masters before pharm school?

[candle786]

Just graduated in may with a bs in bio. Planning to apply next fall for pharm school. If I get in somewhere for fall of 2005, I will have two years of "free time" from now until then. So I'm thinking use that time to get a masters not just so I don't "waste" my time but also if I don't get in to any pharm school on the first try I'm sure it will help me to have an advanced degree (right?). So my question is, is this thinking logical? should i pursue a masters since i do have time, and if so, in what? I'm thinking Masters in bio with either a concentration in microbio (I never took microbio as an undergrad, so thought this would help) or bioinformatics (something I am very interested in). What do you all think?

Thx.

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[Triangulation]

yeah there are a lot of masters degrees running around in my classes. one of the more popular is masters in public health. i think those are great programs. i agree that it does enhance your application. it will also give you solid background for courses in pharmacy you'll face

 

[candle786]

My original goal was to get a masters in public health but I can't afford to do that (the school that offers it is too expensive).

 

[candle786]

What are other good masters programs that would benefit future pharmacists? I realize there is a chance that I may not end up at pharmacy school so I should choose a masters program that will help me in case i don't go to pharm school but I can't decide on what to do.

 

[Triangulation]

I realize there is a chance that I may not end up at pharmacy school so I should choose a masters program that will help me in case i don't go to pharm school but I can't decide on what to do.

thinking like that is ******ed. you'll get in. it takes effort and sacrifice, but what doesn't that's worth getting?

i think a central constraint is time. you've gotta choose a program that'll get you out in time for pharm school to start. i think this is a personal decision, you can't choose what sdn peeps think would be good for you. choose something you're interested in. you'll gain more from that than anything any of us could suggest.

i have no idea how masters programs work (ec for the one i wanna complete during pharm school.)

that sure would be fun for this board though if we had a member who was in a masters program, that'd be cool.

 

[candle786]

By saying that there is of course a chance that I may not end up in pharm school, I meant that this could happen for a variety of reasons, not just me not getting in anywhere. I'm trying to set myself up so that I will have a masters degree that will help me if i do become a pharmacist but will also help me if I don't. My first choices were bioinformatics and public health. Then I started researching online business degrees in health administration or sales. I just want to know if anyone here wishes they had experience in something to help them advance in the pharmacy field (such as sales), etc.

 

[chunkyb]

Having a masters degree is so over-rated. Besides, I don't think that there is any Masters program that will help you advance in the pharmacy field. What you'll need in pharmacy is what you'll be learning in the pharmacy professional program. If you want to do something that will help you for pharmacy, get a pharmacy-related job! Work experience will will benefit you 10X more than a masters program will. Furthermore, you'll be making money instead of spending it. You're gonna need the money to pay for your tuition anyway.

 

[TCB]

Chunkyb do you even know what you?re talking about?

candle786, a master degree will help you in a pharmacy field, in many different ways, as long as you know exactly what you're going to do with it. Just don't it for the heck of it.

 

[EarlyEditionDude]

I agree with TCB.

Getting a MBA can definately help your income potential! I know a pharmacist who went back to get her MBA, became the Pharmacy Manager for my local hospital and her income skyrocketed from $105,000 to $145,000. However, she works very long long long hours!

For me, I don't really care about the money too much! As I as I can make at least $65,000. I will be happy!

 

[chunkyb]

Originally posted by TCB
Chunkyb do you even know what you?re talking about?

candle786, a master degree will help you in a pharmacy field, in many different ways, as long as you know exactly what you're going to do with it. Just don't it for the heck of it.

TCB, what do YOU know about a masters degree? Please enlighten us about exactly how a masters degree will bestow a greater advantage to candle786 as a pharmacist. Can you actually make some program recommendations ? When you advise someone about something, you should back yourself up.

A masters degree is geared to further research while a pharmacy degree is a professional degree.

While others may not agree with my take whether a masters will be beneficial or not, I am giving my honest opinion.
I am currently a PharmD./MBA student who has earned a hon. bachelor's degree in neuroscience. I had the option of pursuing a post-graduate degree upon graduation, but since I KNEW that I wanted to pursue the profession of pharmacy, I opted against this. Plenty of my friends chose the masters route and they either don't know what to do with themselves now or they are moving into a totally different field of study. They're all in big debt too.

