I think.....

If you want an easy job, easy life, not very high pay.... unless you do business...go for pharmicist.

If you want a stressed up job and an always changing environment and exciting at the same time.... go for software programming. Nothing beats the hapiness of a completing a successful project.

Untill a month later when bugs start showing up at the worst possible times

I'm studying Software Engineering now, there's not as much to study but there is alot more to learn and understand. It can be very stressful and some concepts are just hard to grasp at the first go but in the end i think its worth it. As LokGP says, nothing beats the feeling of completing a successful project. That sense of accomplishment is something i don't think you'll see in the pharmaceutical line (unless if you do research and come up with a breakthrough).

But if we're talking about career prospects, IMO pharmacy would be easier. There should be more job availability and less stress. Though i doubt your pay can get as high as a well known software engineer.

In the end, which career path you choose doesn't really matter. As long as you have the interest and the drive to be the best you will excel no matter what you do. The reason many people can't find jobs or have a low income is because they lack the drive or interest.

it depends on you very much.. because after all you need to know what do you really like to do for the next 40 years

Take SE if you enjoy a challenging lifestyle if compare with pharmacy.

in conclusion.... if you wan a peaceful life.... or a good life.... marry a rich mah.... ^^ lolz... jk

Uhm, firstly, about moving to Singapore to work in the biotech industry, I have the following doubts:
1) From what I've heard from friends there, it IS more stressful than Malaysia. Not only working, but also studying. You need to be able to take very high stress to keep a job there.

2) Competition from all the kiasu S'pore grads who also took biotech. Not only is their NUS probably better than any university offering biotech in Malaysia, but (I might be wrong here) preference is probably given to them as well.

Ummm.. can anyone explain why there are more jobs for pharmacists than programmers? I actually would've thought the opposite, since for each pharmacy chain you need only 1 pharmacists and not all shops are effective... and there are far less pharmaceutical companies than IT-based companies. I would've thought SE had a wider variety of jobs available, from end-user companies to companies who actually churn out software. Of course, we do need to consider the fact that the IT industry is pretty much saturated... but from what I've heard the current generation is flocking towards medicine/pharmacy/biotech so it might be equally saturated by the time I grad?

Arghghghhh I don't know.. >_>

I don't see these two are related to each other but I know that pharmacy is definitely better than software engineering. You get to open your own pharmacy shop if u take pharmacy though.

i would recommend u to take pharmacy courses.. because software engineering is very hard to master/learn it and also finding job in malaysia although i'm learning some VB and C++ to prepare for my courses so that i won't miss out any basic language..

I don't know anything about software engineering. But pharmacy i'm kindda sure there's great job availability. It's frequently mentioned in pharmacy talks and there're stats shown too.

For me whatever decision you made, think about business opportunities bcoz nowadays to find good job is hard thing, otherwise if you are really good enough.

*1/10 of your income is made from business*

hehe.. i'm a 3rd yrs pharmacy student... so maybe i can answer some of your questions related to pharmacy.. but i am studying in uk.. so the stuff, syllabus or my examples will be different from other places..

1. basically over the first 3 years, you'll do lots on pharmacology, formulation science, drug design and professional and social pharmacy incorporating other smaller modules like immunology, analytical measurement etc. so, a lot on biology, chemistry and lab works. but i think its differ alot in malaysia. i heard they do on physiology and anatomy a lot.

2. in malaysia, i agree with you that malaysian pharmacists dont really hv the dispensing and prescribing right. i dont really see the reputation of pharmacist in malaysia. doctor will do most of the things. what job you will get? of course you'll work as a pharmacist. isnt that you will have to work with goverment for 4 years. so i guess its not that hard to get a job after graduation right? in uk, you'll have to the choose either you will work as a community, hospital or industrial pharmacist.

3. although i havent graduate, but i do have some work placement. i found out its really interesting and satisfying work. i found out that a lot of pharmacists really dedicated to their work and raising the profiles and professionalism of pharmacy. and not to mention that the pay is damm good in here..

so thats all i can tell you about pharmacy. i dont really know about software engineering but i would think that pharmacy is kinda more to the society health, own body understanding while software engineering is more to the technology. just my point of view though... however, pharmacy have narrow work choice. in contrast if u do software engineering, maybe u can work other than software engineering like computering or other associated with engineering.

maybe u shud research more what is your main interest.. what you want to go for? how to want to contribute to the society, via health or technology? or just which earns more. just my point of views though... all the best..

This post has been edited by youngkies: Mar 5 2006, 04:26 AM

IT industry is challenging la. for example, if you are to work for motorola or intel you sure will not regret!!!

ya, lecturing is great. you can express your love and passion for your professionalism, hehe. career and money wise, you shd go further to Phd. then most likely you will end up as a dean or in some forms of advisory capacity.

great idea la !!!! g luck to you.

Software Engineering is bad? What an insult yet again. I cannot understand how is it possible to compare between SENG and Pharmacy. Call me ignorant/selfish, but I truly believe they are so different (and just as good a career option) that a comparison does justification for neither. Something along the lines of Biomedical vs Pharmacy vs Pharmacology or Computer Science vs Computer Engineering vs Software Engineering is what I believe a true comparison worth talking about.

Software Engineering, in short, is concerned with the processes, method and tools for the development of high-quality software systems. Target systems may range from simple software applications to mission critical real-time systems.
While the profession has experienced a slight dent during the IT slowdown, it is expected to be one of the fastest growing area of IT as we become increasingly reliant on advanced software solutions. Financial markets and medicine are two of the biggest growing fields where software solutions are concerned. There are many areas of employability, from being analysts, database administrators through to consultancy (with lots of experience and stress). Software Engineers typically work in teams, designing and building efficient, reliable and robust systems. Those who progress beyond this end up doing a lot of management work as management skills already form a significant proportion of the degree. This is where all the money is, if 1) you love money and 2) you are good.

Yup, you've got it right. It sounds like marketing talk, but I'm giving you an idea what this course will lead you to.

This post has been edited by chris_c28: Mar 6 2006, 02:50 PM

Chris, in my first post, I already stated that I know the two options are very far apart, in every way. However, they are my two aspirations, and hence I have to choose between them.

Anyone who has had trouble finding jobs for either profession wanna share your experiences?

hey pharmacy is stressful too, all right? and the pay is actually not that bad.. especially if you're a community pharmacist or if you're working for a drug company like eli lilly.

Both are quite different.

But for sure in few years time, both fields will be very saturated especially IT, for there are many, and many more are graduating, while biotech, food science, or pharmacy students are getting more popular too, because of the better prospect notion.

IT courses available in every college and uni, but pharmacy courses only available in certain colleges and unis.

And all fields required constant self-improving, because of all the latest techologies, be it medical, IT, engineering or business.

However, it boils down to what you like most and whether you can find your niche when you graduate.

A side note, but if you are qualified in medicine or medicine-related, do that, if not doctors, can be epidural specialist, anaesthetists and so on.

Just some opinions and hope they help.

I might want to take up project management course which is part of software engineering

May I ask, what program are you doing currently? I suppose you're an INTI student having seen your profile (No, I'm not stalking you!).

I'm doing Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Well I was in INTI last year but I transferred to University of Birmingham for my second year. I would say INTI is a good college for Computer studies.

Ummm just a side question here to you INTI guys, does INTI subang have Software Engineering? Their website seemed to say no, but I heard they do..