Don't become a Pharmacist

You are a slave to the owners. You will do whatever they decide they want you to do to make them more money (give immunizations, work with insufficient support staff). Anything the customer says against you, you will pay for. It does not matter if the customer is lying. If the customer complains, you will be reprimanded. It pays well, but you get no respect- from the customers nor from the corporation. It is so bad that I have been looking for a $10-$15 per hour data-entry job with insurance benefits where I just type all day and everyone basically leaves me the f--- alone.

MsKappaK in Houston, Texas said: You are a slave to the owners. You will do whatever they decide they want you to do to make them more money (give immunizations, work with insufficient support staff). Anything the customer says against you, you will pay for. It does not matter if the customer is lying. If the customer complains, you will be reprimanded. It pays well, but you get no respect- from the customers nor from the corporation. It is so bad that I have been looking for a $10-$15 per hour data-entry job with insurance benefits where I just type all day and everyone basically leaves me the f--- alone.

We are in the same boat..... :c(

MsKappaK in Houston, Texas said: You are a slave to the owners. You will do whatever they decide they want you to do to make them more money (give immunizations, work with insufficient support staff). Anything the customer says against you, you will pay for. It does not matter if the customer is lying. If the customer complains, you will be reprimanded. It pays well, but you get no respect- from the customers nor from the corporation. It is so bad that I have been looking for a $10-$15 per hour data-entry job with insurance benefits where I just type all day and everyone basically leaves me the f--- alone.

just think of all new pharm d with big loans they will put up with it if lucky to find a job

sheesh greg and spunky... why so hostile? Are you in pharmacy? I am... and have been for a long time. And I sure wish I could do something else. The money is good because that's the only way they can get people to do this job! I am a pharmacist and I feel bad for technicians. They work like dogs for a lot less pay. Dealing with the public and their presciptions is a nightmare. I look for a new job every day and some days hope I dont wake up the next day so I don't have to do this anymore. Save yourselves, pharmacy students! Go elsewhere.

pharmacists are being forced into jeopardizing their licences to make chain happy. telling a patient that you wont refill their valium 2 weeks early and somehow it turns into a problem for you. the company i worked for fired me because i didnt finish all the work one night despite going in with a bum shoulder, almost no staff, and staying a hour late, and offering to come in next morning to finish up. this company (biggest grocer in FL) claims they dont lay off people. Of course not, find any reason to fire them and save money on unemployment claims. pharmacists use to say i can get another job but i cant get another licence. now pharmacists probably fill prescriptions they shouldnt since they dont want problems. i had a tech counseling patients, when i reprimanded her i had to talk to someone in H.R. they said since she was only hispanic in the pharmaacy, it could appear i was discriminating. forget that she told customer she could take augmentin suspension and not worry about refridgerating it. they also encouraged fraud, when i told district manager that some techs werent checking yes or no box where it asks if pt. want counseling, he suggested i just check random boxes at end of night. i stll might go to board of pharmacy once im working again. can i be sued if i mention the grocers name?

spunky in Chicago, Illinois said: You people are all liars. Shame on you. BLS states that the job market for pharmacist is great and will continue to grow. Also, salaries are very high. Go F#@# yourselves.

You are correct that the BLS states that there will be job openings for pharmacists. What the BLS doesn't tell you is HOW MANY PEOPLE tbere will be COMPETING for those jobs. When BLS says there's 30,000 jobs, that means there are 30,000 jobs in the US, regardless of how many are already filled. Sure, there'll be an increase in the number of jobs, but there's gonna be a MASSIVE increase in the number of PharmDs competing for those jobs. It's because of all the new schools opening, and the old ones increasing their class sizes - there are just too many pharmacists in the USA.

fyi- I'm in pharm school right now. I fully plan on NOT being able to find a job when I graduate. I wish I had known before I applied what the job market is like these days. There are too many schools and too many students. Its a joke. The schools are flooding the markets.

