A pharmacist here ready for a change

[Doctor M]

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Hey all,
I am a 30 year old pharmacist ready to make a change in my life. I survived pharmacy school with a 2.8 GPA doing the bare minimum to just get by. I should have stuck with medicine as I had planned! Anyway, I plan on applying to med school by 2009. My question is this, WHERE DO I START? I graduated from pharmacy school in 2004. I know I will need to retake physics and probably organic. I have a long road ahead of me but I want to do more with my brain. I know I can do this. Being a physician will be a long road, but at this point in my life thats all that matters! Any input would be great!

CJM

 

[TyK]

Hey all,
I am a 30 year old pharmacist ready to make a change in my life. I survived pharmacy school with a 2.8 GPA doing the bare minimum to just get by. I should have stuck with medicine as I had planned! Anyway, I plan on applying to med school by 2009. My question is this, WHERE DO I START? I graduated from pharmacy school in 2004. I know I will need to retake physics and probably organic. I have a long road ahead of me but I want to do more with my brain. I know I can do this. Being a physician will be a long road, but at this point in my life thats all that matters! Any input would be great!

CJM

Can you go into any specifics as to why you are leaving pharmacy to go into medicine?

 

[Doctor M]

Can you go into any specifics as to why you are leaving pharmacy to go into medicine?

Im a retail pharmacist bored with running a registrar and answering the drive thru. I need a challenge, i am too young to be bored with my job. I want to do more, i want to be more involved in the care of patients. I guess I just want to do more if I can. I know I can. Clinical pharmacy is not an option. I started off pre-med and should have continued. I guess i am not content. I work 50-55 hrs per week, make $130-140k, so money is no factor. I want to be a physician because I want to be challenged; my brain can do more! Pharmacy is great, dont get me wrong, but I know i have not accomplished what I was set out to accomplish.

Dr. M

 

[RxnMan]

The easiest and best place to start is to set up some sort of volunteering experience for yourself. This will serve several purposes:

1) Solidify (or liquefy) your reasons for being a physician
2) Should you go on to apply, it'll give you material for essays and
3) possible letter-writers.

As this will be a litmus test for you I recommend working in a urban ED. Start by calling the teaching hospitals in your area (they usually have an affiliation with a university or are referred to as University Hospital). Often you can find a 'scribe' position which will attach you to the hip of an attending and you'll get a good experience.

 

[Doctor M]

The easiest and best place to start is to set up some sort of volunteering experience for yourself. This will serve several purposes:

1) Solidify (or liquefy) your reasons for being a physician
2) Should you go on to apply, it'll give you material for essays and
3) possible letter-writers.

As this will be a litmus test for you I recommend working in a urban ED. Start by calling the teaching hospitals in your area (they usually have an affiliation with a university or are referred to as University Hospital). Often you can find a 'scribe' position which will attach you to the hip of an attending and you'll get a good experience.

Will do! What do you recommend as far as preparing for the MCAT?

 

[calliMD]

Clinical pharmacy is not an option.

Why is it not an option for you? Is it just personal choice?

 

[146233]

Why is it not an option for you? Is it just personal choice?

OP, don't feel compelled to answer these questions. You don't have to answer to us in order to get advice. However, it is almost a certainty that you will be asked to explain your decisions to admissions committee members (and may be something you should put in your personal statement, when you get to that point).

If medicine is your passion (for a better reason than "my job bores me"), then by all means pursue it with everything you've got. We're here to help.


Welcome.
-z

 

[RxnMan]

Will do! What do you recommend as far as preparing for the MCAT?

There's a whole host of posts to help you in the MCAT forum. At this point, it might be better just to spend some time volunteering - I'm talking pulling an 8-hour shift/wk during a Friday or Saturday night for awhile to see how it fits.

Another good place to look at are those urban free clinics.

 

[Doctor M]

Why is it not an option for you? Is it just personal choice?

