Is anybody here a pharmacist/studying to be one?

[cs02132]

lately ive been trying to figure out what i want to do when i get to college (senior in hs) and i looked up some information online about pharmacy and it looks like it'd be a pretty nice job. it pays well and everything

im just looking for some basic info and if anybody has any experience in this field

 

[STooK]

it's a relatively safe field if you can make it out of school. wouldn't hurt to apply but if you do get in you better be determined otherwise you'dflake off by first or second year.

 

[youngsleezy]

Im a senior also in HS. I want to become a pharmacist too. So i will be checking this thread

 

[addiction]

I was in school for pharmacy, but I had other issues which caused me to join the Army. The best bet is to look for your pharmacy tech cert first so you canunderstand the concept better. Also a good thing to know is the top 250 drugs because you will need to know the generic name, classifications, flavors, doses,side effects, and the uses. Sigler has a book with all this info in it. Hope this info helps you and good luck with it.

 

[ebay 23]

You better be good at math

 

[dirtylicious]

if you're not interested in science or have the aptitude for science courses...be warned.

Orgo
P-Chem
Drug-Delivery

my Pharm D friends studied 24/7 for those courses.

 

[g9coyote]

My homie is in a 3-year accelerated program at Pacific in Oregon. He tends to stress out a lot...hope you are ready for that.

 

[nkeair]

Originally Posted by cs02132

lately ive been trying to figure out what i want to do when i get to college (senior in hs) and i looked up some information online about pharmacy and it looks like it'd be a pretty nice job. it pays well and everything

im just looking for some basic info and if anybody has any experience in this field

beware, OCHEM is

my friends complain all the time

 

[11wordisbond]

A bunch of my friends are street pharmacists. They are paid well.

 

[datprepboivinc3]

^

But It involves a lot of dedication and time but eventually it will pay off i consider doing it
I use to work at a pharmacy and they rack in alot of money they work 2 days on then 2 days off but long shifts..
I say try it if your dedicated

 

[maddenfan04]

If you want it bad enough to be a Pharmacist, there are schools that will take you even if your not the most qualified.
All it really takes it, do you really want to be one?
Do your research now.

 

[jrdnsrnss]

Is it something you'd enjoy doing everyday is what you have to ask yourself. I'm 2 years into college and i still can't decide what i wanna do inlife

 

[Gill Baka Esq. LLC.]

i'm on my way to becoming a certified Pharmacy Tech. which if you continue along with going for a Pharmacy degree will probably become as well.

I would def recommend it if your good with math and the sciences. It's hard though but the pay is worth it.

 

[yankeephan87]

how long does it take? There's 3 year accelerated programs? I did finance but I was thinking of doing this as well

 

[belle155]

its worth it if you can get through the program. you wont find many jobs that have you starting out at 6 figures straight out of school.

i know i was the only one outta my friends to be making that kinda bank at 24. its not easy though thats for sure, i was in the library prob 30 hrs a week formy 5 years of school. the 6th year was all clinical rotations so the book/studying aspect wasnt really there until the end when i had to study for the stateboards.

 

[sole vintage]

Originally Posted by Dirtylicious


my Pharm D friends studied 24/7 for those courses.

i want to do it but just like you said it is nonstop studying. my sister had friends who never left their rooms because of the work load

 

[cb94]

Sure, you could say that...

 

[fac3 tak30v312]

you can only take the 3yr program after you've filled your pre reqs for pharmacy school and most likely have taken the PCATs ... Basically the 3yr programis school yr round for three yrs as opposed to four
.
.
If you're good with math .. chemistry isn't that much of a biggy .. it's basically a variant of algebra
To the OP if you're serious about Pharm try to get into one the schools with a five yr program it'll be a lot quicker and easier than doing pre-reqsthen trying to get into a pharm school ... and also a pharm tech job is a huge plus to most pharm schools ..

 

[nationaltruckerdave]

I should try to study being one..

 

[stixx]

Originally Posted by 11wordisbond

A bunch of my friends are street pharmacists. They are paid well.

Surprised this post got this far b4 a comment like this was given....

 

[reeeem0]

Get your pharm. Tech. Cert. First...

It'll get you in the door and once you're in, its only moving UP from there...you'll need to know generic names, chemical names, and lotta other%#@* dude said up there. I'm almost done (3 month course), soon as I'm certified, that's guallas comin in. You can't have any felonies tho

 

[don dela vega]

How much and what kind of math are we talkin about? Also is the science really advance?

 

[fac3 tak30v312]

you pretty much gotta take up until Calc for pre reqs and if science isn't your thing them it will be tough since that's all you're gonna be takingpretty much ... For example with Anatomy and Physiology you have to learn all the bones, muscles, organs and organ functions of the body ... Then it getsspecific according to which part you're going over .... Then there's Organic Chem .. Physics etc. and that just pre reqs to get into Pharm school...... basically its the same stuff if you want to go into Medicine

 

[STooK]

@ being good in math. sure towards the end you will be taking somecompounding/kinetics courses which requires basic algebra to calculate the amount of drug and materials needed to prepare an IV infusion bag or calculate usinggiven formulas which are more like the SAT math problems where you don't have to be brilliant in math, you just need to understand the problem. you willnever use calculus (most likely a pre-req. though) or anything like that.

all the courses people are naming as "hard" aren't even real pharmacy classes. yes you need to pass organic chem (which is easy to some and hardto others) but personally i think biochem was the hardest but another "non-pharmacy" class. they are important and all but not really for practice.i'd be more worried about drugs and diseases courses which you will need to take in 4th year that finally teaches you the drugs and what they're usedfor. it's so much information so it helps if you have a good memory. you definitely dont need to study 24/7, but that doesn't mean you don't needto study at all. heck, i've been on NT 24/7 and i still have > 3.0 gpa.

don't listen to people telling to you take a pharmacy tech certification (wth would you need that for?

) instead, get a job as a technician (and no, you dont need a certification) andyou will at least get a brief understanding of what you are getting yourself into. honestly i think it's more important to experience it first than to gothrough all the studying, get a degree, and realize you hate it to death. pm me if you have any specific questions as well i'll try to answer em the best ican.

 

[sneakerhead14]

^ What do you need to become a pharmacy tech?