Pharmacist switching to nursing?

[DIPEA]

Yeah I'll be out as well. Not my problem

There are some openings that pay in the range of 200k to 350k. they are pretty much beating almost all heavily indebt healthcare professionals who spent years and mountains of cash to fund their studies, maybe except surgeons and some highly competitive MD or dental specialties. but man, this is madness.

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[Lubeckd]

Dental can never repay back. Half mil for doctors. And pt having a hard time. Vet can never repay as well. Well this is opp cost from other things. Ciao all

 

[owlegrad]

If there is no jobs to support us all, then why bother cramming all these BS useless clinical crap and CE after license?

How do ants left so much weight if Root Beer tastes so good?

 

[Lubeckd]

Pardon?

How do ants left so much weight if Root Beer tastes so good?

 

[owlegrad]

Pardon?

Exactly!

What does the one thing have to do with the other?

If their were jobs to support us all would it then make sense to have all these “BS useless clinical crap” and CEs we have to do? Or is the one thing totally
unrelated to the other thing?

 

[DIPEA]

Exactly!

What does the one thing have to do with the other?

If their were jobs to support us all would it then make sense to have all these “BS useless clinical crap” and CEs we have to do? Or is the one thing totally
unrelated to the other thing?

How are they unrelated? if there are jobs, at least there comes some financial incentives to go thru all that useless crap, even if it is unpleasant. Otherwise, it is like studying and paying tuition to be unemployed.

 

[allantois]

The US education system is a complete failure. It’s a money making scheme disguised as a non-profit. In no other country in the world will you find university presidents making $1,000,000; nor healthcare professionals who are vital to the wellbeing of any country taking on mountains of debt

 

[lcow2004]

Thank you everyone for all the replies. I have decided to pursue this route to become a nurse and have already started taking some of the classes to fulfill the prerequisites to apply to some of the nursing programs I am interested in. I am hoping I can have my application ready for this Fall's application cycle or next Spring...if not, I will have to apply the following Fall. I have spoken to many nursing programs and feel encouraged to apply as many of them welcomed my background and suggested this would be a great career transition for me! I am excited about this new career but also somewhat nervous seeing as I will have to return to school full-time not to mention taking out even more loans to add to all my current loans from undergrad and pharmacy school but I am just hoping that becoming a nurse will actually get me into a job I enjoy doing and everything will work out!

 

[Lubeckd]

Thank you everyone for all the replies. I have decided to pursue this route to become a nurse and have already started taking some of the classes to fulfill the prerequisites to apply to some of the nursing programs I am interested in. I am hoping I can have my application ready for this Fall's application cycle or next Spring...if not, I will have to apply the following Fall. I have spoken to many nursing programs and feel encouraged to apply as many of them welcomed my background and suggested this would be a great career transition for me! I am excited about this new career but also somewhat nervous seeing as I will have to return to school full-time not to mention taking out even more loans to add to all my current loans from undergrad and pharmacy school but I am just hoping that becoming a nurse will actually get me into a job I enjoy doing and everything will work out!

you should volunteer in a hospital around nurses before you decide. Its not as easy as you think

 

[DIPEA]

Thank you everyone for all the replies. I have decided to pursue this route to become a nurse and have already started taking some of the classes to fulfill the prerequisites to apply to some of the nursing programs I am interested in. I am hoping I can have my application ready for this Fall's application cycle or next Spring...if not, I will have to apply the following Fall. I have spoken to many nursing programs and feel encouraged to apply as many of them welcomed my background and suggested this would be a great career transition for me! I am excited about this new career but also somewhat nervous seeing as I will have to return to school full-time not to mention taking out even more loans to add to all my current loans from undergrad and pharmacy school but I am just hoping that becoming a nurse will actually get me into a job I enjoy doing and everything will work out!

nurses face a lot of competition and saturation. They are also paid less than pharmacists in general. so going back to school with more debet but less pay may not actually be financially pleasant. so why not computer science if you are so determined to go back to school full time?

