The Truth About Pharmacy: Is the Career Is Dying?

Most people think pharmacists just work behind a counter at CVS or Walgreens. Steven Nguyen (‪@stevendnguyen‬) took a different path. He’s spent his entire career as a hospital pharmacist, climbed into leadership, and used his high income to build wealth outside of work. But Steven also has a warning: he believes pharmacy is entering a tough era—too many graduates, consolidation in retail, and technology (even AI) pushing the job toward automation. In this episode, Steven breaks down the real pharmacist playbook for students: what pharmacists actually do day-to-day, how much debt pharmacy school can cost, what starting salaries look like today, how to get into a hospital role without a residency, and the smartest way to use a healthcare paycheck to build long-term freedom. Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:26 What pharmacists actually do (the “medication safety net”) 02:00 Becoming a pharmacist at 23 via an accelerated program (5 years) 04:06 Student debt reality: around $200K then, potentially $300K now 05:05 Salary today: entry-level $150–$160K (and hospital pay differences) 05:50 How to earn more: hospitals, leadership, and why pay is “hospital-dependent” 08:25 “The pharmacy profession is dying” — oversupply + AI automation 11:55 Who pharmacy is best for: flexibility, part-time options, lifestyle fit 12:55 The playbook for students: science pre-reqs + internships + mentors 14:35 Healthcare stability myth: Steven got laid off during COVID 15:35 Why he built wealth outside the job: real estate + financial independence 16:35 House-hacking story: buying an $800K home with 10% down and renting rooms Connect with Steven https://linktr.ee/makingmultifamilymoney -    / @stevendnguyen     / makingmultifamilymoney   More of Career Playbook   / careerplaybookpod     / careerplaybookpod