The honest truth about Pharmacy.
Greetings to you all.
Before I start, I just want to point out that a lot of people do Pharmacy for the right reasons. Do not let what I am saying discourage you if ultimately you decide to pursue the path of Pharmacy. Everybody is different and will vary in expectations in regard to work/life balance, pay, career progression and what not. In essence, Pharmacy does provide a comfortable salary for you to live for the rest of your life.
Though equally, a lot of people also choose Pharmacy for the wrong reasons. This post is to give an impartial judgement on whether Pharmacy is a good career choice based on empirical data and my own personal anecdotes. I can substantiate onto certain points considering my time as a first year Pharmacy student. I will upload another post in regards to my personal experiences with Pharmacy as a first year student very soon. However, long story short, I am no longer a Pharmacy student.
Please let me know what you think in regard to this post, I will be online and can answer any questions for any prospective students thinking about joining Pharmacy.
[b]What does the MPharm degree entail?[\b]
MPharm stands for an Integrated Master’s degree in Pharmacy. It is an undergraduate degree that durates for 4 years and is typically pursued by individuals interested in becoming pharmacists. The MPharm is a clinical degree such as degrees like MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery) degree, however, the MPharm degree can easily be interpreted as a science degree due to its interdisciplinary nature in content.
All MPharm programs are accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The GPhC is the regulatory body for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians that inaugurate and oversee standards for pharmacy education and practice, including the accreditation of MPharm programs. The GPhC ensures that pharmacists are properly trained and qualified to provide safe and effective pharmaceutical care to patients.
MPharm programs encompasses a comprehensive study of pharmaceutical science, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, pharmacy law and ethics, pharmacotherapy, clinical pharmacy, and pharmacy practice. Students also undergo placements in community pharmacies, hospitals, and other healthcare settings to gain hands-on experience.
[Table 1:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2661171/]
This table shows the typical accredited MPharm program.
Pharmacy Education in the United Kingdom - PMC (nih.gov)
In my opinion, the MPharm degree is very Chemistry and Biology based, so make sure you are fine with learning content of that calibre.
After completing the MPharm course, graduates have a choice of pre-registration training, during which they work under the supervision of a registered pharmacist to gain practical experience and further develop their skills. This training usually lasts for one year and is a requirement for becoming a fully registered pharmacist in the GPhC.
Upon successful completion of the pre-registration training, the next step is to pass the registration exam set by the GPhC. Once registered, pharmacists can work in various settings including community pharmacies, hospitals, industry, academia, and regulatory agencies. They may also choose to pursue further specialisation or advanced degrees in areas such as clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutical research, or management.
Entry requirements:
I feel like there is a general aphorism regarding the difficulty of getting into MPharm. Some of which say that it is the “gateway for medicine rejects” indicating an inferiority complex in terms of the academic gap between a typical MBBS degree and the MPharm degree. Don’t just take my postulations for it, even TSR threads agree to such as if it’s the norm.
[Link 1: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4569450]
Is pharmacy a bad career choice? - The Student Room
I must declare to all that read this thread. Pharmacy is one of the most difficult courses in the UK. I would argue its definitely within the top 6 most difficult degrees. Considering that almost 15% of Pharmacy students dropped out by Year 1 (3x the average in the UK (~5.3%) substantiates how difficult the degree is. (https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/almost-15-of-mpharm-students-leave-course-after-first-year-in-2020-2021).
Whilst it may be true that medical application entry is harder than Pharmacy application entry, the sweeping conclusion that I feel it incorporates into how the MPharm degree is in itself intellectually dishonest. This does not mean that Pharmacy is the “easy way out”. Pharmacy applications are also graduate cap restricted, meaning that applications into Pharmacy aren’t just accepted on a whim. You must attend an interview, have an enhanced DBS check and pass a calculation and situal judgement assessment.
From what I have drafted, these are the true entry requirements if you were to undertake the MPharm degree in the UK as of 2024:
They are 30 Schools of Pharmacy in the United Kingdom.
[Link: https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/education/approved-providers-education-and-training/accredited-mpharm-degrees]
Accredited MPharm degrees | General Pharmaceutical Council (pharmacyregulation.org)
On average, most School’s of Pharmacy require an A-Level Attainment of ~ ABB, where the lowest entry requirements for direct Year 1 entry is BBC (Robert Gordon University Aberdeen), and the highest was most of the Russel group universities with AAB as their entry requirements.
For direct enrolment into Year 1, prospective students must attain a minimum of a BBB for most Schools of Pharmacy.
However, there are many Schools of Pharmacy that offer foundation years, particularly non-Russel group universities where offers go as low as BCC.
However, most Schools of Pharmacy maintain the need for a minimum of a Grade C in Chemistry, and ideally another grade in a science. Some Schools of Pharmacy accept BTECs in Applied Sciences (Minimum entry requirement DMM) and even fewer accept a T-Level in Science.
GCSE Requirements range from each university, all requiring a minimum of 5 in Maths, 4 in English Language, and 4s in Combined or Triple Science.
Is becoming a Pharmacist a well paying profession?
Once again, I believe there is an aphorism in regards to the normality of a Pharmacist pay. On TSR, I have seen a plethora of different salaries being posted which seem to be quite polar depending on where you look. Some assert that Pharmacists get paid as low as £18 per hour (£34.5k) and some as high as £55 per hour (£100k+) if you were to work a typical 40 hour per week schedule. getting paid salaries of ~£80k+. As seen by the links below:
[Link 1: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6179832]
Pharmacy Salary - The Student Room
[Link 2: https://www.pharmacy-forum.co.uk/forum/general-information/newbie-questions/240094-what-would-you-advise-a-student-wanting-to-study-pharmacy-at-university]
What would you advise a student wanting to study pharmacy at University? - Pharmacy Forum UK (pharmacy-forum.co.uk)
[Link 3: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6523374]
Pharmacy is the best paid and the most prestigious healthcare profession in the UK! - The Student Room
[Link 4: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6804826]
Is Pharmacy worth it? - The Student Room
[Link 5: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6252510]
How is Pay of A Pharmacist? - The Student Room
I think a common issue with these postings is the lack of specificity about posting salary assertions online. These posts aren’t specific enough in regard to experience (Newly qualified or qualified for some time), the time in which the role was offered to them, the type of Pharmacy role, etc.
Now for the usual perspective students looking for an objective view on a pharmacist salary, this may seem quite confusing. At least for me it was, however, as being a Pharmacy student for 1 year, speaking to many Pharmacists of different backgrounds and professions, I can confidently draft these to be the average salaries of Pharmacy roles. (Please comment down below if you want any specific salaries):
Community Pharmacist:
A Community Pharmacist in the UK provides medication dispensing, advice on health and wellbeing, manages prescriptions, and offers healthcare services within local communities.
Graduate Salary: £30,000
2-3 years experience (Community Pharmacist): £42,000
5-10 years experience (Senior): £50,000
10+ years experience (Pharmacy Manager): £50,000-£70,000
[Link: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/community-pharmacist#:~:text=Salaries%20for%20pre%2Dregistration%20trainees,independent%20pharmacies%20may%20pay%20less.]
Community pharmacist job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
Clinical (Hospital) Pharmacist:
A Clinical Pharmacist in the UK works in healthcare settings, collaborating with other professionals to optimize medication therapy, manage chronic conditions, and enhance patient care. This profession is usually for the NHS.
Graduate Salary (NHS Pay Band 6): £35,000
2-3 years experience (Band 7): £35,000 - £42,000
5-10 years experience (Band 7- Band 8a Specialist): £46,000 - £58,000
10+ years experience (Band 8b-9 (Deputy/Chief Pharmacist)): £59,000 - £115,000
[Link: https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/pay-scales-202324]
Pay scales for 2023/24 | NHS Employers
Industry Pharmacist / Qualified Person (QP) / Regulatory Affairs:
An Industry Pharmacist / QP / Regulatory Affairs Officer in the UK works in pharmaceutical companies, contributing to drug development, manufacturing, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and product promotion.
Graduate Salary: £30,000
1-3 years experience (Experienced): £40,000-£50,000
5-10 years experience (Senior): £60,000-£70,000
10+ years experience (Director): £100,000
[Link: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/regulatory-affairs-officer]
Regulatory affairs officer job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
Is MPharm a versatile degree?
A perk of the Pharmacy degree is that it is versatile in the sense you can do other roles pharmaceutical related. Roles such as an MSL (Medical Science Liaison), Regulatory Affairs Officer are roles that are available for MPharm graduates just to name a few.
Is the MPharm degree worth it?
I think it truly depends on your passion, determination, and goals in the career.
I would personally stay clear of Community Pharmacy. As some of the links I have incorporated have stated, Community Pharmacy is going through a rough patch right now. The pay is certainly worse than of any of the other professions. Whilst its arguably not as bad as it was 5-10 years ago due to Pharmacy courses as of last year being prescriber trained from graduation, I believe it will stagnate again in the future due to oversaturation. I do personally believe Pharmacy is oversaturated and due to its lack of versatility outside of pharmaceuticals is one of the lucidities in regards to my departure from Pharmacy.
Clinical Pharmacy and any other Pharmacy role are better. I am willing to concede the notion that I may be quite biased in terms of my omittance of Community Pharmacy due to my passion for more science/ STEM based roles, but at the same time affirm how bad Community Pharmacy has been and will be projected to be in the near future.
In terms of pay, its significantly higher than the national and graduate average (£33k) per annum, however, unless you progress to more specialised (Oncology / Radio pharmacy) or management-based careers (Chief Pharmacist / Director of Pharmacy), you will most likely not make more than £70k in your entire career.
