Lifestyle of being a pharmacist

[bluesTank]

I have recently decided that going into medicine might not be what I want in the end. I don't see myself being hard-core enough, and I am not willing to give up my future plans in raising a family etc for my job as a doctor working 90 hr weeks. What kind of hours does a typical pharmacist work? How rigorous is pharmacy school?

Also, I saw on the FAQ's that they now require 6 years of study out of high school 😕 I am about to graduate with a BS in chemistry, is it too late for me to pursue a pharmD or something?

Thanks!

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[omnione]

The six year number probably includes the ideal combination of 2 years undergraduate + 4 years of pharmacy school. However, it is becoming more common that new students will have more than two years, but that is still the standard.

If you have a good GPA with that degree of yours, then you have a big advantage over second-year applicants with mainly underclassmen coursework.

 

[marabve]

Most pharmacy school programs are 4 years, and no it is definitely not too late to apply. In fact, some schools prefer that you have a bachelor's degree. Just do your research and apply to schools if it seems like something you'd be interested. My suggestion would be to get licensed and work in a pharmacy to get an idea of if you would enjoy it.
Also, you wouldn't be able to start until Fall 2008 because this year's application deadlines have passed. Good luck!

 

[Dr2011]

it is not late at all, infact having B.S. before applying for PharmD makes u a stronger applicant. Even though B.S. is not required to apply to pharmacy school, schools would definetely accept student w/ B.S. over A.A. And I am pretty sure that you have already finished almost all of the Pre-reqs since u r getting ur B.S. in chemistry soon.. If I would be in your shoes I would go for it👍

 

[sdn1977]

But, you want to know about lifestyle???

Well....last week I worked about 75 hours, this week a bit less - but, I'm following a pharmacist who has no clue, so I do lots and lots of clean up work.

I rotate shifts,altho not as much as I did when I was younger.....

I've worked every other weekend for 30 years....

If the phone rings in the middle of the night - its for me. I go in less than I used to, but more often than I wish I had to.....

I've worked half the Chistmases & Thanksgivings of my married life, I could care less about Fourth of July, Labor Day or MLK as holidays - they just are not on my radar, & have at times felt I've had to beg, borrow or steal time off.....It was hardest when my kids were home & in school & had all those holidays off - but, that's what Dad did - stayed home on the holidays.

But - would I do it again - yes, in a heartbeat.

 

[sdn1977]

But....its very telling.....

our daughter chose medicine rather than pharmacy like her mother or dentistry like her father.....

What does that say, if anything????

 

[Farmercyst]

But....its very telling.....

our daughter chose medicine rather than pharmacy like her mother or dentistry like her father.....

What does that say, if anything????

Can't say in polite company. The cleaner way to say it is she seems to enjoy punishment. Probably got it from her parents.

 

[LowGPAHighPCAT]

But, you want to know about lifestyle???

Well....last week I worked about 75 hours, this week a bit less - but, I'm following a pharmacist who has no clue, so I do lots and lots of clean up work.

I rotate shifts,altho not as much as I did when I was younger.....

I've worked every other weekend for 30 years....

If the phone rings in the middle of the night - its for me. I go in less than I used to, but more often than I wish I had to.....

I've worked half the Chistmases & Thanksgivings of my married life, I could care less about Fourth of July, Labor Day or MLK as holidays - they just are not on my radar, & have at times felt I've had to beg, borrow or steal time off.....It was hardest when my kids were home & in school & had all those holidays off - but, that's what Dad did - stayed home on the holidays.

But - would I do it again - yes, in a heartbeat.

I don't think that this person's experiences are typical. There are many facets of pharmacy on which to build a career - retail, hospital, research, industry, sales, etc... Some jobs require more work than others. Retail pharmacists usually work 45 to 50 hours a week max (unless they want to work more) and, depending on the pharmacy and their seniority, work 1 to 2 weekends a month. Obviously this isn't the case everywhere but from my experiences (which span over a decade) this is the general norm....

Pharmacy is a great profession to get into. It's much more conducive to family life and personal time that is medicine. The pay is outstanding and it can be a very rewarding career.

 

[sdn1977]

I don't think that this person's experiences are typical. There are many facets of pharmacy on which to build a career - retail, hospital, research, industry, sales, etc... Some jobs require more work than others. Retail pharmacists usually work 45 to 50 hours a week max (unless they want to work more) and, depending on the pharmacy and their seniority, work 1 to 2 weekends a month. Obviously this isn't the case everywhere but from my experiences (which span over a decade) this is the general norm....

Pharmacy is a great profession to get into. It's much more conducive to family life and personal time that is medicine. The pay is outstanding and it can be a very rewarding career.

Well....everyone's experience is certainly different. But, when I scan your other posts,, your experiences "which span over a decade" don't appear to be as a pharmacist. They seem to come from a tech/clerk perspective in a retail environment. I've been there too.....in fact am doing that part-time right now. My tech has no clue how long I work!

Mine, however, do....in fact, I'm coming up on my 30th reunion from pharmacy school & do in fact know many folks in all sorts of other facets of pharmacy.

