Is the pharmacy business goind down because of online pharmacys?

[Puppet]

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I want to be a Pharmacist because of the the great financial benefits, and I`m interested in nutrition and medicine alot.

How much of a hit are online Pharmacys going to take on the jobs available. My mom uses both online and retail stores Pharmacys for her medicine. I`m in Highschool now and I cant decide on a career. I want one in medicine I think. I didnt see a nutritionist forums. I'm interested in that too.

 

[Gizmo]

Wouldn't on-line pharmacies need as many pharmacists as in-store retail pharmacies need?

 

[Puppet]

It seems like online pharmacies could higher like 20 pharmicist to make all the drugs. I cant imagine there still being 275,000 pharmacists working for online pharmacies. Do you guys think Pharmacies is still a good career to go into. Also is pharmacy school harder or easier then med school. I've heard that going through med school is painfully challenging. I'm a real hard worker and have a 3.967 GPA, but I want to know what people mean when they say It's real hard. Also going into medschool can probably put you into more debt, and its more school.

I'm weighing out the pros and cons right now

 

[goheel]

It seems like online pharmacies could higher like 20 pharmicist to make all the drugs. I cant imagine there still being 275,000 pharmacists working for online pharmacies. Do you guys think Pharmacies is still a good career to go into. Also is pharmacy school harder or easier then med school. I've heard that going through med school is painfully challenging. I'm a real hard worker and have a 3.967 GPA, but I want to know what people mean when they say It's real hard. Also going into medschool can probably put you into more debt, and its more school.

I'm weighing out the pros and cons right now

GPA in highschool doesn't mean crap except getting you into undergrad. Once you got it, everybody starts from scratch. If I have a dollar for everyone who had 4.0 in highschool but got less than 3.0 in college, I don't need to work anymore for the rest of my life.

 

[Puppet]

Yeah but they probably didnt try hard, I'll work as hard as anyone.

 

[goheel]

You also have to keep in mind that as you move up each level of education, the competition gets harder. The people you'll be competing with in college are the top people academically at their highschools too.

 

[rxforlife2004]

Instead of pondering wherthere or not you would be into pharmacy by asking survey question like this, I believe you should really assesst your academic ability, compassion, and of course do more research yourself about pharmacy/medicine.

It takes years both fields to creat a doctor/pharmacist. So you don't wanna end up drop out after years of working hard for it. As of GPA, it's no longer a "must-win" characteristic to determine whether or not you will get accepted. It's just an advantage for you against those who do not have such good GPA. However, if they have more compassion than you do, then you're out of the list!

 

[ultracet]

There are some threads on here with the pros and cons of med vs. pharm. you may want to check those for some useful information but realize there is a lot of useless info you have to sift through.

Since you're still in high school i would think about what i like to do.
Do you like to talk to people
Do you like to find ways to solve problems in a creative way
do you like the actual chemistry of the body and drugs
do you like the general action of drugs
do you like what a disease does to the body
do you like what a drug does to a disease
do you like alternative therapies
do you like diet and exercise
do you like nutrition and its benefits

you may not be able to answer all of these questions (they are meant to be rhetorical) but you should start thinking about what interests you

i wouldn't really worry about online pharmacies as much as i would finding the career path that is right for me

 

[Tuck]

Hmmm, if your primarily interested in just the money you would be better off in international finance. There is quite a bit more upside there. In addition, it appears that you are not real clear on the available career paths open to those with a PharmD. However, it seems you have some time to decide. If you are going for a 6 year program then high school grades are important, otherwise undergrad GPA is the big factor. I would suggest that you find a career path that you will enjoy. Try looking at the pfizer career guide if you want some good information on what is available.