I would say, if you want a career in industry, undertake a Pharmacology / Pharmaceutical Science / Chemistry degree then work your way up to PhD level as the chance of an MPharm graduate heading to an industry role is less than 10%. 54% of Pharmacy graduates end up in community pharmacy, so please choose wisely. (Number of community pharmacists shoots up 19% in 5 years, data reveals | Chemist+Druggist :: C+D (chemistanddruggist.co.uk))
If you want a career in hospital pharmacy, get as much work experience in a local hospital as possible, and especially during your MPharm degree.
That’s all for me. If you want any more information or clarification, please let me know by replying on this thread.
Thank you very much for reading, please add your input as I really want the best for everyone, and I feel misinformation about this degree has taken part quite rapidly over the years.
I will post another thread very soon about my personal experiences with Pharmacy, and why I left.
Before I start, I just want to point out that a lot of people do Pharmacy for the right reasons. Do not let what I am saying discourage you if ultimately you decide to pursue the path of Pharmacy. Everybody is different and will vary in expectations in regard to work/life balance, pay, career progression and what not. In essence, Pharmacy does provide a comfortable salary for you to live for the rest of your life.
Though equally, a lot of people also choose Pharmacy for the wrong reasons. This post is to give an impartial judgement on whether Pharmacy is a good career choice based on empirical data and my own personal anecdotes. I can substantiate onto certain points considering my time as a first year Pharmacy student. I will upload another post in regards to my personal experiences with Pharmacy as a first year student very soon. However, long story short, I am no longer a Pharmacy student.
Please let me know what you think in regard to this post, I will be online and can answer any questions for any prospective students thinking about joining Pharmacy.
[b]What does the MPharm degree entail?[\b]
MPharm stands for an Integrated Master’s degree in Pharmacy. It is an undergraduate degree that durates for 4 years and is typically pursued by individuals interested in becoming pharmacists. The MPharm is a clinical degree such as degrees like MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery) degree, however, the MPharm degree can easily be interpreted as a science degree due to its interdisciplinary nature in content.
All MPharm programs are accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The GPhC is the regulatory body for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians that inaugurate and oversee standards for pharmacy education and practice, including the accreditation of MPharm programs. The GPhC ensures that pharmacists are properly trained and qualified to provide safe and effective pharmaceutical care to patients.
MPharm programs encompasses a comprehensive study of pharmaceutical science, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, pharmacy law and ethics, pharmacotherapy, clinical pharmacy, and pharmacy practice. Students also undergo placements in community pharmacies, hospitals, and other healthcare settings to gain hands-on experience.
[Table 1:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2661171/]
This table shows the typical accredited MPharm program.
Pharmacy Education in the United Kingdom - PMC (nih.gov)
In my opinion, the MPharm degree is very Chemistry and Biology based, so make sure you are fine with learning content of that calibre.
After completing the MPharm course, graduates have a choice of pre-registration training, during which they work under the supervision of a registered pharmacist to gain practical experience and further develop their skills. This training usually lasts for one year and is a requirement for becoming a fully registered pharmacist in the GPhC.
Upon successful completion of the pre-registration training, the next step is to pass the registration exam set by the GPhC. Once registered, pharmacists can work in various settings including community pharmacies, hospitals, industry, academia, and regulatory agencies. They may also choose to pursue further specialisation or advanced degrees in areas such as clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutical research, or management.
Entry requirements:
I feel like there is a general aphorism regarding the difficulty of getting into MPharm. Some of which say that it is the “gateway for medicine rejects” indicating an inferiority complex in terms of the academic gap between a typical MBBS degree and the MPharm degree. Don’t just take my postulations for it, even TSR threads agree to such as if it’s the norm.
[Link 1: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4569450]
Is pharmacy a bad career choice? - The Student Room
I must declare to all that read this thread. Pharmacy is one of the most difficult courses in the UK. I would argue its definitely within the top 6 most difficult degrees. Considering that almost 15% of Pharmacy students dropped out by Year 1 (3x the average in the UK (~5.3%) substantiates how difficult the degree is. (https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/almost-15-of-mpharm-students-leave-course-after-first-year-in-2020-2021).
Whilst it may be true that medical application entry is harder than Pharmacy application entry, the sweeping conclusion that I feel it incorporates into how the MPharm degree is in itself intellectually dishonest. This does not mean that Pharmacy is the “easy way out”. Pharmacy applications are also graduate cap restricted, meaning that applications into Pharmacy aren’t just accepted on a whim. You must attend an interview, have an enhanced DBS check and pass a calculation and situal judgement assessment.
From what I have drafted, these are the true entry requirements if you were to undertake the MPharm degree in the UK as of 2024:
They are 30 Schools of Pharmacy in the United Kingdom.
[Link: https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/education/approved-providers-education-and-training/accredited-mpharm-degrees]
Accredited MPharm degrees | General Pharmaceutical Council (pharmacyregulation.org)
On average, most School’s of Pharmacy require an A-Level Attainment of ~ ABB, where the lowest entry requirements for direct Year 1 entry is BBC (Robert Gordon University Aberdeen), and the highest was most of the Russel group universities with AAB as their entry requirements.
For direct enrolment into Year 1, prospective students must attain a minimum of a BBB for most Schools of Pharmacy.
However, there are many Schools of Pharmacy that offer foundation years, particularly non-Russel group universities where offers go as low as BCC.
However, most Schools of Pharmacy maintain the need for a minimum of a Grade C in Chemistry, and ideally another grade in a science. Some Schools of Pharmacy accept BTECs in Applied Sciences (Minimum entry requirement DMM) and even fewer accept a T-Level in Science.
GCSE Requirements range from each university, all requiring a minimum of 5 in Maths, 4 in English Language, and 4s in Combined or Triple Science.
Is becoming a Pharmacist a well paying profession?
Once again, I believe there is an aphorism in regards to the normality of a Pharmacist pay. On TSR, I have seen a plethora of different salaries being posted which seem to be quite polar depending on where you look. Some assert that Pharmacists get paid as low as £18 per hour (£34.5k) and some as high as £55 per hour (£100k+) if you were to work a typical 40 hour per week schedule. getting paid salaries of ~£80k+. As seen by the links below:
[Link 1: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6179832]
Pharmacy Salary - The Student Room
[Link 2: https://www.pharmacy-forum.co.uk/forum/general-information/newbie-questions/240094-what-would-you-advise-a-student-wanting-to-study-pharmacy-at-university]
What would you advise a student wanting to study pharmacy at University? - Pharmacy Forum UK (pharmacy-forum.co.uk)
[Link 3: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6523374]
Pharmacy is the best paid and the most prestigious healthcare profession in the UK! - The Student Room
[Link 4: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6804826]
Is Pharmacy worth it? - The Student Room
[Link 5: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6252510]
How is Pay of A Pharmacist? - The Student Room
I think a common issue with these postings is the lack of specificity about posting salary assertions online. These posts aren’t specific enough in regard to experience (Newly qualified or qualified for some time), the time in which the role was offered to them, the type of Pharmacy role, etc.
Now for the usual perspective students looking for an objective view on a pharmacist salary, this may seem quite confusing. At least for me it was, however, as being a Pharmacy student for 1 year, speaking to many Pharmacists of different backgrounds and professions, I can confidently draft these to be the average salaries of Pharmacy roles. (Please comment down below if you want any specific salaries):
Community Pharmacist:
A Community Pharmacist in the UK provides medication dispensing, advice on health and wellbeing, manages prescriptions, and offers healthcare services within local communities.
Graduate Salary: £30,000
2-3 years experience (Community Pharmacist): £42,000
5-10 years experience (Senior): £50,000
10+ years experience (Pharmacy Manager): £50,000-£70,000
[Link: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/community-pharmacist#:~:text=Salaries%20for%20pre%2Dregistration%20trainees,independent%20pharmacies%20may%20pay%20less.]
Community pharmacist job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
Clinical (Hospital) Pharmacist:
A Clinical Pharmacist in the UK works in healthcare settings, collaborating with other professionals to optimize medication therapy, manage chronic conditions, and enhance patient care. This profession is usually for the NHS.
Graduate Salary (NHS Pay Band 6): £35,000
2-3 years experience (Band 7): £35,000 - £42,000
5-10 years experience (Band 7- Band 8a Specialist): £46,000 - £58,000
10+ years experience (Band 8b-9 (Deputy/Chief Pharmacist)): £59,000 - £115,000
[Link: https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/pay-scales-202324]
Pay scales for 2023/24 | NHS Employers
Industry Pharmacist / Qualified Person (QP) / Regulatory Affairs:
An Industry Pharmacist / QP / Regulatory Affairs Officer in the UK works in pharmaceutical companies, contributing to drug development, manufacturing, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and product promotion.
Graduate Salary: £30,000
1-3 years experience (Experienced): £40,000-£50,000
5-10 years experience (Senior): £60,000-£70,000
10+ years experience (Director): £100,000
[Link: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/regulatory-affairs-officer]
Regulatory affairs officer job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
Is MPharm a versatile degree?
A perk of the Pharmacy degree is that it is versatile in the sense you can do other roles pharmaceutical related. Roles such as an MSL (Medical Science Liaison), Regulatory Affairs Officer are roles that are available for MPharm graduates just to name a few.
Is the MPharm degree worth it?
I think it truly depends on your passion, determination, and goals in the career.
