re think pharmacy school

[jacksmith228833]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Do your research...it may be the worst decision you make in your life

ask around, many if not most pharmacists would not do it again

your schools are lying to you about jobs and opportunities, as long as you get that federal loan for them to get paid

 

[BelowTheMean]

Worst decision of my life I can tell you that for sure. Hard part is once you are so deep into it, it's so hard to get out because your skills are irrelevant for anything else, you have a family, much older now, etc. If your gpa is over 3.3, you are an idiot to even attempt pharmacy nowadays. All my friends that went for MD/DO, or nursing/comp sci continually getting promotions while i sit there and hope they dont lay me off and replace me with NPs to run clinics instead like my clinical pharmacy colleagues. Not to mention they all make 2-3x more with unlimited OT potential. Ah, if i could go back in time and do it again to the day i got my pharmacy acceptance letter and instead of jumping up and down with joy, i'd wipe my behind with it and flush it down the toilet.

 

[PharmtoCS]

You'll be stuck with student debt for the rest of your life as you struggle to find a job to pay your bills.

 

[BC_89]

Do your research...it may be the worst decision you make in your life

ask around, many if not most pharmacists would not do it again

your schools are lying to you about jobs and opportunities, as long as you get that federal loan for them to get paid

I'm going to help you out a little bit:

An attention getter can be solidified with experience, stories, locations, your own thinking as a pre-pharm vs graduate, so on and so forth.

Let's start out easy. Jack, where do you / did you go to school? Did you work in a pharmacy before school? What was it that led you into the field? What did you expect vs what reality has shown you?

Ready, set, go!

 

[mentos]

Don't be one of those pharmacy school graduates who refuses to work in retail, has no residency or hospital job lined up, and has to go back to school for computer science after wasting 4 years and 200k on pharmacy school. Better to skip pharmacy school and get the computer science degree from the beginning.

 

[jacksmith228833]

Pharmacy when i graduated was health care..... now a days the health of the patients is de-prioritized

School : a top 5, busted my a** to get in
Work pre grad: yes
Why pharm: i cared and liked chemistry
The reality was great when I started, but like boiling a frog, it kept getting slightly worse and slightly worse to the point that is is almost unrecognizable to the health care profession i entered


Thanks for the help BC, but the rules of the profession have changed in the last 5-10 years, and THAT should be acknowledged by pre-pharm

 

[BC_89]

...the rules of the profession have changed in the last 5-10 years, and THAT should be acknowledged by pre-pharm

But its not. Which is why I'm thinking if more can give details of their experience (ie timeframe of graduation, school of graduation, location of work, years of experience, so on and so forth) that would suffice to some extent for many pre-pharms to consider the overall view of the profession. While I do agree many don't do research on this, I agree more so that many think they may be the exception from others when entering this field (which is why solidified experiences and detailed stories would serve better in catching pre-pharms attention rather than simply saying "don't").

That said, I do agree many need to create an excel sheet and do a cost vs debt analysis by doing a lower hourly compensation comparison with at or below 30 hour weeks rather than a google search listed salary that may / may not be relevant to many regions.

I do appreciate the input. Folks don't have to share their graduating school, salary, years of experience and high's and lows but it's an anonymous forum to begin with so I would hope many would be willing to share that info. I think more pre-pharms would be more interested in the specifics given on here that may lead to more open questions for many pursuing this path.

 

[mentos]

Sure I'll start.

2014: graduated

2015: started first job (took me 6 months to find one) overnight at a ghetto CVS. Pay was only $53/hr but I was desperate for work. Although the customer base was the bottom rung of society (regulars who came in for their heroin needles and left them in the parking lot) the work was actually quite manageable. Only 6-8 pages of refills. I would have 1-2 techs until 11pm. I considered myself extremely lucky to find employment because I couldn't find a job anywhere. Maxed out my ESPP but couldn't sell for 18 months.

2016: store cut pharmacist and tech hours. I only got one tech who left at 10pm. I would walk into a bigger stack of work since Rph hours were cut. Refills increased to 9-11 pages. More work but still doable, at least I got a raise and bonus. Kept maxing my ESPP. CVS stock at all time high around $115/share.

