alkemyst
No Lifer
- Feb 13, 2001
- 83,769
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Depending on your goals it's really going to decide it. I'd go to study the grad school chicks either way.
Pharmacy is a good one if you want to go upper level, I think there are 3 year schools now (post bachelors) and 5 year Pharm.D programs.
Like medicine, there is a test the PCAT...and also like medicine scoring really high is not going to get you anywhere near automatically getting in.
I have a mediocre GPA due to me blowing off the easy classes and getting zeros...funny looking at my transcripts seeing Organic Chem I ..... A Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy ..... A Music Appreciation ..... C Tennis .... C
if I only knew then what I know now....I scored in the 90 percentile on the PCAT and it was good for me to get UM (SECOGS i think was the Pharm School there) and a spot two years at University of Florida....I decided to switch to Comp Sci after 7 years of Science education...sort of a mistake, I could have been pulling in about $75k-80k easy and have profit-sharing and a ton of benefits added on.
Pharmacy is a good one if you want to go upper level, I think there are 3 year schools now (post bachelors) and 5 year Pharm.D programs.
Like medicine, there is a test the PCAT...and also like medicine scoring really high is not going to get you anywhere near automatically getting in.
I have a mediocre GPA due to me blowing off the easy classes and getting zeros...funny looking at my transcripts seeing Organic Chem I ..... A Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy ..... A Music Appreciation ..... C Tennis .... C
if I only knew then what I know now....I scored in the 90 percentile on the PCAT and it was good for me to get UM (SECOGS i think was the Pharm School there) and a spot two years at University of Florida....I decided to switch to Comp Sci after 7 years of Science education...sort of a mistake, I could have been pulling in about $75k-80k easy and have profit-sharing and a ton of benefits added on.
- Feb 1, 2003
- 3,190
- 6
- 81
Well
I been thinking about it all day and perhaps Pharmacy is not a bad idea. I also like the idea of Engineering.
Hummm Pharmacy
I wonder what I would need to do to prepare for the PCAT???
I been thinking about it all day and perhaps Pharmacy is not a bad idea. I also like the idea of Engineering.
Hummm Pharmacy
I wonder what I would need to do to prepare for the PCAT???
alkemyst
No Lifer
- Feb 13, 2001
- 83,769
- 19
- 81
Well looking at my results from 1991, they test verbal ability, reading comprehension, biology, chemistry, quantitative ability total, arithmetic skills, mathematical reasoning.
The verbal ability I remember I ended up christmas treeing halfway through it, they were very simple, but long-winded and I was getting frustrated reading pointless paragraphs that were boring as hell.
Same thing with the 3 math portions, it was insulting how easy it was but I blew them off after doing half of those sections sort of seriously and then took no time to finish the rest and only scored in the 75-80 percentile range (which I guess is still good). The Reading Comprehension I remember was sort of fun, the stories were more interesting and I was in the 90's on that, same with chemistry and biology...these were more challenging and still I was interested I did almost 100 percentile on biology and almost 90 on chemistry (I only had organic chemistry for a couple weeks at that point and it would have helped alot as most of what I missed I learned by the end of Organic I and II).
The test results also how many times you have taken it. I took it once and I was told my results were more impressive because I did so well my first try.
University of Florida required economics and a few more humanities and other more general classes than I had completed (when offered the option either Zoology or Botany, I took one for the requirement and one as an elective)..but I was able to get those out of the way in a summer term.
Pharmacy has a lot of perks: baby boomers need drugs so you will have a job, Pharmacist usually don't take work home with them like a doctor or network engineer would (being on call the worst thing), they get a lot of power in the stores they work since the pharmacy can bring in up to 90% of the store money, you really have to do nothing...the pharmacy techs run around and fill everything, you merely have to peek in the bottle and make sure it looks right (most as I interned only did this for the unusual prescriptions or narcotics)....most sat yawning reading a book during the day as the techs scrabbled around...this is why I didn't want that job. Also you work holidays usually and sometimes have to plan vacations around when a 'fill-in' pharmacist is available. There is a small risk of malpractice, but most of the time the doctor is gone after since their policies are usually more comprehensive and have higher limits.
You can lead an interesting life as a research pharmacist, but usually a Doctorate is required and pay is about 1/2 retail (however, if you discover something new you can make a nice payoff).
The computer field is full from foreign workers willing to work for pennies on the dollar as it is much better than where they have come from and college/high schooler willing to code/build networks for $8-10 per hour. It's really ruined a potentially lucrative field. The same can happen for doctors and pharmacists too, if licensure wasn't required....it's good for business owners though as many times they don't need to have a full-time computer guy if they are close to computer schools....all they have to do is post a job listing on the school bulletin board and they will get of ton of willing interns from free sometimes even.
The verbal ability I remember I ended up christmas treeing halfway through it, they were very simple, but long-winded and I was getting frustrated reading pointless paragraphs that were boring as hell.
