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Careers in Chemistry: Archeologist vs. Pharmacist

            When making a big decision, you must first weigh out the positives and negatives. If you do not do your research, you could end up making a choice that you regret. Selecting a career in chemistry is something that should not be taken lightly. Archeologists and pharmacists are both great career choices, but it is important to see which one better fits your personality, interests, strengths and weaknesses.

            First of all, becoming an archeologist or pharmacist is no easy task. A master’s degree is required to get a career in archeology, and an aspiring pharmacist can spend as much as 13 years in college. Six years of college is considered a “fast track” way to earn your Doctor of Pharmacy Degree. On the other hand, I would not be very anxious to spend a lot of time in college getting my Master’s. Speaking of education, I do not think that I would want to spend more than 6 years in college to get my Doctor of Pharmacy Degree. Both careers require a pretty good amount of education to become specialized in either area. Although, if you are really motivated to acquire a career in one of these fields, then the schooling required shouldn’t trouble you too much. It is simply the path to get where you want to be.

            Next, the career has to fit your personal interests. To be an archaeologist you must be interested in history and past civilizations, a knack for finding things and digging, and also be willing to spend hours to recover a single artifact. I actually really enjoy history. I like learning about past events, watching history documentaries, and reading historical books. I think a career in archaeology would be a better fit than pharmacy based on my personal interests. Being a pharmacist includes many different jobs/tasks. Some of these tasks include filling prescriptions, managing assistants, and giving health advice. They must be analytical people who care about the general health of others and have in interest in chemistry. I, personally, do not care for chemistry or any other sciences. I don’t think that I could get through all those years of medical school; therefore, a career in pharmacy would not be the best fit for my interests.

            Finally, a huge indicator for which career path you should take has to do with your strengths and weaknesses. Archeology is hard work. I don’t mind doing manual labor, as I already mow a couple yards in my neighborhood and help out with painting and other home projects when I’m needed. I think that digging up fossils and artifacts wouldn’t be bad, and also finding a valuable item would be worth all the time of searching for it. One subject in school that I have never really gotten the hang of is science. I have never been great in neither chemistry nor biology, and I would need to excel in both of these subjects to get my Doctor of Pharmacy Degree. Based on my natural-born strengths, a career as a pharmacist would not be ideal.

            In conclusion, it is necessary to weigh out the pros and cons when making an important or life-changing decision. If not properly prepared to make the right decision, you may make the wrong one. Selecting a career in chemistry is a task that you must not take lightly, and you need to do the research before choosing one. All things considered, I have decided that a career as an archeologist would be the best fit for me. I wouldn’t want to spend the time in school necessary to become a pharmacist, I am interested in history, and I do not mind the hard work included in being an archeologist.