Is pharmacy school a 100K scam????

Started by feelit83
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feelit83

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Ok, heres the sit. I am about to graduate, and i have been concerned that the career prospects for pharmacist are just not there like they lied to us in the beginning. I even got professors telling us that our profession is at more risk now than ever.

Why do they keep lying to us telling us that there will be 157,000 pharmacist shortage/need, whatever. CVS and walgreens will eventually stop increasing salaries, and when all the store corners are filled, where are the pharmacists gonna work....especially the ones that grad as soon as 4 years from now. It will be a sad situation to be 120K in debt with no job; or one that pays 50K. I felt like i should have just done medicine, at least id have "A" job. Then you got all the foreigners coming by the boat loads, filling LOTTTS of position. Its kinda scary.

I know this has been posted before, but i wanna here from some people who are about to grad.😡
 
feelit83 said:
Ok, heres the sit. I am about to graduate, and i have been concerned that the career prospects for pharmacist are just not there like they lied to us in the beginning. I even got professors telling us that our profession is at more risk now than ever.

Why do they keep lying to us telling us that there will be 157,000 pharmacist shortage/need, whatever. CVS and walgreens will eventually stop increasing salaries, and when all the store corners are filled, where are the pharmacists gonna work....especially the ones that grad as soon as 4 years from now. It will be a sad situation to be 120K in debt with no job; or one that pays 50K. I felt like i should have just done medicine, at least id have "A" job. Then you got all the foreigners coming by the boat loads, filling LOTTTS of position. Its kinda scary.

I know this has been posted before, but i wanna here from some people who are about to grad.😡
Click to expand...
the sky is falling!
 
Is pharmacy school a 100K scam????
Click to expand...

Not if you went to a cheap state school...it would have been a less than 100K scam.

Or if you went to some private school, it could have been a $160,000 scam.
 
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feelit83 said:
Ok, heres the sit. I am about to graduate, and i have been concerned that the career prospects for pharmacist are just not there like they lied to us in the beginning. I even got professors telling us that our profession is at more risk now than ever.

Why do they keep lying to us telling us that there will be 157,000 pharmacist shortage/need, whatever. CVS and walgreens will eventually stop increasing salaries, and when all the store corners are filled, where are the pharmacists gonna work....especially the ones that grad as soon as 4 years from now. It will be a sad situation to be 120K in debt with no job; or one that pays 50K. I felt like i should have just done medicine, at least id have "A" job. Then you got all the foreigners coming by the boat loads, filling LOTTTS of position. Its kinda scary.

I know this has been posted before, but i wanna here from some people who are about to grad.😡
Click to expand...



You need to go and sit down somewhere. Retail is not the one available option for pharmacist.
 
The pharmacist shortage is here to stay. At least for a long enough period for you to pay off your loans. It will be a long time before CVS and Walgreens place a store on every corner. There are plenty of corners left.

There is a problem in the future, IMHO, that is why I suggest
all pharmacists explore other options such as injections, MTM, consultancy practice. Retail will not be the gravy train forever. Also, while it may not be the gravy train, there two things you should note:

If you are good, you will always be able to get a job. There is always room at the top.

Salaries will not fall to $50,000.00 per year.
 
I feel screw too. Do not believe the hype - its tough out there.

Baby steps are need and maybe a whole change in a new direction (while staying in pharm)

Dont think it is right with all those international people. Just not fair!
I am about to graduate I have no job at all.
 
Grad Pharm said:
I feel screw too. Do not believe the hype - its tough out there.

Baby steps are need and maybe a whole change in a new direction (while staying in pharm)

Dont think it is right with all those international people. Just not fair!
I am about to graduate I have no job at all.
Click to expand...

Where are you about to graduate from, it's September?
 
Grad Pharm said:
I am about to graduate I have no job at all.
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Why do I have a feeling it reflects on you rather than job market? Everyone in my class had at least three offers long before we graduated this past May... even those who wanted to stay in extremely saturated area (two pharmacy schools in town and relatively small population) had no problem finding a job.
 
