What Path Do I Take For R&D?

[Squish6]

Hi, I am 18 years old and beginning college in less than a week. Currently I am enrolled in the 6 year PharmD program at the University of Rhode Island. However, from what I have been reading:
1. Very few PharmD's perform research and development of pharmaceutical compounds (which I would like as my career) because the PharmD program is mostly clinical knowledge.
and 2. That the job market for pharmacists is quickly becoming saturated on account of all the new pharmacy schools popping up and increasing enrollment at current ones (I am not sure of the truth of this statement but I have found it all over several forums).

Basically, I have been completely turned off the path of getting a PharmD. I have been looking for degrees that will land me a job in a laboratory basically just developing and testing pharmaceuticals. I have found several paths to travel and am currently very confused as to which one will best prepare me for R&D. Here are all the possibilities that I have unearthed through some research:
1. Get a B.S. in Chemistry at URI
-1a. Apply to grad school for M.S. in Medicinal Chem
-1b. Apply to grad school for M.S. in Organic Chem
2. Get a B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences at URI
-2a. Grad school at URI for M.S. in Pharm Science with specialization in:
-----2aa. Medicinal Chem and Pharmacognosy
-----2ab. Pharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics
-----2ac. Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics
The descriptions for the specializations under the M.S. PS degree can be found here:
http://www.uri.edu/pharmacy/programs/graduate/index.shtml

URI is my state school so it is by far the cheapest option to pursue path 2 than path 1 (as URI does not offer Master's in Medicinal Chem or Orgo). However money is certainly not the determing factor if paying more to go to grad school somewhere else offered me a more rewarding career (read: Interest, not money).

So, my questions:
1. What is the best path to get myself into a career developing pharmaceuticals out of what I have outlined?
2. If I have missed anything, made a mistake somewhere, etc. please correct me.

Thanks very much for reading and I'm looking forward to replies.

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[bacillus1]

If you're really serious about r&d, make sure you understand exactly what you,ll be doing in an r&d job. Also these jobs are even more saturated than pharmacist jobs. From my experience, a lot of pharmacy students start out wanting to do r&d or clinical research, and then change their minds.

 

[chemnerd99]

Its great if you want to live in China or India.

 

[PharmaTope]

as a pharmacist, i will tell you GOOD LUCK!

read the news, pharm industry has been cutting back and laying off people. those laid off include pharmacists. roche has operations out in cali now, left NJ.

not a lot in the pipeline as pharmaceuticals go

 

[chemguy79]

as a pharmacist, i will tell you GOOD LUCK!

read the news, pharm industry has been cutting back and laying off people. those laid off include pharmacists. roche has operations out in cali now, left NJ.

not a lot in the pipeline as pharmaceuticals go

True story. I'm leaving the pharmaceutical industry to go into pharmacy.

If you are committed to a career in pharmaceuticals, you need to go into biotechnology and specialized branches of chemistry like pharmacokinetics, etc. "Straight" chemistry majors are struggling to find jobs and technology is changing from natural product synthesis to mechanically modified bacteria and DNA modifications.

Pharmaceutical Sciences programs are producing graduates, although my company is hedging about hiring one applicant with a MS because he doesn't have GMP experience. I'm fortunate enough to have a graduate degree and 3+ years of experience which makes me much more marketable ... until my company moves to India or China. 😱

 

[PharmaTope]

True story. I'm leaving the pharmaceutical industry to go into pharmacy.

If you are committed to a career in pharmaceuticals, you need to go into biotechnology and specialized branches of chemistry like pharmacokinetics, etc. "Straight" chemistry majors are struggling to find jobs and technology is changing from natural product synthesis to mechanically modified bacteria and DNA modifications.

Pharmaceutical Sciences programs are producing graduates, although my company is hedging about hiring one applicant with a MS because he doesn't have GMP experience. I'm fortunate enough to have a graduate degree and 3+ years of experience which makes me much more marketable ... until my company moves to India or China. 😱

you are leaving to go into pharmacy? i dont think you realize how BAD the pharmacist job market is and getting worse. despite what you see on studentdoctor, there are so many without jobs. people are living with parents putting loans on forebearance bc they cannot pay them.

i know pharmacists with no job prospects and 5+ years of experience. are you sure you want to do pharmacy? would you do pharmacy if you couldnt find work afterwards? you need to ask yourself that question. a lot of pharmacists out there without jobs, some are coming by asking to work for free to keep up their skills

 

[chemguy79]

you are leaving to go into pharmacy? i dont think you realize how BAD the pharmacist job market is and getting worse. despite what you see on studentdoctor, there are so many without jobs. people are living with parents putting loans on forebearance bc they cannot pay them.

i know pharmacists with no job prospects and 5+ years of experience. are you sure you want to do pharmacy? would you do pharmacy if you couldnt find work afterwards? you need to ask yourself that question. a lot of pharmacists out there without jobs, some are coming by asking to work for free to keep up their skills

Yes, I'm more than aware of that. *smirk*

FYI, I'm not your average pre-pharm. Thanks for your concern.

 

[owlegrad]

Yes, I'm more than aware of that. *smirk*

FYI, I'm not your average pre-pharm. Thanks for your concern.

PharmaTope is nothing if not helpful. 👍

 

[metallideth]

do you know if uri has a dual degree program? like a pharmd/ms or pharmd/phd? you might want to look at that option as well.