is dentistry right fit for me

[SHC1984]

Dentist definitely make more. Without a doubt. I don't know what these guys are talking about pharmacy school is just as hard as dental school. I would love to see some evidence to back that up.

Also as a dent you get to do your own thing, so how much you make ultimately depends on your own business skills. As a pharmacist, sure you can open your own pharmacy, but you can't compete with the retail chains that open from 8am-9pm. Also they always have everything in stock. So when a CVS opens up near your little pharmacy, its bye bye.

Once again..if the dentist had everything paid for by mom and dad ( aka coming out with NO loans) then yes, they will obviously make more than a pharmacist. If a dentist had to pay for everything by himself then no after you take into account that massive debt you have to pay off the dentist will not be making a lot more then the pharmacist. Basic Math here.

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[SHC1984]

it's a mix of reasons. for one, i didn't want to do a pure-research career for decades, and i want to get more clinical experiences from work.

i have many female friends who want to become a pharmacist because, like you, they wish to become a housewife who can also work part-time and earn decent amount of money. and that seems to be a legitimate part of the argument. but seriously, if you don't like patient interactions (either touching them or hearing their stories), then pharmacy is not perfect for you. i wish you the best for making up a wise decision eventually.

Yeah, I considered opening up my own practice before now I don't want to. Pharmacy will allow me to work part-time b/c I will have little to no debt when I graduate..vs dental if I open my own practice I will be paying off debt for the rest of my life.

Not 100% sure if pharmacy is for me or not but I am applying this year. I am btw that and pharm sales rep...Maybe I will work for a drug company or become a mail order pharmacist...that way I don't have to hear anyone's stories...

I have also consider being a therapist...I actually like talking to people..it just depends on the TOPIC I am talking about...LOL...In retail pharmacy I feel like I am always been RUSHED and I don't like that...However I have a degree in chemistry...a therapist requires a PhD in psychology...by the time I get that I will be OLD! I am already 24...I need a 6-figure career by 30!

 

[SHC1984]

what dental school did you end up dropping out of? and how long were in school before you decided?

Columbia, 2 months. Were having doubts long before then though...

 

[PSU SHC 414]

Yeah, I considered opening up my own practice before now I don't want to. Pharmacy will allow me to work part-time b/c I will have little to no debt when I graduate..vs dental if I open my own practice I will be paying off debt for the rest of my life.

Not 100% sure if pharmacy is for me or not but I am applying this year. I am btw that and pharm sales rep...Maybe I will work for a drug company or become a mail order pharmacist...that way I don't have to hear anyone's stories...

I have also consider being a therapist...I actually like talking to people..it just depends on the TOPIC I am talking about...LOL...In retail pharmacy I feel like I am always been RUSHED and I don't like that...However I have a degree in chemistry...a therapist requires a PhD in psychology...by the time I get that I will be OLD! I am already 24...I need a 6-figure career by 30!

I hope you do some serious research into what you ultimately plan to do... reading through some of your past posts, it seems like you change your mind about your desired career path every couple of months.

Having worked as a research scientist in pharma (Merck) for 2 years now, I can tell you that getting into pharmaceutical sales is alot more difficult than you would think, as is the road to becoming a successful (earning 6 figures+) sales rep. If you think that having a degree in chemistry is going to give you a "leg up" on all these business majors that are trying to go into pharm sales... think again. I'd say you're only about 10% right. You can teach any fairly intelligent person (despite the stereotype, the major pharma companies don't just hire good-looking idiots) the basic science that they need to know in order to brief docs on a drug or understand the significance of the results of clinical trials, but you can't teach personality or interpersonal skills.

One of my colleagues/friends got his M.S. in chemistry from Penn, worked as a bench scientist for a couple of years and made the switch to pharm sales. His transition was a lot easier since he was internal and since he had acquired useful knowledge about Merck products during his time as a research scientist. Someone coming from the outside with ZERO industry experience is going to have a much more difficult time getting a position in pharm sales at one of the major pharma companies (GSK, Merck, Pfizer, etc.).

 

[SHC1984]

I hope you do some serious research into what you ultimately plan to do... reading through some of your past posts, it seems like you change your mind about your desired career path every couple of months.

