I got an interview offer for a 80K position... Should I just go pre pharm...?

[bobdole112]

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Hi everyone just wondering... I got a job interview for a 80k RN position. Most likely I am going to get it... But I was thinking instead about going to pharmacy school.... What do you all think? Should I instead spend 1 year doing prerequisites and then going to Touro NY's Pharmacy program for 4 years..?

The pros of going pharm is that I am fulfilling my desire and passion to do pharmacy and getting a more cleaner, higher paying, and respectful position, after all I would have a doctorate of pharmacy... And have a 110-120k / year in a retail pharmacy position.

The cons of going pharm is losing 5 years of potential RN income (400 k gross income, about 280 net income) and ability to become an NP earlier and acquiring 200k income. So I would really have an opportunity cost of 480k when becoming a pharmacist.... And I would start working at age 28 not 23, which I am now.

What do you all think...?

 

[biomajorextraordinaire]

Well you can look at it two ways. The financial way or the "feels" way.

If you have passion for pharmacy and thats the only thing you want to do in life, go for it.

If you look at it the financial way, you're probably gonna make more if you stick with nursing and then later becoming an NP. Also, retail pharmacists salary will stay stagnant and income will stay the same for the rest of time. While nurses and NP's salary will gradually become higher.

PS: I think nurses and NPs are respectful positions.

 

[Biochemistry2014]

Average NP salary is between 90k-100k. Pharmacy and Nursing are on two opposite ends of the spectrum. Will you find more joy working directly with patients and making more bodily contact? Do you want most of your work away from patients and on a computer? Which one brings you more personal fulfillment? These are questions to think about.

In my opinion, many pharmacists in the retail environment are not very happy, and are taken advantage of more and more as the number of grads increase. If you were to go pharmacy then residency is the way to go if you want a more respectful and meaningful position, but you'd be taking around a $20k pay cut. If you value job security and income, continue working as nurse and apply to a 3 year DNP program. You could also try applying to be a CRNA, which is a 3 year program and grants avg incomes of $150k-$180k for 40 hour work weeks. In order to go that route you will need at least one year practicing as an RN in an ICU setting.

 

[Jbrl]

"Passion"? In what sense?

Anyway, in a word - no - unless pharmacy is a field that you are actually passionate about and would like to live and breathe.

 

[mdlando]

take the RN position all day long!

 

[UGAZ]

TAKE IT....Don't go Pharm.D route. Way saturated. You can't find jobs once you are done.