You can tell who's not working in pharmacy by their comments and most echo what my retail friends tells me. I'm approaching 20 years as a pharmacist. I chose hospital since I disliked both my internships in a retail chain and a small independent pharmacy. Many hospitals in NYC had a huge shortage of pharmacists because the chains were hiring all the new pharmacists. Hopsitals also pay a lot lower than retail but ~10 years ago, hospital started getting competetive with retail, still lower than the chains by ~$10K but not the ridiculous $25K+ difference. Hospitals can be as demanding and stressful as retail but I find it more satisfying depending on the hospital and area of practice; I specialize. My salary never came close to my friends who went into retail but it's something I knew when I chose hospital. I recently found out, my present salary is what they made over 7-10 years ago so I do regret at times. Overall, I think I would make the same choice since I never once woke up and did not want to go to work even though all my NYC hospital jobs were extremely stressful. Since I relocated to FL, my most stressful days are like an average day in NYC. No comparison between NYC and FL, work, people and QOL.
I recently went back for my PharmD and spoke with some new graduates and I can't believe the loans they owe; a few were over $180K!!! Many new grads said they'll go to chains even though they prefer hospital just for the money. I also meet some working retail pharmacists in my PharmD program who were getting their PharmD so they can get into hospitals.
As for $$$ opportunity, a friend relocated to a undesireable small town in TX to work for a chain because they offer her so much money. It was a horrible 3 years and she almost broke her contract many times but she survived it, made a lot of money and promptly left.

in 2005, I knew every pharmacy school in the country,. 4 years later, there was an increase about 30% new schools.

Recently, My pharmacist neighbor manages about about 10 walgreens in Southern Cal, and he not hiring...there is just too many schools & economy is slow. Even if there is opening -no bonus. Seem like it so easy to open a pharmacy school than a medical school.

yojimbo in Riverdale, Illinois said: Oh boo hoo, my job is so stressful, I had to move to a rural area, and I make $100k+ per year. Boo hoo, poor poor me. SHUT UP.

LMAO Right

How is the pharmacy field in Florida... I'm still trying to figure out if I want to become a dentist, dental hygienist or a pharmacist.. I dont want to waste years of schooling and not be able to find a job. Help please

Mz Lady in New Jersey said: How is the pharmacy field in Florida... I'm still trying to figure out if I want to become a dentist, dental hygienist or a pharmacist.. I dont want to waste years of schooling and not be able to find a job. Help please

If you go to a private school be prepared to be almost 200,000 in debt when you graduate. FL used to have 3 college of pharmacies, but all the chains said they wanted to open more stores, but didnt have the pharmacists, so they allowed at least 3 more to open new colleges and now the chains arent building new stores. be prepared to give flu shots between doing everything else including entering rx, filling rx, checking rx, ringing up people, counseling people, answering the phone, and remember they also grade you how fast you get to drive thru, pick up the phone etc. Im working again, but some days i put in a extra hour or more to get everything done and i dont really get a chance to eat in 14 hours. im not even including checking in drugs etc. are you prepared to go to school for at least 6 years? if you decide on pharmacy keep your grades up and try to get into a state college to keep your debt down

Mz Lady in New Jersey said: How is the pharmacy field in Florida... I'm still trying to figure out if I want to become a dentist, dental hygienist or a pharmacist.. I dont want to waste years of schooling and not be able to find a job. Help please

I live in south FL and it has not been great over the past 2 years mainly due to the foreclosures and local economy. If you look in indeed.com, you can see what's here but most likely, a few postings are just so so they don't lose the position. Our company have a few posting for over a year but we're not hiring or even interviewing for those positions. I always believe if you're one of the lucky one, even in a bad economy you can land a good job so apply for any postion you find desireable. You can always turn it down if it does not suit you.

Hi Arthur,

I am an older student considering Pharm school as well as other fields. Your comments really got my attention. Can we talk about this? I need to make the right decision and your advice would be appreciated.

Arthur in Cincinnati, Ohio said: You are correct that the BLS states that there will be job openings for pharmacists. What the BLS doesn't tell you is HOW MANY PEOPLE tbere will be COMPETING for those jobs. When BLS says there's 30,000 jobs, that means there are 30,000 jobs in the US, regardless of how many are already filled. Sure, there'll be an increase in the number of jobs, but there's gonna be a MASSIVE increase in the number of PharmDs competing for those jobs. It's because of all the new schools opening, and the old ones increasing their class sizes - there are just too many pharmacists in the USA.