I would personally stay clear of Community Pharmacy. As some of the links I have incorporated have stated, Community Pharmacy is going through a rough patch right now. The pay is certainly worse than of any of the other professions. Whilst its arguably not as bad as it was 5-10 years ago due to Pharmacy courses as of last year being prescriber trained from graduation, I believe it will stagnate again in the future due to oversaturation. I do personally believe Pharmacy is oversaturated and due to its lack of versatility outside of pharmaceuticals is one of the lucidities in regards to my departure from Pharmacy.
Clinical Pharmacy and any other Pharmacy role are better. I am willing to concede the notion that I may be quite biased in terms of my omittance of Community Pharmacy due to my passion for more science/ STEM based roles, but at the same time affirm how bad Community Pharmacy has been and will be projected to be in the near future.
In terms of pay, its significantly higher than the national and graduate average (£33k) per annum, however, unless you progress to more specialised (Oncology / Radio pharmacy) or management-based careers (Chief Pharmacist / Director of Pharmacy), you will most likely not make more than £70k in your entire career.
I would say, if you want a career in industry, undertake a Pharmacology / Pharmaceutical Science / Chemistry degree then work your way up to PhD level as the chance of an MPharm graduate heading to an industry role is less than 10%. 54% of Pharmacy graduates end up in community pharmacy, so please choose wisely. (Number of community pharmacists shoots up 19% in 5 years, data reveals | Chemist+Druggist :: C+D (chemistanddruggist.co.uk))
If you want a career in hospital pharmacy, get as much work experience in a local hospital as possible, and especially during your MPharm degree.
That’s all for me. If you want any more information or clarification, please let me know by replying on this thread.
Thank you very much for reading, please add your input as I really want the best for everyone, and I feel misinformation about this degree has taken part quite rapidly over the years.
I will post another thread very soon about my personal experiences with Pharmacy, and why I left.
[quote="abcstudentonline;99299919"]Greetings to you all.
Before I start, I just want to point out that a lot of people do Pharmacy for the right reasons. Do not let what I am saying discourage you if ultimately you decide to pursue the path of Pharmacy. Everybody is different and will vary in expectations in regard to work/life balance, pay, career progression and what not. In essence, Pharmacy does provide a comfortable salary for you to live for the rest of your life.
Though equally, a lot of people also choose Pharmacy for the wrong reasons. This post is to give an impartial judgement on whether Pharmacy is a good career choice based on empirical data and my own personal anecdotes. I can substantiate onto certain points considering my time as a first year Pharmacy student. I will upload another post in regards to my personal experiences with Pharmacy as a first year student very soon. However, long story short, I am no longer a Pharmacy student.
Please let me know what you think in regard to this post, I will be online and can answer any questions for any prospective students thinking about joining Pharmacy.
What does the MPharm degree entail?[\b]
MPharm stands for an Integrated Master’s degree in Pharmacy. It is an undergraduate degree that durates for 4 years and is typically pursued by individuals interested in becoming pharmacists. The MPharm is a clinical degree such as degrees like MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery) degree, however, the MPharm degree can easily be interpreted as a science degree due to its interdisciplinary nature in content.
All MPharm programs are accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The GPhC is the regulatory body for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians that inaugurate and oversee standards for pharmacy education and practice, including the accreditation of MPharm programs. The GPhC ensures that pharmacists are properly trained and qualified to provide safe and effective pharmaceutical care to patients.
MPharm programs encompasses a comprehensive study of pharmaceutical science, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, pharmacy law and ethics, pharmacotherapy, clinical pharmacy, and pharmacy practice. Students also undergo placements in community pharmacies, hospitals, and other healthcare settings to gain hands-on experience.
[Table 1:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2661171/]
This table shows the typical accredited MPharm program.
Pharmacy Education in the United Kingdom - PMC (nih.gov)
In my opinion, the MPharm degree is very Chemistry and Biology based, so make sure you are fine with learning content of that calibre.
After completing the MPharm course, graduates have a choice of pre-registration training, during which they work under the supervision of a registered pharmacist to gain practical experience and further develop their skills. This training usually lasts for one year and is a requirement for becoming a fully registered pharmacist in the GPhC.
Upon successful completion of the pre-registration training, the next step is to pass the registration exam set by the GPhC. Once registered, pharmacists can work in various settings including community pharmacies, hospitals, industry, academia, and regulatory agencies. They may also choose to pursue further specialisation or advanced degrees in areas such as clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutical research, or management.
Entry requirements:
I feel like there is a general aphorism regarding the difficulty of getting into MPharm. Some of which say that it is the “gateway for medicine rejects” indicating an inferiority complex in terms of the academic gap between a typical MBBS degree and the MPharm degree. Don’t just take my postulations for it, even TSR threads agree to such as if it’s the norm.
[Link 1: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4569450]
Is pharmacy a bad career choice? - The Student Room
I must declare to all that read this thread. Pharmacy is one of the most difficult courses in the UK. I would argue its definitely within the top 6 most difficult degrees. Considering that almost 15% of Pharmacy students dropped out by Year 1 (3x the average in the UK (~5.3%) substantiates how difficult the degree is. (https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/almost-15-of-mpharm-students-leave-course-after-first-year-in-2020-2021).
Whilst it may be true that medical application entry is harder than Pharmacy application entry, the sweeping conclusion that I feel it incorporates into how the MPharm degree is in itself intellectually dishonest. This does not mean that Pharmacy is the “easy way out”. Pharmacy applications are also graduate cap restricted, meaning that applications into Pharmacy aren’t just accepted on a whim. You must attend an interview, have an enhanced DBS check and pass a calculation and situal judgement assessment.
From what I have drafted, these are the true entry requirements if you were to undertake the MPharm degree in the UK as of 2024:
They are 30 Schools of Pharmacy in the United Kingdom.
[Link: https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/education/approved-providers-education-and-training/accredited-mpharm-degrees]
Accredited MPharm degrees | General Pharmaceutical Council (pharmacyregulation.org)
On average, most School’s of Pharmacy require an A-Level Attainment of ~ ABB, where the lowest entry requirements for direct Year 1 entry is BBC (Robert Gordon University Aberdeen), and the highest was most of the Russel group universities with AAB as their entry requirements.
For direct enrolment into Year 1, prospective students must attain a minimum of a BBB for most Schools of Pharmacy.
However, there are many Schools of Pharmacy that offer foundation years, particularly non-Russel group universities where offers go as low as BCC.
However, most Schools of Pharmacy maintain the need for a minimum of a Grade C in Chemistry, and ideally another grade in a science. Some Schools of Pharmacy accept BTECs in Applied Sciences (Minimum entry requirement DMM) and even fewer accept a T-Level in Science.
GCSE Requirements range from each university, all requiring a minimum of 5 in Maths, 4 in English Language, and 4s in Combined or Triple Science.
Is becoming a Pharmacist a well paying profession?
Once again, I believe there is an aphorism in regards to the normality of a Pharmacist pay. On TSR, I have seen a plethora of different salaries being posted which seem to be quite polar depending on where you look. Some assert that Pharmacists get paid as low as £18 per hour (£34.5k) and some as high as £55 per hour (£100k+) if you were to work a typical 40 hour per week schedule. getting paid salaries of ~£80k+. As seen by the links below:
[Link 1: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6179832]
Pharmacy Salary - The Student Room
[Link 2: https://www.pharmacy-forum.co.uk/forum/general-information/newbie-questions/240094-what-would-you-advise-a-student-wanting-to-study-pharmacy-at-university]
What would you advise a student wanting to study pharmacy at University? - Pharmacy Forum UK (pharmacy-forum.co.uk)
[Link 3: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6523374]
Pharmacy is the best paid and the most prestigious healthcare profession in the UK! - The Student Room
[Link 4: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6804826]
Is Pharmacy worth it? - The Student Room
[Link 5: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6252510]
How is Pay of A Pharmacist? - The Student Room
I think a common issue with these postings is the lack of specificity about posting salary assertions online. These posts aren’t specific enough in regard to experience (Newly qualified or qualified for some time), the time in which the role was offered to them, the type of Pharmacy role, etc.
Now for the usual perspective students looking for an objective view on a pharmacist salary, this may seem quite confusing. At least for me it was, however, as being a Pharmacy student for 1 year, speaking to many Pharmacists of different backgrounds and professions, I can confidently draft these to be the average salaries of Pharmacy roles. (Please comment down below if you want any specific salaries):
Community Pharmacist:
A Community Pharmacist in the UK provides medication dispensing, advice on health and wellbeing, manages prescriptions, and offers healthcare services within local communities.
Graduate Salary: £30,000
2-3 years experience (Community Pharmacist): £42,000
5-10 years experience (Senior): £50,000
10+ years experience (Pharmacy Manager): £50,000-£70,000
[Link: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/community-pharmacist#:~:text=Salaries%20for%20pre%2Dregistration%20trainees,independent%20pharmacies%20may%20pay%20less.]
Community pharmacist job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
Clinical (Hospital) Pharmacist:
A Clinical Pharmacist in the UK works in healthcare settings, collaborating with other professionals to optimize medication therapy, manage chronic conditions, and enhance patient care. This profession is usually for the NHS.
Graduate Salary (NHS Pay Band 6): £35,000
2-3 years experience (Band 7): £35,000 - £42,000
5-10 years experience (Band 7- Band 8a Specialist): £46,000 - £58,000
10+ years experience (Band 8b-9 (Deputy/Chief Pharmacist)): £59,000 - £115,000
[Link: https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/pay-scales-202324]
Pay scales for 2023/24 | NHS Employers
Industry Pharmacist / Qualified Person (QP) / Regulatory Affairs:
An Industry Pharmacist / QP / Regulatory Affairs Officer in the UK works in pharmaceutical companies, contributing to drug development, manufacturing, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and product promotion.