Somewhere else I stated, two in my class are vice presidents of drug companies, there are 3 or 4 of us who are dops, far too many of us are clinical managers than I can count, one who became a lawyer after pharmacy school & now does pharmaceutical law. All of them have had rewarding, albeit time consuming jobs. I've been communicating with them recently and its not uncommon for us to get a conference call going at 5:45AM PST because they have to be in a meeting on the east coast which will go until 8 or 9PM their time.

Now...is it possible to just work & go home & turn your back on what you left? Absolutely! As I said, I just followed a person who does & did exactly that. But....that person won't go far because he/she just doesn't have the clinical & leadership skills to be put in a position of responsibility.

If you've worked as a tech, you have no knowledge of the numbers of times the nursing supervisor called in the night, nor do you know the number of times a tpa was ordered just as you were about to leave, nor do you know the times your dop asked you to review the new flurorquinolone so it could be presented to P&T next week. You've also got no idea about how much time it takes the dop to get the budget ready for approval, the dept ready for insepction, etc.....even I don't know - I'm not a dop!

Honesty here is the very best approach to someone who is considering this career & I am being completely honest when I described the hours - but those are only hours associated with someone who has climbed the ladder over decades of being an actual pharmacist. The job is 24hrs/day, 7 days/wk, 365 days per year - its either you or someone else doing it. You can end up where you start off - just filling rxs.....or you can take what you've learned & make a true career out of it.

And.....perhaps you missed the last part....would I do it again? Yes!

 

[bluesTank]

I'm just afraid that if I go into pharmacy, I will regret for the rest of my life not getting an MD, since pharmacy is not what I expected or something like that.

I guess I'm looking for a compare/contrast between being an MD and a pharm.

 

[LowGPAHighPCAT]

Well....everyone's experience is certainly different. But, when I scan your other posts,, your experiences "which span over a decade" don't appear to be as a pharmacist. They seem to come from a tech/clerk perspective in a retail environment. I've been there too.....in fact am doing that part-time right now. My tech has no clue how long I work!

Mine, however, do....in fact, I'm coming up on my 30th reunion from pharmacy school & do in fact know many folks in all sorts of other facets of pharmacy.

Somewhere else I stated, two in my class are vice presidents of drug companies, there are 3 or 4 of us who are dops, far too many of us are clinical managers than I can count, one who became a lawyer after pharmacy school & now does pharmaceutical law. All of them have had rewarding, albeit time consuming jobs. I've been communicating with them recently and its not uncommon for us to get a conference call going at 5:45AM PST because they have to be in a meeting on the east coast which will go until 8 or 9PM their time.

Now...is it possible to just work & go home & turn your back on what you left? Absolutely! As I said, I just followed a person who does & did exactly that. But....that person won't go far because he/she just doesn't have the clinical & leadership skills to be put in a position of responsibility.

If you've worked as a tech, you have no knowledge of the numbers of times the nursing supervisor called in the night, nor do you know the number of times a tpa was ordered just as you were about to leave, nor do you know the times your dop asked you to review the new flurorquinolone so it could be presented to P&T next week. You've also got no idea about how much time it takes the dop to get the budget ready for approval, the dept ready for insepction, etc.....even I don't know - I'm not a dop!

Honesty here is the very best approach to someone who is considering this career & I am being completely honest when I described the hours - but those are only hours associated with someone who has climbed the ladder over decades of being an actual pharmacist. The job is 24hrs/day, 7 days/wk, 365 days per year - its either you or someone else doing it. You can end up where you start off - just filling rxs.....or you can take what you've learned & make a true career out of it.

And.....perhaps you missed the last part....would I do it again? Yes!

You don't need to try to get righteous on me....I think you mistook what I was saying. I didn't mean that you were doing something wrong - I was trying to tell the person that asked the original question that not everybody works the hours that you do. You can have a great career without working 75 hour weeks and without doing nothing but counting pills. And, no I didn't "miss the last part" - I think it is very commendable that you work so hard and would do it again.

 

[LECOMorBUST]

The job is 24hrs/day, 7 days/wk, 365 days per year - its either you or someone else doing it. You can end up where you start off - just filling rxs.....or you can take what you've learned & make a true career out of it.

And.....perhaps you missed the last part....would I do it again? Yes!

I for one appreciate your candor. I would expect no less from a professional.👍

 

[aboveliquidice]

While I agree with sdn1977 that a good majority of pharmacist work long hours, and end up pulling duties requiring them to do even more - there are positions to be found that specifically limit the amount of personal life disturbances.

Example:

Staff pharmacist - weekend crew: work every week Fri, Sat, Sun, every other week add thursday.

Tasks: - Check IV's for accuracy on an hourly basis - check batch, check TPNs, check Chemotherapy

Thats it - no order entry (which every pharmacist does), no taking work home. Which your done, your done. He does the shift with the goal of being home with the family during the week... his wife catches the weekends. There are other pharmacists who do this during the week - with no order entry, just working in the IV center.

