(P5) I feel like I'm in the wrong field

[methaqualone]

First post on the forum, sorry if this type of post isn't allowed

I'm a fifth year student, I start my APPE rotations in May. I work part-time as an intern. This is my last semester of didactic courses. I honestly feel like I'm in the wrong field.

To be frank, I decided to enroll in pharmacy school for financial stability (I know a lot of people think this is a very stupid idea, I'm well-aware of this position already, please don't bring it up). I come from a family of pharmacists and this always just seemed as a sort of "default" career path for me. I'm not particularly interested in pharmacy from an academic or career perspective. I don't feel that I'm near knowledgeable enough at this point in time that I should be, and I'm not even good at my job (too slow, not picking things up easily, etc.). TL;DR I'm not suited for pharmacy or even really interested in it.

The problem now is that I'm pretty sure that I'm basically stuck. I'm too far into the program to back out now; if I switched major or something I wouldn't have a degree, just credits, which I wouldn't even know what to do with at this point. Assuming I just slog through this next year and somehow manage to graduate through sheer dumb luck, which has apparently served me well so far, I feel like my future professional prospects are just going to be miserable. I work in a field I'm not passionate in or even good at for 40+ years and then retire, maybe. I'm fully aware other people have far more pressing concerns and this is basically a first world problem, but I'm not really sure where else I would be able to vent or get some advice about this. What thoughts do you guys have? Thanks for putting up with me up to now.

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[rph3664]

What DO you want to do?

I would recommend finishing your degree - you're so close to the end - and get your loans paid off, and then maybe go back to school for what you REALLY want to do?

First-world problems are real problems, because they're YOUR problems.

 

[PharmDBro2017]

Better to be miserable in a job making 6 figures than miserable in a job making 40-50k. Not sure of your financial situation, but your best ROI is to finish school and be able to make 100k+/yr (lower middle class these days). You already have all the debt from school, might as well finish the program. The pharmacy salary will open doors and provide opportunities for you to pursue other work.

You should be hustling outside of working hours to find another path after you graduate and get a stable job.

 

[bacillus1]

You could look into things that would require use of your degree but not traditional pharmacist jobs per se (e.g. industry fellowship, managed care residency, etc).

 

[gwarm01]

Better to be miserable in a job making 6 figures than miserable in a job making 40-50k.

You could look into things that would require use of your degree but not traditional pharmacist jobs per se (e.g. industry fellowship, managed care residency, etc).

I'm going to second both of these points. I didn't really enjoy being a traditional pharmacist, but I did enjoy the pay. It took a few years of maneuvering, but I managed to get into a non-traditional role that fits me better. It was worth the struggle.

 

[projektreverb]

You could look into things that would require use of your degree but not traditional pharmacist jobs per se (e.g. industry fellowship, managed care residency, etc).

I'm going to second both of these points. I didn't really enjoy being a traditional pharmacist, but I did enjoy the pay. It took a few years of maneuvering, but I managed to get into a non-traditional role that fits me better. It was worth the struggle.

I agree here. Being that you’re this far in, I’d just finish it out. I’d look into alternatives paths. If I had to go back and redo it, I’d look into pharmaceutical fellowship or managed care residencies. Once you’ve established yourself there and have a steady income, I’d look into a career pivot.

Again, I’m assuming you carry little to no student debt. I’d work to pay that off ideally before your pivot.

 

[sunnyandseventytwo]

Better to be miserable in a job making 6 figures than miserable in a job making 40-50k. Not sure of your financial situation, but your best ROI is to finish school and be able to make 100k+/yr (lower middle class these days). You already have all the debt from school, might as well finish the program. The pharmacy salary will open doors and provide opportunities for you to pursue other work.

You should be hustling outside of working hours to find another path after you graduate and get a stable job.

$100,000 a year is not lower middle class (with the possible exception of the two or three most expensive places in the country where pharmacists are making a good deal more than 100k a year) and typically total household income is used for the calculation. Throw in a working spouse and you’re still living the American dream.

Here's how much money it takes to be considered middle class in 20 major U.S. cities

There are countless definitions of "middle class." See which incomes qualify as middle class in the largest U.S. metros based on one calculation.

www.cnbc.com

 

[letsquitpharm]

Just finish and graduate. You don't have let pharmacy education to own you. I have a PharmD on my resume, and that's probably it. You can do whatever you want afterwards, ie, accounting, programming, biostats, etc. You don't even have to work a single day in pharmacy postgrad, as long as you can figure something out and manage debt and expenses.

