Any Pharm D to MD hopefulls in here??

[sirdude]

I am about to finish up my degree as a pharmacist, through the course of which I decided I really wanted to go all the way and become a doctor. Are there any more that are in the same boat as me, have already gone through this, or want to switch from pharmacy before they get their degree?

I am beginning to get a bit discouraged because because every time I tell someone I come from pharmacy and want to do med school they give me a look of astonishment followed by either "why" or "that's weird".....

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[NonTradMed]

We have two kids in our class that were PharmD turned MD. One went directly from her PharmD program to our class, so it seems it is possible. Just be sure that this is what you want. Try shadowing a few doctors.

 

[sirdude]

We have two kids in our class that were PharmD turned MD. One went directly from her PharmD program to our class, so it seems it is possible. Just be sure that this is what you want. Try shadowing a few doctors.

Yeah I do know of two others before me that turned the MD way before finishing pharmacy school. I will be finishing the program before I enter the medical program though. I have been shadowing docs also. Actually the day I decided I wanted to be a doctor was one day when I went on rounds with a pharmacist and a doctor that I truely decided that I wanted to go MD.

One question for you though NonTrad. I was just wondering why you would say, "make sure this is what you want to do?" Is it because I come from from a pharmacy program??? Is that looked badly upon at your institution?

 

[PharmD2MD]

I am about to finish up my degree as a pharmacist, through the course of which I decided I really wanted to go all the way and become a doctor. Are there any more that are in the same boat as me, have already gone through this, or want to switch from pharmacy before they get their degree?

I am beginning to get a bit discouraged because because every time I tell someone I come from pharmacy and want to do med school they give me a look of astonishment followed by either "why" or "that's weird".....

The admissions committees will give you the same look. Don't be discouraged, but be aware that having a Pharm.D won't really help you get into to med school. You'll have to get smooth at explaining why you want to switch. You'll need a good GPA and MCAT just like any other applicant. DO schools might be more friendly to people from other careers than MD schools. I got in to USUHS- switching careers is pretty common in the military so they didn't badger me about it like the other schools.

 

[sirdude]

The admissions committees will give you the same look. Don't be discouraged, but be aware that having a Pharm.D won't really help you get into to med school. You'll have to get smooth at explaining why you want to switch. You'll need a good GPA and MCAT just like any other applicant. DO schools might be more friendly to people from other careers than MD schools. I got in to USUHS- switching careers is pretty common in the military so they didn't badger me about it like the other schools.

Well, I hope that's not the truth with most schools. I mean I know that doesn't mean I get a free pass, and that I will have to show the same aptitude with acidemics and interviewing skills as others will. However I do think that having a mere clinical background with experience should help me some. No? Anyways, I talked to two people on the admissions commitee for the med school here at MUSC(where I also go to pharmacy school) and they were rather accepting of the fact that I wanted to switch and said that it would help me out quite a bit. I havn't really talked to other schools that personally, so can't quote them all. But yeah I do feel that there are many med schools and people in medicine who don't take too kindly to Pharm D's or people that make the switch. Just like one school that told me I had to have a B.S. to apply, in which I responded I will have a Pharm D. They said it would not qualify and I couldn't apply. Schools that are just number crunchers and don't have any kind of flexibility in their guidelines wouldn't work for me anyways.

 

[Scottish Chap]

Well, I hope that's not the truth with most schools. I mean I know that doesn't mean I get a free pass, and that I will have to show the same aptitude with acidemics and interviewing skills as others will. However I do think that having a mere clinical background with experience should help me some. No? Anyways, I talked to two people on the admissions commitee for the med school here at MUSC(where I also go to pharmacy school) and they were rather accepting of the fact that I wanted to switch and said that it would help me out quite a bit. I havn't really talked to other schools that personally, so can't quote them all. But yeah I do feel that there are many med schools and people in medicine who don't take too kindly to Pharm D's or people that make the switch. Just like one school that told me I had to have a B.S. to apply, in which I responded I will have a Pharm D. They said it would not qualify and I couldn't apply. Schools that are just number crunchers and don't have any kind of flexibility in their guidelines wouldn't work for me anyways.

There is no perfect course to prepare one for medical school. It's a hard path - we have pharmacists, pharmacologists, EMTs, paramedics, and PhDs in my class and, honestly, it makes little difference. Once your half-way through each course, most of your classmates will be indistinguishable from you in their fund of knowledge since they'll be equally determined and highly motivated.

Some schools will grill you about leaving one health profession for another. They just want to be sure you know what you're getting into but, overall, I agree with the above; a decent GPA and MCAT will get you to where you need to be. Good luck!