 

[Lubeckd]

nurses face a lot of competition and saturation. They are also paid less than pharmacists in general. so going back to school with more debet but less pay may not actually be financially pleasant. so why not computer science if you are so determined to go back to school full time?

I got accepted to the nursing program back then but took pharmacy route. We had people of all majors applying back then

 

[Lubeckd]

PA or PT is a much better route. There is always need for nurses but I did hospital for nursing assistant and really disliked it. The doctor doesnt really touch the patient much, the nurses do

 

[BidingMyTime]

I've known nurses who went to pharmacy school, never the other way around. I'm sure there are hopeful nurses applying to pharmacy school right now as I type. OP, unless you view yourself as Mother Theresa or something, I don't think nursing is the career you think it is.

 

[Vngannxx]

There are some accelerated one year nursing programs for people with a bachelors. My tuition with financial aid was about 12k for the BSN program.

 

[DIPEA]

There are some accelerated one year nursing programs for people with a bachelors. My tuition with financial aid was about 12k for the BSN program.

There are some accelerated one to two year computer science 2nd degree programs for people with a bachelors, from schools like oregon state. So why nursing? nurses are overworked, underpaid, and often charges inflated "healthcare tuition". I am kinda scratching my head right now. why jumping from one saturated field to another even more saturated field? From a financial standpoint, this really defies logic.

 

[allantois]

Nursing isn’t more saturated than pharmacy. Get BSN and pursue that NP or CRNA. I’m sure pharmacist background will help set you apart. I don’t see why abandon healthcare altogether when you have so much background in it already.

I have personally worked with a Dentist who became an NP and didn’t regret his choice

 

[Lubeckd]

There are some accelerated one to two year computer science 2nd degree programs for people with a bachelors, from schools like oregon state. So why nursing? nurses are overworked, underpaid, and often charges inflated "healthcare tuition". I am kinda scratching my head right now. why jumping from one saturated field to another even more saturated field? From a financial standpoint, this really defies logic.

Humans aren’t designed to be happy - Neuroscience News

Researchers argue humans did not evolve to be consistently happy but primarily survive and reproduce. Evolution, they say, placed an advantage on depression, preventing humans from engaging in risky or hopeless situations.

neurosciencenews.com

The sky is the limit. We aren't meant to be happy. Everything will get saturation without 3-5 years of a hot field. Its best to combine things at this moment by two unrelated fields or own a new business.

I love this scene, reminds me of what we are dealing with

and this scene, its just money

 

[Lubeckd]

Nursing isn’t more saturated than pharmacy. Get BSN and pursue that NP or CRNA. I’m sure pharmacist background will help set you apart. I don’t see why abandon healthcare altogether when you have so much background in it already.

I have personally worked with a Dentist who became an NP and didn’t regret his choice

It depends on the people, I meet some nurses who became flight attendants

 

[BidingMyTime]

Nursing isn’t more saturated than pharmacy. Get BSN and pursue that NP or CRNA. I’m sure pharmacist background will help set you apart. I don’t see why abandon healthcare altogether when you have so much background in it already.
I have personally worked with a Dentist who became an NP and didn’t regret his choice

NP's are quickly becoming more saturated then nursing. EVERYBODY with an RN is becoming a NP. OK, maybe not everybody, but it's pretty close. 10 years from now NP's will be looking far, far worse than pharmacy today. BSN nursing is the way to go, instead of NP, if that is what someone wants to do. And CRNA's already are saturated.

 

[BidingMyTime]

The sky is the limit. We aren't meant to be happy

Yup, I learned that from The Matrix.

 

[khydroxide]

I am thinking of going to nursing school to get my RN credentials because I cannot find a pharmacist job. Anyone done this before? I feel like the job market is so much better for nurses and I always hear about nursing shortage. What do you guys think?

How is this possible ? Where in ny are you located?