I know this is isolated - but it highlights what SDN was saying about choosing your own path. If you want to climb the corporate ladder - you cant work the above job. If you however want to get in, and get out - there is plenty of roles for you. Oh - he still makes 130K per year (not starting)

~above~

 

[LowGPAHighPCAT]

The job is 24hrs/day, 7 days/wk, 365 days per year - its either you or someone else doing it. You can end up where you start off - just filling rxs.....or you can take what you've learned & make a true career out of it.
quote]

And just out of curiosity...Are you saying that you can't make a "true career" out of pharmacy if you don't do it 24/7/365? Or that you can't use what you learn in a more normal 45-50 hour week? You just seem a bit bitter about all of this. I really didn't mean to offend you by what I said but the fact is that most pharmacists enjoy what they do and they find that it's not necessary to work insane hours to do it.

 

[LowGPAHighPCAT]

While I agree with sdn1977 that a good majority of pharmacist work long hours, and end up pulling duties requiring them to do even more - there are positions to be found that specifically limit the amount of personal life disturbances.

Example:

Staff pharmacist - weekend crew: work every week Fri, Sat, Sun, every other week add thursday.

Tasks: - Check IV's for accuracy on an hourly basis - check batch, check TPNs, check Chemotherapy

Thats it - no order entry (which every pharmacist does), no taking work home. Which your done, your done. He does the shift with the goal of being home with the family during the week... his wife catches the weekends. There are other pharmacists who do this during the week - with no order entry, just working in the IV center.

I know this is isolated - but it highlights what SDN was saying about choosing your own path. If you want to climb the corporate ladder - you cant work the above job. If you however want to get in, and get out - there is plenty of roles for you. Oh - he still makes 130K per year (not starting)

~above~

I agree completely.

 

[acetyl]

And just out of curiosity...Are you saying that you can't make a "true career" out of pharmacy if you don't do it 24/7/365? Or that you can't use what you learn in a more normal 45-50 hour week? You just seem a bit bitter about all of this. I really didn't mean to offend you by what I said but the fact is that most pharmacists enjoy what they do and they find that it's not necessary to work insane hours to do it.

I think she's talking from being the best of the best, being the exception to the rule. I think it's very admirable to give your entire life to your career, but in many retail positions, I don't think it's this way. Maybe for the PIC, but not the many staff pharmacists that I've seen or spoken with. They deal with things at work when they are there filling scripts, and don't usually deal with their job when they are at home. This is their preference. Some prefer much more responsibiltiy and shoulder it, but it's not necessarily required.

As for the hospital pharmacists-which is more of on the lines of what sdn was talking about, I think your career can definetly become like a steam engine that never stops. You have to want and earn that responsibility, but it definetly is worth it, if that's what you want. It's obvious that she wouldn't really want it any other way. I hope I have that drive thirty years outa school! And 75 hours a week, 30 years out, can we start calling you sdn1977moneybags?

 

[themorphinerule]

I'm just afraid that if I go into pharmacy, I will regret for the rest of my life not getting an MD, since pharmacy is not what I expected or something like that.

I guess I'm looking for a compare/contrast between being an MD and a pharm.

Blues...

You definitely have the aptitute for pharmacy. Your records are very impressive. In all my honesty, however, if you don't think it's something you'd be happy with, don't do it. Everything else (money, better hours, better lifestyle) quickly becomes secondary when you have sick screaming children in your lobby waiting for meds; and their upset parents breathing down your neck; or perhaps it's the adult who is the patient and herself annoying the ba-jesus out of you and your staff because her emergency should be yours and you're not moving fast enough for her taste; or perhaps it's the old lady who asks you for the 15th str8 month in a row, "Why does my medication on this, the last, the 25th, 24th, and 23rd-11th past refills look different than it did back on refills 2 and 3" even though you've explain to her 15 times before that the manufacturer is different, and she still does't quite comprehend why it's now green and greedy looking instead of the peach somber tone she likes. Everything else gets very old when your avg. wait time exceeds the 15 min. your tech promised the last 10 people waiting, who are starting to stare and get antsy at you because you're "incompetent" and "can't count pills fast enough". What's the hold up, you're just counting frickin' pills, right??? Well that's when it all starts to show that you're in it for your secondary reasons. You start to snap at people and your bedside manner starts to decay. You're quick and abrupt, or even short with otherwise "annoying" but ultimately 'sick' people, and you easily forget that small detail. I have worked with pharmacists who were in it for the wrong reasons. As a former Walgreens manager turned technician I have pulled pharmacists to the side who needed attitude adjustments. If your primary reason for doing it is not to help people get the best drug therapy possible and at whatever cost short of illicit acts, then you're in it for the wrong reason and 2 years after the awe of the $3000 paychecks starts to wear off, the reason you were in it becomes perfectly clear. Just because you're brilliant and you have the aptitude for pharmacy is never a good reason to go into pharmacy. There's so much more to it. That's just my thinking. Stick with medicine if that's where your heart is buddy... as always, goodluck!

 

[ZpackSux]

I have a good lifestyle as a pharmacist...that's all I have to say about that.

 

[Hot Push]

does it matter what pharmacy school you graduate from. I am trying to get a compare over USC in CA and western university of health science in CA. what do you think. I was thinking about going into hospital pharmacy so that would require a residency...