out of work in Fort Myers, Florida said: pharmacists are being forced into jeopardizing their licences to make chain happy. telling a patient that you wont refill their valium 2 weeks early and somehow it turns into a problem for you. the company i worked for fired me because i didnt finish all the work one night despite going in with a bum shoulder, almost no staff, and staying a hour late, and offering to come in next morning to finish up. this company (biggest grocer in FL) claims they dont lay off people. Of course not, find any reason to fire them and save money on unemployment claims. pharmacists use to say i can get another job but i cant get another licence. now pharmacists probably fill prescriptions they shouldnt since they dont want problems. i had a tech counseling patients, when i reprimanded her i had to talk to someone in H.R. they said since she was only hispanic in the pharmaacy, it could appear i was discriminating. forget that she told customer she could take augmentin suspension and not worry about refridgerating it. they also encouraged fraud, when i told district manager that some techs werent checking yes or no box where it asks if pt. want counseling, he suggested i just check random boxes at end of night. i stll might go to board of pharmacy once im working again. can i be sued if i mention the grocers name?[/QUOTE

They got rid of alot of pharmacist at a big chain in NYC when they were being taking over by W --most of the pharmacist were over 50 years of age--they were treating the pharmacist the same as they treated you--I have a complaint with the NYC commission on human rights along with several other pharmacist

I should never have gone into pharmacy. I came from Ontario Canada to the USA for pharmacy school. I am a year grom graduation. First of all, the school kills you, I am so worn out. In Ontario the government introduced pharmacy reforms that decreased funding to pharmacies. As a result, there are NO jobs available in Ontario. My friend who graduated in May 2010 still does not have a job. Pay used to be around 95,000/ yr for an ontario pharmacist, but thanks to reforms it is currently down to 70,000/yr and decreasing. The chain drug stores own you, and are becoming all the more demanding now that their pharmacy funding has been cut, and they cut tech hours like crazy. In the USA, the pay is significantly better, but people still are having problems finding jobs. Not to mention that as a pharmacist you will have to work nights and weekends on a regular basis. The Chains in the USA own your ass even more than in Canada, they are evil, they treat you like a robot or a slave, not a professional. Trust me, don't be a pharmacist, it sucks.

I would like to give you guys a heads up from a pharmacy tech perspective. MsKappaK & for the most part everyone else is right. The retail side of pharmacy will absolutely rape you to get a bottom line i.e. overwork, understaff, cheat, etc. But I am astonished that this is any surprise. ANYONE that has worked in retail realizes this but since the pharmacist is the only one making any kind of a decent living wage you all need to STFU. Its not anyone else's fault you didn't do any background checking or heaven forbid ask your local pharmacist what kind of job they have.

I've worked plenty of days where the pharmacist is crying in the back on their breaks. Doesn't make my job any easier & honestly as great of people as some of them are when asked I advise they be let go because they are unqualified for the job & most of the time I would be doing them a favor. As a RETAIL PHARMACIST I feel like in addition to some of your schooling you should also have EXPERIENCE IN RETAIL (I know crazy right?). That means STRONG customer service skills and a substantial amount of SUPERVISING or MANAGEMENT experience because that is what you will be doing.

For those looking for a job & new graduates the best thing I can tell you is to contact the DISTRICT MANAGER and submit your resume to them. Start building your network in school & during your extern ships. (Their is a $4k bounty on most of your heads for a hired referral most of the people on the inside wouldn't mind cashing in on) Most hired pharmacist at my company are referred by an existing employee or former employee we almost don't even need to take applications. Expect to hate this job if you have never worked retail, under pressure, suck... but remember that you are being fairly compensated compared to the number of people working beside you (its not unheard of and almost the norm for technicians to start at minimum wage & all the pressures on the pharmacist are usually passed off to the techs).

Thank you for your comments, HaHa. I guess pharmacy practice is kinda like marriage and having kids -- either no one will tell you the truth about it or you don't believe them if they do!

But I think pharmacy schools are to blame, too... They lead students to believe that they will be doing this glorified clinical pharmacy when in reality they (we) are a glorified short order cook.

Forums like this are helpful,though, so I encourage more comments.

Happy New Year!

Because of this forum...I've decided NOT to go into pharmacy.

The pharmacist at my local chain drug store started working there about 6 months ago. She's young and looked fresh out of college. She started out smiling, wearing makeup, straightening her hair and looking really nice when she came into work. Over the course of a few months, all of that changed. Now, she goes into work looking frazzled with fluffy hair, no makeup and a sour look on her face. I can tell she's angry every time she answers the drive thru, and I think it's because of the reality of what her job is actually going to be like for the rest of her life. She's probably stuck now because of large student loans and all of the time she invested in school.

