Feeling so lost and scared. Really need some encouragement.

[egyptianmau121]

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[PharmtoCS]

Have you looked at computer science? It requires less contact with people (good for those with social anxiety), much less student loans, less stress, less personal risk ($200k loans and medication errors), and less education. It also pays much more (in take-home pay and even gross pay), is in very high demand, and is growing rapidly. Did I mention less student loans?

If you are going into pharmacy because of parental pressure, I would show them the BLS data for software developers (22% growth expected) vs pharmacists (14% growth expected).

Software developers:
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm

Pharmacists:
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacists.htm

 

[ApproxInfinite]

I chose pharmacy since I saw it would fit my personality-introverted by nature, nervous when having to interact with many people, like putting things in order.

You are totally wrong here if you think you wont have people-to-people interaction as a pharmacist. A pharmacist is a bridge between patients and doctors, nurses, insurance companies etc., depending on which career path you decide to take as a pharmacist. If you do some research on the problems facing pharmacy, you will see that one of the problem is technology, essentially, the duties of a pharmacist (lets say retail), being replaced by automated dispensers, computerized systems etc.
So basically, the roles of a pharmacist are expanding to accommodate these changes, mainly, being more involved in the community...(interaction with people), education, immunization...

Unless you are willing to take some therapy classes to overcome your social anxiety, you will have a hard time even getting into school. How are you going to do the interview for the school? How are you going to interview for your future employer? All these are very important, and one of the most important skills a pharmacist should possess is communication skills.

How did you take speech/communication class? I know that 99% of pharmacy school require a speech class because it is just that important.

I would like to suggest being a chemist rather than a pharmacist...but
If you really want to pursue a career as a pharmacist, you just need to practice your communication skills. Start volunteer work, replace any C's with A's.

It's great that you acknowledge your problem, now you just need to work on improving yourself.

You can do it ^^ !!

 

[egyptianmau121]

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[IDontHateYou]

Social Anxiety can be fixed. You just have to place yourself out of your comfort zone and overtime you will get use to talking to people and get less nervous talking to people. If you always avoid people, then you're going to make your problem worst. Throw yourself into the fire. Go take a speech class for the hell of it. Practice talking to complete stranger. You can fix that, all it needs is practice.

 

[OldBat]

Social Anxiety can be fixed. You just have to place yourself out of your comfort zone and overtime you will get use to talking to people and get less nervous talking to people. If you always avoid people, then you're going to make your problem worst. Throw yourself into the fire. Go take a speech class for the hell of it. Practice talking to complete stranger. You can fix that, all it needs is practice.

Taking a Speech class is an excellent suggestion since its a required course for admission at some Pharmacy schools.
Find a group or club dealing with something you are interested in learning about or just enjoy. IDHU is correct you need to start talking to people. If your Social Anxiety is bad they have medication for it. I would not use it as permanent fix but just until get comfortable around others.

 

[OldBat]

I've been lurking around these boards for over a year or so but never post since a lot of people here can be well...yeah lol. But now I'm finally posting since I'm almost at my breaking point. I'm looking for some advice and support here so please try to be understanding. I prefer posts from anyone who's having/has been in a similar situation.

First of all, I'm a senior in college on the pre-pharmacy track. I chose pharmacy since I saw it would fit my personality-introverted by nature, nervous when having to interact with many people, like putting things in order. On top of that I like learning about all the different diseases and how drugs interact with them...all that good stuff. I'm aware that it's getting harder to find a job as a pharmacist because of so many pharmacy school grads in the market. The fact that I'm taking such a huge risk taking out 200K in loans with the possibility of not getting a job after graduation really scares me, so now I'm having serious doubts about pharmacy. But my parents still won't listen and they freak out whenever I tell them this. They still believe the job market is wonderful because of the BLS data and the income, ugh. I still haven't taken the PCAT or started on my pharmacy school applications because I feel that my lack of pharmacy experience would prevent me from getting in.