 

[WorthlessOxygen]

Just finish and graduate. You don't have let pharmacy education to own you. I have a PharmD on my resume, and that's probably it. You can do whatever you want afterwards, ie, accounting, programming, biostats, etc. You don't even have to work a single day in pharmacy postgrad, as long as you can figure something out and manage debt and expenses.

Completely agree. My current job is mostly dominated by JDs and CPAs but I qualified with my PharmD. I'd say it definitely makes the most sense to just push through at this point and try to find a niche that you like or completely pivot careers over the next couple years.

Biggest tip I can give you: live below your means. The only truly miserable pharmacists that I know are the ones who borrowed irresponsibly and bought into an expensive lifestyle right out of school. Now they can't afford to take even a temporary pay cut to get into a career that they'd be much happier with. The others (myself included) that were unhappy with retail or even pharmacy practice in general were able to eventually find something that they were happy with but it did require taking a bit of a pay cut.

 

[mentos]

Yeah just finish, pay off your loans and move onto the next career. You'll have lots of free time to explore what you have to do when you're not working. You can probably do a side hustle to see how you like other types of work. These next few years will fly by. And don't worry, no pharmacist is "passionate" about their job. That's just BS that prepharms make up for their reason to become a pharmacist. We all know we're in it for the money.

 

[owlegrad]

In general your thinking sounds like the sink cost fallacy BUT what other options do you realistically have? Finish the degree and make the most of it is your best bet imo.

 

[projektreverb]

In general your thinking sounds like the sink cost fallacy BUT what other options do you realistically have? Finish the degree and make the most of it is your best bet imo.

While I agree it is sunk cost, might as well finish if all you have left is APPEs. At least OP can get a job while they work on their next degree.

You could say “sunken cost” to all of us who are miserable, but at a certain point it makes more sense to just bite the bullet while you work your way out of it.

 

[PharmDBro2017]

$100,000 a year is not lower middle class (with the possible exception of the two or three most expensive places in the country where pharmacists are making a good deal more than 100k a year) and typically total household income is used for the calculation. Throw in a working spouse and you’re still living the American dream.

Here's how much money it takes to be considered middle class in 20 major U.S. cities

There are countless definitions of "middle class." See which incomes qualify as middle class in the largest U.S. metros based on one calculation.

www.cnbc.com

In our current environment of inflation and interest rates? Have you looked at houses on the market and seen what you get for 250-300k? In my area (one of the most LCOL states), it barely gets you a decent home.

Agree to disagree, CNBC ain't persuading me.

 

[owlegrad]

In our current environment of inflation and interest rates? Have you looked at houses on the market and seen what you get for 250-300k? In my area (one of the most LCOL states), it barely gets you a decent home.

Agree to disagree, CNBC ain't persuading me.

If 100k+ is lower middle class that means the vast majority of income earners are lower than that. So most people are upper lower class I guess? I mean you agree that most households don’t make 100k+, right? So what’s the disagreement really?

 

[PharmDBro2017]

If 100k+ is lower middle class that means the vast majority of income earners are lower than that. So most people are upper lower class I guess? I mean you agree that most households don’t make 100k+, right? So what’s the disagreement really?

2021 avg household income was ~70k. That went a lot further than it does now. I'm using anecdotes and my experience, but 100k used to be solid. 200k now feels like that.

My point is that OP needs to finish his pharmd if he wants a decent outlook in the future.

 

[owlegrad]

I don’t understand what the disagreement is. Household income of 70k is a far cry from an individual income of 100k+. Just objectively if ‘middle’ is average than pharmacist salary isn’t ‘lower middle’ regardless of how it feels.

 

[RXDOC1986]

First post on the forum, sorry if this type of post isn't allowed

I'm a fifth year student, I start my APPE rotations in May. I work part-time as an intern. This is my last semester of didactic courses. I honestly feel like I'm in the wrong field.

To be frank, I decided to enroll in pharmacy school for financial stability (I know a lot of people think this is a very stupid idea, I'm well-aware of this position already, please don't bring it up). I come from a family of pharmacists and this always just seemed as a sort of "default" career path for me. I'm not particularly interested in pharmacy from an academic or career perspective. I don't feel that I'm near knowledgeable enough at this point in time that I should be, and I'm not even good at my job (too slow, not picking things up easily, etc.). TL;DR I'm not suited for pharmacy or even really interested in it.