 

[Lubeckd]

How is this possible ? Where in ny are you located?

where are you located

 

[Splenda88]

Nursing isn’t more saturated than pharmacy. Get BSN and pursue that NP or CRNA. I’m sure pharmacist background will help set you apart. I don’t see why abandon healthcare altogether when you have so much background in it already.

I have personally worked with a Dentist who became an NP and didn’t regret his choice

What?

 

[BidingMyTime]

allantois said:
Nursing isn’t more saturated than pharmacy. Get BSN and pursue that NP or CRNA. I’m sure pharmacist background will help set you apart. I don’t see why abandon healthcare altogether when you have so much background in it already.

I have personally worked with a Dentist who became an NP and didn’t regret his choice

What?

The only way I see that being possible, is if the dentist had back issues and knew he wouldn't be able to continue working as a dentist much longer.

 

[Splenda88]

I actually do not think OP getting a 1-yr BSN is a bad idea... Given OP's pharmacy background, he/she might be able to get up the ladder quick... He/she can also become a CRNA and make 200k+/yr

 

[PharmtoCS]

We all like to complain how bad about the work conditions of retail pharmacy but nursing is far worse. You have to deal with bodily fluids and combative patients.

For the best quality of life, job prospects, and pay I still recommend studying computer science or going to a coding bootcamp.

 

[allantois]

The dentist was foreign educated, didn’t have any debt, and I assume just didn’t like dentistry.

 

[Splenda88]

The dentist was foreign educated, didn’t have any debt, and I assume just didn’t like dentistry.

That makes sense... It's hard for a foreign dentist to become licensed in the US

 

[Rich91]

I hear this statement all the time. Is it merely the prestige or are you implying financial gain as well?

Because, financially speaking, there is no gain. The breaking point may be in your later years of life just before retirement if your putting into consideration current debt from obtaining a PharmD plus building up a retirement portfolio. I know a decade ago I was considering the MD/DO route, but I soon figured that doing so hindered my other hobbies and that the trade in for time vs financial bliss vs hobbies did not add up.

Then again, I've been an outlier on many things. I'm perhaps the few that once the pharmD is obtained, I'm looking closer at playing out being F.I.R.E. and dedicate my planful free time toward my hobbies with the family.

figure out your financial gain with MD spending 80k a year and pharmacist spending 80k a year

assume your MD is 1 to 0.5 sd below mean step 1 score

 

[Rich91]

Yeah I knew a guy in petroleum engineering. Made good money straight out of college but had to drive on call to rigs....on short notice to pretty far places. His big goal at the time was to transition to an office job. Now that I writing about it reminds me of some floaters I know

even rig hands 3-5 years in will outearn pharmacists, nevermind someone with relevant credentials

OP I suggest you go AA school, someone was making 200k NET within 5 years of graduating, even if that field becomes oversaturated, your money will still last you if you invest well,

 

[BidingMyTime]

And once again, you cant go by the number of years. The competition every step of the way is much more difficult and the education is extremely rigorous and regulated for MD's.

Obviously. But, my response was to someone who suggested that becoming a PA is a shorter option than becoming a NP or MD, because in their words, PA is only 2 years, and MD was 8 years. I pointed outed that PA is actually 6 years after high school, and MD 11 years years after high school, the conversation had nothing to do with the competition or the qualifications of someone to complete the education, just the actual minimum time frame to complete the education.

Not similar as they are competing against each other. Not knifing other MD's and MD curves.