Having worked as a research scientist in pharma (Merck) for 2 years now, I can tell you that getting into pharmaceutical sales is alot more difficult than you would think, as is the road to becoming a successful (earning 6 figures+) sales rep. If you think that having a degree in chemistry is going to give you a "leg up" on all these business majors that are trying to go into pharm sales... think again. I'd say you're only about 10% right. You can teach any fairly intelligent person (despite the stereotype, the major pharma companies don't just hire good-looking idiots) the basic science that they need to know in order to brief docs on a drug or understand the significance of the results of clinical trials, but you can't teach personality or interpersonal skills.

One of my colleagues/friends got his M.S. in chemistry from Penn, worked as a bench scientist for a couple of years and made the switch to pharm sales. His transition was a lot easier since he was internal and since he had acquired useful knowledge about Merck products during his time as a research scientist. Someone coming from the outside with ZERO industry experience is going to have a much more difficult time getting a position in pharm sales at one of the major pharma companies (GSK, Merck, Pfizer, etc.).

I don't know who you think you are calling me names when you don't even know me...
I have experisence in sales, both of my parents have MBAs and my family knows people that work for Pfizer. I never say I was going to work for them for sure...I have an interview with Pfizer soon for a position in sales, but I never say I was going to get the job for sure...
Next time make sure you get your facts right before you start calling people names.

 

[ak47]

I don't know who you think you are calling me names when you don't even know me...
I have experisence in sales, both of my parents have MBAs and my family knows people that work for Pfizer. I never say I was going to work for them for sure...I have an interview with Pfizer soon for a position in sales, but I never say I was going to get the job for sure...
Next time make sure you get your facts right before you start calling people names.

so you're assuming PSU was calling you "good looking"

 

[SHC1984]

so you're assuming PSU was calling you "good looking"

I don't care what PSU thinks or what he was assuming. I know who I am and don't need anyone telling me what I can or cannot do. If I really wanted a job as a pharm sales rep I can get one, I have an interview with Pfizer in less than a month and all I did was submit an application...IF I really realllly try to get that job I think I can manage to get one...
The point of my post was to help the OP get a better understanding of the field of dentistry and pharmacy. Not to prove my abilities to a bunch of strangers on the internet.

 

[PSU SHC 414]

I don't care what PSU thinks or what he was assuming. I know who I am and don't need anyone telling me what I can or cannot do. If I really wanted a job as a pharm sales rep I can get one, I have an interview with Pfizer in less than a month and all I did was submit an application...IF I really realllly try to get that job I think I can manage to get one...
The point of my post was to help the OP get a better understanding of the field of dentistry and pharmacy. Not to prove my abilities to a bunch of strangers on the internet.

I'm sorry... I usually don't take the time to respond to posts like this, but this is way too tempting.

You obviously don't know how to read... make sure you take care of that before you go into a corporate environment. I wasn't calling you the "good-looking idiot" (your post showed me that maybe I should have though... maybe not so much the good-looking part b/c I "don't know you")... I was just saying that most people assume that people in pharm sales are just good looking with no intelligence to back it up; I was pointing out that it's actually to the contrary. Now reread my post with that in mind... is there anything else that I can spell out more clearly for you?

And I wasn't "telling you what to do"... it's your life, and as you so eloquently pointed out, I "don't even know you", so I could care less what you do with it. I was simply making reference to your clear indecisiveness. You went through all the effort to apply to D school (I, for one, can understand this completely since I did the same thing with medicine) and even actually enrolled (I didn't go this far). And then you quit (even worse) because you "couldn't handle the blood and bodily fluid" (what the hell did you think dentistry involved???)... clearly you hadn't done your research into dentistry. Not only did you waste your own time and the time of all the adcom members at the schools you applied to, but you also took what could've been someone else's spot (someone who was committed to pursuing dentistry). Now you're applying to pharm schools WHILE SIMULATANEOUSLY still "thinking about" pharm sales or even therapy???? I'll give you some credit... at least you're working as a pharmacy tech right now as a result of your lack of foresight into dentistry.

When you go on your interview at Pfizer, tell them that you plan on quitting after a few months since you haven't fully looked into the profession (like you did with D school). Furthermore, tell them that you're also simultaneously applying to pharmacy schools. When they say "WTF???", as they inevitably will, respond by saying that you're going to decide which career route to ultimately pursue when you see who gives you the "best offer". I'm sure you'll be offered a position on the spot.