Grad Pharm said:
I feel screw too. Do not believe the hype - its tough out there.

Baby steps are need and maybe a whole change in a new direction (while staying in pharm)

Dont think it is right with all those international people. Just not fair!
I am about to graduate I have no job at all.
Click to expand...

Maybe you can get a job as an illegal drug dealer instead of a legal one.

I got two job offers (Walgreens and hospital) already for when I graduate and I am only a second year.

Maybe the profession of pharmacy is not the problem...look in the mirror for the answer to your problems.
 
Hels,

im not saying theres not jobs NOW...im saying...in the next 3-5-10 years....there will be a lot of new grads without jobs.....theres not enough residencies, and not enough jobs for new residents, and 64% of Pharmacists jobs are in retail. That is what im sasying. I actually have 2 job offers now....but im considering ignoring retail because of the plot they may have once the market gets flooded with new pharmacists.
 
I am a p3, and I already got two job offers. One from CVS (gurantee 50 dollars an hour so that is >100k), and one in a hospital night shift. In 4 years from now, my cousin about to go into pharmacy job can have one of mines ^_~.
 
And it finally comes out, retail jobs are easy, other types are hard.

So in actuality you'll always be able to pay off loans becasue there's always a retail job to fall back on.

I do understand the disappointment of being one of many who applied and did not get a residency though, there are definitely not enough of those to go around, but here's the thing, education is just changing at schools and everything else needs to catch up.
Many schools of pharmacy have only been focusing on a more clinical aspect for a few years, due to this clinical aspect many students want a residency so they can get a clinical job (and will feel comfortable in it). Residencies just haven't caught up yet. Many new residencies got approved this year, and there are many more being set up for next year, but they are still slower than the number of people who want them, and since unlike med a residency is not required (yet) for pharmacy there will not be an equal number of residencies to pharm students and there will be jobs that don't require residencies.

I think it was just as easy for me to find a job as it was for students 5 years ago and I don't think that will change in the next 5 years, though if you're looking for a particular job you may have to work harder, there may be competition, and you may not find THAT particular job (I'm working retail while I await a specific job at a specific VA to open), but you'll never be out of options.
Did you realize the boards of pharmacy control the class sizes at institutions across the country in order to keep our salaries high?
 
I don't think you have to worry.

I have some close friends that just graduated and the few months before they graduated they were getting unsolicited calls from employers asking for them to work. I graduated with a computer science degree. Let me tell you, I never received one call before graduating.

Additionally, if you go to many pharmacies, you will note that they are understaffed. A pharmacy cannot even be open if there is no pharmacist in the store.

On top of that, there is an increasing elderly population and middle-aged population who use prescription drugs.

The profession of pharmacy has been around for a very long time. 3-10 years may seem like a long time to you now, but in comparison to how long pharmacy has been around, it is not. I highly doubt there will be a job shortage.


(why are all the really negative posters first-time posters?)
 
Grad Pharm said:
I feel screw too. Do not believe the hype - its tough out there.

Baby steps are need and maybe a whole change in a new direction (while staying in pharm)

Dont think it is right with all those international people. Just not fair!
I am about to graduate I have no job at all.
Click to expand...

If english is your second language wouldn't you be considered an "international person" as well?

Also, I've never heard of a pharmacy class "about" to graduate in September.

Your post is inconsistent and marred with error. If you're going to condemn a profession, get your facts straight.
 
Req,

what the hell are u talking about....NEVER ONCE DID I CONDEMN THE PROFESSION! Maybe you should learn how to read and comprehend. I am not being negative, in fact I am far from negative. I am just going by what i have heard from EXECUTIVES AT THESE CORPORTATIONS; my best friend is a U of Chica. MBA that works for Walgreens. My information is far from being marred.

And as far as graduation in sept, ever heard of the accelerrated graduation option! Its for those who go through pharmacy school for 3 years all through the summer. Maybe you should do your research.:hardy:
 
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feelit83 said:
Req,
And as far as graduation in sept, ever heard of the accelerrated graduation option! Its for those who go through pharmacy school for 3 years all through the summer. Maybe you should do your research.:hardy:
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No, I really don't care. Congratulations, good luck on the NAPLEX. Oh wait....
 