 

[sdn1977]

The job is 24hrs/day, 7 days/wk, 365 days per year - its either you or someone else doing it. You can end up where you start off - just filling rxs.....or you can take what you've learned & make a true career out of it.
quote]

And just out of curiosity...Are you saying that you can't make a "true career" out of pharmacy if you don't do it 24/7/365? Or that you can't use what you learn in a more normal 45-50 hour week? You just seem a bit bitter about all of this. I really didn't mean to offend you by what I said but the fact is that most pharmacists enjoy what they do and they find that it's not necessary to work insane hours to do it.

Me bitter???? You've not read my posts!

I'm the least bitter pharmacist on this board!

Over 30 years, I've made tremendous choices. For 10 years, I worked 3 days a week so I could do the mom thing. For other years, I was at the beginnings of home care pharmacy before home care pharmacy was ever even thought of - my first tpn home care patient went home with continueous tpn in Jan 1983 - 2 months before my daughter was born. I was on call - 24 hrs a day for this young (23yo) s/p ovarian ca, s/p bilateral bk amputations & many other comorbidities....yes, on occassion it was a 24 hr a day job.

Did I have someone to cover myself when I was off - certainly! So does my husband who is a private practice dentist - no one is on all hours of every day. Thats ridiculous to think the world revolves around just one person. But, dops must staff for 24 hours - always!

But, the OP needs to realize....someone is really working Christmas Day at 7AM, 9AM, 5PM - all those hours you traditionally open presents/have dinner....or if your religion is different....Yom Kippur or many others I've covered for religions I'm not familiar with.

The point is - you might be assigned to work during a time which is important to you. You might want to get to that every 5 year reunion of your wife's family that she doesn't just understand that you can't get off because there are about 5 other people who want that same week off in July....or the many, many other circumstances which come up - particularly with inpt acute medicine.

For retail...its a bit different. I work part-time there as well. If you choose to take a day off, you realize, there may or may not be a float person to cover you. If there isn't, you are committing the corporation to a huge financial impact. Dependng on where you work - your ability to stay in a good situation & move up and forward may be impacted.

A career is not just a day in day out thing - its a commttment to profession. Sometimes, that profession takes its time out of your life because it requires needs which you may not even know exist as a technician.

I am absolutely one of the most supportive & strong proponents of pharmacy on this board. But....I will stand behind my statement that you may, in the course of your life, be expected to go beyond the 40 hours you think you'll have. You'll be remunerated financially...but at some point, your time is worth more than your money. When that happens, you plan for it & work towards a change (I did successfully).

If that bothers you - think hard about it. If it doesn't - embrace the possibilities because you'll be the one who offers the actualy solution to problems presented when there might be no one else available to do so.

btw...I'm not intentionally being "rightous" - I think you meant self-rightous - anyway....everyone chooses the kind of pharmacy they want.

As aboveliquidice stated...there are paths you can take which will allow you to do just what is asked & no more. There is a place for that - its just not the path I chose nor have my classmates.

 

[sdn1977]

I'm just afraid that if I go into pharmacy, I will regret for the rest of my life not getting an MD, since pharmacy is not what I expected or something like that.

I guess I'm looking for a compare/contrast between being an MD and a pharm.

Personally, I think there are significant differences between those who choose to become physicians and pharmacists (& who are successful in those ventures).

I say that because I have a daughter who chose medicine - not as a first choice, mind you. It came to her late in her undergrad studies & she actually rebelled at even thinking about it.

But.....I knew early on at a young age, she had the mind set for being a physician. I do not, did not at the time I was young and don't regret my choice for one minute. I think there is a huge difference between those who choose dentistry over all else as well - my husband is a dentist. I know lots of dentists, pharmacists & physicians. Those who are successful have a different way of looking at things, approaching things.....

When my daughter was debating & agonizing about her decision, which btw, was all her own.....we told her - both myself & her dad (the dentist)....life is really a journey. School is a part of that journey, but your education never ends. At least,, it hasn't for me nor for my husband (altho he continues to spend $$$$$$ on equipement, which is very unique to dentists!!!).

The journey ends up becoming the end - the processing of learning & working with patients continually changes - the first prescription I filled by myself (or actually hospital order) was far different from what I do now. I can't imagine how I'll think when I finally leave & I will have filled my last order ever.....

Will I ever stop wondering why the receptors dont' respond or how the aldosterone will change or whatever....I doubt it.

This really is a journey....the choice you must make is - what is it that makes you wonder??? Is it the determining of what actually is making the individual sick or different or monitoring a normal process like pregnancy & childbirth....or is it mentoring & educating the sick & scared & frustrated patients? Thats simplified...but highlights some of what my daughter went through in deciding what she wanted to pursue (altho pharmacy was never on the table).

She's currently an MSIII & couldn't be happier.

 

[nextgenpharm]

Personally, I think there are significant differences between those who choose to become physicians and pharmacists (& who are successful in those ventures).

I say that because I have a daughter who chose medicine - not as a first choice, mind you. It came to her late in her undergrad studies & she actually rebelled at even thinking about it.

