How long will the pharmacy boom last?

Started by surgeon_hopeful
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surgeon_hopeful

surgeon_hopeful

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Hi,

I'm really really starting to get interested in pharmacy now, and I keep hearing contradicting theories:

One says that pharmacists will become jobless and that technicians will take over many of their responsibilities, and the other says that pharmacists will continue to grow for many years.

Since I'm a junior (will be senior in fall) in high school, I was wondering what you guys think pharmacy school will look like by the time I'm done in terms of salary and job demand. How much do you think starting salary will be approximately?
 
surgeon_hopeful said:
Hi,

I'm really really starting to get interested in pharmacy now, and I keep hearing contradicting theories:

One says that pharmacists will become jobless and that technicians will take over many of their responsibilities, and the other says that pharmacists will continue to grow for many years.

Since I'm a junior (will be senior in fall) in high school, I was wondering what you guys think pharmacy school will look like by the time I'm done in terms of salary and job demand. How much do you think starting salary will be approximately?
Click to expand...

who said that? thats a pretty ignorant statement

if anything, techs will be replaced by automation, not pharmacists by techs
 
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Pharmacy...
12_CR_News_GEICO.jpg





oh and I had to add this one. I'm still laughing.
army_1.jpg
 
surgeon_hopeful said:
Hi,

I'm really really starting to get interested in pharmacy now, and I keep hearing contradicting theories:

One says that pharmacists will become jobless and that technicians will take over many of their responsibilities, and the other says that pharmacists will continue to grow for many years.

Since I'm a junior (will be senior in fall) in high school, I was wondering what you guys think pharmacy school will look like by the time I'm done in terms of salary and job demand. How much do you think starting salary will be approximately?
Click to expand...

I think the boom is over. 5 years ago, I couldn't hire a pharmacist. Now when we have an opening...I get at least 20 to 30 applicants... and now my pharmacist friends are afraid of losing jobs and everyone is asking if there are any openings. I say the supply has finally exceeded the demand. It was a nice fun run while it lasted.... I can see the declining salaries to come next.

Oh well...
 
ZpackSux said:
I think the boom is over. 5 years ago, I couldn't hire a pharmacist. Now when we have an opening...I get at least 20 to 30 applicants... and now my pharmacist friends are afraid of losing jobs and everyone is asking if there are any openings. I say the supply has finally exceeded the demand. It was a nice fun run while it lasted.... I can see the declining salaries to come next.

Oh well...
Click to expand...

And this from a pharmacist that has voluntarily changed jobs how many times(?) since I signed up on SDN last year. Twice, or is it 3 times, I forget.
 
ZpackSux said:
I think the boom is over. 5 years ago, I couldn't hire a pharmacist. Now when we have an opening...I get at least 20 to 30 applicants... and now my pharmacist friends are afraid of losing jobs and everyone is asking if there are any openings. I say the supply has finally exceeded the demand. It was a nice fun run while it lasted.... I can see the declining salaries to come next.

Oh well...
Click to expand...

Yep, yep - not a job to be had!

And....my salary was cut last week by $10K!

Yep - its over.......🙁🙄
 
the shortage is projected to continue for at least the next 10-15 years with an indefinite need for pharmacists after that. it is complex but one has to take into account the many factors involved, with the most influential being an aging baby-boomer population, more meds available to choose from, ridiculous increases in prescriptions being written by physicians, large amounts of pharmacists approaching retirement, continued part-time, prn, and non-working women pharmacists, and a shift toward more clinical and consultant pharmacists (with a continued increasing need for retail pharmacists).

over the past decade, robots have been implemented in most hospital settings and many retail settings without any change in manpower, for pharmacists or even technicians. these robots still need to be loaded, operated, unloaded, checked, maintained, and fixed when they do not work (which is quite often).

i would not criticize surgeon_hopeful for his/her original statement because of all the high-paying and or healthcare professions, pharmacy is one of the most misunderstood. after chatting with two of my cousins (from different high schools) they spoke with their guidance councelor about pharmacy and both said not to do it because it is a dying profession being taken over by robots. this is of course ridiculous and completely misguided information but because there are so many contradictions in our profession, how is society to know any better?

the best answer to the salary in ~8 years is "who knows" but of course you would like a more specific answer so i will guess... on average... $130,000.
 
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I always worry about stuff like that. The question is more "will the boom decline so much as to deeply affect your chances, even after you've graduated school and have experience and connections?".

My guess is no, not really. Bonuses may be smaller, pharmacy may not make the "top ten hot careers" list, but unless something monumentous occurs, it will continue to be a pretty steady bet. Just like computer science has become (except better, hopefully).

I hope.
 
surgeon_hopeful said:
Hi,

I'm really really starting to get interested in pharmacy now, and I keep hearing contradicting theories:

One says that pharmacists will become jobless and that technicians will take over many of their responsibilities, and the other says that pharmacists will continue to grow for many years.

Since I'm a junior (will be senior in fall) in high school, I was wondering what you guys think pharmacy school will look like by the time I'm done in terms of salary and job demand. How much do you think starting salary will be approximately?
Click to expand...

Technicians? Robots. They are taking the world of pharmacy already. We already got one in our pharmacy. Man, he is fast. On the other hand, I caught him watching robot porn online - thinking about turning him in.
 
MountainPharmD said:
Its over pick something else....:meanie: How about a Dentist?
Click to expand...

I did! (pick a dentist that is:laugh::laugh::laugh:).

You ought to hear that crowd complain about their business...what with Fl & all - fewer cavities. Now its cosmetics, invisalign or bankruptcy😱 (NOT!)

No career will be a sure bet. OP - just do what you like. Who knows - could be peach farming, RV dealers or......what did WVU want to do - open a bouncing thing franchise or some such??
 
ZpackSux said:
I think the boom is over. 5 years ago, I couldn't hire a pharmacist. Now when we have an opening...I get at least 20 to 30 applicants... and now my pharmacist friends are afraid of losing jobs and everyone is asking if there are any openings. I say the supply has finally exceeded the demand. It was a nice fun run while it lasted.... I can see the declining salaries to come next.

Oh well...
Click to expand...
I think the ladies just found out where you work. 😛
 
konkan said:
Technicians? Robots. They are taking the world of pharmacy already. We already got one in our pharmacy. Man, he is fast. On the other hand, I caught him watching robot porn online - thinking about turning him in.
Click to expand...

My robot has the same problem...
 
ZpackSux said:
I think the boom is over. 5 years ago, I couldn't hire a pharmacist. Now when we have an opening...I get at least 20 to 30 applicants... and now my pharmacist friends are afraid of losing jobs and everyone is asking if there are any openings. I say the supply has finally exceeded the demand. It was a nice fun run while it lasted.... I can see the declining salaries to come next.

Oh well...
Click to expand...

Wow, 2 years ago you predicted what was going to happen. Z-pack is wise....
 
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VancTheTank said:
Yup, seeing various reactions to Z posts is pretty entertaining. I especially like when the pre-pharms try to tell him like it is.

I was referring to TXPharm bumping 2 year old threads with douchey one-liners.
Click to expand...

Prozac can help you. You seem to have an overactive serotonin uptake. Zapping the energy out of someones posts is your source of endorphins.
 
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