Requiem said:
Also, I've never heard of a pharmacy class "about" to graduate in September.
Click to expand...

I'm graduating Sept 7th from Midwestern-CCP's accelerated graduation option. My regular graduation should be March 2008...yeah we have strange times of the there, but all schools are different.
 
Requiem said:
Actually, if you'd do just that you would notice my reply was intended towards GradPharm, hence the quoting of his post above my reply.
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Yeah I noticed you posted it to one person yet the other person answered. Makes me wonder if it's one person using two different nicks and they slipped up.
 
Graduating and no job offer? did you just eat, sleep and study thru pharmacy school? because that would be the only explanation.

Did you internship somewhere? went to career fairs ? in other words did you network? If you don't let your name out there, well guess what, people aren't psychic. They don't know that you exist👎

And for whoever was blaming it on foreign pharmacists, plz stop blaming your failures on others. No work visa is given to a foreigner for a job that can be filled by an american..hint: stop complaining when you don't get your way and and start working harder:meanie:. But, I guess it's easier to just blame it on the foreign guy, feels so much better but :laugh:won't get you a job either.
 
Hello.

Public schools are cheaper. I would like to know what public schools are easiest to get into because eventually I can turn from out of state tuition into an in state tuition in about a year. My cumulative pharmacy school debt would be $20,000 the first year, $8,000 for each of the last three years. I think I would like that. I need to know what pharmacy schools are public enough to accept more out of state students. Please see my other posts, as well.

Thanks.
 
xcvbvcfgh said:
Hello.

Public schools are cheaper. I would like to know what public schools are easiest to get into because eventually I can turn from out of state tuition into an in state tuition in about a year. My cumulative pharmacy school debt would be $20,000 the first year, $8,000 for each of the last three years. I think I would like that. I need to know what pharmacy schools are public enough to accept more out of state students. Please see my other posts, as well.

Thanks.
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We have P-3 and P-4's who still haven't gotten residency. It's not as easy as you think.

And, why would I need to see your other posts? 😕
 
U of Montana is one of them. If you look hard enough you find a clause that states you have to do less then 12 credits for the first 12 months or else you just came to Montana for school. I can try and challenge this ruling, but there is very little chance of getting in-state tuition. My feeling is that if I can't get in-state tuition, there is very little reason for me to stay in Montana after school. So Montana makes $40,000 more off me while I'm in school, but loses much more in taxes after I leave for the better and higher paying jobs of Washington. Not much logic to it, but there it is.:laugh:
 
I've been married for going on 3 years and the wife still hasn't qualified for in-state. Driver's license, home ownership, marriage to native of state, tax payer, voter....they don't give a ****, she still is charged full out of state. Thankfully she gets the "unbelievably poor inner-city kid" scholarship that frays the cost.
 
I don't feel that I was lied to. There's gonna be plenty of jobs and if salaries don't increase (which they probably will) they will at least stay where they are. Medication is a quick fix for the health problems of the vast majority of Americans, and we're gonna be the ones to pass it out. The boatloads of foreign pharmacists have to pass exams, and one is more difficult than the NAPLEX. They need work permits/residency/citizen papers in order to work as pharmacists.

Pharmacy is a decent profession that has a nice salary to go along with it. Even with all the new schools, there will still be a shortage; at least for a while. Get out there and get your piece of the pie. You'll do fine.😀
 
I re-read and misunderstood one portion. I have nothing to add that anyone would read.
 
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before i start, i'll let you know im not a pharmacy student or pharmacist (just finishing pre-pharm), but i am an avid student of economics and the labor market is one of my personal obsessions 😛.

You dont need to do too much research or thinking to see that the pharmacist shortage is headed into a crisis sometime soon if it werent for the new schools.

1. Pharmacists are preparing to retire in large numbers (there's going to be somewhat of a shortage of pretty much *all* labor in the coming years as baby boomers retire). 2. The number of prescriptions issued is probably going to at *least* quadruple in the next 20-30 years, while the pharmacist pool (without new schools) would probably shrink due to #1.

