Has anyone regretted Rx school?

[minoos]

I love the engineer and the computer programming posts. It seems to me that it is just the same philosophy as a pyramid scheme, every one points at the exception to the rule (the person making the most money). What is not pointed out is that for every 1 that makes it big there are 30 who are making the minimum amount in their field. I have 6 or 7 friends with degrees ranging from accounting to engineering and computer programming. They are all struggling to find a job that is in their field and that pays well. Most of the time it takes years and years for people with other degrees to make 80k+ a year. In pharmacy it is the rule rather than the exception. Show me an example of a Pharmacist who is willing to work 40 hours a week and is not being paid 90-100k a year plus all the benefits (i.e. stock purchase, profit sharing, 401k, 3-4 weeks paid vacation.
I would bet that those who are crying about pharmacy would be crying about engineering or computer programming. "The individual makes the work environment not the environment makes the individual" I would hate to be a tech and listen to all the whining by the pharmacist while I worked especially is they make 5 times what I did. If you have bad techs find out what they lack and impose some training to help them improve.

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[sandyliu113]

. I'll be working to set up an HIV medication adherence clinic in Thailand this summer after graduation while I take a leave of absence from retail. After that -- who knows? The future is bright in pharmacy and can be exciting.[/QUOTE]

Wow... that sounds so awesome.. how did you find out about the opportunity to help set up an HIV medication adherence clinic in Thailand and what type of experiences and skill sets were you involved in that helped you qualify for this opportunity?

 

[rxlynn]

This is so very true, and the very reason I chose to switch from engineering to pharmacy.

Yes - my husband is a career software engineer - we got to enjoy a bit of the 90's and we have thankfully gotten through the bust that came after without too many layoffs. Hopefully, he will be able to stay where he is for 3 more years until I get through (he's been with his current employer for about 8 years). But, his instability is one of the big reasons that we decided the investment in pharmacy school was worth it for us. There was a time a few years ago when I kept my pharmacy tech job just in case he got laid off and I had to start providing insurance for the family. Fortunately things have stabilized just a bit since that point.

 

[firefighter9015]

I have never once regretted my decision to enter pharmacy school. Sure there are things that I would rather not learn or that I don't understand why I am learning them. But you never know where life is going to led you next. All of a sudden you might be using that "clinical stuff", and have to relearn it.

 

[Sosumi]

Wow... that sounds so awesome.. how did you find out about the opportunity to help set up an HIV medication adherence clinic in Thailand and what type of experiences and skill sets were you involved in that helped you qualify for this opportunity?

My pharmacology professor has a 14 year relationship with the pharmacy schools in Thailand. He saw a presentation that my preceptor gave at our school and thought it would be a great idea to set up a clinic in Thailand. It would hopefully help as a model for other diseases in third world countries that require strict medication adherence, such as tuberculosis and malaria. I'll get a travel grant, and the pharmacy school over there will set me up with room and board. I'll be teaching the pharmacy students, as well as seeing patients.

All of my rotations helped me feel prepared for for this experience, such as the medication management clinic at the VA hospital and a rotation in infectious diseases at a hospital which was located in the zip code that had the highest rate of HIV infections in Maryland.

However, my preceptor recommended me to my pharmacology professor after I had done a rotation at her community clinic which specialized in treating HIV infected people. I followed the physicians around and saw patients with them, gave them advice on therapeutics, costs, interactions, kinetics, dosages, herbals, adverse reactions, and researched and answered drug information questions. I presented complicated patients to my preceptor and the pharmacy staff which helped me research and understand the different drugs and comorbidities involved in HIV. I also followed the adherence coordinator who is a clinical pharmacist. She educated patients, helped select which antiretrovirals to start patients, what adverse events to expect and how to deal with them, gave strategies on how best to fit the medicines into their daily life, helped fill pillboxes and use other reminders, as well as coordinate other programs at the center to help patients stay on their antiretrovirals.

 

[lord999]

I didn't regret my time in pharmacy school, but sometimes I regret being a pharmacist.

I came from a science school, so I didn't get run through the clinical fantasy that my graduate school does with its PharmD students. I came from a pharmacist family, so I already knew what information was useful, what wasn't, and the patience to close my ears and read when my professors were talking about what wasn't.

My regret with pharmacy are the times when I wished I could do more for the people was helping, but for time, knowledge, and structural deficits. Say what you will about clinical pharmacy, doing it well can be a happy way to spend a lifetime, but not my lifetime. I turned to research and teaching as my personal solution to helping more people. I am not responsible to my students so much as my students' future patients.