In pharmacy school, you will learn that after you finish your entry-level pharmD. degree, there are many opportunities available to pharmacists, AFTER graduation. Most people don''t know exactly what aspect of pharacy practice they want to pursue until after they have a greater scope of all the opportunities that are available to them. In terms of pharmacy practice, it doesn't matter so much as to what you've done before pharmacy school, but what you've done afterwards. You could do a fellowship, residency, or certificate in some kind of speciality. These sorts of pursuits would benefit a pharmacist more so than would a master degree.

 

[Triangulation]

TCB, my friend, i know you're all angst ridden bc of your bf sitch , but don't take it out on your colleagues on this board.

I do however, agree in your disagreement with chunk that masters are useful. The MPHs at my school bring an informed background that has got to be beneficial.

 

[candle786]

Thank you for all the responses. Reading different points of views really helps. I just know that I will have a lot of time on my hands before i go to pharm school and i figured along with getting experience at a pharmacy and doing a lot of community service, I should perhaps get another degree, one that i won't have to worry about after pharm school and both science related masters and business related masters seem logical. So i just wanted some advice from people all ready in school.

Thanks guys.

 

[larryt]

Do you think to go back to school for Pharmacy Technician program. That degree will help you lots when you're in pharm school.

 

[candle786]

Yeah that's my first goal, to be certified as a pharm tech. I doubt I'd be ready for the march exam but I'll see. I'll definitely be ready by the july exam though. That's another thing I need to decide, whether or not to take classes and if so, which classes. I'm actively researching that issue. Thank you though.

 

[lord999]

There are two different arguments going on here. I think what candle wants to know is whether or not a Masters is worth pursuing before pharmacy. The other argument is whether or not a post-graduate degree is worthwhile for pharmacy.

I have mixed feelings on the subject and would give each of them a qualified "yes."

There are times when a candidate comes through with an advanced degree before pharmacy. For instance, if you were a health care worker with your first degree (ADN, BSN, Social Worker, Public Health, etc.), it's usually a decisive advantage to admission. These folks know what they're getting into and what they face. They also bring some experience to the table in terms of other healthcare viewpoints.

On the other extreme, I really can't see how a Masters in Recreational Management would help a candidate in application nor in practice.

As for post-graduate degrees, I do not think that it would be a bright idea to pursue such a degree unless you have designs on a career that isn't front-line pharmacy or want to promote into upper management.

In my case, I have every intention of practicing pharmacy in an academic setting, so I absolutely MUST get a graduate degree.

 

[Triangulation]

Lord,

what are the rho chi requirements?

 

[lord999]

Each school has different specific requirements, but it's generally the top 20% in GPA sans D or F as a grade at then end of the 2nd didactic year. My school has a dubious "character" requirement, (that way supposedly, the real jerks can't get in).

For my school, cutoff was 3.6 for my year. It was 3.7 for this year inductees.

 

[Triangulation]

yikes. i better get it in gear this semester. my 'C' in pharm practice, a 5 unit course, kinda shifted the cumulative leftward.

 

[candle786]

More advice needed please. I'm still actively searching good masters programs that would be beneficial to me if I went to pharm school and would still be useful if i did not.

How about certified health specialist (Masters in Health Promotion)? There is an online program offered through Virginia Tech. I work for DOL (but not OSHA) so i figure I could work for osha in the meantime while applying to pharm school/getting my masters. How does that sound?

 

[dgroulx]

Originally posted by candle786
More advice needed please. I'm still actively searching good masters programs that would be beneficial to me if I went to pharm school and would still be useful if i did not

How about physician's assistant? It will help you out in pharmacy school and would definitely be useful if you chose not to go.

 

[candle786]

That is actually what I originally wanted to do while I was an undergrad. I realized though that it would take me so long to try to become a good applicant for PA schools and since it wasn't what I really wanted to do, I figured it wouldnt be worth it. If I did become a PA, I don't think I would have the time, money, or energy to go on to pharm school. Also, I'm looking at online programs or programs close to home so I can work full time while getting my masters. So going to PA school right now wouldn't be right for me for so many reasons.

 

[badxmojo]

i hear public health is a useful masters which is not too difficult to get.