One final thing... the fact that your parents have MBAs has no relevance whatsoever in your ability to 1) get a job in pharm sales, and 2) to succeed in the pharm sales industry. If they aren't using their MBAs as pharm sales reps, bringing them into this discussion is completely irrelevant. You think that just because your family "knows someone" at Pfizer that that equates to "industry experience"?? Please, you're so completely naive. When they ask you at your interview what kind of pharm industry experience you have, use that answer - "my family knows someone at pfizer". Guaranteed their response will be something along the lines of - "...ok... so what?".

Then again... you're right that "I don't know you" so...

 

[mirk3]

Dentistry is BY FAR the more respected and lucrative profession. You become a doctor and have a lot of power to impact lives, whereas in pharmacy you just have to prevent problems. I would rather own a dental practice than work in a walgreen's any day. No offense.

 

[Ranelar]

Not only did you waste your own time and the time of all the adcom members at the schools you applied to, but you also took what could've been someone else's spot (someone who was committed to pursuing dentistry).

Since you brought it up, I think her decision to quit dental school 2 months into Columbia probably had a pretty big ripple effect that impacted more than one outside life.

If she didn't start school, person B would have been in her place.
Person B probably went to a different dental school (assuming 1st on waitlist at Columbia = in elsewhere).
If Person B went to Columbia instead, then Person C would have enrolled in Person B's school, and so on down the line.

Not only did that one decision have a direct impact on persons B, C, D, etc., in terms of location and experiences, but it also created a branching effect whereby people who interact with person B should have been with C. Now everyone's life is different.

Crazy stuff

 

[Doh Boy Fresh]

I'm sorry... I usually don't take the time to respond to posts like this, but this is way too tempting.

You obviously don't know how to read... make sure you take care of that before you go into a corporate environment. I wasn't calling you the "good-looking idiot" (your post showed me that maybe I should have though... maybe not so much the good-looking part b/c I "don't know you")... I was just saying that most people assume that people in pharm sales are just good looking with no intelligence to back it up; I was pointing out that it's actually to the contrary. Now reread my post with that in mind... is there anything else that I can spell out more clearly for you?

And I wasn't "telling you what to do"... it's your life, and as you so eloquently pointed out, I "don't even know you", so I could care less what you do with it. I was simply making reference to your clear indecisiveness. You went through all the effort to apply to D school (I, for one, can understand this completely since I did the same thing with medicine) and even actually enrolled (I didn't go this far). And then you quit (even worse) because you "couldn't handle the blood and bodily fluid" (what the hell did you think dentistry involved???)... clearly you hadn't done your research into dentistry. Not only did you waste your own time and the time of all the adcom members at the schools you applied to, but you also took what could've been someone else's spot (someone who was committed to pursuing dentistry). Now you're applying to pharm schools WHILE SIMULATANEOUSLY still "thinking about" pharm sales or even therapy???? I'll give you some credit... at least you're working as a pharmacy tech right now as a result of your lack of foresight into dentistry.

When you go on your interview at Pfizer, tell them that you plan on quitting after a few months since you haven't fully looked into the profession (like you did with D school). Furthermore, tell them that you're also simultaneously applying to pharmacy schools. When they say "WTF???", as they inevitably will, respond by saying that you're going to decide which career route to ultimately pursue when you see who gives you the "best offer". I'm sure you'll be offered a position on the spot.

One final thing... the fact that your parents have MBAs has no relevance whatsoever in your ability to 1) get a job in pharm sales, and 2) to succeed in the pharm sales industry. If they aren't using their MBAs as pharm sales reps, bringing them into this discussion is completely irrelevant. You think that just because your family "knows someone" at Pfizer that that equates to "industry experience"?? Please, you're so completely naive. When they ask you at your interview what kind of pharm industry experience you have, use that answer - "my family knows someone at pfizer". Guaranteed their response will be something along the lines of - "...ok... so what?".

Then again... you're right that "I don't know you" so...

Dang, this is harsh. haha.

 

[NyCzPeter]

whats a pre-pharm doing here on the pre-dent section anyway? Please take your elitist attitude back to your own section. Everyone knows pharmacy is the easy way out. Its ok to admit that dental school was too difficult for you, but please don't come around here like you own the place.

 

[SHC1984]

whats a pre-pharm doing here on the pre-dent section anyway? Please take your elitist attitude back to your own section. Everyone knows pharmacy is the easy way out. Its ok to admit that dental school was too difficult for you, but please don't come around here like you own the place.