For the OP, third year especially sucks. Find something outside pharmacy to do and ride the useless information out. I wish you the best...

 

[sandyliu113]

My pharmacology professor has a 14 year relationship with the pharmacy schools in Thailand. He saw a presentation that my preceptor gave at our school and thought it would be a great idea to set up a clinic in Thailand. It would hopefully help as a model for other diseases in third world countries that require strict medication adherence, such as tuberculosis and malaria. I'll get a travel grant, and the pharmacy school over there will set me up with room and board. I'll be teaching the pharmacy students, as well as seeing patients.

All of my rotations helped me feel prepared for for this experience, such as the medication management clinic at the VA hospital and a rotation in infectious diseases at a hospital which was located in the zip code that had the highest rate of HIV infections in Maryland.

However, my preceptor recommended me to my pharmacology professor after I had done a rotation at her community clinic which specialized in treating HIV infected people. I followed the physicians around and saw patients with them, gave them advice on therapeutics, costs, interactions, kinetics, dosages, herbals, adverse reactions, and researched and answered drug information questions. I presented complicated patients to my preceptor and the pharmacy staff which helped me research and understand the different drugs and comorbidities involved in HIV. I also followed the adherence coordinator who is a clinical pharmacist. She educated patients, helped select which antiretrovirals to start patients, what adverse events to expect and how to deal with them, gave strategies on how best to fit the medicines into their daily life, helped fill pillboxes and use other reminders, as well as coordinate other programs at the center to help patients stay on their antiretrovirals.

Wow.. I am a PY1 and I just think that is so awesome you've been able to maximize your rotations to really give you the experience you've had. I was wondering if you have any pearls of wisdom regarding perspectives or skills to hone in on in the 3 years prior to rotations.

Out of curiosity.. what do you think you'll be doing after you return from this experience? I mean.. work in retail, pursue residency, or more schooling?

 

[starsweet]

Yes - my husband is a career software engineer - we got to enjoy a bit of the 90's and we have thankfully gotten through the bust that came after without too many layoffs. Hopefully, he will be able to stay where he is for 3 more years until I get through (he's been with his current employer for about 8 years). But, his instability is one of the big reasons that we decided the investment in pharmacy school was worth it for us. There was a time a few years ago when I kept my pharmacy tech job just in case he got laid off and I had to start providing insurance for the family. Fortunately things have stabilized just a bit since that point.

My mom decided to become a nurse for the same reason when I was in elementary school since my dad, who is also an engineer, has gone through countless layoffs throughout his career!

 

[OSUpharmy]

To come back to Tiger Lilly's original question, why not just become a great pharmacist AND a great physician? Almost all the pharmacists I know at one time or the other were interested in cardiology. The world is your oyster now that you are finishing pharmacy school. Just go and do all professions at once if you want to.

 

[Sosumi]

Wow.. I am a PY1 and I just think that is so awesome you've been able to maximize your rotations to really give you the experience you've had. I was wondering if you have any pearls of wisdom regarding perspectives or skills to hone in on in the 3 years prior to rotations.

Out of curiosity.. what do you think you'll be doing after you return from this experience? I mean.. work in retail, pursue residency, or more schooling?

1. Try learning as much as possible during your first 3 years of school and thinking of how to apply that knowledge in real world settings -- great if you're also working part time at a pharmacy while attending school. I found that it keeps you interested and motivated to learn during those sometimes grueling or a seemingly pointless class.

2. Organize your notes -- I put all of my modules in therapeutics class from 3rd year in different notebooks for easy look up. For instance, for my psychiatry rotation, I had all of my therapeutics notes in one binder and used that as an important resource for that rotation.

3. Constantly try to read up and look up information that you aren't sure about or are interested in. Be motivated and don't be afraid to say I don't know. Stay up with the literature, evaluate the literature, and hone your drug information research skills. Anticipate what preceptors, pharmacists, physicians, medical students, residents, and other healthcare members want to know and find your niche -- they often don't know as much as you do about topics such as pharmaceutics, costs, and interactions.

4. Make drug tables. I'm a visual learner, and they've helped me get through school and rotations. Most of my classmates love it when I share the tables with them. They're good for studying for exams, cheat sheets during rotations, and reviewing for NAPLEX.

Right now, I've signed with a chain community pharmacy who will give me a leave of absence to work in Thailand. After that, I plan on staying in retail for personal and financial reasons since I still enjoy retail (I love talking to patients). However, my true passion is oncology so eventually I'll go back and do a residency.

