Pharmacy Job Market/Outlook

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What is the job market like in and within 100 miles from Atlanta, GA? I'm willing to get licensed in TN, AL, SC, NC, in addition to GA if I can get a job closer to Atlanta. This is due to pressing family reasons. Thanks.

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Hello all...

I am just curious on what information you all might know about this topic. I hear a lot of different things from people in my town/pharmacy community, from pharmacists saying there are no jobs, to others saying their are jobs and the market is fine..

I was curious what a wider variety of voices in the pharmacy community think of this issue.

I am currently in the process of finishing my undergrad as pre-pharm. and I also just received an invitation for an interview at ISU in march. I only applied there this semester because I wanted to get my BS and take the PCAT before applying to a wider range of schools.

I currently work as a tech, and I know what is happening to community pharmacy, especially what has recently happened with Walgreens and ESI.

I've thought about PA and optometry, but my heart has always been for pharmacy. It makes me nervous to hear negative feedback that the job outlook is not good, and that pharmacists are "over saturated," especially considering the amount of debt I will accumulate by the time I finish my four years.

However, since I've worked retail pharm for the past two years, I have decided to do clinical pharm. Is the outlook just as grim as people are seemingly making retail pharm out to be??


Worried.
 
Wags has the hiring freeze going and they will only offer jobs to half of their interns; offer as in 32 hours/week. One of my classmates worked as Walgreens as a tech, as an intern, has a 4.0 GPA and has not received an offer from Walgreens as of last Friday. We are in the Central Florida area. We graduate in May.

The only retail pharmacy in the Florida area offering 40 hours/week is Target.
 
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Refer to the thread below....It was first started years ago, so you may want to skip to the last couple of pages of the thread to get more up-to-date feedback on this topic.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=639184)
 
There are several very negative trends in pharmacy and in healtcare in general. Gov't and State budget commitees are looking to decrease cost by decreasing reimbursements to pharmacies. Insurance companies are merging thus making them able to put pressure on pharmacies to accept unfavorable contracts. There is a surplus of pharmacists. There are more pharmacy schools in the pipeline. Salaries are stagnating. The only professional advances in pharmacy in the last 10 yrs have been MTM and immunizations. Yes there are the unicorn jobs such as clinical pharmacist, anticoag, ped, geri and oncology but they only represent 3% or so of the jobs out there and they are highly competitive. Need PGY-2 for most of them. We have an increasingly socialist government who believe that the "rich" should pay their unfair share. The independent route is becoming less and less possible. Unless you plan on getting a joint degree I wouldn't consider pharmacy. If you will be incurring >100k in loans I wouldn't consider pharmacy. Optometry is no better. They are suffering from oversaturation and decresing wages also. Dentistry is a good option but costly.
 
There are several very negative trends in pharmacy and in healtcare in general. Gov't and State budget commitees are looking to decrease cost by decreasing reimbursements to pharmacies. Insurance companies are merging thus making them able to put pressure on pharmacies to accept unfavorable contracts. There is a surplus of pharmacists. There are more pharmacy schools in the pipeline. Salaries are stagnating. The only professional advances in pharmacy in the last 10 yrs have been MTM and immunizations. Yes there are the unicorn jobs such as clinical pharmacist, anticoag, ped, geri and oncology but they only represent 3% or so of the jobs out there and they are highly competitive. Need PGY-2 for most of them. We have an increasingly socialist government who believe that the "rich" should pay their unfair share. The independent route is becoming less and less possible. Unless you plan on getting a joint degree I wouldn't consider pharmacy. If you will be incurring >100k in loans I wouldn't consider pharmacy. Optometry is no better. They are suffering from oversaturation and decresing wages also. Dentistry is a good option but costly.

BRAVO!!!
Encore, encore!!

this post has taken the words out of my mouth.

every single statement is true.

I would never ever let my own brother and sister go to pharmacy school. heck i even go to an inexpensive state school, but the ink has dried on the paper.

I stay only because i do well at the work, finished 2.5 years, will grad with almost no debt.