The problem now is that I'm pretty sure that I'm basically stuck. I'm too far into the program to back out now; if I switched major or something I wouldn't have a degree, just credits, which I wouldn't even know what to do with at this point. Assuming I just slog through this next year and somehow manage to graduate through sheer dumb luck, which has apparently served me well so far, I feel like my future professional prospects are just going to be miserable. I work in a field I'm not passionate in or even good at for 40+ years and then retire, maybe. I'm fully aware other people have far more pressing concerns and this is basically a first world problem, but I'm not really sure where else I would be able to vent or get some advice about this. What thoughts do you guys have? Thanks for putting up with me up to now.

First, what you are experiencing is called the imposter syndrome. It has affected many health care professionals. I remember working at the VA as a fourth year Pharm.D. student, and thinking how little I was prepared to be an R.Ph. I felt I knew very little, and how would I be able to assume Pharmacist duties in just a few months. And with nobody checking my work.
Second, not everyone here is mad/crazy in love with the profession. Most just tolerate it and make it work for them. For me, my passion was cars and auto repair. My immigrant parents would not allow it. Pharmacy was the least acceptable degree in our home (my sister is an MD). I absolutely had no interest in Pharmacy. Absolutely no passion for the profession. I had major undiagnosed ADD, studying/concentrating was very hard for me. I barely made it through Pharmacy School. Now, almost 40 years later, I have made it work. I have learned to love what I do, and I am very good at it. Pharmacy has provided a very good living for my family and I.
At this point, like everyone else said, finish up, get licensed and give it a go! Then find what you are passionate about, later.

 

[mustang sally]

You are definitely too far in now...just finish school, pay off your loans, and then you can decide what you want to do.

I actually had the same feelings all through pharmacy school and now I'm eleven years into my career and doing just fine, so you never know. Just keep in mind the grass is greenest where you water it the most.

 

[DH1987]

Well man, you have a tough road ahead of you. It's not going to be easy.

I don't believe in following your passion. I believe in following the money. Not everyone agrees with me, but this is my sales pitch: how many people do you know actually enjoy their jobs? They did a study around 2016 that showed hat around 70% of people in the US either hated, disliked, or were otherwise not engaged in their work. I'm sure that number has risen even higher today with companies making record profits but median pay remaining stagnant for the past 30+ years.

Also, there is the matter of turning your passion into money. It may sound good on paper, but remember - the money will only come when those who have it see value in it. Let's say you're a recording artist. This is something many people are passionate about...until they end up working for record companies who tell them what to play and how to play it, because this is what everyone wants to hear. So now you're playing stuff that you don't want to play. The record company has sucked all the fun out of it. You could also try to make it as an independent artist, but then you have no access to a marketing team and sound engineers to work with, and you will be competing with those who do. And what people want to hear may not be in agreement with what you want to play. You will find similar problems in any "passion" job, unless you can fill a role for something in demand that you genuinely have a burning desire to do. And I can tell from your post, you have no burning desire for any such job, or you would be pursuing it already.

In my opinion, it is more practical to find something in demand, with clear objectives, that you are either good at or you think you can get good at, and that you can *tolerate*, not necessarily love. Since you come from a family of pharmacists, you have a good background for it. You probably also have connections which will give you a significant advantage over most graduates today. I'm really not sure of the future of the profession, and nobody is. But you have entered the profession n a time where there is a lot of demand in the retail sector. And maybe through your connections you can find other jobs.

If you stay focused on making as much money as you can (but please, don't wreck your health for it if you can help it), saving and investing it, you may be in a good position to walk away from it all sooner than you think. So put your focus on maximizing income, minimizing expenses, and staying as healthy as possible while doing so. I've been a pharmacist for 6.5 years, I've paid off all my student loan debt, I have a decent house, and a car that is paid off. This is with no sign on bonuses, either.

Then, if you make it out in good health, you can spend at least some of your life doing things that you actually enjoy. I find this a much better approach than trying to find a job that you are passionate about. But if you do it for a few years and find that you can't tolerate it...then you can abandon ship and try something else.

And that's my $0.02.

 

[letsquitpharm]

Well man, you have a tough road ahead of you. It's not going to be easy.

I don't believe in following your passion. I believe in following the money. Not everyone agrees with me, but this is my sales pitch: how many people do you know actually enjoy their jobs? They did a study around 2016 that showed hat around 70% of people in the US either hated, disliked, or were otherwise not engaged in their work. I'm sure that number has risen even higher today with companies making record profits but median pay remaining stagnant for the past 30+ years.

