and a few pharmacy owners. I hear the same thing from all of them. I'm deeper in than most people and I am getting out. It's a bad time in the US to become a pharmacist or doctor or just about anything medical related.

Where are you from?

 

[darknightzzz]

Quoted straight from the user AOLsux: (a lot of excellent points brought up here)

I don't have numbers, but I have plenty of evidence. Just open up your eyes and you will see whats going on and read every comment on r/pharmacy. I don't want to be a jerk by saying this, but pay more attention to the people that have been in the business for a long time than the people in school that think they know more than the people actually in the business. Some of these guys in school don't want to admit to themselves what is actually going on. Talk to some pharmacy owners also, they will tell you the same thing I am telling you. I wanted to buy a pharmacy within a year or so, now I won't buy a pharmacy for half price.

1. Mail Order is going to reduce jobs significantly. Insurance companies are pushing almost everyone to mail order. They do this in several ways...

Some patients can only refill the same drug a few times before they are forced to switch to mail order.

Patients are being called and told to switch to mail order. Sometimes they will even get a discount on their copays. For some old people its just easier to have it mailed to you then have to get up and go to the pharmacy and wait.

Some reimbursements for pharmacies are BELOW cost, so some pharmacies are turning customers away for some prescriptions. This makes it harder for the patient to get the drug, it makes the pharmacy look bad, and it gets patients really mad and frustrated at the pharmacy even though its not the pharmacy's fault. They are making the pharmacy look like the enemy. So sometimes they want to move to mail order to avoid problems like this.

Soon (if they don't already exist, I'm not sure if they do) you will see plans that have a cheaper premium by lets say maybe $20/monthly that require mail order. People will jump all over this because their premiums are super expensive already.

Any day now, Medicare will probably switch to mail order. They have to if they want to cut costs.

Get ready to see most independent pharmacies shut down within the next 5-10 years. You are going to walk into a pharmacy one day (in 5-10 years) and you will ONLY see emergency drugs. You will see antibiotics, pain meds, and not much else. A mail order pharmacy can get you your medicine within a few days if its not an emergency. They will open up more and in every state if they have to.

1. Pill Dispensing Robots - In my state we have a limit on the number of techs per pharmacist. Some bigger pharmacies have already switched to these robots and many more will also. What do you think the mail order pharmacies use? Robots so they have less pharmacists.
   
   
2. They used to give huge bonus for you to go to areas that no one goes to. Now for some people, if they want a job they have to move to those areas. Big cities are over-saturated.
   
   
3. Some pharmacies that have been in business forever have closed and more will close. Independent pharmacies used to be a gold mine if you knew what you were doing. Their profits have been going down every year. Our customers used to increase all the time, now we probably lose at least 1-1.5 customers to mail order for every new customer. So you will see more and more independent pharmacies close, some have already. How do you make money if you are making a couple dollars per prescription for most prescriptions? Do you know how much it costs to run a pharmacy per hour?
   
   
4. I have friends that could not transfer back to where they used to live (before school) for over a year because there were no openings. He flew down here so many times for ONE interview.
   
   
5. Pharmacists are being forced to work harder then ever. I have a friend that does 250 a day with 1 tech and NO cashier. Keep in mind that she has to deal with doctors, phone calls, insurance, crazy customers, AND in my state you have to consult for every new RX. You don't like doing 250 with you and a tech? Good, quit, there's a line of pharmacists waiting to be hired and they will take less pay than you.
   
   
6. I know pharmacists that have taken $45-50 an hour at independent pharmacies. That's a big pay cut. One of them doesn't even get insurance. One owner told me that his friend told him to get rid of 2 of his techs and pay him only $45 an hour to do their job because he's having a hard time finding a job.
   
   
7. Like everyone else said, too many schools opened up too fast. Also, many pharmacists are retiring later.
   
   
8. The economy is bad so some poor people will start to skip doses or not take as directed to save a few dollars. This means less prescriptions filled. Guess what? These people are the first to switch to mail order.