AK in Boston, Massachusetts said: I should never have gone into pharmacy. I came from Ontario Canada to the USA for pharmacy school. I am a year grom graduation. First of all, the school kills you, I am so worn out. In Ontario the government introduced pharmacy reforms that decreased funding to pharmacies. As a result, there are NO jobs available in Ontario. My friend who graduated in May 2010 still does not have a job. Pay used to be around 95,000/ yr for an ontario pharmacist, but thanks to reforms it is currently down to 70,000/yr and decreasing. The chain drug stores own you, and are becoming all the more demanding now that their pharmacy funding has been cut, and they cut tech hours like crazy. In the USA, the pay is significantly better, but people still are having problems finding jobs. Not to mention that as a pharmacist you will have to work nights and weekends on a regular basis. The Chains in the USA own your ass even more than in Canada, they are evil, they treat you like a robot or a slave, not a professional. Trust me, don't be a pharmacist, it sucks.

AK, the profession of pharmacy is undergoing a paradigm shift in Ontario. While it is true that the government slashed professional allowance fees and cut the costs of generic medications (thereby decreasing profitability, since the markup is fixed), it is also true that they've introduced and expanded programs like MedsCheck that set the foundation for pharmacists to get paid for their cognitive skills and use their education rather than count by 5's and fill 300 rx a day. The retail market is transformed as automation, and pharmacy technicians will takeover the role of medication dispensing.
www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/758423--more-drug-dispensing-kiosks-on-the-way

Exciting times are ahead

I have been in the pharmacy industry for roughly going on 9 years. I LOVE what I do, I just dont get compensated for it.
I work in a long term care pharmacy, and (informally manage to Narcotic department). I am a certified pharmacy technician, but what makes me the most irritated is that someone that says are my supervisor is NOT certified, JUST got their state license and no prior experience and JUST turned 21. THINKS they KNOW it all!!!
They come in and check over our work BEFORE the pharmasist checks it to make sure that its right. I see something wrong with this. I have thot about looking to see what the Board of Pharmacy says about this scenario.

Like what I do, just not where.

I am a canadian pharmacist in ontario, foreign-trained, 49 yo. Now I am in the process of getting US licensure and thinking about relocating in MI as my daughter(US citizen) is studying in Michigan, for tuition and medical school admission purpose. In order to be reclassified as an in-state student, I probably have to secure a job there before coming July. Even though the pharmacy market in ontario is shrinking due to the recent gov't budget cut, I am quite satisfied with my current position. So I am not sure whether benefits of relocating now would be greater than risks. Please share your opinion. Thanks!!

spunky in Chicago, Illinois said: You people are all liars. Shame on you. BLS states that the job market for pharmacist is great and will continue to grow. Also, salaries are very high. Go F#@# yourselves.

We are NOT liars. You appear to be ignorant about pharmacy. I have a BS in Pharmacy and earn $115,000 as a staff pharmacist for a chain. It has become a very frustrating field and it's true what most of us are saying. More schools are opening and encouraging enrollment with the promise of jobs for PharmD's. That is untrue.
Before you go spouting off at the mouth, do your research.

Just graduated, work at LTC (long term care) facilty, love my job. I start at 106K a year.

There are jobs out there, you just have to do your research. I am in the highest tax bracket and I just graduated.....not many degrees can say that.

More schools will open and there will be tons of students that will be applying because of the 100K+/year salary...

tahoebreeze in Reno, Nevada said: Because of this forum...I've decided NOT to go into pharmacy.

Good for you...I mean it.

Go into hospital pharmacy. You'll get more use out of the knowledge you've aquired over the six years of study, opportunity for face to face interaction with MD's, RN's and other pharmacists as well as patient's if you choose. There are usually many opportunities available within the same hospital system (clinical, distribution informatics, academia, management, emergency medicine, oncology, pediatrics etc.) so you don't have to change employers to change jobs. Pay can be a little less but you will be happier and stay longer....... priceless.

out of work in Fort Myers, Florida said: If you go to a private school be prepared to be almost 200,000 in debt when you graduate. FL used to have 3 college of pharmacies, but all the chains said they wanted to open more stores, but didnt have the pharmacists, so they allowed at least 3 more to open new colleges and now the chains arent building new stores. be prepared to give flu shots between doing everything else including entering rx, filling rx, checking rx, ringing up people, counseling people, answering the phone, and remember they also grade you how fast you get to drive thru, pick up the phone etc. Im working again, but some days i put in a extra hour or more to get everything done and i dont really get a chance to eat in 14 hours. im not even including checking in drugs etc. are you prepared to go to school for at least 6 years? if you decide on pharmacy keep your grades up and try to get into a state college to keep your debt down

Sounds like you work for CVS. I quit CVS because of the 14 hr shifts! I went to a supermarket chain and get 1/2hr lunch.

