<p>Sooo I'm an aspiring environmental chemist. From what I understand, though, the job market is tough for chemists right now, and I'm getting discouraged. Thus, I'd like a secure job alternative where I can apply my love for chemistry. Pharmacy seems stable/well-paying/with good employment prospects. While I wouldn't contribute to the improvement of the environment, I'd still get a sense of fulfillment from developing better treatments for the ill. Question: Could I graduate with a B.S. in Chemistry (or Biochemistry) while fulfilling the pre-pharmacy requirements? Also, which area of pharmacy would you recommend (Pharmaceutics vs. Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacognosy)? Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>The job market is worse for Pharmacists and only getting worse, this is definitely the wrong time to go into the field. The developmental side is more on the side of chemistry than pharmacy so you would likely need a Masters/Ph.D to break into those jobs.</p>
<p>^ Oh. I had read that pharmacy jobs were in high demand. After more thorough research, I see that there will still be too many graduates for the number of jobs. Doesn’t seem very wise now. Thank you for your input.</p>
<p>Which degree would you recommend, by the way? MS vs PhD? I understand that a PhD is supposed to open more doors, but is it really effective in terms of how long it takes to complete?</p>
<p>My parents tell me not to think about these things until my junior/senior years of college, but I can’t help but worry.</p>
<p>Too many schools have been opening up recently making the field especially saturated, even moreso if you were to enter the field 8 years from now. </p>
<p>It is too hard to say which degree would be best, jobs/job titles/room for upward mobility/subjectivity by management vary by company. I personally know 2 people with Master’s degrees who are doing fine but all the Ph.Ds I know went into other fields (law, finance, consulting) or academia for some reason. A Ph.D will always open up more doors but yes, the time for completion is a bit daunting when you can get a Master’s in 1-2 years. Another thing to consider is the cost of a Master’s vs receiving a stipend and your Ph.D degree for free.</p>
<p>My suggestion would be to look at some specific job postings for jobs you are interested in and see what degree is required. </p>
<p>Our D’s friend is a top pharmacy student who is graduating in the field but can’t even get a placement because they said she lacks research experience! She needs to figure out how to get that so she can get a residency and then hopefully a job. She has participated in several pharmacy programs in our state since she was in HS, including with some of our larger healthcare centers! She is very discouraged!</p>
<p>We have a friend who got a chemistry degree and went into medicine; is now a pediatrician. Another got dual degrees–chemistry and finance, plus a master’s degree and is now doing finance (decided he preferred it over chemistry).</p>
<p>Try shadowing and having informational interviews with folks in fields you think you might enjoy. Maybe see if you can volunteer at their offices to get a better feel for the range of work they do. </p>
<p>Thanks War Chant. I guess that if I look at the PhD years as purely job/research experience (albeit unpaid), they’ll feel less tedious. Free tuition does sound appealing.</p>
<p>@HImom Yeah, I should probably take the whole “the avg. student changes their major twice” thing into account lol. Hmm volunteering would be a nice way to figure out what I’m getting myself into, while avoiding the strings that come attached with an internship (for now). Thanks! </p>
<p>You are paid a stipend during your Ph.D years, its usually between $25k-35k depending on the school and location in addition to the free tuition. In return, you are usually expected to TA.</p>
<p>PhD openings are VERY competitive and hard to get, since they are often limited to only spots that have funding (which is also very limited and seems to be shrinking all the time). Duties for funding in grad programs can vary from just research, teaching, or a combo.</p>
<p>However, the overall number of applicants is much smaller than professional schools and with sufficient GPA, GRE, and undergrad research from USC, that issue becomes a nonfactor. Schools will clearly state their “package” and if there is any doubt, you walk away immediately. You do not want to be associated with a program with a lack of funding. </p>