 

[LBS615]

Puppet-

I am a dietitian- I have a BS and MS in nutrition. I am a registered dietitian/licenesed nutritionist. Now I am staring pharmacy school in August. I have found being a clinical dietitian (I work in a hospital) very boring and not rewarding. Plus for going to school for 8 years dietitians don't get the respect from nurses and such that we deserve. The max salary for a clinical RD (registered dietitan) is around $45,000 and you have to work for like 8 years to get that. If you work in a nursing home you could make about $50,000, but you have to bust your butt for that and you have a high risk of liability there. A pharmacist in south florida has a starting salary of $85,000-$100,000 today. Salaries don't go down, they just go up or stay where there are. I think medical or pharmacy school is a much better idea than being a dietitan/nutritionist. It depends on what you have a greater passion for. Any graduate program is challenging. Pharmacy is 4 extra years, medical school around 8u more years- doctors make more money but have longer hours and work 7 days a week( If you have patients in the hospital- you have to round on them everyday). It depends on what you want to do with your life. Go shadow a doctor and a pharmacist and speak to a career advisor. Private message me if you have any other questions re:nutrition
Good Luck

 

[dstormz]

Puppet-

I am a dietitian- I have a BS and MS in nutrition. I am a registered dietitian/licenesed nutritionist. Now I am staring pharmacy school in August. I have found being a clinical dietitian (I work in a hospital) very boring and not rewarding. Plus for going to school for 8 years dietitians don't get the respect from nurses and such that we deserve. The max salary for a clinical RD (registered dietitan) is around $45,000 and you have to work for like 8 years to get that. If you work in a nursing home you could make about $50,000, but you have to bust your butt for that and you have a high risk of liability there. A pharmacist in south florida has a starting salary of $85,000-$100,000 today. Salaries don't go down, they just go up or stay where there are. I think medical or pharmacy school is a much better idea than being a dietitan/nutritionist. It depends on what you have a greater passion for. Any graduate program is challenging. Pharmacy is 4 extra years, medical school around 8u more years- doctors make more money but have longer hours and work 7 days a week( If you have patients in the hospital- you have to round on them everyday). It depends on what you want to do with your life. Go shadow a doctor and a pharmacist and speak to a career advisor. Private message me if you have any other questions re:nutrition
Good Luck

Wow! very nicely put

 

[LBS615]

Wow! very nicely put

Thanks!

 

[mystiqx]

Puppet-
It depends on what you want to do with your life. Go shadow a doctor and a pharmacist and speak to a career advisor.


I agree with LBS615

Puppet you have to know whats best for you, if you are really interested in medicine, why not try volenteering at a hospital or pharmacy during the summers, weekends or whenever you have time, try to get as much exposure in both fields, that way you know which one you like. You don't want to waste your time, working your butt off to get into pharm/med school only to realise you hate it. It takes a lot more than just wanting the money or saying you like medicine.
So once again, exposing yourself to the fields as much as possible will be the best indicator for where you want to go foward in your life. I should know, I came to this country gunhoe on wanting to be a doctor, but never really knew WHAT it took to be a doctor and it ended up being the nightmare of my life, so take as much advise as you can from everyone on this thread and Forum and good luck with what ever decision you make in life.

~M

 

[Puppet]

I'm now thinking of becomming a pharmisict and majoring in nutrition. A career in nutrition doesnt seem very great for reasons you put, and cant they just get a doctor to create all the meals for the patients anyways. They must have some knowledge in nutrition. Especially those that majored in it. A career in Pharmacy seems better for me. Where do you shadow pharmacists, at a hospital or retail store. I think I'm going to go down to my hospital and ask if they have a shadowing program. Also can anyone shadow or do you have to be in some type of program.

 

[LBS615]

I'm now thinking of becomming a pharmisict and majoring in nutrition. A career in nutrition doesnt seem very great for reasons you put, and cant they just get a doctor to create all the meals for the patients anyways. They must have some knowledge in nutrition. Especially those that majored in it. A career in Pharmacy seems better for me. Where do you shadow pharmacists, at a hospital or retail store. I think I'm going to go down to my hospital and ask if they have a shadowing program. Also can anyone shadow or do you have to be in some type of program.

Actually, usually the corporation that runs the hospital food service determines the meal plans for the diets- not the doctor- the doctor chooses what diet to put the patient on- it is a written order. The dietitian can let the doctor know if a different diet is needed based on calorie and protein needs of the patient. The dietitian does a lot of diet educations, we work on tube feeding and iv nutrition therapy. Pharmacists also work on iv nutrition therapy. This is when a patient's stomach is not functioning and the patient must be feed through their veins. The pharmacist mix this mixture-prepares it, the dietitian determines if it is accurate to meet the patient's nutrition needs. Doctors usually have very little education in medical school that is devoted to nutrition. But yes those who majored in it are knowledgable in it. And some do continuing education in it. You should see if you could shadow both a clinical and retail pharmacist. Definetly contact your hospital's pharmacy. I do think you should still talk with a career advisor. But hey you still have 4 years of undergrad to decide on pharmacy vs. medicine. I defintely suggest completing a 4 year undergrad degree since for med school you need 4 years and pharm schools like students with 4 year degrees these days. Again good luck!