But.....I knew early on at a young age, she had the mind set for being a physician. I do not, did not at the time I was young and don't regret my choice for one minute. I think there is a huge difference between those who choose dentistry over all else as well - my husband is a dentist. I know lots of dentists, pharmacists & physicians. Those who are successful have a different way of looking at things, approaching things.....

When my daughter was debating & agonizing about her decision, which btw, was all her own.....we told her - both myself & her dad (the dentist)....life is really a journey. School is a part of that journey, but your education never ends. At least,, it hasn't for me nor for my husband (altho he continues to spend $$$$$$ on equipement, which is very unique to dentists!!!).

The journey ends up becoming the end - the processing of learning & working with patients continually changes - the first prescription I filled by myself (or actually hospital order) was far different from what I do now. I can't imagine how I'll think when I finally leave & I will have filled my last order ever.....

Will I ever stop wondering why the receptors dont' respond or how the aldosterone will change or whatever....I doubt it.

This really is a journey....the choice you must make is - what is it that makes you wonder??? Is it the determining of what actually is making the individual sick or different or monitoring a normal process like pregnancy & childbirth....or is it mentoring & educating the sick & scared & frustrated patients? Thats simplified...but highlights some of what my daughter went through in deciding what she wanted to pursue (altho pharmacy was never on the table).

She's currently an MSIII & couldn't be happier.

Thank you so much for this post!!!! It's good to see/hear through the eyes of someone who's been there......

What about pharmacogenomics? (the study of genes and how they determine a drug's action in the body) Do you think there is much room for growth in this up and coming field in the near future? or do you think it will be years before it becomes an integral part of the pharmacist's job?

 

[sdn1977]

Thank you so much for this post!!!! It's good to see/hear through the eyes of someone who's been there......

What about pharmacogenomics? (the study of genes and how they determine a drug's action in the body) Do you think there is much room for growth in this up and coming field in the near future? or do you think it will be years before it becomes an integral part of the pharmacist's job?

Pharmacogenomics is already a large part of our job - insofar as the field has come. We already know some of what races/genders are fast metabolizers or slow metabolizers thus can predict changes from the norm.

The current research is now on drugs targted to certain the prescence or absence of certain genes & honestly, they are coming up on some dead ends.

But....like all drug research - it takes decades.

But, as actual on the line pharmacists - working in retail, in an ICU, snf....I'm not sure how much it will change all that - other than in the drug choice possibility you have. Now...in oncology, transplant, inhiertable illnesses or those which might have a genetic component....there might be hugh changes.

But....when I graduated in 1977 - I would never have predicted we'd have immunomodulators such as Enbrel or Humira in 2007.....so anything can happen!

 

[gsinccom]

great thread everyone🙂

 

[MonoMatt304]

I job shadowed a Walgreens pharmacist for a few days. She had graduated from UT about 4 years prior. She said her first year or 2 with Walgreens she got the crap hours (graveyard shift, holidays, weekends) but now she generally works M-F like 10am-6pm or something like that and has maybe one holiday a year she has to work. She said she loves it because now that she has a normal work schedule, she can go home at night and completely forget about work and actually have a life.

I think it depends on where you work, but the general trend seems to be that the longer you are with a company, the better hours you get.

 

[LowGPAHighPCAT]

I job shadowed a Walgreens pharmacist for a few days. She had graduated from UT about 4 years prior. She said her first year or 2 with Walgreens she got the crap hours (graveyard shift, holidays, weekends) but now she generally works M-F like 10am-6pm or something like that and has maybe one holiday a year she has to work. She said she loves it because now that she has a normal work schedule, she can go home at night and completely forget about work and actually have a life.

I think it depends on where you work, but the general trend seems to be that the longer you are with a company, the better hours you get.

This, largely, has been my experience as well, although those hours seem especially friendly. I can't speak for pharmacy outside of the retail arena, however I believe that most new and coming pharmacists can eventually get into those kind of hours (if desired).

 

[ClassOf78]

I would have to agree with sdn1977--I believe she is a hospital pharmacist and I am retail. The reason that the pay is so high now vs when I got out (1978) is supply and demand. That being said I am called weekly from up to 100 miles away to help someone out. And that's the big catch, you are helping someone out--not sure about others but it sure is hard to say no, because the next time it may be you asking. I normally don't work 75 hours a week, but it is not unusual to work 55-60. I'm 51 and although I am still capable both physically and mentally I really would like to slow down. Bottom line is there are not enough pharmacists to go around so we all help each other out, at least I try to. It was harder when my son and daughter were young but we managed and they're good kids. Now one is in nursing and wants to be a nurse anestitist and the other is going into pharmacy. So the extra money comes in pretty handy.
And YES I would do it all over again----I Love my profession. 😍

 

[sdn1977]

I would have to agree with sdn1977--I believe she is a hospital pharmacist and I am retail. The reason that the pay is so high now vs when I got out (1978) is supply and demand. That being said I am called weekly from up to 100 miles away to help someone out. And that's the big catch, you are helping someone out--not sure about others but it sure is hard to say no, because the next time it may be you asking. I normally don't work 75 hours a week, but it is not unusual to work 55-60. I'm 51 and although I am still capable both physically and mentally I really would like to slow down. Bottom line is there are not enough pharmacists to go around so we all help each other out, at least I try to. It was harder when my son and daughter were young but we managed and they're good kids. Now one is in nursing and wants to be a nurse anestitist and the other is going into pharmacy. So the extra money comes in pretty handy.
And YES I would do it all over again----I Love my profession. 😍

Welcome!!!! I think there's one other of us from the 70's....there was a "do you remember when..." thread on here somewhere of stuff these kids have never known.