Ehh, i just want to challenge myself to my abilities. In no way am I saying that a clinical pharmacy position would not challenge me but unfortunaley clinical pharmacists have limits as to what they may do. I want to be able to assess the patient, diagnose, find out more about what is going on with the human body. With a Pharm D, I can put that together with the education of an MD and put 2 and 2 together. Again, I am not gong to tell you all that I want to be an MD because "I want to HELP PEOPLE". I do that everyday in the community. Again, money is no factor. I have everything i ever wanted. I just want to be able to do more than just counsel and dispense. I want to be able to assess a patient and treat, and for that I must be a medical doctor. With an MD education and a Pharm D education, i would be able to do more. I'll never have all the answers, i'll never be able to "CURE"but at least I will know that i have everything that I can to diagnose and treat. Anyway, I believe that being an MD is my calling, it's what I was meant to do.

Dr. M

 

[Doctor M]

OP, don't feel compelled to answer these questions. You don't have to answer to us in order to get advice. However, it is almost a certainty that you will be asked to explain your decisions to admissions committee members (and may be something you should put in your personal statement, when you get to that point).

If medicine is your passion (for a better reason than "my job bores me"), then by all means pursue it with everything you've got. We're here to help.

Welcome.
-z

I do thank you! Heres a little story from tonites evening at the pharmacy for all you future docs and docs:
Mr. Smith (not his real name) came to pick his medicine. Mr. Smith was a large man, about 260 lbs, rather heavyset. As I rung him up, He wore a shirt with the picture of a little girl with the dates under her picture 1991-2007. I looked into his eyes and asked him about his shirt. "It's my daughter, she passed away 2 months ago of a brain tumor. She was my little princess". I looked into his eyes and could see this grown man, this large man, this man whom I had never met ready to break down. I could see it in his eyes. I could feel his pain and although there was nothing I could say or do to help him, I offered our services anytime he needed it. He thanked me and left. Even though i filled his script and had some empathy, i know that there is more that I could do, with more education and more knowledge! Anyway, take care all!

Dr. M

 

[ForbiddenComma]

I do thank you! Heres a little story from tonites evening at the pharmacy for all you future docs and docs:
Mr. Smith (not his real name) came to pick his medicine. Mr. Smith was a large man, about 260 lbs, rather heavyset. As I rung him up, He wore a shirt with the picture of a little girl with the dates under her picture 1991-2007. I looked into his eyes and asked him about his shirt. "It's my daughter, she passed away 2 months ago of a brain tumor. She was my little princess". I looked into his eyes and could see this grown man, this large man, this man whom I had never met ready to break down. I could see it in his eyes. I could feel his pain and although there was nothing I could say or do to help him, I offered our services anytime he needed it. He thanked me and left. Even though i filled his script and had some empathy, i know that there is more that I could do, with more education and more knowledge! Anyway, take care all!

Dr. M

Sounds like you have your personal statement half-written.

The bad news is, even as an MD there is often little you can do to ease a person's emotional anguish. "Empathy" is the current buzzword in medical education but in reality, a stranger nodding and understanding has only limited effect on someone who lost his daughter, even if that stranger is wearing a white coat. To tell you the truth, there is little more a regular doc can do in this regard that you already can't, which is, simply lend an ear and say words of comfort. The MD may write for antidepressants, I guess, but that's the main difference unless you go into psychiatry.

Last year, in the free clinic run by med students, I had a teenaged patient who was clearly in trouble. She had no parental support, her grandparents that were "raising" her did not care about her, she spent most of her time on the streets and was obviously hooking. But she wasn't dumb enough to actually say anything that could trigger a call to child services. So there was pretty much nothing I could do except write her a scrip for her vaginitis, try to get her to talk (good luck trying to reach a hardened street kid) and make a referral that she won't follow up with. That's about it.

I'm not trying to discourage you from applying to med school, and there are a lot of changes you CAN effect as a doctor... but you should know the limitations as well.

Good luck with the process.

 

[Doctor M]

Sounds like you have your personal statement half-written.