Also, there is the matter of turning your passion into money. It may sound good on paper, but remember - the money will only come when those who have it see value in it. Let's say you're a recording artist. This is something many people are passionate about...until they end up working for record companies who tell them what to play and how to play it, because this is what everyone wants to hear. So now you're playing stuff that you don't want to play. The record company has sucked all the fun out of it. You could also try to make it as an independent artist, but then you have no access to a marketing team and sound engineers to work with, and you will be competing with those who do. And what people want to hear may not be in agreement with what you want to play. You will find similar problems in any "passion" job, unless you can fill a role for something in demand that you genuinely have a burning desire to do. And I can tell from your post, you have no burning desire for any such job, or you would be pursuing it already.

In my opinion, it is more practical to find something in demand, with clear objectives, that you are either good at or you think you can get good at, and that you can *tolerate*, not necessarily love. Since you come from a family of pharmacists, you have a good background for it. You probably also have connections which will give you a significant advantage over most graduates today. I'm really not sure of the future of the profession, and nobody is. But you have entered the profession n a time where there is a lot of demand in the retail sector. And maybe through your connections you can find other jobs.

If you stay focused on making as much money as you can (but please, don't wreck your health for it if you can help it), saving and investing it, you may be in a good position to walk away from it all sooner than you think. So put your focus on maximizing income, minimizing expenses, and staying as healthy as possible while doing so. I've been a pharmacist for 6.5 years, I've paid off all my student loan debt, I have a decent house, and a car that is paid off. This is with no sign on bonuses, either.

Then, if you make it out in good health, you can spend at least some of your life doing things that you actually enjoy. I find this a much better approach than trying to find a job that you are passionate about. But if you do it for a few years and find that you can't tolerate it...then you can abandon ship and try something else.

And that's my $0.02.

I followed $$$, then $$$ became my passion lol. The work I do interests me and satisfies my intellectual curiosity, but only $$$ can make me happy after I log off work.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Tough it out- if not assigned already, you need to secure rotations in non-traditonal areas like industry, Informatics, etc. You're role is much more transferable to non-clinical areas from there than in retail or hospital.

 

[letsquitpharm]

I just hang up a recruiter's phone call. Today alone, I received 6 calls from recruiters, in the past 4 hours or so, to discuss 10+ remote jobs from 8+ well-recognized companies.

I guess I should stop saying PharmD is a useless degree from now on. Maybe what I should say instead is, if you want $$$ and will have a PharmD, don't be a pharmacist. The $$$ PharmD opportunities are indeed endless and high-paying (I set my comfortable annual base level to 170k, and all recruiters are perfectly okay with that), but you have to choose wisely and don't really listen to what your school tells you. You have to think outside the box and create your own niche.

 

[RxPreceptor]

A lot of good responses…but yeah you’re in too deep at this point. Nothing wrong with slayin’ pills to pay the bills (passion not being what it was or anticipated originally). Set time aside to move into something else you’re more passionate about/interested in career wise

What “class” you fall into these days largely depends on how one spends his/her money more than ever these days. Sadly, too many 6 figure earners are choosing to live pay check to paycheck

Great YouTuber I’m totally digging right now who is into financial auditing, getting people to think more wisely how to spend his/her money: Caleb Hammer

https://www.youtube.com/@CalebHammer

 

[projektreverb]

Great YouTuber I’m totally digging right now who is into financial auditing, getting people to think more wisely how to spend his/her money: Caleb Hammer

https://www.youtube.com/@CalebHammer

Started watching based on your post. Wow. Just WOW.

 

[PharmtoCS]

Usually I tell students that the best time to drop out before starting and the next best time to drop out is now.

Though it seems that the opportunity cost to finish is low since you have one more year to finish with that amount of tuition left.

 

[RxPreceptor]

Started watching based on your post. Wow. Just WOW.

I know…he’s like all up in their grill!

 

[projektreverb]

I know…he’s like all up in their grill!

Honestly though, I feel like people like that need tough love. I’ve found that some of the best people in my life have called me when I’m wrong. Truly good friends/family should do that.

 

[RxPreceptor]

Honestly though, I feel like people like that need tough love. I’ve found that some of the best people in my life have called me when I’m wrong. Truly good friends/family should do that.

