My advice to pre-pharmers

[lauradiddle]

QFT. I worked throughout my HS and undergrad. I am currently working part-full time waiter. Although a lot of people might think being a waiter might not have anything to do with pharmacy, I think it's essential to have some experience in dealing with the public / customers. Actually, I think that my work experience helped me a lot in my pharmacy school interview. Without it, I probably wouldn't be here right now.

Agreed. I worked as a grocery store cashier and bookkeeper during undergrad. Pharmacists need to be good communicators, especially in circumstances that require us to keep calm when the other party is frustrated. Even though those kinds of jobs didn't teach me anything about drugs, they've at least given me some experience with the social aspect of pharmacy.

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[thecoolpharmboi]

I am just wondering and this is for anyone that is going to college....if you didn't want to work and your parents aren't helping you etc. Can you always choose not to work and just take out loans for your living expenses? People always say they HAVE TO WORK, but they can always choose to take out loans instead right? I am just wondering about that. My undergrad was very cheap (like 4K a year) that's why money wasn't a big issue for me. If I went to a private school that cost 40K a year I would have had a lot of money problems too.

Yes we can choose to take out more loans/etc. But why would ANYONE want to be in debt or increase their debt? There are different situations with people. I had a scholarship to a private university and commuted to college. I still worked a lot. Working is a good thing, btw. Just because at times we might not want to, we know it's better for us in the long run.

Anyways, I wouldn't want to take out loans if I don't have to.

 

[lauradiddle]

I am just wondering and this is for anyone that is going to college....if you didn't want to work and your parents aren't helping you etc. Can you always choose not to work and just take out loans for your living expenses? People always say they HAVE TO WORK, but they can always choose to take out loans instead right? I am just wondering about that. My undergrad was very cheap (like 4K a year) that's why money wasn't a big issue for me. If I went to a private school that cost 40K a year I would have had a lot of money problems too.

I took out loans, too. My job was mostly a little money for savings and for extra spending money. Many people also work to keep the debt down though. Plus, (if I remember correctly) if you are under 23 you have to fill out your FAFSA with your parents as cosigners, and most of the loans are in their name. Parents have every right to choose to say "no I don't want these loans", and if they say no... you're either getting a job or putting school on hold.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Yes we can choose to take out more loans/etc. But why would ANYONE want to be in debt or increase their debt? There are different situations with people. I had a scholarship to a private university and commuted to college. I still worked a lot. Working is a good thing, btw. Just because at times we might not want to, we know it's better for us in the long run.

Anyways, I wouldn't want to take out loans if I don't have to.

Amen!! It's even more true in pharmacy school. The people in my class who don't have jobs lined up after graduation are, by and large, the people who didn't work during school. LOL at the 4.0 students with no work experience who are whining now about how unfair life is.

 

[2411t]

Eh? What's odd? I never said I got an MS in the sciences, or did research or anything like that.

Whoops. This is me just making an ass out of u and me.

 

[Callahan]

The bottom line is, yes you can make good money being a pharmacist right out of school, it still happens to this day and will continue to. If you are living off of loans while in school then yes you will be giving a large part of your paycheck to paying back loans, however that isn't forever! I know pharmacists that paid loans back monthly at their max and it didn't take long to get through them. Another pharmacist is still paying off her loans because she's taking her time and not paying the max every month. Money shouldn't be a concern for pharmacy school students or students wanting to enter pharmacy school.

 

[PharmDStudman]

Interesting thread! I wish I would have researched the pharmacy profession more before going into pharmacy school as there seems to be many issues I did not realize so many issues would have such a big impact on the profession. I don't mean to scare anyone but look at the "walgreens project one thread" and you can see that the future aint looking so bright for pharmacy

 

[Farmpharm]

Interesting thread! I wish I would have researched the pharmacy profession more before going into pharmacy school as there seems to be many issues I did not realize so many issues would have such a big impact on the profession. I don't mean to scare anyone but look at the "walgreens project one thread" and you can see that the future aint looking so bright for pharmacy

I don't think its THAT scary. Pharmacists will always hold a job and make an affordable income. 100k? Sure sweet. After taxes it dwindles down to the five figures, but come on!, 80k a year is more than enough to live happily.

You might not make 200k-300k+ as other health professionals (dentists, physicians), but when did pharmacists ever make that much? Never, so the end isn't coming anytime soon, and if it does, pharmacist salary may go down a lil bit...but nothing as drastic as minimum wage. Pharmacy is a fine profession. I think a lot of immature people thought that it was a 9-5 job making 200k+ a year, get a job anywhere, get benefits, and easy schooling. It's not, never was, and never will be. It's a solid 9-5 job with a ~100k, after taxes ~70-80k a year job. It was in super high demand...now so much...but its still IN demand.

You might not be living in mansions and driving the latest cars; however, you will be living comfortably. What else do you need in life? It's solid and meh, nothing to worry about.

