[dr junior]

Ok, many people are starting to panic as they fear there wont be any jobs for pharmacists very soon (in couple years). This is because there are to many places and schools available at universities which will make the pharmacy profession saturated. I think there should be a cap on places available and no new schools being made, and more roles and responsibilities given to pharmacists. this will help with problem of saturation, increase demand.

I think in years time it will become extremely difficult to secure a pre reg therefore stopping you becoming qualified. I think pharmacy will become the next optometry, too many supplies and less demand. I think the pharmacy board need to act now like dentistry and medicine and cap places available and limit how many schools available for pharmacy otherwise pharmacy will become useless master degree, where you will end up working at a fast food chain to make ends meat.

I made a poll to see if all other pharmacist share the same worries.

[Angrystrudel]

Definately agree from my own career's perspective and hence voted yes.

However, consider the government's position...
Increased schools of pharmacy will produce more pharmacists. More pharmacists will equal more applicants per job and hence lower salaries (therefore lower government expenditure) but also the greater competition will result in better pharmacists (only the very best applicants will gain the limited jobs available).
Let us not also remember that more students on lecture theatre seats results in more capital gained for universities (and hence the country).

In contrast, people may argue that the greater amount of schools of pharmacy will lead to this idea of "sub-standard pharmacists" being "churned out". Also, it would be reasonable to draw links to pharmacists under more strain financially offering a weaker service to patients.

Ultimately, the balance between these arguments comes down to how other professions are structured. If medicine and dentistry have limits on undergraduate degree places then so should pharmacy; as an equal profession.

[petzneo]

Interesting how no-one has said no....

[college80]

Votes Yes.

Forget a couple of years ,saturation is happening now. Students are finding it hard to get pre reg places this year and the big companies have rejected applications by saying that there are too many pharmacy students graduating every year and the don't have enough pre reg positions. After pre reg last year several companies did not offer qualified positions to people so you had people who had passed their pre reg exam but had no job. That tells you how serious the situation has become.

The pharmacy board cannot cap students as pharmacy is not regarded as a clinical nhs profession like dentistry or medicine, so capping is out of the question. That is where the problem lies....and is almost going to kill job security for pharmacy as there is no way of stopping new pharmacy schools.

The only way is to persuade pharmacy schools to reduce their numbers or to bring in the integrated degree. Neither are likely to happen. The pharmacy board must be woken up about the situation.

And more phatmacists meaning better quality pharmacists is bull talk, it puts a positive spin on the situation when in reality more pharmacists and no increase in the number of jobs avaiable could result in the destruction of the profession.

[college80]

(Original post by DrFantastic)
I think Pharmacy is dead. As a 2013 applicant I am looking at degrees at the moment and current pharmacists and students have told me that it's impossible to get Pharmacy work now.

It's a shame really. I liked Pharmacy and was going to apply but I have changed my opinion greatly now. Pharmacy board really should have done something. I really do feel for those searching for jobs.

On a positive spin, Pharmacy graduates don't have to become a Pharmacist right? They could go into research as they will have learnt a lot of medical science and pharmacology.

That is a gross exaggeration. There are still plenty of pharmacy jobs. Those students and pharmacists telling u that are overly exagerating. But yes it could become a problem as now people are finding it hard to get pre reg places and something has to be done to control the workforce.

[aspirinpharmacist]

(Original post by DrFantastic)
I think Pharmacy is dead. As a 2013 applicant I am looking at degrees at the moment and current pharmacists and students have told me that it's impossible to get Pharmacy work now.

It's a shame really. I liked Pharmacy and was going to apply but I have changed my opinion greatly now. Pharmacy board really should have done something. I really do feel for those searching for jobs.

On a positive spin, Pharmacy graduates don't have to become a Pharmacist right? They could go into research as they will have learnt a lot of medical science and pharmacology.

Research companies are making cuts though. And if you look at the figures, very few students go into industry from each "class". Maybe one or two out of a hundred or so? At least, that's how it was for all the universities I looked at.