Do you study pharmacy or medicine?
That’s a tough question. Students interested and having a good background in science can consider getting into a pharmacy or medical school in the United States. If willing to study hard, these fields of science are really good, and definitely promise an exciting career. The syllabus of both these courses might be tough and require extensive input from the student’s side, all these years of study. But, it is worth for becoming a respectable professional, like a pharmacist or a doctor in the near future.
Finding the right school for you
Students might be confused by the list of courses and colleges available for higher studies in science. It is very important to choose the right college for pursuing medicine or pharmacy study, especially because the courses are of very long duration and expensive. Otherwise, all the years and effort wasted will be pointless, giving a degree without any value in the real world.
Take help from reviews on the web and from friends, other people who have knowledge about the medical field, to find a good medical school. One has to do enough and proper research before getting admission into any medical school. Consider checking out the scholarships available to meritorious students too, as the tuition fee is going to be huge. A valid course should be picked-up and studied, in order to have an established career in the concerned area as desired.
A student should understand all the details before committing to and starting any such course, as there is a wide array of options open in this particular field of science. One has to make sure the best suiting course is opted for, as it is to set up a long-lasting and fruitful career.
Eligibility to get into first year classes of a medical school
The student should have compulsory attendance of three years in a proper college or institute, prior to applying to a medical school. The following courses must be studied by the student satisfactorily:
1.Biochemistry -1 semester- Recommended lab training also
2. General Chemistry along with lab – 2 semesters
3. Organic Chemistry along with lab -1 semester
4. General Physics with lab- 2 semesters
5. General Zoology or biology along with lab -2 semesters
The eligibility criteria might vary from one medical school to another throughout the country, and has to be checked out individually before seeking admission. Pharmacy schools too would have a set of eligibility conditions, enabling only suitable candidates to take up the course.
Salaries of pharmacists and doctors
Generally, the opinion is that medical school is much harder than a pharmacy school. Making a decision to join pharmacy school or medical school has to primarily depend on the designation or career of interest. Also, the fee amounts and admission procedure to the pharmacy school or medical school in the United States needs to be considered.
On an average, a pharmacist in the United States gets $119,280 annually or $57.35 on an hourly basis as salary. The average annual pay of an US pharmacist can be quoted in between the lower limit of $89,000 up to an upper range of about $147,350. Latest reports suggest that the pharmacists getting better pays are employed by good merchandise stores in the country.
After passing out of med school, resident doctors get only about an average salary of $55,151 a year. This would get better with experience and more specializations, qualifications, etc. The branch of medicine in which specialization or higher studies are taken would greatly influence a doctor’s pay scale in the future. The huge fees paid at the US medical schools can be redeemed only by becoming a highly skilled and good doctor.
Deciding about joining a pharmacy school or medical school
Many people choose pharmacy schools over medical schools because it is cheaper and follows a relatively simpler syllabus. It is always better to pursue the field of study desired, than worry about it later. If necessary, student loans can be taken, offered at low interest rates to carry out education in a medical school. Becoming a pharmacist is also a reputed profession, but only if one is actually interested in it. Both of these fields involve serving the public to a good extent, which can be done satisfactorily by getting admission in a good US pharma or med school. To get admission into certain good medical schools, pre-medical courses are a must as well.
Taking some classes in advance
Having some prior knowledge about the basic terms and procedure is good for both pharmacy and medical studies. This would be advantageous to build up a bright career in the respective area too. With the number of aspirants increasing for these science schools, such courses are also becoming predominant. So, one can refresh what they have already learnt and be ready to attend classes at a good pharmacy or medical school. It will be easier for a student to understand the topics taught in grad schools, with such a prior brush-up of related basic things.
Further studies might be required
Taking post-graduation or MD might be crucial for earning good salary as a professional. Pharmacy and medical schools in the country offers many such courses for higher studies. Considering one’s interest, a narrower field can be explored, within the subject of under-graduation done. A career-oriented approach can be taken for selecting a post-graduate course.
After under-graduation in pharmacy school, one can choose from among the following options to get a better job position from an entry-level one. Doctor of pharmacy degree is offered in different fields like:
1. Patient care
2. Medicinal chemistry
3. Pathophysiology
4. Toxicology
5. Pharmacy ethics and law
6. Disease treatments
7. Bio pharmaceuticals
8. Drug absorption rates
After such a degree also, a two year post graduation degree might be critical to stabilizing and establishing a successful career in this field. Placement credits and scholarships are given to bright students in both pharmacy and medical schools, for carrying out further education.
Medicine and pharmacy are extremely intense fields of study that are developing every day. So, these areas would be interesting with updated information always. At the same time, a student might feel the pressure to have proper and deep knowledge, to have a good and successful career in these fields too.
