After high school I originally went to school for PharmD (PhD program to be a pharmacist) and got my bachelor's degree in pharmaceutical science, but hated working as a pharmacist so I dropped out in year 5 out of 6 and didn't finish the PhD part. Realized I want to be a hospital lab scientist instead so I went back for a post-baccalaureate certificate which is basically just a faster second bachelor's degree for a scientist changing into a different field. It took a whole three years because I had to pause my studies for a year to give birth to my daughter, we both almost died during the birth and I thought I would recover, but instead I developed a terminal illness and ended up having to finish the program while battling this. I am not in good physical condition and had to intern full-time in a big hospital lab for 4 months straight, so I was very close to not graduating due to my medical problems, but I made it happen. Very proud of myself for finishing this just in case the doctors are somehow able to save my life, because if they can, I will one day be a scientist just like I always dreamed of as a kid
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@NoGamesTolerated the job was not worth the potential salary. It was SO stressful and miserable! So unreasonably stressful that it makes 100-120k a year not even worth it, there is a major issue with suicide and mental health and addiction among pharmacists due to their poor quality of life. I would have burned out and switched fields very quickly, probably even before being able to finish repaying the much higher student loans I would have taken to finish that program. I have two family members who were pharmacists who both have since moved into administration and they both told me they're so glad I got out of that field while I still had a chance