Same thing with the 3 math portions, it was insulting how easy it was but I blew them off after doing half of those sections sort of seriously and then took no time to finish the rest and only scored in the 75-80 percentile range (which I guess is still good). The Reading Comprehension I remember was sort of fun, the stories were more interesting and I was in the 90's on that, same with chemistry and biology...these were more challenging and still I was interested I did almost 100 percentile on biology and almost 90 on chemistry (I only had organic chemistry for a couple weeks at that point and it would have helped alot as most of what I missed I learned by the end of Organic I and II).
The test results also how many times you have taken it. I took it once and I was told my results were more impressive because I did so well my first try.
University of Florida required economics and a few more humanities and other more general classes than I had completed (when offered the option either Zoology or Botany, I took one for the requirement and one as an elective)..but I was able to get those out of the way in a summer term.
Pharmacy has a lot of perks: baby boomers need drugs so you will have a job, Pharmacist usually don't take work home with them like a doctor or network engineer would (being on call the worst thing), they get a lot of power in the stores they work since the pharmacy can bring in up to 90% of the store money, you really have to do nothing...the pharmacy techs run around and fill everything, you merely have to peek in the bottle and make sure it looks right (most as I interned only did this for the unusual prescriptions or narcotics)....most sat yawning reading a book during the day as the techs scrabbled around...this is why I didn't want that job. Also you work holidays usually and sometimes have to plan vacations around when a 'fill-in' pharmacist is available. There is a small risk of malpractice, but most of the time the doctor is gone after since their policies are usually more comprehensive and have higher limits.
You can lead an interesting life as a research pharmacist, but usually a Doctorate is required and pay is about 1/2 retail (however, if you discover something new you can make a nice payoff).
The computer field is full from foreign workers willing to work for pennies on the dollar as it is much better than where they have come from and college/high schooler willing to code/build networks for $8-10 per hour. It's really ruined a potentially lucrative field. The same can happen for doctors and pharmacists too, if licensure wasn't required....it's good for business owners though as many times they don't need to have a full-time computer guy if they are close to computer schools....all they have to do is post a job listing on the school bulletin board and they will get of ton of willing interns from free sometimes even.
- Feb 1, 2003
- 3,190
- 6
- 81
I really think I might like pharmacy school.
Well does anyone know of a good on in the DC , VA ,OH area.
Cheers
Darkstar
Well does anyone know of a good on in the DC , VA ,OH area.
Cheers
Darkstar
Hayabusa Rider
Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
- Jan 26, 2000
- 50,879
- 4,268
- 126
Pharmacy school is 6 years with 2 being pre pharmacy.
If you had a pharmacy degree, where would you work?
If you had a pharmacy degree, where would you work?
- Feb 1, 2003
- 3,190
- 6
- 81
Hayabusa Rider
Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
- Jan 26, 2000
- 50,879
- 4,268
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Originally posted by: Darkstar757
Walgreens
That's fine. I didn't know if you had experience in pharmacy. If not get a part time tech job before going to school. You realize that high stress 12 hours days are the norm? Like sometimes no time to eat days?
Siddhartha
Lifer
- Oct 17, 1999
- 12,505
- 3
- 81
Originally posted by: Darkstar757
Im stuck in a hard place folks.
Should I get my Masters in Buisness or Computer Science or Engineering.
Im just not sure. What do you guys think.
PS . MY undergraduate is in Computer Science
Cheers
Darkstar
What do you want to do? What do you like doing? What are your interests?
- Feb 1, 2003
- 3,190
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Well i like doing a job that makes me think on my toes. I love to solve problems and I need a high energy work place because im kind of a nervous person.
"if you are going to medical field because of money, you are going for the wrong reason
prepare to get burned out "
Money is part of the reason... a big part of it... how am I going to get burned out? School is freaking easy.
32 on ACT without any studying (study show that ACT score is a good reflection of MCAT scores) .... all 5s on AP tests without even opening a book all semester.
"Pharmacy has a lot of perks: baby boomers need drugs so you will have a job, Pharmacist usually don't take work home with them like a doctor or network engineer would (being on call the worst thing), they get a lot of power in the stores they work since the pharmacy can bring in up to 90% of the store money, you really have to do nothing...the pharmacy techs run around and fill everything, you merely have to peek in the bottle and make sure it looks right (most as I interned only did this for the unusual prescriptions or narcotics)....most sat yawning reading a book during the day as the techs scrabbled around...this is why I didn't want that job. Also you work holidays usually and sometimes have to plan vacations around when a 'fill-in' pharmacist is available. There is a small risk of malpractice, but most of the time the doctor is gone after since their policies are usually more comprehensive and have higher limits."
The main thing for me about Pharmacy is how boring it really is. Yes, I am one of those Pharm Techs... and I do ALL the work in the phamarcy. The only thing a pharmacist does is answer a question once every while.