OP, you have been informed oh so well
 
I know job postings are supposed to be in the classified section but considering the ****ty job market, I thought I would throw this out there. There are 2 positions open at my institution for a second shift staff pharmacist and a supplemental pharmacist that need to be filled immediately. We are taking apps RIGHT NOW.

We have CPOE.

If you know where I work already, just apply online ASAP and let me know when you do. If you don't know where I work, PM me.

If you mods want to move this to classifieds, I understand but I wanted to give the regulars here a shot and I am not sure if they frequent the classifieds. Sorry class of 2012, we can't wait for you.
 
I ma apply. For your boss job and start a coup!
 
Too hot there.

My hospital is on a hiring freeze. We have an open position, but can't hire anyone for it until further notice.
 
Wags has the hiring freeze going and they will only offer jobs to half of their interns; offer as in 32 hours/week. One of my classmates worked as Walgreens as a tech, as an intern, has a 4.0 GPA and has not received an offer from Walgreens as of last Friday. We are in the Central Florida area. We graduate in May.

The only retail pharmacy in the Florida area offering 40 hours/week is Target.

One of my classmates has worked for CVS as a tech, and intern, has a 4.0 GPA, invented a new drug, had a sex video with the CVS district supervisor and as of now has not received an offer yet.
 
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I know job postings are supposed to be in the classified section but considering the ****ty job market, I thought I would throw this out there. There are 2 positions open at my institution for a second shift staff pharmacist and a supplemental pharmacist that need to be filled immediately. We are taking apps RIGHT NOW.

We have CPOE.

If you know where I work already, just apply online ASAP and let me know when you do. If you don't know where I work, PM me.

If you mods want to move this to classifieds, I understand but I wanted to give the regulars here a shot and I am not sure if they frequent the classifieds. Sorry class of 2012, we can't wait for you.

I ma apply. For your boss job and start a coup!

:thumbup: I wish more people will do this.

Too hot there.

My hospital is on a hiring freeze. We have an open position, but can't hire anyone for it until further notice.

There might be a job for you in the near future but you might want to be nice to me :smuggrin:

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk

Moving to...wait for it...The Job Thread! :D
 
What is considered a good salary in terms of dollars per hour for a pharmacist? $60 and hour?

Depends on what the COL is in your area, but yes, overall I would say in $60 is a very good salary (probably a bit below average in some areas, but definitely above average in some areas, so it evens out.)
 
Depends on what the COL is in your area, but yes, overall I would say in $60 is a very good salary (probably a bit below average in some areas, but definitely above average in some areas, so it evens out.)

i know areas that are going into the high 30s

this area has 5 pharm schools in 2 hr location
 
i know areas that are going into the high 30s

this area has 5 pharm schools in 2 hr location

Where is your area? There are some assfaced hospitals that throw those kind of wages around just because of their "name recognition"... some have been doing it for quite some time...
 
Where is your area? There are some assfaced hospitals that throw those kind of wages around just because of their "name recognition"... some have been doing it for quite some time...

not my area per se

but these areas are well known and easy to guess

but its all about supply demand

people want to stay in large metro areas, large metro area has huge pool of rph to choose from, they can lower salary and still get people to fill the spot out
 
not my area per se

but these areas are well known and easy to guess

but its all about supply demand

people want to stay in large metro areas, large metro area has huge pool of rph to choose from, they can lower salary and still get people to fill the spot out

Sorry, I am having a hard time guessing. Why so cryptic? Can you please enlighten us as to where exactly this area is? I hate it when people make vague statements with no direct information. If you can't provide data then no point in providing.
 
Excuse my ignorance on this issue but why is the rph job market bad?

I have a couple of pharmd friends and they seem to think it's bcos of too many grads, is that the main reason? BLS' job outlook seems to differ from that assessment....

Job Outlook
Employment is expected to increase faster than the average. As a result of job growth, the need to replace workers who leave the occupation, and the limited capacity of training programs, job prospects should be excellent.

Employment change. Employment of pharmacists is expected to grow by 17 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is faster than the average for all occupations. The increasing numbers of middle-aged and elderly people—who use more prescription drugs than younger people—will continue to spur demand for pharmacists throughout the projection period. In addition, as scientific advances lead to new drug products, and as an increasing number of people obtain prescription drug coverage, the need for these workers will continue to expand.

