Harvard Pharmacy School

[Praziquantel86]

However, I know Columbia has a social work program...it just didn't make much sense since social workers make less than pharmacists and will most likely struggle with a 300K dollar loan.

Pharmacists, regardless of where they graduate from, are able to find roughly the same job opportunities at roughly the same pay (I'm talking ballpark figures normalized to the area they're in, not any of the random outliers you may have heard about). This may change in the future with the glut of new schools that are opening, but that's for another discussion.

Social workers are similar to lawyers, in the respect that the positions and salaries earned depend significantly on the prestige of the program that they attended. The social worker who attended a nationally recognized school of social work, such as George Warren Brown at Washington University will stand to have many more job opportunities than someone who graduated from Adelphi University (sorry if anyone here goes to Adelphi, I'm just using it as an example).

Therefore, it's justified for an aspiring social worker to pay the additional tuition because they stand to gain a substantial amount. The pharmacist does not stand to gain a very large amount versus the additional cost of gaining a degree.

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[Sparda29]

My first choice isn't pharmacy either, my first choice was becoming a commercial airline pilot.

However, my ethnicity and political opinions raise some flags so it would be hard for me to become a pilot, especially after 9/11.

 

[Aggieanthony]

You must have a lot of time on your hands to type...but I don't have a lot of time to read, but thanks for the information. I am well aware that some psychiatrists make a lot of money that can "blow my mind" it actually doesn't blow my mind since my neighbor is a psychiatrist and I know how much money he makes....nice try though...

Anyhow, the point was that most pharmacists do not make enough money to pay back the 200K to 300K tuition that are charged by Ivy League schools. Thats why Harvard, Columbia, and Penn do NOT have pharmacy schools. However, I know Columbia has a social work program...it just didn't make much sense since social workers make less than pharmacists and will most likely struggle with a 300K dollar loan.

I do have quite a bit of time to type. As a doctorate student, all I do is type. I wake up, I read, I type. I T/A a class, I read, I type. I do data entry... yep, more reading and typing. To be honest, if typing a few paragraphs in a forum is considered a difficult task for you, then I apologize. I did add a "TL;DR" option in my reply for you. A typical netizen, such as yourself, should recognize that as a "Summation" or "Abstract" of what my point in its entirety was.

Praziquantel already corrected you, but I will also mention that nowhere in my original post did I ever talk about psychiatry. Psychiatrists attend medical school and are physicians. They are medical doctors.

You may be able to read, but it's quite apparent that reading comprehension is a weak spot for you, SHC. How you mistook a master's in social work for a medical doctor degree is perplexing.

 

[SHC1984]

I do have quite a bit of time to type. As a doctorate student, all I do is type. I wake up, I read, I type. I T/A a class, I read, I type. I do data entry... yep, more reading and typing. To be honest, if typing a few paragraphs in a forum is considered a difficult task for you, then I apologize. I did add a "TL;DR" option in my reply for you. A typical netizen, such as yourself, should recognize that as a "Summation" or "Abstract" of what my point in its entirety was.

Praziquantel already corrected you, but I will also mention that nowhere in my original post did I ever talk about psychiatry. Psychiatrists attend medical school and are physicians. They are medical doctors.

You may be able to read, but it's quite apparent that reading comprehension is a weak spot for you, SHC. How you mistook a master's in social work for a medical doctor degree is perplexing.

Well good luck getting one of those salaries that can possibiliy "blow my mind" in the future, since you think its so possible with your kind of degree...You can come on here and insult me all you want ( I don't give a ****) but everyone here knows the truth about average salaries of social workers. Good luck future Dr. Phil wannabe

 

[Praziquantel86]

Well good luck getting one of those salaries that can possibiliy "blow my mind" in the future, since you think its so possible with your kind of degree...

Not to beat a dead horse, but you should honestly try to read the posts that you're insulting. Aggieanthony is pursuing a doctorate in psychology, not social work (which is what the mind-blowing salaries referred to).

You can come on here and insult me all you want ( I don't give a ****) but everyone here knows the truth about average salaries of social workers. Good luck future Dr. Phil wannabe

No one ever questioned the average salaries of social workers. Yes, they're lower than the typical pharmacist. However, salary is not the reason that the majority of people choose to pursue a career. It's clear that you're choosing pharmacy for that reason, but most people who enter the health professions actually want to help people, regardless of the cost.

