Reconsidering Recent Acceptance

[JAKRPH]

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Hi everyone,

I was recently accepted to the University of Colorado class of 2023. I am a non-traditional student and I am currently 27yo. I have wanted to be a pharmacist since I was about 12 and was ecstatic when I received my acceptance letter. I currently live in Florida and wanted to go to school out of state because honestly, I can't stand it down here. Also, I know the future of pharmacy is looking pretty grim down here with 7 schools pumping out PharmD's every year.

That being said, the retail side of the profession never really interested me and I wanted to pursue a career in nuclear pharmacy or the clinical side of things. I do want to pursue a residency. I have been reading a lot of doom and gloom in the threads on here as far as job outlook is concerned and I was wondering if anyone could give me some input from the clinical side of the job market as most of the threads seem to be from the retail side of things.

I have also considered going into medicine, however, I don't think medicine would be the right fit for me. I just honestly do not want to live that "life" if that makes sense.

Thank you.

 

[BC_89]

First off: Congrats getting an acceptance to Skaggs School of Pharmacy.

My initial thought is the majority of pharmD holders will be working in a retail settings. If you indeed were to end up in such a setting as a nontrad, how much tolerance would you have?

My second thought is cost: How much debt are you looking at (tuition, student insurance, cost of living, etc).

Thirdly, I consider schooling / experience: As a nontrad, have you worked in a healthcare setting before and if so, how’s your networking skills in said positions (ex: myself: nontrad who’s worked active duty in military as pharm tech for the Veterans Affairs Hospitals as well as for Department of Defense locations). As you know, based on how well you perform in your program will dictate if you qualify for a residency. That’s a risk and reward only you can honestly answer based on your previous academic skills.

I’ll be 30 when my program begins with my education covered due to my recent medical retirement from the military. In terms of work tolerance, I’m flexible in knowing what I specifically want to do with my pharmD due to little - no debt upon graduation. I’d consider the lifestyle and work you want with your student loans and how you’ll be affected a decade down the line in pharmacy when your pushing 40.

I’ve worked with clinical pharmacists and once they have their job placement they seem absolutely happy and challenged in what they do. Many reasons I’m pushing for this degree is due to them (oncology as well as nuclear pharmacists). It’s a “niche” job so it’s growing more and more competitive every year unfortunately. Hope this gives you some guidance.

 

[JAKRPH]

Hey BC,
Thank you for the congrats, and I wish you luck at Pacific ( I read some older threads). I actually just canceled my interview with them yesterday since I received my acceptance to Skaggs.

If I were to end up in a retail setting I think I would have the tolerance to stick it out until I would be able to find a position in my area of interest. I have worked in the service industry for the past 11 years waiting tables and bartending (I think there are a lot of similarities between being a server and retail pharmacist lol) so I am used to dealing with disgruntled customers. However, to answer your second question, I am looking at approx. +/- $180,000. I plan on running a tight budget and have experience living frugally. I went to the cheapest state school in FL and was lucky enough that my tuition was covered by the Pell grant. I did take out my available subsidized loans but have not spent any of that money as I planned on using it for moving expenses, etc. I must admit I am envious of your opportunity of obtaining your PharmD with no debt.

I do not have experience working professionally in a medical setting but I did my shadowing hours at a nuclear pharmacy in Tampa, which is why the field is of such interest to me. Most people are turned off by the hours (1 A.M. to 9 A.M.) but that doesn't bother me as I am somewhat of an insomniac. I know that I can network and have always been able to "sell myself". I have always been able to exceed expectations whether they came from employers or teachers. That being said I am confident that I would be able to gain a residency.

 

[BC_89]

As long as you can crunch the numbers and understand your debt to income ratio with a solid plan A and B, I def won’t be one to say it’s not worth it for you (seeing you’ve weighed your options and most nontrads are very good at doing this). As long as your open to any location and qualify, it only takes one position to open up to get what you’d like in the clinical setting.

As I’ve said, it’s competitive but those who landed the position feel it was worth it. Certainly the clinical pharmacists I’ve got to work with on the inpatient side of the house feel it was worth it. I’m limited with working with nuclear pharmacists so I can’t really speak much in light of it other than the one individual I worked with for a short 6 months.

If you venture to the pharmacy residency thread, we do have past nuclear pharmacists (whether still active or not I’m not sure) that may be able to give you further insight in the matter. They may be able to gage and expound in the industry a bit more with you.

 

[Amicable Angora]

Have you considered that once you leave Florida, it may be difficult for you to return in any type of timely fashion?

 

[JAKRPH]

Have you considered that once you leave Florida, it may be difficult for you to return in any type of timely fashion?

I wouldn't leave Florida. Im going to the local university this Tuesday to see how far away I am from a BS degree in biomedical science. I looked it over myself and I should only need a summer and one school year to finish. I already started studying for the mcat which I will take in may. I have an interview on Wednesday for a job as an ED scribe so I can get my clinical hours up, and I looked into local hospice centers where I can volunteer about 5 hrs a week. One of my PA friends is going to set me up with an orthopedic and cardiologist to shadow.