I'm not sure what at all you mean by that. PA's do not normally compete against MD's, unless you are referring to them both taking pre-med classes and completing for medical school slots? But, I highly doubt that most PA's are applicants who were rejected from med school, I think most PA's go that route for a variety of reasons, not because they couldn't get into med school. And I'm not sure what their competing against each other anyway, would have to do with the similarity of PA school with the first 2 years of med school education anyway. As I pointed out, since PA's and MD's share some classes at some schools, it's seems pretty obvious that their education for the first 2 years is similar. (but as I pointed out, MD's have 2 more years of schooling, + 3 years residency minimum, which is why PA's work underneath MD's, even though their education starts out similarly. )

 

[KeikoTanaka]

Obviously. But, my response was to someone who suggested that becoming a PA is a shorter option than becoming a NP or MD, because in their words, PA is only 2 years, and MD was 8 years. I pointed outed that PA is actually 6 years after high school, and MD 11 years years after high school, the conversation had nothing to do with the competition or the qualifications of someone to complete the education, just the actual minimum time frame to complete the education.



I'm not sure what at all you mean by that. PA's do not normally compete against MD's, unless you are referring to them both taking pre-med classes and completing for medical school slots? But, I highly doubt that most PA's are applicants who were rejected from med school, I think most PA's go that route for a variety of reasons, not because they couldn't get into med school. And I'm not sure what their competing against each other anyway, would have to do with the similarity of PA school with the first 2 years of med school education anyway. As I pointed out, since PA's and MD's share some classes at some schools, it's seems pretty obvious that their education for the first 2 years is similar. (but as I pointed out, MD's have 2 more years of schooling, + 3 years residency minimum, which is why PA's work underneath MD's, even though their education starts out similarly. )

Even if they share some classes, it is not all of them. And, even if it is most, they don't do it for the same length of time. I'm learning things my PA friends will see in Snapchats I'm sending them and they have never even heard of what I'm learning. Our classes dive so deep, no PA will ever need to know this, unless they are taking the USMLE, which they're not. So, I'm not sure where they "share" classrooms, and to be honest, I'd absolutely hate that, and it would just be more bodies to take away from my professors attention lol

 

[Splenda88]

Even if they share some classes, it is not all of them. And, even if it is most, they don't do it for the same length of time. I'm learning things my PA friends will see in Snapchats I'm sending them and they have never even heard of what I'm learning. Our classes dive so deep, no PA will ever need to know this, unless they are taking the USMLE, which they're not. So, I'm not sure where they "share" classrooms, and to be honest, I'd absolutely hate that, and it would just be more bodies to take away from my professors attention lol

I think U of Iowa Carver School of Medicine is one of the schools where PA and MD share the exact same classes, hence PA program at Carver is 3 years

 

[PikminOC]

Many students who apply PA, DO, have found along their premed years that they cannot get into MD school. So they don't apply MD.

 

[BidingMyTime]

Even if they share some classes, it is not all of them. And, even if it is most, they don't do it for the same length of time. I'm learning things my PA friends will see in Snapchats I'm sending them and they have never even heard of what I'm learning. Our classes dive so deep, no PA will ever need to know this, unless they are taking the USMLE, which they're not. So, I'm not sure where they "share" classrooms, and to be honest, I'd absolutely hate that, and it would just be more bodies to take away from my professors attention lol

And that is why I said they were similar (not equivalent)

 

[brsadmd]

Thank you everyone for all the replies. I have decided to pursue this route to become a nurse and have already started taking some of the classes to fulfill the prerequisites to apply to some of the nursing programs I am interested in. I am hoping I can have my application ready for this Fall's application cycle or next Spring...if not, I will have to apply the following Fall. I have spoken to many nursing programs and feel encouraged to apply as many of them welcomed my background and suggested this would be a great career transition for me! I am excited about this new career but also somewhat nervous seeing as I will have to return to school full-time not to mention taking out even more loans to add to all my current loans from undergrad and pharmacy school but I am just hoping that becoming a nurse will actually get me into a job I enjoy doing and everything will work out!

Weren't you in medical writing? There are medical writing opportunities even at medical communications companies. Granted the salary is lower than pharmacist but the work is a bit more interesting and less stress from customers. Less stress than CVS and probably less stress than a nurse.