I started looking into PA and thought that would be an awesome profession. One-on-one patient interaction, 8-5 job (depending on field), more economical, less time. But the problem is my GPA is a 3.06 so I have no chances of getting accepted to any other health professional schools, which leaves only pharmacy school for me.

So now you're probably wondering why I haven't worked as a pharmacy tech/shadowed a pharmacist or PA. Thing is, I have bad social anxiety. I've always had a problem talking to authority figures and strangers (professors, managers, etc.) Whenever I have to go talk to a professor, my nervousness is so obvious that my voice starts shaking and I act odd, one of my professors even kept asking me if "I was okay." And whenever I get nervous I can't pay attention to what others are saying, which irritates them even more later on. I feel so embarrassed that I even have this problem. I see others being able to talk to their professors and other people so freely and I'm always sitting in the corner not being able to say anything. How can I get a job, apply to these schools and work as a health professional when I get nervous talking to people? Because of all this I can't even think of getting my applications ready. I feel like I'm just way too socially and developmentally behind everyone else my age and it makes me feel like absolute crap. Honestly, my social anxiety is what's really hindering me from being successful. I'm always scared of the way I talk/act is going to piss others off. I really wanted to talk to my professors to see how I can bring my grades up, but like an idiot I let my fear rule me.

I also have a horrible fear of not checking my grades for the longest time. I still have not checked my grades from the fall semester simply because I'm so scared I did really bad. Heck, I didn't even check my spring 2014 grades because of the same fear. I'm also so incredibly scared if I lost my scholarship so I can't even bring myself to check my school e-mail. I know this sounds so stupid to you guys but this has really been stressing me out. On top of that, I still need to register for 2 more classes for the spring semester.

I don't what is going on with me. Basically, I get SO anxious over all my responsibilities/fears that I keep avoiding them until I'm forced to face them. I'm already a senior and I still don't have any healthcare experience, I just started volunteering in the emergency department at a hospital several months ago (I pretty much just escort patients to their waiting rooms, so it's very low stress).

Although I have this stupid anxiety and my grades are low, I can't see myself working anywhere else except the healthcare field. I'd honestly be even more depressed if I had to change my career path. I've just been doubting my abilities a lot.
So what should I do? Should I retake some of my science classes and get A's in them? and then wait till Fall 2015 to graduate? Start shadowing some PAs? I still want to work as a pharmacy tech for a few months just to get a feel of the pharmacy job.

I feel like I've messed up too much and I'm just digging myself into a deeper hole. I feel so hopeless right now



God Bless you if you read all this!

I think you should your grades before you do anything else.

 

[fewaopi]

Why are so many prepharmers starting to think pharmacy is a field where they don't have to talk to people? As ApproxInfinite said, too many think who they can escape people-to-people interaction or believe pharmacy is for introverts are confused. In retail, you will confront customers. In hospitals, managed care, industry, there will be meetings, where you may even have to present, almost every field requires interaction with someone in some way. Some people are starting to think pharmacy is a profession where you can lock yourself up, not deal with anyone (no customers, no coworkers or gossip, no overbearing boss). This is totally totally wrong. If the decision to do pharmacy is based off this, you're making a big mistake. Even in school on rotations, you will be asked to present 100%, say something about the patient in front of peers. Basically you can't run away buddy. YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY! The jobs that may not require or see a lot of interaction likely won't have good business or those jobs (infusion/LTC/mail order) are few and far between and limiting yourself to jobs where you don't have to talk to anyone or deal with people will give you a real hard time finding work. That type of work is in the minority and I won't go into job market, there's enough talk here about that already you know the deal.

