<p>I'm currently a sophomore in college. I have taken all of the prereqs for pharmacy so far and I consider myself as a pre-pharmacy/chemistry major. Since high school I had my mind set on becoming a pharmacist. But lately I've heard from so many people and websites like indeed.com from pharmacists themselves that pharmacy is not what it used to be and it is boring and stressful. So this got me into thinking about becoming a high school chemistry teacher since I absolutely love teaching and science! I also love passing down my knowledge and helping others.
I have worked as a science and SAT tutor and based on my experience I know that I love teaching. I am not so sure about pharmacy since I LOVE learning about medications and science, but I have no idea what the actual profession is like first hand. Since h.s. I've been trying to get a job as a pharm tech but had no luck with that. Pharmacy or teaching chemistry are my only two options since I am a female and don't want to spend too long of a time in school since I wish to have a family in the future (God willing).</p>
<p>So here are my options:
- get my BS in chemistry (and minor with my school's honors college - of which I get a small scholarship from) and become a h.s. chemistry teacher (and if anything get my MBA or higher in the future). however would doing this limit myself from my full potential?
- OR become a pharmacist, learn about medicines (something which i also love) and apply chemistry to the real world (but also go through the stress of applying to rutgers pharmacy and taking the PCAT, getting letters of recommendation, etc.)</p>
<p>I am going to try to shadow a pharmacist if I can, but due to my schedule I need to make this tough decision really soon. Also important to note: money or the status of a job isn't as important to me as being happy with my job, but I also don't want my life to be my job - I want time for family, friends, etc. Either path I will make sure to put all my effort, I need help deciding which one I should follow.</p>
<p>Please give me any helpful advice to help me make my decision, I really appreciate it!</p>
<p>In no way would becoming a high school Chemistry teacher keep you from realizing your potential. There is such a huge need for good Chemistry teachers in high school. If you can use your passion to inspire others, that’s a great gift. You will need to find out the requirements for teacher credentialing in your state and take education courses. Perhaps you could contact a local high school and ask about shadowing a teacher to see if this is the right fit for you?</p>
<p>but what bothers me is how little respect teachers get, even though the good ones contribute so much to our future generations</p>
<p>The same lack of respect also applies to pharmacists…… (They’re often snidely called “pill pushers”.)</p>
<p>Just sayin’.</p>
<p>My husband is a pharmacist. The pay is much better than that of a high school chemistry teacher, but the respect is hit or miss!
Pharmacy requires some pretty specific skills, among them good people skills (my husband really enjoys chatting with and listening to senior citizens and that is GREAT for retail pharmacy), a very high degree of accuracy, excellent chemistry and math skills, and some tolerance for repetitive tasks. There are many different practice settings available within the profession. My husband works in retail for a mass merchandise store–he is a pharmacy manager, which also requires business management skills but not a separate degree. My husband is great at his job and loves it. It’s a great fit for him, and for those with the specific skills it takes it’s still an excellent profession. For a woman interested in being able to balance work and family, there are excellent part time opportunities in pharmacy that offer full time benefits and high pay as well.
I highly recommend you shadow a pharmacist or get a part time job in a pharmacy, possibly as a pharmacy technician to get an idea of what the job is like. It may or may not be a good fit for you. Teaching chemistry may pay less but give you more satisfaction in the long run. That’s a decision you have to make for yourself and enjoying your job is important.
My husband was originally premed, but decided it wasn’t for him, and discovered pharmacy when researching other health care professions. He finished his bachelors and then went to pharmacy school.</p>
<p>thanks for sharing, good to know that your husband has interesting social interactions at work. many pharms (especially retail) complain about customers.</p>
<p>one very important thing for me is good interactions with people, which is why i like teaching. i will try my best to shadow a pharm as soon as i can</p>
<p>in the meantime, anyone else have other interesting stories or advice to share? :)</p>
<p>Hey student1239! Did you ever make your decision? I’m applying to colleges atm as a senior in hs. I really want to get into the medical field as a pharmacist as well, but I have always dreamt about teaching. Thanks!</p>
What bachelor did he get? I’m sorry, I know this is old
What did you decide at the end? How is it going for you? I’m in the same shoes as you were /:
As a high school chemistry teacher you could see the world-- and I’m not just referring to long summer vacations. My kids attended international schools all over the world. The teachers who work the int’l circuit have an amazing life! Some of them prefer to put down roots in one country. Others like to rotate to a new country every few years.
Here’s an example of an int’l school:
The Singapore American School
http://www.sas.edu.sg/page.cfm?p=353
More info from the US State Dept:
http://m.state.gov/mc16899.htm