2017: CVS stock plummeted and I lost thousands from investing in the ESPP, uh oh. More hour cuts and they started to push refills. my shift started as a dumpster fire and refills were 13+ pages now. Sometimes I had no tech at all. Screw this. I was desperate to get out. I applied everywhere and networked with everyone I knew and the only thing I could get was a per diem hospital staff position that paid $48/hr. I basically gave up all of my weekends and holidays to work second shift at this per diem job. It was no less stressful than retail. I had a tech but the queue would get backed up and the phone would ring nonstop. IVs were made all night and nurses would call all night with Pyxis issues. Sometimes I didn't get to eat. Screw this.

2018: got a very tiny raise and bonus at CVS and at my per diem hospital job (a few cents). More cuts at CVS. Sometimes I would have NO tech at all when my shift started. Foot traffic increased because they closed other nearby 24 hr stores. Refills increased to 15+ pages per night. Management always told me I had to step up my game. Screw this. Luckily my friend texted me one day to tell me about an opening at a LTC which I gladly took. I had to compete with 5 others that they interviewed and they got literally hundreds of applicants - yay nepotism! This was basically a once in a lifetime opportunity as no one ever leaves here. I commutted 90 minutes each way for 4 months until I could sell my house and uproot my family. It was well worth it.

So I've been in a good situation since I got my unicorn job but I was extremely lucky, just at the right place at the right time. If I was still stuck at my previous two jobs I don't know how much longer I could have taken it. It was that bad two years ago so I can't imagine how bad it is right now or 4 years from now. I just don't know how anyone can choose to go to pharmacy school in 2020 and beyond.

 

[AM77]

I borrowed enough money to buy a mansion in Texas! Yet my pharmacy school still mails me donation letters.

 

[deleted562805]

Sure I'll start.

2014: graduated

2015: started first job (took me 6 months to find one) overnight at a ghetto CVS. Pay was only $53/hr but I was desperate for work. Although the customer base was the bottom rung of society (regulars who came in for their heroin needles and left them in the parking lot) the work was actually quite manageable. Only 6-8 pages of refills. I would have 1-2 techs until 11pm. I considered myself extremely lucky to find employment because I couldn't find a job anywhere. Maxed out my ESPP but couldn't sell for 18 months.

2016: store cut pharmacist and tech hours. I only got one tech who left at 10pm. I would walk into a bigger stack of work since Rph hours were cut. Refills increased to 9-11 pages. More work but still doable, at least I got a raise and bonus. Kept maxing my ESPP. CVS stock at all time high around $115/share.

2017: CVS stock plummeted and I lost thousands from investing in the ESPP, uh oh. More hour cuts and they started to push refills. my shift started as a dumpster fire and refills were 13+ pages now. Sometimes I had no tech at all. Screw this. I was desperate to get out. I applied everywhere and networked with everyone I knew and the only thing I could get was a per diem hospital staff position that paid $48/hr. I basically gave up all of my weekends and holidays to work second shift at this per diem job. It was no less stressful than retail. I had a tech but the queue would get backed up and the phone would ring nonstop. IVs were made all night and nurses would call all night with Pyxis issues. Sometimes I didn't get to eat. Screw this.

2018: got a very tiny raise and bonus at CVS and at my per diem hospital job (a few cents). More cuts at CVS. Sometimes I would have NO tech at all when my shift started. Foot traffic increased because they closed other nearby 24 hr stores. Refills increased to 15+ pages per night. Management always told me I had to step up my game. Screw this. Luckily my friend texted me one day to tell me about an opening at a LTC which I gladly took. This was basically a once in a lifetime opportunity as no one ever leaves here. I commutted 90 minutes each way for 4 months until I could sell my house and uproot my family. It was well worth it.

So I've been in a good situation since I got my unicorn job but I was extremely lucky, just at the right place at the right time. If I was still stuck at my previous two jobs I don't know how much longer I could have taken it. It was that bad two years ago so I can't imagine how bad it is right now or 4 years from now. I just don't know how anyone can choose to go to pharmacy school in 2020 and beyond.

Now, it is worse. Graduates have to pray for a retail job and if you are lucky per diem night shift hospital job. The unicorn is officially per diem night shift hospital job.

 

[Xenophylia]

I also found a "unicorn" job in LTC after many painful, soul crushing years in retail. It is the last oasis for us now. These jobs are few and far between since- as the OP put it- no one ever leaves these positions. Got the job by word of mouth BEFORE it was even advertised, which is the way many of these positions are filled. As stated, most graduates will work in retail if they work at all. There is no respect for pharmacists at all and the working conditions in retail are beyond terrible.