Dental school (the one I went to at least) was easy to pass and possible to honor (if I studied on the weekends which hard to do b/c NYC=Shopping+broadway shows)
And you obviously know nothing about pharmacy if you think pharmacy school is the easiest way out.
Although I do wish you were right about pharmacy school being super easy b/c I hate studying on the weekends...

 

[SHC1984]

I'm sorry... I usually don't take the time to respond to posts like this, but this is way too tempting.

You obviously don't know how to read... make sure you take care of that before you go into a corporate environment. I wasn't calling you the "good-looking idiot" (your post showed me that maybe I should have though... maybe not so much the good-looking part b/c I "don't know you")... I was just saying that most people assume that people in pharm sales are just good looking with no intelligence to back it up; I was pointing out that it's actually to the contrary. Now reread my post with that in mind... is there anything else that I can spell out more clearly for you?

And I wasn't "telling you what to do"... it's your life, and as you so eloquently pointed out, I "don't even know you", so I could care less what you do with it. I was simply making reference to your clear indecisiveness. You went through all the effort to apply to D school (I, for one, can understand this completely since I did the same thing with medicine) and even actually enrolled (I didn't go this far). And then you quit (even worse) because you "couldn't handle the blood and bodily fluid" (what the hell did you think dentistry involved???)... clearly you hadn't done your research into dentistry. Not only did you waste your own time and the time of all the adcom members at the schools you applied to, but you also took what could've been someone else's spot (someone who was committed to pursuing dentistry). Now you're applying to pharm schools WHILE SIMULATANEOUSLY still "thinking about" pharm sales or even therapy???? I'll give you some credit... at least you're working as a pharmacy tech right now as a result of your lack of foresight into dentistry.

When you go on your interview at Pfizer, tell them that you plan on quitting after a few months since you haven't fully looked into the profession (like you did with D school). Furthermore, tell them that you're also simultaneously applying to pharmacy schools. When they say "WTF???", as they inevitably will, respond by saying that you're going to decide which career route to ultimately pursue when you see who gives you the "best offer". I'm sure you'll be offered a position on the spot.

One final thing... the fact that your parents have MBAs has no relevance whatsoever in your ability to 1) get a job in pharm sales, and 2) to succeed in the pharm sales industry. If they aren't using their MBAs as pharm sales reps, bringing them into this discussion is completely irrelevant. You think that just because your family "knows someone" at Pfizer that that equates to "industry experience"?? Please, you're so completely naive. When they ask you at your interview what kind of pharm industry experience you have, use that answer - "my family knows someone at pfizer". Guaranteed their response will be something along the lines of - "...ok... so what?".



Then again... you're right that "I don't know you" so...

Fair enough, you are right in that I have NO pharm sales experience. I just hate it when people always say its impossible to become a pharm sales rep unless you have 10000000000000 million years of experience...I mean EVERYONE has to start somewhere right? I did well in sales but it was in cosmetic products. And I most likely would not have gotten my interview if it wasn't for my sister's boyfriend's father who is in top managment there...I hope he is interviewing me too...LOL..
Its hard for me to pick between pharmacist and pharm sales rep b/c they both have pros and cons. Pharm sales rep make good money without having to go thru professional school, they get to travel which sounds fun, get to dine doctors, etc. The con is the career is not as stable as a pharmacist. Pharmacist is a good job but retail gets stressful at times. However its a very stable job. So I don't know which is better.
Why did your friend become a sales rep and not go to pharm school? I have heard stories of pharm sales reps making more money than doctors! But thats not the norm I am sure.

 

[Enso]

I'm sorry... I usually don't take the time to respond to posts like this, but this is way too tempting.

You obviously don't know how to read... make sure you take care of that before you go into a corporate environment. I wasn't calling you the "good-looking idiot" (your post showed me that maybe I should have though... maybe not so much the good-looking part b/c I "don't know you")... I was just saying that most people assume that people in pharm sales are just good looking with no intelligence to back it up; I was pointing out that it's actually to the contrary. Now reread my post with that in mind... is there anything else that I can spell out more clearly for you?