Pharmacists also are becoming more involved in patient care. As prescription drugs become more complex, and as the number of people taking multiple medications increases, the potential for dangerous drug interactions will grow. Pharmacists will be needed to counsel patients on the proper use of medication, assist in drug selection and dosage, and monitor complex drug regimens. This need will lead to rapid growth for pharmacists in medical care establishments, such as doctors' offices, outpatient care centers, and nursing care facilities.

Demand also will increase in mail-order pharmacies, which often are more efficient than pharmacies in other practice settings. Employment also will continue to grow in hospitals, drugstores, grocery stores, and mass retailers, because pharmacies in these settings will continue to process the majority of all prescriptions and increasingly will offer patient care services, such as the administration of vaccines.

Job prospects. Job prospects are expected to be excellent over the 2008–18 period. Employers in many parts of the country report difficulty in attracting and retaining adequate numbers of pharmacists—primarily the result of the limited training capacity of Pharm.D. programs. In addition, as a larger percentage of pharmacists elects to work part time, more individuals will be needed to fill the same number of prescriptions. Job openings also will result from faster than average employment growth and from the need to replace workers who retire or leave the occupation for other reasons."


http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos079.htm#outlook
 
Excuse my ignorance on this issue but why is the rph job market bad?

I have a couple of pharmd friends and they seem to think it's bcos of too many grads, is that the main reason? BLS' job outlook seems to differ from that assessment....

If I remember correctly, that outlook isn't very recent and they are issuing a new one sometime this month.
 
With this bad economy and a super saturation in pharmacy job market, why students still try to get in pharmacy schools ? Especially to Asian parents wanting their kids to do so. Don't they know that it is hard to get a job now?

I have friends keep calling me and asking for jobs for their daughters, sons who are new grads. The truth is: we don't hire anyone and will not to in anytime soon. Sad for the new grads with 200K loan and no job offer prospect.
 
With this bad economy and a super saturation in pharmacy job market, why students still try to get in pharmacy schools ? Especially to Asian parents wanting their kids to do so. Don't they know that it is hard to get a job now?

I have friends keep calling me and asking for jobs for their daughters, sons who are new grads. The truth is: we don't hire anyone and will not to in anytime soon. Sad for the new grads with 200K loan and no job offer prospect.

Because I like the field and because the graduating class at my pharmacy school has 85% job placement. It is a top 5 school which may help, but stop being a doom and gloomer to prospective students. Just because you know some people who have struggled is no reason to scare these poor kids. Onceagain, 85% job placement PRIOR TO GRADUATION. The other 15% will eventually find jobs or they may have just been bad students and dug their own grave.
 
And I am not asian for the record... doom and gloom + stereotyping. Nice. You are batting 1.000 in my book
 
With this bad economy and a super saturation in pharmacy job market,

I am sorry but... I do not think it is possible to heat up the pharmacy job market, and cause a higher solute solubility. That is just ridiculous.

I prefer to supersaturate water with sugar. Then I get my kids together and make rock candy. Its fun!
 
With this bad economy and a super saturation in pharmacy job market, why students still try to get in pharmacy schools ? Especially to Asian parents wanting their kids to do so. Don't they know that it is hard to get a job now?

I have friends keep calling me and asking for jobs for their daughters, sons who are new grads. The truth is: we don't hire anyone and will not to in anytime soon. Sad for the new grads with 200K loan and no job offer prospect.

So what's your suggestion? Apply to McDonalds as soon as possible?

Stop complaining and give a solution. People like you do nothing but whine whine whine.
 
With this bad economy and a super saturation in pharmacy job market, why students still try to get in pharmacy schools ? Especially to Asian parents wanting their kids to do so. Don't they know that it is hard to get a job now?

I have friends keep calling me and asking for jobs for their daughters, sons who are new grads. The truth is: we don't hire anyone and will not to in anytime soon. Sad for the new grads with 200K loan and no job offer prospect.

easy answer, they believe they got no where else to go.

done.
 