 

[Splenda88]

Thank you everyone for all the replies. I have decided to pursue this route to become a nurse and have already started taking some of the classes to fulfill the prerequisites to apply to some of the nursing programs I am interested in. I am hoping I can have my application ready for this Fall's application cycle or next Spring...if not, I will have to apply the following Fall. I have spoken to many nursing programs and feel encouraged to apply as many of them welcomed my background and suggested this would be a great career transition for me! I am excited about this new career but also somewhat nervous seeing as I will have to return to school full-time not to mention taking out even more loans to add to all my current loans from undergrad and pharmacy school but I am just hoping that becoming a nurse will actually get me into a job I enjoy doing and everything will work out!

I don't think it's a bad idea. After getting your BSN, do your NP in psych (online) and your salary potential will be 150-250k/yr... If I did not go to med school, that's what I would do.

 

[Drakulie]

The reason their is a nursing shortage is because most nurses are overworked and underpaid. There are lots of RN's (or previous RN's who let their license lapse) who work in non-nursing fields, because they hate the stress of their jobs and can't do it anymore. Sure you here about nurses making $50/hr overtime or more....but you could say the same about pharmacists. I don't think going to nursing school is the answer to your problems. If you were just starting out, I'd say since it would be far, far, far cheaper to get a BSN than to get a PharmD, a BSN would be the way to go. But you aren't, and I don't think you will nursing the great career that you think it is (get like all these new PharmD's aren't going to find pharmacy the great career they thought it was.)

Are you unable to move out of your immediate local? I know NY is very saturated, but like anywhere, if you apply over the whole state, you are more likely to find a job.

I agree with WVU, if you want to stay in the medical field, it would make more sense to go PA, then RN. I'd consider than more of a lateral move. Do you have a BS in addition to your PharmD? Maybe you could get a job in whatever line of work your BS is in. Didn't you just have a kid? Maybe go on welfare and stay home with your baby for a bit.

Reason that there is over supply of pharmacists is Corruption and Greed within the pharmacy educational system. It is destroying the profession as we know it. We must unite and fight this. We must go to Congress and put a limit to number of school of pharmacies in each state. Who will join me ?

 

[Drakulie]

Reason that there is over supply of pharmacists is Corruption and Greed within the pharmacy educational system. It is destroying the profession as we know it. We must unite and fight this. We must go to Congress and put a limit to number of school of pharmacies in each state. Who will join me ?

 

[Drakulie]

I am thinking of going to nursing school to get my RN credentials because I cannot find a pharmacist job. Anyone done this before? I feel like the job market is so much better for nurses and I always hear about nursing shortage. What do you guys think?

I would recommend the PA school. If you have the grades to get into medical school, that is even better. if you are young, i would definitely do this. PA make very good money and they will be in demand the way medical profession is going in the future. Pharmacy profession is dying. We have to innovate and change, otherwise, pharmacy profession will die with AI coming along fast. Corruption among pharmacy schools doesnt' help either.

 

[Rich91]

Energy will always be in demand but oil won’t. It’s a finite resource after all.

Oil supply is massive, the issue is cost of extraction and net income per unit

 

[Lubeckd]

Oil supply is massive, the issue is cost of extraction and net income per unit

solar solar, nuclear, nuclear fusion, oil.

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Oil Not Only In Gulf, Everywhere In Our Daily Lives

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[BidingMyTime]

Reason that there is over supply of pharmacists is Corruption and Greed within the pharmacy educational system. It is destroying the profession as we know it. We must unite and fight this. We must go to Congress and put a limit to number of school of pharmacies in each state. Who will join me ?

Sorry, as a Libertarian, I can't support government intervention in this. Nor will anyone besides pharmacists support this....the public and politicians see high pharmacist salaries as part of the problem with high drug costs, they see the increase in pharmacists and the lowering of salaries as a good thing.

 

[Pharmacy Kid]

What about radiology/ultrasound tech? Base pay is about equal to nursing but you have little exposure to bodily fluids. Biggest downside is minimal room for advancement.