Graduate Salary: £30,000
1-3 years experience (Experienced): £40,000-£50,000
5-10 years experience (Senior): £60,000-£70,000
10+ years experience (Director): £100,000
[Link: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/regulatory-affairs-officer]
Regulatory affairs officer job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
Is MPharm a versatile degree?
A perk of the Pharmacy degree is that it is versatile in the sense you can do other roles pharmaceutical related. Roles such as an MSL (Medical Science Liaison), Regulatory Affairs Officer are roles that are available for MPharm graduates just to name a few.
Is the MPharm degree worth it?
I think it truly depends on your passion, determination, and goals in the career.
I would personally stay clear of Community Pharmacy. As some of the links I have incorporated have stated, Community Pharmacy is going through a rough patch right now. The pay is certainly worse than of any of the other professions. Whilst its arguably not as bad as it was 5-10 years ago due to Pharmacy courses as of last year being prescriber trained from graduation, I believe it will stagnate again in the future due to oversaturation. I do personally believe Pharmacy is oversaturated and due to its lack of versatility outside of pharmaceuticals is one of the lucidities in regards to my departure from Pharmacy.
Clinical Pharmacy and any other Pharmacy role are better. I am willing to concede the notion that I may be quite biased in terms of my omittance of Community Pharmacy due to my passion for more science/ STEM based roles, but at the same time affirm how bad Community Pharmacy has been and will be projected to be in the near future.
In terms of pay, its significantly higher than the national and graduate average (£33k) per annum, however, unless you progress to more specialised (Oncology / Radio pharmacy) or management-based careers (Chief Pharmacist / Director of Pharmacy), you will most likely not make more than £70k in your entire career.
I would say, if you want a career in industry, undertake a Pharmacology / Pharmaceutical Science / Chemistry degree then work your way up to PhD level as the chance of an MPharm graduate heading to an industry role is less than 10%. 54% of Pharmacy graduates end up in community pharmacy, so please choose wisely. (Number of community pharmacists shoots up 19% in 5 years, data reveals | Chemist+Druggist :: C+D (chemistanddruggist.co.uk))
If you want a career in hospital pharmacy, get as much work experience in a local hospital as possible, and especially during your MPharm degree.
That’s all for me. If you want any more information or clarification, please let me know by replying on this thread.
Thank you very much for reading, please add your input as I really want the best for everyone, and I feel misinformation about this degree has taken part quite rapidly over the years.
I will post another thread very soon about my personal experiences with Pharmacy, and why I left.
This was a really useful post, as I have been considering applying to study pharmacy at university. I was aware that most pharmacy graduates end up in community pharmacy which I want to stay clear of since I don’t think it will suit me. However I didn’t know that MPharm graduates didn’t have a high chance of getting into industry? Surely their knowledge would be useful in pharmaceutical companies and I thought there was still a chance to work in one during your degree of after before you have become fully registered. I have been interested in pharmaceutical companies for a while now, especially the medical affairs and regulatory affairs sectors. Is doing a science degree then PhD really better to get a job in that area of industry? I was so sure that a pharmacy degree would be enough.
Before I start, I just want to point out that a lot of people do Pharmacy for the right reasons. Do not let what I am saying discourage you if ultimately you decide to pursue the path of Pharmacy. Everybody is different and will vary in expectations in regard to work/life balance, pay, career progression and what not. In essence, Pharmacy does provide a comfortable salary for you to live for the rest of your life.
Though equally, a lot of people also choose Pharmacy for the wrong reasons. This post is to give an impartial judgement on whether Pharmacy is a good career choice based on empirical data and my own personal anecdotes. I can substantiate onto certain points considering my time as a first year Pharmacy student. I will upload another post in regards to my personal experiences with Pharmacy as a first year student very soon. However, long story short, I am no longer a Pharmacy student.
Please let me know what you think in regard to this post, I will be online and can answer any questions for any prospective students thinking about joining Pharmacy.
What does the MPharm degree entail?[\b]
MPharm stands for an Integrated Master’s degree in Pharmacy. It is an undergraduate degree that durates for 4 years and is typically pursued by individuals interested in becoming pharmacists. The MPharm is a clinical degree such as degrees like MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery) degree, however, the MPharm degree can easily be interpreted as a science degree due to its interdisciplinary nature in content.
All MPharm programs are accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The GPhC is the regulatory body for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians that inaugurate and oversee standards for pharmacy education and practice, including the accreditation of MPharm programs. The GPhC ensures that pharmacists are properly trained and qualified to provide safe and effective pharmaceutical care to patients.
MPharm programs encompasses a comprehensive study of pharmaceutical science, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, pharmacy law and ethics, pharmacotherapy, clinical pharmacy, and pharmacy practice. Students also undergo placements in community pharmacies, hospitals, and other healthcare settings to gain hands-on experience.
[Table 1:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2661171/]
This table shows the typical accredited MPharm program.
Pharmacy Education in the United Kingdom - PMC (nih.gov)
In my opinion, the MPharm degree is very Chemistry and Biology based, so make sure you are fine with learning content of that calibre.
After completing the MPharm course, graduates have a choice of pre-registration training, during which they work under the supervision of a registered pharmacist to gain practical experience and further develop their skills. This training usually lasts for one year and is a requirement for becoming a fully registered pharmacist in the GPhC.
Upon successful completion of the pre-registration training, the next step is to pass the registration exam set by the GPhC. Once registered, pharmacists can work in various settings including community pharmacies, hospitals, industry, academia, and regulatory agencies. They may also choose to pursue further specialisation or advanced degrees in areas such as clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutical research, or management.
Entry requirements:
I feel like there is a general aphorism regarding the difficulty of getting into MPharm. Some of which say that it is the “gateway for medicine rejects” indicating an inferiority complex in terms of the academic gap between a typical MBBS degree and the MPharm degree. Don’t just take my postulations for it, even TSR threads agree to such as if it’s the norm.
[Link 1: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4569450]
Is pharmacy a bad career choice? - The Student Room
I must declare to all that read this thread. Pharmacy is one of the most difficult courses in the UK. I would argue its definitely within the top 6 most difficult degrees. Considering that almost 15% of Pharmacy students dropped out by Year 1 (3x the average in the UK (~5.3%) substantiates how difficult the degree is. (https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/almost-15-of-mpharm-students-leave-course-after-first-year-in-2020-2021).
Whilst it may be true that medical application entry is harder than Pharmacy application entry, the sweeping conclusion that I feel it incorporates into how the MPharm degree is in itself intellectually dishonest. This does not mean that Pharmacy is the “easy way out”. Pharmacy applications are also graduate cap restricted, meaning that applications into Pharmacy aren’t just accepted on a whim. You must attend an interview, have an enhanced DBS check and pass a calculation and situal judgement assessment.
From what I have drafted, these are the true entry requirements if you were to undertake the MPharm degree in the UK as of 2024:
They are 30 Schools of Pharmacy in the United Kingdom.
[Link: https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/education/approved-providers-education-and-training/accredited-mpharm-degrees]
Accredited MPharm degrees | General Pharmaceutical Council (pharmacyregulation.org)
On average, most School’s of Pharmacy require an A-Level Attainment of ~ ABB, where the lowest entry requirements for direct Year 1 entry is BBC (Robert Gordon University Aberdeen), and the highest was most of the Russel group universities with AAB as their entry requirements.
For direct enrolment into Year 1, prospective students must attain a minimum of a BBB for most Schools of Pharmacy.
However, there are many Schools of Pharmacy that offer foundation years, particularly non-Russel group universities where offers go as low as BCC.
However, most Schools of Pharmacy maintain the need for a minimum of a Grade C in Chemistry, and ideally another grade in a science. Some Schools of Pharmacy accept BTECs in Applied Sciences (Minimum entry requirement DMM) and even fewer accept a T-Level in Science.
GCSE Requirements range from each university, all requiring a minimum of 5 in Maths, 4 in English Language, and 4s in Combined or Triple Science.
Is becoming a Pharmacist a well paying profession?
Once again, I believe there is an aphorism in regards to the normality of a Pharmacist pay. On TSR, I have seen a plethora of different salaries being posted which seem to be quite polar depending on where you look. Some assert that Pharmacists get paid as low as £18 per hour (£34.5k) and some as high as £55 per hour (£100k+) if you were to work a typical 40 hour per week schedule. getting paid salaries of ~£80k+. As seen by the links below:
[Link 1: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6179832]
Pharmacy Salary - The Student Room
[Link 2: https://www.pharmacy-forum.co.uk/forum/general-information/newbie-questions/240094-what-would-you-advise-a-student-wanting-to-study-pharmacy-at-university]
What would you advise a student wanting to study pharmacy at University? - Pharmacy Forum UK (pharmacy-forum.co.uk)
[Link 3: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6523374]
Pharmacy is the best paid and the most prestigious healthcare profession in the UK! - The Student Room
[Link 4: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6804826]
Is Pharmacy worth it? - The Student Room
[Link 5: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6252510]
How is Pay of A Pharmacist? - The Student Room
I think a common issue with these postings is the lack of specificity about posting salary assertions online. These posts aren’t specific enough in regard to experience (Newly qualified or qualified for some time), the time in which the role was offered to them, the type of Pharmacy role, etc.