If you have any further questions, feel free to PM me.

 

[Hpower12]

I understand what you are saying, I currently have a rotation at the VA and it is exactly like school. The pharmacists can prescribe, patients come in and sit down and we go through their medication history, family history, side effects they are experiencing, what there goals are, whatever and come up with the best medication for them. Then after they leave they have a pretty bad ass computer system the pharmacist writes up a soape note on the patient as does everyone who sees the patient, docs, nurse practitioners, whoever and you can see all there notes at a click of the mouse. I just think it sucks that to get that type of job you have to work for the VA. I have met one other guy who has a job like that but not with the va, he basically told me you have to make it how you want it. If you want the docs to listen to you then go talk to them.

 

[davidgayz]

I understand what you are saying, I currently have a rotation at the VA and it is exactly like school. The pharmacists can prescribe, patients come in and sit down and we go through their medication history, family history, side effects they are experiencing, what there goals are, whatever and come up with the best medication for them. Then after they leave they have a pretty bad ass computer system the pharmacist writes up a soape note on the patient as does everyone who sees the patient, docs, nurse practitioners, whoever and you can see all there notes at a click of the mouse. I just think it sucks that to get that type of job you have to work for the VA. I have met one other guy who has a job like that but not with the va, he basically told me you have to make it how you want it. If you want the docs to listen to you then go talk to them.

Hpower12, what VA location are you at? I'm basically doing the same thing right but was wondering if this was standard practice for the VAMC's or just some.

 

[davidgayz]

I understand what you are saying, I currently have a rotation at the VA and it is exactly like school. The pharmacists can prescribe, patients come in and sit down and we go through their medication history, family history, side effects they are experiencing, what there goals are, whatever and come up with the best medication for them. Then after they leave they have a pretty bad ass computer system the pharmacist writes up a soape note on the patient as does everyone who sees the patient, docs, nurse practitioners, whoever and you can see all there notes at a click of the mouse. I just think it sucks that to get that type of job you have to work for the VA. I have met one other guy who has a job like that but not with the va, he basically told me you have to make it how you want it. If you want the docs to listen to you then go talk to them.

Hpower12, what VA location are you at? I'm basically doing the same thing right now but was wondering if this was standard practice for the VAMC's or just some.

 

[freshbeatschris]

God Bless. A little hope. I wanted to be a critical care pharmacist up until I got my grades last quarter and now I can't seem to care about ANYTHING. I swear, I want to quit every single day, but then what would I do?

It helped me to hear you say that it got better for you when you got out of the classroom and applied your knowledge in a clinical setting. Thanks for the comment.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

God Bless. A little hope. I wanted to be a critical care pharmacist up until I got my grades last quarter and now I can't seem to care about ANYTHING. I swear, I want to quit every single day, but then what would I do?

It helped me to hear you say that it got better for you when you got out of the classroom and applied your knowledge in a clinical setting. Thanks for the comment.

Awww, I feel that way everyday too. My hubby won't let me quit though. He's looking out for me. I know that someday it will be worth it.

I'm working at the VA this summer. Kinda looking forward to that.

 

[freshbeatschris]

It's good to hear you are still doing well. I remember you from before I started pharm school and was on here everyday. I haven't gone to SDN in probably a year or so now.

Good for you for having a summer job lined up. I'm getting nervous about what I'm going to do, but I absolutely refuse to do retail ever again.

That's a nice rock you have there as your avatar. Is that yours? I got engaged this recently and now have to add planning a wedding on top of succeeding at pharmacy school. oi.

Chris

 

[All4MyDaughter]

It's good to hear you are still doing well. I remember you from before I started pharm school and was on here everyday. I haven't gone to SDN in probably a year or so now.

Good for you for having a summer job lined up. I'm getting nervous about what I'm going to do, but I absolutely refuse to do retail ever again.

That's a nice rock you have there as your avatar. Is that yours? I got engaged this recently and now have to add planning a wedding on top of succeeding at pharmacy school. oi.

Chris

Welcome back! It's not specifically my diamond, although my diamond does look like that. I might have a picture of mine somewhere. Planning a wedding! Stressful...my wedding was very simple. I liked it a lot. Going on six years with the hubby. Ten years for the relationship in general. Congrats on your engagement.

ETA: now it's my diamond. At least temporarily.

 

[that1guy]

I find a hard time believing this thread.

We are all lucky enough to have been born in the 21st century, in the United States of America, into families that either could afford college or that were stable enough to make college a possibility...