The bad news is, even as an MD there is often little you can do to ease a person's emotional anguish. "Empathy" is the current buzzword in medical education but in reality, a stranger nodding and understanding has only limited effect on someone who lost his daughter, even if that stranger is wearing a white coat. To tell you the truth, there is little more a regular doc can do in this regard that you already can't, which is, simply lend an ear and say words of comfort. The MD may write for antidepressants, I guess, but that's the main difference unless you go into psychiatry.

Last year, in the free clinic run by med students, I had a teenaged patient who was clearly in trouble. She had no parental support, her grandparents that were "raising" her did not care about her, she spent most of her time on the streets and was obviously hooking. But she wasn't dumb enough to actually say anything that could trigger a call to child services. So there was pretty much nothing I could do except write her a scrip for her vaginitis, try to get her to talk (good luck trying to reach a hardened street kid) and make a referral that she won't follow up with. That's about it.

I'm not trying to discourage you from applying to med school, and there are a lot of changes you CAN effect as a doctor... but you should know the limitations as well.

Good luck with the process.

Im a good writer 😉. Anyway, you are so correct, but imagine being a pharmacist who gets the patient first before she comes to see you: All i can say is go see you doctor. A lot of times there is absolutley nothing I can do. We as Pharmacists, especially in community, are so limited as to what we can do. I want to do more than just dispense. Maybe research? The fact is, I am not content with a Pharm D.the other day I was asked why the beer coolers weren't open?👎 wtf? Anyway, all professions have limitations and i know that I wont "cure" the sick, but at least I will know in my head that I have done all that I can. Anyway, sometimes all some people need is a pair of ears. My profession has taught me to just listen. And trust me, i am not discouraged. I will do what I was set oit to do! Thanks

Dr.M

 

[Kunsan]

Hey, I totally understand where you are coming from... I am also a pharmacist and applied to dental school for fall 2008. Yes, retail is no fun although most of my Rx experience was in the armed services... Just know, you will be in for some real time stress...I am dealing with it right now. Work is quite tuff and sometimes difficult to manage with all this stuff... sometimes part-time work is hard to get, meaning getting the hours you want... But hey, do what you got to do... study your A** off for that MCAT... and do well on it. My brother told me of a pharmacist who was in his med class and now heading over to do a surgical residency... Always put this phrase in your mind "medicine or nothing!!" for me its "dentistry or nothing"... Do it, I have already heard of and seen quite a few R.Ph. to doctor.

 

[Doctor M]

Hey, I totally understand where you are coming from... I am also a pharmacist and applied to dental school for fall 2008. Yes, retail is no fun although most of my Rx experience was in the armed services... Just know, you will be in for some real time stress...I am dealing with it right now. Work is quite tuff and sometimes difficult to manage with all this stuff... sometimes part-time work is hard to get, meaning getting the hours you want... But hey, do what you got to do... study your A** off for that MCAT... and do well on it. My brother told me of a pharmacist who was in his med class and now heading over to do a surgical residency... Always put this phrase in your mind "medicine or nothing!!" for me its "dentistry or nothing"... Do it, I have already heard of and seen quite a few R.Ph. to doctor.

Thanks for the encouragemnt. The MCAT is nowmy main nemesis for the next 6 months! I plan on working 12 hrs per week (hopefully) if I get in. I know it will be tuff, but I will need supplemental income. I welcome any advice from anyone! Thanks.

Dr.M

 

[crazydiamond]

I know a lot of people have passion for pharmacy but I completely understand those that don't. I had briefly considered becoming a pharmacist (instead of an MD which is what I really wanted). . .then I got a job working in a pharmacy! It's a mail-order outfit, not retail so things are a little different. But I do work with about 100 pharmacists and I can say that most of them despise retail with a passion. Talking with them and working closely with them has shown me that pharmacy work is not for me whether it be retail, mailorder, or otherwise.

There are some pharmacists here who seem to do some interesting things, but they are more on the clinical or management side of things. The vast majority here seem to do the same thing day in and day out with a lot of repetition in between.