I find negative feedback to be an incredibly powerful tool in self improvement…my favorite teachers, mentors tended to have that military instructor vibe to them. In this age of excessive sensitivity and snow flakes, too many people are afraid to display those tough love vibes

 

[Sabril]

I come from a family of pharmacists and this always just seemed as a sort of "default" career path for me.

Just curious what fields of pharmacy do the other members of your family work in?

I have no advice other than letting you know that it is very common for people to want to quit pharmacy at various points. I wanted to quit many times during my last year of pharmacy school because I am both exhausted and the job market did not look very bright at that time. However the last year is honestly too late to quit.

I am kinda like you. Pharmacy is always so hard for me. I think the problem though is not that I like it or not, but it really consumes all of my energy and mind power. I really think the happiest pharmacists ain't necessary the ones who "love" pharmacy, but the ones who can keep it simply as a 9 to 5. Once you close that gate, free your mind. It may not be like that during your first several years but try to work toward it.

 

[Gombrich12]

I come from a family of pharmacists and this always just seemed as a sort of "default" career path for me.

Surely at least one of them tried to talk you out of becoming a pharmacist?

 

[WorthlessOxygen]

Great YouTuber I’m totally digging right now who is into financial auditing, getting people to think more wisely how to spend his/her money: Caleb Hammer
https://www.youtube.com/@CalebHammer

Man I consistently forget how bad the average American is with finances

 

[DoctorRx1986]

Pharmacy can be a decent gig with the right job . I worked retail 9 years, from 2013 until 2022, and found a WFH patient consultation role nearly a year ago . My job is basically a call center job working for insurance/PBM taking calls all day consulting with patients on their medicines , side effects , uses of medicines , etc . I talk all day and advise people on their medicines . I make recommendations and use my knowledge far more than I ever did in retail . I also handle transfer requests from retail pharmacists all over the country . All in the comfort of my chair , a blanket , a coffee mug in hand . I started off at $52 an hour just under a year ago and just received a 4.25% raise . I am only a few dollars short at this point from where I was in retail . I also received a $3,500 bonus which was about $2,400 after taxes etc . Easy position and chill by far compared to retail and I was hired just under 1 year ago . Jobs are out there . Staying in retail is a choice . I get calls from retail pharmacists all the time requesting transfers and in mail order the transfer process is more complicated and I hear the rush and stress in the voices of these pharmacists. I also get two 15 minute mandated breaks and a 30 minute lunch . Shifts are 8 hours . There are good jobs out there . The issue is about 70% are in retail . Tell me what job these days do you get a bonus after only 1 year ? Do I deal with angry people on the phone occasionally? You can bet I do- but this is normal in any industry . Just my 2 cents .

 

[sunnyandseventytwo]

Pharmacy can be a decent gig with the right job . I worked retail 9 years, from 2013 until 2022, and found a WFH patient consultation role nearly a year ago . My job is basically a call center job working for insurance/PBM taking calls all day consulting with patients on their medicines , side effects , uses of medicines , etc . I talk all day and advise people on their medicines . I make recommendations and use my knowledge far more than I ever did in retail . I also handle transfer requests from retail pharmacists all over the country . All in the comfort of my chair , a blanket , a coffee mug in hand . I started off at $52 an hour just under a year ago and just received a 4.25% raise . I am only a few dollars short at this point from where I was in retail . I also received a $3,500 bonus which was about $2,400 after taxes etc . Easy position and chill by far compared to retail and I was hired just under 1 year ago . Jobs are out there . Staying in retail is a choice . I get calls from retail pharmacists all the time requesting transfers and in mail order the transfer process is more complicated and I hear the rush and stress in the voices of these pharmacists. I also get two 15 minute mandated breaks and a 30 minute lunch . Shifts are 8 hours . There are good jobs out there . The issue is about 70% are in retail . Tell me what job these days do you get a bonus after only 1 year ? Do I deal with angry people on the phone occasionally? You can bet I do- but this is normal in any industry . Just my 2 cents .

$52 an hour? Tell me you work for United Health Group without telling me you work for United Health Group.

 

[projektreverb]

$52 an hour? Tell me you work for United Health Group without telling me you work for United Health Group.

I made way more when I worked for Optum/UHG. Not showing off, just highlighting the pay disparities.

 

[letsquitpharm]

Tell me what job these days do you get a bonus after only 1 year ? Do I deal with angry people on the phone occasionally? You can bet I do- but this is normal in any industry . Just my 2 cents.

