P2 or not P2?

[epicsaga]

Background: BS in human bio, minor in chemistry. Current P2. Volunteered at a VA (both inpatient and outpatient) before applying to school. Currently work at a psych hospital as a pharmacy extern.

My issue is that I am extraordinarily ambivalent about being in pharmacy school.

P1, fall: Pharmacy school was nothing like I had expected. Too clinical, mostly. It didn't help that a close relative was hospitalized on my second day of class for what turned out to be metastasized lymphoma, so my personal life was a mess.
P1, spring: I dreaded coming back. The only reason I didn't drop out is because by the time I made my decision, I would not have received any tuition back. I tried to give it another shot, dove into the semester, and then took a PCCA Compounding course over the summer to see if I at least liked that.

It turns out that I loved compounding. I see a lot of value in it, healthcare-wise, and do think it is rewarding. But the only other topics in class I personally appreciate tend to be broader, public health topics. These, I get excited about. I go to public health summits and am also involved in my COP's OTC Medication Safety outreach program.
But when I'm trying to learn about drugs, indications, and dosages--the entire point of pharmacy--I am apathetic at best. It is not what I want to be learning about, as it turns out (bring me more courses on bioethics!). I'm strongly considering transferring into an MPH program, but don't know how my job prospects will look without any other healthcare degree. At the same time, I've had instructors tell me that they think I will make a good pharmacist and that the profession needs pharmacists that don't want to work in pharmacies. In that sense, Managed Care seems like an option, but I am going to have to fight for a residency first--not to mention survive three more didactic semesters plus rotations.

My questions for anyone who made it this far in my post are: Did you know anyone like me in pharmacy school? Did they end up becoming pharmacists? Should they have?

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[CetiAlphaFive]

Background: BS in human bio, minor in chemistry. Current P2. Volunteered at a VA (both inpatient and outpatient) before applying to school. Currently work at a psych hospital as a pharmacy extern.

My issue is that I am extraordinarily ambivalent about being in pharmacy school.

P1, fall: Pharmacy school was nothing like I had expected. Too clinical, mostly. It didn't help that a close relative was hospitalized on my second day of class for what turned out to be metastasized lymphoma, so my personal life was a mess.
P1, spring: I dreaded coming back. The only reason I didn't drop out is because by the time I made my decision, I would not have received any tuition back. I tried to give it another shot, dove into the semester, and then took a PCCA Compounding course over the summer to see if I at least liked that.

It turns out that I loved compounding. I see a lot of value in it, healthcare-wise, and do think it is rewarding. But the only other topics in class I personally appreciate tend to be broader, public health topics. These, I get excited about. I go to public health summits and am also involved in my COP's OTC Medication Safety outreach program.
But when I'm trying to learn about drugs, indications, and dosages--the entire point of pharmacy--I am apathetic at best. It is not what I want to be learning about, as it turns out (bring me more courses on bioethics!). I'm strongly considering transferring into an MPH program, but don't know how my job prospects will look without any other healthcare degree. At the same time, I've had instructors tell me that they think I will make a good pharmacist and that the profession needs pharmacists that don't want to work in pharmacies. In that sense, Managed Care seems like an option, but I am going to have to fight for a residency first--not to mention survive three more didactic semesters plus rotations.

My questions for anyone who made it this far in my post are: Did you know anyone like me in pharmacy school? Did they end up becoming pharmacists? Should they have?

You're never going to make it through therapeutics. P2 or P3 is the hardest year, depending on the specific school.

 

[Amicable Angora]

The better question to ask is, are you going to be a terrible pharmacist with your lack of caring? If so you know what to do.

 

[Lnsean]

you gonna be doing this for 40 years...learn to like it or do something else.

 

[Abby Atwood]

I had a couple interprofessional classes with public health students while I was in pharmacy school. If you hate pharmacy, sticking it out might not be worth it; however, in my experience, public health majors often have to catch up on the basics when it comes to specific disease topics. Even if you are more interested in public health, the PharmD degree isn't worthless

 

[PharmDBro2017]

Lol @ wanting bioethics course.

 

[Amphetamine Salts]

most people that go to pharmacy school aren't really in love with the clinical stuff. I'd say more than half of the students in your class are just doing it to do it. either they're too far in debt or too far into the program to just quit. for whatever reason they made the decision to continue even though they're not very passionate with the profession. nothing wrong with that. higher education gets A LOT of kids. young, naïve 17-18 year old kids that just graduated and have been told since the beginning of high school that college is a must and the end all be all of all life. aka if you don't go to college your doomed at mcdonalds or a garbage truck driver. so yeah, that's how most kids end up in debt or in professions they don't very much enjoy and are too far along to just quit