looking to change jobs..am i crazy or to old

[golfer23]

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I am a 31 y/o pharmacit and have been working in a hospital for about 5 years. I have overall a good job but hate comming to work daily. I always wanted to be a dentist but am wondering if i am to old or crazy to leave what I have to start over (assuming I could get into dental school). Any thoughts?

 

[12YearOldKid]

There is a pharmacist in my class. She is 30 something with kids. I think she even occasionally works a weekend shift at CVS now and then. There are engineers in my class who didn't start d-school until they were in their 40's. 31 is NOT old.

You already have the pre-reqs and a good foundation for most of the science classes. I can't think of any reason you shouldn't try if dentistry is what you want to do.

 

[Joeybag]

No one can tell you waht to do, and ultimately you must decide, but in my opinion I'm not too sure if its worth going to 4 yrs more of school and going 200k+ (100-300 range) in debt in order to switch jobs. Not to mention the salary you would be losing during that time. Chances are you have most of the prereqs. but applying, shadowing, doing research, interviewing, studying for DAT's getting transcripts, interviewing, etc. can also be very time consuming and may be sort of difficult for someone w/ a full time job-this may necessitate a year off, especially if you need to take more classes. Would you be happy w/ pharmacy in a different sort of environment, or different area in the country-I would probably seek out those options before plunging into something new? Financially speaking, I would avoid making the plunge, but if dentistry makes you happy to the point that it makes all financial issues irrelevant, then by all means go for it. It all depends on what you are looking for in dentistry.

 

[Comet208]

I have overall a good job but hate comming to work daily.

Dentists also go to work daily; some work more hours than others. Many pharmacists that I know of work 4 days a week (10 hours each). Dentistry is a great career and if you like it I encourage you to pursue it. Make sure you have the right reasons though, or you will be weeded out during the interview process.

 

[mochafreak]

I agree with Comet...if your only problem with your job is the commute that's not a good enough reason. I'm a 32 y/o former engineer that's going to d-school this fall and I'm doing it because I HATED everything about engineering and I think dentistry is best for me. You also said you've always wanted to be a dentist...if you want to be a dentist bad enough to give up a career you're fairly satisfied with, go further in debt, and deal with d-school then go for it. 👍 Just don't mention the commuting thing...

 

[Galen1]

I agree with Comet...if your only problem with your job is the commute that's not a good enough reason. I'm a 32 y/o former engineer that's going to d-school this fall and I'm doing it because I HATED everything about engineering and I think dentistry is best for me. You also said you've always wanted to be a dentist...if you want to be a dentist bad enough to give up a career you're fairly satisfied with, go further in debt, and deal with d-school then go for it. 👍 Just don't mention the commuting thing...

He never said he hated commuting to work he said he hated "comming" to work, so it was probably just a typo of him wanting to say "coming to work". If he hates going to work then that's reason enough to want to change your career. I say you go for it Golfer, you're still pretty young and you have a lot of years ahead of you. It's best to start your new career now than to spend 30 or so years in a profession that doesn't satisfy you. Good luck to you!

P.S: Just make sure the prerequisite courses you took years ago can still be used in your application before you do anything else, because that in itself can sway your decision dramatically.

 

[fightingspirit]

I am a 31 y/o pharmacit and have been working in a hospital for about 5 years. I have overall a good job but hate comming to work daily. I always wanted to be a dentist but am wondering if i am to old or crazy to leave what I have to start over (assuming I could get into dental school). Any thoughts?

you have one life to live so it's worth living your dream. if you always wanted to be a dentist then you should pursue it ASAP. think of it this way, regardless of how much older you'd be upon graduation from d-school, ask yourself the following question:

do you wanna be 45 years old and a dentist or 45 years old and not a dentist?

if the answer is dentist, then go for it.