The one thing that's missing me up is how early the medschool deadlines are. But if I get all this done and perform well on the mcat I will be competitive for DO and have a shot at MD. It will be a LOT of work (currently taking 21 credits as is) but I should be able to do it.

The real deciding factor will be my mcat results. I will be able to still have my seat at skaggs until the summer though.

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[princeafrica]

I wouldn't leave Florida. Im going to the local university this Tuesday to see how far away I am from a BS degree in biomedical science. I looked it over myself and I should only need a summer and one school year to finish. I already started studying for the mcat which I will take in may. I have an interview on Wednesday for a job as an ED scribe so I can get my clinical hours up, and I looked into local hospice centers where I can volunteer about 5 hrs a week. One of my PA friends is going to set me up with an orthopedic and cardiologist to shadow.

The one thing that's missing me up is how early the medschool deadlines are. But if I get all this done and perform well on the mcat I will be competitive for DO and have a shot at MD. It will be a LOT of work (currently taking 21 credits as is) but I should be able to do it.

The real deciding factor will be my mcat results. I will be able to still have my seat at skaggs until the summer though.

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I AM VERY CONFUSED LOL. You sounded dead set on pharmacy. Even mentioned “I have considered medicine” “I don’t wanna life that life”.... and then out of nowhere you sound like a medical school applicant that is currently gunning for medical school rather than having considered it in the past

 

[JAKRPH]

I AM VERY CONFUSED LOL. You sounded dead set on pharmacy. Even mentioned “I have considered medicine” “I don’t wanna life that life”.... and then out of nowhere you sound like a medical school applicant that is currently gunning for medical school rather than having considered it in the past

Lol trust me im very confused too, but I put together another plan. I have considered medicine in the past and chose pharmacy because I didn't think medicine was realistic. After reading some other threads I realized that I would be very competitive as a med school applicant, MD or DO

It is true the "life" of a doc was deciding factor to me previously, but reading some of threads on here of people being scared when meetings are called at work or getting phone calls from work that they're worried they won't have a job. And they seem like the lucky ones compared people who are graduating and can't even find a job and are 200k in debt. If that is reality I would rather go back to bartending or waiting tables.

The idea of pursuing medicine isn't new, these threads just made me really sit down and weigh the risks vs rewards. Plus in the back of my mind I've always thought I was always fearful that if I was a pharmacist that one day I would wonder "what if I applied to med school". I would rather hear a "no" than one day wonder "what if".

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[AD1208]

Lol trust me im very confused too, but I put together another plan. I have considered medicine in the past and chose pharmacy because I didn't think medicine was realistic. After reading some other threads I realized that I would be very competitive as a med school applicant, MD or DO

It is true the "life" of a doc was deciding factor to me previously, but reading some of threads on here of people being scared when meetings are called at work or getting phone calls from work that they're worried they won't have a job. And they seem like the lucky ones compared people who are graduating and can't even find a job and are 200k in debt. If that is reality I would rather go back to bartending or waiting tables.

The idea of pursuing medicine isn't new, these threads just made me really sit down and weigh the risks vs rewards. Plus in the back of my mind I've always thought I was always fearful that if I was a pharmacist that one day I would wonder "what if I applied to med school". I would rather hear a "no" than one day wonder "what if".

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It's good to have different plans and options but make sure this is where your heart is because you will end up doing it for the next 30 years. Don't do it simply because you think you can do it. Do it because you WANT to do it.

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[JAKRPH]

It's good to have different plans and options but make sure this is where your heart is because you will end up doing it for the next 30 years. Don't do it simply because you think you can do it. Do it because you WANT to do it.

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Thanks for the advice.

I wanted to become a pharmacist mainly to help mak a difference in patients lives, I saw pharmacy going in a different direction than it seems it will be going in the next ten years. I feel as physician I would have a more direct role in patient care, especially emergency medicine which I want to do.

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[AD1208]

Thanks for the advice.

I wanted to become a pharmacist mainly to help mak a difference in patients lives, I saw pharmacy going in a different direction than it seems it will be going in the next ten years. I feel as physician I would have a more direct role in patient care, especially emergency medicine which I want to do.

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Would you be able to ask your PA friend to schedule a shadow opportunity with an ER doc? I think that you benefit you more over orthopedic or cardiology

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[JAKRPH]

Would you be able to ask your PA friend to schedule a shadow opportunity with an ER doc? I think that you benefit you more over orthopedic or cardiology

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That's actually what I will be doing as an ED scribe.

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[GypsyHummus]

Op, if you want medicine but don’t like the lifestyle, you could consider Dentistry. 4 year and most only practice 3-4 days/week if they own their own practice. Makes amazing money if you are solo, decent if you are associate.

 

[JAKRPH]

Op, if you want medicine but don’t like the lifestyle, you could consider Dentistry. 4 year and most only practice 3-4 days/week if they own their own practice. Makes amazing money if you are solo, decent if you are associate.

Thank you for the response.

I've actually thought about that, however, working emergency or anesthesiology doesn't sound too bad to me anymore. ER docs have some of the best schedules in the entire hospital, same with anesthesiologists.