But at least when I graduated pharmacists were scarce. Your (retail) employer probably hated you for what you were and what you were costing them (mine sure did) but they couldn't afford to lose you, which was kind of sweet. Now we're a dime a dozen. And something so common can't possibly be seen as having any value. The pay is worse today, and working conditions deteriorate more by the hour. There is simply no reason to waste 7 plus years of education only to do a job like this. Even if you take out NO loans whatsoever its not worth it. You will curse the day you chose the profession. And that is a guarantee. It's the only one you'll get with pharmacy....

 

[TerryTerry]

Many posts here made good and valid point.

I am afraid many naive youngsters will still choose to go to pharmacy once we are hit by economic depression...
it`s so tempting to go study for years while somebody pays for your food and housing.

 

[mentos]

Many posts here made good and valid point.

I am afraid many naive youngsters will still choose to go to pharmacy once we are hit by economic depression...
it`s so tempting to go study for years while somebody pays for your food and housing.

Yup they think the job market will "correct itself" by the time they graduate.

 

[Xenophylia]

Hey all you would be pharmacy snowflakes. Listen up. BC_89 is a mod. He's trying to give a more gentle, rational, mature take on things. Bless his heart. However, most of us know that even tough love will not penetrate most of your "passion" thickened skulls. As such we need to say things that resonate a bit more. Pharmacy sucks now. It will always and forever suck. Everything pessimistic you hear on these boards is true, if not worse. It's a waste of money. It's a waste of potential. It will suck you into a void as deep and soulless as any black hole. You will never escape. Save yourselves from its demonic hunger. Just say NO!

 

[AM77]

Many posts here made good and valid point.

I am afraid many naive youngsters will still choose to go to pharmacy once we are hit by economic depression...
it`s so tempting to go study for years while somebody pays for your food and housing.

They will still go into pharmacy no matter what we say are warn them about here.

 

[mentos]

They will still go into pharmacy no matter what we say are warn them about here.

What gets me is when you ask them why pharmacy, they even acknowledge that the job market is saturated and wages are declining, and say they want to work in ambulatory care or hospital only, yet they still decide to go to pharmacy school.

 

[tennismaniac]

Now, it is worse. Graduates have to pray for a retail job and if you are lucky per diem night shift hospital job. The unicorn is officially per diem night shift hospital job.

To top this off, many pharm schools are NOT EVEN REQUIRING THE PCAT-which means more students apply and get in so by the time they graduate, there will be more PharmD grads than jobs-making the market very saturated. Plus, more new pharm schools are opening up as well which is also contributing to the saturation. Also, GPA requirements are decreasing. However, MD schools have a min GPA requirement of 3.6 or students are not even guaranteed an interview. I know it's strict, but at least they're capping the number of student so that the job market is not saturated. At least for med school grads, there will always be a need for docs, especially with COVID-19. For pharmacists, there is a theory that robots could soon replace pharmacists-which will put pharmacists out of the jobs.

 

[BelowTheMean]

What gets me is when you ask them why pharmacy, they even acknowledge that the job market is saturated and wages are declining, and say they want to work in ambulatory care or hospital only, yet they still decide to go to pharmacy school.

Then they fully deserve the consequences of their stupidity. No bernie to bail them out. No sympathy.

 

[mentos]

Then they fully deserve the consequences of their stupidity. No bernie to bail them out. No sympathy.

LoL at anyone who was planning on Bernie bailing out their student loans.

 

[TerryTerry]

What gets me is when you ask them why pharmacy, they even acknowledge that the job market is saturated and wages are declining, and say they want to work in ambulatory care or hospital only, yet they still decide to go to pharmacy school.

Vanity.
That`s what they are after.

 

[deleted562805]

To top this off, many pharm schools are NOT EVEN REQUIRING THE PCAT-which means more students apply and get in so by the time they graduate, there will be more PharmD grads than jobs-making the market very saturated. Plus, more new pharm schools are opening up as well which is also contributing to the saturation. Also, GPA requirements are decreasing. However, MD schools have a min GPA requirement of 3.6 or students are not even guaranteed an interview. I know it's strict, but at least they're capping the number of student so that the job market is not saturated. At least for med school grads, there will always be a need for docs, especially with COVID-19. For pharmacists, there is a theory that robots could soon replace pharmacists-which will put pharmacists out of the jobs.

