Possible Future Pharm. Student in NJ/NYC Area - Bad Choice?

[Svetlana1227]

I'll try to explain my complex situation with as much brevity as possible. I am turning 21 (Is it funny I think I'm so old already?) right before 2012 and I have one more semester to finish up my 2.5 year Professional Studies degree at Bergen Community College. The reason why I entered a CC with a nonscientific major was due to the fact that I didn't have the slightest clue of what I wanted to major in. Since this was my predicament, my best choice was to enter CC to test out the fields despite my 4.2 average in HS. While all my education has been free due to scholarships at this point, I have to pay almost 6 figures for a surgery I need that would need almost a one year recovery because I start my "real" education in some NY or NJ four year school. So, not only did the CC take up my time, but the surgery will on top of that. Since I'll be finishing my education a lot older than most coupled with how much money I have to spend on surgery, being an MD is out of the question. I love science and have a passion for anything medical, so I decided my possible majors would be Pharmacy, Perfusion, or a CNRA.

My first choice is pharmacy since I'm very interested in medical science and how drugs work within the body. I like to say I have a great memory, so I believe memorizing a bunch of drug names won't be a challenge for me. I'm an introverted person who barely joins the social scene, so I can't see the workload being too much for me to handle with no friends or social demands to worry about. If I do pursue the pharmacy major, I will either major in Clinical Lab Science that would take 3 years to complete and go to Pharmacy school from there or join the 7 year accelerated pharmacy program through Fairleigh Dickinson college. (Does one choice in particular sound better than the other?) My issue is, being that I live in the NJ/NYC area and I'm not willing to relocate, will the job prospects for pharmacists in let's say, 2018-2020 be dismal? My greatest fear is all that rigorous studying and debt would go to waste once I enter the job market. This is why my Plan B and Plan C is either becoming a Perfusionist or CNRA. The negative side to becoming a Perfusionist is even though I enjoy being around a surgical setting and having a valuable role in contributing to important surgery, the schedule of the job scares me since it's on an "on call" basis. I know this sounds silly, but I don't want anything so demanding and so unpredictable that my sleep would be disrupted. I'm overly paranoid about my brain power and health, so one thing I can't sacrifice are my hours of sleep. Concerning becoming a CRNA, my biggest fear is that I won't have any prestige or be seen as intelligent. I once heard somebody say "Nurses are glorified janitors" and "Nurses are the too stupid ones who couldn't get into Med school." When I heard these opinions, I literally wanted to cry. Another negative of going to nursing school is that you're very pigeon holed as far as the type of careers you can enter. So, my question is: Is pursuing Pharmacy a wise option considering the year I'll graduate by and my location? Am I better off with my other majors that interest me? Thank you kindly.

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[Filler]

I'll try to explain my complex situation with as much brevity as possible. I am turning 21 (Is it funny I think I'm so old already?) right before 2012 and I have one more semester to finish up my 2.5 year Professional Studies degree at Bergen Community College. The reason why I entered a CC with a nonscientific major was due to the fact that I didn't have the slightest clue of what I wanted to major in. Since this was my predicament, my best choice was to enter CC to test out the fields despite my 4.2 average in HS. While all my education has been free due to scholarships at this point, I have to pay almost 6 figures for a surgery I need that would need almost a one year recovery because I start my "real" education in some NY or NJ four year school. So, not only did the CC take up my time, but the surgery will on top of that. Since I'll be finishing my education a lot older than most coupled with how much money I have to spend on surgery, being an MD is out of the question. I love science and have a passion for anything medical, so I decided my possible majors would be Pharmacy, Perfusion, or a CNRA.

My first choice is pharmacy since I'm very interested in medical science and how drugs work within the body. I like to say I have a great memory, so I believe memorizing a bunch of drug names won't be a challenge for me. I'm an introverted person who barely joins the social scene, so I can't see the workload being too much for me to handle with no friends or social demands to worry about. If I do pursue the pharmacy major, I will either major in Clinical Lab Science that would take 3 years to complete and go to Pharmacy school from there or join the 7 year accelerated pharmacy program through Fairleigh Dickinson college. (Does one choice in particular sound better than the other?) My issue is, being that I live in the NJ/NYC area and I'm not willing to relocate, will the job prospects for pharmacists in let's say, 2018-2020 be dismal? My greatest fear is all that rigorous studying and debt would go to waste once I enter the job market. This is why my Plan B and Plan C is either becoming a Perfusionist or CNRA. The negative side to becoming a Perfusionist is even though I enjoy being around a surgical setting and having a valuable role in contributing to important surgery, the schedule of the job scares me since it's on an "on call" basis. I know this sounds silly, but I don't want anything so demanding and so unpredictable that my sleep would be disrupted. I'm overly paranoid about my brain power and health, so one thing I can't sacrifice are my hours of sleep. Concerning becoming a CRNA, my biggest fear is that I won't have any prestige or be seen as intelligent. I once heard somebody say "Nurses are glorified janitors" and "Nurses are the too stupid ones who couldn't get into Med school." When I heard these opinions, I literally wanted to cry. Another negative of going to nursing school is that you're very pigeon holed as far as the type of careers you can enter. So, my question is: Is pursuing Pharmacy a wise option considering the year I'll graduate by and my location? Am I better off with my other majors that interest me? Thank you kindly.

