Maybe Pharmacy is not meant for me

[877259]

Finishing the first year of pre-reqs with 2 As 5 Bs and 2 Cs (chem 1 & 2) was not exactly the outcome I had hoped for, add that with waning career prospects and outrageous tuition, I'm starting to think of other careers I may excel in, which sucks at the moment since I was hell-bent on becoming a pharmacist but I'll get over it. I'm thinking of radiology tech or medical technologist, does anyone know of other careers I might look into?

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[PharmtoCS]

Better to realize that now than 2 years into pharmacy school, or even worse after you graduate (this happens to many).

There are other professions, i.e. computer programming, finance, accounting, engineering, etc. that offer better job prospects, pay well, and do not require you to take out $200k+ in loans and spend an additional 4 years of your life in school.

 

[pharmgal89]

I imagine you are disappointed, but it is definitely better to know now. If I had a child in college now who was interested in something medical I would say physical therapy or dentist. Both require the professional to be hands on and cannot be replaced by automation. As for chemistry, I took it over and over and finally got it when I was in Organic Chemistry. My dentist today took general and Organic with me. She makes much more a year than I do. Good luck in whatever you decide.

 

[mk04447]

Wow you give up easy. Let me get this straight, you aren't performing at the level you'd like, so you're going to lower the bar instead of working harder?

 

[BigBoss]

Wow you give up easy. Let me get this straight, you aren't performing at the level you'd like, so you're going to lower the bar instead of working harder?

What's the point of "working harder" when the pharmacy job market is abysmal? And how is it that he's "lowering the bar" if he's thinking of other careers? I could argue that going into pharmacy knowing the current situation is lowering the bar. To each their own.

 

[mk04447]

What's the point of "working harder" when the pharmacy job market is abysmal? And how is it that he's "lowering the bar" if he's thinking of other careers? I could argue that going into pharmacy knowing the current situation is lowering the bar. To each their own.

Totally different discussion, but you might also argue OP may actually get in when he wouldn't in a more competitive field. Better to be a pharmacist in a saturated market than a medical technologist any day.

 

[BigBoss]

Totally different discussion, but you might also argue OP may actually get in when he wouldn't in a more competitive field. Better to be a pharmacist in a saturated market than a medical technologist any day.

It's better to be a pharmacist? Have you not read the numerous threads on the Pharmacy forum on how people are getting their hours cut and being forced to take pay cuts? Not to mention losing benefits because you're getting less than 30 hrs/week? How is that better when you consider the enormous debt:income ratio?

 

[mk04447]

It's better to be a pharmacist? Have you not read the numerous threads on the Pharmacy forum on how people are getting their hours cut and being forced to take pay cuts? Not to mention losing benefits because you're getting less than 30 hrs/week? How is that better when you consider the enormous debt:income ratio?

I know a few who are doing exceptionally. If you're good at your job you'll do fine regardless of a market; law is a perfect example. Assuming you're correct though, you'd rather have a solid job making 40k forever over a realistic salary between 80 and 120k? Doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[BigBoss]

I know a few who are doing exceptionally. If you're good at your job you'll do fine regardless of a market; law is a perfect example. Assuming you're correct though, you'd rather have a solid job making 40k forever over a realistic salary between 80 and 120k? Doesn't make much sense to me.

Those salary figures for pharmacy assume that you can find a job in the first place.

 

[455424]

People take what’s written are these forums too seriously. It’s quite sad. If you can’t do your own personal research on a profession and you rely solely on these forums for your information, you probably shouldn’t be pursuing an advanced degree. Don’t you think current pharmacists have a stake in steering away new applicants? These doom and gloom threads are simply fear mongering.

 

[455424]

It's better to be a pharmacist? Have you not read the numerous threads on the Pharmacy forum on how people are getting their hours cut and being forced to take pay cuts? Not to mention losing benefits because you're getting less than 30 hrs/week? How is that better when you consider the enormous debt:income ratio?

It’s great to be one. People just have to make the smart choices about school and location.

 

[BigBoss]

People take what’s written are these forums too seriously. It’s quite sad. If you can’t do your own personal research on a profession and you rely solely on these forums for your information, you probably shouldn’t be pursuing an advanced degree. Don’t you think current pharmacists have a stake in steering away new applicants? These doom and gloom threads are simply fear mongering.

Alright, then let's use the BLS numbers which shows employment will only grow 6% from 2016-2026, which equates to roughly 17,400 new positions over a 10 year period. The average number of graduates each year is ~15,000 and rising. It doesn't take a genius to realize that the number of graduates vastly exceeds the number of available jobs.

 

[mk04447]

Those salary figures for pharmacy assume that you can find a job in the first place.

It isn't that bleak.

 

[PharmtoCS]

Denial is usually the first stage.

First the Great Recession hit in 2008. Jobs were still widely available, but the $30k signing bonuses started to be eliminated. Then the supply of pharmacists exceeded the number of job openings.