Yeah, actually medical curriculum is trying to reduce the number of doctors needed to still create that demand. STEP1 is pass/fail which only benefits USMDs and forces USDOs into primary care and Caribbean MDs are screwed. The curriculum has also shortened the length of the MCAT.

 

[Hedgehog32]

Don't be one of those pharmacy school graduates who refuses to work in retail, has no residency or hospital job lined up, and has to go back to school for computer science after wasting 4 years and 200k on pharmacy school. Better to skip pharmacy school and get the computer science degree from the beginning.

To be fair (and also because it's pretty obvious I'm one of the new grads you're referring to), it's not just about whether or not someone is willing to work retail. Even if someone IS willing to work retail, that's not going to be enough; they will have to be willing to work retail AND move to the middle of nowhere to gain experience for a couple years in order to eventually be competitive for a retail position in a more populated area. You need to literally be willing to turn your life upside down and accept living a totally different kind of existence and lifestyle than you've ever had before (assuming you've never lived in a desolate, rural area and wouldn't prefer to).

 

[Sabril]

Ignorance with a mix of denial is still the number cause of death worldwide no matter what is going on.

 

[tennismaniac]

To be fair (and also because it's pretty obvious I'm one of the new grads you're referring to), it's not just about whether or not someone is willing to work retail. Even if someone IS willing to work retail, that's not going to be enough; they will have to be willing to work retail AND move to the middle of nowhere to gain experience for a couple years in order to eventually be competitive for a retail position in a more populated area. You need to literally be willing to turn your life upside down and accept living a totally different kind of existence and lifestyle than you've ever had before (assuming you've never lived in a desolate, rural area and wouldn't prefer to).

Pharmacy is very versatile. So I assume if one does not want to work in retail/hospital, they could be hired by a drug company, or work in academia.

 

[Xenophylia]

Pharmacy is very versatile. So I assume if one does not want to work in retail/hospital, they could be hired by a drug company, or work in academia.

Unlikely. The kind of credentials those kind of jobs require is typically insane. Not reasonable for most grads who dont want to be in school until they're 50 . Ex. BIGPHARM Inc, needs janitor- REQUIRED: PharmD + PGY16 + 8 years of experience + Board Cert in Waste Management

 

[tennismaniac]

Unlikely. The kind of credentials those kind of jobs require is typically insane. Not reasonable for most grads who dont want to be in school until they're 50 . Ex. BIGPHARM Inc, needs janitor- PharmD + PGY16 + 8 years of experience + Board Cert in Waste Management

I've heard of some drug companies hiring pharmacists-like GSK, Biogen, etc. Plus, some professors in the pharmacy school I have attended only have a PharmD. and they teach & conduct research-so there is a possibility.

 

[Xenophylia]

Hmmm...I had considered getting into scientific writing and/ or drug information. The credentials those positions required were WAY more than what I was willing to do. Some required a full blown PhD. And with as over educated as everyone is these days, I can't imagine that getting any better....

 

[tennismaniac]

Hmmm...I had considered getting into scientific writing and/ or drug information. The credentials those positions required were WAY more than what I was willing to do. Some required a full blown PhD. And with as over educated as everyone is these days, I can't imagine that getting any better....

It may just depend on the position.

 

[TerryTerry]

Pharmacy is very versatile. So I assume if one does not want to work in retail/hospital, they could be hired by a drug company, or work in academia.

Ok. So why would they hire 'one' over others after graduation?

 

[harvoni_rituxan]

I've heard of some drug companies hiring pharmacists-like GSK, Biogen, etc. Plus, some professors in the pharmacy school I have attended only have a PharmD. and they teach & conduct research-so there is a possibility.

you heard of it cuz they are pharmacy school PR's poster boys, and the admission office deliberately want to trick you into faulty generalization lol.
If you see pharmacists working for GSK, does that mean most pharmacists also work for GSK?
If you see pharmacists becoming professors, does that mean most pharmacists also become professors?
Well then, maybe you should see some unemployed recent pharmacists, so that you can finally understand most recent pharmacists are also unemployed lol.

