Should I go to Pharmacy School?

[college kid]

Hey everyone on SDN, this is my first (and hopefully not last) post. I'm a recently graduated college student - looking to go back to college . Unfortunately, the BS I obtained doesn't really cover ANY of the pre-reqs for applying to pharmacy school (except for the electives), so I'd need to start in Pre-Pharmacy, rather than an actual PharmD program.

So here's the deal: I know that if I put my mind to it, I can make it through a Pharmacy program - and I'm very interested in this type of work. But, speaking realistically, I'm also choosing to go back because of the lack of career opportunities in my currents BS's industry, and am looking for a field that's more stable, and is expanding. I've read the BLS.gov stats, which suggests that there should be excellent job opportunities from now through 2018, but I'd like to get some feedback from people who are actually in Pharmacy...

I appreciate the feedback!

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[pearljam5a1]

The honest answer to job prospects is: no one knows. Everyone can make presumptions and predictions but you might as well call up Ms. Cleo (am I too old for anyone to get that reference?) and you'd have just as good of an idea. If you would like to join the profession then by all means go for it. Long gone are the days where just having a PharmD guaranteed you your choice of job and at your choice of location. There's a lot more competition out there which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Differentiating yourself from another candidate is the way to go. That may involve networking, residency, voodoo, Jedi mind tricks, etc.; whatever works.

 

[UMterps]

Hey everyone on SDN, this is my first (and hopefully not last) post. I'm a recently graduated college student - looking to go back to college . Unfortunately, the BS I obtained doesn't really cover ANY of the pre-reqs for applying to pharmacy school (except for the electives), so I'd need to start in Pre-Pharmacy, rather than an actual PharmD program.

So here's the deal: I know that if I put my mind to it, I can make it through a Pharmacy program - and I'm very interested in this type of work. But, speaking realistically, I'm also choosing to go back because of the lack of career opportunities in my currents BS's industry, and am looking for a field that's more stable, and is expanding. I've read the BLS.gov stats, which suggests that there should be excellent job opportunities from now through 2018, but I'd like to get some feedback from people who are actually in Pharmacy...

I appreciate the feedback!

i graduated with a BS in geography. I mapped out a plan to finish up all pre-reqs within a year (full-time during summer A/B, fall, spring). I had to take all the bio courses (I only took physics), and retake chem and physics because they would not allow me to take labs without retaking the courses. About the only thing I did satisfy were the math courses and electives. I had to say it was the best decision I made. I figured out early on that coming from a non-tradition science (i.e. not bio, biochem, chem) gave me a unique perspective and I had a different toolset from my peers. It allowed me to take on some unique opportunities that my classmates couldn't. In terms of job outlook, some classmates who did not sign somewhere during the winter had trouble finding jobs in the DC area after graduation, but they all found somewhere to work by August. I decided to head back for more schooling. Thankfully, this time around someone else is paying for it AND i get paid my pharmacist salary too. Anyways, you never know for sure. 4+ years is a long way off and things could change significantly during that time.

 

[phathead]

If you ask people here they'll tell you that the sky is falling down and there will be no jobs for pharmacists in the coming years and we'll all be living off welfare.

In reality, the job outlook, long term, is pretty good.

I would advise to make sure that you really really want to do this and are not doing it just for job security. You will be putting in a ton of work over the coming years and you wanna make sure its for something you truly want to do.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

I remember Ms. Cleo very well.

 

[rxlea]

I remember Ms. Cleo very well.

I do, too. Didn't she get indicted for something?

 

[Passion4Sci]

caught the Ms. Cleo reference as well.

OP, the Pharm.D is a very versatile degree. I am in the boat with phathead - It's really easy to be negative, as there's a lot of negative energy out in the job market in general right now. But, thinking with a macro lens, it's quite possible for that to change in 3 to 5 years or longer.

What you should do, is see if you enjoy chemistry, biology, etc... and then also get pharmacy experience and if you like it all, go for it. Because more important than making your "wall green", is being happy at what you do.

 

[homeslice]

i graduated with a BS in geography. I mapped out a plan to finish up all pre-reqs within a year (full-time during summer A/B, fall, spring). I had to take all the bio courses (I only took physics), and retake chem and physics because they would not allow me to take labs without retaking the courses. About the only thing I did satisfy were the math courses and electives. I had to say it was the best decision I made. I figured out early on that coming from a non-tradition science (i.e. not bio, biochem, chem) gave me a unique perspective and I had a different toolset from my peers. It allowed me to take on some unique opportunities that my classmates couldn't. In terms of job outlook, some classmates who did not sign somewhere during the winter had trouble finding jobs in the DC area after graduation, but they all found somewhere to work by August. I decided to head back for more schooling. Thankfully, this time around someone else is paying for it AND i get paid my pharmacist salary too. Anyways, you never know for sure. 4+ years is a long way off and things could change significantly during that time.

Unintentional pun?

 

[rxlea]

Unintentional pun?

lmfao

 

[UMterps]

had to find some use for those 4 years, although i found out arcsoft is useful in pharmacoepi

 

[college kid]

Thanks for all the help guys. I've been hiding in the shadows of SDN for quite some time now, it's great to finally come into the light .

@ Phathead and Passion4Sci - that's exactly what I wanted to hear. I realize that in this recession, even the once 'sure thing' degrees are going to be more competitive and selective. That's to be expected. But it's nice to hear (from you guys rather than government stats.) that in general, the PharmD's still an opportunistic, versatile degree.