We were all lucky enough to have lived our lives this far without suffering some fatal or debilitating accident or some life-changing illness...

And on top of all that luck, we are all soon to be working a job that asks for only around forty hours a week from your life and in return puts you in the top salary range in this country (one of the wealthiest countries in the world!)...

And yet we still find ways to make ourselves feel miserable.

Come on, open your eyes people. Look outside your narrow circle of life. Think about the kids being murdered in Sudan, the "untouchables" living on the streets in India, the poor Vietnamese children who were born with birth defects from agent orange. You want to bitch about not being able to find a hospital job? Why don't you visit the cancer wards of those hospitals and talk to some of the people there. Go ask some kid with terminal cancer if they think you would be happier as a doctor or a pharmacist.

Please, please, please, please get some perspective.

If you're unhappy with your life, fix it. You want to quit school, quit. Every second you have in your gilded life as a healthy, educated American is a gift, and although you can do whatever you want to do with that gift, you really shouldn't waste it on self-absorbed whining.

My two cents. (Actually, more like four.)

 

[Rumplestiltazepam]

boo to above post, I do not even want to get started why I hate posts like that.

My two cents is that I have as might right to regret as any other person, I did not choose what country I would be born in or decide to not have cancer so why should I have any less right to regret/complain.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

boo to above post, I do not even want to get started why I hate posts like that.

My two cents is that I have as might right to regret as any other person, I did not choose what country I would be born in or decide to not have cancer so why should I have any less right to regret/complain.

I agree with you completely. I have been fortunate enough to have in my life several (ok...like 100) friends who are refugees from the Sudan. So I am familiar with what they went through and the trauma and difficulty of their lives. My adopted brother's wife is right now in a refugee camp in Kenya (Kakuma). For one week he did not know if she was alive because bandits attacked the camp and he could not reach her (she's ok). Another adopted brother (Rwandese) spent his youth living away from his family because of the civil war. Another Rwandese brother's father is in jail for participating in the massacre of Tutsi's in the civil war.

Nonetheless, I do not believe any of my brothers would tell me that I am not entitled to feel sad, stressed, or depressed. They have all told me in many ways how lucky I am to be born here, and how lucky they personally feel to be here now, but I know that they would say that every person, regardless of circumstances has a right to their emotions, positive and negative about life.

And, they all state that life in the United States is extremely stressful, for many different reasons. Perhaps even more stressful at times than the lives they left behind.

 

[konkan]

I find a hard time believing this thread.

We are all lucky enough to have been born in the 21st century, in the United States of America, into families that either could afford college or that were stable enough to make college a possibility...

We were all lucky enough to have lived our lives this far without suffering some fatal or debilitating accident or some life-changing illness...

And on top of all that luck, we are all soon to be working a job that asks for only around forty hours a week from your life and in return puts you in the top salary range in this country (one of the wealthiest countries in the world!)...

And yet we still find ways to make ourselves feel miserable.

Come on, open your eyes people. Look outside your narrow circle of life. Think about the kids being murdered in Sudan, the "untouchables" living on the streets in India, the poor Vietnamese children who were born with birth defects from agent orange. You want to bitch about not being able to find a hospital job? Why don't you visit the cancer wards of those hospitals and talk to some of the people there. Go ask some kid with terminal cancer if they think you would be happier as a doctor or a pharmacist.

Please, please, please, please get some perspective.

If you're unhappy with your life, fix it. You want to quit school, quit. Every second you have in your gilded life as a healthy, educated American is a gift, and although you can do whatever you want to do with that gift, you really shouldn't waste it on self-absorbed whining.

My two cents. (Actually, more like four.)

I think you would make a better pastor, than a pharmacist

 

[djquiksilver]

This is so very true, and the very reason I chose to switch from engineering to pharmacy.

Wow, I'm glad I found someonelike myself. Good on you!!! My engineering friends kept on saying I'm wasting my time pursuing another degree all over again whilst I could be making big bucks like him but I think it's worth it in the end. Anyone else or any former engineers feel the same?

 

[starsweet]

Wow, I'm glad I found someonelike myself. Good on you!!! My engineering friends kept on saying I'm wasting my time pursuing another degree all over again whilst I could be making big bucks like him but I think it's worth it in the end. Anyone else or any former engineers feel the same?

Trust me, once you actually start P1, you'll realize you made the right decision. I was unsure like yourself at first, especially since I experienced the same thing - my friends all advised against going back and they are all at the stage in their lives where they are buying houses and settling down which made me feel even more unsure, but once I started school, I just knew I had made the right decision. Good luck!

