pharmacy bad

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pharmacy bad

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[Marzapan]

Yes, yes, pharmacy is bad, job market no good, I get it.

Anyway, a lot of schools have these "minimum" requirements, but then you look at their stats on accepted students and theres always students that break the rules. Even UCSF which is one of the top schools, it has a minimum gpa of 2.8, but according to their stats students with 2.2's have been accepted, which is just insane, but maybe they were special cases.

So I'm applying right now, and I'm trying to decide what school to do early decision on, I want to apply to USC. I didn't do great academically, 3.1 overall, 2.9 science, 2.7 pre-pharmacy (for USC specifically). So they say they have a 3.0 pre-pharmacy minimum GPA, in addition to the 3.0 overall minimum. I sen't them an email asking how serious this is and if I should even bother using them as my early decision school. I feel like they're going to say "yes it is mandatory" to make themselves look good or something and just not give me a straight answer, but I emailed them anyway and I'm waiting on a response.

Idk, what do you guys think about these minimum requirements? Should I focus on another school for early decision or do you think my 2.7 pre-pharmacy might be overlooked? I could do early decision to WesternU, and I'll probably get it, but then I can't even attempt to apply to USC since I'll have to commit to WesternU. If I got into USC I could live at home and save a ton of money as well. Either I apply to WesternU with early decision and basically get in forsure and commit to that, or I apply to USC early decision, probably get rejected, and apply to USC again during the regular application. But a part of me is also worried and thinks "what if I can only get into WesternU with early deacon, and I dont get in during regular" (from what I've heard early decision MIGHT raise your chances of getting in)

And yes I know, pharmacy bad, job market no good, gonna be homeless.

If pharmacy schools are already at an 83% acceptance rate and you're still grasping at straws debating the semantics of "minimum requirements" then no, you don't understand the job market. Not only that, but you will be unemployed with $300k+ debt by going to USC... good luck with that...

 

[Timbo]

	USC	USC	USC	Western	Western	Western
	# enrollments	# applications	% accepted	# enrollments	# applications	%accepted
2019​	196​	703​	27.88%​	118​	604​	19.54%​
2018​	201​	693​	29.00%​	119​	755​	15.76%​
2017​	189​	831​	22.74%​	101​	956​	10.56%​
2016​	186​	968​	19.21%​	126​	1042​	12.09%​
2015​	190​	829​	22.92%​	116​	539​	21.52%​
2014​	189​	986​	19.17%​	117​	1334​	8.77%​
2013​	181​	1093​	16.56%​	109​	1330​	8.20%​
2012​	175​	1334​	13.12%​	115​	1479​	7.78%​

Here is data I gathered from Student Applications, Enrollments and Degrees Conferred Reports | AACP
It may be surprising to you, but it appears it has always been a lot easier to get into USC than Western based on % of applicants accepted. Also I would not be too worried about reported minimum GPA requirements. Looking at the trend in the above table, the number of people applying to pharmacy school has dropped drastically within the past 8 years meanwhile the number of admitted students remained relatively stable (it sounds like you already know the reason why). This means schools are getting more and more desperate for students, thus dropping their admission standards. Looking at above stats it is over twice as easy getting into pharmacy school nowadays than it was in 2012.

 

[PharmtoCS]

"If I get corona, I get corona"

"If I end up $300k+ in debt and unemployed, I end up $300k+ in debt and unemployed"

'If I get corona, I get corona': the Americans who wish they'd taken Covid-19 seriously

Some of the people who violated social distancing rules are having to learn their lesson the hard way

www.theguardian.com

 

[Marzapan]

Hmm, wow. I mean thats awesome to hear. Also kind of concerning.... but awesome. Thanks my dude!

Here are a few pharmacy related news articles and studies worth reading (credit: Televancin on Reddit for putting this together):

• ⁠BLS projects 0% growth in pharmacist jobs over the next decade (actually negative) while similar occupations will all grow at a faster than average pace Pharmacists : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

• ⁠Becker's Hospital Review "'We're training our kids for jobs that won't exist" 'We're training our kids for jobs that won't exist': Community Health Systems director of pharmacy on the industry's changing landscape. Terry Baughman, regional director of pharmacy for Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, has 45 years of experience in the pharmacy industry. Starting his career at a pharmacy management company, he went on to spend 10 years teaching pharmacists how to become directors of pharmacy.