Given current pharmaceutical research avenues it seems that the next few decades are going to bring a *ridiculous* expansion of the drug market. The entire new field of genetic medicines, small molecule/biosynthetic drugs means that big pharma will have a truckload of new products to sell. Combine this increasing in drug use (the amount of prescriptions sold is already increasing at an exponential rate that doesnt seem to be stopping), with the fact that suddenly all the baby boomers will hit their 70s, 80's and 90's and probably be due to start taking about 9 different drugs a day, brings pretty bad news for an already stressed situation with regard to pharmacist supply. If we can double the amount of pharmacists in the labor market, which is nowhere near happening, we'd probably still be experiencing a shortage. Also a factor in the idea of the "lifestyle focused generation". It turns out that a large number of people in this generation of college grads want to work fewer hours and maintain a work/life balance (read: more people are probably going into pharmacy to work part time than they used to).

Also note that even if you double the # of pharmacy schools, it will still take 10-20 years to double the number of pharmacists, given that in any given year probably 5-10% turnover occurs. Even if this happened there wouldnt be enough to fill the prescriptions for the baby boomers alone at today's rate of efficiency. Granted, efficiency will probably increase for pharmacies just like the rest of workers, but that still doesnt account for an increase in prescription drugs due to new drugs being developed and new syndromes and diseases being discovered or invented by big pharma.

In short: the need for pharmacists is going to increase *exponentially* and the supply of pharmacists at the current rate of school increase is probably going to barely get us by.

Consider some basic economics before making crazy and dire predictions about the end of everyone's world!
 
^^well said, i've been studying the economics of pharmacy for the past few years off and on, and I believe if a pharmacy graduate cannot secure a job after graduation, then that is their own doing. All the sound economic indicators are there, but it takes a determined individual to take advantage of it. Nothing is EVER handed to you on a silver platter. The same goes for doctors, nurses, and dentists...as well as pharmacists.
 
Ross434 said:
before i start, i'll let you know im not a pharmacy student or pharmacist (just finishing pre-pharm), but i am an avid student of economics and the labor market is one of my personal obsessions 😛.

You dont need to do too much research or thinking to see that the pharmacist shortage is headed into a crisis sometime soon if it werent for the new schools.

1. Pharmacists are preparing to retire in large numbers (there's going to be somewhat of a shortage of pretty much *all* labor in the coming years as baby boomers retire). 2. The number of prescriptions issued is probably going to at *least* quadruple in the next 20-30 years, while the pharmacist pool (without new schools) would probably shrink due to #1.

Given current pharmaceutical research avenues it seems that the next few decades are going to bring a *ridiculous* expansion of the drug market. The entire new field of genetic medicines, small molecule/biosynthetic drugs means that big pharma will have a truckload of new products to sell. Combine this increasing in drug use (the amount of prescriptions sold is already increasing at an exponential rate that doesnt seem to be stopping), with the fact that suddenly all the baby boomers will hit their 70s, 80's and 90's and probably be due to start taking about 9 different drugs a day, brings pretty bad news for an already stressed situation with regard to pharmacist supply. If we can double the amount of pharmacists in the labor market, which is nowhere near happening, we'd probably still be experiencing a shortage. Also a factor in the idea of the "lifestyle focused generation". It turns out that a large number of people in this generation of college grads want to work fewer hours and maintain a work/life balance (read: more people are probably going into pharmacy to work part time than they used to).

Also note that even if you double the # of pharmacy schools, it will still take 10-20 years to double the number of pharmacists, given that in any given year probably 5-10% turnover occurs. Even if this happened there wouldnt be enough to fill the prescriptions for the baby boomers alone at today's rate of efficiency. Granted, efficiency will probably increase for pharmacies just like the rest of workers, but that still doesnt account for an increase in prescription drugs due to new drugs being developed and new syndromes and diseases being discovered or invented by big pharma.

In short: the need for pharmacists is going to increase *exponentially* and the supply of pharmacists at the current rate of school increase is probably going to barely get us by.