 

[Trancelucent1]

It was this or Med school. If I ever had doubts in school (which I haven't) my mind has been at ease ever since I started rounding with Physicians a few weeks ago. I've been following a pretty young physician (in his 30's) and he told me he would've gone to pharmacy if he could go back now. I NEVER would want to be a physician now after seeing them filling out their ridiculous code cards which gets them paid and all the other BS they deal with. Furthermore I would NOT want to touch patients or look at all their nasty sores and cuts. The only other thing I would have liked to do is surgery. I really enjoy watching them but I don't have a steady hand. Overall, I am reminded on a daily basis that I made the right decision for me.

 

[that1guy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-pity

You have the right to feel whatever you want. The question is, should you indulge that right?

Your friends from the Sudan (the lucky one who survived) might tell you it's okay to feel sorry about being 'stuck' with a $90,000 a year job here in the 'stressful' US.

The dead ones, if they could talk, would be less understanding.

Hate my opinion if you want, but there's some truth in it. Those of you who are bitching about pharmacy are bitching about nothing.

But then again, one thing I've learned about whiners over the years is that they never stop whining. Misery loves company.

 

[Rumplestiltazepam]

90,000 is whining about nothing huh? So where is okay to start whining, 50k or is it 25k? Or maybe I have to be missing an arm or leg to whine? Wait no can't whine about that either, I have 2 arms and 2 legs, losing one is nothing to whine about it. This thread is not about whining, this thread is addressing aspects of pharmacy school that people do not like or realizations they came upon in pharmacy school.
You are right, I think your opinion is dumb personally. Also I think it is funny that are are WHINING about whiners. haha

 

[bigdogc]

we as humans have evolved to be competitive by nature. to say we should back down because we have everything we need (food, money, luxuries, etc.) is true, but at the same time keep in mind that wanting to compete for the best lifestyle is something that is built into our bodies and controls some parts of thought process.

 

[that1guy]

Hey slingy, thanks for asking my opinion.

Personally, I say we shouldn't be whining, period. We should shut up, work hard, and enjoy our lives. If there are things within the field that we think should be done differently, we should do what we can to make the changes happen.

What bothers me about this thread is that it seems less about the changes we'd like to make within the profession and more about wether or not medicine/computers/whatever would have been a better career. As someone committed to pharmacy, I find this insulting. As a human being, I find complaints of this type self-absorbed.

Now slingy, old buddy, I know it's not your fault you weren't born into less fortunate circumstances. And I know you really want to bitch and moan as you please. But remember, you're gonna be a practicing pharmacist one day. And when that day comes, I hope you will take time out of your pity fest to realize that it's not all about slingy anymore. It's about slingy's patients.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Let's keep the discussion civil, please.

 

[Glowwyrm]

I find a hard time believing this thread.

We are all lucky enough to have been born in the 21st century, in the United States of America, into families that either could afford college or that were stable enough to make college a possibility...

We were all lucky enough to have lived our lives this far without suffering some fatal or debilitating accident or some life-changing illness...

And on top of all that luck, we are all soon to be working a job that asks for only around forty hours a week from your life and in return puts you in the top salary range in this country (one of the wealthiest countries in the world!)...

And yet we still find ways to make ourselves feel miserable.

Come on, open your eyes people. Look outside your narrow circle of life. Think about the kids being murdered in Sudan, the "untouchables" living on the streets in India, the poor Vietnamese children who were born with birth defects from agent orange. You want to bitch about not being able to find a hospital job? Why don't you visit the cancer wards of those hospitals and talk to some of the people there. Go ask some kid with terminal cancer if they think you would be happier as a doctor or a pharmacist.

Please, please, please, please get some perspective.

If you're unhappy with your life, fix it. You want to quit school, quit. Every second you have in your gilded life as a healthy, educated American is a gift, and although you can do whatever you want to do with that gift, you really shouldn't waste it on self-absorbed whining.

My two cents. (Actually, more like four.)

soooooo true!

 

[Rumplestiltazepam]

Expressing unsatisfaction and finding others with similar feelings is actually a great way to start the process of change, so maybe we should not shutup and like you should do what we can to make changes. Honestly this is a anonymous public forum and if people on here want to discuss why a certain computer system is bad or management at a certain retail is more picky than another, that is information many people may want to know or at least find interesting to read. There are a lot of threads that I see and think are dumb but I do not go around telling all these threads that they are selfish and should be ou working a blood bank or collected canned food instead of wasting time online.