 

[tennismaniac]

you heard of it cuz they are pharmacy school PR's poster boys, and the admission office deliberately want to trick you into faulty generalization lol.
If you see pharmacists working for GSK, does that mean most pharmacists also work for GSK?
If you see pharmacists becoming professors, does that mean most pharmacists also become professors?
Well then, maybe you should see some unemployed recent pharmacists, so that you can finally understand most recent pharmacists are also unemployed lol.

No. I am not saying most pharmacists work for GSK or are professors. What I am saying is that there are various avenues for pharmacy, so perhaps at one point, one could find alternative job if they did not want to do retail or hospital, such as research, teaching, working for a drug company, etc. At least that was the case when there was a demand for pharmacists. Maybe now it may be less so due to the job market saturation.

 

[tennismaniac]

Ok. So why would they hire 'one' over others after graduation?

Not sure. Maybe that "one" would have other academic credentials that "set them apart"- like an MBA degree, PhD, etc.

 

[harvoni_rituxan]

No. I am not saying most pharmacists work for GSK or are professors. What I am saying is that there are various avenues for pharmacy, so perhaps at one point, one could find alternative job if they did not want to do retail or hospital, such as research, teaching, working for a drug company, etc. At least that was the case when there was a demand for pharmacists. Maybe now it may be less so due to the job market saturation.

I work for a drug company, but let me tell you, there are less than 1/20 of my graduating class got industry fellowships and less than 1/5 of them got residency this year. There is NO new pharmacist job opening, hospital or retail, within 100 miles radius from where I live for the past week. The most recent one was a hospital night shift asking for a PGY-2 trained board certified CCU pharmacist. So where are the alternative jobs?

 

[Xenophylia]

Yeah all of these "niche" unicorn jobs are the product of fantasies created by the pharmacy students. Kind of like "if you dream it, it exists". Unfortunately, that's just not realistic, but what happens when you force feed a generation the idea that you can really have anything you want with a little imagination and "passion". But the real world doesn't work like that. It is indifferent to what an individual "wants". Everyone who graduates should assume- AT BEST- that they'll wind up in a retail sweat shop. And if that is the best case scenario, why do it at all?

 

[PharmtoCS]

Yeah all of these "niche" unicorn jobs are the product of fantasies created by the pharmacy students. Kind of like "if you dream it, it exists". Unfortunately, that's just not realistic, but what happens when you force feed a generation the idea that you can really have anything you want with a little imagination and "passion". But the real world doesn't work like that. It is indifferent to what an individual "wants". Everyone who graduates should assume- AT BEST- that they'll wind up in a retail sweat shop. And if that is the best case scenario, why do it at all?

Exactly. The equivalent of a unicorn or "niche" job for pharmacists is like one which an airplane pilot does not have to step foot onto an airplane. They are called niche jobs for a reason. There could be as few as a dozen such jobs in a single state.

 

[tennismaniac]

Yeah all of these "niche" unicorn jobs are the product of fantasies created by the pharmacy students. Kind of like "if you dream it, it exists". Unfortunately, that's just not realistic, but what happens when you force feed a generation the idea that you can really have anything you want with a little imagination and "passion". But the real world doesn't work like that. It is indifferent to what an individual "wants". Everyone who graduates should assume- AT BEST- that they'll wind up in a retail sweat shop. And if that is the best case scenario, why do it at all?

The retail jobs may be in the boonies- for all we know.

 

[Xenophylia]

If there are any at all. And no one really aspires to be a retail pharmacist anyway. So if that's the BEST CASE scenario, it makes no sense to roll the dice on pharmacy as a career...

 

[mentos]

Pharmacy is very versatile. So I assume if one does not want to work in retail/hospital, they could be hired by a drug company, or work in academia.

Where do you get this idea that pharmacy is versatile? A PharmD is one of the least versatile degrees that exist. It's highly specific to one field and that's it. That's why you see threads about pharmDs going back to school full time for computer science or software engineering.

Also wasn't this topic in the pre-pharm forum before? What's with all the censorship here? This thread has lots of important info for pre-pharms to know and SDN tries to hide it.

 

[tennismaniac]

Where do you get this idea that pharmacy is versatile? A PharmD is one of the least versatile degrees that exist. It's highly specific to one field and that's it. That's why you see threads about pharmDs going back to school full time for computer science or software engineering.

Also wasn't this topic in the pre-pharm forum before? What's with all the censorship here? This thread has lots of important info for pre-pharms to know and SDN tries to hide it.