I fully know that medicine can be quite routine too, so nobody call me out on that 😉 But in the end, I don't think it's quite as bad as staring at a computer screen or filling walk-up scripts for 10 hrs a day.

 

[Doctor M]

I know a lot of people have passion for pharmacy but I completely understand those that don't. I had briefly considered becoming a pharmacist (instead of an MD which is what I really wanted). . .then I got a job working in a pharmacy! It's a mail-order outfit, not retail so things are a little different. But I do work with about 100 pharmacists and I can say that most of them despise retail with a passion. Talking with them and working closely with them has shown me that pharmacy work is not for me whether it be retail, mailorder, or otherwise.

There are some pharmacists here who seem to do some interesting things, but they are more on the clinical or management side of things. The vast majority here seem to do the same thing day in and day out with a lot of repetition in between.

I fully know that medicine can be quite routine too, so nobody call me out on that 😉 But in the end, I don't think it's quite as bad as staring at a computer screen or filling walk-up scripts for 10 hrs a day.

Try 12 -14 hrs per day🙂. My job is repititous and too limited. The practice of Pharmacy is too limited. I always believed its what you make of it but there just isn't to much to make of!!!! Retail pharmacy will be what it is forever! There will always be a drive-thru and there will always be people screaming that I should know what their ins covers or why they have no refills. I have practiced pharmacy for 3 years, make a crap load of money (this year I will break the $150,000 working around 55 hrs/wk), and own a home and some nice cars. I want to make clear that I am NOT burnt out. I just dont see any fulfillment in this profession. I see no room for advancement and the practice is too limited. So you see, money and TOYS are not my motivation; self fulfillment and doing something so challenging is!
Thanks all for understanding!

Dr. M

 

[proclivity]

Hey all,
I am a 30 year old pharmacist ready to make a change in my life. I survived pharmacy school with a 2.8 GPA doing the bare minimum to just get by. I should have stuck with medicine as I had planned! Anyway, I plan on applying to med school by 2009. My question is this, WHERE DO I START? I graduated from pharmacy school in 2004. I know I will need to retake physics and probably organic. I have a long road ahead of me but I want to do more with my brain. I know I can do this. Being a physician will be a long road, but at this point in my life thats all that matters! Any input would be great!

CJM

I don't think you need to retake any classes. Just study for them. You have already demonstrated aptitude in these premedical areas with your pharmacy degree.

I have a friend that was a pharmacist for 2 years, making 70k a year but he was bored just like you. Studied, took the MCAT went through medical school at Ohio State and now he is an ER resident R-3 in Philadelphia.

Just do it....the swoosh is everywhere! LOL

 

[Doctor M]

I love this forum! It gives me more and more hope Everyday!. I am gonna start my review of the test matter soon!

CJM

 

[IUgrad]

Sorry, not really anything to add... Just wanted to say congratulations on your decision, and good luck! 🙂

 

[Doctor M]

Sorry, not really anything to add... Just wanted to say congratulations on your decision, and good luck! 🙂

Thanks!

 

[helpfuldoc2b]

Hey, I totally understand where you are coming from... I am also a pharmacist and applied to dental school for fall 2008. Yes, retail is no fun although most of my Rx experience was in the armed services... Just know, you will be in for some real time stress...I am dealing with it right now. Work is quite tuff and sometimes difficult to manage with all this stuff... sometimes part-time work is hard to get, meaning getting the hours you want... But hey, do what you got to do... study your A** off for that MCAT... and do well on it. My brother told me of a pharmacist who was in his med class and now heading over to do a surgical residency... Always put this phrase in your mind "medicine or nothing!!" for me its "dentistry or nothing"... Do it, I have already heard of and seen quite a few R.Ph. to doctor.

Curious what made you think of Dental versus medicine or any other healthcare field, also what are your stats if you dont mind sharing.