If you have any better options available to you, consider one of them. Nothing is worse than owing $100k-250k and not having a job. I'm telling you right now from someone who has a lot of experience in this business. Open up your eyes and see what is going on. I've seen all the actual numbers over the years for my pharmacy and I have talked to a lot of other people I know. I know a lot of people who are pharmacists and a few pharmacy owners. I hear the same thing from all of them. I'm deeper in than most people and I am getting out. It's a bad time in the US to become a pharmacist or doctor or just about anything medical related.

this post is very accurate given its from someone that is from the field and states the truth.

when someone posts they come to a pharm school and talk to students about job prospects, of course all the y3 y4 students say their graduated friends find jobs or else you won't go to their school and they don't want to admit

 

[cmg0047]

this post is very accurate given its from someone that is from the field and states the truth.

when someone posts they come to a pharm school and talk to students about job prospects, of course all the y3 y4 students say their graduated friends find jobs or else you won't go to their school and they don't want to admit

You're right, I may not know any better due to the fact that I did just get accepted, but I have used my eyes. For instance I have seen the numbers that the pharmacist I work for pulls. Between 2.5 pharmacists (One pharmacist only works half time), they pull in 250+ on a summer day and 350+ during the school year in a rural town in alabama. I know for a fact most to all of their patients love sticking with coming into the pharmacy vs changing to mail order. Most of the patients are medicare/medicaid. She has told me of the shortage all through out the gulf coast. Yes the northeast may be saturated, but you are more than welcome to move down to the south.

 

[cmg0047]

On top of that, there are 10 other pharmacies in the town including a Walmart, Rite Aid and CVS.

 

[darknightzzz]

You're right, I may not know any better due to the fact that I did just get accepted, but I have used my eyes. For instance I have seen the numbers that the pharmacist I work for pulls. Between 2.5 pharmacists (One pharmacist only works half time), they pull in 250+ on a summer day and 350+ during the school year in a rural town in alabama. I know for a fact most to all of their patients love sticking with coming into the pharmacy vs changing to mail order. Most of the patients are medicare/medicaid. She has told me of the shortage all through out the gulf coast. Yes the northeast may be saturated, but you are more than welcome to move down to the south.

yes still considering what that person told you is true, with the students in pipeline and already graduated, soon these shortage place will be saturated as well. People estimate that the field can handle the grads from 130 pharm school in the next decade or so but the quality of work will decrease and later than that, its gonna be like law (and when you have a professional degree, do you want to work as a floater? or work at any hours commanded by someone else?

most patients lock stick into the pharmacy because their pockets were not affected and they haven't tried out mail order. imagine the business steps in and start promoting or like the above poster mention, most medicaid medicare are forced to switch to mail order. Sorry this is like free insurance so you don't have a choice.

 

[RxStudentatUB]

Where are you from?

Maryland (Baltimore). Recently, a CVS just burned down as a result of the rioting havoc. My issue with "move to an undesirable city" is the mere fact that big box companies don't really have incentive to open up pharmacies in these rural locations. These locations don't generate enough profit. It is not good business to open up a pharmacy in a high risk for theft region either. It was definitely a great idea to move into this field perhaps a decade ago... not so sure about these days.

 

[DestinationMD]

FWIW, I was supposed to start pharmacy school this month at a top 10 pharmacy school but have since decided against it. Even though I loved pharmacy and have been a tech since I was 18, the risk is too high to enter pharmacy right now unless you're certain you won't be happy doing anything else. Even state schools are pushing 130-150k in loans nowadays . Class sizes at established state schools are increasing, and new schools are opening every month it seems. At least 4-5 schools have opened in the last year alone.

One of the main allures of pharmacy used to be high salary, respectable working conditions, and the ability to find jobs with relative ease and the expectation of job security. That is all but gone and is only going to get worse as the years go by. Just to get a 88k per year hospital job expect to do 1-2 years of residency if you're lucky enough to match as competition for the limited spots rises every year as more people decide they can't do retail and considerably so, as job conditions are deteriorating. The PIC I knew used to work 44hrs per week at the store ,plus 10-12hrs of conference calls and meetings per week (unpaid and mandatory) and still wasn't able to keep his job at my store and he was one of the hardest working guys I knew. He literally turned the store around but just couldn't meet the unreasonable metrics. We gained roughly double the script count at the store I worked at for 4 yrs, and all we received as gratitude was increasing our budget and lowering of tech hours. We were literally doing almost double the work with half the help needed to have a fully staffed store.