Now for the usual perspective students looking for an objective view on a pharmacist salary, this may seem quite confusing. At least for me it was, however, as being a Pharmacy student for 1 year, speaking to many Pharmacists of different backgrounds and professions, I can confidently draft these to be the average salaries of Pharmacy roles. (Please comment down below if you want any specific salaries):
Community Pharmacist:
A Community Pharmacist in the UK provides medication dispensing, advice on health and wellbeing, manages prescriptions, and offers healthcare services within local communities.
Graduate Salary: £30,000
2-3 years experience (Community Pharmacist): £42,000
5-10 years experience (Senior): £50,000
10+ years experience (Pharmacy Manager): £50,000-£70,000
[Link: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/community-pharmacist#:~:text=Salaries%20for%20pre%2Dregistration%20trainees,independent%20pharmacies%20may%20pay%20less.]
Community pharmacist job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
Clinical (Hospital) Pharmacist:
A Clinical Pharmacist in the UK works in healthcare settings, collaborating with other professionals to optimize medication therapy, manage chronic conditions, and enhance patient care. This profession is usually for the NHS.
Graduate Salary (NHS Pay Band 6): £35,000
2-3 years experience (Band 7): £35,000 - £42,000
5-10 years experience (Band 7- Band 8a Specialist): £46,000 - £58,000
10+ years experience (Band 8b-9 (Deputy/Chief Pharmacist)): £59,000 - £115,000
[Link: https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/pay-scales-202324]
Pay scales for 2023/24 | NHS Employers
Industry Pharmacist / Qualified Person (QP) / Regulatory Affairs:
An Industry Pharmacist / QP / Regulatory Affairs Officer in the UK works in pharmaceutical companies, contributing to drug development, manufacturing, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and product promotion.
Graduate Salary: £30,000
1-3 years experience (Experienced): £40,000-£50,000
5-10 years experience (Senior): £60,000-£70,000
10+ years experience (Director): £100,000
[Link: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/regulatory-affairs-officer]
Regulatory affairs officer job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
Is MPharm a versatile degree?
A perk of the Pharmacy degree is that it is versatile in the sense you can do other roles pharmaceutical related. Roles such as an MSL (Medical Science Liaison), Regulatory Affairs Officer are roles that are available for MPharm graduates just to name a few.
Is the MPharm degree worth it?
I think it truly depends on your passion, determination, and goals in the career.
I would personally stay clear of Community Pharmacy. As some of the links I have incorporated have stated, Community Pharmacy is going through a rough patch right now. The pay is certainly worse than of any of the other professions. Whilst its arguably not as bad as it was 5-10 years ago due to Pharmacy courses as of last year being prescriber trained from graduation, I believe it will stagnate again in the future due to oversaturation. I do personally believe Pharmacy is oversaturated and due to its lack of versatility outside of pharmaceuticals is one of the lucidities in regards to my departure from Pharmacy.
Clinical Pharmacy and any other Pharmacy role are better. I am willing to concede the notion that I may be quite biased in terms of my omittance of Community Pharmacy due to my passion for more science/ STEM based roles, but at the same time affirm how bad Community Pharmacy has been and will be projected to be in the near future.
In terms of pay, its significantly higher than the national and graduate average (£33k) per annum, however, unless you progress to more specialised (Oncology / Radio pharmacy) or management-based careers (Chief Pharmacist / Director of Pharmacy), you will most likely not make more than £70k in your entire career.
I would say, if you want a career in industry, undertake a Pharmacology / Pharmaceutical Science / Chemistry degree then work your way up to PhD level as the chance of an MPharm graduate heading to an industry role is less than 10%. 54% of Pharmacy graduates end up in community pharmacy, so please choose wisely. (Number of community pharmacists shoots up 19% in 5 years, data reveals | Chemist+Druggist :: C+D (chemistanddruggist.co.uk))
If you want a career in hospital pharmacy, get as much work experience in a local hospital as possible, and especially during your MPharm degree.
That’s all for me. If you want any more information or clarification, please let me know by replying on this thread.
Thank you very much for reading, please add your input as I really want the best for everyone, and I feel misinformation about this degree has taken part quite rapidly over the years.
I will post another thread very soon about my personal experiences with Pharmacy, and why I left.
This was a really useful post, as I have been considering applying to study pharmacy at university. I was aware that most pharmacy graduates end up in community pharmacy which I want to stay clear of since I don’t think it will suit me. However I didn’t know that MPharm graduates didn’t have a high chance of getting into industry? Surely their knowledge would be useful in pharmaceutical companies and I thought there was still a chance to work in one during your degree of after before you have become fully registered. I have been interested in pharmaceutical companies for a while now, especially the medical affairs and regulatory affairs sectors. Is doing a science degree then PhD really better to get a job in that area of industry? I was so sure that a pharmacy degree would be enough.
In reply to the above post, universities tell you that you can go into industry. Perfectly true, you can. Whether you actually will is another matter!
At an open day/interview ask for figures for the previous 5 yrs of how many of their graduates are working in industry. If you even get an answer it will be something like one or two people per cohort/year.
Go and look at the websites of different pharmaceutical companies and make a list of what degrees they mention to join them. I did this a couple of years ago, and pharmacy as a degree was not mentioned that often. You may have more success in QP/regulatory affairs roles, but if it is science roles you are interested in then I would agree with the OP about doing a pure science degree, then a MSc/PhD.
Around 6 out of 10 pharmacy graduates still go into community pharmacy, and looking on LocateAlocum site this morning, in my area (greater West Mids) there are many shifts going for around £23-£25, which is what I was earning back in 2008.
Some of the big chains are now offering starting salaries after pre-reg of £50k p.a. (Boots/Superdrug) but you will work very hard for that, and there will be little increase above it if you remain in community, apart from cost of living increases if you are lucky, each year.
At an open day/interview ask for figures for the previous 5 yrs of how many of their graduates are working in industry. If you even get an answer it will be something like one or two people per cohort/year.
Go and look at the websites of different pharmaceutical companies and make a list of what degrees they mention to join them. I did this a couple of years ago, and pharmacy as a degree was not mentioned that often. You may have more success in QP/regulatory affairs roles, but if it is science roles you are interested in then I would agree with the OP about doing a pure science degree, then a MSc/PhD.
Around 6 out of 10 pharmacy graduates still go into community pharmacy, and looking on LocateAlocum site this morning, in my area (greater West Mids) there are many shifts going for around £23-£25, which is what I was earning back in 2008.
Some of the big chains are now offering starting salaries after pre-reg of £50k p.a. (Boots/Superdrug) but you will work very hard for that, and there will be little increase above it if you remain in community, apart from cost of living increases if you are lucky, each year.
Original post by mrlittlebigman
In reply to the above post, universities tell you that you can go into industry. Perfectly true, you can. Whether you actually will is another matter!
At an open day/interview ask for figures for the previous 5 yrs of how many of their graduates are working in industry. If you even get an answer it will be something like one or two people per cohort/year.
Go and look at the websites of different pharmaceutical companies and make a list of what degrees they mention to join them. I did this a couple of years ago, and pharmacy as a degree was not mentioned that often. You may have more success in QP/regulatory affairs roles, but if it is science roles you are interested in then I would agree with the OP about doing a pure science degree, then a MSc/PhD.
Around 6 out of 10 pharmacy graduates still go into community pharmacy, and looking on LocateAlocum site this morning, in my area (greater West Mids) there are many shifts going for around £23-£25, which is what I was earning back in 2008.
Some of the big chains are now offering starting salaries after pre-reg of £50k p.a. (Boots/Superdrug) but you will work very hard for that, and there will be little increase above it if you remain in community, apart from cost of living increases if you are lucky, each year.
At an open day/interview ask for figures for the previous 5 yrs of how many of their graduates are working in industry. If you even get an answer it will be something like one or two people per cohort/year.
Go and look at the websites of different pharmaceutical companies and make a list of what degrees they mention to join them. I did this a couple of years ago, and pharmacy as a degree was not mentioned that often. You may have more success in QP/regulatory affairs roles, but if it is science roles you are interested in then I would agree with the OP about doing a pure science degree, then a MSc/PhD.
Around 6 out of 10 pharmacy graduates still go into community pharmacy, and looking on LocateAlocum site this morning, in my area (greater West Mids) there are many shifts going for around £23-£25, which is what I was earning back in 2008.
Some of the big chains are now offering starting salaries after pre-reg of £50k p.a. (Boots/Superdrug) but you will work very hard for that, and there will be little increase above it if you remain in community, apart from cost of living increases if you are lucky, each year.
Very much agree with this post. For pharmacy graduates the majority will end up in community pharmacy or hospital. With time and experience some migrate into general practice surgeries. As Littlebigman correctly pointed out only a very few graduates find employment in industry despite what the Unis misleadingly suggest. Counter intuitively there is not a lot of pharmacy in the pharmaceutical industry.
Just over a year ago Lloyds were the second largest pharmacy chain in the UK. Now they are completely gone having closed or sold all their branches. The Guardian has just published figures showing that since the end of 2017, 953 pharmacies have disappeared in England – more than 7.7% of the total. The effect on the future prospects for graduates in community pharmacy is clear. Government funding is a major factor.
Unlike hospital pharmacy there is no career structure in community pharmacy. Whilst some starting salaries look ok you need to note that apart from some annual inflation rises they are likely to remain static throughout your career. Locum rates (NE of England) have fallen since Covid and currently are £25-£30. Pressure is currently downwards. That is where they were 15 years or more ago. I have mentioned in earlier posts that the working conditions in many community pharmacies are poor. “Sweatshops” is a reasonable description.
Please do your research and good luck.