Consider some basic economics before making crazy and dire predictions about the end of everyone's world!
Click to expand...

Great post! makes sense and is very informative. 😀
 
feelit83 said:
I am about to graduate, and I have been concerned that the career prospects for pharmacist are just not there like they lied to us in the beginning. I even got professors telling us that our profession is at more risk now than ever.

It will be a sad situation to be 120K in debt with no job; or one that pays 50K. I felt like i should have just done medicine, at least I'd have "A" job. Then you got all the foreigners coming by the boat loads, filling LOTTTS of position. Its kinda scary.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear you feel that way. In that case, why not consider a career in academia? 👍

Here's an interesting story, hot off the press from Drug Topics:

Wanted badly: Professors for pharmacy schools
http://www.drugtopics.com/drugtopics/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=453717

Good luck!
 
feelit83 said:
I actually have 2 job offers now....but im considering ignoring retail because of the plot they may have once the market gets flooded with new pharmacists.
Click to expand...

Who exactly are you referring to when you say "...the plot they may have..."? Who is this "they" group of people, what exactly is their plot, and how is it they have power to control an entire job market?

Here is something I wrote months ago in a similar post, which shows that there will always be someone to tell us that the job market is about to hit rock bottom.



Here's an excerpt from the Sept. 24, 1906 issue of "American Druggist and Pharmaceutical Record" that talks about mail order pharmacy.

"Nor is the damage done to existing trade relations confined to the retail business, for the jobber [wholesaler], too, will be eliminated when the mail order houses [e.g., Sears, Roebuck & Co.] have succeeded in driving the retail trade out of existence."

Roebuck? man is that old. Obviously, since Roebuck has gone bye bye and retail pharmacy is alive and doing well 100 years later I doubt there's much to worry about. Sometimes worries come and go like fashions and I'm not too worried about it since we're still in a pharmacist shortage in the US. Check out the research that the Dean of Touro has done on the shortage issue, it's interesting.
 
I still wonder how mail order prescriptions will affect retail pharmacy in the future--many of the bigger corporations (my wife's included) uses Express Scripts. Our insurance co won't pay for any prescription for a chronic condition unless we use Express Scripts. And it is a PAIN in my a$$.

Here's an interesting article on how GM's transition to mail order prescriptions COULD affect Motor City.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3374/is_8_27/ai_n13813676
 
People using mail order for their chronic medication in my opinion is a good thing. It allows us to deal less with the insurance company. We can always make up the money by charging more for other medications (acute, emergency, and vacation) and services (one minute clinic and immunization). Finally the patient can deal with the insurance itself, rather than through us, and see what we have to go through.

Mail order pharmacy is already being sued by many states for failure to try and counsel, or counsel at all, unlicensed pharmacists for that state, etc. In addition, many of the chains are taking defensive measures such as not taking plans that force mandatory mail order on their members. Some of the chains such as Walgreens and CVS have gotten into the mail order business themselves. If you think about it, it is likethe fight between Blockbuster and Netflix. Would you rather do business with an insurance company that can give you your maintance medication for the same price in store and mail order, or an insurance company like Medco who can only do mail order?

Will mail order be here in 10,20, 30 years? I bet. So will we . . ., the profession is always changing, and we either have to change with it or fade out.
 
Some insurance companies actually do allow 3 month supply at regular community pharmacies. I always wondered why most insurance companies don't allow this.
 
genesis09 said:
Some insurance companies actually do allow 3 month supply at regular community pharmacies. I always wondered why most insurance companies don't allow this.
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Economics - plain & simple economics. Your employer pays your premiums month to month. If you've ever ended a job, you know your insurance ends the next day (or the end of the calendar month if you have a generouse employer).

If they've paid for your Enbrel or Humira for a 3 month supply and then you quit 2 weeks later - the employer...or rather the insurance risk manager for the employer, has made a huge mistake since the insurance company is not collecting the premium for you for those 2 & 1/2 months you're not working.

