Unique things to do with a PharmD degree

[beachbum2424]

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I start pharmacy school in the Fall and I am really questioning if this is going to be the right path for me. I started working in a retail setting this summer, and frankly it is REALLY boring and monotonous.

I am very interested in my classes, and pharmacy in itself (how drugs work, and the anatomy of the body). I simply want to know if there is anything unique I can do with my degree to get satisfaction out of my job and really love going to work. Clearly, I'm talking no retail or hospital (i've seen how both work, and it is not right for me).


Anyone do anything unique with their degree?? I read the NASA thread and that sounds very interesting, and I'm sure many opportunities like it do not exist.

 

[Tinkerbell22]

to be honest, retail comprises the vast majority of what is out there in terms of jobs... and i would guess hospital staffing comes somewhere in second.

if you're dead set against those options, you can look into teaching/academia, research (normally have to do research in academia anyway), residencies --> clinical job in hospital, working in managed care (insurance companies/etc), government/military, or consulting (nursing home, long term care).

i probably don't have to mention that these jobs are more scare and most likely require a lot of networking, luck, experience, etc

 

[deleted205891]

I am currently doing a regulatory affairs rotation in pharmaceutical industry. There seem to be a lot of opportunities in industry for pharmacists, though these would most likely require experience or a fellowship.

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

Like Tinkerbell said, most pharmacists go to retail positions, 80% of my class did. The second majority would be hospital and this almost certainly require a residency in 4 years as will managed care.

Unique careers...I know pharms who started infusion and LTC businesses and a pharmacist who started a regulatory site for monitoring internet pharmacies.

You may enjoy academia but that will require 2 years of residency training after school more than likely. Think hard this summer, if pharmacy is for you. Ending up in retail can be a passion crushing experience for many young pharmacists.

 

[SkiPharmer]

You applied to pharmacy school before you had any work experience or had a clue what it was about? and now you are thinking it is not for you? I dont feel sorry for you.......why would you apply and go to pharmacy school if you had no idea what it was about. Before i went to pharmacy school I worked/volunteered/shadowed in retail, hospital, compounding and industry just to make sure I would like what I was getting into.

 

[beachbum2424]

You applied to pharmacy school before you had any work experience or had a clue what it was about? and now you are thinking it is not for you? I dont feel sorry for you.......why would you apply and go to pharmacy school if you had no idea what it was about. Before i went to pharmacy school I worked/volunteered/shadowed in retail, hospital, compounding and industry just to make sure I would like what I was getting into.[/QUOTE]

Actually I volunteered in a Cancer Hospital in the Chemo infusion Pharmacy Clinic for 2 years and interviewed a few clinical pharmacists. My post simply said that I started working in retail a few months ago and I've decided that is not for me and I am wondering if there are any unique things to do with one's PharmD. That seems like a pretty valid question to me.

 

[Tinkerbell22]

Like Tinkerbell said, most pharmacists go to retail positions, 80% of my class did. The second majority would be hospital and this almost certainly require a residency in 4 years as will managed care.

Unique careers...I know pharms who started infusion and LTC businesses and a pharmacist who started a regulatory site for monitoring internet pharmacies.

You may enjoy academia but that will require 2 years of residency training after school more than likely. Think hard this summer, if pharmacy is for you. Ending up in retail can be a passion crushing experience for many young pharmacists.

I wonder if there is a particular residency that would benefit someone who is interested in teaching? I would think most PharmDs in academia would chose a specialty and would then be mainly qualified to teach in that area?

 

[aabdraff57]

You applied to pharmacy school before you had any work experience or had a clue what it was about? and now you are thinking it is not for you? I dont feel sorry for you.......why would you apply and go to pharmacy school if you had no idea what it was about. Before i went to pharmacy school I worked/volunteered/shadowed in retail, hospital, compounding and industry just to make sure I would like what I was getting into.

Actually I volunteered in a Cancer Hospital in the Chemo infusion Pharmacy Clinic for 2 years and interviewed a few clinical pharmacists. My post simply said that I started working in retail a few months ago and I've decided that is not for me and I am wondering if there are any unique things to do with one's PharmD. That seems like a pretty valid question to me.[/QUOTE]

I actually like that question.

Do you like to travel? Many Asian countries are in dire need of researchers and professors in Pharmacy especially Pharm.D's.

 

[LazyMooch]

Do you like to travel? Many Asian countries are in dire need of researchers and professors in Pharmacy especially Pharm.D's.

Dire need = Dire pay?

hahah jk, I'm not that souless.

...or am I?

 

[medicalCPA]

I don't know how this will help, but I just wanted to throw it out there. There are two PharmD's who are on the faculty in the Pharmacology/Toxicology department of my school.

 

[pharmschooler]

To build on the toxicology thing, I know sometimes pharmacists staff the poison hotlines (you know, the ones you call when you see your child swallowed something with a Mr. Yuk sticker on it...).

 

[Notecard]

Check out radiopharmacy 👍

 

[IndustryPharmD]

More than you can imagine. And more diverse than you can imagine. 🙂 The beauty of a pharmacy degree is the variety of things it allows you to do (though many require additional training).