Pharmacy Future

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HSDropOut

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Some dumb question.

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Just go to med school. Obviously, you want to make the big bucks without the benefits, ie MD.
 
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What I suppose I am asking, will pharmacy go the way of IT and CompSci where we will all have expensive degrees and work for 40k a year? I know this is an extreme example, but I think you all understand what I am getting at.

Wouldn't it be a pity if we all had to work for 40K:p
 
I am contemplating attending pharmacy school one day and I have quite a few concerns. Right now, the pharmacists have the hospitals/retail phamacies by the balls in the sense that they can demand high salaries and get ample overtime. There are pharmacy schools popping up all over the place right now, will this not saturate the market of pharmacists? Will the governing body of pharmacists allow the saturation of the market? I am not concerned with making 150k+ by working massive amounts of overtime and moonlighting constantly, but I would like ~100k (2007 dollars) and the option of overtime if needed. What I suppose I am asking, will pharmacy go the way of IT and CompSci where we will all have expensive degrees and work for 40k a year? I know this is an extreme example, but I think you all understand what I am getting at.

A few more thoughts: Assuming things stay roughly the same as they are now, I know pharmacists get paid hourly, but can you accept a higher wage for not being paid benefits? Also, is it true there are opportunities for traveling pharmacists?
Thank you all for your help.

You would probably get some decent answers to this question utilizing the search function. This question has been asked in different manners several times. However, I have a question, how are you going to complete pharmacy school if you are a self proclaimed high school dropout (indicated by your name)?
 
You would probably get some decent answers to this question utilizing the search function. This question has been asked in different manners several times. However, I have a question, how are you going to complete pharmacy school if you are a self proclaimed high school dropout (indicated by your name)?

Perfect answer!

Use the search function to find this dead horse then make your own choice.

None of us have a crystal ball.
 
What I suppose I am asking, will pharmacy go the way of IT and CompSci where we will all have expensive degrees and work for 40k a year? I know this is an extreme example, but I think you all understand what I am getting at.
Actually the wage in IT never really went down. The problem was the majority of compensation was actually a stock option before the bubble burst. Demand in (skilled) IT is higher than ever. The only thing that is keeping the wages down is the HB-1 Visas where they import workers instead of raising wages to increase domestic IT workers (in a somewhat double-jeopardy since U.S. students are not interested enough in CS to fill all the positions, leaving itself in a perpetual cycle), and the unwillingness of some people to move to regions that pay higher. So yes, wages rarely ever go down. Since IT is such a large field people seem to mistake the differentiation of low-level jobs (tech support etc.) to a lower pay-scale to mean an overall downscale in pay. If you have the skill you will get paid. Heck, I was still offered 60-70k for my BSCS with no real work experience.

I'm not sure how competitive hospital pharmacy actually is, a few of my friends who wanted to work in hospitals have had to relegate to retail to pay off the loans faster since the hospitals pay almost $15 less an hour for some ungodly reason.

On a side note, yes I did drop out of high school. My stats are better than I would guess 80-90% of the applicants, so it is fair to assume that I would get in.
Then I would assume you are no longer a HS drop-out, got your GED and went to college? If so, :thumbup:
 
I have tried searching. It is quite difficult to find the proper search parameters for questions like this. Sorry for beating the dead horse though, we can lock this...

On a side note, yes I did drop out of high school. My stats are better than I would guess 80-90% of the applicants, so it is fair to assume that I would get in.

Since you have a better application than 80% of us on here I think you should be able to use a simple search function. I just used it and came up with pages and pages of answers to the exact questions you are asking.
Search Function technique
Step 1: choose advanced search
Step 2: Choose pharmacy forums
Step 3: Type in keywords that relate to what you seek
Searching......
Step 4: Click on the threads that look like they will answer your queries
Step 5: Read these threads
Step 6: If they do not satisfy, try a more specific or less specific keywords.
Step 7: If you can not find anything come back and ask questions on boards
This question has been gone over pretty darn gee whizz good a few times.
 