Now - realize, that for most employees, they only pay about 1/3 of their premium - the employer pays the other 2/3's. Most employees don't use their insurance...that's what insurance companies bank on - those who don't use it, but whose premiums are still getting paid.

If you are one of the few who use it & use it on large $$ products (which drugs are, along with MRI's, certain surgical procedures, etc..) then its in the interest of the company & employer to only allow month to month coverage.

When a company decides to use mail order as their 90 day supplier - they get a break on their portion of the premium (& you as an employee normally get a break as well.....thus the lower premium plans).

But - things all change when you get COBRA - you go month to month & if you're premium payment is a day late, you have to pay out of pocket & get reimbursed. 90 days is the legal limit. Some lower end insurance plans are very similar to COBRA.

There is no free lunch!
 
timbutt2 said:
I still wonder how mail order prescriptions will affect retail pharmacy in the future--many of the bigger corporations (my wife's included) uses Express Scripts. Our insurance co won't pay for any prescription for a chronic condition unless we use Express Scripts. And it is a PAIN in my a$$.

Here's an interesting article on how GM's transition to mail order prescriptions COULD affect Motor City.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3374/is_8_27/ai_n13813676
Click to expand...

I actually think this will depend on the education & expectations of the insured.

They tried this in my area - Silicon Valley about 5 years ago. It feel flat on its face. The employees in my area are extremely educated, travel frequently & are very, very saavy.

They revolted & within 2 years - plans changed. It happened in my husband's field as well - dentistry. They tried to limit their choices of providers & found they couldn't get people to work for them if they couldn't get the insurance they needed & wanted.

My patients for the most part have returned after going to mail order. They cannot be home to receive their rxs, cannot take time to go to a post office & have no safe place to have the package be left & don't want the package held up with holiday delays. I never have a hard time getting a 100 day supply & sometimes longer if the pt is going overseas for business. I just need to have the pt contact HR at their employer, then I contact the insurer & all is good.

So - I think it will depend on your geographic location & what the needs & desires of the patients are.
 
I have hopefully a relevant question to this thread. Since most pharmacists dont compound and generally operate with knowledge/info only ( as they dont have to cut people up or drill their teeth ets) why a self-taught pharmacist is an unheard-off thing? Why a pharmacy technician can't, even after working for awhile become an intern, pass some exams, work off their 1000-1500 hours, pass more tests/exams, read the same books perhaps, pass some more exams/tests, and finally pass NAPLEX and get a license?
 
Your entire premise is off. If surgery were only the mechanical activity, a butcher could perform surgery and a carpenter could fill cavities. In all of the healing arts it is the mind that is the most important organ involved. The trick of the physician is knowing when to cut the body open and what to take out not the actual operation. With pharmacy it's the same thing. The trained and knowledegable professional knows when it is OK to use Aspirin and Coumadin and when it is not.
 
sdn1977 said:
When a company decides to use mail order as their 90 day supplier - they get a break on their portion of the premium (& you as an employee normally get a break as well.....thus the lower premium plans).
Click to expand...

I agree that the move to mail order is economically driven but I don't believe lower premiums are the reason. In this area of the country at least, health insurance premiums are set by the company issuing the policy (my UPS insurance is through Anthem BC/BS). We use mail order, but it certainly hasn't lowered our monthly premium any.

Where we have seen savings is in our co-pays for prescriptions. Our prescription drug benefit is separate from our medical insurance (but still contracted through Anthem so it is included in our monthly premium) and is managed through Medco. We get a 90-day supply for what we would pay for a 60-day supply at Walgreens or Kroger. My understanding of the economics of it is that Medco accepts a lower dispensing fee per 90-day RX but can do this and remain profitable because of volume. The incentive for a local pharmacy to accept the lower dispensing fee for a UPS prescription is not there b/c that pharmacy might only have a few UPS customers and not be able to make up the difference by volume.

The dispensing fee for acute prescriptions must not be discounted as much because all pharmacies in the region accept UPS insurance for 30-day (or fewer) supplies.
 
