Careers in pharmacy offer high pay, rewards
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — As the population ages and new medications constantly come to the market, pharmacists are in high demand, and those who choose to go into the field can often have their choice of jobs."Our pharmacy graduates have multiple job offers waiting for them well before they graduate," says Brian Shepler, director of experiential learning in Purdue's School of Pharmacy. "Most of our grads go into community pharmacy, but there are many who choose to specialize in areas such as pediatrics or cardiology or to work in a hospital setting."
In 2005 the Purdue School of Pharmacy graduated 164 students. It is one of two pharmacy schools within the state of Indiana and one of fewer than 85 in the United States. Last year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Purdue's pharmacy program fourth in the nation.
Shepler says many students pursue a career in pharmacy because it gives them a chance to interact with people, dispensing not only medication but important advice as well.
"Most students choose positions at pharmacies because they can work directly with patients, but others choose the hospital route where they work with people who are more seriously ill and who often can't communicate with them," Shepler says. "This provides a challenge, and many of our students enjoy that."
The pay also is attractive, he says. The starting salary for a community pharmacist averages more than $90,000 a year.
Shepler says that the high pay, however, comes after years of hard work in a selective academic program. Graduates of the Purdue program receive a doctor of pharmacy degree that takes six years to complete. The first two years are a prepharmacy program, and then those admitted to the full program must do well in a highly structured, four-year curriculum. The last year is the experiential or clerkship period, in which students complete a variety of rotations in a pharmacy, hospital or other health-care settings.
The tough curriculum and six-year commitment, though, are a small sacrifice for those interested in the field, he says.
"Our graduates haven't had any trouble finding jobs," Shepler says. "And the advantage of the six-year program is that students have a chance to mature a little bit before they enter the job market."
In 2005, 100 percent of Purdue's graduates found jobs.
Shepler says students considering a major in pharmacy should have had a strong science and math background in high school and be sure that they are ready to make pharmacy their career. The best way to do that, he says, is to ask a pharmacist what his or her workday is like and what the pros and cons of the job are.
"For those who do decide on pharmacy, the hard work is definitely worth it," he says.
Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu
Source: Brian Shepler, (765) 494-1365, bshepler@pharmacy.purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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