Original post by sincere.emm
This was a really useful post, as I have been considering applying to study pharmacy at university. I was aware that most pharmacy graduates end up in community pharmacy which I want to stay clear of since I don’t think it will suit me. However I didn’t know that MPharm graduates didn’t have a high chance of getting into industry? Surely their knowledge would be useful in pharmaceutical companies and I thought there was still a chance to work in one during your degree of after before you have become fully registered. I have been interested in pharmaceutical companies for a while now, especially the medical affairs and regulatory affairs sectors. Is doing a science degree then PhD really better to get a job in that area of industry? I was so sure that a pharmacy degree would be enough.
I was aware that most pharmacy graduates end up in community pharmacy which I want to stay clear of since I don’t think it will suit me. However I didn’t know that MPharm graduates didn’t have a high chance of getting into industry?
I thought so as well at first. It was actually one of my professors who sat me down and explained to me about the history of the MPharm degree. Apparently MPharm used to be accreditted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) which pretty much affirmed the degree's status as a core science degree. But now a days since its replacement to the GPhC, the scientific content of the MPharm has significantly decreased to accomodate more placements and clinical content which in my opinion now affirms MPharm as a clinical degree.
As to your question. Make sure you are happy to work in a community setting. If not, then please do not do the degree with the hope of getting into industry. Less than 10% of pharmacy graduates actually get a place in the industry.
I have been interested in pharmaceutical companies for a while now, especially the medical affairs and regulatory affairs sectors. Is doing a science degree then PhD really better to get a job in that area of industry? I was so sure that a pharmacy degree would be enough.
I would suggest taking a hard core science degree, then finding relevant experience in what you want to do. Ideally to break into reg affairs, you would need to undertake a grad scheme. As for med affairs, you would need a hard core science degree to at least a MSc level.
Its not common for pharmacists to get into industry, which was one of the reasons I have left after 1st year.
Original post by Sarah H.
Very much agree with this post. For pharmacy graduates the majority will end up in community pharmacy or hospital. With time and experience some migrate into general practice surgeries. As Littlebigman correctly pointed out only a very few graduates find employment in industry despite what the Unis misleadingly suggest. Counter intuitively there is not a lot of pharmacy in the pharmaceutical industry.
Just over a year ago Lloyds were the second largest pharmacy chain in the UK. Now they are completely gone having closed or sold all their branches. The Guardian has just published figures showing that since the end of 2017, 953 pharmacies have disappeared in England – more than 7.7% of the total. The effect on the future prospects for graduates in community pharmacy is clear. Government funding is a major factor.
Unlike hospital pharmacy there is no career structure in community pharmacy. Whilst some starting salaries look ok you need to note that apart from some annual inflation rises they are likely to remain static throughout your career. Locum rates (NE of England) have fallen since Covid and currently are £25-£30. Pressure is currently downwards. That is where they were 15 years or more ago. I have mentioned in earlier posts that the working conditions in many community pharmacies are poor. “Sweatshops” is a reasonable description.
Please do your research and good luck.
Just over a year ago Lloyds were the second largest pharmacy chain in the UK. Now they are completely gone having closed or sold all their branches. The Guardian has just published figures showing that since the end of 2017, 953 pharmacies have disappeared in England – more than 7.7% of the total. The effect on the future prospects for graduates in community pharmacy is clear. Government funding is a major factor.
Unlike hospital pharmacy there is no career structure in community pharmacy. Whilst some starting salaries look ok you need to note that apart from some annual inflation rises they are likely to remain static throughout your career. Locum rates (NE of England) have fallen since Covid and currently are £25-£30. Pressure is currently downwards. That is where they were 15 years or more ago. I have mentioned in earlier posts that the working conditions in many community pharmacies are poor. “Sweatshops” is a reasonable description.
Please do your research and good luck.
I agree completely with you.
When I was on my placements in community pharmacy, I didn't realise how dull and mundane the career is.
Its a shame I have already wasted a year of my life, but at least I didnt commit to something I wouldn't have enjoyed for the rest of my life.
I hope prospectives see this post and seriously consider the career in its longevity in which I, admittedly, did not do properly.
[quote="abcstudentonline;99299919"]Greetings to you all.
Before I start, I just want to point out that a lot of people do Pharmacy for the right reasons. Do not let what I am saying discourage you if ultimately you decide to pursue the path of Pharmacy. Everybody is different and will vary in expectations in regard to work/life balance, pay, career progression and what not. In essence, Pharmacy does provide a comfortable salary for you to live for the rest of your life.
Though equally, a lot of people also choose Pharmacy for the wrong reasons. This post is to give an impartial judgement on whether Pharmacy is a good career choice based on empirical data and my own personal anecdotes. I can substantiate onto certain points considering my time as a first year Pharmacy student. I will upload another post in regards to my personal experiences with Pharmacy as a first year student very soon. However, long story short, I am no longer a Pharmacy student.
Please let me know what you think in regard to this post, I will be online and can answer any questions for any prospective students thinking about joining Pharmacy.
What does the MPharm degree entail?[\b]
MPharm stands for an Integrated Master’s degree in Pharmacy. It is an undergraduate degree that durates for 4 years and is typically pursued by individuals interested in becoming pharmacists. The MPharm is a clinical degree such as degrees like MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery) degree, however, the MPharm degree can easily be interpreted as a science degree due to its interdisciplinary nature in content.
All MPharm programs are accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The GPhC is the regulatory body for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians that inaugurate and oversee standards for pharmacy education and practice, including the accreditation of MPharm programs. The GPhC ensures that pharmacists are properly trained and qualified to provide safe and effective pharmaceutical care to patients.
MPharm programs encompasses a comprehensive study of pharmaceutical science, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, pharmacy law and ethics, pharmacotherapy, clinical pharmacy, and pharmacy practice. Students also undergo placements in community pharmacies, hospitals, and other healthcare settings to gain hands-on experience.
[Table 1:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2661171/]
This table shows the typical accredited MPharm program.
Pharmacy Education in the United Kingdom - PMC (nih.gov)
In my opinion, the MPharm degree is very Chemistry and Biology based, so make sure you are fine with learning content of that calibre.
After completing the MPharm course, graduates have a choice of pre-registration training, during which they work under the supervision of a registered pharmacist to gain practical experience and further develop their skills. This training usually lasts for one year and is a requirement for becoming a fully registered pharmacist in the GPhC.
Upon successful completion of the pre-registration training, the next step is to pass the registration exam set by the GPhC. Once registered, pharmacists can work in various settings including community pharmacies, hospitals, industry, academia, and regulatory agencies. They may also choose to pursue further specialisation or advanced degrees in areas such as clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutical research, or management.
Entry requirements:
I feel like there is a general aphorism regarding the difficulty of getting into MPharm. Some of which say that it is the “gateway for medicine rejects” indicating an inferiority complex in terms of the academic gap between a typical MBBS degree and the MPharm degree. Don’t just take my postulations for it, even TSR threads agree to such as if it’s the norm.
[Link 1: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4569450]
Is pharmacy a bad career choice? - The Student Room
I must declare to all that read this thread. Pharmacy is one of the most difficult courses in the UK. I would argue its definitely within the top 6 most difficult degrees. Considering that almost 15% of Pharmacy students dropped out by Year 1 (3x the average in the UK (~5.3%) substantiates how difficult the degree is. (https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/almost-15-of-mpharm-students-leave-course-after-first-year-in-2020-2021).
Whilst it may be true that medical application entry is harder than Pharmacy application entry, the sweeping conclusion that I feel it incorporates into how the MPharm degree is in itself intellectually dishonest. This does not mean that Pharmacy is the “easy way out”. Pharmacy applications are also graduate cap restricted, meaning that applications into Pharmacy aren’t just accepted on a whim. You must attend an interview, have an enhanced DBS check and pass a calculation and situal judgement assessment.
From what I have drafted, these are the true entry requirements if you were to undertake the MPharm degree in the UK as of 2024:
They are 30 Schools of Pharmacy in the United Kingdom.
[Link: https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/education/approved-providers-education-and-training/accredited-mpharm-degrees]
Accredited MPharm degrees | General Pharmaceutical Council (pharmacyregulation.org)
On average, most School’s of Pharmacy require an A-Level Attainment of ~ ABB, where the lowest entry requirements for direct Year 1 entry is BBC (Robert Gordon University Aberdeen), and the highest was most of the Russel group universities with AAB as their entry requirements.
For direct enrolment into Year 1, prospective students must attain a minimum of a BBB for most Schools of Pharmacy.
However, there are many Schools of Pharmacy that offer foundation years, particularly non-Russel group universities where offers go as low as BCC.
However, most Schools of Pharmacy maintain the need for a minimum of a Grade C in Chemistry, and ideally another grade in a science. Some Schools of Pharmacy accept BTECs in Applied Sciences (Minimum entry requirement DMM) and even fewer accept a T-Level in Science.
GCSE Requirements range from each university, all requiring a minimum of 5 in Maths, 4 in English Language, and 4s in Combined or Triple Science.
Is becoming a Pharmacist a well paying profession?