I do both hospital & retail right now - did hospital primarily for the first 20 yrs or so...but, yeah...its been a fun ride. My kids didn't know the difference - it just seemed normal for their mom & dad to be on call, so no big deal. They learned very, very early though - do NOT be calling from school to be picked up unless you're very sick - there's no one to cover (especially dad!).

Oh - new update on pay rate for those interested in N CA - "avg" tech - about $17/hr (with experience) - mine makes $22/hr.

Interns - $34/hr

Pharmacists - $54-57/hr If you travel like 78 above - you probably make more - especially if you're willing to go as far as he/she does, altho he/she can travel 100 miles in the same about of time it might take someone in LA to go 20😡 .

Note: prices may vary😉

 

[LowGPAHighPCAT]

Welcome!!!! I think there's one other of us from the 70's....there was a "do you remember when..." thread on here somewhere of stuff these kids have never known.

I do both hospital & retail right now - did hospital primarily for the first 20 yrs or so...but, yeah...its been a fun ride. My kids didn't know the difference - it just seemed normal for their mom & dad to be on call, so no big deal. They learned very, very early though - do NOT be calling from school to be picked up unless you're very sick - there's no one to cover (especially dad!).

Oh - new update on pay rate for those interested in N CA - "avg" tech - about $17/hr (with experience) - mine makes $22/hr.

Interns - $34/hr

Pharmacists - $54-57/hr If you travel like 78 above - you probably make more - especially if you're willing to go as far as he/she does, altho he/she can travel 100 miles in the same about of time it might take someone in LA to go 20😡 .

Note: prices may vary😉

Geez, I'm in the wrong state. Oklahoma techs and interns make about half of those values. Obviously though, there's a bit of difference in price of living out here versus Cali.

 

[G0T2PS]

What?!?! 😱

I'm getting short changed. As a tech I'm being paid $10/hr.

I also think the employer is trying to play it off.. when I start school as a P1 they'll still pay me $10/hr.

And I thought as an intern it's unpaid. Jeeez...

 

[Farmercyst]

What?!?! 😱

I'm getting short changed. As a tech I'm being paid $10/hr.

I also think the employer is trying to play it off.. when I start school as a P1 they'll still pay me $10/hr.

And I thought as an intern it's unpaid. Jeeez...

Depends on where in Cali you work, union/non-union + other factors. Most of the techs I know down here are getting paid 10-15.

 

[ClassOf78]

Hey SDN,
I'm the one who started the "remember when" thread--it was fun. 😀 Just for info on pay--I work full time for Wal-Mart (very happy there too I might add) and as an hourly staff pharmacist I get $57.00/hour--My husband is an assistant manager and gets 58--the manager gets 59. Assistants and managers get a pretty hefty bonus. But what's really nice as an hourly pharmacist is I get time and a half after 40 hours. I do some relief for different pharmacists but my bread and butter comes from WM. I don't think WM pays their techs very well and that's sad because the quality of techs is what makes me the happiest, and thankfully we have some great techs where I work. Hope all is well with you SDN in California.
🙂

 

[sdn1977]

Hey SDN,
I'm the one who started the "remember when" thread--it was fun. 😀 Just for info on pay--I work full time for Wal-Mart (very happy there too I might add) and as an hourly staff pharmacist I get $57.00/hour--My husband is an assistant manager and gets 58--the manager gets 59. Assistants and managers get a pretty hefty bonus. But what's really nice as an hourly pharmacist is I get time and a half after 40 hours. I do some relief for different pharmacists but my bread and butter comes from WM. I don't think WM pays their techs very well and that's sad because the quality of techs is what makes me the happiest, and thankfully we have some great techs where I work. Hope all is well with you SDN in California.
🙂

Sorry - I guess I forgot your "name"😳 Things are good in CA, but I'm busy......need a vacation!

You're in Kansas, Nebraska, somewhere in the midwest....right???? (We're old.....you understand my short term memory stuff. But just ask me about podophyllin & I'll remember every detail😀 )

Anyway - you're pay is close to ours. We get time & 1/2 for any hours over 8 even if you're not over 40/wk - so for every weekday, we're always paid time & 1/2 for the last 2-1/2 hrs we work. Thats why full-time is not 40 hrs - is more like 32. Actually, for benefits, working 24hr/wk gives full time benefits. One of the many reasons I don't work full time anywhere....Also - lunch is required - was legislated into law a few years back - disgraceful that a lunch break must be legislated!!! But - I absolutely take that lunch break & will close the pharmacy to do so!

