Don't like dealing with the public? You really need to rethink your decision to pursue pharmacy.

[PharmtoCS]

You probably know by now (at least if you have worked in a pharmacy) that working in a retail pharmacy generally sucks – not only do you have to deal with nasty, rude customers, standing on your feet for up to 14 hours with no bathroom or lunch breaks, having to verify at breakneck speeds that might harm a patient and/or get your license in trouble, and dealing with corporate metrics.

You might make the argument that there are more areas of pharmacy other than retail, but keep in mind that the vast majority of the jobs are still in retail. See that job posting for that cushy industry or clinical position you see? Good luck, you will be competing with 500+ applicants, many whom have residency, fellowship, and/or years of experience ahead of you. By going into pharmacy you risk being $200k+ in debt and being miserable for years of your life if you end up in retail which will inevitably happen to the majority of graduates.

There are other professions that generally deal little with the public, i.e. computer programming, finance, accounting, engineering, etc. that are far less stressful. pay well, and do not require you to take out $200k+ in loans and spend another 4 years of your life in school.

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[lalaland33]

If someone doesn't like dealing with the public, healthcare is probably not for them haha
And retail is not that bad if you're good at managing stress and your time. Both my pharmacists do these well and find time to sit down and eat lunch and take bathroom breaks no matter how busy it gets. Granted, they do have to still answer the phone and verify individually if a patient comes by to pick up but they still get to sit and enjoy their food for 30 mins.
But I do agree with you that it's important for pre-pharm students to work in a pharmacy to see if they even like the job.

 

[Amicable Angora]

Sit down AND eat lunch?

 

[PharmtoCS]

There is a reason a new thread pops up on the Pharmacy forum every week asking about how to get out of retail. That should tell you something.

Now come to think of it, the majority of grads will end up in these positions if not unemployed.

 

[KennethCool]

I graduated in June of 2017 and still don't have a job. I'd estimate 10%-15% unemployment for those in my graduating class. This will obviously vary depending on the region., but the trend is for less pay and fewer open positions.

 

[deleted727644]

I graduated in June of 2017 and still don't have a job. I'd estimate 10%-15% unemployment for those in my graduating class. This will obviously vary depending on the region., but the trend is for less pay and fewer open positions.

Where did you graduate from?