With this bad economy and a super saturation in pharmacy job market, why students still try to get in pharmacy schools ? Especially to Asian parents wanting their kids to do so. Don't they know that it is hard to get a job now?

I have friends keep calling me and asking for jobs for their daughters, sons who are new grads. The truth is: we don't hire anyone and will not to in anytime soon. Sad for the new grads with 200K loan and no job offer prospect.
It seems like the real problem lies in the fact that the parents were the ones doing the job seeking.
 
85% employment? What a joke! Class size must be super small and/or maybe it's either in Alaska or Oakland gangland area. Also, how do you justify the 85% number? Must be from school administration lying to you naive students. USC still claims 100% employment rate and the fact is plenty of jobless pharmacists are begging and sending resumes to local hospitals for a per-diem job. Last time I check, a stack of 50 applications on my computer screen begging for a graveyard shift opening at my place.
 
85% employment? What a joke! Class size must be super small and/or maybe it's either in Alaska or Oakland gangland area. Also, how do you justify the 85% number? Must be from school administration lying to you naive students. USC still claims 100% employment rate and the fact is plenty of jobless pharmacists are begging and sending resumes to local hospitals for a per-diem job. Last time I check, a stack of 50 applications on my computer screen begging for a graveyard shift opening at my place.

Lisinopril = debunked
http://www.pharmacistjobs.us/

nuff' said.
 
because people just do what they want. Why are still people living off from singing and drawing on the street? Don't say bcuz they are not smart enough to go to school. American education system only requires dedication, determination and hard-working, not intelligence. Or why are still people pursuing PhDs? Again they just do what they want
 
With this bad economy and a super saturation in pharmacy job market, why students still try to get in pharmacy schools ? Especially to Asian parents wanting their kids to do so. Don't they know that it is hard to get a job now?

I have friends keep calling me and asking for jobs for their daughters, sons who are new grads. The truth is: we don't hire anyone and will not to in anytime soon. Sad for the new grads with 200K loan and no job offer prospect.

My asian parent's parent once told them: "If you give your kids money, they can spend it and waste it and have nothing left. If you give your kids an education they will always have it". Thats their reasoning. My reasoning is that I won't have a school loans and a back up plan. So for me, I'm doing it regardless of the job situation because I want to.
 
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85% employment? What a joke! Class size must be super small and/or maybe it's either in Alaska or Oakland gangland area. Also, how do you justify the 85% number? Must be from school administration lying to you naive students. USC still claims 100% employment rate and the fact is plenty of jobless pharmacists are begging and sending resumes to local hospitals for a per-diem job. Last time I check, a stack of 50 applications on my computer screen begging for a graveyard shift opening at my place.

Ohio class size 130. And i know plenty of P4s with jobs lined up. Sounds like you either live in a supersaturated area or you are just full of it. Look at the facts. Jobs aren't what they used to be but they are there.

So no. The administration isn't lying to me unless they convinced every P4 I talked to to lie as well. Just because the place you work at isn't hiring doesn't mean jobs aren't out there. You are a terrible source anyway. Have you looked for a job recently? I would assume no since you are talking about your place not hiring.

On the other hand, all the P4s I have spoken to (far more reliable when it comes to the job market) have jobs. The employment statistics seem to agree with me. The only argument you offer is from your little sheltered corner of the world. Your argument comes from an unreliable source and presents no statistics. Your assumption that your place of employment represents the job market as a whole is asinine.
 
Sorry, I am having a hard time guessing. Why so cryptic? Can you please enlighten us as to where exactly this area is? I hate it when people make vague statements with no direct information. If you can't provide data then no point in providing.

sorry my post wasnt up to your standards
 
85% employment? What a joke! Class size must be super small and/or maybe it's either in Alaska or Oakland gangland area. Also, how do you justify the 85% number? Must be from school administration lying to you naive students. USC still claims 100% employment rate and the fact is plenty of jobless pharmacists are begging and sending resumes to local hospitals for a per-diem job. Last time I check, a stack of 50 applications on my computer screen begging for a graveyard shift opening at my place.

