Is it too late to Change from Pre-Pharmacy to Pre-Med?

[TheStudent1999]

Hello everyone,

I am a sophomore at a university in Texas. Currently, my GPA is 3.44 (that is the highest it will be) and I am majoring in Biochemistry. I have been a Pharmacy Technician for 2 years and I used to want to become a pharmacist. However, recently every pharmacist I spoke to for recommendation letters for applying for pharmacy school told me “Get out the field, it is too saturated“ and “I will be more than happy to write the recommendation letter, but you are going to a dying field. There will not be jobs in the next 10 years” and other responses similar to the responses previously stated. I have never heard of any pharmacist telling me to get into the field or anything positive. Not only have these things have unmotivated me to pursue pharmacy, but I feel like I am stuck with wasting my time working so hard to become a good applicant for Pharmacy School. When I speak to Pre-Med students, they have a different perspective when they speak to Doctors for Recommendation letters. They say that the Doctors are more than happy to see future doctors shadowing them and they motivate them to continue.

The organizations I am a part of and volunteer is the American Medical Student Association and the Pre-Pharmacy Club. I do have a position in the Pre-Pharmacy Club as a secretary, but I am only an active member of the American Medical Student Association.

Since I am just 20 years old, what should I do to curve my interests to become a good pre-med applicant? Any advice for people who were in my shoes before?

Thank y’all for your input! Have a great day!

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[paradoxic_toxic]

Med schools actually require less pre-req courses than pharmacy schools, so your major is fine. A 3.44 GPA isn't the best, nor is it the worst. Just continue getting the highest grades possible and get an upward trend.

The best thing you can do is shadow a doctor and see if you like the career and lifestyle--and if you do, ask that doctor for a letter. The next step is to get some clinical experience, either volunteer or paid. Perhaps do some nonclinical volunteering or research that you're passionate about.

 

[TheStudent1999]

Med schools actually require less pre-req courses than pharmacy schools, so your major is fine. A 3.44 GPA isn't the best, nor is it the worst. Just continue getting the highest grades possible and get an upward trend.

The best thing you can do is shadow a doctor and see if you like the career and lifestyle--and if you do, ask that doctor for a letter. The next step is to get some clinical experience, either volunteer or paid. Perhaps do some nonclinical volunteering or research that you're passionate about.

Hello! Thank you for replying! I forgot to inform the thread that I did some of my prerequisites in Community College. Therefore, my community college GPA is a 3.78 (69 Credits) and my university GPA is a 3.44(25 Credits). Does this change my chances to getting to medical school? I messed up my first semester of university because of my father passing away. I got a C in Organic Chemistry I and a C in Genetics. Nevertheless, I have high As this semester because I know my father would like me to succeed in my future. My attitude changed overall.

 

[TheStudent1999]

You should be able to swing the transition. I'd definitely do some shadowing to see if you would like medicine as a career. Taking a gap year for research may be a good idea, depending if you're considering MD or DO and could give you some time to study for the MCAT. As a side note -my mom is a pharmacist, and I will say that the careers are vastly different and you will likely be working far longer hours as a physician (with greater compensation of course).

Thank you for your input! I totally agree. Many pharmacists work less hours compared to doctors. Nevertheless, they always told me that they would of done medicine if they saw that pharmacy was going to become excessively saturated. They told me to stay away from pharmacy. After two years of hearing the same thing, I am for sure considering to move to medicine. However, I would want to confirm my goal to become a doctor by shadowing a doctor. How did you get the chance to shadow doctors?

 

[deleted994889]

I was literally a week from matriculating into pharmacy school. It's never too late. It was the best decision I've made for myself. That said, medicine isn't sunshine and rainbows either. I've met plenty of physicians who told me to do PA school instead. It's a really tough to get in to school, it's really tough to get through school and residency, and its really tough to be an attending. All the pharmacists in the world telling you to isn't gonna cut it. You gotta want it.

The first thing to do is always keep your grades up. Your average GPA right now is about 3.69 which is decent. If you're a transfer student, you'll have some slack for prereqs at the CC level. Work hard to get mostly As and a good MCAT score. You'll also need to get healthcare experience (I suggest scribing or EMT because they pay) and volunteer outside of healthcare. Leadership and research will help too. If you can manage to keep your grades up while getting hours in these, do so. But if you can't, prioritize the grades and get the hours during a gap year. Shadowing several doctors, as well as healthcare experience, will help you determine if medicine is right for you. If not, no shame in doing something else.

 

[TheStudent1999]

I was literally a week from matriculating into pharmacy school. It's never too late. It was the best decision I've made for myself. That said, medicine isn't sunshine and rainbows either. I've met plenty of physicians who told me to do PA school instead. It's a really tough to get in to school, it's really tough to get through school and residency, and its really tough to be an attending. All the pharmacists in the world telling you to isn't gonna cut it. You gotta want it.

The first thing to do is always keep your grades up. Your average GPA right now is about 3.69 which is decent. If you're a transfer student, you'll have some slack for prereqs at the CC level. Work hard to get mostly As and a good MCAT score. You'll also need to get healthcare experience (I suggest scribing or EMT because they pay) and volunteer outside of healthcare. Leadership and research will help too. If you can manage to keep your grades up while getting hours in these, do so. But if you can't, prioritize the grades and get the hours during a gap year. Shadowing several doctors, as well as healthcare experience, will help you determine if medicine is right for you. If not, no shame in doing something else.

Hello PierreMD!

Thank you for your post! I appreciate your feedback about the difficulties of going to this profession. I have sent an email to my university’s medical professors I am interested in to shadow them this summer if the Coronavirus will subside. I am going to go in open minded and appreciate the time they are giving me to shadow them.

I will continue to excel in my class and be sure I do not drop my GPA. Also, time management will need to be friend to be sure I stay on the right track.

 

[em1012]

Hello everyone,

I am a sophomore at a university in Texas. Currently, my GPA is 3.44 (that is the highest it will be) and I am majoring in Biochemistry. I have been a Pharmacy Technician for 2 years and I used to want to become a pharmacist. However, recently every pharmacist I spoke to for recommendation letters for applying for pharmacy school told me “Get out the field, it is too saturated“ and “I will be more than happy to write the recommendation letter, but you are going to a dying field. There will not be jobs in the next 10 years” and other responses similar to the responses previously stated. I have never heard of any pharmacist telling me to get into the field or anything positive. Not only have these things have unmotivated me to pursue pharmacy, but I feel like I am stuck with wasting my time working so hard to become a good applicant for Pharmacy School. When I speak to Pre-Med students, they have a different perspective when they speak to Doctors for Recommendation letters. They say that the Doctors are more than happy to see future doctors shadowing them and they motivate them to continue.

The organizations I am a part of and volunteer is the American Medical Student Association and the Pre-Pharmacy Club. I do have a position in the Pre-Pharmacy Club as a secretary, but I am only an active member of the American Medical Student Association.

Since I am just 20 years old, what should I do to curve my interests to become a good pre-med applicant? Any advice for people who were in my shoes before?

Thank y’all for your input! Have a great day!

Hi! These pharmacists have told you right. My mom is a pharmacist and knows people traveling two hours to AND from work each day just because that’s the only job they could get - and it’s a part time one. You are doing such a responsible thing by staying out of pharmacy. Good luck to you