Once again, I believe there is an aphorism in regards to the normality of a Pharmacist pay. On TSR, I have seen a plethora of different salaries being posted which seem to be quite polar depending on where you look. Some assert that Pharmacists get paid as low as £18 per hour (£34.5k) and some as high as £55 per hour (£100k+) if you were to work a typical 40 hour per week schedule. getting paid salaries of ~£80k+. As seen by the links below:
[Link 1: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6179832]
Pharmacy Salary - The Student Room
[Link 2: https://www.pharmacy-forum.co.uk/forum/general-information/newbie-questions/240094-what-would-you-advise-a-student-wanting-to-study-pharmacy-at-university]
What would you advise a student wanting to study pharmacy at University? - Pharmacy Forum UK (pharmacy-forum.co.uk)
[Link 3: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6523374]
Pharmacy is the best paid and the most prestigious healthcare profession in the UK! - The Student Room
[Link 4: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6804826]
Is Pharmacy worth it? - The Student Room
[Link 5: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6252510]
How is Pay of A Pharmacist? - The Student Room
I think a common issue with these postings is the lack of specificity about posting salary assertions online. These posts aren’t specific enough in regard to experience (Newly qualified or qualified for some time), the time in which the role was offered to them, the type of Pharmacy role, etc.
Now for the usual perspective students looking for an objective view on a pharmacist salary, this may seem quite confusing. At least for me it was, however, as being a Pharmacy student for 1 year, speaking to many Pharmacists of different backgrounds and professions, I can confidently draft these to be the average salaries of Pharmacy roles. (Please comment down below if you want any specific salaries):
Community Pharmacist:
A Community Pharmacist in the UK provides medication dispensing, advice on health and wellbeing, manages prescriptions, and offers healthcare services within local communities.
Graduate Salary: £30,000
2-3 years experience (Community Pharmacist): £42,000
5-10 years experience (Senior): £50,000
10+ years experience (Pharmacy Manager): £50,000-£70,000
[Link: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/community-pharmacist#:~:text=Salaries%20for%20pre%2Dregistration%20trainees,independent%20pharmacies%20may%20pay%20less.]
Community pharmacist job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
Clinical (Hospital) Pharmacist:
A Clinical Pharmacist in the UK works in healthcare settings, collaborating with other professionals to optimize medication therapy, manage chronic conditions, and enhance patient care. This profession is usually for the NHS.
Graduate Salary (NHS Pay Band 6): £35,000
2-3 years experience (Band 7): £35,000 - £42,000
5-10 years experience (Band 7- Band 8a Specialist): £46,000 - £58,000
10+ years experience (Band 8b-9 (Deputy/Chief Pharmacist)): £59,000 - £115,000
[Link: https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/pay-scales-202324]
Pay scales for 2023/24 | NHS Employers
Industry Pharmacist / Qualified Person (QP) / Regulatory Affairs:
An Industry Pharmacist / QP / Regulatory Affairs Officer in the UK works in pharmaceutical companies, contributing to drug development, manufacturing, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and product promotion.
Graduate Salary: £30,000
1-3 years experience (Experienced): £40,000-£50,000
5-10 years experience (Senior): £60,000-£70,000
10+ years experience (Director): £100,000
[Link: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/regulatory-affairs-officer]
Regulatory affairs officer job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
Is MPharm a versatile degree?
A perk of the Pharmacy degree is that it is versatile in the sense you can do other roles pharmaceutical related. Roles such as an MSL (Medical Science Liaison), Regulatory Affairs Officer are roles that are available for MPharm graduates just to name a few.
Is the MPharm degree worth it?
I think it truly depends on your passion, determination, and goals in the career.
I would personally stay clear of Community Pharmacy. As some of the links I have incorporated have stated, Community Pharmacy is going through a rough patch right now. The pay is certainly worse than of any of the other professions. Whilst its arguably not as bad as it was 5-10 years ago due to Pharmacy courses as of last year being prescriber trained from graduation, I believe it will stagnate again in the future due to oversaturation. I do personally believe Pharmacy is oversaturated and due to its lack of versatility outside of pharmaceuticals is one of the lucidities in regards to my departure from Pharmacy.
Clinical Pharmacy and any other Pharmacy role are better. I am willing to concede the notion that I may be quite biased in terms of my omittance of Community Pharmacy due to my passion for more science/ STEM based roles, but at the same time affirm how bad Community Pharmacy has been and will be projected to be in the near future.
In terms of pay, its significantly higher than the national and graduate average (£33k) per annum, however, unless you progress to more specialised (Oncology / Radio pharmacy) or management-based careers (Chief Pharmacist / Director of Pharmacy), you will most likely not make more than £70k in your entire career.
I would say, if you want a career in industry, undertake a Pharmacology / Pharmaceutical Science / Chemistry degree then work your way up to PhD level as the chance of an MPharm graduate heading to an industry role is less than 10%. 54% of Pharmacy graduates end up in community pharmacy, so please choose wisely. (Number of community pharmacists shoots up 19% in 5 years, data reveals | Chemist+Druggist :: C+D (chemistanddruggist.co.uk))
If you want a career in hospital pharmacy, get as much work experience in a local hospital as possible, and especially during your MPharm degree.
That’s all for me. If you want any more information or clarification, please let me know by replying on this thread.
Thank you very much for reading, please add your input as I really want the best for everyone, and I feel misinformation about this degree has taken part quite rapidly over the years.
I will post another thread very soon about my personal experiences with Pharmacy, and why I left.
ahh I see but Pharmacy is a very rewarding career
Before I start, I just want to point out that a lot of people do Pharmacy for the right reasons. Do not let what I am saying discourage you if ultimately you decide to pursue the path of Pharmacy. Everybody is different and will vary in expectations in regard to work/life balance, pay, career progression and what not. In essence, Pharmacy does provide a comfortable salary for you to live for the rest of your life.
Though equally, a lot of people also choose Pharmacy for the wrong reasons. This post is to give an impartial judgement on whether Pharmacy is a good career choice based on empirical data and my own personal anecdotes. I can substantiate onto certain points considering my time as a first year Pharmacy student. I will upload another post in regards to my personal experiences with Pharmacy as a first year student very soon. However, long story short, I am no longer a Pharmacy student.
Please let me know what you think in regard to this post, I will be online and can answer any questions for any prospective students thinking about joining Pharmacy.
What does the MPharm degree entail?[\b]
MPharm stands for an Integrated Master’s degree in Pharmacy. It is an undergraduate degree that durates for 4 years and is typically pursued by individuals interested in becoming pharmacists. The MPharm is a clinical degree such as degrees like MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery) degree, however, the MPharm degree can easily be interpreted as a science degree due to its interdisciplinary nature in content.
All MPharm programs are accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The GPhC is the regulatory body for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians that inaugurate and oversee standards for pharmacy education and practice, including the accreditation of MPharm programs. The GPhC ensures that pharmacists are properly trained and qualified to provide safe and effective pharmaceutical care to patients.
MPharm programs encompasses a comprehensive study of pharmaceutical science, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, pharmacy law and ethics, pharmacotherapy, clinical pharmacy, and pharmacy practice. Students also undergo placements in community pharmacies, hospitals, and other healthcare settings to gain hands-on experience.
[Table 1:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2661171/]
This table shows the typical accredited MPharm program.
Pharmacy Education in the United Kingdom - PMC (nih.gov)
In my opinion, the MPharm degree is very Chemistry and Biology based, so make sure you are fine with learning content of that calibre.
After completing the MPharm course, graduates have a choice of pre-registration training, during which they work under the supervision of a registered pharmacist to gain practical experience and further develop their skills. This training usually lasts for one year and is a requirement for becoming a fully registered pharmacist in the GPhC.
Upon successful completion of the pre-registration training, the next step is to pass the registration exam set by the GPhC. Once registered, pharmacists can work in various settings including community pharmacies, hospitals, industry, academia, and regulatory agencies. They may also choose to pursue further specialisation or advanced degrees in areas such as clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutical research, or management.
Entry requirements:
I feel like there is a general aphorism regarding the difficulty of getting into MPharm. Some of which say that it is the “gateway for medicine rejects” indicating an inferiority complex in terms of the academic gap between a typical MBBS degree and the MPharm degree. Don’t just take my postulations for it, even TSR threads agree to such as if it’s the norm.
[Link 1: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4569450]
Is pharmacy a bad career choice? - The Student Room
I must declare to all that read this thread. Pharmacy is one of the most difficult courses in the UK. I would argue its definitely within the top 6 most difficult degrees. Considering that almost 15% of Pharmacy students dropped out by Year 1 (3x the average in the UK (~5.3%) substantiates how difficult the degree is. (https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/almost-15-of-mpharm-students-leave-course-after-first-year-in-2020-2021).
Whilst it may be true that medical application entry is harder than Pharmacy application entry, the sweeping conclusion that I feel it incorporates into how the MPharm degree is in itself intellectually dishonest. This does not mean that Pharmacy is the “easy way out”. Pharmacy applications are also graduate cap restricted, meaning that applications into Pharmacy aren’t just accepted on a whim. You must attend an interview, have an enhanced DBS check and pass a calculation and situal judgement assessment.
From what I have drafted, these are the true entry requirements if you were to undertake the MPharm degree in the UK as of 2024:
They are 30 Schools of Pharmacy in the United Kingdom.
[Link: https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/education/approved-providers-education-and-training/accredited-mpharm-degrees]
Accredited MPharm degrees | General Pharmaceutical Council (pharmacyregulation.org)
On average, most School’s of Pharmacy require an A-Level Attainment of ~ ABB, where the lowest entry requirements for direct Year 1 entry is BBC (Robert Gordon University Aberdeen), and the highest was most of the Russel group universities with AAB as their entry requirements.
For direct enrolment into Year 1, prospective students must attain a minimum of a BBB for most Schools of Pharmacy.
However, there are many Schools of Pharmacy that offer foundation years, particularly non-Russel group universities where offers go as low as BCC.
