School and jobs.... what to do

[MichelleRenee]

I currently have a 2-year degree in Environmental Health and Safety. I have been working in the field for 1.5 years. I don't make tons of money, but what I do make combined with what DH makes is just enough to support us right now. (I make about 1.5 times what he makes)

We are both students. DH just started college. He has a great work schedule. He works 10 hour days MWFS and has TTh off to go to classes. I have a typical M-F, 9-5 schedule. I have been in college since 2001. I have gone part time, full time and changed my major a few times. I got my 2 year degree in this field and while I don't hate what I do I also don't love it. I intended to get my degree in environmental engineering to follow what I do now, but I realized I just don't love the field that much and I would rather be doing something else!

After taking a few science classes I realized that my true passion lies within Chemistry and Microbiology. Talking with an advisor about this led me to a new program that I know I will be really happy in. I will actually be majoring in Biology with a focus on Microbiology. Joining this program led me to a new option: pre-pharmacy. I never considered pharmacy school before but I never realized that 1. I love the sciences and 2. exactly what being a pharmacist is. I always thought they were just people who count pills. I have done some research and it turns out that being a pharmacist might be the career I have been looking for. Or maybe pharmaceutical research.

I am pretty sure (99%) that I do want to go to pharmacy school, but I do realize I may choose a different path for grad school after completing my BS. Regardless, I am now in the position of basically "starting over" with school. I have over 100 credits, but with switching to Biology I will have to take a lot of science credits to complete the curriculum.

My current boss is awesome. He is very flexible with me leaving early once or twice a week for class and all other scheduling conflicts. (My son) He pays well, I have awesome benefits and it it is just a wonderful, small company to work for. But I have come to a point where I need certain classes that are ONLY offered MWTTHF at 11am or 2 pm. These classes will definitely interfere with my work schedule. I don't think I can keep my job if I want to be part time. I do a lot of client work that involves being onsite all day long and that just wouldn't work with a M_F school schedule.

I am kind of stuck as to what to do to make sure my family is being supported, but to also allow myself to follow through with this career path and eventually have a job I love. It feels as if my only option is to quit my current job, use DH's medical insurance (which isn't bad, but it's not as good either) and then find a part time job that will work around my busy upcoming school schedule. That automatically makes me think one thing: waiting tables again. Or I could try to get a job in a pharmacy in hopes of gaining some experience. And I keep thinking, we could sell the house and move back into an apartment until we graduate.

I am just very confused and feeling very selfish right now. I have to do what is best for myself and my family, but I feel guilty for thinking about quitting my job. I feel guilty that I am starting a new college curriculum that will affect my family in such a way. If I do pursue pharmacy school I am looking at another 7 years before I graduate. I feel like it is totally selfish of me to expect my family to spend the next 7 years waiting for me to graduate.

I certainly don't expect anyone to be able to "solve" this problem, but can anyone relate to this? Am I being totally selfish and unreasonable in wanting to do this?

[jennylou]

I suggest you look pretty deep into all that pharmacy entails. I'm friendly with a pharmacist (she's a friend of a cousin) and a few weeks ago I was at a party at her house and she and another pharmacist were talking about how tough it is to get into pharmacy school in Ohio right now - particularly NE Ohio. Apparently, there are only so many spots that are available in each school and more and more schools are starting to let high school kids in. They said at one school in Toledo if you don't pick pharmacy as a high school student your chances are slim of getting in - because they give over half the spots to HS kids. Just something to think about before you pursue the pre-reqs. :)

[megc1]

As a pharmacist I just want to weigh in on the matter. I chose pharmacy b/c I knew I wanted to do something in the health field and everyone I talked to told me how "family-friendly" pharmacy was. I have been a pharmacist for 7 years and am fortunate to have a great job and great hours but that has not always been the case. I am very lucky to have the schedule I do now (4 days/week 8:30-5), but it is certainly not the norm in this field. Most pharmacy jobs require night, weekend, and holiday hours. It does pay well, but to me family is much more important. I just wish I would have thought about it a little more before deciding on pharmacy.

That being said, I don't think you are selfish for choosing a different career path. I think you could make it work. I know in my state there is a pharmacy school that is exclusively on-line. I'm not sure if any of the pre-req's you need would be offered on-line but that could be an option.

[MichelleRenee]

I would actually be looking into going to NEOUCOM which is in NE Ohio. I am definitely aware of how hard it is to get in, but also very willing to give it my all. NEOUCOM is affiliated with my university. They accept 20% of the students from my school and 20% each from 3 other universities and the final 20% from outside those 4 universities. It is very competetive. I believe in myself 100%. I have a very high GPA even with several semesters of full time school plus 2 jobs and I absolutely love the science classes that are the basis of the pre-pharmacy curriculum.

This is also why I said I am only 99% sure about pharmacy school. If I didn't get accepted I would continue on with classes, possibly re-applying the following year or pursuing a master's in Micro.

So I definitely know what I am getting myself into. I am not scared of the classes or the PCAT, but I am scared of rejection!

[jennylou]

Okay - I just remember hearing them talk about it and wanted to let you know in case you weren't aware. :)

[angel17]

I don't think you are selfish. Some questions you need to ask yourself AND your husband:

What exactly is the down side of you going back to school? How long is your husbands program? If he is done soon can you wait until he is finished and just continue to get the pre req's done via part time for now?

Can you talk to the counselor and figure out what classes you can take perhaps on line for now until you have to go full time? What will you do about child care if you are in school full time?

The biggest thing is are you both willing to make some sacrifices now to get to the shared goal?

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Best of luck to you!!

[tertia]

My sister has been working for a well known nation wide pharmacy for many, many years. She started when she was 16 and she worked the front counter ringing customers up. When she graduated from high school she went to college and the pharmancy helped her pay for school. I have no idea how much they paid for or what the requirements were for them to do that since I never asked. Pharmacy school for her was really, really tough but she made it through and it definately paid off for her financially in the end, but she still had huge school loans. Her hours as a pharmacist really kind of sucked. For a long time she worked midnights, and she ALWAYS worked holidays and such. Eventually she made it to pharmacy manger, and then she climbed herself up to regional manager. She was interested in going higher, but due to the stress of the job, the horrible traveling and hours that came with it, she has relaxed a little and is just trying to find a good district she can stand to work in. She's transfered districts many times and they all seemed to have the same problem...not enough pharmacists. She can hardly keep her stores filled with the minimum number of pharmacists needed. So if you can make it through the program, in the right area you can guarantee yourself a job.

And no...I don't think that you are being selfish at all. I think loving what you do is a great benefit to not only you, but to your husband and your child as well...it makes for a much happier mommy at home. It took my mom 10 years to get her bachelors degree, all of that was during my childhood. She also worked full time during those 10 years. A lot of my memories of my mother growing up had to do with her schooling, her homework, etc. Our family gave many sacrifices for her to do that, but it totally paid off. It instilled a great set of values in all of us regarding education and now that my father is out of a job, her job is their only income.

[MichelleRenee]

Thank you all. It is very difficult to make decisions like this now that we have a family. We talked this weekend and we are completely open to selling our house if we need to so I can quit my job, but we are going to do whatever we can to avoid that. I will take classes part time until Mike graduates and then we will take it from there. I don't like the idea of slowing down my classes and delaying my degree, but we definitely think that is what is best for our family.