Velma Said:

How much could one expect to earn after completing pharmacy school?

We Answered:

Currently, Pharmacists graduating from Pharm programs are recruited aggressively. I have a friend who recently graduated and took a job that paid over 100k plus a recruiting bonus big enough to buy a new car.

However, one concern I have is about the Socialized medicine plan taking effect in 2012. You might have heard about it? My thoughts are that a new position will be created, maybe called Pharmacy Associate, which will be like a Jr. Pharmacist and only require a BS degree and make 50-60K. That is how it works in other countries that have Socialized Medicine. They can hire two of those for the same wage as 1 Pharmacist. They are allowed to approve more than a Pharm Tech, but less than a Pharmacist. So, Pharmacist jobs may be harder to get in the next 5 years.

This is only my opinion, however. Merely editorial for informational purposes.

Regards, Keith
http://www.pharmacy-tech-study.com/

Arlene Said:

Career as a Pharmacy Technician

We Answered:

Please at least reconsider the medical office assistant training as the job market for MAs (or medical billers or coders) is not great despite what the private $$ schools say. Some here have said that one doesn't necessarily need training for pharmacy tech but I'm sure that the person will look much more competent with the formal training.

If deciding on a vo-tech career, please opt for the more affordable schooling such as the county vo-tech school or community college as long as it's accredited within the industry. Please steer clear of online, for-profit schools such as penn foster, stratford career, us career, capella, university of phoenix and others: http://www.capellauniversitysucks.us

http://www.ripoffreport.com and type into search.

General career info: http://www.bls.gov/oco and can search 'pharmacy technicians' or such.

Erin Said:

Should I go to University of Chicago if im pursuing Pharmacy as a career?

We Answered:

The problem with Pharmacy is that entrance to Schools of Pharmacy is very competitive, and most students don't make it. Those who don't make it, and who choose undergraduate studies in Chemistry, are sort-of in limbo, because a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry by itself doesn't lead to much except a job as lab technician.

A better pre-pharmacy major would be one of:
Chemical Engineering
Bioprocess Engineering
Biological Engineering

University of Chicago has none of these. USC (Southern California) has Chemical Engineering.

If you're interested in Pharmacology (Research, Design and Engineering of Medicines), you could take a Master's Degree in Pharmaceutical Engineering.

Jill Said:

Help me convince my family that hospital pharmacy is not a bad career choice!?

We Answered:

i only worked in a hospital pharmacy for a short time, but their duties go far beyond counting pills. First of all, it is actually the technicians that do the counting of the pills. In a hospital setting, generally the technicians gather the correct medications in the correct quanities and take them to the floors and put them in machines for the nurses to dispense the medication. The pharmacists work hand in hand with the drs to ensure the patient is getting the right med in the right dose. They mostly sit and go over charts the majority of the day, correcting any mistake the dr might make. They sometimes go to the patients rooms to consult with them.

Personally, I prefer retail pharmacy. There is alot more patient interaction and it is just more interesting to me. I have worked in retail pharmacy for 5 years now, and only worked in hospital for 2 weeks.
I suggest you work in a pharmacy as a tech while going to school or before, so you can see what its like.

You can tell your family that a pharmacist is just as important as a dr and actually has more impact on a persons life than a dr. Pharmacists are actually in higher demand right now, as well. What can a pharmacist do that a dr can't? well, we get dozens of calls from drs every day who don't know what medication to prescribe. A dr can't dispense the medication, so without pharmacists we would have a bunch of diagnosis without any cures. As far as the medical community, I think doctors and pharmacists are probably about equals. One can't do their job without the other. Hope this helps, feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.

Howard Said:

Is pharmacy a realistic choice for me as a career?

We Answered:

I am actually going into my second year of a six-year pharmacy program so hopefully I can help you out a bit. My pharmacy school is part of a much larger university and it has much stricter rules than other programs (e.g. business, arts & sciences, environmental sciences, art). There are high standards that must be met in order to continue in the program, professors have high expectations, and the students in the program are highly competitive. I have seen several people fail out of the program or get put on academic probation because they procrastinated or couldn't keep up with the rigor of the program. That being said, pharmacy school isn't impossible, but you can't rely on sheer intelligence to get you by. You must put in the time and effort in order to do well. Staying on top of your studies makes things infinitely easier. So, here are a few questions to ask yourself.

1) Can you envision yourself being a pharmacist? A common misconception is that pharmacists are merely pill counters, when in actuality, that is what the pharmacy technician does. Pharmacists are the drug experts of the medical team. If you don't have passion for pharmacy, it will make your schoolwork that much harder.

2) Are you good at math and science? It is much, much, much easier to succeed if you are, but it isn't impossible if you aren't good at those subjects.

3) Are you willing to work hard? If not, this is not the major for you. There are many long nights spent studying for exams and you have to be willing to put in the time.

Well that's all I can think of off of the top of my head. E-mail me if you have any further questions! Hope that helped a little.

Edna Said:

what is the maximum amount of money a community pharmacist can earn?

We Answered:

Most entry level pharmacists with zero experience earn around $80k in retail outlets. But you may have to work the worst hours available. With experience you can easily hit $100k and well beyond. Note however that pharmacy positions have been harder to secure as there have been a lot more students graduating with a Pharm.D recently, and positions have been cut back. Combine that with ObamaCare and the field is no where as alluring as it once was in the late 90s.