That said, in regards to social anxiety, you're not the only one with this problem. Heck we all experience it in someway and I can relate though not to the same degree as you're describing. One way to think about it is to ask yourself, "do I think about how other people behave, what they say, how they say, how they dress, etc?" No you honestly don't. You don't think or remember people in your life that are just passing by. Your opinion of them has no effect on what you do because they aren't involved in your life in the big picture. Are people going to remember what you say or do even a day, week, month, year from now? Are customers, patients going to be going home and mutter man that guy egyptianmau121 guy really pissed me off or irritated me? Are they going to spend their whole lives acting based off YOU and 20-30 years later saying man that egyptianmau121, what a weird guy? Probably not cause honestly everyone has their own concerns their own lives and will be pissed at someone else before you know it, you are NOT important buddy for people to remember you or for you to be embarrassed about. And say they hold a grudge, should you honestly care? You do your job the best you can, who cares how they feel? Are you going to feel bad for that customer that gave you a hard time and made you feel bad? You going to moan and dread over it or do you have other things to worry about and care for like family, friends, etc? In the end you'll forget about it without realizing it and they won't be on your mind anymore cause you have other problems to handle like taking care of your grades. Other people too, even if they don't think highly of you, it's not going to impact your life in anyway, unless it's a job interview but for everyday life, it isnt something to worry about.

Don't take anything personally. Nothing others do is because of you. No one goes in life based off what you say/how you say/or do. Don't be afraid to post, we don't bite 😉. It's flattering you're thinking about us but really doesn't matter what we say about you personally, it's good you came and asked. Especially online don't be afraid, no one knows who you are or ever will.

(it does matter though what we say about the job market 😉, but you need to do your own research too, ask others, ask a lot of pharmacists, especially recent grads if you're not convinced here. if you really sit down and become an amazing student who will make a good pharmacist wherever you go and not like others who just say it and don't mean it or overestimate themselves and feel it's easy to make 6 figures, then you'll be in a good position)

I echo what others say, speech classes, maybe a therapist, (doesn't mean you're broken or something is wrong w/you you arent alone) or even better find other people who are also suffering social anxiety, talk to each other about it.

 

[egyptianmau121]

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[littleowl]

My husband suffered from a level of social anxiety pretty similar to what you described above. He was painfully uncomfortable speaking to those around him out of fear that he would somehow be shunned or self-implode. However, he worked in a VERY busy outpatient pharmacy. I was curious to know exactly how he coped with interacting with strangers all day long and he said this:

"I put on my 'nice guy' mask when I walk in the door. I don't really think about it after that because the people that I talk to on the phone or fill prescriptions for will never know me. They can't pick me out of a police lineup so I don't really care."

For the record, he is now a thriving pharmacist. While his ability to interact with people on a more personal level is slowly improving, he has absolutely no problems dealing with the public. I hope this helped you. Feel free to PM me if I can assist in any way.

 

[IDontHateYou]

Why are so many prepharmers starting to think pharmacy is a field where they don't have to talk to people? As ApproxInfinite said, too many think who they can escape people-to-people interaction or believe pharmacy is for introverts are confused. In retail, you will confront customers. In hospitals, managed care, industry, there will be meetings, where you may even have to present, almost every field requires interaction with someone in some way. Some people are starting to think pharmacy is a profession where you can lock yourself up, not deal with anyone (no customers, no coworkers or gossip, no overbearing boss). This is totally totally wrong. If the decision to do pharmacy is based off this, you're making a big mistake. Even in school on rotations, you will be asked to present 100%, say something about the patient in front of peers. Basically you can't run away buddy. YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY! The jobs that may not require or see a lot of interaction likely won't have good business or those jobs (infusion/LTC/mail order) are few and far between and limiting yourself to jobs where you don't have to talk to anyone or deal with people will give you a real hard time finding work. That type of work is in the minority and I won't go into job market, there's enough talk here about that already you know the deal.

