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If I am currently in school and unemployed. Is it smart to just get any job or look for one in the field I wish to work in once I graduate.

Veteran

luz Santiago Summerville, SC

I am a junior and will have a Bachelor's in technical management. However I want to become a Pharmacist.

30 August 2019 7 replies Career Advancement

Answers

Advisor

June R Massoud Burlington, VT

Question: Why are you getting a degree in a field in which you will not be working? Technical Management is very different from Pharmacy; unless you combine both and become a computer whiz for a pharmacy and run their computer systems. Okay?
Best, June R Massoud

Advisor

Jerry Welsh Middleville, MI

A lot of good advice. Do some Informational Interviewing with PhmD in retail and hospital settings. If you decide that is what you want to do, obtain a position in a pharmacy part-time. You may even become a pharmacist tech, with a certificate. The degree will chew up more than you GI bill may cover, so you might want to plan on how you will cover that. Number 1 you have to be accepted into a program. Thank you for your service and God Bless.

Advisor

David Akre New York, NY

You’re not unemployed, you’re in school. Huge difference.
If you need to work, get a job. Try to maximize earnings while maintaining flexibility so you can go to class.
If you don’t need to work, get a starting position in your field.
Best.

Advisor

Amit Chaudhary San Jose, CA

Here is one additional point, convert
I want to become a Pharmacist.
to
I have explored via other jobs in the industry, what Pharmacists do and know enough now to say confidentially being a Pharmacist is what I would love and I will be good at it

Advisor

Jerry Welsh Middleville, MI

Luz,
Have you been accepted into a PharmD program? If you have Robert's advise is very good. Programs where you work in the medical environment and continue working on the pharmacy degree will also allow you to gain valuable experience. It also will assist on where you may wish to practice retail or in a healthcare setting.

Advisor

Jennifer Polhemus Santa Monica, CA

Robert offers good advice.

If you are sure about the pharmacist goal, then why a degree path in technical management? Is it because your degree options were limited, based on your geography, convenience, or the higher ed institutions available to you?

This may be hard to hear, but spend an hr or two looking hard at your higher ed choices. Dream big for a while and ask "What would happen if I changed my major (or college) at this point?" Maybe that would NOT be a good choice, but at least list out your options.

My concern is that you will spend much future energy explaining how/why a degree in technical management fits with your ultimate career goal. Feel free to reach out to me if you want to brainstorm.

Back to your core question -- I don't think your present job(s) need to fit with your pharmacist goal, unless you want to try and become a pharmacy tech, which suggests that retail store experience would be helpful. Check this out https://www.allalliedhealthschools.com/pharmacy-technician/how-to-become-a-pharmacist/

Keep up the good work, you have a wonderful future ahead!

Advisor

Robert Rahni White Plains, NY

Hi Iuz,

Thank you for your service and for having posed this question. With respect to working while pursuing postsecondary education - if you’re using GI BILL educational benefits, a monthly basic allowance for housing (BAH) is given. This is designed so that student veterans could focus solely on their academics. That said, in my experience many student vets enjoy working and some need to supplement their BAH income by working while going to school. I would suggest seeing if your school has a VA Work Study Program. This Work Study is fully funded by the VA and it’s a good way to make some extra money in between classes.

Obtaining relevant work experience to one’s academic major will certainly help increase the likelihood of being admitted to the graduate program of interest, which for you is Pharmacy School. To what extent however is debatable. Will it be a deciding factor whether you obtain admittance to a Pharm-D program? Probably not. Obviously you cannot work as a Pharmacist at this juncture but perhaps look into becoming a Pharmacist Technician.

I’m curious what coursework you are taking for your Bachelors in Technical Management. Most Pharm-D programs require prerequisite courses in the Physical Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy & Physiology, etc.)

I don’t think having relevant work experience to the graduate degree you intend to pursue is required but it certainly won’t hurt. That said, I think your academics and course work, grades will carry the most weight; my suggestion is to keep your focus, time and effort on the books.

Wishing you the best of luck!

Best,
Robert

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