OK - now....a blast from the past from this last week. Mom comes in with rx for Maalox:Benadryl 1:1 Sig: 15mg Benadryl swish & swallow qid x 5 days. My tech takes the rx & tells her since its a compound, it may be tomorrow (they all look like greek to her). Fortunately, I'm close by & can hear everything - so I take a look.

I give the rx back to mom - give her two measuring spoons, show her the products & tell her how to mix it & explain her insurance wouldn't cover this & it would cost her >$50 to have me do something she can do at home. She was very grateful!

btw...child was being treated for hand, foot & mouth disease.

So - got any "old" rxs you remember???

 

[ZpackSux]

I don't know about old....but I don't see the following order no mo...

Trovan 300mg IV now, then 200mg po qd.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Interns - $34/hr

Sweet Lord. I only made $14/hr, and I was happy to have it. Of course rent in California is $5,000,000/month, so I can see how payment needs to be more.

 

[gvsk]

well assumignwe go t a private shcll and we hav to take 100000$ in federal loans...

how wil it effect us what all we save we hav to re pay out load by.. and dont thin we can hav a good enuf life style untill we clear that loan

any info on repayment of federal loan will be helpful

 

[imkim01]

Sweet Lord. I only made $14/hr, and I was happy to have it. Of course rent in California is $5,000,000/month, so I can see how payment needs to be more.

Nah, I think $34/hr is for grad intern. Usually, P4 makes $20~21/hr depending on company. I thought CA is the most expensive state for living, but MA is VERY PRICY as well... and our pay is significantly lower than interns in CA; P4 in MA makes $15/hr.

 

[UMichFinn]

I would highly recommend taking a year or two off to travel, work, etc. after you graduate. Applying to programs won't help you decide what you want to do with your life. Only working and talking to people in those professions will.

Also, I've found that most people who have doubts about medical school aren't really meant to be physicians in the end (me included).

 

[Zyvox]

But, you want to know about lifestyle???

Well....last week I worked about 75 hours, this week a bit less - but, I'm following a pharmacist who has no clue, so I do lots and lots of clean up work.

I rotate shifts,altho not as much as I did when I was younger.....

I've worked every other weekend for 30 years....

If the phone rings in the middle of the night - its for me. I go in less than I used to, but more often than I wish I had to.....

I've worked half the Chistmases & Thanksgivings of my married life, I could care less about Fourth of July, Labor Day or MLK as holidays - they just are not on my radar, & have at times felt I've had to beg, borrow or steal time off.....It was hardest when my kids were home & in school & had all those holidays off - but, that's what Dad did - stayed home on the holidays.

But - would I do it again - yes, in a heartbeat.

try the medical thread...

 

[eelo]

well assumignwe go t a private shcll and we hav to take 100000$ in federal loans...

how wil it effect us what all we save we hav to re pay out load by.. and dont thin we can hav a good enuf life style untill we clear that loan

any info on repayment of federal loan will be helpful

Ummmm..... what?

 

[binghamkid]

well assumignwe go t a private shcll and we hav to take 100000$ in federal loans...

how wil it effect us what all we save we hav to re pay out load by.. and dont thin we can hav a good enuf life style untill we clear that loan

any info on repayment of federal loan will be helpful

Well, if you do the math, you can easily repay $100,000. Repayment of a standard loan for education is usually within 10 years. If you break that down (including interest), you'll probably pay about $150,000/10 years = $15,000.

If you make >$100,000 (and in a pharmacy career, you easily can if you look hard enough), you will live quite well. If you're smart, you'll pay off as much as you can so you'll be debt free fast...just don't make yourself starve while you're at it.

And private schools aren't that bad in terms of tuition...it's no different than an out-of-state tuition at a state school. The amount of loans can easily exceeed $200,000 once you calculate cost of living. But $200k isn't even that bad relatively. You can still pay it off in like 4 years.

 

[Da Alchemist]

I have recently decided that going into medicine might not be what I want in the end. I don't see myself being hard-core enough, and I am not willing to give up my future plans in raising a family etc for my job as a doctor working 90 hr weeks. What kind of hours does a typical pharmacist work? How rigorous is pharmacy school?

Also, I saw on the FAQ's that they now require 6 years of study out of high school 😕 I am about to graduate with a BS in chemistry, is it too late for me to pursue a pharmD or something?

Thanks!

Pharmacist Lifestyle= BAAAAAALLLLLLINNNNN!!

 

[binghamkid]

Pharmacist Lifestyle= BAAAAAALLLLLLINNNNN!!

Actually, that's not true. If you want a great lifestyle, own your own business. If you're successful, you make more than anyone else could ever imagine. But going the pharmacy route will be rewarding. =)

 

[aboveliquidice]

Well, if you do the math, you can easily repay $100,000. Repayment of a standard loan for education is usually within 10 years. If you break that down (including interest), you'll probably pay about $150,000/10 years = $15,000.

If you make >$100,000 (and in a pharmacy career, you easily can if you look hard enough), you will live quite well. If you're smart, you'll pay off as much as you can so you'll be debt free fast...just don't make yourself starve while you're at it.