Tri State job market sucks pretty bad right now and will only get worse when some of the newer schools graduate their first classes in the upcoming years. Go with a major that interests you or be open to relocating.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Moved to pre-pharmacy as this thread is more appropriate to that content.

 

[Svetlana1227]

Moved to pre-pharmacy as this thread is more appropriate to that content.

Oh, okay. Thank you.

 

[30Percent]

If prestige is that important to you go with medical school. You're not going to get the prestige as a pharmacist. People with negative views of the pharmacy profession will call you a glorified pill counter.

 

[Passion4Sci]

If prestige is that important to you go with medical school. You're not going to get the prestige as a pharmacist. People with negative views of the pharmacy profession will call you a glorified pill counter.

I get the feeling of prestigiousness (is that a word...) when I tell people I am in pharmacy school. Their eyes light up with dollar signs tbh. Not even kidding.

Physicians may definitely have THE MOST prestige but pharmacist is up there. A far cry from say, administrative assistant or real estate agent or hair dresser.

 

[owlegrad]

Or truck driver!

 

[Svetlana1227]

I get the feeling of prestigiousness (is that a word...) when I tell people I am in pharmacy school. Their eyes light up with dollar signs tbh. Not even kidding.

Physicians may definitely have THE MOST prestige but pharmacist is up there. A far cry from say, administrative assistant or real estate agent or hair dresser.

This is absolutely true, but what good is prestige from a title if you're unemployed? That's what scares me and makes me hesitate to pursue pharmacy despite my interest in it. Sometimes I hear they'll be in great demand and other times I hear the field is drying up with hoards of new PharmD graduates. Add the fact that I can't relocate... I'll like to hear from people in my area about the current job prospects and how they feel they'll be in 10 years. A university education is an investment and if you make a bad investment, there are serious consequences.

 

[Passion4Sci]

An MD isn't as safe as it once was, either... especially for "elite" matches.

You are right, of course. An investment has to be a good investment or there are consequences so doing your homework is a great idea. The problem is, the job situation is so difficult to get an accurate reading on due to a variety of factors that you can't be absolutely sure either way.

You could get your MD and end up matching to a hospital in Wichita, KS... and never being able to really get back to where you came from. It's a possibility in ANY job in 2011 and beyond.

 

[RXWorrier]

This is absolutely true, but what good is prestige from a title if you're unemployed? That's what scares me and makes me hesitate to pursue pharmacy despite my interest in it. Sometimes I hear they'll be in great demand and other times I hear the field is drying up with hoards of new PharmD graduates. Add the fact that I can't relocate... I'll like to hear from people in my area about the current job prospects and how they feel they'll be in 10 years. A university education is an investment and if you make a bad investment, there are serious consequences.

You are 21. Maybe wait a few years and see how the economy/job market goes? If things improve, you can still go to pharmacy school and be a pharmacist while still in your 20s.

Right now there are too many new schools and too much economic contraction to consider going into pharmacy. The "great demand" you hear about is based on data from before 2004.

 

[type b pharmD]

Nursing does not pigeonhole you , it is arguably the broadest of ALL the medical fields , nurses can be educators, clinicians, surgical assists, executive officers, direct bedside care, small business owners/sole proprietors , you name it. I would personally advise only to go into pharmacy if you have a well defined career goal and are confident that you can get the connections and job skills (internships) necessary to get a job. If you just "show up" to class or work and perform adequately, jobs are *not* guaranteed.

If I could go back to the beginning and restart , I would have chosen nursing school, but, I have gotten lucky with internships and am confident that pharmacy students who have real world savvy and can market themselves well will get jobs when they graduate, its just not a guaranteed job for 'everyone' , its getting to the point where if you don't have good experience , there are going to be people who are going to outcompete you in the job market.

 

[DrDrugs2012]

My $0.02...

Anyone who looks down upon the work of a nurse, regardless of 'level' of nursing, is not qualified to make that judgement nor fit to be a healthcare professional.

Do whatever gives you a sense of fulfillment in life and makes you look forward to going to work everyday. That may sound quite frou frou, but if you're entering healthcare for the sole purpose of a solid income, you are better off elsewhere. Yes, the income is nice, but healthcare should be a calling. If you seek prestige, just be the best at what you do, and people around the world will seek your counsel. Strive for excellence and you'll be fine whatever you do.