Is B.Pharm a good place to start if I want to find cures for diseases? (3 Viewers)

[Michaelmoo]

Re: Atar predictions for b.pharm usyd this year? it dropped like 10 last year apparen

I'd say ~83
besides, a lot of people who do pharmacy nowadays just open up their own place.

This is incorrect. Given the legislative restrictions in each state, it is virtually impossible to open a pharmacy anywhere that is even remotely profitable.

 

[someth1ng]

Last year, it was 90.05 - please get your facts right. 85.10 was only a projection, not the actual cut-off.

Pharmacists generally have significantly lower liability because medicines are prescribed over the counter by doctors. The pharmacist's job is mainly to CHECK if it's correct and safe. If they are properly trained, there shouldn't be a problem. Also, they usually work with multiple pharmacists so if they're unsure, they can easily ask another pharmacist on duty.

My estimate is that the cutoff will be 88-89. The cutoffs generally don't have drastic changes. No matter what course it is.

A lot of what Tesla said is quite accurate but that's the only accurate information in this thread. By the way, if you want to research, you will need a doctorate of some sort such as a PhD or MD - otherwise, a high-level (good marks) Masters degree.

@Spiritual Being: sorry but most of your info is inaccurate. As mentioned, there are laws regarding the opening of a pharmacy and limitations in distance between pharmacies. Generally, all possible places to open a pharmacy are taken and you will be either forced to work in a community pharmacy or get a hospital placement (typically those that get university medal or first class honours).

I know pharmacy graduates earning around $28/hr with weekend bonuses (so up to $80/hr or w.e) etc as graduates - not as bad as it seems but due to so many unemployed pharmacists, they can pay less and someone WILL take the job.

 

[Spiritual Being]

Re: Atar predictions for b.pharm usyd this year? it dropped like 10 last year apparen

Last year, it was 90.05 - please get your facts right. 85.10 was only a projection, not the actual cut-off.

Pharmacists generally have significantly lower liability because medicines are prescribed over the counter by doctors. The pharmacist's job is mainly to CHECK if it's correct and safe. If they are properly trained, there shouldn't be a problem. Also, they usually work with multiple pharmacists so if they're unsure, they can easily ask another pharmacist on duty.

My estimate is that the cutoff will be 88-89. The cutoffs generally don't have drastic changes. No matter what course it is.

A lot of what Tesla said is quite accurate but that's the only accurate information in this thread. By the way, if you want to research, you will need a doctorate of some sort such as a PhD or MD - otherwise, a high-level (good marks) Masters degree.

@Spiritual Being: sorry but most of your info is inaccurate. As mentioned, there are laws regarding the opening of a pharmacy and limitations in distance between pharmacies. Generally, all possible places to open a pharmacy are taken and you will be either forced to work in a community pharmacy or get a hospital placement (typically those that get university medal or first class honours).

I know pharmacy graduates earning around $28/hr with weekend bonuses (so up to $80/hr or w.e) etc as graduates - not as bad as it seems but due to so many unemployed pharmacists, they can pay less and someone WILL take the job.

Yeah, but I know a person who went to tafe, making $25 an hour. One year of tafe, compared to 4 years of a difficult degree.

 

[Spiritual Being]

Yeah sorry if I was rude. I just heard from alot of people saying you troll and say unecessary stuff to turn down people's morals. Anyway I guess I was mistaken.

Hows job prospects for medical science like?

The irony is rich, indeed.

 

[lordfraction]

holy shit...