Everyone talks about this magical hospital pharmacy and how much better it is than retail. In ways it is, but it has its own drawbacks. There is a culture of sucking up and favoritism rampant in hospital pharmacy, I routinely have seen with people with decades of experience on job passed up on promotions for people with MS and PGY-2 after their name. Unlike medicine it isn't a profession where you can age gracefully into. You'll see plenty of 70yr old doctors and dentists, but you'll rarely see a 50+yr old pharmacist at WAGS or CVS. the body can only take so many 12-14 hour shifts.

I would strongly advise against pursuing pharmacy at this time. I truly hope it gets better but I don't see that happening for at least 10-15years. NPs and PAs are higher up on the food chain than pharmacists. Pharmacy sold out to a bunch of businessmen during the retail pharmacy boom but that time is over now as Rx corporations are focusing on efficiency and getting ever dollar out of a pharmacist before his or her knees and back give out.

 

[RxStudentatUB]

Thanks for your reply but I can't tell if you're being sarcastic... It just sounds like such a random place. No disrespect intended. Do you know anything about the market in NY, specifically Long Island?

There are 7-8 schools in that state, with two more opening in the foreseeable future. From what I understand, New York City and Long Island are very desirable locations which translates into tough job markets. Using medicine as a comparison; EM physicians in that region make roughly $185-$200K annually, while EM physicians in rural TX make $400K annually. Supply and demand. My guess, if you want to work in that area as a pharmacist, be prepared to work some weird and wacky hours as a part-time floater while proving your worth. In my opinion, not worth 4 years of debt and school. I'd much rather attend medical, dental or podiatry school.

 

[cmg0047]

There are 7-8 schools in that state, with two more opening in the foreseeable future. From what I understand, New York City and Long Island are very desirable locations which translates into tough job markets. Using medicine as a comparison; EM physicians in that region make roughly $185-$200K annually, while EM physicians in rural TX make $400K annually. Supply and demand. My guess, if you want to work in that area as a pharmacist, be prepared to work some weird and wacky hours as a part-time floater while proving your worth. In my opinion, not worth 4 years of debt and school. I'd much rather attend medical, dental or podiatry school.

Very desirable is all relative. I do not desire to put up with my winters being under 20 degrees but to each his own. Either way if you really want to do something, sometimes you have to sacrifice to get to where you want to be. Even if it means being hot in the summer or cold in the winter.

 

[sharebear003]

once again, I'm confused as to whether or not I'm going to pursue pharmacy. It is (was) probably the job that best fit my personality and strengths.

 

[darknightzzz]

once again, I'm confused as to whether or not I'm going to pursue pharmacy. It is (was) probably the job that best fit my personality and strengths.

go work as a tech in pharmacy to know for yourself............pharmacy in real world has nothing like it is described as a career by pharmacy schools. .

 

[sharebear003]

go work as a tech in pharmacy to know for yourself............pharmacy in real world has nothing like it is described as a career by pharmacy schools. .

It's not about that though. I just want to ensure I get a job. I emailed St. John's about employment rates and out of the 27% of students that responded to the survey, 92% were employed. What do you make of that? Is that considered good?

 

[darknightzzz]

It's not about that though. I just want to ensure I get a job. I emailed St. John's about employment rates and out of the 27% of students that responded to the survey, 92% were employed. What do you make of that? Is that considered good?

i can't judge. but remember survey statistics is always almost never representative.

what about the 73% that didn't reply? how are they doing?

27% that employed, what kind of jobs do they have? how truthful they are? etc etc

 

[sharebear003]

i can't judge. but remember survey statistics is always almost never representative.

what about the 73% that didn't reply? how are they doing?

27% that employed, what kind of jobs do they have? how truthful they are? etc etc

you're lucky you're in dentistry. my parents won't support me going into medical school because it'll take 8+ years to be a doctor.

 

[darknightzzz]

you're lucky you're in dentistry. my parents won't support me going into medical school because it'll take 8+ years to be a doctor.

if it is truly what you like, you should go for it instead of after 8-9 years, you look back and regret.

however, if you don't have a deeply burning passion for pharmacy and just want a stable and healthy career, look for another profession because pharmacy ceases to be a chillax high paying health profession job.