I think you're going to get a giant slap in the face once you enter pharmacy school (if that unfortunate day ever occurs).

 

[rphfan2009]

It largely has to do with the high tuition they charge & the pay scale for their grads bc if you think about it if someone pays 200,000 in tuition at harvard when they graduate they have the same pharmD degree & will most likely be paid the same as someone who paid 60,000 for their 4 years. Therefore, their is not a huge advantage in going to IVY league schools for pharmacy bc an employer isn't going to pay you 200,000 just bc u went to harvard.

With other degrees such as medicine & business the employer can pay the employee a large pay check based on where they graduate from. The only way they would prob. offer it is if pharmacy had a specialty that's rare & requires training at the best schools and pays over 200,000 or so.

I totally agree with you

 

[SHC1984]

Pharmacists, regardless of where they graduate from, are able to find roughly the same job opportunities at roughly the same pay (I'm talking ballpark figures normalized to the area they're in, not any of the random outliers you may have heard about). This may change in the future with the glut of new schools that are opening, but that's for another discussion.

Social workers are similar to lawyers, in the respect that the positions and salaries earned depend significantly on the prestige of the program that they attended. The social worker who attended a nationally recognized school of social work, such as George Warren Brown at Washington University will stand to have many more job opportunities than someone who graduated from Adelphi University (sorry if anyone here goes to Adelphi, I'm just using it as an example).

Therefore, it's justified for an aspiring social worker to pay the additional tuition because they stand to gain a substantial amount. The pharmacist does not stand to gain a very large amount versus the additional cost of gaining a degree.

I never thought of social workers being similar to lawyers, but if thats the case then yes, it would be worth the extra $$$ to become a social worker from a more presitgious school...and I am also assuming these people have to take out loans...there are some people that don't have to take out any loans (parents pay for everything) and therefore can afford to pay 300k for tuition and work for 30K a year.

 

[fhx06]

Well good luck getting one of those salaries that can possibiliy "blow my mind" in the future, since you think its so possible with your kind of degree...You can come on here and insult me all you want ( I don't give a ****) but everyone here knows the truth about average salaries of social workers. Good luck future Dr. Phil wannabe

Dr. Phil is no longer practicing psychology. He's in the entertainment business by legal definition.

 

[SHC1984]

Not to beat a dead horse, but you should honestly try to read the posts that you're insulting. Aggieanthony is pursuing a doctorate in psychology, not social work (which is what the mind-blowing salaries referred to).



No one ever questioned the average salaries of social workers. Yes, they're lower than the typical pharmacist. However, salary is not the reason that the majority of people choose to pursue a career. It's clear that you're choosing pharmacy for that reason, but most people who enter the health professions actually want to help people, regardless of the cost.

I think you're going to get a giant slap in the face once you enter pharmacy school (if that unfortunate day ever occurs).

I never say he wanted to become a social worker. I don't care what he wants to do. And if he think a doctorate in psychology is going to get him a "mind blowing salary" then he is the one thats going to get a slap in the face not me. Yes, its possible to get a "mind blowing salary" with his degree, but the chances are very verrrry slim. He was the one that came on here to insult me and to brag about salaries... And no I didn't choose pharmacy for the money. Pharmacists make an average salary. If I wanted to make a lot of money I would have stay in dentistry.

 

[SHC1984]

I really hope you never get to be a pharmacist.




You're the man/woman!!!!!

And can someone give me a high five for starting up this WELL NEEDED RIOT!!!?? Sometimes people need to be put in their place!! Go Psych D.!!!

You are a hater. I can be anything I want because I rock on standardize exams. Haters like you can insult me all you want if it makes you feel better.

 

[Praziquantel86]

I never say he wanted to become a social worker. I don't care what he wants to do. And if he think a doctorate in psychology is going to get him a "mind blowing salary" then he is the one thats going to get a slap in the face not me. Yes, its possible to get a "mind blowing salary" with his degree, but the chances are very verrrry slim. He was the one that came on here to insult me and to brag about salaries... And no I didn't choose pharmacy for the money. Pharmacists make an average salary. If I wanted to make a lot of money I would have stay in dentistry.

