Needing perspective on dual degrees

[temporarylife]

Forgive me if this has been discussed before.

I've been a pharmacist for 3 years now and although I know I'm grateful to have a job that pays well, I'm feeling burned out. I feel like I'm a mediocre pharmacist at best and although OF COURSE I'm working on CE all the time to improve myself, my skills, and my confidence.. I'm interested in branching out.

I'm particularly interested in degree in law. If anyone who is reading this has gone down this path... please share your insights on job satisfaction, difficulty of finding a job, and anything else you wish you knew before making such an important decision.

Thanks in advance.

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[MatCauthon]

you working in retail by chance?

 

[Rouelle]

Out of curiosity, what are your plans for the law degree? Are you wanting to do a complete career change (leave pharmacy altogether and do law only)? Or are you planning to combine two areas of expertise and do something with pharmacy law?

Either way, good luck!

 

[Momrowgal]

Forgive me if this has been discussed before.

I'm particularly interested in degree in law. If anyone who is reading this has gone down this path... please share your insights on job satisfaction, difficulty of finding a job, and anything else you wish you knew before making such an important decision.

In general -- yes, there is a large and varied number of occupations in healthcare where clinical/legal background would be helpful. I would look at the websites of schools that offer any of the following to get ideas:
Pharm.D/JD, MD/JD, MPH/JD

Second point would be -- you would be pretty insane to take yourself out of the pharmacy job market now and study full time. Things are going to be a lot worse in a couple of years. I would definitely look into part-time programs rather than full time.
http://grad-schools.usnews.rankings...chools/top-law-schools/part-time-law-rankings

IMHO the best course of action would be to investigate what you are interested in, come up with a plan, maybe take a couple of courses in continuing ed if you want to get more background. (There are a lot of online courses in health policy, health administration, public policy, criminal justice, business law etc, and of course there might be in-person classses available locally). Then I would try to get a job in your field of interest with just the Pharm.D. Be a great employee for a couple of years. Then you make the case to your employer that the J.D. would add value. Your employer might very well be willling to help you out with tuition, flex time, and so forth. They might even be willing to send you to full-time law school on their dime if you are a superstar.

I would bet it would be easier to get a law-related health care job today with Pharm.D. only, rather than 4-5 years down the line with Pharm.D./J.D.

 

[BME103]

A LOT of lawyers are not happy with their job. Speak to lawyers first before you decide to take on another degree!

 

[temporarylife]

In response:
I do currently work in retail. However did you guess?

Ideally I'd like to leave pharmacy as I know it behind. I want to branch out and explore new roles that are still within the pharmacy world that are unattainable right now without any more schooling. I'd like to use my pharmacy degree... but not like I am now. lol. I hope you know what I mean...

I agree, it would be crazy to leave pharmacy completely. If I did go this route I would work full time and be a student part time.

Thanks for the advice.. I definitely need to sit down and do some soul searching/ research.

 

[PharmaTope]

In response:
I do currently work in retail. However did you guess?

Ideally I'd like to leave pharmacy as I know it behind. I want to branch out and explore new roles that are still within the pharmacy world that are unattainable right now without any more schooling. I'd like to use my pharmacy degree... but not like I am now. lol. I hope you know what I mean...

I agree, it would be crazy to leave pharmacy completely. If I did go this route I would work full time and be a student part time.

Thanks for the advice.. I definitely need to sit down and do some soul searching/ research.

hate to say it, but you will be really grasping at straws to expect to use your pharmd degree in any other way. the backbone of pharmacy was retail. you will be very disappointed. the best thing you can do is do something entirely different than pharmacy and then you can go back and forth between both things. nursing >>> pharmacy. great benefits, overtime pay, strong nursing union, lunches, nurses are in so many settings. you can become a CRNA or a NP. all hospital administrators are nurses. seems like nursing offers the most room for growth and more options to vary out a career.

 

[owlegrad]

hate to say it, but you will be really grasping at straws to expect to use your pharmd degree in any other way. the backbone of pharmacy was retail. you will be very disappointed. the best thing you can do is do something entirely different than pharmacy and then you can go back and forth between both things. nursing >>> pharmacy. great benefits, overtime pay, strong nursing union, lunches, nurses are in so many settings. you can become a CRNA or a NP. all hospital administrators are nurses. seems like nursing offers the most room for growth and more options to vary out a career.

It's not too late, you can still be a nurse!

 

[EBT12]

I do not have personal experience with a PharmD/JD, but I do know two individuals who have this combination (and I believe they both started out as PharmDs and then added the JD later).

The first individual utilizes both degrees by being in the administrative department at a college of pharmacy and teaching law classes to pharmacy students. In addition, he owns his own business that provides extensive amounts of law CE to health professionals in the state.

The second individual is earlier in his career. He works part-time at a community pharmacy. In addition, he practices at a law firm. I forget what the area of law he primarily practices is, but it is related to medicine.

 

[xtsukiyox]

It's not too late, you can still be a nurse!

Cynicism is an asset to a nurse. Or at least the ones I've met act like it is. PharmaTope is overqualified in that respect.