<p>What are the benefits and disadvantages of having a PharmD? What job advancement opportunities exist for pharmacists?</p>
<p>Easy pay, job security, boring job.</p>
<p>My friend’s dad makes about $150,000 a year just standing at a counter handing out drugs 8 hours a day. However, he will never lose his job.</p>
<p>I’d want to be a pharmacist who does research instead.</p>
<p>gbmack’s explanation is a pretty good general summary for most cases.</p>
<p>The question you pose is too general for anyone in the field to answer. Oftentimes many believe that PharmDs will always become retail pharmacists when that is clearly not the case in my experience.</p>
<p>Retail pays well right out of school.</p>
<p>If you’re talking about total benefits strictly as a practicing community pharmacist, I’d tell you to take a good look at the military or US Department of Health Commissioned Corps. I think over the long run, your gross income would be higher in government than in CVS or Walgreens if you are not promoted at a retail chain.</p>
<p>There are those that go into research, sales and marketing, regulatory affairs, etc.</p>
<p>From the outside it seems like a pretty narrowly defined profession, but when you’re actually in it, you’ll realize there are many paths to take.</p>
<p>Personally, I never was completely passionate about pharmacy. It just was a terrific deal for me at the time. I chose a state school and attended for free due to state tuition waiver for my participation in the National Guard. Looking at the economy right now, I can’t say I regretted my decision.</p>