I have a dilemma. I've kept it quiet for a while, but I'm going to go for it and ask you guys what you think.
I have finished 4.5 years of pharmacy school and have only 1.5 yeas left. I left pharmacy school at one point because I thought I'd hate it, and prepared for nursing school instead (they have an accelerated program for people who already have bachelor's, which I already have in comparative religion). I then decided to go back to pharmacy because I have so much in student loans and I need to be able to afford to pay it back. Now, I'm having second thoughts again.
I was thinking about my clinical rotations/clerkships over break. I reflected on my experiences as a pharmacy intern. I honestly don't like the job. I basically just want the money, even though I find pharmacology itself incredibly interesting, the real life job of a retail pharmacist is rather monotonous and stressful. I could do clinical hospital, but that would require another two years of residencies. But, on the other hand, I'm so close to being done... and I hate not finishing what I started.
Then there's nursing... I could go into the academia rather easily, or be a practicing nurse in less than two years. There are lots more doors open to me academically and career-wise. I think I'd like being a nurse more than a pharmacist... but there's a couple things that bother me. For one, I wouldn't find it intellectually satisfying unless I went on to get a higher degree or specialty certification and taught or something. By this I just mean that I feel so over-educated and over-prepared to be a nurse... I've basically been through a form of medical school that focuses on drugs. Secondly, and probably playing more into my decision, nurses make about a third to a half of the salary as pharmacists.
Okay, so which would you choose if you were me? Do I pick more money (mainly to pay off loans more quickly, I have about $90K) and the satisfaction of finishing my PharmD, or long-term happiness and sanity?
Maybe some of the nurses on board can clue me in to the realities of being a nurse? My mom makes it sound like a fun job.
I know in reality it isn't quite that rosy. What makes you love your job? What really stresses you out?
Sorry for the long read... I have to decide in the next few days which I want to do. I'm leaning towards the RN, though... I know in the long run I'll be happier, but in the meantime, how do I pay off those loans?!
I have finished 4.5 years of pharmacy school and have only 1.5 yeas left. I left pharmacy school at one point because I thought I'd hate it, and prepared for nursing school instead (they have an accelerated program for people who already have bachelor's, which I already have in comparative religion). I then decided to go back to pharmacy because I have so much in student loans and I need to be able to afford to pay it back. Now, I'm having second thoughts again.
I was thinking about my clinical rotations/clerkships over break. I reflected on my experiences as a pharmacy intern. I honestly don't like the job. I basically just want the money, even though I find pharmacology itself incredibly interesting, the real life job of a retail pharmacist is rather monotonous and stressful. I could do clinical hospital, but that would require another two years of residencies. But, on the other hand, I'm so close to being done... and I hate not finishing what I started.
Then there's nursing... I could go into the academia rather easily, or be a practicing nurse in less than two years. There are lots more doors open to me academically and career-wise. I think I'd like being a nurse more than a pharmacist... but there's a couple things that bother me. For one, I wouldn't find it intellectually satisfying unless I went on to get a higher degree or specialty certification and taught or something. By this I just mean that I feel so over-educated and over-prepared to be a nurse... I've basically been through a form of medical school that focuses on drugs. Secondly, and probably playing more into my decision, nurses make about a third to a half of the salary as pharmacists.
Okay, so which would you choose if you were me? Do I pick more money (mainly to pay off loans more quickly, I have about $90K) and the satisfaction of finishing my PharmD, or long-term happiness and sanity?
Maybe some of the nurses on board can clue me in to the realities of being a nurse? My mom makes it sound like a fun job.
Sorry for the long read... I have to decide in the next few days which I want to do. I'm leaning towards the RN, though... I know in the long run I'll be happier, but in the meantime, how do I pay off those loans?!