 

[Drakulie]

Sorry, as a Libertarian, I can't support government intervention in this. Nor will anyone besides pharmacists support this....the public and politicians see high pharmacist salaries as part of the problem with high drug costs, they see the increase in pharmacists and the lowering of salaries as a good thing.

We've been stabbed in the back by our own. this is the stupidity we are dealing with in our own profession. So how much do you think we deserve to make ? $20 per hour ?

 

[bittersugar600]

Sorry, as a Libertarian, I can't support government intervention in this. Nor will anyone besides pharmacists support this....the public and politicians see high pharmacist salaries as part of the problem with high drug costs, they see the increase in pharmacists and the lowering of salaries as a good thing.

I can perceive ignorance all over your post. If you are sensible enough you would have known that healthcare providers ( pharmacists inclusive) have no say in drug costs. Drug development goes through so many phases and trials and costs the pharmaceutical companies a lot of money and resources. To reward them and to enable them recover the money they spent during the drug development process, the government gives the pharmaceutical companies a patent. This patent allows the pharmaceutical companies to sell the drugs at a high price for a number of years before the patent expires and other pharmaceutical companies can be allowed to make generic versions of the drug which is sold at a very low costs.

 

[Splenda88]

I can perceive ignorance all over your post. If you are sensible enough you would have known that healthcare providers ( pharmacists inclusive) have no say in drug costs. Drug development goes through so many phases and trials and costs the pharmaceutical companies a lot of money and resources. To reward them and to enable them recover the money they spent during the drug evaluation, the government gives the pharmaceutical companies a patent. This patent allows the pharmaceutical companies to sell the drugs at a high price for a number of years before the patent expires and other pharmaceutical companies can be allowed to make generic versions of the drug at a very low costs.

I think that person you quote was merely referring how the public see pharmacists, doctors ect... As far as politicians, they are just pandering to the public.

 

[Splenda88]

Sorry, as a Libertarian, I can't support government intervention in this. Nor will anyone besides pharmacists support this....the public and politicians see high pharmacist salaries as part of the problem with high drug costs, they see the increase in pharmacists and the lowering of salaries as a good thing.

Our government picks winners and losers all the time. These winners happen to be powerful corporations (aka the wealthiest among us).

 

[BidingMyTime]

We've been stabbed in the back by our own. this is the stupidity we are dealing with in our own profession. So how much do you think we deserve to make ? $20 per hour ?

I think we deserve whatever we can convince people to pay us. In the recent past, it was quite a lot. Unfortunately now because of competition, it isn't quite so much (but still very well compared to many other careers.)

I can perceive ignorance all over your post. If you are sensible enough you would have known that healthcare providers ( pharmacists inclusive) have no say in drug costs. Drug development goes through so many phases and trials and costs the pharmaceutical companies a lot of money and resources. To reward them and to enable them recover the money they spent during the drug development process, the government gives the pharmaceutical companies a patent. This patent allows the pharmaceutical companies to sell the drugs at a high price for a number of years before the patent expires and other pharmaceutical companies can be allowed to make generic versions of the drug which is sold at a very low costs.

???? I never said they did. I said that the government and people in general (who are of course quite ignorant of how the healthcare system works) believe that pharmacists are part of the reason for high health care costs. I'm being a realist here, not a "perfect world" dreamer. And realist here, the populace does not support pharmacists and they certainly don't support pharmacists high salaries, and they are not going to do anything to prop up those salaries.

Our government picks winners and losers all the time. These winners happen to be powerful corporations (aka the wealthiest among us).

I completely agree....this is why I'm a libertarian and think government should stay out of economics completely. Corporations are just a legal classification by government,.

 

[MidwestPAC]

PA school is almost the same length as RN school. I think moving is an easier solution

You have no idea what your talking about. Look at the credit hours. 80 to 110+ credit hours just in PA school not counting the 130+ for pre med classes and then health care experience. It's a little different beast to get into PA school than RN school. I am assuming your talking about a BSN not a ADN. Do some research before saying crap like this please.