Reflections of a 4th yr pharm student--pls read if you're considering pharm

[lala2]

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Wow I didn't expect such a positive response from everyone.

Amakii: just hang in there, I realised this wasn't for me at the beginning of third year, and I can't believe a year has just flown by too, so you'll be at the end soon before you know it
ninjapuppet: we should have more Drs like you. Unfortunately, like I said, there are a few hospitals with no pharmacists at all and as for retail, you do get the hard-headed ones who are convinced they're right and will not listen at all to you. That's very brave of you to swap to commerce after medicine, what are your plans after?
extensorincidis: you'd have to work for a fair few years to get to $150k, preferably owning your own business. I have no intention of owning my own business. I just am one of those people who are content to be a working whatever and use all the knowledge I know (which pharmacy clearly doesn't provide)
katie tully and 5233andy: working in a lab would be interesting I suppose. Except you need a PhD, and since I don't have honours, I'd have to do it the long way round.

I think what has made all of this worse is the newly discovered fact that I mentioned earlier, that even pharmacist jobs are not guaranteed anymore. I was prepared to go through all this and at least get a guaranteed job that pays well and is boring, but take that stability out and it just becomes well what did I do that for?

[katie tully]

Have you considered a tenure in the country for your registration year?

Re: Honors. You could always consider doing a Masters or some other type of graduate course in lieu of honors?

[lala2]

Originally Posted by katie tully

Have you considered a tenure in the country for your registration year?

Re: Honors. You could always consider doing a Masters or some other type of graduate course in lieu of honors?

Yes I briefly considered the idea, but I figured it would be too stressful having to move out of home for the first time as well as handle a new job. Besides, if I got kicked out (yeah I know I shouldn't think like that but I have been fired from a job before, and in a pharmacy too), I'd be left stranded.

I am looking forward to rural placement this July though--up at Lismore Hospital which should be interesting. I'm going to make sure I get their contacts too--I have been thinking maybe locum or rural work in the future?

Yes, I could do a Masters, but at the moment I can't stomach the thought of studying any further in pharmacy. So I'll let that be for a while.

[katie tully]

idk man, good luck with whichever way you go

[lala2]

Haha thanks.

[Deltan]

have you considered industry lala2?

[lala2]

I haven't really considered industry because I'm not sure how you'd get into it. I think the main issue in all of this, as I said, is I've spent all this effort learning so much stuff that I'll never need. If I wanted to go into industry, I would've done a normal science degree. Hospital yes, you might use more of your knowledge but it's still not as much and if you end up specialising, well then everything you learnt except your specialty becomes useless. And as for community...haha I don't think I need to say...

[The_highwayman]

i think the "you only use a small part of what you learn" thing is common across most disciplines, not just pharmacy.

[The_Apprentice]

Why don't you buy a pharmacy or co-own it? I believe that you have to be a pharmacist to own a pharmacy (at least thats what I've been told). My boss just turned 30 and she co-owns a pharmacy, being a pharmacist herself.
You can work there part-time and do something that interests you at the same time. And you'll earn heaps.
Pharmacists are in demand and I'm sure you can find a job with flexible hours.

[Nanasaurus]

ww. I ddn't knw y cld mk tht mch mny s phrmcst.

srry, my frnd stl my vwls. m fnshng hr nd chsng th btch.

rlly ntrstng pst. hnstly.

[extensorindicis]

^^^^^^^ i can just imagine nanasaurus writing 'dn nt tke grpe juce wit liptor'

[chewy123]

Shit! I regret not trying out for pharmacy =.="". Isn't that the best job? No Pressure, no stress, stable and low competition !!

[lala2]

^^As for comments like yours, chewy123, nothing wrong with them but just trying to show a different side to pharmacy. Yes, there are many benefits, but that's not what everyone wants. Most people in pharmacy, even the ones who know from the beginning they're aiming for med or dent, are fairly bright people who want an education that will be fully (or mostly) utilised in the future (even the med and dent rejects are not stupid--they usually want to get registered first). Take out the stability factor (like I mentioned earlier, people have failed to get registration jobs) and there's not much compelling us to stay.

The highwayman : Fair enough, you will nearly always learn more than what you use in most careers, but I feel it's unproportionally big in pharmacy. That's the only reason I could possibly come up with as to why so many people are disillusioned with the profession and dropping out.

For example, pls correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm assuming that, for example, an Arts, Science or Commerce graduate who is successful in getting a job related to their major, would use most of their knowledge (i.e. their major) anyway. We are getting jobs related to our "major", but just not using a lot of what we've learnt.

[danz90]

lala I see where you're coming from - people in my year (and I'm only first year at USyd) are saying that pharm is just about sticking labels on boxes. That's why I've always had a passion to work in the pharmaceutical industry - because I actually like the course, and the idea of pharmacy, but don't see myself enjoying a career in Community Pharmacy unless I end up opening my own business.

[lala2]

Hey danz, that's cool. Do you know of ways to get in? I'm ashamed to admit it, but as a fourth year, I know basically nothing of industry. What kind of work are you looking for in industry? I guess it's so neglected at USYD (but I'd imagine it'd be too at other unis). Though I must say USYD is guilty of being very community focused, which is fine since most people work as community pharmacists anyway, but other unis I've heard (from the students themselves) have more varied focuses, like hospital, or rural.