 

[Chong_Boy]

There are no jobs in pharmacy. Pharmacy has no future. Do not choose pharmacy under any circumstances. My friends are pharmacists and they have been unemployed for 3 years. One has quit the profession and is working at a supermarket checkout. The other has gone to tafe to study something else. There will soon be 30000 pharmacists in australia (and rising) but only 5000 pharmacies. Each pharmacy will employ 1 maybe 2 pharmacists at most, leaving the other 20000 without any work. Also, most pharmacies are going bankrupt and are unable to compete with those chemist warehouse discount pharmacies which will soon be everywhere. (coles and woolies will also soon open up their own pharmacies , good luck competing with them). Chances are, if you are lucky enough to find a job, you'll be working at one of these chemist warehouse supermarkets earning a graduate wage of $15/hr...plus you'll be abused by customers all day everyday. Plus, the degree itself is horrible (just ask any pharmacy graduate) and the registration exams after graduation are torture (fail the oral once and you have to wait half a year to try again...and again). Pharmacy is the worst possible career you can choose.

 

[pimeel]

Re: Atar predictions for b.pharm usyd this year? it dropped like 10 last year apparen

currently pharmacy is the worst profession to be with high jobless rate and too low wage. Wage remain stagnant with no option of bonus. Pharmacist are not well remunerated and only option to enter business which are currently good return, only 10 % which you can even get by buying 7-11 franchisee. It's not worth it for 4 year studies compared to rewards. see pharmacist wages on internet forum. The situation is not going to improve as more schools are opening each year. This industry is too dependent on government funding which is decreasing because of current economic situation. Type ' open letter from pharmacy guild and psa in Google and see it yourself. According to 2012 ATO statistics avg salary of pharmacist is 65,000. Currently there are 3000 jobless students not working in respective field so what's the point of wasting 4 or 2 years and building HECS.

 

[Drifting95]

Re: Atar predictions for b.pharm usyd this year? it dropped like 10 last year apparen

currently pharmacy is the worst profession to be with high jobless rate and too low wage. Wage remain stagnant with no option of bonus. Pharmacist are not well remunerated and only option to enter business which are currently good return, only 10 % which you can even get by buying 7-11 franchisee. It's not worth it for 4 year studies compared to rewards. see pharmacist wages on internet forum. The situation is not going to improve as more schools are opening each year. This industry is too dependent on government funding which is decreasing because of current economic situation. Type ' open letter from pharmacy guild and psa in Google and see it yourself. According to 2012 ATO statistics avg salary of pharmacist is 65,000. Currently there are 3000 jobless students not working in respective field so what's the point of wasting 4 or 2 years and building HECS.

He wants to be a lawyer/IBanker now, dw

 

[Safraaz]

I'm confident that you're trolling again
I thought you were transferring to Macquarie Law/Commerce!
Anyways, here is my insight into Pharmacy.
1. The cut-off last year was 90.05, not 85 (I applied and got an offer myself). The 85 was a projection, and as a result of this low projection, alot of students applied; raising the cut-off.
2. Jobs opportunities are not looking good in this field, but that doesn't mean that you'll stay unemployed after graduation. I know a couple of pharmacy students who graduated last year and were quick to secure themselves a decent job - these were students with a high credit - distinction average. Most pharmacy grads start as 'pharmacy assistants' after they graduate. So those who are saying that there are 'no jobs' in pharmacy, you are misguided!
3. Pharmacy does have a fairly low starting salary for a grad, but according to the stats... job opportunities are favourable in the future (with the population increasing, more people getting older and sick).
4. In terms of saturation, this applies of all the fields. For instance, a lot of people do commerce/business related degrees offered at almost every university these days! But the reason why commerce/business grads find employment quicker is because their degree is more 'flexible'. A pharmacy degree will only lead you to become a pharmacist. Even medicine is becoming saturated, with less interships avaliable for med students. This however doesn't mean that med grads will be jobless, as medicine is very flexible and in demand. Saturation is not a measure of employment.
5. I would recommend Pharmacy to anyone who is genuinely interested in it; you'll likely excell in something that you like and enjoy doing. I do agree that Pharmacy in the recent past has become a bit saturated and this was due to numerous med hopefuls picking Pharmacy after not getting in. But as I speak, saturation dominates all the fields even engineering. Not all engineering grads will get employed instantly after they graduate! As the mining boom comes to an end, and due to numerous students enrolling in engineering, it will start to slow down as well. Employment depends on a range of factors; e.g. your grades, extra curricular activities, the demand for that job etc...