Avrelian said:
I have hopefully a relevant question to this thread. Since most pharmacists dont compound and generally operate with knowledge/info only ( as they dont have to cut people up or drill their teeth ets) why a self-taught pharmacist is an unheard-off thing? Why a pharmacy technician can't, even after working for awhile become an intern, pass some exams, work off their 1000-1500 hours, pass more tests/exams, read the same books perhaps, pass some more exams/tests, and finally pass NAPLEX and get a license?
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Wha..?? :laugh:
 
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Avrelian said:
I have hopefully a relevant question to this thread. Since most pharmacists dont compound and generally operate with knowledge/info only ( as they dont have to cut people up or drill their teeth ets) why a self-taught pharmacist is an unheard-off thing? Why a pharmacy technician can't, even after working for awhile become an intern, pass some exams, work off their 1000-1500 hours, pass more tests/exams, read the same books perhaps, pass some more exams/tests, and finally pass NAPLEX and get a license?
Click to expand...

Your question seems well intentioned, so hopefully I can answer you before someone gets offended and flips out.

It's the same reason a butcher cannot become a general surgeon. HUGE difference in education levels. You have to go to school for basically at least 6 years in the states to earn your PharmD to practice. There is such an immense body of knowledge contained in those years you would never be able to become competent solely independently... Didactic knowledge, perhaps, but rotations, interprofessional relations, patient communication etc are all far above anything a tech [or anyone] can do on their own.

You're basically asking why you can't just one day take a test to be a pharmacist if you "work the hours" without attending school, and that's ludicrous... maybe 100 years ago.
 
My pharmacist makes $60,000 a year.
He owns an independent pharmacy.

His business is picking up though ... in 3-4 years he'll make $120,000 a year.
 
In Toronto, pharmacy students do their 16 weeks of rotations, and a friend of mine was placed in a family health team for his 8 week rotation. Basically, he will work along with docs, nurses, physio, chiro, etc. to make sure of any and all drug interactions are taken care of. So, at least here, they are making sure that pharmacists work on the counselling things and not dispensing only. Some provinces also allow pharmacists to prescribe. So, hopefully pharmacists will have jobs in Canada for a while.
 
The shortage of pharmacists was more spin than fact. I read where there were 3000 jobs open. well there are about 200k pharmacists so a 2% vacancy rate is not a shortage in my opinion. Further several schools have expanded or will be graduating their first classes in the next year or two. So any shortage will be gone in the not too distant future. I live in a town of about 150k people. There are no vacancies for pharmacists. The major players are bringing in foreign pharmacists as fast as you can say H1B visa. Sadly many of them speak broken english so older people have problems communicating with them. Right now and for the near future you should have no problem finding a job in retail that pays 100k or so. The pay is less in hospital and clinics. However the pressure in retail is the highest amoung the work locations available to new grads and in general for that matter. I worked in times of surplus and shortages or pharmacists. In time of surplus the retail outlets tend to slow raises and start you at lower wages. Staff tends to be slightly less in times of surpluses. When the supply was tight the money got better. We are just coming out of a time when money has gotten better. So we probably will see some leveling off. I never saw wages lowered. I did see raises become low to non existant.
 
retiredrph said:
The shortage of pharmacists was more spin than fact. I read where there were 3000 jobs open. well there are about 200k pharmacists so a 2% vacancy rate is not a shortage in my opinion. Further several schools have expanded or will be graduating their first classes in the next year or two. So any shortage will be gone in the not too distant future. I live in a town of about 150k people. There are no vacancies for pharmacists. The major players are bringing in foreign pharmacists as fast as you can say H1B visa. Sadly many of them speak broken english so older people have problems communicating with them. Right now and for the near future you should have no problem finding a job in retail that pays 100k or so. The pay is less in hospital and clinics. However the pressure in retail is the highest amoung the work locations available to new grads and in general for that matter. I worked in times of surplus and shortages or pharmacists. In time of surplus the retail outlets tend to slow raises and start you at lower wages. Staff tends to be slightly less in times of surpluses. When the supply was tight the money got better. We are just coming out of a time when money has gotten better. So we probably will see some leveling off. I never saw wages lowered. I did see raises become low to non existant.
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