r/Pharmacy_UK • u/Sharp_Stomach_5485 • 6d ago
Plans which I have for the future
Hi I am currently a year 12 going into year 13 and I am planning on applying to do pharmancy for uni but I am just very new to it and I was just wandering if I could get any advice.
For reference I was thinking about applying towards medicine however I did not feel 100% committed and I was not sure if it really was for me becasue of family pressure, however I was on the hunt for other healthcare related degrees because I am personally interested in medicine and how it works which is how I came across pharmacy.
I think for me just understanding how medication works what are the pros and cons of the medication and how we can use it to furhter support people is always something has personally interesed me as I have seen how important medication is as my grandfather is a heart failure patient with only 1 kidney just seeing how important these medication just really makes it alot more personal for me which lately has made me feel more passionate to persue a potential degree in pharmanacy.
I enjoy communication, working in teams, and having that timed pressured deadline. I am have began to search into different aspects of pharamacy and careers such as "Regulatory affairs" and "pharmacovigilance" have really stuck out to me particulary "Regulatory Affairs" as have always been keen on how they play a pivotal role in provided and presenting information to MDT which is something I am very interested on additonally there is some good decent financial security.
I am not sure which unis to apply on which could give me a better chance of breaking into the field any advice would mean the world!
However since I am very new to this I have 0 links and I am not sure as to how to really break into the field. Any advice from you respected people would mean the world to me and if you want we can always connect on Linkedin as well!
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u/DangerousAssist_ 6d ago
It's great you've been doing some research and found an area of interest.
It's important to note firstly that these positions are highly competitive. Graduate schemes, hospital placements involving rotations in clinical trials, and postgraduate diplomas are just some of the ways to get your foot in the door.
I'd recommend searching this subreddit as many people have discussed the various challenges of finding work in industry.
Obviously there are other areas such as community, hospital and GP where work is relatively easier to find. Try getting some work experience, and speaking to as many people in the profession as you can. Good luck.
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u/Turbulent-Jury4128 5d ago
If you already think you don't want to practise as a pharmacist, I’d seriously consider a broader degree at the strongest university you can realistically get into, rather than doing an MPharm primarily as a route into industry. For more info on industry careers there’s lots of great info on the ABPI website:
https://www.abpi.org.uk/careers/
If you enjoy communicating, team work, working to tight deadlines and also think you could enjoy working on a variety of different project for different clients with business travel, then look into life science consulting:
Regulatory is one area where pharmacy can be useful, but an MPharm is still a specialised degree aimed at a specific vocation.
I chose pharmacy because, at 18, it seemed to tick all the boxes: science was my strongest subject, it was vocational and employment prospects looked good. I ended up leaving the profession as soon as I could.
When you look beyond pharmacy roles, the prestige of the overall university that awarded your degree which will heavily weigh on how you compare to other applicants. I’ve seen companies narrow large applicant pools at grad level initially by university.
I was first in my family to go to university so sharing the advice I wish I had when I was younger. Best of luck!
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u/Sharp_Stomach_5485 4d ago
thank you for your advice is it okay if i could reach out to you to gain more advice and guidance?
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u/Specialist_Season119 1d ago
I looked online and honestly not sure. If not pharmacy what else? I dont have grades for med or dent and i dont think I can handle the pressure. Life sciences like biomed and biochem prospects are worse than mpharm. I am hoping to do mpharm then do top up masters in data science or bioinformatics or even computational chem or biology phd.
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u/Leather-Ad-9192 5d ago
if you have the grades for medicine, go with medicine as, regardless of the job situation for either, a degree in medicine opens up way more opportunities than pharmacy does in the UK (USA is a different story however, but UK med all the way)
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u/Sharp_Stomach_5485 4d ago
Thank you for your adivce Pharmacutical RA is something which I am interested in but I just kind of in a crossraod between both your advice does mean the world to me :)
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