Tom Murphy PharmD in Frisco, Texas said: Just graduated, work at LTC (long term care) facilty, love my job. I start at 106K a year.

There are jobs out there, you just have to do your research. I am in the highest tax bracket and I just graduated.....not many degrees can say that.

More schools will open and there will be tons of students that will be applying because of the 100K+/year salary...

America is already flooded with pharmacy schools, graduates looking for work, so to continue to open more colleges would be stupid. I have been a retail pharmacist for 17 years and yes it does pay well, but the anxiety level and fast pace of pharmacy is through the roof. The best place for a pharmacist is in a hospital where you can continue to learn and put all those years of study to good use!

Hello all,
I was accepted to a 10 ten pharmacy school and started my P1 year in the Fall. I left because of the saturation and where I think the profession is going. Let me just throw some numbers out there, and let you all make your own decisions.
Year:
2000 -82 pharmacy schools
2005-92 pharmacy schools
2010-130 pharmacy schools

15 new schools are planning to open within the next 3 years.......Thank you to the diploma mills for destroying a great profession.

Sorry for the typo. I am on my phone and didnt catch it.....I meant to say I was accepted to a top 10 pharmacy school...........People can say things like, "People will be retiring, health care plan will add millions more on scripts, etc. etc." Fact of the matter is that doesn't matter. Saturation has already reached its tipping point in alot of areas, and will be much much worse in 4 years from now. Not only have new pharmacy schools been popping up on every corner, but older traditional schools have been increasing their class sizes. These schools are causing irreparable damage, and the number of new grads each year will GREATLY surpass the number of retiring pharmacists/open positions. Its simple supply and demand. Pharmacy is not immune to this rule. Trust me people, I love this profession and this is the last thing I wanted to see happen. It was a very difficult decision to make by stepping out of a program that I worked so hard to get into.

Hi John, are you serious? You dropped out of a Pharm D. Program while many of us (Asian) is looking or working our ass off to get accepted in one of those school. In my case, i was accepted in Hawaii College of Pharm (HCP) back in 2004 and i REJECTED an interview (a potential acceptance) with South University (at that time they were unaccredited, Dr. Jacqueline called me), i did it because i had a lot of my friends were going to HCP. Anyway, I didn't go (couldn't make the $28,000 cash loan no cosigner, thanks GOD!!! ) and HCP closed after one year. I only got $237 out of $1000 of my seat deposit back. Meanwhile my girlfriend has gone to MCP in boston for one year already. Right now, she is making good money (at least $56 and up /hr)but she tells me that she has to put up with a lot of customers yelling and doctors ' rudeness . As for me, I'm currently retaking all my science courses since they are more than 6 years old so I can to Pharmacy another try (i'm 30). But after reading all these post, i have to reconsider my decision to give it a second trial. Lately she has been working OT while i can even land my RT job for 7 months now. Are you sure your info is correct???

JohnDoe in Angola, New York said: Hello all,
I was accepted to a 10 ten pharmacy school and started my P1 year in the Fall. I left because of the saturation and where I think the profession is going. Let me just throw some numbers out there, and let you all make your own decisions.
Year:
2000 -82 pharmacy schools
2005-92 pharmacy schools
2010-130 pharmacy schools

15 new schools are planning to open within the next 3 years.......Thank you to the diploma mills for destroying a great profession.