Hey slingy, thanks for asking my opinion.

Personally, I say we shouldn't be whining, period. We should shut up, work hard, and enjoy our lives. If there are things within the field that we think should be done differently, we should do what we can to make the changes happen.

What bothers me about this thread is that it seems less about the changes we'd like to make within the profession and more about wether or not medicine/computers/whatever would have been a better career. As someone committed to pharmacy, I find this insulting. As a human being, I find complaints of this type self-absorbed.

Now slingy, old buddy, I know it's not your fault you weren't born into less fortunate circumstances. And I know you really want to bitch and moan as you please.
Maybe, you should check the thread for my posts because looks to me that I was not whining or complaining about anything, instead I was saying how excited I was to start pharmacy and hope I can keep my enthusiam. I do need to shutup and stop whining huh? Where exactly is the pityfest, you are committed to pharmacy as you stated so maybe you can help me find it.

But remember, you're gonna be a practicing pharmacist one day. And when that day comes, I hope you will take time out of your pity fest to realize that it's not all about slingy anymore. It's about slingy's patients.

Again, where is the pityfest? haha. I am 21, starting pharmacy school in the Fall, love my job working with new people everyday and live in Oregon, where is the pityfest? Trying to put people down is more effective when you read their posts so you can make remarks that reflect the post, then it hits harder or at least makes sense, lol.
I guess we have derailed this thread but hopfeully it will get back on track for people who want to talk about things they find negative about pharmacy school, because there is no other way to make change. Words to Action. I admit too many people complain about worthless crap but they have every right to make the complaints even if I think it is stupid.

that1guy, One day you might be a practicing pharmacist or maybe you already are, you will be listening to a lot of whining, some of the whining will be about stupid stuff you have no control over, so learn to deal with some of it.
All4mydaughter-kept it civil..

 

[Sulilina]

I just wanted to drop in a little comment after reading this entire thread and perusing the boards (this forum is so incredibly helpful). I'm just a prepharmacy student working at the local Walgreen's pharmacy and doing my behalf of research. (I changed over from an Economic-finance degree that I was pursuing in Boston.)

So take my word for what you will, but I've stopped thinking by the phrase, "The grass is always greener on the otherside" because in reality, the grass is not greener on the other side; it's greenest where you water it the most. I think Sosumi gives a perfect example with his planned career path.

Thank you, Sosumi, for sharing that and giving me the motivation and encouragement to keep truckin, even though I have 5 more years of school ahead of me in a field I never thought I could do.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

All4mydaughter-kept it civil..

You did good!

 

[Zyvox]

I find a hard time believing this thread.

We are all lucky enough to have been born in the 21st century, in the United States of America, into families that either could afford college or that were stable enough to make college a possibility...

We were all lucky enough to have lived our lives this far without suffering some fatal or debilitating accident or some life-changing illness...

And on top of all that luck, we are all soon to be working a job that asks for only around forty hours a week from your life and in return puts you in the top salary range in this country (one of the wealthiest countries in the world!)...

And yet we still find ways to make ourselves feel miserable.

Come on, open your eyes people. Look outside your narrow circle of life. Think about the kids being murdered in Sudan, the "untouchables" living on the streets in India, the poor Vietnamese children who were born with birth defects from agent orange. You want to bitch about not being able to find a hospital job? Why don't you visit the cancer wards of those hospitals and talk to some of the people there. Go ask some kid with terminal cancer if they think you would be happier as a doctor or a pharmacist.

Please, please, please, please get some perspective.

If you're unhappy with your life, fix it. You want to quit school, quit. Every second you have in your gilded life as a healthy, educated American is a gift, and although you can do whatever you want to do with that gift, you really shouldn't waste it on self-absorbed whining.

My two cents. (Actually, more like four.)

Well spoken.

 

[Glowwyrm]

the grass is not greener on the other side; it's greenest where you water it the most.

I love that quote. That is definitely the case with a lot of things in life.

 

[piyi]

I find a hard time believing this thread.

We are all lucky enough to have been born in the 21st century, in the United States of America, into families that either could afford college or that were stable enough to make college a possibility...

We were all lucky enough to have lived our lives this far without suffering some fatal or debilitating accident or some life-changing illness...

And on top of all that luck, we are all soon to be working a job that asks for only around forty hours a week from your life and in return puts you in the top salary range in this country (one of the wealthiest countries in the world!)...

