teacher thinking of changing profession

[teacher]

Hi
i am a teacher(31 year old single female woman) who is thinking (and has been for several years) of doing pharmacy. It has now changed to 5 years i realise this and i am no spring chicken. I do enjoy my job as a teacher and it is very rewarding however it just doesn't pay very well for the amount of time you have to put in. If i worked it out i am getting paid less than 10 pounds an hour! and that is not including the extra planning and marking time. When i was 18 years old i got onto a pharmacy course but as the first time away from home i messed around and ending up having to change my course as i screwed up. To cut a long story short I often think of this mistake i made and that what if i was a pharmacist, how much better my life(financially) would be. I know it would be a lot of studying but i am mature and sensible now. However, the question is do you think it would be wise for me to take this step in my life now, or do you think it is too late bareing in mind i would have to support myself for five years without a wage being single.
thanks for your responses in advance.
teacher,

[Part Timer]

Personally, I wouldn't change career just for financial reasons, studying is expensive work and you'd be in huge amounts of debt before you even start your new higher paid job.
(If you want to do it for personal reasons/job satisfaction then that's a different matter, you can't put a price on that, but if you're happy in your current job then stick with it IMO)

Good luck either way x

[johnep]

We had a 31 year old on our course, try the army for a grant. also you could do supply teaching during hols.
johnep

[Band6]

Apparently, the oldest person to graduate the pharmacy course at Brighton uni was 64. One of the guys on my course was 43 when he started. 31 is nothing!

Before you leap into anything, how about some voluntary work at the weekends or during school holidays to see if you still feel its for you?

[verve76]

Hi, bit of an old thread but just wondered if you took the decision to study pharmacy in the end as I guess I'm in a similar situation at present. You mention its a 5 year degree - I guess you mean 4 year degree and 1 year pre-reg?

[JayEm]

Hi, bit of an old thread but just wondered if you took the decision to study pharmacy in the end as I guess I'm in a similar situation at present. You mention its a 5 year degree - I guess you mean 4 year degree and 1 year pre-reg?

Depends on what A levels (or equivalent) you have. Manchester and some other unis offer a foundation year for students that don't have the required qualifications.

[doryan]

I know in our course there are so many mature students. In terms of age i wouldnt say this is a problem but this for sure its very intense and expensive . On the otherhand if you work part time as a supply teacher it would help a lot but to maintain a social life it would be hard work.

[AimingHigh]

Hi everyone... I'm new to the forum and joined mainly to get some direction and also to get a better understanding of the pharmacy world.
i am currently a secondary School Science teacher, but I have always had an ambition of becoming a Pharmacist i am now seriously considering taking on a 4 year degree. I have A-levels in Chemistry, Biology and English at (B,B,B) I also have a BSc degree in Pharmaceutical sciences.
Can anyone tell me the chances of getting a place on a pharmacy degree starting 2011? I feel it may be hard as i will be competing with young student who have just finished their A-Levels. Also would there be anything else that may help me getting a place i.e any other qualifications i may need?
I have worked in a pharmacy before and also completed the NPA interact course.

[johnep]

No problem academically, you would probably have to fund yourself. Got a spare £50k?
johnep

[AimingHigh]

yeh 50k sounds really hefty but I should be able to 'work' my way around it. Are all universities applying the 10k tution fee for returning students now?