Hey Truong,
Trust me I know the asian population is highly interested in PharmD. I went on interviews all over the country, and I must say approximately 60-70% of the applicants were asian. I have no problem with it, but I just couldn't help but notice the trend. My information is absolutely correct. I have a number of friends still in pharmacy school and pharmacists. 3 years ago we all heard of the pharmacy shortage, my friends were getting bmw leases, sign on bonuses, etc. Now, I feel like everyone and their mother is going for pharmacy, but they don't do any research into the field. If you go to the BLS labor website, they still predict the pharmacy is growing at an amazing rate, WHICH IT IS NOT. They DO NOT take into account all of the new schools that have/are opening. Can you still sign on somewhere with a bonus. Probably, but these jobs are outliers. I have personally watched a DRAMATIC change in the supply/demand ratio for pharmacists, and can't even imagine how bad it will be in 4 years from now. I work in retail and a hospital right now. I was in my Director of Pharmacy's office yesterday, and he showed me a stack (probably 30) applications for positions, and we aren't even hiring. I don't even live in a desirable area, and retail and hospital is completely saturated. This all will inturn affect the salaries, benefits etc. Most new grads I know who have been fortunate enough to find jobs are floating and receive no benefits. Do I think I could find a job 4 years from now? Maybe, but I'm looking into the long term, and the damage and is/will be done by all of these new schools will be the downfall to our profession. I have TONS of research and personal info about all this. I'm not trying to personally dissuade anyone from this profession, but I also want people to know the facts, so they don't graduate with $100K+ debt, and have no means of paying that off, let alone working in a position they have worked so hard in school to get.

By the way Truong, your lucky you received any refund at all for your deposit. My understanding was that all schools make that perfectly clear that no matter what, they will not refund any portion of the deposit. I personally lost $1000 for a deposit in Oregon, beacause I was accepted to my state school in New York
One other comment. Every year CNN posts the top 10 careers currently and for the future. Now, mostly CNN/State/Federal agencies are ALWAYS behind the times with professions. The past 4-5 years CNN had "pharmacist" in the top 10 for future job growth. I think it was listed around 2-5. However, this year CNN's top 50 jobs came out. Guess what? Pharmacist wasn't even listed in the top 50 careers for future growth. So how in the world is "pharmacist" in the close to number one spot for the past five years, then dramatically fall off to believe 50? I think someone actually did their homework on where the profession in going.....

"empathize" sorry type-ahead error

RPH....I agree 100% with you. Unfortunately, with all of the media on pharmacy over the past 5 years has been "$100K+ salary, great hours, etc. etc. " It has attracted so many applicants that are interested in nothing more than the salary. I work with current grads that show NO interest in the field, and it's so obvious they are only working to make a buck...I'm sure these people are in every profession, but I've noticed it now,more than ever, with new grad pharmacists.

johndoe in Buffalo, New York said: By the way Truong, your lucky you received any refund at all for your deposit. My understanding was that all schools make that perfectly clear that no matter what, they will not refund any portion of the deposit. I personally lost $1000 for a deposit in Oregon, beacause I was accepted to my state school in New York
One other comment. Every year CNN posts the top 10 careers currently and for the future. Now, mostly CNN/State/Federal agencies are ALWAYS behind the times with professions. The past 4-5 years CNN had "pharmacist" in the top 10 for future job growth. I think it was listed around 2-5. However, this year CNN's top 50 jobs came out. Guess what? Pharmacist wasn't even listed in the top 50 careers for future growth. So how in the world is "pharmacist" in the close to number one spot for the past five years, then dramatically fall off to believe 50? I think someone actually did their homework on where the profession in going.....

Thank you Johndoe & RPh for your input. I believe that a lot of people get into this field is because of the $$$,new graduate 100K+. Have you done any research on Physican Assistant field? Is that on the same trend as pharmacy? Thanks. I'm an RT working per diem right now! This field is also saturated as well. I'm thinking to move on a different field in health care. I have a new grad nurse who for 6 months couldn't find a job either.

AK in Boston, Massachusetts said: I should never have gone into pharmacy. I came from Ontario Canada to the USA for pharmacy school. I am a year grom graduation. First of all, the school kills you, I am so worn out. In Ontario the government introduced pharmacy reforms that decreased funding to pharmacies. As a result, there are NO jobs available in Ontario. My friend who graduated in May 2010 still does not have a job. Pay used to be around 95,000/ yr for an ontario pharmacist, but thanks to reforms it is currently down to 70,000/yr and decreasing. The chain drug stores own you, and are becoming all the more demanding now that their pharmacy funding has been cut, and they cut tech hours like crazy. In the USA, the pay is significantly better, but people still are having problems finding jobs. Not to mention that as a pharmacist you will have to work nights and weekends on a regular basis. The Chains in the USA own your ass even more than in Canada, they are evil, they treat you like a robot or a slave, not a professional. Trust me, don't be a pharmacist, it sucks.

