Pharmacy or Medical School?

[JoeWoah]

Playing off of the Dentistry or Med School thread, I thought I would add another option... Pharmacy School. I know a lot of people opting for Pharmacy school over Med school these days and I'd like to hear your opinions on it.

IMO, there are lots of career options and opportunities for growth that can come from going to Pharmacy school and the money is REALLY good.

 

[TowleY]

I have no informtaion about pharmacy school

sorry bud. Never realy looked into it. I feel like it would be based more off of chemistry however more than anatomy since your mixing the chemicals and stuff. Really not to sure though.

http://career.berkeley.edu/Health/PharmFAQ.stm

some stuff I found about berkeley. Berkeley seems to be very popular when it comes to pharmacy. Typed it in a couple times and their school came up first.

 

[mwill132]

I'm in pharmacy school now. If you have any questions about it send me a pm and I will help you with what I can.

 

[andyw]

There is a growth spurt in Pharmacy education as the need for licensed pharmacists has not kept pace with the expanding and aging population. Graduates are in high demand and starting salaries are very attractive. Some national chains will even sponsor a student for a committment of employment in under served areas after graduation. But growth of skills and earning power will cap within 10 years.

A medical school education is far more rigorous and selective than a pharmacy education.......that's why the rewards are greater.

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by JoeWoah

Playing off of the Dentistry or Med School thread, I thought I would add another option... Pharmacy School. I know a lot of people opting for Pharmacy school over Med school these days and I'd like to hear your opinions on it.

IMO, there are lots of career options and opportunities for growth that can come from going to Pharmacy school and the money is REALLY good.

Much better opportunities in Med school. Become an anethetist or a radiologist. Low overhead (usually no private practice), a lot less stress, and you can make very very good money.

 

[haganah]

You know what they call dentists, pharmacists, chiropractors, optometrists, and podiatrists?

People that got rejected from med school.

Don't blame me, blame Jerry Seinfeld.

 

[canvas01]

I'm a struggling premed and need a backup option. I've been told to look into pharmacy but just can't see the appeal. Perhaps I am overlooking something? What opportunities exist with a Pharm degree besides working at CVS or Target and putting pills in bottles? Are there research opportunities? Academic opportunities?

 

[whodini]

Originally Posted by canvas01

I'm a struggling premed and need a backup option. I've been told to look into pharmacy but just can't see the appeal. Perhaps I am overlooking something? What opportunities exist with a Pharm degree besides working at CVS or Target and putting pills in bottles? Are there research opportunities? Academic opportunities?
Yes, research and academic. I have relatives that are doctors/pharmacists that work for Pfizer, for example, in R&D. To the OP, if someone is really questioning pharm vs. med, clearly they should just stick to pharm. It's not like picking chocolate over black walnut at Baskin-Robbins.

 

[JPYPSU07]

As a struggling Pre-med you should just study harder. I studied ****** off in college, had a boring time but I got through it at the top of my class. Getting a PhD isn't a bad deal, as the world of academia can be VERY VERY good to you if you play your cards right. When I was a senior in college I did a lot of thinking as to what I would rather do. I was between going to get a PhD in anthropology and going to medical school. I chose medical school but the idea of my PhD still lingers. You could always consider Pharmaceutical sales as they need guys for the girl guy tag teams of drug reps they send out.

 

[SField]

Yea I don't want to offend any pharmacists but I've heard it several times by even pharmacists themselves (and of course a ton of doctors), that a pharmacist's job could essentially be done by a robot. The pharmacists who make money own their pharmacy, and you could do that without a degree.

 

[von Rothbart]

Originally Posted by canvas01

I'm a struggling premed and need a backup option. I've been told to look into pharmacy but just can't see the appeal. Perhaps I am overlooking something? What opportunities exist with a Pharm degree besides working at CVS or Target and putting pills in bottles? Are there research opportunities? Academic opportunities?

Two of my friends worked as pharmacist for couple of years before moving on the MBA & law. After business & law schools, one worked for J&J, BMS & Pfizer marketing before joining an ad agency specialized in the pharm. industry. The lawyer specializes in pharm. patents.

 

[gsugsu]

Originally Posted by canvas01

I'm a struggling premed and need a backup option. I've been told to look into pharmacy but just can't see the appeal. Perhaps I am overlooking something? What opportunities exist with a Pharm degree besides working at CVS or Target and putting pills in bottles? Are there research opportunities? Academic opportunities?

There are lots of other opportunities beyond dispensing both in the public and private sectors

 

[JoeWoah]

I'm just looking at options. To be honest, regardless of where I ultimately end up going to school I plan on coming back to DC and working policy. I don't think that, as a doctor, I wouldn't practice longer than I have to and I feel that would be a waste.

 

[teddieriley]

pharmacy retail you're looking at about 80-90K in california.

There are several, but few relatively, pharmacy programs straight from high school (undergrad/phrmacy degree - USC, Univ. of Pacific). I think it is sort of a waste to do 4 years undergrad then go another 4 years for pharmacy, if you could have done it in 4. 8 years for a pharmacy degree, and you're still not making over $100k? Money is good, but not that good. I suppose there are other opportunities in this field I am not aware of that can be lucrative, I just don't hear all that much about it. considering where health care is going, I dont' think it even opens up business opportunities.

 

[odoreater]

My wife is a pharmacist and works in a small independent retail pharmacy. Let's just say that her boss, who owns the pharmacy and is also a pharmacist, drives a maserati and is currently on a two week snowmobiling trip in a remote part of canada (after he just got back from a trip to Ireland). Dude makes seriously unbelievable coin. He could give two ***** if people think he's somehow professionally inferior to a physician. In fact, he makes fun of his brother, the doctor who works a ridiculous number of hours, all the time.

My wife graduated second in her class in pharmacy school and could have gone into any field she wanted (and could have easily gone to just about any medical school in the country), but she wanted to work in an independent pharmacy because she would have the most opportunity there to work directly with patients and provide patient care. Her schedule is a little tough (works a lot of nights) and her job is physically demanding (basically on her feet all day). Those two things have taken some of the satisfaction out of being able to more directly help patients (some nights she comes home telling me a story about how she was really able to help some patient out and felt good that the patient was very greatful, and some nights she comes home telling me stories that her feet are killing her). I guess that's part of paying your dues. She does not regret not going to medical school.