I just recall reading it somewhere. At least that's what's it's advertised. I've seen pharmacists work in a varied of professions-from hospital to retail. Plus, many have specialized in fields like cardiology, pediatrics, neurology etc. So in that aspect it is very versatile. But I do agree with the job market being saturated, it is very hard to find a job.

 

[harvoni_rituxan]

Where do you get this idea that pharmacy is versatile? A PharmD is one of the least versatile degrees that exist. It's highly specific to one field and that's it. That's why you see threads about pharmDs going back to school full time for computer science or software engineering.

Also wasn't this topic in the pre-pharm forum before? What's with all the censorship here? This thread has lots of important info for pre-pharms to know and SDN tries to hide it.

Actually, I would call PharmD the most versatile degree that exists. Why? cuz I saw pharmacist-turned FT software engineers, pharmacist-turned FT nurses, pharmacist-turned FT PAs, pharmacist-turned FT podcasters, pharmacist-turned FT comedians, even pharmacist-turned chef and uber-drivers. It is the most versatile degree on the planet earth, from which you can pretty much do whatever you want afterwards.

 

[Xenophylia]

Actually, I would call PharmD the most versatile degree that exists. Why? cuz I saw pharmacist-turned FT software engineers, pharmacist-turned FT nurses, pharmacist-turned FT PAs, pharmacist-turned FT podcasters, pharmacist-turned FT comedians, even pharmacist-turned chef and uber-drivers. It is the most versatile degree on the planet earth, from which you can pretty much do whatever you want afterwards.

Yes- It's the career that GUARANTEES that you'll need another career to make a living! Grads with a pharmacy degree can do ANYTHING they want- other than pharmacy!

 

[PharmtoCS]

In another thread...

Failed APPE Pharmacy Rotation

My point was, you'd avoid the situation completely if you DID ask. Otherwise, you can talk to the school ( said that earlier), but beware of how you come across in that conversation or it'll look poorly on you and it may give unwanted credibility to the preceptor. I gave them the r My point...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Well, I actually left the school since I was so pissed off by the lack of support.

It sounds like you rage quit your school so we will never know how you would have done as a pharmacist. I would say that you did make a wise choice by dropping out though and will do far better than if you had stuck with pharmacy where most grads would end up either unemployed or in retail.

 

[tennismaniac]

In another thread...

Failed APPE Pharmacy Rotation

My point was, you'd avoid the situation completely if you DID ask. Otherwise, you can talk to the school ( said that earlier), but beware of how you come across in that conversation or it'll look poorly on you and it may give unwanted credibility to the preceptor. I gave them the r My point...

forums.studentdoctor.net

It sounds like you rage quit your school so we will never know how you would have done as a pharmacist. I would say that you did make a wise choice by dropping out though and will do far better than if you had stuck with pharmacy where most grad would end up either unemployed or in retail.

Awww I appreciate those words. I actually thought about reapplying to other pharmacy programs, but now I am considering other careers like PA or doctor. I know there will always be a need for doctors and PA job growth is expected to increase by 14%

 

[mentos]

I just recall reading it somewhere. At least that's what's it's advertised. I've seen pharmacists work in a varied of professions-from hospital to retail. Plus, many have specialized in fields like cardiology, pediatrics, neurology etc. So in that aspect it is very versatile. But I do agree with the job market being saturated, it is very hard to find a job.

You just described two types of "varied" jobs that pharmacists can do in the same field: retail and hospital. Cardiology, pediatrics, neurology etc all fall under hospital. All of these jobs are in the field of pharmacy. That's not versatile at all.

Versatile means you can use your degree to work in various professions.

 

[tennismaniac]

You just described two types of "varied" jobs that pharmacists can do in the same field: retail and hospital. Cardiology, pediatrics, neurology etc all fall under hospital. All of these jobs are in the field of pharmacy. That's not versatile at all.

Versatile means you can use your degree to work in various professions.

Like I said before there's industrial, nuclear, ambulatory care, regulatory, compounding, managed care, consulting pharmacy, academia, etc. Now, I'm not sure about the availability with these jobs due to the job market saturation-but I don't think it's all hospital or retail. For example, in regulatory pharmacy pharmacists can help create rules and regulations to promote the safety of drugs.