Again, the mind-blowing salaries refer to social work, not psychology. He never insulted you, nor bragged about his salary.

And if you think that pharmacists make an "average" salary, I think you need to pull your head out of your ass. Pharmacists make far more than an "average" salary.

 

[SHC1984]

My first choice isn't pharmacy either, my first choice was becoming a commercial airline pilot.

However, my ethnicity and political opinions raise some flags so it would be hard for me to become a pilot, especially after 9/11.

I am sorry to hear that. My first choice is modeling, but due to my height I am 5'7 (3 inches too short) I can't do much...except printwork and hairshows. If only there is a way for me to grow taller...I did model when I was 12-14 years old for Limited TOO, but those days are long over.

I guess pharmacy it is then...

 

[SHC1984]

Again, the mind-blowing salaries refer to social work, not psychology. He never insulted you, nor bragged about his salary.

And if you think that pharmacists make an "average" salary, I think you need to pull your head out of your ass. Pharmacists make far more than an "average" salary.

After taxes, health insurance, benefits, retirement, etc. an average pharmacists take home 65k to 70K a year that's middle class or "average".

 

[Praziquantel86]

After taxes, health insurance, benefits, retirement, etc. an average pharmacists take home 65k to 70K a year that's middle class or "average".

You're forgetting to take the taxes out of the 65-75k that the "average" family takes in (which is still being generously high, but I'll agree with it for the sake of proving a point).

 

[laimyours]

Yea why isn't pharmacy a part of the "high-end" colleges? I think pharmacy is good enough, it's a respectable, reputable, and challenging profession. There must be some reason it's not associated with Harvard and other top-notch schools... anyone know??

So, what does everyone consider the "BEST" pharmacy school in the nation, or internationally?? According to "The Annals of Pharmacotherapy" which is based on perceptions, funding, and publications - the trophy goes to UCSF (University of California, San Francisco College of Pharmacy), what does everyone else think?

Saying that Harvard is "too good" for a pharmacy school doesn't really make sense considering UCSF not only is rank as the best pharmacy school, but also as the best medical school. It's just not a program they offer, not EVERY college offers pharmacy.

 

[atpsynthase]

You are a hater. I can be anything I want because I rock on standardize exams. Haters like you can insult me all you want if it makes you feel better.

You rock on standardized exams? Didn't you get a 20% composite in reading of all things? But I guess given your responses, it doesn't really surprise me since you obviously aren't reading their responses... sorry... but if it makes you feel better, I get the just of what you're saying about social work and pharmacy school at expensive schools.

 

[elleNY]

Interesting debate. Can't we have difference of opinions without all the low-blows? I'm one hell of a biatch in my personal life but I think some people can be particularly nasty on this message board.

PLAYING THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE.. I know how much all of you loveeee Sociology, but having graduated with a sociology minor and almost having gone for my PsyD in Psychology, I look at the concept of Pharmacist v. Social worker from a class based perspective. It has to do with CAPITAL.. Pharmacists, FROM A CLASS BASED PERSPECTIVE, have more capital and thus would be higher on a "rung" of the proverbial ladder. Read on:

"In 'The Forms of Capital' (1986), Bourdieu distinguishes between three types of capital:

• Economic capital: command over economic resources (cash, assets).
• Social capital: resources based on group membership, relationships, networks of influence and support. Bourdieu defines social capital as "the aggregate of the actual or potential resources which are linked to possession of a durable network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition."
• Cultural capital: forms of knowledge, skills, education,and advantages that a person has, which give them a higher status in society. Parents provide their children with cultural capital by transmitting the attitudes and knowledge needed to succeed in the current educational system.

Later he adds symbolic capital (resources available to an individual on the basis of honor, prestige or recognition) to this list.E.g.

SOURCE: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_capital

SOOO...Nothing against the profession, but for argument's sake, it's about more than dollars and cents.
ALSO..In terms of the costs of Social Work programs at first tier schools... Social work programs give more scholarships and assistance. I do not have statistics or numbers, but this is what I have heard from a friend (actually, a frenemy lol) who graduted with MSW from Hunter in NY.

OKAY I'm ready to hear it..bring it on people ;-)

xo
Elle