How Match Day affected your career....

[JamesL1585]

Hey guys. So today is match day. I guess I don't really know how to feel. I've been on facebook all morning, and watching my classmates update their statuses to show where they matched and get their 50,000 responses saying congratulations.

I originally did the Indian Health Service Match, interviewed with 4 sites, 1 which I right away new was not going to be a good fit, so I guess I ranked 3. I didn't match, and I don't regret at least trying it. I did the match because my mentor inspired me to. I'm very politically/administrative in my thinking so naturally, pharmacy isn't the ideal career for me, but I've definitely done a good job making my place in it. I plan to go back to school to do public policy or law within the next 2 years for sure, and I will make that my primary focus as opposed to pursuing pharmacy after these first 2 years (obtaining experience).

With the new course that pharmacy is headed (and it is changing, whether you want to believe it or not), I'm just wondering how other people might feel if they were solely committed to pharmacy and didn't match and how they think it may affect them in the future, and if it has affected older pharmacist in the current market at all.

Thoughts?

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[TAMU2IWRx]

Just out of curiosity, what is Match Day?

 

[KUMoose]

Just out of curiosity, what is Match Day?

The day when the hopes and dreams of a fledgling pharmacist are shattered as their professor-driven view of peace, love and harmony and clinical pharmacy all-day-all-night come crashing to the ground.

AKA the day when prospective residents are matched with their program slot. It's similar, though typically less formal, then what meddies go through thier fourth year.

 

[psychoandy]

not sure what you're asking. many people, myself included, didn't match and do fine. you work your connections, search for jobs, etc. work a little, maybe go back for residency, maybe not. it could be way harder in 10 years, but right now it's not terrible. it all depends on attitude and motivation...i know a lot of people who get lazy, take a staffing job or retail, and end up losing all knowledge and compassion that they graduated with.

but you sound like you're pretty disenfranchised with the profession of pharmacy and want to do something completely different. you're entitled to that, but considering it's match day and you didn't match to a bunch of programs you don't sound very excited about, i think it's a bit late and possibly melodramatic to be posting about a total career switch.

that being said, part time retail could easily pay a decent chunk of your tuition and living expenses during more school.

 

[mustang sally]

not sure what you're asking. many people, myself included, didn't match and do fine. you work your connections, search for jobs, etc. work a little, maybe go back for residency, maybe not. it could be way harder in 10 years, but right now it's not terrible. it all depends on attitude and motivation...i know a lot of people who get lazy, take a staffing job or retail, and end up losing all knowledge and compassion that they graduated with.

but you sound like you're pretty disenfranchised with the profession of pharmacy and want to do something completely different. you're entitled to that, but considering it's match day and you didn't match to a bunch of programs you don't sound very excited about, i think it's a bit late and possibly melodramatic to be posting about a total career switch.

that being said, part time retail could easily pay a decent chunk of your tuition and living expenses during more school.

Thank you for the optimistic post, psychoandy. It makes me feel a little better to read when things didn't work out the way I thought they would for the last four years.

Anyway to (sort of) answer James question, Match Day has affected my career in the sense that what I planned on is obviously not possible at this point (unless the scramble pans out). It may be possible in the future or not but I need to find some new plans now.

P.S. I would recommend staying away from FB to future non-matchers because it is brutal. Of course, I know you won't because the curiosity is overwhelming.

 

[JamesL1585]

not sure what you're asking. many people, myself included, didn't match and do fine. you work your connections, search for jobs, etc. work a little, maybe go back for residency, maybe not. it could be way harder in 10 years, but right now it's not terrible. it all depends on attitude and motivation...i know a lot of people who get lazy, take a staffing job or retail, and end up losing all knowledge and compassion that they graduated with.

but you sound like you're pretty disenfranchised with the profession of pharmacy and want to do something completely different. you're entitled to that, but considering it's match day and you didn't match to a bunch of programs you don't sound very excited about, i think it's a bit late and possibly melodramatic to be posting about a total career switch.

that being said, part time retail could easily pay a decent chunk of your tuition and living expenses during more school.

LoL What? C'mon guy, what's that all about? I'm not doing a career switch entirely. Since I've been in pharmacy school I've always had a heavy interest in policy, so I'd go to every legislative day (I even got to help plan it last year), did a rotation at ASHP w/ GOvernmental affairs, and been involved with the legislative process in my community. I wanted to do IHS b/c it had such a heavy policy component to it, but I also could have brushed up on my clinical skills which I do appreciate. But mentally preparing myself for months to do the IHS residency, paying about $800 for interviews, and the experience that I'm missing out on does make me somewhat sad that I wasn't able to do it... but I think that's normal.

Just so you know, my original plan was to do IHS for one year, then go work on the east coast for 2 years, and then go back to school to do public policy or law... so really, not much has changed except the IHS portion. But yea, I digress. Thanks for your commentary.

Thank you for the optimistic post, psychoandy. It makes me feel a little better to read when things didn't work out the way I thought they would for the last four years.

Anyway to (sort of) answer James question, Match Day has affected my career in the sense that what I planned on is obviously not possible at this point (unless the scramble pans out). It may be possible in the future or not but I need to find some new plans now.

P.S. I would recommend staying away from FB to future non-matchers because it is brutal. Of course, I know you won't because the curiosity is overwhelming.

Sally, I did look into doing the scramble yesterday, but it was overwhelming, and I already have a job lined up, plus a special situation that could effect my residency start date. I was surprised... there were some really good opportunities for post-match, not sure if you got to check them out. But having to go back, do essays, contact all the people who gave you recommendation letters (AGAIN!), and interviewing more, is pretty stressful... but I decided there was the perfect residency for me now that I revamped my plan, and I think it'll be a good idea to work one year before persuing it. So we will see! What were your original plans, and how have they changed (if you don't mind sharing that). Thanks for a thoughtful and empathetic response.

 

[mustang sally]

Sally, I did look into doing the scramble yesterday, but it was overwhelming, and I already have a job lined up, plus a special situation that could effect my residency start date. I was surprised... there were some really good opportunities for post-match, not sure if you got to check them out. But having to go back, do essays, contact all the people who gave you recommendation letters (AGAIN!), and interviewing more, is pretty stressful... but I decided there was the perfect residency for me now that I revamped my plan, and I think it'll be a good idea to work one year before persuing it. So we will see! What were your original plans, and how have they changed (if you don't mind sharing that). Thanks for a thoughtful and empathetic response.

I agree, the scramble is pretty stressful. I had thought about doing a PGY-2 in oncology...obviously not going to happen without a PGY-1. Right now I will feel lucky when I find a decent position for me, whether it be residency or a job.

 

[psychoandy]

sorry but when you say things like "I guess I ranked 3 programs" and "my mentor inspired me to go for residency", that doesn't say a lot towards being really motivated for residency. the fact that you already have a retail job offer (and iirc posted about it prior to the match) seals the deal imo. if it makes you feel any better a residency would probably be a waste of time for your purposes and tbh i'd rather have mad dollars saved up for school if I wanted to do your career path.

 

[pezdispenser]

JamesL, you already have a retail job lined up? Geez, just get in there, do ****loads of overtime, make like $180k/yr, demolish your student loans, then go do whatever you want.