80K starting in my area.
prepare to get burned out "
Money is part of the reason... a big part of it... how am I going to get burned out? School is freaking easy.
32 on ACT without any studying (study show that ACT score is a good reflection of MCAT scores) .... all 5s on AP tests without even opening a book all semester.
"Pharmacy has a lot of perks: baby boomers need drugs so you will have a job, Pharmacist usually don't take work home with them like a doctor or network engineer would (being on call the worst thing), they get a lot of power in the stores they work since the pharmacy can bring in up to 90% of the store money, you really have to do nothing...the pharmacy techs run around and fill everything, you merely have to peek in the bottle and make sure it looks right (most as I interned only did this for the unusual prescriptions or narcotics)....most sat yawning reading a book during the day as the techs scrabbled around...this is why I didn't want that job. Also you work holidays usually and sometimes have to plan vacations around when a 'fill-in' pharmacist is available. There is a small risk of malpractice, but most of the time the doctor is gone after since their policies are usually more comprehensive and have higher limits."
The main thing for me about Pharmacy is how boring it really is. Yes, I am one of those Pharm Techs... and I do ALL the work in the phamarcy. The only thing a pharmacist does is answer a question once every while.
80K starting in my area.
Hayabusa Rider
Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
- Jan 26, 2000
- 50,879
- 4,268
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Welcome to the club of geniuses here. Almost all of us are above average, some startlingly so. That has nothing to do with getting burned out. Matter of endurance. Being smart does not make you able to suck up 20 hours shifts when you start out in medicine. If you are doing it for the cash (in large part) it may become less attractive. Maybe you can, but that does not mean you will enjoy it. Also, prepared to make less money than you think by the time you graduate.
"Maybe you can, but that does not mean you will enjoy it. Also, prepared to make less money than you think by the time you graduate. "
That's why I said it is only PART of my reason... (a large part) the second part is about helping people. The average IQ here is probably higher than normal... but I don't know about common sense (my IQ is only around 140ish)
That's why I said it is only PART of my reason... (a large part) the second part is about helping people. The average IQ here is probably higher than normal... but I don't know about common sense
(my IQ is only around 140ish)
Hayabusa Rider
Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
- Jan 26, 2000
- 50,879
- 4,268
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Originally posted by: Zhou
"Maybe you can, but that does not mean you will enjoy it. Also, prepared to make less money than you think by the time you graduate. "
That's why I said it is only PART of my reason... (a large part) the second part is about helping people. The average IQ here is probably higher than normal... but I don't know about common sense
I imagine that is on the high end of typical, and I assume you are applying yourself. That ought to give you the academic qualifications. I am merely suggesting that it isn't a lark to those considering it because of many other factors.
Although I was not a med student, I had opportunity to witness how those teams of sr, jr residents with medical students function while making rounds. Temperamentally, I would have not fit in because I dislike games, and it was one big dominance game. I happened to be dating the senior resident at the time, and she told me some things about her past med students. Quite entertaining
This is true! Technical skills, INCLUDING ENGINEERING, as well as Accounting in addition to any programming skills have been commoditized and businesses are sending the work to India at cut rates. You will not find a job as a programmer unless you know somebody, or are willing to work for a low salary.
I'm in the same boat. BS in Construction Science, MS in Information Technology and now I'm in a position to take some more classes...might go for the MBA.
Big fish, small pond. If you go to a nationally competitive Tier 1 school. you'll get your ass kicked, especially if you go to a school that is known for the major you choose. They try to weed out the weak and the lazy.
alkemyst
No Lifer
- Feb 13, 2001
- 83,769
- 19
- 81
The main reason people get burned out has nothing to do with the schooling...it's the crap you deal with as a young doctor. It really depends on the specialty though.
Any surgery related specialty though you will be on call and way over worked for a long time. For most doctor's the career is a means to an end...you don't enjoy yourself now, but you retire well later. Despite all the BS about malpractice insurance rising, repayment of procedures from insurance being low...you will make decent money. Plus all of these stupid salary listings show nothing about all the investments the average doctor carries.
My mother has been in the medical field a long time and in talking with the various doctors they were the ones that told me to go into Pharmacy for my lifestyle (I value free time and hobbies highly).
Also each one of them made way more per year from their property and investments than the practice did. However the higher than average salary, allowed them to invest heavily.
Any surgery related specialty though you will be on call and way over worked for a long time. For most doctor's the career is a means to an end...you don't enjoy yourself now, but you retire well later. Despite all the BS about malpractice insurance rising, repayment of procedures from insurance being low...you will make decent money. Plus all of these stupid salary listings show nothing about all the investments the average doctor carries.
My mother has been in the medical field a long time and in talking with the various doctors they were the ones that told me to go into Pharmacy for my lifestyle (I value free time and hobbies highly).
Also each one of them made way more per year from their property and investments than the practice did. However the higher than average salary, allowed them to invest heavily.
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