One job of mine just gave me a 4.6% raise, effective next month, and I am WFH and not on call. Dealing with angry people on phone is not normal in any industry. When was the last time a dentist or a real doctor had to work with a yelling patient? There are tons of jobs out there requiring minimal people interaction and paying well.

 

[owlegrad]

When was the last time a dentist or a real doctor had to work with a yelling patient?

Happens all the time. You think people don’t complain or yell at their dentists or doctors? Get real. Any job interacting with the public is going to come with negative interactions. Yes, jobs without public interaction exist but no job is perfect.

 

[DoctorRx1986]

$52 an hour? Tell me you work for United Health Group without telling me you work for United Health Group.

I have heard that from others as well that optum/UHG pays more money , around $60 an hour . I guess it also depends on the position . A colleague from my job mentioned his friend works at optum WFH making about $60 an hour verifying prescriptions /DURs so I guess it just depends on the position and company . I’m up now making close to the mid-50s per hour but in the grand scheme of things, $5-$6 more per hour is not a substantial difference . My employer is pretty generous with PTO as well . We start off with 18 days that is given to you in January 1st- no accrual necessary like at the chains . Keep in mind I’ve only been here just a tad short of 1 year and by next January , my PTO will be 23 days a year. All of this much better than cvs/Walgreens. And say I want to move on to something different, once you get out of retail and work in another position for at least 1-3 years, you may more easily find other and better opportunities versus someone who has only worked retail . I like to counsel and educate patients as it is satisfying professionally but I also don’t think I want to interact with people permanently so I am also putting myself in a position where after some time I can land other jobs etc even within the same company in a different department etc .

 

[DoctorRx1986]

One job of mine just gave me a 4.6% raise, effective next month, and I am WFH and not on call. Dealing with angry people on phone is not normal in any industry. When was the last time a dentist or a real doctor had to work with a yelling patient? There are tons of jobs out there requiring minimal people interaction and paying well.

That’s not true at all- I’ve heard people arguing with MDs/offices , dentists , and in pretty much every service industry out there . Angry client with a lawyer etc . Working in my role on the phones, yes, I get rude people occasionally or entitled people just like in retail, but it’s far worse in retail . Most people are reasonably polite , some really appreciate the information you provide . There are people who thank me and tell me they call us because at Walgreens or cvs the pharmacists barely have time to tell them about their medicines etc . All in all, my job is pretty chill . We do get monitored on 3-4 random calls a month and you hope it’s one of your good calls and not some ****ty call but overall far easier to meet quality metrics .

 

[letsquitpharm]

Happens all the time. You think people don’t complain or yell at their dentists or doctors? Get real. Any job interacting with the public is going to come with negative interactions. Yes, jobs without public interaction exist but no job is perfect.

"Negative" is such a overarching term. How many docs and dentists complain of rude clients vs pharmacists here?

 

[owlegrad]

"Negative" is such a overarching term. How many docs and dentists complain of rude clients vs pharmacists here?

Hmm I think I detect some moving goal posts. First it was that doctors and dentists don’t deal with screaming patients, now it seems to be who deals with more. I couldn’t say, but my guess is that most doctors and dentists are better shielded than most pharmacists - I know when there is a really tough patient I usually assess them myself vs letting it get out of hand with a tech. I am not sure the same dynamic exists for most dentist or doctor offices.

I suspect that most dentists and doctors have it better than most pharmacists. That’s not my argument at all. It’s only the idea that people are devils at the pharmacy but angels elsewhere that is silly to me. You can bet the person giving you a hard time is doing the same everywhere else they go too.

 

[letsquitpharm]

Hmm I think I detect some moving goal posts. First it was that doctors and dentists don’t deal with screaming patients, now it seems to be who deals with more. I couldn’t say, but my guess is that most doctors and dentists are better shielded than most pharmacists - I know when there is a really tough patient I usually assess them myself vs letting it get out of hand with a tech. I am not sure the same dynamic exists for most dentist or doctor offices.

I suspect that most dentists and doctors have it better than most pharmacists. That’s not my agreement at all. It’s only the idea that people are devils at the pharmacy but angels elsewhere that is silly to me. You can bet the person giving you a hard time is doing the same everywhere else they go too.