And private schools aren't that bad in terms of tuition...it's no different than an out-of-state tuition at a state school. The amount of loans can easily exceeed $200,000 once you calculate cost of living. But $200k isn't even that bad relatively. You can still pay it off in like 4 years.

I can appreciate your optimism - but you wont be paying a $200,000 debt back in four years... not making what a pharmacist makes. Furthermore - if you borrow X amount of dollars - you dont pay X amount back. Its X amount + compounded interest on X principle remaining.

You could starve yourself - and pay it back pretty quickly - but most people that are willing to go to such an extreme to pay off their tuition would simply find a program that pays it back for them - Like Fred's or the military. The lifestyle of a pharmacist is good - but I think most people should recognize that a pharmacist has an upper middle class job - not upper class. You will still worry about putting your kids through college - or taking that euro trip.

~above~

 

[binghamkid]

I can appreciate your optimism - but you wont be paying a $200,000 debt back in four years... not making what a pharmacist makes. Furthermore - if you borrow X amount of dollars - you dont pay X amount back. Its X amount + compounded interest on X principle remaining.

You could starve yourself - and pay it back pretty quickly - but most people that are willing to go to such an extreme to pay off their tuition would simply find a program that pays it back for them - Like Fred's or the military. The lifestyle of a pharmacist is good - but I think most people should recognize that a pharmacist has an upper middle class job - not upper class. You will still worry about putting your kids through college - or taking that euro trip.

~above~

Mmm...i dunno, if what i've heard is true, pharmacists can make about $100k in some areas (more if you can command more competitive offers). If you're willing to live in a rental home for those years, there's no reason you can't afford to pay $50k+ a year. Unless you're trying to support a family already of course. In which case, that's different. But it is doable. But since I'm currently not supporting a family, it'll be much easier for me to do so. Seeing how I can live very very comfortably on about $20k a year by myself (I currently live off $15k quite well and put the rest of my salary to savings), I don't see it as a major problem to pay off that much.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Mmm...i dunno, if what i've heard is true, pharmacists can make about $100k in some areas (more if you can command more competitive offers). If you're willing to live in a rental home for those years, there's no reason you can't afford to pay $50k+ a year. Unless you're trying to support a family already of course. In which case, that's different. But it is doable. But since I'm currently not supporting a family, it'll be much easier for me to do so. Seeing how I can live very very comfortably on about $20k a year by myself (I currently live off $15k quite well and put the rest of my salary to savings), I don't see it as a major problem to pay off that much.

I agree that it can be done - I am saying that you (most likely) will not. Its not a slight on you - its simply looking at life as part of an adventure. After school - you will want to visit places - fix your car - probably get your own place for real. You will probably be starting a family of some sort. The fact is - your spending will increase.

Living off of 15K is the norm in school - but you wont be doing it after. Not because you cant - but because that lifestyle will not match your life anymore.

Another point - if your interest rate is low - (my brother has 1.9 % on his 85K from dental school) - he just leaves it there. The money he could use to pay it off goes into the stock market... where he is getting a great deal more than 2%... It doesn't pay to pay it off early.

These are just thoughts on the subject - if paying your debt down is of great importance to you - then I say attack it with enthusiasm. I am looking at joining the military again - the Army is paying 29K/year for tuition reimbursement, plust I would also receive O3E Captain's pay - which averages out to around 90000 / year income if you include all benefits - plus free medical, dental, housing, and tax free food...

Thats my plan - but to each their own

~above~

 

[eelo]

Mmm...i dunno, if what i've heard is true, pharmacists can make about $100k in some areas (more if you can command more competitive offers). If you're willing to live in a rental home for those years, there's no reason you can't afford to pay $50k+ a year. Unless you're trying to support a family already of course. In which case, that's different. But it is doable. But since I'm currently not supporting a family, it'll be much easier for me to do so. Seeing how I can live very very comfortably on about $20k a year by myself (I currently live off $15k quite well and put the rest of my salary to savings), I don't see it as a major problem to pay off that much.

Actually, in many areas of the country, it's more economically sound to purchase a home than to rent one. If the mortgage payment is the same as what rent would cost you, go for ownership and take the tax advantage. Plus, home values rarely depreciate; at worst, they would remain stable. Live there for 4-5 years and then move- if you sell it for more than what you paid for it, you've turned a profit (which, logically, will go directly into another home purchase). If you sell it for exactly what you paid for it, then you've lived essentially rent-free for the time you were there, and you made money onthe tax advantage.

 

[ButlerPharm.D.]

Since we are talking loan repayment, does anyone know if we are able to write off a certain amount of our student loans on our income taxes for the first few years following graduation?

 

[binghamkid]

Actually, in many areas of the country, it's more economically sound to purchase a home than to rent one. If the mortgage payment is the same as what rent would cost you, go for ownership and take the tax advantage. Plus, home values rarely depreciate; at worst, they would remain stable. Live there for 4-5 years and then move- if you sell it for more than what you paid for it, you've turned a profit (which, logically, will go directly into another home purchase). If you sell it for exactly what you paid for it, then you've lived essentially rent-free for the time you were there, and you made money onthe tax advantage.

Haha yea that's definitely true...except I live in L.A. =p