AK, can you give us update on how' your pharmacist friend doing in Ontario already? Is it really that bad now?

jk in Burlington, Ontario said: I am a canadian pharmacist in ontario, foreign-trained, 49 yo. Now I am in the process of getting US licensure and thinking about relocating in MI as my daughter(US citizen) is studying in Michigan, for tuition and medical school admission purpose. In order to be reclassified as an in-state student, I probably have to secure a job there before coming July. Even though the pharmacy market in ontario is shrinking due to the recent gov't budget cut, I am quite satisfied with my current position. So I am not sure whether benefits of relocating now would be greater than risks. Please share your opinion. Thanks!!

Hi JK,

So what do you think of working in Canada ,as a pharmacist ,,particularly Ontario right now? you said you are foreign trained, my daughter is an IPG student and she'll finish it this winter. Hopefully she could have studentship after CPS and MCQ and OSCE

VAB,
I highly doubt you are a recruiter, and here is why. First off, California has something like 8-10 pharmacy schools already, and I believe three more are applying to open. So, having that many pharmacy schools in a state, there is definately not a shortage to fill any spots. Residency spots are numbered, but applicants >>>> spots available. Therefore, every student who possibly can has been going for a PGY1, PGY2. Second, you must not be in need of a pharmacist at all if you can selectively wait a year just because no one has a residency, a pharm residency is a joke, you don't learn anything extraordinarily spectacular that they dont teach you in school. Third, if you were a recruiter, wouldn't it just make a LITTLE sense to state your company, your name, and your contact information? I mean come on, you said to get back to you if anyone is interested, but yet there is no contact information....What a joke!

Ha ha VAB busted! Funny.

California does not have 8-10 pharmacy schools. Where do you get your facts. We have 4 maybe there is a 5th one I can't think of. And the hospital I'm at is a training hospital and the interns get a great experience learning hands on.

Who the hell wants to live in Bakersfield!

No other field other than a MD/DO can guarantee a 6 figure contract like pharmacy upon graduation.

A friend of mine got into a pharmacy school in California...2000 applicants only 150 slots...this is the trend, more schools will open, plenty of interest, because of the 100K+ starting salary...

True I think you can start at 100k with denistry too, I see your point, more schools will open bc of the 100k+ salary.

Mz Lady in New Jersey said: How is the pharmacy field in Florida... I'm still trying to figure out if I want to become a dentist, dental hygienist or a pharmacist.. I dont want to waste years of schooling and not be able to find a job. Help please

MARKET IS FLOODED!!!!!!!

Pharmacy sucks!!!! i'm 50 years old and considering going back to school TO be a dentist!!! some orthodontist can make 1 million a year or an maybe I should go to medical school...those shady pain management dr.s are getting rich pushing oxycodone in broward...sorry I'm JUST PISSED BECAUSE PHARMACY IS'NT WHAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE

Jay,

Keep us posted on the dentist thing. I have always been interested in dentistry. Very cool profession.

Wait a job is a job yes we are professionals but pharmacy has changed and we dont have the choices like we did before.I would moved anywhere to get a job especially since every job has a least 100 people applying for it.I understand how my fellow pharmacist feel but times have changed and it doesnt seem like for the better.

100k is not alot of money to live on. It is far from being "rich," in this time and age. So people should seriously think about WHY they are choosing pharmacy. And PharmD program is very rigorous and demanding. People talk as if everyone can easily get into the school. Considering all the years of education, internship, residency and experience it takes to make it a rewarding career, 100k-130k just does not cut it. And have i mentioned it may not even be rewarding after all that! Save your time and brain power ( not to mention money), and choose what you will truly enjoy doing. I chose pharmacy for its " stability" as a career 20yrs ago and for "regular" working hours, but what a nightmare it has become with not enough jobs and employers hiring the bare minimum to meet legal requirements and dumping all the professional responsibility on pharmacist's shoulders. What a joke! It's just not worth it. I kick myself for not going with what I would have enjoyed doing. Now it is too late to throw away all that preparation eduction and 2 decades of solid experience. There is one hope though if you've already chose pharmacy. If you end up at a job with some terrific people working around you it can be a positive experience. I actually had such luck on my side over the years which is why I managed to stay sane. But if you have not made up your mind, do yourself a favor and be true to yourself and do what you LIKE AND ENJOY. Don't let the money part skew your judgment. It's not that money anyway.

.. Correction: it's not that much money anyway.