Thank you.
MJ

 

[brewmeistervi]

My good buddy is about one year older than you and he has been an enlisted army guy for the past 7 years... he is now thinking about going to medical school 2009 too... there are plenty of people who are much less related to medicine that are older than you who are ac on their gut desire to become a doctor...

Be strong man... it's an uphill battle, but if you wanted the easy road, you would have stayed at your old job.

 

[mdtopharm]

dear Doctor M

I'm going through the opposite situation, I'm a foreign medical school graduate currenty live in USA I passed all of the USMLE exams with scores above 90 in both steps and I should apply for 2008 residency match.

I'm thinking seriously about joining pharm school, I can't handle the long working hours and calls as a resident,I wanna have a non stressful careen with resonable working hours , I don't care if I will make less money.

I thought about this before but I didn't have the courage to do it and start over again it's a very hard decision to take.

I'm wondering if I join pharm school how many years will I have to take?

will they give me credits for what I have studied in med school.

I feel paralyzed and can't make a decision

 

[Doctor M]

dear Doctor M

I'm going through the opposite situation, I'm a foreign medical school graduate currenty live in USA I passed all of the USMLE exams with scores above 90 in both steps and I should apply for 2008 residency match.

I'm thinking seriously about joining pharm school, I can't handle the long working hours and calls as a resident,I wanna have a non stressful careen with resonable working hours , I don't care if I will make less money.

I thought about this before but I didn't have the courage to do it and start over again it's a very hard decision to take.

I'm wondering if I join pharm school how many years will I have to take?

will they give me credits for what I have studied in med school.

I feel paralyzed and can't make a decision

Pharmacy school is 4 years of professional schooling! I bet they would take some of your pre science courses. Doesn't hurt to try! I am leaving this profession because I can no longer stand where the profession is heading. Retail pharmacy is horrible and the money is not worth it. Took me 3 years to realize this! Good luck!

 

[Doctor M]

My good buddy is about one year older than you and he has been an enlisted army guy for the past 7 years... he is now thinking about going to medical school 2009 too... there are plenty of people who are much less related to medicine that are older than you who are ac on their gut desire to become a doctor...

Be strong man... it's an uphill battle, but if you wanted the easy road, you would have stayed at your old job.

I can nol onger do what I do. I am an ins adjuster at best. There is no clinical thinking. It is an assembly line! I am done. Need more out of my brain!

 

[mdtopharm]

Pharmacy school is 4 years of professional schooling! I bet they would take some of your pre science courses. Doesn't hurt to try! I am leaving this profession because I can no longer stand where the profession is heading. Retail pharmacy is horrible and the money is not worth it. Took me 3 years to realize this! Good luck!

Thank you,
can I join pharm school directly or I have to take some courses before I can join the school?

 

[Doctor M]

Thank you,
can I join pharm school directly or I have to take some courses before I can join the school?

You should contact the school directly; perhaps you may have to take the pcats, but I am not sure.

 

[MikeStar57]

Hey Doctor M-

I am pretty much in the same exact situation as you, except I am only 21.

I came to college thinking that I wanted to do pre-med, but was encouraged to apply to pharmacy school after 2 years. I got accepted at a top pharmacy school that is the same place I was at for undergrad (UNC), and basically I thought it was too good of an opportunity to pass up so I went for it without completely thinking it through. After the first semester of pharmacy school, I started to get the feeling that pharmacy was not the right field for me - for a lot of the same reasons that you have listed. I started volunteering in the ER and came to love it, which solidified my thoughts. So I finished up the year, and now am back to being an undergrad finishing my degree. The good thing is that I have enough hours to graduate next May 2008, which is when I was originally supposed to graduate. I took the MCAT two weeks and am working on my secondaries now.

Anyway, just thought I'd let you know that I can really relate to what you are saying.

 

[Doctor M]

Hey Doctor M-

I am pretty much in the same exact situation as you, except I am only 21.