 

[Riproot]

No.

UNSW​	USyd​
FIRST​	YEAR​
First​	Semester​
6 - BABS1201 - Molecules, Cells and Genes 6 - SCIF1111 - Perspectives in Med. Science [Students may complete SCIF1131 - Science: Perspectives in Sem 2 instead of SCIF1111 - Perspectives in Med. Science in Sem 1.] 6 - CHEM1011 - Chemistry A (or CHEM1031 - Higher Chemistry A) 6 - Elective course from a School in the Faculty of Science (recommended: MATH1041 Statistics for Life and Social Sciences, Psychology, Physics, or other Mathematics course)[Students must complete MATH1041 Statistics for Life and Social Sciences by the end of Stage 2.]	6 - BIOL1X01 - Concepts in Biology (or Advanced) OR BIOL1X03 - Human Biology (or Advanced) [Most do human] 6 - CHEM1X01 - Chemistry 1A (Fundamentals/Regular/Advanced/SSP(Chem1903)) 3 - MATH1X01 - Differential Calculus [MX1 HSC] (or Adv or SSP (MATH1906) [MX2 + good ATAR]) OR MATH1011 - Applications of Calculus (Fundamentals [Mathematics in HSC]) 3 - MATH1X02 - Linear Algebra (or Adv) OR MATH1015 - Biostatistics [prereqs as above] 6 - PHYS1X01 - Physics 1 (or Adv or SSP) OR PHYS1002 - Physics (Fundamentals) OR PSYC1001 - Psychology 1
Second​	Semester​
6 - ANAT1521 - Anatomy for Medical Science 6 - CHEM1021 - Chemistry B or CHEM1041 - Higher Chemistry B 6 - BIOS1101 - Evolutionary & Functional Biology OR BIOS2021 Genetics OR BABS2202 Molecular Cell Biology I [Students who have completed high school Biology with a score of at least 75 and achieved at least a credit in BABS1201 can take either BIOS2021 - Genetics or BABS2202 - Molecular Biology I. All other students should take BIOS1101] 6 - Elective course from a School in the Faculty of Science (recommended: MATH1041 Statistics for Life and Social Sciences, Psychology, Physics, or other Mathematics course)	6 - MBLG1X01 - Molecular Biology and Genetics (or Adv) 6 - CHEM1X02 - Chemistry 1B (Fundamentals/Regular/Advanced/SSP(Chem1903)) 3 - MATH1X03 - Integral Calculus & Modelling (or Adv or SSP (MATH1907)) OR MATH1013 - Mathematical Modelling [requirements same for all junior maths] 3 - MATH1X05 - Statistics (or Adv) OR MATH1004 - Discrete Mathematics OR MATH1014 - Introduction to Linear Algebra 6 - PHYS1004 - Environmental Physics [Pretty much fundamentals] OR PHYS1003 - Physics (Technology) OR PHYS1902 - Physics 2 (Adv or SSP)[Adv/SSP version of PHYS1003] OR PSYC1002 - Psychology 2
SECOND​	YEAR​
First​	Semester​
6 - ANAT2241 - Histology: Basic and Systematic 6 - BIOC2101 - Principles of Biochem (Adv) 6 - MICR2011 - Microbiology 1 6 - PHSL2101 - Physiology 1A	6 - BMED2401 - Cellular Foundations of Medical Sciences 6 - BMED2402 - Nerve and Muscle 6 - BMED2403 - Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems 6 - Elective [Although I think this may have changed so that you must take MBLG2X71 - Molecular Biology and Genomics (or Adv)]
Second​	Semester​
6 - BIOC2201 - Principles of Molecular Biology (Adv) 6 - PATH2201 - Processes in Disease 6 - PHAR2011 - Introductory Pharmacology and Toxicology 6 - PHSL2201 - Physiology 1B	6 - BMED2404 - Microbes, Infection, and Immunity 6 - BMED2405 - Gut and Nutrient Metabolism 6 - BMED2406 - Hormones, Kidney and Reproduction 6 - Elective [Might have to take MBLG2X72 - Molecular Biology and Genetics 2 (or Adv)]
THIRD​	YEAR​
The 48 UoC of courses in this stage must consist of: - At least 24 UoC from the following list of 6 UoC courses - 12 UoC of elective courses - 12 UoC of General Education electives (see General Education requirements below) The 12 UoC of elective courses may be chosen from any Faculty, at any level, or can be from the list of courses below. When making their course choices, students who intend to do Honours must consult with the school of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences or the School of Medical Sciences about requirements for Honours prior to enrolment in Stage 3 of the program.	In third year, you will choose from units offered in anatomy and histology, biochemistry, biology (genetics), immunology, infectious diseases, microbiology, pharmacology, pathology and physiology, as well as having the option to study an elective.