• ⁠Drug Topic: There are too many colleges of pharmacy http://www.drugtopics.com/pharmacy-schools/opinion-there-are-too-many-colleges-pharmacy

• ⁠AJPE data analysis on oversupply of pharmacists and slow and minimal change in practice: https://www.ajpe.org/doi/full/10.5688/ajpe7051

• ⁠"Although I feel bad for those students facing job placement difficulties, ACPE is unable to change its review process" ACPE's response https://www.drugtopics.com/viewpoints/opinion-pharmd-quality-vs-quantity

• ⁠APhA admits there is a surplus of pharmacists and expanded roles are growing more slowly than expected https://www.pharmacist.com/press-re...atorium-accreditation-new-pharmd-institutions

• ⁠A Looming Joblessness Crisis for New Pharmacy Graduates https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3687123/

• ⁠Trends in the Pharmacist Workforce and Pharmacy education https://www.ajpe.org/doi/full/10.5688/ajpe7051

• ⁠HRSA Allied Health Workforce Projections, 2016-2030: Pharmacists. Oversupply projected https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bhw/nchwa/projections/pharmacists-2016-2030.pdf

• ⁠Getting into Pharmacy School is Now Dangerously Easy https://www.studentloanplanner.com/getting-into-pharmacy-school-now-dangerously-easy/

• ⁠UAMS 2018 survey: only 55% of class accepted a position and 24% believed opportunities were good https://pharmcollege.uams.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2018/07/UAMS-Salary-Survey-2018.pdf compared to 89% accepting a position and 63% believing opportunities were good 2 years ago https://pharmcollege.uams.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2018/07/UAMS-Salary-Survey-2018.pdf

News stories

• ⁠Rural pharmacies closing https://health.usnews.com/health-ca...es-are-closing-where-does-that-leave-patients

• ⁠185 Fred's pharmacies close https://www.pharmacytimes.com/sap-news/walgreens-to-purchase-pharmacy-files-of-185-freds-phar

• ⁠600 Rite Aids close https://www.daytondailynews.com/business/walgreens-close-600-rite-aid-stores/V1LKZSwf4nPDpikSeXKyxO/

• ⁠Shopko bankruptcy – 145 pharmacies close: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucej...ay-for-cvs-walgreens-and-kroger/#77c0172772ba

• ⁠Walmart layoff 40% of its pharmacists: https://www.ibtimes.com/walmart-layoffs-retailer-eliminate-40-percent-its-pharmacists-2803631

• ⁠Walgreens closes 200 stores https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/walgreens-to-close-200-stores-in-us/ar-AAFr4Je?li=BBnb7Kz

• ⁠CVS to close 22 more stores after closing 46 earlier this year https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...e-closings-22-stores-shutter-2020/4175916002/

• ⁠CVS closes 46 locations: https://www.al.com/news/2019/05/cvs...ing-including-3-in-alabama-complete-list.html

• ⁠42 Shopko pharmacies close https://www.jsonline.com/story/mone...r-buying-shopko-pharmacy-business/2265296002/

• ⁠Healthmart closes 30 pharmacies, putting 300 employees out of a job https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/11/07/healthpartners-to-close-pharmacies

• ⁠The Pharmacist Is Out: Supermarkets Close Pharmacy Counters https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-pharmacist-is-out-supermarkets-close-pharmacy-counters-11580034600

• ⁠"some pharmacists who went into residency […] are not able to find jobs and they've been looking since July" https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/11/08/healthpartners-decision-illustrates-trend-fewer-pharmacies

• ⁠How Chaos at Chain Pharmacies Is Putting Patients at Risk https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/health/pharmacists-medication-errors.html

 

[Marzapan]

Honestly, I'm getting to a point where I'm reconsidering things. The bad job prospects are one thing but the $300k in debt is just another slap in the face. It's just incredibly hard to have made a plan to go to pharmacy school, spent 4 years of undergrad based all around pharmacy. I have a degree in biopsych, what the hell am I supposed to do with that LMAO. Not trying to go back and spend 3 years or so on 2nd bachelors, feels kind of pathetic to have to admit I wasted 4 years on a degree thats only useful for pre-health , and I barely have a 3.1 gpa so med school isn't an option. Idk, I'd want to go for a masters in something like engineering or computer science but I don't think thats realistic. Eh, idk, I'll keep looking, will make the stupid decision to go to pharmacy if I can't come up w/ anything.

No need to make the stupid decision to go into pharmacy. You can use that $300k in student loans you'd be throwing away otherwise to invest in the stock market...