That said, in regards to social anxiety, you're not the only one with this problem. Heck we all experience it in someway and I can relate though not to the same degree as you're describing. One way to think about it is to ask yourself, "do I think about how other people behave, what they say, how they say, how they dress, etc?" No you honestly don't. You don't think or remember people in your life that are just passing by. Your opinion of them has no effect on what you do because they aren't involved in your life in the big picture. Are people going to remember what you say or do even a day, week, month, year from now? Are customers, patients going to be going home and mutter man that guy egyptianmau121 guy really pissed me off or irritated me? Are they going to spend their whole lives acting based off YOU and 20-30 years later saying man that egyptianmau121, what a weird guy? Probably not cause honestly everyone has their own concerns their own lives and will be pissed at someone else before you know it, you are NOT important buddy for people to remember you or for you to be embarrassed about. And say they hold a grudge, should you honestly care? You do your job the best you can, who cares how they feel? Are you going to feel bad for that customer that gave you a hard time and made you feel bad? You going to moan and dread over it or do you have other things to worry about and care for like family, friends, etc? In the end you'll forget about it without realizing it and they won't be on your mind anymore cause you have other problems to handle like taking care of your grades. Other people too, even if they don't think highly of you, it's not going to impact your life in anyway, unless it's a job interview but for everyday life, it isnt something to worry about.

Don't take anything personally. Nothing others do is because of you. No one goes in life based off what you say/how you say/or do. Don't be afraid to post, we don't bite 😉. It's flattering you're thinking about us but really doesn't matter what we say about you personally, it's good you came and asked. Especially online don't be afraid, no one knows who you are or ever will.

(it does matter though what we say about the job market 😉, but you need to do your own research too, ask others, ask a lot of pharmacists, especially recent grads if you're not convinced here. if you really sit down and become an amazing student who will make a good pharmacist wherever you go and not like others who just say it and don't mean it or overestimate themselves and feel it's easy to make 6 figures, then you'll be in a good position)

I echo what others say, speech classes, maybe a therapist, (doesn't mean you're broken or something is wrong w/you you arent alone) or even better find other people who are also suffering social anxiety, talk to each other about it.

I don't have any social anxiety and I'm pretty comfortable around people (although I do get nervous in interviews and having to present to classrooms) but your post resonated with me nonetheless. You are so right.... many times as humans we put too much pressure on ourselves not realizing that people are not being as critical of us as we think.

Great post.

 

[spotliter]

This is your life - if you want to be a pharmacist, you should start to study PCAT.

 

[PlasticBag]

I'm from a pre-med forum but I read your post and wanted to encourage you to see a therapist. It seems like your social anxiety is getting in the way of your dreams and academic performance and even affects your daily life. There is no need to suffer like this! There are effective treatments that will help you manage your anxiety. Embarking on a professional healthcare career is already hard as it is! Why not get some help?

 

[egyptianmau121]

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[Rxgriz]

New to sdn just wondering if anyone would be able to tell me my chances of getting into pharm school.

I go to a fairly prestigious D1 college.
GPa:2.57 pre req:2.6 pCat: 78
My school of choice is acphs
I am graduating with a b.s in bio and have LORs from my work at the local health dept and professor. Some minor shadowing exp

Be brutal

 

[Thestrugglez]

Well...I finally checked my grades. They are bad and I'm not happy with them, but at least I passed, so there's a little relief from that

OP there was a point during my undergraduate years when I too feared checking my grades. I was too nervous and ashamed to admit that I had a problem and that I needed help, which resulted in me completely tanking my GPA after junior year. I was never able to bounce back after that during my senior year and it is one of my biggest regrets to this day, since I lost so many opportunities for a better college experience educationally and socially. I had to face my indecisiveness and failures immediately after I graduated in order to make a plan for summer and fall 2014 so that I could matriculate into pharmacy school in fall 2015. I hope you seek the help you need, whether it's through friends or through therapy.

New to sdn just wondering if anyone would be able to tell me my chances of getting into pharm school.

I go to a fairly prestigious D1 college.
GPa:2.57 pre req:2.6 pCat: 78
My school of choice is acphs
I am graduating with a b.s in bio and have LORs from my work at the local health dept and professor. Some minor shadowing exp

Be brutal

0% chance for a top 20 school and less than 10% chance for mid range schools (around rank 50). For recently established programs, I would say at least a 40% chance someone somewhere will take you. Overall, if all you have is those kind of stats and ECs, your application looks bad, but someone somewhere might take you.

 

[egyptianmau121]

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