Since you have a better application than 80% of us on here I think you should be able to use a simple search function. I just used it and came up with pages and pages of answers to the exact questions you are asking.
Search Function technique
Step 1: choose advanced search
Step 2: Choose pharmacy forums
Step 3: Type in keywords that relate to what you seek
Searching......
Step 4: Click on the threads that look like they will answer your queries
Step 5: Read these threads
Step 6: If they do not satisfy, try a more specific or less specific keywords.
Step 7: If you can not find anything come back and ask questions on boards
This question has been gone over pretty darn gee whizz good a few times.

Can you share with me the keywords? I think we learned about search engines in high school which would explain me not know the proper search parameters.

I have found a dead horse that has been beaten when I searched, but it is also full of sarcastic pharmacy is doomed statements. I said we could lock this already after the first person told me to do a search. Reading comprehension > You
 
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Can you share with me the keywords? I think we learned about search engines in high school which would explain me not know the proper search parameters.

I have found a dead horse that has been beaten when I searched, but it is also full of sarcastic pharmacy is doomed statements. I said we could lock this already after the first person told me to do a search. Reading comprehension > You

I narrowed my search to Pharmacy and Pre-Pharmacy (control + left click to highlight mulitple forums) searched "surplus salaries". Narrowed to last log on and older. Got multiple hits. Most closely related were "How long will the Pharmacy boom last", "Pharmacy for 40K", and one other I don't remember the name of." 7+ pages returned, these were just on the first page.
 
My stats are better than I would guess 80-90% of the applicants, so it is fair to assume that I would get in.

I wouldn't assume anything!! There were over 900 applicants that I had to compete against, and I only got in b/c I was called off the waiting list. Only 5 people were called off the list! My co-worker was on the waiting list too, but they never called her.

Arrogance is :thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown
 
I wouldn't assume anything!! There were over 900 applicants that I had to compete against, and I only got in b/c I was called off the waiting list. Only 5 people were called off the list! My co-worker was on the waiting list too, but they never called her.

Arrogance is :thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown

I am not so sure arrogance is this guys problem. Uninformed or misinformed would be the politically correct terms. I would use the term idiot but thats just me. Perhaps I am being a bit to harsh. He is a self proclaimed high school drop out.
 
I will try something weird and new on this thread and actually answer the OP's original questions and not be an a$$ to the OP.

The demand/supply curve will eventually meet and salaries will stablize. When is exactly hard to say, but it will happen.

With a doctorate degree now and other considerations, I doubt that salaries will go down significantly. I think it will stay above 100K, but not get into the 150K range. There are just so many factors any concrete answer is really only an educated guess.

I do think it is a good career with excellent pay, nice hours, and benefits.
People will always need medicine.

There are traveling pharmacists. I have a friend that does it. I know he makes more per hour (maybe $15-20) and goes all over the place. He likes the variety and being retired military, he does not need the benefits. Another pharm benefit is the variety of career options.

Hope this actually helps answer your questions. Instead of bashing you for being a new user and not use to the search funtion. I thought this was a place for students to ask questions and get answers, not insults.:confused:
 
I am contemplating attending pharmacy school one day and I have quite a few concerns. Right now, the pharmacists have the hospitals/retail phamacies by the balls in the sense that they can demand high salaries and get ample overtime. There are pharmacy schools popping up all over the place right now, will this not saturate the market of pharmacists? Will the governing body of pharmacists allow the saturation of the market? I am not concerned with making 150k+ by working massive amounts of overtime and moonlighting constantly, but I would like ~100k (2007 dollars) and the option of overtime if needed. What I suppose I am asking, will pharmacy go the way of IT and CompSci where we will all have expensive degrees and work for 40k a year? I know this is an extreme example, but I think you all understand what I am getting at.

A few more thoughts: Assuming things stay roughly the same as they are now, I know pharmacists get paid hourly, but can you accept a higher wage for not being paid benefits? Also, is it true there are opportunities for traveling pharmacists?
Thank you all for your help.


Supply and demand of pharmacists and pharmacy jobs and its' relation to salary doesn't quite fit into the typical curve we are familiar with.