 

[crazybob]

I don't think its THAT scary. Pharmacists will always hold a job and make an affordable income. 100k? Sure sweet. After taxes it dwindles down to the five figures, but come on!, 80k a year is more than enough to live happily.

You might not make 200k-300k+ as other health professionals (dentists, physicians), but when did pharmacists ever make that much? Never, so the end isn't coming anytime soon, and if it does, pharmacist salary may go down a lil bit...but nothing as drastic as minimum wage. Pharmacy is a fine profession. I think a lot of immature people thought that it was a 9-5 job making 200k+ a year, get a job anywhere, get benefits, and easy schooling. It's not, never was, and never will be. It's a solid 9-5 job with a ~100k, after taxes ~70-80k a year job. It was in super high demand...now so much...but its still IN demand.

You might not be living in mansions and driving the latest cars; however, you will be living comfortably. What else do you need in life? It's solid and meh, nothing to worry about.

You also have to remember that with the number of pharmacies in the country, you can find at least one job.

People don't take those jobs for whatever reason:

• Refuse to drive that far because they're lazy
• Refuse to work there because they're too good for that
• Can't move that far because of a family
• That part of the country is not good enough for them, so they refuse to relocate there
• They hate that type of pharmacy practice settings, so they refuse to work in those types of pharmacies

and so on.

You also have to remember that just because you don't get offered a job doesn't mean the employer didn't have one. If you had an attitude problem or your previous employers had too many complaints, you may not get hired right away.

 

[Farmpharm]

You also have to remember that with the number of pharmacies in the country, you can find at least one job.

People don't take those jobs for whatever reason:

• Refuse to drive that far because they're lazy
• Refuse to work there because they're too good for that
• Can't move that far because of a family
• That part of the country is not good enough for them, so they refuse to relocate there
• They hate that type of pharmacy practice settings, so they refuse to work in those types of pharmacies

and so on.

You also have to remember that just because you don't get offered a job doesn't mean the employer didn't have one. If you had an attitude problem or your previous employers had too many complaints, you may not get hired right away.

Sounds like any other job. When pharmacy was at it's prime (90's-2000's), I have a feeling that pharmacy went the pre-Madonna route.

Go to undergrad for 2-4 years, go to pharmacy school (which isn't as hard as other professional schools, so you have room to slack), graduate after 3 years (while just needing to do the bare minimum- what difference does it make if you a 4.0 compared to a 2.8? None!), have tons of job offers with signing bonuses, work a stable set of hours and enjoy your 100k. You just can't do that with Dentistry or Medicine.

Now people have caught on, and students are flocking towards to the pharmacy arena for those awesome things listed above. Because of this, things are getting more competitive (grades/residency/no more bare minimum crap) and those benefits (signing bonuses and hours) above are fading. None-the-less pharmacy will still be a good route to go into; however, in general, the field is getting tougher. I guess that's why people are crying that the sky is falling. But give me a break, pre-madonnas.

Work hard, move to places where jobs are (yes in alot of jobs you have to move in order to have an affordable living- so grow up and quit crying that you can't work in Time's Square), and you'll still rake in a decent salary. FYI average salary in U.S. is ~45,000k. So you'll be just fine.

 

[crazybob]

Sounds like any other job. When pharmacy was at it's prime (90's-2000's), I have a feeling that pharmacy went the pre-Madonna route.

Go to undergrad for 2-4 years, go to pharmacy school (which isn't as hard as other professional schools, so you have room to slack), graduate after 3 years (while just needing to do the bare minimum- what difference does it make if you a 4.0 compared to a 2.8? None!), have tons of job offers with signing bonuses, work a stable set of hours and enjoy your 100k. You just can't do that with Dentistry or Medicine.

Now people have caught on, and students are flocking towards to the pharmacy arena for those awesome things listed above. Because of this, things are getting more competitive (grades/residency/no more bare minimum crap) and those benefits (signing bonuses and hours) above are fading. None-the-less pharmacy will still be a good route to go into; however, in general, the field is getting tougher. I guess that's why people are crying that the sky is falling. But give me a break, pre-madonnas.

Work hard, move to places where jobs are (yes in alot of jobs you have to move in order to have an affordable living- so grow up and quit crying that you can't work in Time's Square), and you'll still rake in a decent salary. FYI average salary in U.S. is ~45,000k. So you'll be just fine.

Since some managers want to hire someone they know rather than a complete stranger, it's good to have connections and meet people, and also be nice to them. If you're only nice to important people and treat everyone else like crap, people will notice that too.

I've seen cases where a position was open, but the manager hired someone they knew instead of a complete stranger who had dropped off a resume way before the new employee probably asked about the job.

If you talk to people in school and in the profession, you can find enough places if you keep looking. I've had classmates who didn't want to work in a pharmacy with a position that was open, just because they didn't like the neighborhood in that part of town. I knew the manager at the pharmacy where they needed an intern, but one person said that a 35 minute commute was too far, and two people said that they didn't like the part of town where the pharmacy was located.