Next came the tech hour cuts which has led to the pharmacist carrying more of the burden of operating the pharmacy. Chain retail pharmacies started implementing more metrics to work the pharmacists harder. You may spend 14 hours on your feet with no breaks. You're told that you're lucky to have a job because there are hordes of new grads with $200k+ in loans who would love to be in your position. You have no choice to comply. All the while, retail pharmacists and new grads are desperately trying to claw their into hospital jobs which are now requiring PGY1s, PGY2s, and soon PGY3s.

Now Walgreens has halted raises for pharmacists. Kroger just cut their hours for staff pharmacists. New grads, if even employed at all, are given fewer than 30 hours per week of work while trying to pay off their $200k+ in loans. They have to delay marriage, children, buying a house, etc. due to their loan burden and job market instability.

The writing has been on the wall for the last 10 years. It is your choice to deny that the market is that bad or that it will get any worse, or that you yourself are a unicorn who will be spared from saturation because of your unique work ethic and talents.

 

[MQQ]

you are fine... i got so many Cs ... still got in top pharmacy schools ...

 

[Modest_anteater]

People take what’s written are these forums too seriously. It’s quite sad. If you can’t do your own personal research on a profession and you rely solely on these forums for your information, you probably shouldn’t be pursuing an advanced degree. Don’t you think current pharmacists have a stake in steering away new applicants? These doom and gloom threads are simply fear mongering.

>from cali
>almost surely overpaying for your education
>thinks the doom and gloom isn't based in the new reality of a surplus of pharmDs being printed at a rate of 17,000 a year

yeah u got a lot of surprises ahead of you.

 

[Modest_anteater]

Denial is usually the first stage.

First the Great Recession hit in 2008. Jobs were still widely available, but the $30k signing bonuses started to be eliminated. Then the supply of pharmacists exceeded the number of job openings.

Next came the tech hour cuts which has led to the pharmacist carrying more of the burden of operating the pharmacy. Chain retail pharmacies started implementing more metrics to work the pharmacists harder. You may spend 14 hours on your feet with no breaks. You're told that you're lucky to have a job because there are hordes of new grads with $200k+ in loans who would love to be in your position. You have no choice to comply. All the while, retail pharmacists and new grads are desperately trying to claw their into hospital jobs which are now requiring PGY1s, PGY2s, and soon PGY3s.

Now Walgreens has halted raises for pharmacists. Kroger just cut their hours for staff pharmacists. New grads, if even employed at all, are given fewer than 30 hours per week of work while trying to pay off their $200k+ in loans. They have to delay marriage, children, buying a house, etc. due to their loan burden and job market instability.

The writing has been on the wall for the last 10 years. It is your choice to deny that the market is that bad or that it will get any worse, or that you yourself are a unicorn who will be spared from saturation because of your unique work ethic and talents.

this is pure gold. I wish i could give reddit gold for this post.

 

[Robbin]

Well you really need to do work hard for your studies, because only getting marks is not important unless you have the required information regarding each and everything of pharmacy subject.

 

[grizzlesgrizzlies]

>from cali
>almost surely overpaying for your education
>thinks the doom and gloom isn't based in the new reality of a surplus of pharmDs being printed at a rate of 17,000 a year

yeah u got a lot of surprises ahead of you.

Let them learn the hard way. Having to pay 200k in student loans while only getting 24 to 30 hours a week? Whoever is willing to do that must literally hate money.

Of course we are all preaching doom and gloom so that we can hoard all the jobs for ourselves! If there really are that many jobs to go around, why would we care to dissuade others from going into the profession? By all means, take the plunge and don't go into fetal position under the workbench while the line is at 10 deep, the drive-thru rings, and the incessant "one pharmacy call" reminder. Remember, quitting isn't an option. Those student loans don't pay off themselves.

 

[lalaland33]

Finishing the first year of pre-reqs with 2 As 5 Bs and 2 Cs (chem 1 & 2) was not exactly the outcome I had hoped for, add that with waning career prospects and outrageous tuition, I'm starting to think of other careers I may excel in, which sucks at the moment since I was hell-bent on becoming a pharmacist but I'll get over it. I'm thinking of radiology tech or medical technologist, does anyone know of other careers I might look into?

Radiology tech is a good field to get into. I think the education + training takes one or two years. MRI is where its at so get lots of experience.

 

[DagS132]

Just wondering but why do a lot of people on these forums treat pharmacy as the only job that is hard to get? Most of the people I know had to search for years before landing a job(related to their degrees). I only know 2 people who got jobs straight out of college due to interning or just working during school.

 

[PharmtoCS]

Just wondering but why do a lot of people on these forums treat pharmacy as the only job that is hard to get? Most of the people I know had to search for years before landing a job(related to their degrees). I only know 2 people who got jobs straight out of college due to interning or just working during school.

Many STEM professions are in very high demand right now. With the talent shortage they can land jobs fairly easily right out of undergrad or masters.

Pharmacy requires a lot more hard work, loans, time spent in school, and liability to earn the same amount of money with no better job security compared to other SFEM professions.