Walking away from your current job to start Pharm School

[carlg]

Anyone else stressing over the fact that they must leave a relativley well paying position and become a student again.


I know in the long run it will be worth it, but my stomach is in knots right now thinking about the wages I am sacrificing for the next 4 years...

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[off2skl]

Can't say I left a well paying job (teaching), but an income nonetheless. My husband and I planned as well as we could for the drop in income (paying bills off, buying a condo using only the one income). And I still work part time (and i make as much an hour as an intern as I would have teaching). So I guess having been a poor teacher before, I've only taken about a 1/2 paycut. It IS worth it.

Actually, my stress was leaving the sure thing and heading for the unknown. Part of me worried if I'd be able to stand up to the rigors of pharmacy school.

 

[CSzGirl]

I'm not stressing quite so much now that I've gotten my financial aid information (All loans, but almost everything is covered). Things are working out pretty well for me, and actually the stress that I'll lose from leaving my job will be worth more than the lost paycheck. I intend to find something a few hours a week for "fun money," but I'll definitely have to cut back big time. But, as I tell myself, "I can do anything for four years."

 

[Crazy_Norwegian]

The job I'm leaving doesn't pay that well--I'll make more as a pharmacist in one year than I would in 4 years at my current job. However, I will miss the health benefits. I'll have the crappy student insurance at school--I hope I'm relatively healthy for the next 4 years!

 

[BTB]

I decided not to go look for a job as an IT project manager/Peoplesoft consultant after I was laid off last April. I was so dissatisfied with that line of work that I was really willing to do without a lot of extras that I was previously able to afford. We scrape by on what my husband makes and on my paltry pharm tech paycheck.
After I graduate, I'll be making 10-20% more than I had been making in IT, and I'll be about $40k in debt. But I anticipate being happy with my job. I never, ever, ever want to feel stuck in a line of work where I feel like throwing up every day as I approach the front door to leave my house.

 

[jmhousem]

Yeah, I'll be leaving a job where I get paid pretty well. My wife will start working more, so I'm not too concerned about the money. However, she's going to be self-employed, so I'm VERY worried about health insurance, especially since she has Crohn's disease. If we don't find good, affordable insurance, her drug bills could put us in the poor house. (There's an irony in there somewhere. Or does it just suck?)

 

[jammocah]

I have to leave a nice cushy well-paid job too.. but I remember saying.. even if I was paid $1 million dollars a year to do this.. I wouldn't stay because I wasn't happy...

Financial aid this year is probably going to suck because I have a high EFC from working all year. Don't know how it will turn out since I havent gotten the paperwork back yet.

 

[RLK]

I left my IT job 2 years ago to go back to school in hopes of going to pharmacy or optometry school. When I left I was making around 42 K, but I couldn't see myself working as a programmer for more than about 5 years. I saw some of my co-workers who were in their 40s and still sitting in the cube and knew that wasn't something I wanted to do. I'm hoping that leaving it was the right choice.

 

[Ugo]

I am leaving my good paid job in a very good company with wonderful benefit, but working in research at certain point of your career requires higher level degree. So, I will miss the paycheck, the benefit and the other amenities, but I prefer to look forward rather than backward.

 

[jammocah]

I am leaving my good paid job in a very good company with wonderful benefit,

definitely will miss my benefits!! free medical, free dental, 30 days paid vacation a year!

 

[fairyofsong]

Not leaving a WELL paying job, but a job I truly enjoy! I've worked in the independent pharmacy where I am now for almost 5 years and you can only imagine how well I know everyone and how much they are like my family. I will miss them and I will miss the customers. It's kinda cool to "know" your customers and have them know and recognize you

 

[LBS615]

Even though i am going to continue to work for my company per diem once or twice a week- i will miss the paychecks every two weeks- as well as my nice benefits too. I love being in school though- and i know a pharmacy job will pay much better than i was being paid as a clinical dietitian.

 

[trishias]

I not leaving my job, because of the health benefits. I do not want to put that in the hands of the school. That being said, I am going to try to 3 days a week because we need the health benefits and I am pretty sure my son will need glasses in the coming years. Dad and I are blind as a bat !!

 

[hcp]

I'm leaving my job too! I will definitely miss my weekly paycheck, medical & dental benefits, and 3 weeks vacation... However, after 4 years I will have a job that I will enjoy and that is well paid

 

[DownonthePharm]

Nope, not really. When I get federal student loans I'll "make" more than Im making right now. The only thing Ill miss is the health coverage, and even that I wont miss much because my healthcare plan sux.

 

[RLK]

A lot of people seem to leave IT jobs. I left mine because I couldn't picture myself sitting a cube for the rest of my life talking to myself and debugging code.

 

[carlg]

for those of us leaving jobs, anyone familar with COBRA and will this suffice for one year for healthcare?

 

[GaPharmGirl09]

I am SICK about leaving my job!!! We are an independent compounding pharmacy. I love the people I work with! We're family! I want to pick up the whole store and plop it down where I'm going!!!! Leaving my job is definately going to be the hardest part about moving!!!!

 

[SomeGuy]

Don't at least some US schools provide prescription/dental/health insurance?

I'm in Canada, and at my school, each student pays ~$100/yr for supplemental coverage, which covers:
-80% of Prescription Drugs, Paramedical Services, Medical Equipment and Appliances, Accidental Dental and Ambulance Benefit
-100% of Tutorial Benefit and Accidental Death and Dismemberment

Students also have the option of adding spouses and children for the same price.

Some schools (though not many) have dental too.

Foreign students can get full health coverage for ~$500 per year per person.

The ~$100yr is definitely not subsidized, not sure about the ~$500/yr charge.

 

[craziness824]

for those of us leaving jobs, anyone familar with COBRA and will this suffice for one year for healthcare?

Just walked away from the job today...moving next week. Not too worried about money since my husband will be working soon, but it is nice to get a paycheck every two weeks. Stressed over pharmacy school decision for a while. However, knowing that going to pharmacy school is the best career move I can make right now takes all the stress away. Now I'm just nervous and excited about having to study again...it's been four years.

As for COBRA, you can talk to your employer about it. Normally you get the same benefits, but you pay a much higher premium. It can be used for up to 18months (at least that's what my company's HR said today) and it can include family members as well. I only plan on using COBRA for about three months--until school starts and I have their med coverage, or my husband starts and I can get on his plan. When I get the info for COBRA from my company I can give more details if you're interested.

 

[MALA]

Yes, when I start pharm school (used the term "when"-trying to think positive) I will be leaving a great position, great salary, the works...I don't get true satisfaction being on the business side in a pharmaceutical company. I just keep thinking that it will be an adventure and also I think "what's the alternative?" stay here and keep doing what I'm doing and risk being laid off in my later 40's or 50's? Do you know how hard it is to find a job being in that age group? It's very tough; no one wants to pay you the salary you were making because they can pay much younger people coming out of college a 1/3 of your salary. So given either option- I'd rather be a poor college student for a few years again. I have a few years yet so at least I can prepare financially for it.
Having said all that- I really do want to be a pharmacist and work on the clinical side - it's not because I fear being laid off.