 

[candle786]

Yeah, Public health is still definitely an option.

Just curious, do pharmacists and PAs have the same salary?

 

[lord999]

No:

PAs in AZ make about $10 to $20K more than we do. But you have to remember, that pharmacy is a voluntary 40 hour week and PAs have an involuntary overtime issue (ave. week is about 50 hours).

(I know I'm going to get reamed for this statement. I apologize in advance.) Personally, I am uncomfortable with the training or lack thereof that the PAs receive for the responsibility of practice they receive. I think that the NP's do just fine in terms of clinical competence, but the PAs just don't seem to meet the measure as a group. For my school, I sincerely think the DO, pharmacy, OT, and PT candidates are a much more competent group in admissions and in practice for their professional responsibilities than the PAs. (The DPM program just started, so I can't judge them.)

If I had to get an MS before pharmacy, I would suggest public health, a joint MBA/MHSA, or public programs.

 

[badxmojo]

in diff part od the country pharmacist can make more than a PA..but from my findings I've found that its about the same..as Far as PA's not being as competent, I have no expereince with that so I can't say if lord999 is right. I thought that PA's usually had lots of prior expereince though.

 

[pharmel]

Candle, I don't understand why you're not applying for pharm school this year! Maybe I missed something, but you must have most of your pre-reqs!

 

[candle786]

Well, for the following reasons

1. Haven't taken PCATs yet
2. Don't know who would write a good LOR for me
3. Decided a few months ago that I want to be a pharmacist so it's too late to apply now (right?)
4. Still need to research schools a little more
5. Wanted to become a pharm tech before applying
6. Want to work a little bit and save up before attending school

And some other reasons. Pharm school is a big committment so I want to be totally ready for it by the time I start attending. But I don't want to just "sit around" in the meantime so I was thinking of pursuing a masters online. I'm also, obviously, actively researching other jobs related to pharmacy. Again, just so i know what is out there.

 

[Triangulation]

Originally posted by candle786
Well, for the following reasons

1. Haven't taken PCATs yet
2. Don't know who would write a good LOR for me
3. Decided a few months ago that I want to be a pharmacist so it's too late to apply now (right?)
4. Still need to research schools a little more
5. Wanted to become a pharm tech before applying
6. Want to work a little bit and save up before attending school

And some other reasons. Pharm school is a big committment so I want to be totally ready for it by the time I start attending. But I don't want to just "sit around" in the meantime so I was thinking of pursuing a masters online. I'm also, obviously, actively researching other jobs related to pharmacy. Again, just so i know what is out there.

I'm impressed with your reasoning. Very mature thinking. It's great that you're trying to formulate a plan. It'll be the map that leads you to the promised land.

 

[candle786]

Thank you. I'm at a point where I can't waste time or money so I'm just taking it all slow and doing my research, learning about all my options, etc. It is discouraging at times just because the process will take so long for me, but it'll all be worth it in the end, hopefully. This site is a HUGE help. Thank you everyone. More Questions to continue...

 

[pharmel]

I agree that your thinking is great, but if you really want to get in, and you don't want to waste your time:
1) Look at your transcripts: do you have two semesters of: gen chem? o-chem? physics? biology? one sem. of: a&p? speech? economics? If you do, (or you could finish them by August) then:
2) You can take the pcat next week on a stand-by basis. (I took the pcat last March (stand-by) without studying and only six weeks of biology and six weeks of chem- and before that I hadn't been in school for 7 years and got an 85- so it's possible to get a good score without studying a lot)
3)Many schools have a Feb.1 deadline. You still have time to get your application in to pharmcas if you do it TODAY!!!


If you know you want to be a pharmacist, I think you should GO FOR IT!! It would be a few weeks of hard work getting all your ducks in a row, but well worth it since you seem like a great candidate. You will get in if you go for it, girlfriend.

If you decide to go for it, fax your transcript request forms to your schools asap. They will be the slowest of your processes. The next is to do your application- it takes a while to get all the info entered, then write your essay. It's time consuming, but you'll get it done in time! This might save you a year - and it may not, but isn't it worth the shot? Good luck to you!

 

[candle786]

Very interesting. Something I will definitely consider. Thank you for the advice. Thinking and pondering......