Is it Worth Going Back to School?

[WoodenCrawdad]

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Hello,

I am 25 year old business/philosophy major who is currently doing non-profit work; I worked as a pharmacy tech. for 4 years in high school and college and had always considered pharmacy. I am considering brushing up on the pre-reqs and applying for pharmacy school in 2009. I had a few questions you may be able to help me with. Thanks in advance!

1) Is it extremely difficult to go back to pharmacy school after being out of an undergrad. program a few years (I graduated in 2004).

2) How difficult is it to manage pharmacy school while married (I got married a few weeks ago!)

3) Part of the appeal of pharmacy is job security and geographic placement (i.e. you can find a job nearly anywhere in the country). Am I right to think these are true? My wife and I are currently living in a big city and want to stay here---however, the job market is a tough one and pharmacy seems like the sort of job that could keep us here comfortably, no matter the market.

Thank you very much for any and all help you all may have!!!

 

[loo]

1. Nope. You shake the dust off and just get in the flow...if pharmacy is what you want to do. Motivation is important because of the education commitment/volume of information.

2. It's just like being married---give and take. It helps if you keep communication open and your spouse is supportive to begin with!

3. Nothing wrong with your reasoning (job security); but be sure that you want to do pharmacy in the first place. Job security, money, etc. means nothing if you're not happy with your career choice.

Best of luck to you

loo

 

[jawnly211]

hey WC

i got your PM but i will post my answer on here just in case someone else is in the same boat

i graduated undergrad in electrical engineering in 99......worked for a couple years, then decided that it sucked and went back to school for pharmD

i had to take some pre-reqs and apply......when all was said and done i was accepted in 2004 at the age of 28

moved across country with fiance to attend pharm school.......
i even got married during pharm school (summer after 1st yr)......it was difficult at times since most of my time was devoted to the wifey and studying........i did not join many organizations and attend school functions.........it's not too bad being one of "the older" ones........you just realize you have waaaaaay more experience and "street smarts" than your fellow classmates

you said you are only 25.......you will be at or a little above the average age.........its well worth it in the end.......i can pretty much pick and choose where i want to work........the pay is fantastic........

don't hesitate about going back to school.......you are still very young and have plenty of years left to work and make money..........hard part would be starting a family.......we decided to wait until after i graduate and move back home to "start"

good luck and hope this helps

 

[acetyl]

1) Is it extremely difficult to go back to pharmacy school after being out of an undergrad. program a few years (I graduated in 2004).

Depends on you. If you like school, learning, and are kind of a nerd/inquisitive person it's easy. I think being a competitive student helps too.

2) How difficult is it to manage pharmacy school while married (I got married a few weeks ago!)

Not married, so I don't know, but I imagine it depends on your lady. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but good overall?

3) Part of the appeal of pharmacy is job security and geographic placement (i.e. you can find a job nearly anywhere in the country). Am I right to think these are true? My wife and I are currently living in a big city and want to stay here---however, the job market is a tough one and pharmacy seems like the sort of job that could keep us here comfortably, no matter the market.

Yes. As soon as you start school start building bridges.

 

[piyi]

1) Is it extremely difficult to go back to pharmacy school after being out of an undergrad. program a few years (I graduated in 2004).

It sounds like we are in similar situations. I also graduated in 2004 and went back to school when I was 25. It was not difficult at all for me; in fact, I enjoyed and am still enjoying it.

2) How difficult is it to manage pharmacy school while married (I got married a few weeks ago!).

I'm not married, but I am engaged; we also live together and it feels to me like we are already married (5 years together). I actually feel like my boyfriend helps me out a lot; I really think it would be more difficult if I were single. My boyfriend is real supportive of me and helps me out with groceries/car maintenance and just other general things that I sometimes cannot get to.

Now, if you've only be together for a couple years and have that new spark/thrill thing still going on (i.e. you want to spend lots and lots of time together) then it may be a little different. I know the first couple of years after I met my boyfriend, it was hard to focus on school because I always wanted to be with him and for us to spend time together (it was part of the reason why I took the two year break). So, I guess it just depends on your situation.

3) Part of the appeal of pharmacy is job security and geographic placement (i.e. you can find a job nearly anywhere in the country). Am I right to think these are true? My wife and I are currently living in a big city and want to stay here---however, the job market is a tough one and pharmacy seems like the sort of job that could keep us here comfortably, no matter the market.

That's part of the reason why I went into pharmacy. I can only pray that it will be the same way when I get out; me and my boyfriend haven't made up our minds as to where exactly we are going to live when I graduate, and I'd like to have as wide a choice as possible.

As others have mentioned, just make sure you can deal with the career as well; don't get into it solely as money-making opportunity. I mean, you don't have to love it to point where you jump out of bed in the morning in a rush to get to work, just make sure its not something you are going to severely hate. Then, like someone mentioned, all the money you make is not going to be worth it if you really hate your job. I saw that you were a technician, so think about that experience (and also realize that as a pharmacist it will be a little different... not necessarily any better), and make sure you can deal with that day in and day out, year after year.

 

[IndustryPharmD]

1) Is it extremely difficult to go back to pharmacy school after being out of an undergrad. program a few years (I graduated in 2004).

Depends on how willing you are to go back to studying and loosing the income. One of my friends was out of school for 9 years before she went back for pharmacy (her Bachelor's was Biology). I know plenty of people who have been out of school for one or two years and did very well.

2) How difficult is it to manage pharmacy school while married (I got married a few weeks ago!)

If your spouse is supportive, it helps rather than hurts. Now, children are an entirely different issue, I would recommend holding off until you are done with school - though a few of my classmates had kids while at school (one was even a single mom) and they all did well.

3) Part of the appeal of pharmacy is job security and geographic placement (i.e. you can find a job nearly anywhere in the country). Am I right to think these are true? My wife and I are currently living in a big city and want to stay here---however, the job market is a tough one and pharmacy seems like the sort of job that could keep us here comfortably, no matter the market.

Well, some markets are saturated and you will not be getting as good a job/as good a salary as you would like, but I have a hard time imagining someone out of a job. A lot of my friends are pharmacists too (it's rather sad, actually, as I am afraid of loosing my ability to converse on non-pharmacy related topics) and none of us had any trouble finding a job, wherether they wanted to stay or go. I have heard that a friend of a friend, who graduated a few years ahead of me, wanted to stay in some town and had to wait a couple months for a job opening, but that's the only case I can think of.