Pros and Cons... PA vs PharmD

[ki2393]

I am almost done with undergrad (I will finish in the summer), but I am currently torn between applying to PA school or Pharmacy school... I enjoy both professions (maybe pharmacy a little more since it's heavier in problem solving with math, chem, bio). I've shadowed one pharmacist and a couple PAs, so I have seen how both work in different areas of medicine etc.

I'm just wondering if any Pharm students or working pharmacists had any advice to give or could tell me about their experience as a pharmacist? I understand the pharmacy market is oversaturated, and PAs are a great up upcoming profession (I was an officer for our Pre-PA society), but I was also a member of the pre-pharm society on campus and really enjoyed my time with the organization and learning more about the profession.. I was also wondering how working pharmacists are being affected by the over-saturation, or if you know anyone who has been negatively affected by the over saturation of pharmacists?

I guess I just need help making a decision on which profession to pursue further! My parents don't have any experience with either profession, so they are unable to advise me.

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[kwakster928]

In general, pharmacy offers a broader mix of careers. For example, as a pharmacist, you can work for pharmaceutical industry, hospital, retail, government, automation tech companies, and etc.

For PA-C, your clinical choices are rather limited since you are bounded by the physician collaborative agreement. Although there may be some career ladder you can climb as a PA-C but they are few and far between (this is solely based on my exposure of PA-Cs in hospitals). I am sure you can work for different industries as a PA-C but my generalization holds true here.

Please correct me if I am misinformed about PA-Cs.

 

[Doc-Rx]

Anywhere there is a physician, a PA-C can work. That includes being a first assist in the OR, urgent care, ER, transplant, gyn, etc. etc. Some of these areas do pay higher than pharmacy as well.


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[Biochemistry2014]

In general, pharmacy offers a broader mix of careers. For example, as a pharmacist, you can work for pharmaceutical industry, hospital, retail, government, automation tech companies, and etc.

For PA-C, your clinical choices are rather limited since you are bounded by the physician collaborative agreement. Although there may be some career ladder you can climb as a PA-C but they are few and far between (this is solely based on my exposure of PA-Cs in hospitals). I am sure you can work for different industries as a PA-C but my generalization holds true here.

Please correct me if I am misinformed about PA-Cs.

While the bolded is true, keep in mind that retail will take up the majority of these jobs, with hospital type work coming second. Only a very small percentage of pharmacists work in industry, and an even smaller percentage work in government.

I would actually say there is much more variability in the jobs that a PA can take, along with a wide variation of salaries. On average, a PA makes slightly less than a pharmacist, but there are some that can make as much as a primary care doc. Pharmacy has a more narrow range of job variability and salary.

 

[fewaopi]

I know of school staff, faculty and deans have discussed it. It's not a closed secret or being ignorant. Academia already knows the issue. They don't consider it an issue worth considering since they have a business to run and they're not sure how to really stop it or if there's any willingness to stop the bubble from bursting.

I've seen more negative and it's pushing people into different careers. Older pharmacists laid off from shrinking business has resulted in chronic unemployment because they are too old, this I have seen.

In short, the future of pharmacy is pretty dark. It's unfortunate students aren't mindful or preparing for it. They shut their ears, shout "lalala can't hear you" and then get hit by the train.

But I'm hesitant to say PA is a good career as well, based off the fact that pharmacy was viewed the same as PA. Because PA could easily turn to pharmacy, where job saturation occurs. Although I'll say it seems pharmacy is closer to full saturation than PA so if you entered PA now, you'd have a good chance. Plus it's shorter training right? So quicker entry into the workforce.