 

[aphistis]

Like some other people who've posted, I know a pharmacist in the class ahead of me. He's in his 40's and worked part-time through school. Tough gig, but I guess you do what you must to support your family. 👍

 

[mochafreak]

He never said he hated commuting to work he said he hated "comming" to work, so it was probably just a typo of him wanting to say "coming to work". If he hates going to work then that's reason enough to want to change your career. I say you go for it Golfer, you're still pretty young and you have a lot of years ahead of you. It's best to start your new career now than to spend 30 or so years in a profession that doesn't satisfy you. Good luck to you!

P.S: Just make sure the prerequisite courses you took years ago can still be used in your application before you do anything else, because that in itself can sway your decision dramatically.

Guess I should look into getting Lasik done before d-school huh?

 

[golfer23]

Thanks for the input. I make me feel better about following what I always wanted to do

 

[syn_apse]

Thanks for the input. I make me feel better about following what I always wanted to do

if dentistry is what you always wanted to do, then why did you become a pharmacist?
if you apply to dental school, be prepared for some skeptical interviewers...

 

[PickMe]

if dentistry is what you always wanted to do, then why did you become a pharmacist?
if you apply to dental school, be prepared for some skeptical interviewers...

why would the interviewers be skeptical? i think having the courage to leave a well-paying field such as pharmacy to go into dentistry reflects positively on the applicant, not negatively. People make mistakes the first time around, I think the adcoms will understand and appreciate his career change decision.

 

[syn_apse]

why would the interviewers be skeptical?

i never said it would reflect negatively. my point was that if dentistry is what golfer "always wanted to do"... a pharmacy detour will raise some questions during interviews.

personally, i would stick it out with pharmacy. find a new job in a new city counting the same pills... wait, that sounds awful! i can see why you want to jump ship... but keep in mind you will lose 4 years of pharm salary while paying about $160,000 (state school) to $320,000 (hi NYU students) in tuition and living costs for 4 more years of school.

but hey life's short -- do what you want to do with it! 👍

 

[Comet208]

but keep in mind you will lose 4 years of pharm salary while paying about $160,000 (state school) to $320,000 (hi NYU students) in tuition and living costs for 4 more years of school.

plus paying the above loans back at the 7% interest rate.

 

[blotterspotter]

if dentistry is what you always wanted to do, then why did you become a pharmacist?
if you apply to dental school, be prepared for some skeptical interviewers...

I'm a pharmacist that got into dental school and they all seemed to like the fact I was a pharmacist.

 

[sumozmom]

I am a 31 y/o pharmacit and have been working in a hospital for about 5 years. I have overall a good job but hate comming to work daily. I always wanted to be a dentist but am wondering if i am to old or crazy to leave what I have to start over (assuming I could get into dental school). Any thoughts?

Hey Man...i'm 38 with a BS in Accounting and 10 yr exp in IT...I HATE my jobe and the ruffians i work with DON"T make it a happy place.

I WILL BE A DENTIST....working on pre-recs now 🙂

 

[syn_apse]

I'm a pharmacist that got into dental school and they all seemed to like the fact I was a pharmacist.

this thread should be reposted in the pre-pharm forum.

is there a pre-pharm forum?

 

[blotterspotter]

this thread should be reposted in the pre-pharm forum.

is there a pre-pharm forum?

Umm.. why? He wants to be a DENTIST, not a pharmacist. I'm a pharmacist, but want to be a DENTIST.

 

[syn_apse]

Umm.. why? He wants to be a DENTIST, not a pharmacist. I'm a pharmacist, but want to be a DENTIST.

my point was that the pre-pharm folks should check out the unhappy pharmacists on the pre-dental forum. that's why i joked that the thread should be reposted in the pre-pharm forum.

 

[blotterspotter]

my point was that the pre-pharm folks should check out the unhappy pharmacists on the pre-dental forum. that's why i joked that the thread should be reposted in the pre-pharm forum.

Ahhhhh. I'm sorry I didn't catch the sarcasm. Great point synapse!