And yet we still find ways to make ourselves feel miserable.

Come on, open your eyes people. Look outside your narrow circle of life. Think about the kids being murdered in Sudan, the "untouchables" living on the streets in India, the poor Vietnamese children who were born with birth defects from agent orange. You want to bitch about not being able to find a hospital job? Why don't you visit the cancer wards of those hospitals and talk to some of the people there. Go ask some kid with terminal cancer if they think you would be happier as a doctor or a pharmacist.

Please, please, please, please get some perspective.

If you're unhappy with your life, fix it. You want to quit school, quit. Every second you have in your gilded life as a healthy, educated American is a gift, and although you can do whatever you want to do with that gift, you really shouldn't waste it on self-absorbed whining.

My two cents. (Actually, more like four.)

I agree with your post. Someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer or who has just become paralyzed, blind, etc will agree with your post too. Many people take things for granted. They do not realize what they have until it is taken away. Maybe you did not choose to be born in America, but you should be fortunate that you were (if you're in the poor/middle class). I do not mean any disrespect to other countries, but I truly believe that America is the best place for the poor and middle classes. If you're wealthy, you can live anywhere; but if you're not, you're going to have a tough time in many other countries.

 

[davyjone96431]

I just got into pharmacy school and it's very interesting to read these threads

 

[NDGirl]

I agree with your post. Someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer or who has just become paralyzed, blind, etc will agree with your post too. Many people take things for granted. They do not realize what they have until it is taken away. Maybe you did not choose to be born in America, but you should be fortunate that you were (if you're in the poor/middle class). I do not mean any disrespect to other countries, but I truly believe that America is the best place for the poor and middle classes. If you're wealthy, you can live anywhere; but if you're not, you're going to have a tough time in many other countries.

I also agree. People sometimes need perspective. I had it handed to me last May and maybe my story will give others some perspective. Last April I was a healthy college kid. I wasn't happy with what I was going into, but I didn't know what else to change to. (I was going into education). Then, in May, I got sick, was hospitalized, and was told by the doctors that I may not make it out of the hospital. I was super lucky that they found a drug by chance that made me better, because all my test results were coming back negative, so they couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. (This is what obviously made me change to go into Pharmacy).

It's very true that people take what they have for granted until its taken away from them. Everyday I think about how grateful I am that I am alive, that I am healthy, that I have the time money and ability to spend 9 years in college to become whatever it is that I want. Being able to go to college is a privilege that very few people have.

However, with that said, I do think it's ok for people to regret going into pharmacy or regret anything they want to regret. The problem arises when they regret it, complain about it, and do nothing to change it. If you truly regret it, do something about it. I think the saying goes: If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

 

[Quiksilver]

Hey slingy, thanks for asking my opinion.

Personally, I say we shouldn't be whining, period. We should shut up, work hard, and enjoy our lives. If there are things within the field that we think should be done differently, we should do what we can to make the changes happen.

What bothers me about this thread is that it seems less about the changes we'd like to make within the profession and more about wether or not medicine/computers/whatever would have been a better career. As someone committed to pharmacy, I find this insulting. As a human being, I find complaints of this type self-absorbed.

Now slingy, old buddy, I know it's not your fault you weren't born into less fortunate circumstances. And I know you really want to bitch and moan as you please. But remember, you're gonna be a practicing pharmacist one day. And when that day comes, I hope you will take time out of your pity fest to realize that it's not all about slingy anymore. It's about slingy's patients.

now i am all about pharmacy, i love what i am going into. I find it interesting how chemistry effects the body. But I tell you what, those people that think that there are a better careers out there, should leave their spots and do what they desire. Act on those complaints and leave your spots in Rx schools to people that didn't make it. Don't settle on pharmacy.

I guess i agree with you to a point, people shouldn't complain about this opportunity. But at the same time if you are willing to be a health professional you need to be happy, because if you aren't, your patients will suffer. It is alright to give those self absorbed complaints as long as you fix them before it effects anyone else's life. Go be MD, DO, RN, PA. All of them are respectable fields and any of us i am sure more then capabible of being accepted into one of the before mentioned.

If you aren't passionate about a health care field, leave for the sake of your potential patients.

 

[eightball]

I agree with that 1guy...too much whining around here. Some of my classmates went to africa (for a week!) others went to south east asia for about the same period of time.

Interestengly, they ALL came back with very modified perspectives and outlooks in life.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I'm not saying I regret pharmacy school, but I frequently find myself thinking..."What the hell am I doing here...?"

