Better major/career: Business or Pharmacy?

<p>I am interested in both fields of study. Pharmacy is appealing because of the relatively short time required for a Doctorate in Pharmacy, as well as the high pay, job stability, etc. However, I feel like I'm more suited for a career in the Business field (although it is just an assumption), and something like Accounting or Finance seem more likely to suit me. Still, pharmacy offers a degree of stability that few business majors/careers can offer, so I'm split in my decision.</p>

<p>Take a few classes before you decide. Like so many other things in life, you won’t know what you like until you try it.</p>

<p>I used to work in a pharmacy for a big hospital network in Texas and while I was making $9/hour as a med delivery boy, the Pharmacists were all making $70,000+ salaries. They have to be precise and check over and over again medicines once they are requested, along with the patients med history, and then again once before they go out. I saw more than one moving up the ladder and going into budgeting and planning for the pharmacy and then into health admin. for the hospital. It wouldn’t surprise me if they were pulling close to $100,000/year. If I had any patience for or was willing to learn science I would consider Pharmacy.</p>

<p>If you can handle the pharma curriculum, then do it. It’s a great career.</p>

<p>As someone who has a strong interest in both (and is now in pharmacy school), I can provide you with some more in-depth advice if you PM me. I was considering banking vs pharmacy. </p>

<p>With that said, do whatever interests you the most - business or science. They are vastly different and if you think long and hard about it, you’ll come to a decision and see that you really favor one over the other. Again, PM me if you’d like my own personal experiences.</p>

<p>I would like to know your pharmacy experience because im considering going into pharmacy. I also considered business but im leaning to pharmacy. If you were in my position, what would you choose? would you go towards pharmacy or business? (considering im going towards pharmacy.) Ups? Downs? </p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>-David</p>

<p>Pharm D. programs are usually very intense curriculums and you better be good at chem - especially organic and quant. Calculus usually required. If you’re scince oriented and organized you’ll do well. There is an extensive pre-pharm curriculum required to apply. Then there’s the PCAT - which is no easy test.</p>

<p>Most Pharm D. programs will not allow for a double major in business due to their rigorous curriculum, but you never know. You can do the business degree 1st, but extends your undergad years.</p>

<p>My 2 cents is you have to decide between the two since they are so different and you wish to not go to college forever. As above post suggests however, it’s not unreasonable in your early college career to “try” some of both. Unfortunately - the weed out chem course is always Organic Chem and that’s usually not a Gen Ed class and for Chem/Bio majors. so, you might end up having that class not count if you switch to Business.</p>

<p>Don’t forget to choose also based on what you “like”. No use being a phamcist and going to work every day not liking what you do just for money, job security - if there is such a thing these days.</p>

<p>CJ</p>

<p>Pharmacy programs are really intense in science and math. If you’re up to it, then it’s a really good field to go into.</p>

<p>Some schools offer dual degrees of PharmD/MBA. The school I go to is four years of the PharmD, your fourth year you start the MBA and then you do an additional fifth year to finish the MBA.</p>

Hi Lurker,
I’m currently a Biochem major but I’m considering switch to Econ. At University of Arizona, I can still doing Pre-pharm and make sure to take those Reqs that require for pre-pharm. I LOVE both business and pharm. can you please provide me with more details about your experiences and knowledge? Please contact me. Thank you so much

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