Honestly why is everyone such a hater? I think it's good to open up new pharmacy schools, especially in California. Ya CA has a lot of schools but it's a huge @$$ state, probably the size of the east coast and we have some of the most populated cities (LA, SF, SD) and the population is exponentially growing. People who open schools aren't dumb, they only do it if they project the need. I just searched my zip code in indeed.com and there are 762 pharmacist openings in my area (LA area) - and no, it's not like the first page is pharmacists and the rest are random - every job until the last page is for a pharmacist. Even if only HALF of those are valid for whatever reason, that's still over 350 pharmacist jobs posted right now, recently after holiday time, which is the slowest hiring season. Hardly anyone posts jobs around Dec/beginning of Jan.
It seems like you guys aren't satisfied unless there are 100 job openings for every new grad. Come on! I think competition is necessary, and I doubt competition for pharmacists is ever going to get ugly (like it is for JDs now) let alone bad. You guys really are freaking out. I've never heard of a pharmacist looking for work and not finding a job eventually, whereas so many others are out of jobs now.
On top of it, those of you who are already pharmacists/in pharm school/applying soon don't even have to worry because you don't have the competition yet - maybe the kids who graduate in 10-15 years will, but that's their problem!
We need more nursing schools, more medical schools, more vet schools (now THAT'S what's lacking in CA), etc. Healthcare is unique in the sense that when there is a job opening, it's CRUCIAL to fill it, whereas most other positions have wiggle room and duties can be combined, a person can be given multiple responsibilities, etc. So, I wouldn't even worry about pharmacists losing jobs or any of that...as long as the population is aging and as long as US consumer culture becomes more drug-obsessed pharmacists will have jobs, and probably many job options. BAM!