Which Pathway?

[Triangulation]

Are you guys planning on going into Pharmacy Practice, Policy, Management, Research or something else?

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[Brill]

I'm not quite sure which way I want to go yet. The offers to go straight into retail pharmacy are certainly tempting, but I'm thinking about exploring the opportunities that pharmaceutical companies offer and possibly going on to get a PhD. I guess time will tell.

One area I know I want to stay away from is any work in a hospital. I've worked in a hospital for the past three years and I know I don't want to spend the rest of my life in one, no matter what it is I'm doing.

 

[BMBiology]

most likely pharmacy practice/management.

 

[ucdbiochem]

Brill:

why don't you like clinical Rx in hospital?
What aspects of it that you don't like?

 

[Brill]

It's not that I wouldn't necessarily like clinical pharmacy, it's just that I don't enjoy working in the hospital setting (seeing people in the condition they're in while in the hospital has become depressing -- that and the smell).

 

[dgroulx]

I love hospitals and I'm very comfortable in one. I was sick a lot when I was young, so I kind of feel like I'm at home. I'd like to work in clinical, but I'll be 50 when I graduate and will probably only work 20 years. Retail salaries are tempting. I need to sock away lots of money for retirement. I've also thought about geriatric pharmacy. There's a lot of retirees in Florida and its a specialization that's not going away.

 

[Triangulation]

I really wanna know

 

[Brill]

What about you? Didn't you mention something about going into policy?

 

[Triangulation]

Yeah, pharmaceutical policy. Specifically, improving mental health care/medications in an economic framework. It's kinda different.

But, yes policy.

Ask me again, when I'm making $8/hr for some non-profit policy think tank outside of D.C.

 

[MolarGuy02]

Have any of you heard anything about psychiatric pharmacy? I am strongly considering this specialty within pharmacy, though, as others have said, retail money is very tempting. I suppose I will just survey my options as time progresses. So, any thoughts?
-MG

 

[Sara_J]

Definitely research here. I'm actually in a joint program (PharmD/PhD) right now. You couldn't pay me enough money to do retail. I work every other weekend in a pharmacy, and I can't imagine working one day more than that. Clinical pharmacy isn't my thing either, but that seems to be what most people in my class want to do.

 

[Triangulation]

I'm actually in a joint program (PharmD/PhD) right now.

Does that work like an md/phd where you get your pharmd paid for?

 

[Modnar]

I agree with Sara. I don't care how much Walgreen's pays, there's no way in hell I'm going into retail. Research is my first choice, although I'm considering clinical too.

 

[Sara_J]

I wish I did get my PharmD paid for, but I don't. The way it works at my school, I'm just saving myself some time by combining the two programs. (Of course I get full support when I finish the pharmD in 2005 and enter PhD work full time)

 

[clachan3]

Geriatric & or Public health policy/management

 

[Triangulation]

For me it is all about pharmacoeconomics and infectious disease.

What aspect of pharmacoeconomics? I don't need a treatise, just a general description. I'm entering policy, but planning on using economics as a tool in shaping policy.