And I wasn't "telling you what to do"... it's your life, and as you so eloquently pointed out, I "don't even know you", so I could care less what you do with it. I was simply making reference to your clear indecisiveness. You went through all the effort to apply to D school (I, for one, can understand this completely since I did the same thing with medicine) and even actually enrolled (I didn't go this far). And then you quit (even worse) because you "couldn't handle the blood and bodily fluid" (what the hell did you think dentistry involved???)... clearly you hadn't done your research into dentistry. Not only did you waste your own time and the time of all the adcom members at the schools you applied to, but you also took what could've been someone else's spot (someone who was committed to pursuing dentistry). Now you're applying to pharm schools WHILE SIMULATANEOUSLY still "thinking about" pharm sales or even therapy???? I'll give you some credit... at least you're working as a pharmacy tech right now as a result of your lack of foresight into dentistry.

When you go on your interview at Pfizer, tell them that you plan on quitting after a few months since you haven't fully looked into the profession (like you did with D school). Furthermore, tell them that you're also simultaneously applying to pharmacy schools. When they say "WTF???", as they inevitably will, respond by saying that you're going to decide which career route to ultimately pursue when you see who gives you the "best offer". I'm sure you'll be offered a position on the spot.

One final thing... the fact that your parents have MBAs has no relevance whatsoever in your ability to 1) get a job in pharm sales, and 2) to succeed in the pharm sales industry. If they aren't using their MBAs as pharm sales reps, bringing them into this discussion is completely irrelevant. You think that just because your family "knows someone" at Pfizer that that equates to "industry experience"?? Please, you're so completely naive. When they ask you at your interview what kind of pharm industry experience you have, use that answer - "my family knows someone at pfizer". Guaranteed their response will be something along the lines of - "...ok... so what?".

Then again... you're right that "I don't know you" so...

Game, set, match.

 

[denner]

That's the exact reason I switched from Medicine to Dentistry lol. I realized that applying to medical school couldn't guarantee me a Dermatology residency, and I would absolutely hate being a family doctor. In contrast, I would love to be a General Dentist, and have no thoughts of specializing. Thus, Dentistry is the smart choice for me

Sounds like Pharmacy is definitely the smart choice for SHC and for OP.

Are you me?

Same thing here, except I had an eye on radiology, but its not worth the risk of not getting in and being unhappy doing whatever you get stuck doing. (I'm not naive enough to think that I know what type of doctor I want to be, but it was the idea of not being able to do what I wanted when I got to that point.)

Unfortunately for me, I took the MCAT and applied before I came to this realization, so that was a nice waste of about 500-1000. But when I look back on it, that 500 bucks was money well spent if it kept me from making a horrible life decision. And I guess I can say that at least I could have gone to med school if I wanted to when someone jabs me on not being smart enough to do medical (which I hate btw)

sorry needed to vent a little
/threadjack

 

[NyCzPeter]

Dental school (the one I went to at least) was easy to pass and possible to honor (if I studied on the weekends which hard to do b/c NYC=Shopping+broadway shows)

Unlike you, the rest of us have a passion for dentistry and will stick by our decision to pursue it. If you wanna be a salesman or w/e great for you, but this is the wrong forum to be flaunting that nonsense. Its fine to be a dental dropout, at least don't come to the dental forums and disrespect the profession.

 

[aguacero]

Its hard for me to pick between pharmacist and pharm sales rep b/c they both have pros and cons. Pharm sales rep make good money without having to go thru professional school, they get to travel which sounds fun, get to dine doctors, etc. The con is the career is not as stable as a pharmacist. Pharmacist is a good job but retail gets stressful at times. However its a very stable job. So I don't know which is better.

Start a blog or something but keep this junk out of the pre-dental forum.

 

[ambitiousblonde]

I agree, I think pharmacy would be the better choice. Prior to entering the work field of dentistry, having back and neck pains=not a good thing! I have been a dental hygienist for 5yrs and already have slight back problems from time to time. Yes there are plenty of ergonomic CE's but its hard to consistently stay in "correct posture."
I have come across a few dentists that have said if they had to do it over again, they wouldn't (Career in dentistry). That is very sad, I'm doing everything backwards, but I had no choice...unexpected blessing (my son), due to unfortunate circumstances and had to pursue the quickest route possible to support my son and myself. I can't express how important shadowing is!!!
It just seems as though you are pursuing this career for the money, and that is very concerning. You should love what you do, it only makes you better!
Dentistry is more than just filling and extracting teeth, its about educating and helping the community (ok so now I REALLY sound like a hygienist ).