You’re a Pharmacist with 5+ Years’ Experience. Now What?

If you’ve been working as a pharmacist for five or more years, you may be wondering, “What’s next?”

You may be completely happy and challenged in your role as a staff pharmacist at a chain pharmacy, in a hospital pharmacy or other pharmaceutical setting.

But you may not be.

If that’s the case, here are some career ideas to consider.

Go into teaching. As you well know, pharmacy colleges and other training venues are popping up all over. You could take your PharmD to a pharmacy tech training program or, if you have a master’s degree or other educational credentials, start working as a professor or instructor at a graduate college or university program that offers the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. You may not receive as high an income as you would working as a pharmacist, but the challenge and satisfaction you could get as you train the next generation of pharmacists could far outweigh your (slightly) smaller salary.

Move into pharmaceutical sales. Many drug and pharmaceutical companies are eager to hire pharmacists to educate physicians, hospitals and other users of medicines and pharmaceuticals as to the efficacy of their products. You could become a salesperson/marketer yourself and (perhaps later, or even right away), lead a team of sales people.

Work in pharmaceutical research. Many pharmacists take their scientific training (that they either earned as an undergraduate or later in graduate school earning a master’s in an advanced science) to work with pharmaceutical companies as they develop medicines to cure or manage many of today’s most pressing illnesses and diseases.

Open your own pharmacy. If you have an entrepreneurial bent, consider opening your own pharmacy. Or purchasing a franchise. Many small (and even larger) towns are eager for the more personal touch a privately owned pharmacy can provide.

Explore volunteer opportunities. The demand is so great for pharmacists that you can often-times find very flexible options in which you can write your own schedule! You can work 20 hours a week and then volunteer with the local agencies of your choice. Or, you can take temporary assignments as you wish, and then volunteer with relief organizations for weeks at a time across the country or around the world.

Talk with Rx relief.  At Rx relief, our only focus is on helping pharmacists find truly rewarding careers.  So whether you’re interested in a change or scenery, changing your pay scale, or changing your hours, we can find a position that is the exact fit for you.  Contact a pharmacy career specialist today.