 

[sharebear003]

however, if you don't have a deeply burning passion for pharmacy and just want a stable and healthy career, look for another profession because pharmacy ceases to be a chillax high paying health profession job.

I feel like if I network enough, I can get a job as a pharmacist, at least part time. Is it possible that during an internship or residency that a preceptor or manager can notice you and recommend you for a job ? Plus my cousin and friend's mom are pharmacists so I'm wondering if they'd be able to land me a job.

 

[darknightzzz]

I feel like if I network enough, I can get a job as a pharmacist, at least part time. Is it possible that during an internship or residency that a preceptor or manager can notice you and recommend you for a job ? Plus my cousin and friend's mom are pharmacists so I'm wondering if they'd be able to land me a job.

everyone now feels the same way you do, actually, thats why 130 schools are still able to fill all their seats.

yes, preceptor or manager used to offer jobs to interns but nowadays it is hard to say. and please, you don't want to work part time pharmacy because you have debt to pay. Unless your cousins and friend's mom are executive manager of big chain, the weight of their say in job offer is very little ( you gotta fire someone to replace their spot).

if you don't like pharmacy a lot, there are many similar professions, like PA, or dentistry.

 

[RxStudentatUB]

It's not about that though. I just want to ensure I get a job. I emailed St. John's about employment rates and out of the 27% of students that responded to the survey, 92% were employed. What do you make of that? Is that considered good?

If I was a student, I would like to see the big picture. This means the breakdown from 100%, not a selective 27%. That is some shady reporting from the school.

 

[sharebear003]

If I was a student, I would like to see the big picture. This means the breakdown from 100%, not a selective 27%. That is some shady reporting from the school.

I asked about it and was told that they can't force people to answer the survey. The 27% is just the people who decided they'd respond.

 

[MyRealNameIs]

I read a post by pharmacists working in NY/NJ area. Super saturated with pay rate going down and down. Many people were recent graduates or working as pharmacists. By the time you graduate, I would guess you would literally have to be at the top of your class to get a job in NY even for retail chains, and with a lower salary. Unless you are open to moving to a different state, doesn't look that good.

27% of people decided to respond. If I am jobless, I probably wouldn't have responded so that survey is crap.

 

[PharmtoCS]

Finance and computer programming are by far better career choices. They pay very well, have very good job prospects, and do not require you to take out $200k+ debt and spend 4 years of your life to get a PharmD which is losing value each year as the market gets flooded with far more graduates compared to job openings. You can at least stay in NY/NJ with these career choices, where to become a pharmacist you would most definitely have to move.

 

[MyRealNameIs]

Finance and computer programming are by far better career choices. They pay very well, have very good job prospects, and do not require you to take out $200k+ debt and spend 4 years of your life to get a PharmD which is losing value each year as the market gets flooded with far more graduates compared to job openings. You can at least stay in NY/NJ with these career choices, where to become a pharmacist you would most definitely have to move.

Haha honestly tho I doubt people looking into pharmacy is interested in fiance or computer programming. Maybe I am wrong but I am guessing most people like biology/chemistry/health field. Probably better off becoming a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or a dual PA/NP if medicine is not an option.

I don't mind living in rural area at all so I think I will be fine but some people love the city life.

 

[deleted158872]

Finance and computer programming are by far better career choices. They pay very well, have very good job prospects, and do not require you to take out $200k+ debt and spend 4 years of your life to get a PharmD which is losing value each year as the market gets flooded with far more graduates compared to job openings. You can at least stay in NY/NJ with these career choices, where to become a pharmacist you would most definitely have to move.

about computer programming... : don't think you can just waltz into a $90k/yr job without being on top 10% of your class, don't think you can work with Google or Twitter in your lifetime. most realistically you'll earn ~$60-70k

 

[sharebear003]

I would do computer science but I'm terrified of coding and all the complex math involved.

What do you all think about a B.S./M.S. in pharmaceutical science from UB? Or Just a bachelors degree in pharmaceutical science? Are job prospects better? Can a PharmD work in drug development? What's the difference in the curriculim between the pharmD and pharmaceutical science major? Is one more difficult? My friend says her dad is a pharmacist who works at Perrigo so...