 

[Puppet]

I think there are career advisors at my highschool. I'm 16 right now, is there a certain age you have to be to job shadow. I am definitly going to go the whole 4 years. I had the some pharmacy schools dont care much about what you majored in, so long as you have a high GPA. I also heard that nutrition is an easy major. I really love eating healthy and i visit various health forums regulary. So I'm pretty confident I can score a great GPA with my major. Now my only concern is the PCAT. How hard of a test is it. I heard some people call it a joke. Which I hope its true. I also understand they cant let everyone become Pharmacists.

Does anyone know how hard the PCAT is I looked at some sample questions and almost was almost able to answer around 20% of them. I have taken no classes in calculus, trig, physics, or chemestry and still new some of them. i have 2.5 years of highschool and 4years of undergrad to take the test so my confidence is great.

I'd like to give a special thanks to LBS615 for providing some excellent answers to my questions and being extremely helpful and friendly

 

[LBS615]

Thanks Puppet!!

I do have to give you a heads up that nutrition is not completely easy yet it is not as hard as majoring in chemistry or biochem. You still need to take biochem and orgo 1 and 2 and physics for this major as well as calc. But if you study hard you will do fine- trust me I had time to play a lot in college, I also studied hard, I worked, I volunteered, and I danced and I still graduated with honors. It is all about time management!

Good Luck with the advisors- let us know how it goes- and I think you can be any age to shadow.

 

[kwakster928]

holy smokes you are only 16 and thinking about career plans. man i dont even know what did when i was 16. probably busy attending ackward sweet 16's hahaha. but great! it seems like you are ahead of everyone. you have plenty of time to think about that. first concentrate on your academics in college and SAT and then worry about getting into college, and then you will have plenty other time to think about what you want to do with your life. trust me!

 

[legaia]

I think there are career advisors at my highschool. I'm 16 right now, is there a certain age you have to be to job shadow. I am definitly going to go the whole 4 years. I had the some pharmacy schools dont care much about what you majored in, so long as you have a high GPA. I also heard that nutrition is an easy major. I really love eating healthy and i visit various health forums regulary. So I'm pretty confident I can score a great GPA with my major. Now my only concern is the PCAT. How hard of a test is it. I heard some people call it a joke. Which I hope its true. I also understand they cant let everyone become Pharmacists.

Does anyone know how hard the PCAT is I looked at some sample questions and almost was almost able to answer around 20% of them. I have taken no classes in calculus, trig, physics, or chemestry and still new some of them. i have 2.5 years of highschool and 4years of undergrad to take the test so my confidence is great.

I'd like to give a special thanks to LBS615 for providing some excellent answers to my questions and being extremely helpful and friendly

Don't worry about the PCAT's. You shouldn't look at that. First pass our ACT/SAT, then get in college. Good job with ur gpa in hs, i wonder if you take ap/honors classes or work hard in art/music classes especially when you havent taken any chemistry. how can you like pharmacy if you haven't really experienced chemistry. also, what specifically abt pharmacy interests u? and when you shadow a pharmacist in a hospital and retail, are u prepared to watch them enter medication orders and count pills all day. its not like a doctor who goes from place to place, the pharmacist stands/sits in one room for 8 hours.

 

[ForgetMeNot]

and when you shadow a pharmacist in a hospital and retail, are u prepared to watch them enter medication orders and count pills all day. its not like a doctor who goes from place to place, the pharmacist stands/sits in one room for 8 hours.

While that's true for some pharmacists, where I'm at now, the pharmacist is only in the pharmacy ~20% of the workday. The rest of the time he's out talking with physicians, nurses, patients, and therapists, or teaching medication educational classes to the patients.

 

[J Lucas]

While that's true for some pharmacists, where I'm at now, the pharmacist is only in the pharmacy ~20% of the workday. The rest of the time he's out talking with physicians, nurses, patients, and therapists, or teaching medication educational classes to the patients.

Is this in Arizona?

 

[ForgetMeNot]

Is this in Arizona?

Yep.