You can always swap your degree around though, for example, the USyd BMedSc can be swapped to something like this:

For example, my Pre-Enrolment for next year is:
Semester 1:
6 - BIOL1903 - Human Biology (ADV)
6 - MATH2961 - Linear Algebra & Vector Calculus (Adv)
6 - PSYC1001 - Psychology 1
6 - BMED2401 - Cellular Foundations of Medical Sciences

Semester 2:
6 - BMED2404 - Microbes, Infection, and Immunity
6 - BMED2405 - Gut and Nutrient Metabolism
6 - BMED2406 - Hormones, Kidney and Reproduction
6 - MATH2965 - Partial Differential Equations Introduction (Adv)

All this info is gained from:
http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/programs/2013/3991.html
http://sydney.edu.au/science/fstudent/undergrad/course/bmedical.shtml
http://cusp.eng.usyd.edu.au/students/view-degree-page/degree_id/186
http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/anatomy/current-student/units-study/all.php

wow, I'm fucking amazing
this needs to be pinned to a MedSc forum.

 

[lawstu]

Not sure how many topics are in this thread but if you want to 'find cures for diseases', you could do a pharmacy degree. However, you could instead do some sort of science degree, possibly majoring in biochemistry, chemistry, immunology, pathology, among others, or a medical degree. It's almost certain that you would require a research doctoral degree too.

Pharmacy might be the thing for some. To me, studying for a pharmacy degree in the current milieu is a bad decision unless you like pain and uncertainty.

 

[Michaelmoo]

Currently a pharmacy student scheduled to graduate at the end of the year.

IMHO, I think the degree provides an excellent foundation if you intend to embark on drug design and discovery. You would need to be quite competitive though to get into the honours component of the course and move on to a post-graduate qualification. The degree itself offers a good amalgamation of anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and disease management; i.e. it equips you quite well for understanding the mechanistics of drugs and their role in overall therapy. Your other alternative would be a science degree majoring in medicinal chemistry. Plus side is that you will probably have a deeper understanding of the basic sciences and pharmacology. On the other hand, you'd miss out on aspects of clinical management that would otherwise be covered in a pharmacy degree. Given that a substantial proportion of drugs fail to reach market for practical reasons (and not because they don't work), I think appreciating the role of drugs as part of overall therapy is particularly important in this respect. Re: Length, pharmacy is 4 years (with or without honours) and your basic science degree is 3 yrs + 1 yr of honours.

While I echo everything said re: career prospects, I'm not sure if this is relevant to the discussion. For the record, you won't discover medications or "cures" in your local neighborhood pharmacy . As I said, you would need a post-graduate qualification and ideally honours. Job opportunities would depend on the political environment and availability at universities/big pharma. That being said, research isn't the walk in the park it sometimes appears to be. There's a lot of politics and pressure on you to perform as your work typically relies on funding from the government or other sponsors.

 

[SuchSmallHands]

OP, have you considered medicinal chem?

 

[Spiritual Bean]

OP, have you considered medicinal chem?

oh
don't worry about OP lol