 

[deleted158872]

pharmaceutical science = more like research, developing new drugs.

honestly, just go with what you feel you're good at & passionate about. don't force yourself into something you don't really love and regret it later. if you like pharmacy, go for it. despite all the saturation talk here, pharmacists are still making $50+ an hour.

 

[sharebear003]

pharmaceutical science = more like research, developing new drugs.

honestly, just go with what you feel you're good at & passionate about. don't force yourself into something you don't really love and regret it later. if you like pharmacy, go for it. despite all the saturation talk here, pharmacists are still making $50+ an hour.

pharmacy is better suited to my personality but I'll do pharmaceutical science or pharmacology if it means I'll get a job out of college.

 

[fewaopi]

pharmacy is better suited to my personality but I'll do pharmaceutical science or pharmacology if it means I'll get a job out of college.

I very highly doubt this. Actually between pharmaceutical science/pharmacology research and pharmacy, pharmacy is better. There was a Tao guy here before and was right on some points. Pharm Industry isn't expanding anymore, they're not hiring dozens of people. There's more contraction if anything. There were a lot of drug mergers and layoffs last year 2014 if you keep up w/news. Lot of it is moved out of NJ too to MA, CA, etc. You'd be better off with retail which isn't great in your desired area to begin w/. The big elephant in the room for drug industry is that there's no more drug targets. The human body has only so many receptors, sites of action for drugs to act on, once you hit and modulate at different levels, you run out and then what? It's getting harder and harder now.

As stoichiometrist incessantly mentions, finance/computers will let you stay in your area, otherwise, anything pharmacy, you'd have to move out.

 

[sharebear003]

I very highly doubt this. Actually between pharmaceutical science/pharmacology research and pharmacy, pharmacy is better. There was a Tao guy here before and was right on some points. Pharm Industry isn't expanding anymore, they're not hiring dozens of people. There's more contraction if anything. There were a lot of drug mergers and layoffs last year 2014 if you keep up w/news. Lot of it is moved out of NJ too to MA, CA, etc. You'd be better off with retail which isn't great in your desired area to begin w/. The big elephant in the room for drug industry is that there's no more drug targets. The human body has only so many receptors, sites of action for drugs to act on, once you hit and modulate at different levels, you run out and then what? It's getting harder and harder now.

As stoichiometrist incessantly mentions, finance/computers will let you stay in your area, otherwise, anything pharmacy, you'd have to move out.

But my cousin and her friends went to St. John's and she and some other girl at CVS and her other friend is at a hospital in NYC and they graduated in 2013.

 

[RxStudentatUB]

But my cousin and her friends went to St. John's and she and some other girl at CVS and her other friend is at a hospital in NYC and they graduated in 2013.

That was kind of fewaopi's point; retail pharmacy, though still very competitive, is still a better bet than obtaining a research position in pharmaceutics. Your n = 3 proves that point, lol. Though, who knows what retail pharmacy will look like in five-ten years? Looming threats of mail order, prospects of telepharmacy, decreasing reimbursement rates, and a ton more of graduates are threatening the future of retail pharmacy's expansion and actually encouraging contraction of the employment market.

 

[sharebear003]

That was kind of fewaopi's point; retail pharmacy, though still very competitive, is still a better bet than obtaining a research position in pharmaceutics. Your n = 3 proves that point, lol. Though, who knows what retail pharmacy will look like in five-ten years? Looming threats of mail order, prospects of telepharmacy, decreasing reimbursement rates, and a ton more of graduates are threatening the future of retail pharmacy's expansion and actually encouraging contraction of the employment market.

I meant that there are jobs in NY. But yeah, you're right. I'm also considering nursing but I hear the prospects for new grads aren't great; Employers want experience but where to get it when everyone wants experience. I'd be so pissed if I couldn't find a nursing job. At least the tuition's less though. But I can't justify cleaning people and dealing with literally everyone's attitude.

 

[Corpseman]

But I can't justify cleaning people and dealing with literally everyone's attitude.

Then your personality is not suited for pharmacy either.

