Finish PhD or leave with MS for PharmD?

[arnette]

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Hello...

This is a loaded question but I wanted some random comments on what people thought. I'm in a PhD program for clinical microbiology in the UK with 2 years left to graduate. I'm 28 yrs old and the program is paid for (with stipend to live off of). I have become very disinterested in my studies and of living abroad and I'm toying with the idea of leaving this March with a Masters degree, work while applying to Pharmacy programs back home, and entering Pharm school. I'm not a shoe-in but I'm fairly optimistic I could pass admissions (I have decent grades from high school/college and I have several publications and prior clinical trials and lab experience).

My job options after graduating as a PhD are not spectacular; I would probably either enter clinical trials (which would cap my advancement since I lack an MD) or some sort of business track in pharmaceuticals or biotech. Pharmacy interests me as the pay is very attractive and the lifestyle is more to my taste. I'm not a 'business/salesman' by any means.

Anyone have any gut instincts on whether or not ditching my PhD program would be worth it if I left with a Masters? Keep in mind I'm 28 and I don't want to be in school forever so a PhD/PharmD isn't really to my liking. Thanks!

 

[DHG]

A PhD in clinical microbiology + a PharmD would make you a very unique individual... You could teach, work for a Pharma company, or just be a pharmacist.. but your options would be wide open.

I'm 28 (will be 29 in Feb) and I start Pharm scool this fall... I was considering doing a combined PhD/PharmD program, which would pay for my tuition but it would take 6 years instead of 4. I still haven't decided yet.

 

[ButlerPharm.D.]

One of my fellow students left a Ph.D. Chemistry program when he realized it wasn't for him. Do what you feel is right for you!

 

[Sosumi]

One of my best friends got her master's in clinical microbiology in the UK. She decided to end there and go to pharmacy school because she wasn't as interested in research anymore. It really depends on what you want to do with your life. Do you want to do research and/or academia? Then the Ph.D. would help.

 

[Moxxie]

You sound like you're in a very similar situation to what I was in a little over a year ago. I was 2 1/2 years into a PhD program in Molecular Biology (more specifically, comparative biology of aging) when I realized that a PhD and all its trappings just wasn't for me. Since then I've left grad school and worked full time as a research assistant in another lab.

It was a really, really tough decision to leave grad school - I was leaving one set track for the possibility of another. There also were lots of family pressures for me to stay in the PhD program. I was the top student in my year, so many of my professors also pushed for me to stay. But overall, I realized that I just wasn't happy and that I couldn't be miserable forever. I'm very glad that I made the decision to leave, but it hasn't been the easiest road. Because I'm not in school, it has been tough to get good information on pharmacy schools (no pre-health advisor), and I've had to make all my own pharmacy contacts.

If you do decide to leave your program, be sure that you come out of it with at least a master's. I couldn't get one (there was no terminal master's degree in my program), and I still kick myself every once in a while. With your experience in clinical microbiology you'll be different than the average applicant, so you will probably have the edge there.

Whatever you decide, be sure that it is a decision that you can be happy with!

 

[usi]

I feel for you, because is not easy to make a decision of changing careers, but you are staying within the health profesion, and a lot of what you know is going to give you an edge in school, and in the workplace.
Ask yourself, (sounds like you already have...) do I want to do this for the rest of my life?
Then,
Do what feels right, and I promise the hardest part is the decision to do it.
Don't listen to teachers. If you are top of the class, you will be top at whaterver you decide to do!
Don't burn bridges. Scientific types get ofended if you leave to what is consider a lesser intellectual profesional track. I don't know why. Misconceptions I am guessing...
Good Luck!

 

[arnette]

You sound like you're in a very similar situation to what I was in a little over a year ago. I was 2 1/2 years into a PhD program in Molecular Biology (more specifically, comparative biology of aging) when I realized that a PhD and all its trappings just wasn't for me. Since then I've left grad school and worked full time as a research assistant in another lab.

It was a really, really tough decision to leave grad school - I was leaving one set track for the possibility of another. There also were lots of family pressures for me to stay in the PhD program. I was the top student in my year, so many of my professors also pushed for me to stay. But overall, I realized that I just wasn't happy and that I couldn't be miserable forever. I'm very glad that I made the decision to leave, but it hasn't been the easiest road. Because I'm not in school, it has been tough to get good information on pharmacy schools (no pre-health advisor), and I've had to make all my own pharmacy contacts.

If you do decide to leave your program, be sure that you come out of it with at least a master's. I couldn't get one (there was no terminal master's degree in my program), and I still kick myself every once in a while. With your experience in clinical microbiology you'll be different than the average applicant, so you will probably have the edge there.

Whatever you decide, be sure that it is a decision that you can be happy with!

Wow, thanks for the insight. I was seriously beginning to believe I was crazy for thinking of leaving my program. I'm still a bit undecided, perhaps hanging on for another 2 years won't be the end of me but I made an outside contact who I will be talking to for career advice in the next week. I'm holding off any decisions until then and trying to stay clear-headed in the meantime. I want it to be a 'pure' decision, if you know what I mean and not influenced by supervisors, family or whomever else. It's a toughy but I want to WANT to be in my field, know what I mean?