 

[Rxbound]

I'm not saying I regret pharmacy school, but I frequently find myself thinking..."What the hell am I doing here...?"

Couldn't agree more.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Every second you have in your gilded life as a healthy, educated American is a gift, and although you can do whatever you want to do with that gift, you really shouldn't waste it on self-absorbed whining.

I'm a big fan of irony. Wasting your time whining about other people wasting their time whining?

...that's classic.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

"What the hell am I doing here...?"
Couldn't agree more.

How do you agree to a question?

"Hey, should we get Chinese or Pizza for dinner?"

"I agree."

If you hold the answer to the meaning of life, do share...

 

[Max Power]

WVUPharm2007,

What's up with the whole pharmacy cult thing at WVU? Both my sister and I have lost best friends to this disease. I cannot hold a conversation with this girl anymore. All she does is complain about the school and the people, and cannot be concerned with matters that don't concern herself. I guess going to vet school isn't prestigious enough or something so she can no longer associate with me. Is it everyone or is it just some of them? Or is it just WVU that's like this?

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I actually don't know anybody that is snooty in that way. Of course, I typically don't talk to anybody in pharmacy school other than 5 people in my class and a few in my wife's class, so I'm a bad person to ask. Vet school is harder than pharmacy school, so this person has no "prestige gap" with you to speak of. She's probably just mad about the ******ed hoops they make you jump through. Like memorizing 1-800 phone numbers for this public health class we all have to take.

Interestingly, I've heard about this several times from people, that the usual thing is that pharmacy kids at WVU all think they are SO awesome that they are pharmacy students and that we love to brag about it. I dunno, you might be onto something. Appalachians are typically considered "different" to outsiders, so it could just be a cultural thing, I don't know.


You know...honestly....I just hate academia and I'm 70% sure I'll love it when I'm out of prison....er...school.

 

[Max Power]

Interestingly, I've heard about this several times from people, that the usual thing is that pharmacy kids at WVU all think they are SO awesome that they are pharmacy students. I dunno, you might be onto something. Appalachians are typically considered "different" to outsiders, so it could just be a cultural thing, I don't know.

Yeah that's how I feel but I didn't want to say it and offend anyone. I think the reason you're sane is that you don't associate with the same people you go to class with 24/7. My best friend has become a really unlikeable person...i guess this happens but it's just weird that i've heard the same story from so many people. Everything is about her and how tough her life is. I hope I don't turn that way in vet school...but I know to make friends outside my field. I'm employing my family to keep me grounded

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Yeah that's how I feel but I didn't want to say it and offend anyone.

It's tough to offend me.

I think the reason you're sane is that you don't associate with the same people you go to class with 24/7.

You think I'm sane? Can we be friends? No, better, can you follow me around and tell people you think I'm sane?

My best friend has become a really unlikeable person...i guess this happens but it's just weird that i've heard the same story from so many people. Everything is about her and how tough her life is. I hope I don't turn that way in vet school...but I know to make friends outside my field. I'm employing my family to keep me grounded

Well, that's the thing...pharmacy school REALLY IS that tough to go through and it really is that tough to get into. Vet school is, too. She just wants a tad bit of prestige for it. All that whoa is me stuff, well, she's just venting, maybe looking for somebody that will appreciate how much torture she's being put through...even if it means alienating a friend to do it, I guess. People deal with it in different ways...I guess she's the passive-aggressive type. Seriously? I'd just talk to her about it. If she ever calls herself Dr. Such-and-such, just laugh at her....I do when people try to call me Dr. Mike. The idea of me with a doctorate is hilarious.

 

[Rxbound]

How do you agree to a question?

"Hey, should we get Chinese or Pizza for dinner?"

"I agree."

If you hold the answer to the meaning of life, do share...

Just meant that I was thinking the same thing...

 

[Max Power]

I always try to put myself in other people's shoes and try to understand what's going on in their life. I always think the best way to have a good friend is to be a good friend. So I've done my best to try to understand and to try to be supportive to no avail. The last straw is when I told her I had an interview down south, with the day and time. I was probably as excited as I've ever been about anything. The day came along, and all my friends either called to wish me good luck or called after to see how everything went. Nothing from her. Finally, she called the last day I was there to ask if I wanted to come over to see her bf's new puppy. I was like, "umm I'm in Atlanta right now." And I was crying b/c I was waitlisted at my top choice. Of course that didn't phase her as she proceeded to change the subject to going to a concert. Sometimes it just blows me away how much someone can suck as a human being.