If there are oversupply of pharmacists, it means there will be less job but it doesn't mean the salary will decrease. It could mean the increase in salary will fall to a lower slope.
 
Maybe it is true that all pharmacists are upset they are not MDs...



...sounds to me like you answered your own post. You definitely should go to med school, I mean your superior stats will make you a shoo-in!
 
I didn't go to pharmacy school just for money, but if you told me I'd have 6 figure debt and would make 40K a year afterwards, I probably would have taken a different path. Anyone who thinks that money isn't important when considering a career is kidding themselves or has really rich parents
 
Why don't you clean the sand out of you vagina and listen up
Here you go again... assuming they have a vagina. Reality check, Red X could be a dude.
Stop making yourself look like a jerk:eek:
 
PLEASE don't lock this thread! It's great fun..... ;-)
 
Here you go again... assuming they have a vagina. Reality check, Red X could be a dude.
Stop making yourself look like a jerk:eek:

You picked on the OP first. All the OP wanted was an answer to the questions.

But, the OP did not need to respond with the vagina comment.

However, you were the jerk to begin with...:smuggrin:
 
Why don't you clean the sand out of you vagina and listen up. I asked a question, I was harassed for it at which time I apologized and asked the thread to be locked so it will no longer take up space on the forum. I get bombarded a little bit more so I defend myself the best way I can. I did not say that I had superior stats, I speculated based on the acceptance numbers of the universities that I will be applying that my application has higher numbers than about 80-90% of them. I am sorry that this struck such a sore spot for people. I was not boasting or attempting to be arrogant I was just defending myself when posed with the question of how I can complete or gain acceptance to a pharmacy school. The poke at all pharmacists wanting to be MDs was meant to be humorous it upset some people. Can we not just all get along? :biglove:

Thank you J DUB for giving me an honest answer. :thumbup:

If you are so desparate to have the thread locked why do you keep responding? Seems to me if you were done you would stop posting comments....
 
You picked on the OP first. All the OP wanted was an answer to the questions.

But, the OP did not need to respond with the vagina comment.

However, you were the jerk to begin with...
Aren't you picking on me now??
I was being honest. If he wants 100-150k/year without benefits, then he should go to med school, Period.
I don't remember anything about his passion for pharmacy or anything along those lines. He wants money and security---> med school
 
Why don't you clean the sand out of you vagina and listen up.

Is that how you 'talk' to the ladies?:laugh: :thumbdown:

My advice: You should respect the ladies no matter what mood they're in.

Just an advice, no insults.:)
 
Thanks for cleaning up some of the posts. It doesn't make it go away (quotes still stay), but at least it shows you're trying. Hopefully we can put the popcorn away now.:corny:
 
Some good popcorn eh?
 
I'm gonna ignore the general tone of this thread and add to the original question.

I've always said the following of all health careers: we're all being encouraged to go into pharm/chiro/physio/ortho/whatever because the baby boomers are all getting old and need care. Yes, we are going to need more professionals. However, what happens when all of us are 50 and the baby boomers are all DEAD? Are we out of a job??

You have no idea how many people I've shocked with that statement...not because I said it so bluntly, but because no one has thought about it!

I guess pharmacists will still be in demand though, given the dietary and health habits of the general population along with the ever-growing paranoia and the number of doctors who dole out pills to get their patients out of their office to get rid of them.
 
I've always said the following of all health careers: we're all being encouraged to go into pharm/chiro/physio/ortho/whatever because the baby boomers are all getting old and need care. Yes, we are going to need more professionals. However, what happens when all of us are 50 and the baby boomers are all DEAD? Are we out of a job??

You have no idea how many people I've shocked with that statement...not because I said it so bluntly, but because no one has thought about it!


Maybe people around you haven't thought about it but many have thought about it everywhere. Did you ever think perhaps when the boomers die out..we'll finally catch up and be rid of pharmacist shortage? Then we won't have such a difficult trying to fill positions.

Not sure why anyone would be shocked ?

What's more shocking is.."what happens when we run out of petroleum..."
 
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