However, most Schools of Pharmacy maintain the need for a minimum of a Grade C in Chemistry, and ideally another grade in a science. Some Schools of Pharmacy accept BTECs in Applied Sciences (Minimum entry requirement DMM) and even fewer accept a T-Level in Science.
GCSE Requirements range from each university, all requiring a minimum of 5 in Maths, 4 in English Language, and 4s in Combined or Triple Science.
Is becoming a Pharmacist a well paying profession?
Once again, I believe there is an aphorism in regards to the normality of a Pharmacist pay. On TSR, I have seen a plethora of different salaries being posted which seem to be quite polar depending on where you look. Some assert that Pharmacists get paid as low as £18 per hour (£34.5k) and some as high as £55 per hour (£100k+) if you were to work a typical 40 hour per week schedule. getting paid salaries of ~£80k+. As seen by the links below:
[Link 1: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6179832]
Pharmacy Salary - The Student Room
[Link 2: https://www.pharmacy-forum.co.uk/forum/general-information/newbie-questions/240094-what-would-you-advise-a-student-wanting-to-study-pharmacy-at-university]
What would you advise a student wanting to study pharmacy at University? - Pharmacy Forum UK (pharmacy-forum.co.uk)
[Link 3: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6523374]
Pharmacy is the best paid and the most prestigious healthcare profession in the UK! - The Student Room
[Link 4: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6804826]
Is Pharmacy worth it? - The Student Room
[Link 5: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6252510]
How is Pay of A Pharmacist? - The Student Room
I think a common issue with these postings is the lack of specificity about posting salary assertions online. These posts aren’t specific enough in regard to experience (Newly qualified or qualified for some time), the time in which the role was offered to them, the type of Pharmacy role, etc.
Now for the usual perspective students looking for an objective view on a pharmacist salary, this may seem quite confusing. At least for me it was, however, as being a Pharmacy student for 1 year, speaking to many Pharmacists of different backgrounds and professions, I can confidently draft these to be the average salaries of Pharmacy roles. (Please comment down below if you want any specific salaries):
Community Pharmacist:
A Community Pharmacist in the UK provides medication dispensing, advice on health and wellbeing, manages prescriptions, and offers healthcare services within local communities.
Graduate Salary: £30,000
2-3 years experience (Community Pharmacist): £42,000
5-10 years experience (Senior): £50,000
10+ years experience (Pharmacy Manager): £50,000-£70,000
[Link: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/community-pharmacist#:~:text=Salaries%20for%20pre%2Dregistration%20trainees,independent%20pharmacies%20may%20pay%20less.]
Community pharmacist job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
Clinical (Hospital) Pharmacist:
A Clinical Pharmacist in the UK works in healthcare settings, collaborating with other professionals to optimize medication therapy, manage chronic conditions, and enhance patient care. This profession is usually for the NHS.
Graduate Salary (NHS Pay Band 6): £35,000
2-3 years experience (Band 7): £35,000 - £42,000
5-10 years experience (Band 7- Band 8a Specialist): £46,000 - £58,000
10+ years experience (Band 8b-9 (Deputy/Chief Pharmacist)): £59,000 - £115,000
[Link: https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/pay-scales-202324]
Pay scales for 2023/24 | NHS Employers
Industry Pharmacist / Qualified Person (QP) / Regulatory Affairs:
An Industry Pharmacist / QP / Regulatory Affairs Officer in the UK works in pharmaceutical companies, contributing to drug development, manufacturing, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and product promotion.
Graduate Salary: £30,000
1-3 years experience (Experienced): £40,000-£50,000
5-10 years experience (Senior): £60,000-£70,000
10+ years experience (Director): £100,000
[Link: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/regulatory-affairs-officer]
Regulatory affairs officer job profile | Prospects.ac.uk
Is MPharm a versatile degree?
A perk of the Pharmacy degree is that it is versatile in the sense you can do other roles pharmaceutical related. Roles such as an MSL (Medical Science Liaison), Regulatory Affairs Officer are roles that are available for MPharm graduates just to name a few.
Is the MPharm degree worth it?
I think it truly depends on your passion, determination, and goals in the career.
I would personally stay clear of Community Pharmacy. As some of the links I have incorporated have stated, Community Pharmacy is going through a rough patch right now. The pay is certainly worse than of any of the other professions. Whilst its arguably not as bad as it was 5-10 years ago due to Pharmacy courses as of last year being prescriber trained from graduation, I believe it will stagnate again in the future due to oversaturation. I do personally believe Pharmacy is oversaturated and due to its lack of versatility outside of pharmaceuticals is one of the lucidities in regards to my departure from Pharmacy.
Clinical Pharmacy and any other Pharmacy role are better. I am willing to concede the notion that I may be quite biased in terms of my omittance of Community Pharmacy due to my passion for more science/ STEM based roles, but at the same time affirm how bad Community Pharmacy has been and will be projected to be in the near future.
In terms of pay, its significantly higher than the national and graduate average (£33k) per annum, however, unless you progress to more specialised (Oncology / Radio pharmacy) or management-based careers (Chief Pharmacist / Director of Pharmacy), you will most likely not make more than £70k in your entire career.
I would say, if you want a career in industry, undertake a Pharmacology / Pharmaceutical Science / Chemistry degree then work your way up to PhD level as the chance of an MPharm graduate heading to an industry role is less than 10%. 54% of Pharmacy graduates end up in community pharmacy, so please choose wisely. (Number of community pharmacists shoots up 19% in 5 years, data reveals | Chemist+Druggist :: C+D (chemistanddruggist.co.uk))
If you want a career in hospital pharmacy, get as much work experience in a local hospital as possible, and especially during your MPharm degree.
That’s all for me. If you want any more information or clarification, please let me know by replying on this thread.
Thank you very much for reading, please add your input as I really want the best for everyone, and I feel misinformation about this degree has taken part quite rapidly over the years.
I will post another thread very soon about my personal experiences with Pharmacy, and why I left.
ahh I see but Pharmacy is a very rewarding career
Original post by abcstudentonline
I agree completely with you.
When I was on my placements in community pharmacy, I didn't realise how dull and mundane the career is.
Its a shame I have already wasted a year of my life, but at least I didnt commit to something I wouldn't have enjoyed for the rest of my life.
I hope prospectives see this post and seriously consider the career in its longevity in which I, admittedly, did not do properly.
When I was on my placements in community pharmacy, I didn't realise how dull and mundane the career is.
Its a shame I have already wasted a year of my life, but at least I didnt commit to something I wouldn't have enjoyed for the rest of my life.
I hope prospectives see this post and seriously consider the career in its longevity in which I, admittedly, did not do properly.
I believe hospital is a v good sector
Original post by abcstudentonline
I was aware that most pharmacy graduates end up in community pharmacy which I want to stay clear of since I don’t think it will suit me. However I didn’t know that MPharm graduates didn’t have a high chance of getting into industry?
I thought so as well at first. It was actually one of my professors who sat me down and explained to me about the history of the MPharm degree. Apparently MPharm used to be accreditted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) which pretty much affirmed the degree's status as a core science degree. But now a days since its replacement to the GPhC, the scientific content of the MPharm has significantly decreased to accomodate more placements and clinical content which in my opinion now affirms MPharm as a clinical degree.
As to your question. Make sure you are happy to work in a community setting. If not, then please do not do the degree with the hope of getting into industry. Less than 10% of pharmacy graduates actually get a place in the industry.
I have been interested in pharmaceutical companies for a while now, especially the medical affairs and regulatory affairs sectors. Is doing a science degree then PhD really better to get a job in that area of industry? I was so sure that a pharmacy degree would be enough.
I would suggest taking a hard core science degree, then finding relevant experience in what you want to do. Ideally to break into reg affairs, you would need to undertake a grad scheme. As for med affairs, you would need a hard core science degree to at least a MSc level.
Its not common for pharmacists to get into industry, which was one of the reasons I have left after 1st year.
I thought so as well at first. It was actually one of my professors who sat me down and explained to me about the history of the MPharm degree. Apparently MPharm used to be accreditted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) which pretty much affirmed the degree's status as a core science degree. But now a days since its replacement to the GPhC, the scientific content of the MPharm has significantly decreased to accomodate more placements and clinical content which in my opinion now affirms MPharm as a clinical degree.
As to your question. Make sure you are happy to work in a community setting. If not, then please do not do the degree with the hope of getting into industry. Less than 10% of pharmacy graduates actually get a place in the industry.
I have been interested in pharmaceutical companies for a while now, especially the medical affairs and regulatory affairs sectors. Is doing a science degree then PhD really better to get a job in that area of industry? I was so sure that a pharmacy degree would be enough.
I would suggest taking a hard core science degree, then finding relevant experience in what you want to do. Ideally to break into reg affairs, you would need to undertake a grad scheme. As for med affairs, you would need a hard core science degree to at least a MSc level.
Its not common for pharmacists to get into industry, which was one of the reasons I have left after 1st year.
Original post by yuyrujagth
by hardcore science degree, does it mean a degree in chemistry?
yes
Original post by Sb.0789
I believe hospital is a v good sector
Hospital is good but not many people get into that sector.
In terms of progression - its quite solid, but the pay is not that great.
Original post by kkskekejj
really helpful thread even though I believe pharmacy is for me! could I ask what path you are taking/you are interested in now?
Hi
Will be releasing a thread very soon about my experiences.
I decided in the end to undertake Mechanical Engineering.
Original post by abcstudentonline
Hi
Will be releasing a thread very soon about my experiences.
I decided in the end to undertake Mechanical Engineering.
Will be releasing a thread very soon about my experiences.
I decided in the end to undertake Mechanical Engineering.
Quick Reply
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