 

[mentos]

Like I said before there's industrial, nuclear, ambulatory care, regulatory, compounding, managed care, consulting pharmacy, academia, etc. Now, I'm not sure about the availability with these jobs due to the job market saturation-but I don't think it's all hospital or retail. For example, in regulatory pharmacy pharmacists can help create rules and regulations to promote the safety of drugs.

I'm not sure if you understand what it means to have a versatile degree. All of those jobs that you described fall under the field of pharmacy, not versatile at all. Those listed above are unicorn jobs that less than 1% of pharmacists get.

This is equivalent to what you just described: being a janitor is versatile. You can be a janitor in a school, a hospital, an airport, a college dorm, a warehouse, a fast food restaurant.

Or

Being an auto mechanic is versatile. You can work on gas or electric cars. You can be a mechanic for a dealer or at an independent shop. There's Toyota, Ford, Mercedes, or Tesla, etc.

 

[harvoni_rituxan]

Like I said before there's industrial, nuclear, ambulatory care, regulatory, compounding, managed care, consulting pharmacy, academia, etc. Now, I'm not sure about the availability with these jobs due to the job market saturation-but I don't think it's all hospital or retail. For example, in regulatory pharmacy pharmacists can help create rules and regulations to promote the safety of drugs.

There is no industrial "pharmacists". All RPh working for pharma companies I know are not doing pharmacist work for their jobs, and they were trained on the job or fellowship to pivot away from pharmacy. The work they do is not remotely related to a job description for a pharmacist.

Nuclear pharmacist? I think there is maybe 1 or 2 job opening in the california state per year at best. It's like saying the alternative career track for being a teacher is to become a professional politician, a mayor, or a governor lol.

 

[mentos]

There is no industrial "pharmacists". All RPh working for pharma companies I know are not doing pharmacist work for their jobs, and they were trained on the job or fellowship to pivot away from pharmacy. The work they do is not remotely related to a job description for a pharmacist.

Nuclear pharmacist? I think there is maybe 1 or 2 job opening in the california state per year at best. It's like saying the alternative career track for being a teacher is to become a professional politician, a mayor, or a governor lol.

Sounds like he is just repeating what his pharmacy school told him about how "versatile" a PharmD is.

 

[harvoni_rituxan]

Sounds like he is just repeating what his pharmacy school told him about how "versatile" a PharmD is.

It is so versatile that I have seen pharmacists working in every other profession I can think of, cuz it's the degree designed to train the next generation of healthcare leaders. As a future healthcare leader, the graduates need to know how to flip burgers and drive ubers well, in order to incorporate the technology of tomorrow into the ever-complex pharmacy profession.

 

[pharmBear]

Following mentos post, I'll go next and hope that this can help anyone who may stumble on this post.

Graduated 2014.
No previous pharm experience other than volunteering. Standard ippes and appes by graduation. Received license in August and staff position located 1.5hours away to start in Sept. (I moved for it ofc).

Came back to major city 6 months later with the same company as a float just between 2 troubled stores as their part time staff pharmacist. Then transition to a part time staff and float within the division the rest for 1.5 years.

They offered the full staff position, but I chose full float status when a federal contract position as a clin pharm opened up...but that contract ended earlier than the anticipated year so I was back to searching for something more stable than just floating.

2018 secured a managed care job while still kept the retail float position. This is a super unicorn office position that is currently stable even with the pandemic.

Trends I noticed in pharmacy now:
*2019 grad were job searching for 6 to 9months after graduation;
*some position are short contracts;
*float positions now are about 51 to 52 when I started was 60.
*Float positions are not guaranteed 40hours but 24 to 32hours guaranteed.
*Open float shifts are more rare to come by now.
*Some 2020 grad are getting their contract rescind due to hiring freeze and pandemic
*Current hosp pharmacist getting furloughed (unpaid leave) or their hours cut as census falls and revenue remains low...and are the first to be cut are clin pharm doesn't partip in direct patient care or bring in revenue.
*Retail Rph hours also cut with shorten hours or stores closing (is Walgreens closing 750 more stores).

As I precept students, I can't even keep the good ones because there are no positions in the company. I can only give them as much knowledge as I can and support them during the rotation. Even nepotism can't help the brightest of students if there are no positions.

Until pharmacist can be a source of revenue for the companies we work for, the road is super tough. I am one of the lucky ones.

Sincere luck to all!