confused...

[stealth4122]

well were do i start, having applied for pharmacy and been rejected, im now put down for a place in pharmaceutical chemistry. since day 1 iv been wanting to work in the pharmaceutical industry, as its something which has appealed 2 me. but...and theres always a but...and *cough* always something to do with money. my dad says wht the hell y u doing that, theres no money in that, ppl open up pharmacies when they come out of uni and a couple o years later are making £200k.

so firstly if u guys can help, and im sure u can , is it really that easy to get ur own pharmacy up and running when coming out of uni, and do u hit the big bucks then, or is there a catch, does it take a couple o years to become established, or is there any legislation that restricts u in some way.

secondly, if my dad was right and the degree iv chosen (pharmaceutical Chemistry) will just abt get me some peanuts...is there a way to register with the british pharmaceutical society, to dispense drugs, do you have to sit certain modules in order to be elegible to take the test or do you specifically have to do the pharmacy degree.

any help will be greatly appreciated, as iv put queen mary on hold on whether i still wanna study pharmaceutical chemistry.... ty

[the old merlin]

Re: confused...

No. it's not as easy as that. Nothing ever is. About 20 yrs ago, yes, you could open a pharmacy a year after leaving college. Unless you are VERY lucky and can find a site where there isn't someone else near enough, I would think that's impossible now.
Further, I would think that by the time you qualify, you would be required to do a couple of years on the Register before opening your own pharmacy. Unless your Dad had megabucks and can finance you with an experienced pharmacist as well as you.

Currently you need to do an approved MPharm to get registered as a pharmacist. AFAIK Queen Mary doesn't offer it, so you don't even have the option of getting in and doing a crafty switch once you are in. That's sometime possible, but only, obviously, where the Uni does both Pharmaceutical Chemistry AND Pharmacy.

Things might change in a few years time, but if you were my 18 year old I wouldn't recommend gambling on it!

If you were my 18 year old and you WANT to do Pharm Chem, I'd say do it. If you're good, you'll get a fulfilling job. If you're not you'll get a good science degree which gives you the opportunity to do other things. Scientifically trained lawyers and accountants, for example, are nearly as rare as hens teeth!

[stealth4122]

Re: confused...

thnx alot for the reply i appreciate it. its settled my mind now lol, but will it put me at a disavdantage in securing a job in the pharmaceutical industry, having a msc in pharmaceutical chemistry, than a msc in pharmacy, and im pushing it now lol but wht kind of job prospects are there for a guy with a msc in pharmaceutical chmistry. ty again uv been gr8 help

[Pharmanaut]

Re: confused...

thnx alot for the reply i appreciate it. its settled my mind now lol, but will it put me at a disavdantage in securing a job in the pharmaceutical industry, having a msc in pharmaceutical chemistry, than a msc in pharmacy, and im pushing it now lol but wht kind of job prospects are there for a guy with a msc in pharmaceutical chmistry. ty again uv been gr8 help

Plan B. Get your on the MPharm, and see if they do 'special honours' in pharm chem. Used to do this at Bradford years ago. Sadly they stopped the special honours in pharmacognosy the year before I took a shine to it.

[kemzero]

Re: confused...

hi there stealth4122

PharmChem is a good degree but you need to check out the job prospects before you go down that route

I know a couple of Pharm Chem,pharmacology and forensic science graduates working as pharmacy techs in a London hospital and they had to do the NVQ level 3 ( which is below degree level),so yo can dispense drugs but will not have overall responsibility for pharmaceutical services provided from a pharmacy dept ,hence pharmacy techs,dispensers and assistants work under the supervison of a pharmacist as support staff......althogh things might change in the future

Some people think pharmacy is boring...da da da, but it offers above average salaries and there are job opps in quite a few sectors e.g hospital,community,primary care ,industry ,pharmaceutical journalism etc

As for owning your own pharmacy...anything is possible if you focus and work hard all you is a good bank loan and a 10-20% dep
( locuming )

Good luck whatesoever you decide to do

[the old merlin]

Re: confused...

Good luck whatsoever you decide to do

I go with that. 100%

Remember, unless you have a "vocational degree" ..... medicine, pharmacy, dentistry .... you need to have a bit of "front". No-one will GIVE you a job, but, there's no point in aiming at the easiest target. When you're young, you have to go for the stars.
If you miss the brightest, you may well hit the second.

And if you can prove to the world you're good, unless you're doing research no-one will, after a couple of years, give a **** about what degree you got. You only need it to get on the ladder.

Again, do what YOU feel you want to do. You'll only regret it later if you don't!

[Jeff]

Re: confused...

and im pushing it now lol but wht kind of job prospects are there for a guy with a msc in pharmaceutical chmistry.

The counter assistant in one of the shops I work in has a degree in pharmaceutical chemistry (or maybe pharmaceutical science).

Jeff

[the old merlin]

Re: confused...

The counter assistant in one of the shops I work in has a degree in pharmaceutical chemistry (or maybe pharmaceutical science).

Jeff

And s/he's applied elsewhere for? Is applying for?

[Jeff]

Re: confused...

And s/he's applied elsewhere for? Is applying for?

Nothing AFAIK.

Jeff

[stealth4122]

Re: confused...

ty again for ur help guys, i think ill be ok with pharm chem, i guess its about excelling in wht your doing which matters at the end of the day, and if i keep my head down and work hard, well the world is my oyster i guess lol.

[the old merlin]

Re: confused...

Yep, go for it and best wishes