Btw - I remember miss Cleo - and her lawsuits

Also, I wouldn't choose a career just because of job security, but I'm not going to lie and say it's not a deciding factor. I've already been through college, and have a BS that's done nothing for me yet, and looks like it may never guide me to where I'd like to be. But I do love science, and I think that Pharmacy would be an excellent (albeit long) adventure.

 

[PonderingChoice]

Might I ask what your current degree is in?

Let me say that if it's a degree that normally has a good earning potential, like engineering or computer programming, I think you're wasting your time. If it's in something like English, then go for it.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

i graduated with a BS in geography. I mapped out a plan to finish up all pre-reqs within a year (full-time during summer A/B, fall, spring). I had to take all the bio courses (I only took physics), and retake chem and physics because they would not allow me to take labs without retaking the courses. About the only thing I did satisfy were the math courses and electives. I had to say it was the best decision I made. I figured out early on that coming from a non-tradition science (i.e. not bio, biochem, chem) gave me a unique perspective and I had a different toolset from my peers. It allowed me to take on some unique opportunities that my classmates couldn't. In terms of job outlook, some classmates who did not sign somewhere during the winter had trouble finding jobs in the DC area after graduation, but they all found somewhere to work by August. I decided to head back for more schooling. Thankfully, this time around someone else is paying for it AND i get paid my pharmacist salary too. Anyways, you never know for sure. 4+ years is a long way off and things could change significantly during that time.

I wanted to be a geography major in college. Physical geography was cool. I wasn't mathy enough for geology or premed as I later found out, but I'm back at it. Sadly, I went where the scholarship was, and they didn't have it. *****s couldn't even get the schedule together to allow for the minor in it. Come to think of it I didn't like anything about college.

 

[Gauden44]

I'd say try to work in a pharmacy first. Best decision I ever made. I was very close to switching out of engineering after two years to do pharmacy until I realized how crappy [for me] pharmacy was. In the end, I decided the great pay and flexibility in location didn't make up for the stress and mindlessness.

PS--I'm only on here because I've heard pharmacy jobs were tough to come by, and I wanted to see what this board had to say haha .

 

[college kid]

@ PonderingChoice - I have a BS in Computer Animation. It sounds like it could be full of programming potential, but in reality, it's just another art degree (strange that it wasn't a BA in my opinion). There's just no jobs available. I've worked a few contract gigs, and had one offer, but I can't live off 28K w/ no health benefits in Cali... And it's not like I did poorly, I had a great GPA (3.5 at a school where a 4.00 in a class is 95+, 85-94.4 is a FLAT 3.00), perfect attendance (accelerated programs kinda make a big deal about that stuff..), and had a very strong final portfolio.

I did this accelerated, 21 month program, which at the time, seemed like a good idea - but looking back, it really stripped the program of any transferable classes... so now I'm starting over basically from scratch. I always loved science, but wasn't sure what I wanted to do... and my artistic/techy side won me over in the end.

Anyway... I was wondering what courses I should take to prepare myself for applying to Pharmacy Schools. I was thinking something like this:

Chemistry I
Chemistry II
Biology I
Biology II
Calc I
(Calc II? Do I need this?)
Organic Chem I
Organic Chem II
Physics I
Physics II
Economics (macro/micro)

Is there some general collection of Pre-reqs for most PharmD programs?

 

[PonderingChoice]

You're right Computer Animation doesn't sound too hot.

At least you evidently did it very quickly - did you really get your BS in 21 months? If so, that's great!

Your list is pretty good - a lot of places only require 1 semester of Calc. 1.

You'll need to take a Communication course. You might need Anatomy and Physiology - this varies widely.

 

[college kid]

I think I have most of all the elective courses covered, communications as well. I'm having trouble finding a school that offers a simple Bio I + II class in my area! Strange.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

@ PonderingChoice - I have a BS in Computer Animation. It sounds like it could be full of programming potential, but in reality, it's just another art degree (strange that it wasn't a BA in my opinion). There's just no jobs available. I've worked a few contract gigs, and had one offer, but I can't live off 28K w/ no health benefits in Cali... And it's not like I did poorly, I had a great GPA (3.5 at a school where a 4.00 in a class is 95+, 85-94.4 is a FLAT 3.00), perfect attendance (accelerated programs kinda make a big deal about that stuff..), and had a very strong final portfolio.

I did this accelerated, 21 month program, which at the time, seemed like a good idea - but looking back, it really stripped the program of any transferable classes... so now I'm starting over basically from scratch. I always loved science, but wasn't sure what I wanted to do... and my artistic/techy side won me over in the end.

Anyway... I was wondering what courses I should take to prepare myself for applying to Pharmacy Schools. I was thinking something like this:

Chemistry I
Chemistry II
Biology I
Biology II
Calc I
(Calc II? Do I need this?)
Organic Chem I
Organic Chem II
Physics I
Physics II
Economics (macro/micro)

Is there some general collection of Pre-reqs for most PharmD programs?

Seems like it from what I've looked up. Here an accounting and microbiology course is required, and they take zoology and botany in lieu of bio I and II which is a rare course offering in AR. I don't think physics II is required either. UAMS actually has lists of courses from every college so you go to the list for your school and see what UAMS CoP requires. Kinda handy. Thoughtful of them although I called an admissions lady one day and she seemed like a giant horse's ass. Of course, I don't know that much about pharmacy school so....

 

[college kid]

Thanks Ranger - That is pretty helpful. I'm looking into post-baccalaureate premed programs atm. My grandfather worked at William Paterson in NJ for many years, and they have a pretty decent pre-med/pharm/etc program, that's only 16 months in length and sets aside time for application to Pharm/Med/Dental school during the final semester. I'll probably pursue that option. I'll keep everyone posted, and thanks again for all the help!