<p>Hello. I am currently a junior in high school weighing out my options. On my ACT recently, I received a 26 composite: 28 english, 28 math, 23 reading (:p) and a 25 science. With a GPA of a 4 without a weight, my options could be fairly open. I am willing to learn and enjoy science and math. Also, I would like to minor in Spanish if I am allowed. Here are my choices:
1. Pharmacy~ Use the Dual Acceptance route with a 2 year undergrad and a 4 year grad, granted I am accepted.
2. Pharmacology~ Does anyone out there know much about this field? I am willing to learn more.
3. Engineering~ NO IDEA which part yet. I love math and science which opened my eyes to the field of medicine and recently, engineering.
If you know anything about these fields such as their job opportunities or if I could get accepted, it would be greatly appreciated! Also, would volunteering weekly look good? My senior year schedule is AP Chem, pre-calc and trig honors, spanish three honors, english four college writing, and AP psychology.</p>
<p>As I am sure that many pharmacists will tell you, there is no longer a shortage of pharmacists, so you need to really love the job to pursue it. Although there are varied options in pharmacy the majority of pharmacists work in retail, because that is where the money is the best, and you will have substancial loans to pay. This is a program that YOU fund, just like med school. Even if you are lucky to get a permanent retail job, there is little room for advancement. Customers generally don’t think that you do anything other than count pills, and will treat you with the same respect they reserve for a cashier. You will deal with drug addicts trying to scam the system, and will often have no other pharmacist to overlap your shift so you can’t grab a bit to eat of go to the bathroom for hours. You will stand for hours. If this still appeals to you, try to job-shadow a pharmacist for a few days this summer. Only then should you consider applying.</p>
<p>(I know this sounds harsh, but it is not a job that you should do for the salary. if you search for angry pharmacist, angriest pharmacist and more, you will find true accounts of the daily life)</p>
<p>Pharmacology is lab work, which hopefully someone else will be able to discuss.</p>
<p>The simplest explanation for the difference between a pharmacist and a pharmacologist is that a pharmacist dispenses drugs (and checks dosing and proper usage), while a pharmacologist designs them. Like the previous poster said, pharmacology is typically lab work (though if you wanted to, you could get a job at a pharmaceutical company). It can be a typical biology PhD, or it can be actually involve the testing, design, or investigation of the mchanism of action of a drug. However, you aren’t limited to lab work for the rest of your life. Like with a pharmD, you are qualified to teach at a pharmacy school (and these positions aren’t that tough to get.) Also, either training makes it easy to to do toxicology work or anything involving drugs and alcohol. The previous poster is right. The demand for and salary of pharmacists is no longer a sure thing as pharmacy is becoming more automatized. However, there are still other opportunities out there. Hospitals need pharmacists, particularly in the cancer ward, and the need will always be there for that.</p>
<p>(I have a pharmacist in my family.)</p>