Going back to OP's original question, there are many jobs that are (somewhat) relevant to pharm, don't require extended or any face time with the largely uneducated mob, pay well and have great upward mobility too. Clin ops is one big area that comes into my mind. I worked with a fully remote pharmd, who was a clin op director. Man, he and his team could barely make much progress month after month, but he was still able to enjoy all the perks in Arizona and got promoted lol.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

When was the last time a dentist or a real doctor had to work with a yelling patient?

Go sit in your local ER waiting room for a few hours tonight and report back

 

[lord999]

Hmm I think I detect some moving goal posts. First it was that doctors and dentists don’t deal with screaming patients, now it seems to be who deals with more. I couldn’t say, but my guess is that most doctors and dentists are better shielded than most pharmacists - I know when there is a really tough patient I usually assess them myself vs letting it get out of hand with a tech. I am not sure the same dynamic exists for most dentist or doctor offices.

I suspect that most dentists and doctors have it better than most pharmacists. That’s not my agreement at all. It’s only the idea that people are devils at the pharmacy but angels elsewhere that is silly to me. You can bet the person giving you a hard time is doing the same everywhere else they go too.

No, dentist’s potentially may, but physicians don’t have it better. It’s something close to two order of magnitudes difference for physical assault of physicians in general than pharmacists from the recent PLI payout survey. Only EMTs have it worse and ER staff next with hostile patients.

Pharmacy just gets robbed more. Thank China for illegal fentanyl which reduced that theft risk considerably in the last decade.

 

[Splenda88]

One job of mine just gave me a 4.6% raise, effective next month, and I am WFH and not on call. Dealing with angry people on phone is not normal in any industry. When was the last time a dentist or a real doctor had to work with a yelling patient? There are tons of jobs out there requiring minimal people interaction and paying well.

I am a hospitalist and it happens sometimes and all I have to do is turn around and leave room, but I am not sure if pharmacists have that option.

 

[sunnyandseventytwo]

I am a hospitalist and it happens sometimes and all I have to do is turn around and leave room, but I am not sure if pharmacists have that option.

Hospital Pharmacists, definitely. Retail, it would be kind of like leaving the room while your angry child is throwing things at the TV. You can do it, but you'll probably return later to find you no longer have a working television.

 

[BidingMyTime]

And this is why young folk who bother coming to this board should take the advice given about reconsidering pharmacy (when its given to them) very seriously, and not just assume that "I'm different, these randos on this formu have no idea what they are talking about. "

But take heart, you aren't the only to make this mistake. Many people in a myriad of fields regret their career choice and/or useless degree. The difference with you and many of the others, is the debt you most likely have from pharmacy school. Which means, the best thing you can do at this point is grin and bear it. (edited to fix typo)

 

[rph3664]

In our current environment of inflation and interest rates? Have you looked at houses on the market and seen what you get for 250-300k? In my area (one of the most LCOL states), it barely gets you a decent home.

Agree to disagree, CNBC ain't persuading me.

Depends on the city. You can get a lot of house for that amount of money where I am, and I wouldn't recommend that the OP purchase a dwelling at this time. S/he can do that when their education is finished, whenever that may be.

 

[rph3664]

Hmm I think I detect some moving goal posts. First it was that doctors and dentists don’t deal with screaming patients, now it seems to be who deals with more. I couldn’t say, but my guess is that most doctors and dentists are better shielded than most pharmacists - I know when there is a really tough patient I usually assess them myself vs letting it get out of hand with a tech. I am not sure the same dynamic exists for most dentist or doctor offices.

I suspect that most dentists and doctors have it better than most pharmacists. That’s not my argument at all. It’s only the idea that people are devils at the pharmacy but angels elsewhere that is silly to me. You can bet the person giving you a hard time is doing the same everywhere else they go too.

25-odd years ago, my local newspaper did a big investigation about why so few dentists took Medicaid. They got a LOT of feedback, and it boiled down to this:

1. They can't get their kids to the dentist, but they always have money for cigarettes, and transportation to an amusement park that is 3 hours away, and at the time cost $30 a person to get into. Not this exact scenario every time, but you get the idea.

2. If they do show up, the kids run wild and destroy equipment, if the adults don't do it themselves, and it's not uncommon for the dentist to have to call the police to get them out of there because they have threatened and/or assaulted staff.

They had not encountered this with other demographics, and these weren't isolated incidents, either.

That kind of thing did a big disservice to people like my grandmother, who was on Medicaid for the last decade or so of her life. Okay, my dad would have paid for anything she needed (and did) but not everyone has that going for them.