Is getting a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences or pharmacology better than pharmacy

[gotmilklol]

Is getting a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences or pharmacology better than pharmacy?

Since theres going to be a possible inflation of PharD, is it better to do this for a career?

What is the average salary? Workhours? Environment?

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[bigpharmD]

if you want to do that do a combined pharmd/phd track so you have the option of doing clinical work. Life as a researcher (phd alone) can be tough. You have to get funding to succeed.

 

[avuong]

Thats a fine career path if you prefer research

 

[Passion4Sci]

Being a professional beggar or bum is the best career path,.

That's true.

The United States gov't rewards laziness to such an extent that producing children and then getting hundreds of prescriptions for them is almost a suitable profession these days.

 

[avuong]

haha,
have you seen TAP's recent entry. Its funny and talks about that issue

 

[MRSA Sucks]

Is getting a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences or pharmacology better than pharmacy?

Since theres going to be a possible inflation of PharD, is it better to do this for a career?

What is the average salary? Workhours? Environment?

Hey,

Health care and research are two different things. Don't gauge research in terms of the conditions that come with it since I wouldn't call research a 'profession.' You have to be genuinely passionate about doing research and not go into it just because it may have 'good work environment and hours.' It's not that kind of job.

 

[islandboy401]

It depends on your goals...If you want to provide patients with products then get a Pharm D...if you want to study mechanisms of drug delivery, kinetics, etc...such that a new method of health care is developed...do pharmacology (or something like that)...

Though I must say, Pharm D has the higher starting salary. As a researcher (professor), you can still get the salary, but that's only after your research project becomes well-known.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

So I'm hopefully about to graduate with a PhD in molecular biology and am switching to pharm school in the fall. I know several professors in the pharmacology field (in fact, with my program, I could have ended up in a pharmacology lab).

I don't think being a PharmD or having a PhD in pharmacology can be compared across the line as better or not. It really depends on your personality and what you want to do. I'm switching fields to pharmacy because I don't really enjoy doing research. I'm glad someone wants to do it, but I don't. I'd rather work with people, learn drug mechanisms, and not do the same experiment over and over just to realize that your project is not working. Or, in the best case scenario, get one figure for a paper after several months of work. However, my husband just graduated with his PhD and is looking forward to a life of research. He also gets excited about his PCR results and checks them at home at night as soon as possible.

So I'd shadow/interview both and figure out what you want to do. Pharmacy may pay a bit more, but money isn't everything. If you hate what you do, that will make lots of the rest of your life miserable, too.

 

[yappy]

If you're looking into careers utilizing the criteria you described; why just limit yourself to pharmacology/pharmacist? If you want to be a practitioner and are worried about pharmacy why not become a nurse? Doctor? or PA? If you don't care to if to be a practitioner (pharmacology) there are many technical fields that will always be in demand.

 

[ffpickle]

Is getting a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences or pharmacology better than pharmacy?

Since theres going to be a possible inflation of PharD, is it better to do this for a career?

What is the average salary? Workhours? Environment?

I agree with most of what everyone else said above. Farscape girl has particular credibility. But no one addressed the elephant in the room.

Salary: PharmD>PhD (generally).

Workhours: PhD usually works more if we're talking about PhD in academia. Industry/gov't PhD's have more regular hours.

Env't: PhD working conditions are generally better (i.e. flexibility, autonomy, etc.). All workplaces have politics, but academia is particularly known for its bureaucracy/politics.

Keep in mind that none of the PharmD/PhD programs I have seen are training programs like the MD/PhD. The difference is that the latter pays your whole way through (MD & PhD). The PharmD/PhD generally pays only your PhD part (+ summer stipends).

 

[MRSA Sucks]

I agree with most of what everyone else said above. Farscape girl has particular credibility. But no one addressed the elephant in the room.

Salary: PharmD>PhD (generally).

Workhours: PhD usually works more if we're talking about PhD in academia. Industry/gov't PhD's have more regular hours.

Env't: PhD working conditions are generally better (i.e. flexibility, autonomy, etc.). All workplaces have politics, but academia is particularly known for its bureaucracy/politics.

Keep in mind that none of the PharmD/PhD programs I have seen are training programs like the MD/PhD. The difference is that the latter pays your whole way through (MD & PhD). The PharmD/PhD generally pays only your PhD part (+ summer stipends).

You can't and shouldn't gauge if you want to do a PhD on these basis though. People who usually go into research are truly passionate about it and many do not care about these factors. Of course, some do but those are the people who hate research after getting into it. With pharmacy, you can go into the field and not like it but you can still deal with it since you can make a nice living off of it. Therefore, many people do pharmacy despite the fact they might not have any interest in the field but want a good job that pays well. You shouldn't consider research with this mindset. If you do, it's a trap since you genuinely have to be passionate about your work.

 

[ffpickle]

You can't and shouldn't gauge if you want to do a PhD on these basis though. People who usually go into research are truly passionate about it and many do not care about these factors. Of course, some do but those are the people who hate research after getting into it. With pharmacy, you can go into the field and not like it but you can still deal with it since you can make a nice living off of it. Therefore, many people do pharmacy despite the fact they might not have any interest in the field but want a good job that pays well. You shouldn't consider research with this mindset. If you do, it's a trap since you genuinely have to be passionate about your work.

Yeah, you are exactly right!........but he is considering it on these basis.....so I was trying to answer based on his misplaced criteria.

 

[MRSA Sucks]

Yeah, you are exactly right!........but he is considering it on these basis.....so I was trying to answer based on his misplaced criteria.

Cool thanks for pointing that out.

 

[thephoenician88]

Why not do both? There are several programs I know of, including Mercer and UofFL, that offer a PharmD with a PhD. Professors and interviewers are usually excited to hear a student be interested in both.

 

[UAMShopeful]

Just thought but, it can also depend on where you live, or where you WANT to live when you get out of school. There are a lot of smaller towns that it would be a breeze to find work as a PharmD but you would just be out of luck looking for a research job.
As long as you are going to live where there are several large hospitals and/or science based Universities (or obviously a large drug company) there should be no problem getting a research job.
I think no matter where you live having the PharmD will be a more readily marketable job skill.