I need advice concerning my future!!!

[riskhk]

As most of you know I got into UMB for PharmD. I am really excited but now I am second guessing myself because I was wondernig if it will be worth it spending six years (PharmD/JD) over there. I am interested in public policy, health care legislation, pharmaceutical law,...etc.
I just talked to the Dean a couple days ago and he said the first student in the program started last year. I've been trying to contact people that have this combination to see if it is really worth it, and if there is possiblility for me to do the same kind of work without the time and money (200,000 debt).
Another possibility that I thought of was to go to UOP (3yr prog) and finish up law at another school for 3 years. It seems like a possibility but I do not know if I am willing to go back to school once I have a job that guarantees a competitive salary.

Any advice. I have until this month to decide.

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[LVPharm]

Congratulations on the acceptance! I'm sorry I can't be of much practical help, I'm working on my Pharm.D. in Nevada, but not a law degree. From what I understand, you can get some of that experience in public policy and legislation through externships at ASHP and perhaps other organizations representing pharmacists (APhA), the pharmaceutical industry, chain stores (NACDS), etc, in the Washington DC area. Those externships are open to all pharmacy students. Now, if you have an interest in pharmaceutical patent law (probably quite lucrative), or pharmacy malpractice law, then this combination could have quite a good ROI (even at the 200,000 debt figure you mentioned).

Just a couple of examples:
http://www.ashp.org/AboutASHP/ASHPInternsRes.cfm
http://www.nacds.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=2122

Hope I am at least a little bit helpful (I tried)

 

[Samoa]

I know a BSPharm/JD who does med malpractice in Austin (not a place with a disproportionate number of physicians). He makes boatloads of money. Of course, his wife was also a pharmacist. She put him through law school. So he has no debt.

There's a lesson in there...

 

[riskhk]

Lol...definately I need to learn from that man.

I talked to the president of CPHA (sp?). From what he said the field is small but there is room for new comers to join the club!