Pharmacy was a trending career when I was in high school / college, during that age range when you become increasingly aware of having to choose a field of study as well as your life’s profession. From an external perspective, it made sense. Pharmacists always seemed unperturbed behind the counter unlike the hustling, frustrated retail associates in the main store. Furthermore, pharmacy wasn’t as competitive a field as medicine, didn’t have as much grunt work as nursing, and paid around a six-figure salary. What’s not to love?
Despite a passing interest, pharmacy was never for me as I was much more interested in the chemicals and how they were designed rather than their interactions with the human body. However, my brother pursued pharmacy. I’m not sure whether it was genuine interest or the lack of a stronger call elsewhere. His experiences in retail pharmacy have been eye-opening; it’s certainly not the ideal job that some parents and career websites seem to believe. To hear about his experiences about the trials and tribulations of pharmacy, go check out his (aptly named) blog, Pharm Sucks.