What is your SOLUTION.

Stop whining. It's like listening to a 13 year old girl on her Hello Kitty Bitch and Moan Cell Phone.
 
My asian parent's parent once told them: "If you give your kids money, they can spend it and waste it and have nothing left. If you give your kids an education they will always have it". Thats their reasoning. My reasoning is that I won't have a school loans and a back up plan. So for me, I'm doing it regardless of the job situation because I want to.

My same reasoning. I feel like you can say this about most other jobs out there these days anyway.
 
I retract my previous statement. I was wrong in saying it was 85% employment at graduation for the class of 2011 which lisinopril knew from his vast knowledge of the job market in Ohio MUST be incorrect.

It was in fact 86%.

Thank you for pointing out my grave mistake since us "naive" students are lied to so often. Since lisinopril is employed and not applying to jobs, I must assume he knows more than all of the 2012 P4s who tell me they have jobs lined up. They must have been coached by admissions to fool us "naive" people.
 
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lol... I hope this person is a troll. And if they aren't then I truly feel sorry for his/her co-workers and it's probably a good thing for all of those applicants "begging" for jobs there.

i can not say if he is a troll or not... Unfortunately, what he is saying has merit. I am a 4th year WesternU student, more than half of my class is jobless at the moment. I highly doubt 25% of the class will have a full time job by the time it's all said and done.

it's very sad. Still go into pharmacy if you have passion or have interest in clinical pharmacy and be ready to work your butt off in class and do a lot of EC,

If you were thinking of pharmacy to make easy money and have a good life style doing retail, think twice.

Also, don't expect to make 100K when you come out. Because of saturation and a lot of chains aren't offering 40 hrs a week now, reasonable expectation is 85K.

hope this helps you guys.

Good luck
 
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Especially to Asian parents wanting their kids to do so. Don't they know that it is hard to get a job now?

Is this based on your personal experience? or did you actually go up to every asian parent, student and talk to each of them?

Sounds like you are not happy with asian in this profession. Not everyone is in pharmacy profession to make $$.
 
If I remember correctly, that outlook isn't very recent and they are issuing a new one sometime this month.

Exactly. It's soooooo pre-recession.

Thanks guys/gals, that cleared things up..:thumbup:

I hope things turn around very soon, we need bright young people going into the healthcare fields (granted, the proliferation of colleges needs to be checked and proportionate to demand). Such a dismal market will discourage current and upcoming generations from Pharmacy.. I know I'm preaching to choir here... but i wish all those on the job market, especially recent grads, the best of luck :xf::luck::xf::luck:
 
:beat::beat::beat::beat::beat:

none of this is new information, ever since 2004, the field has begun to suffer a few drawbacks. the problem with posters like lisinopril is this: they offer no valuable advice about the issue, instead, their main point is to warn students to avoid the field entirely. i don't know what kind of fantasy world you live in but there are next to no jobs out there that do not come with a couple of catches. hell, even the MD is suffering right now due to the healthcare reform and reimbursement rate.

gone are the days where having a couple of initials after your name means entitlement to a job. what does this mean then? that means, skills like networking and involvement play an event greater part in getting a job. stop believing that pharmacy is a fast and easy way of obtaining money, go to an accredited, respectable program, get involved, network, and then come back and say that you still can't find a job. there are many pharmD's out there and i find it hard to believe none of them can find a job; there may be fewer spots for them, yes, but that just means you have to try harder to get them. <--- something you do virtually in EVERY job
 
there may be fewer spots for them, yes, but that just means you have to try harder to get them. <--- something you do virtually in EVERY job

This. Prior to pharmacy, I was in IT for 10 years. Whenever we were doing hiring, we would get stacks of THOUSANDS of resumes for one position. Half of them had to be thrown out because they were ineligible/didn't follow instructions/no cover letter/etc. so it did cut down our selection a bit, but still... when there's more demand than supply, which is the case in nearly any industry right now, that will happen.
 
200K debt?! Jesus, I'm not sure if I would get into pharmacy if my debt was going to be that high, mines going to be around 120K with living expenses and interest after 4 years
 
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