I came to college thinking that I wanted to do pre-med, but was encouraged to apply to pharmacy school after 2 years. I got accepted at a top pharmacy school that is the same place I was at for undergrad (UNC), and basically I thought it was too good of an opportunity to pass up so I went for it without completely thinking it through. After the first semester of pharmacy school, I started to get the feeling that pharmacy was not the right field for me - for a lot of the same reasons that you have listed. I started volunteering in the ER and came to love it, which solidified my thoughts. So I finished up the year, and now am back to being an undergrad finishing my degree. The good thing is that I have enough hours to graduate next May 2008, which is when I was originally supposed to graduate. I took the MCAT two weeks and am working on my secondaries now.

Anyway, just thought I'd let you know that I can really relate to what you are saying.

Im glad most of you understand. Good luck on your adventure!!

 

[spoudaios]

Hi Doctor M and everyone...

This is quite long and i have some questions and need some input and advice...

I am a Canadian pharmacist and thinking about going to med school. Sometimes i am back and forth between clinical PharmD or doing med school. Part of me says do it all the way but part of me says it will be too tough and pharmD will be sufficient. Part says i will be VERY old when i finish. Just bought condo last year and a new car couple years ago. Now, with this new goal, i felt like it's going to be tough. But then, if i am just a pharmacist, i won't be going anywhere. Not enough challenge. Not enough patient care.

I work in Canada (28 years old) as pharmacist for 5 years now. From first up to third year was fine because i was learning a lot. Now, it's almost as if i am bored to death. In Canada, retail pays more than hospital. Even then, Canadian pharmacists make much less than what you guys make in the US.
My background was international student from Indonesia. Came to Canada in 1996. Then went to pharmacy school at University of BC in Vancouver.

I work average 6 days a week now (2 places). Plus i have started studying MCAT for about 6 months now. IT's up and down because i don't have a lot of free time to do it. Maybe one to 2 hours a day. Sometimes none at all depending on how the day at work goes. I heard volunteer is important when applying for med school. Because of my international student background while in pharmacy, i never thought of doing volunteer. I have none basically. I just applied for Big brother/big sister and thinking about doing hospital volunteer as well. Once a week on each one. The only thing i've done while in pharmacy was my involvement in music ministry in church for 6 years. Not sure if that will count or not.

I am planning to write MCAT next year in June or July. Thinking about taking Kaplan course in Jan 2008 till April 2008. I think it will be a review for me because i am studying bit by bit right now... I am reading Gold standard review and examcracker plus textbooks especially physics since haven't done it since 1st year university.

I have few questions...

1>. How important is it to apply to A LOT to medical schools? I am planning to apply to university in town where i live... When they ask me during interview, i will give simple answer because i was an alumni before and it's a good school and i want to work here... now, if you apply to a lot different schools and got accepted in a place far away from where you live... what would you say?

2>. Regarding doctor's lifestyle... I live VERY healthy lifestyle. Workout regularly. Very fit. Now, i am very concerned about the on-call responsibilities of doctors. Are doctors supposed to be on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? How do they handle this? I want to be a HEALTHY doctor.

3>. I have a doctor that works in the medical building where i work. He has a daughter that he will send to Ireland to study med school. Is it okay to apply to overseas med school? Will you be able to work in US or Canada?

4>. For those of you who's applying... if you've already got a house, i guess you will sell your house? I felt so bad selling mine because i put a lot of upgrading into it and it got featured in newspaper and magazine.

5>. How do you study for ethical questions type during interview?

6>. What kind of reading material can i do to prepare for my Verbal reasoning MCAT? I am planning to read an article per day. My friend recommends me "THE ECONOMIST". What else? I hope it's free...

7>. What about writing? I haven't written since i became a pharmacist. How do i practice this?

8>. I am just scared because of lack of volunteer activities, i will never get into med school... They will probably look at my application and ask why i did not start volunteering earlier.

9>. I find it tough with my social life now. Barely got any. 2 jobs. Studying. Will be volunteering soon. Is this going to be bad?


Pheeewww... That was a lot but it felt good writing them all down... I will have more but i am open to any advice...

Thanks all
Yudi.