 

[armorking]

Since some managers want to hire someone they know rather than a complete stranger, it's good to have connections and meet people, and also be nice to them. If you're only nice to important people and treat everyone else like crap, people will notice that too.

I've seen cases where a position was open, but the manager hired someone they knew instead of a complete stranger who had dropped off a resume way before the new employee probably asked about the job.

If you talk to people in school and in the profession, you can find enough places if you keep looking. I've had classmates who didn't want to work in a pharmacy with a position that was open, just because they didn't like the neighborhood in that part of town. I knew the manager at the pharmacy where they needed an intern, but one person said that a 35 minute commute was too far, and two people said that they didn't like the part of town where the pharmacy was located.

Some people are ridiculous. As the old saying goes, "beggars can't be choosers." Experience is going to get you the farthest within this or any profession period.

 

[trap]

Sounds like any other job. When pharmacy was at it's prime (90's-2000's), I have a feeling that pharmacy went the pre-Madonna route.

... you mean prostitution?

 

[crazybob]

oh wait nvm. I had the wrong idea.

 

[NtCrawler]

This photo is sick! As a horse lover and owner, I dont find this funny!

 

[crazybob]

This photo is sick! As a horse lover and owner, I dont find this funny!

It is if you get the reference. But I agree, beating an actual horse is just cruel.

 

[PharmtoCS]

The OP was flamed and banned, yet turned out to be spot-on about the pharmacist debt and software engineering job market.

 

[SanMateoRph]

dont go to pharmacy school. you will be in debt. and have to play a lot of politics to get a job

 

[PharmHopefulLonghorn2015]

How is the situation in Texas?

 

[JayHawks1983]

Try to focus on school work and grades as you may need it to apply for dual programs later and polishing work experience. Organizations usually require an annual fee and clubs are started up for social reasons, so avoid those. That is what I have heard from recent graduates that survived a brutal job market that is only getting worse.

 

[Michael_Scott]

Pharmacy-Gloom!
Pharmacy Student-Doom!
Male Pharmacy Student getting married-Groom!
Sweep my floors with a Broom!
My motorcycle goes Vroom!
In the spring the flowers Bloom!

great poem...are you a pharmacist yet ?

 

[Secret_Informant]

Everyone knows the job market isn't the same as it was a few years ago. However, complaining about it on this forum is useless. Instead, you should take actions. Write to the board of pharmacy, associations. Tell them to stop pumping out new schools. Do something about it.

Already considering it. I'm just as tired of hearing about this oversaturation as the next person. What organization would you like us to write to and whom would you suggest we address the oversaturation to?

 

[Modest_anteater]

great poem...are you a pharmacist yet ?

It was a pharmacy boom.
Now it's all doom.
Doom.
Your future will go boom.
The Zoloft you dispense;
Will soon be dispensed to you.
You will live in a loft in your parents house.
Soon.
Messages:
215
Likes Received:
0

how is this possible for that guy that was banned? 0 likes?!

 

[Modest_anteater]

How is the situation in Texas?

depends. Can you speak fluent Spanish?

 

[Secret_Informant]

depends. Can you speak fluent Spanish?

The real questions:

Can you learn any language to the same degree as a native speaker (speak, write, and communicate verbally and nonverbally with staff, physicians, pharmacists, stakeholders, and other personnel) as you would your native language?

Can you perform those duties to the same degree (if not better) than the native speakers applying for the same job?

If the answer is "no" and you want to work with that community, get yourself at that level of knowledge and experience.

 

[Modest_anteater]

The real questions:

Can you learn any language to the same degree as a native speaker (speak, write, and communicate verbally and nonverbally with staff, physicians, pharmacists, stakeholders, and other personnel) as you would your native language?

Can you perform those duties to the same degree (if not better) than the native speakers applying for the same job?

If the answer is "no" and you want to work with that community, get yourself at that level of knowledge and experience.

Texas is majority Hispanic now and by 2050 it's projected to be more than 75% Hispanic. We should just give the state back to Mexico. IT was there's originally anyway. I just feel bad for them after the oil boom all those people will be stuck in the middle of nowhere with no jobs and no future.

 

[PharmtoCS]

It was a pharmacy boom.
Now it's all doom.
Doom.
Your future will go boom.
The Zoloft you dispense;
Will soon be dispensed to you.
You will live in a loft in your parents house.
Soon.
Messages:
215
Likes Received:
0

how is this possible for that guy that was banned? 0 likes?!

You realize that it's $200k+ in student loans that you blew
And that it will follow you to your tomb.

 

[BidingMyTime]

It was a pharmacy boom.
Now it's all doom.
Doom.
Your future will go boom.
The Zoloft you dispense;
Will soon be dispensed to you.
You will live in a loft in your parents house.
Soon.

Well, at least you have your 2nd career as a poet lined up.

Not to mention, it's not so bad living in a loft in one's parents house, it beats the basement or living in a van down by the river.