 

[deleted212839]

I meant that there are jobs in NY. But yeah, you're right. I'm also considering nursing but I hear the prospects for new grads aren't great; Employers want experience but where to get it when everyone wants experience. I'd be so pissed if I couldn't find a nursing job. At least the tuition's less though. But I can't justify cleaning people and dealing with literally everyone's attitude.

Don't listen to the doom and gloom posters. NO job nowadays is easy. Almost all jobs require you to tolerate some kinds of people. If you can live with pharmacy, go for it!
See: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/whats-up-with-all-these-doom-and-gloom-posts.1160148/

 

[sharebear003]

Then your personality is not suited for pharmacy either.

At least you don't clean their ass and they tell you to go back to your country.

 

[fewaopi]

At least you don't clean their ass and they tell you to go back to your country.

Ass cleaning yeah you don't have to do. Racist remarks like going back to your country, you can still hear. I know some still get that.

But I can't justify cleaning people and dealing with literally everyone's attitude.

Dealing with people's attitude is a BIG part of pharmacy especially. More so than other fields. You need to take a good look at threads (again do your own HW) and see that people's attitudes is the biggest peeve pharmacists have.

I'd much rather clean people than deal w/attitude tbh.

 

[sharebear003]

Ass cleaning yeah you don't have to do. Racist remarks like going back to your country, you can still hear. I know some still get that.


Dealing with people's attitude is a BIG part of pharmacy especially. More so than other fields. You need to take a good look at threads (again do your own HW) and see that people's attitudes is the biggest peeve pharmacists have.

I'd much rather clean people than deal w/attitude tbh.

But you have to clean them and still get racist remarks, crazy patients coming to hit you, bite you, spit at you, jump out of beds/ windows. I'd rather be a pharmacist. Nurses definitely have it harder than pharmacists. Maybe the studies but not in terms of dealing with the public. My mom is a nurse so I have a first hand account. I do understand what you mean, though.

 

[fewaopi]

But you have to clean them and still get racist remarks, crazy patients coming to hit you, bite you, spit at you, jump out of beds/ windows. I'd rather be a pharmacist. Nurses definitely have it harder than pharmacists. Maybe the studies but not in terms of dealing with the public. My mom is a nurse so I have a first hand account. I do understand what you mean, though.

As a pharmacist, you also have to deal with shootings, robberies, murders, executions, druggies, etc, depending where you work, especially independents. It's a safe profession overall unless you're forced to work in the ghettos of NYC. There was a clerk in a Duane Reade that got shot at last year I remember. When I applied for an intern position, all that was available was the ghetto.

 

[sharebear003]

As a pharmacist, you also have to deal with shootings, robberies, murders, executions, druggies, etc, depending where you work, especially independents. It's a safe profession overall unless you're forced to work in the ghettos of NYC. There was a clerk in a Duane Reade that got shot at last year I remember. When I applied for an intern position, all that was available was the ghetto.

I get what you're saying but the same thing can happen at hospitals.

 

[PharmtoCS]

All the talk of avoiding the public is one of the main reasons I tell people to switch to computer programming or finance (particularly hot on in the Northwest). 60-70% of the jobs are in retail which 60-70% of pharmacy and pre-pharmacy students don't want to do.

 

[deleted287769]

I do not regret joining the profession at all. If it's what you want to do, do it. Don't let the job market discourage you. There will always be a need for pharmacists. Robots can't replace us. The health system will crumble without us. The interdisciplinary healthcare team relies on us. My advice to everyone considering pharmacy is to do it for the right reasons. Don't be complacent. Advance our profession. Strive to be the best pharmacist you can.

 

[rederza]

I would do computer science but I'm terrified of coding and all the complex math involved.

What do you all think about a B.S./M.S. in pharmaceutical science from UB? Or Just a bachelors degree in pharmaceutical science? Are job prospects better? Can a PharmD work in drug development? What's the difference in the curriculim between the pharmD and pharmaceutical science major? Is one more difficult? My friend says her dad is a pharmacist who works at Perrigo so...

I moved from pharmD to comp sci and honestly it seems the most complex math you'll take is linear alegbra (do not need a calculator for this). I go to a top 10 univ for CS buuuuuuut as I was strictly a bio major before this is kinda strange for me.

I did make my first code a few days ago and it felt great. Honestly it's not that bad.There are online free courses for cs. Try those out and see!