Can a pharmacist apply for MD school?

[dzlist]

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Hi all future doctors, I like medicine very much and want to learn as much as i can to help more people. i think that with my knowledge in pharmacy and drugs in particular would make me a better physician. Do you all think that my chance to get in is lower than traditionals, and that the schools would discriminate against pharmacist who already has a healthcare career? the reason i apply for MD school has nothing to do with superiority of MD or other negative things, i want to learn alot and want to do more than what i am doing now.
any advice would be helpful.
thank you

 

[drlisa0318]

I'd say as long as your prereqs are met, you've got a good gpa and good MCAT scores, you've got as good a chance as anyone else. I doubt the adcoms would hold being a pharmacist against you. Who knows, it might even help.

 

[mosoriire]

Apply! Apply! Apply! If ou truly are interested in medicine, you shouldnt shrnk from applying just because you think that people in your field may have what is percieved as limited chances.

 

[tupac_don]

Hey DZList,

I too am a pharmacist applying to med school. From my experience so far I am finding that Med schools don't care whether u are a pharmacist, or an optometrist or physical therapist or any other health related field. They won't consider you with low grades say 3.2 just b/c u did pharmacy or a 27 MCAT. But it will help u in the interview and it will help get you in with maybe a lower avg than an undergrad. You should also know that for avg purposes they consider the BCMP avg and all other avg. Unfortunately, pharmacy classes are considered health science for the most part, like kineticks, therapeutics, pharmaceutics and so forth. But I'll tell you that med school will be a breeze for u, after pharmacy school. The only drawback is that u take a big hit financially. Instead of making sick cash while u are young, u go back for another 8-12 years to school, which is very substantial. Also are u a student or are u a pharmacist? Best of luck pharmacist.

 

[dzlist]

i know financial matter will be a huge problem if i decide to stay in school for another four years. however, i think that as a med resident, i may make enough living for myself right? i know pharmacists make 100K these days. for me obviously going to med school is not about money. studying pharmacy only fulfills part of my love for medicine. in pharmacy school you are not taught about diagnotics. in med school, you are not taught pharmaceuticals thoroughly. so i thought what the heck, and think of studying some more years to perfect my ambition. many people die in the hospitals these days are due to drug interactions. so if i know the drugs and diagnotics, i think many patients will certainly benefit.
thank you for all your posts guys!

 

[tupac_don]

Hey Dz list,

You are right, but let me ask you are you out of school or are u finishing up? Yea you do get paid during residency but it's chump change like $40000 american. But I do agree with you and that's what I am having a hard time dealing with. Going to med school will be fullfilling in the long run, and you will be able to do more for patients, absolutely agree. How old are u by the way? Are you applying for 2005? Best of luck to you.

 

[SOUNDMAN]

I say definitely apply, and I think it will help you very much. First of all even applying after you've done that much schooling shows a huge interest and the reality of the time you will end up investing I think will show favorably upon adcoms.

I'm a PA, and applying this year to medschool. Very similar reasons as you. From what I've hear from others that have went this route is you do have an increased advantage over just the typical premed.

 

[angstrom55]

If you sincerely want to be a doctor and are willing to do a switch, then you should definately apply. Just be prepared to tell interviewers why you want to do a switch and not just b/c "you want to learn more". I sorta tried this with md/phd interviews. The phd interveiwers were wary about me wanting to get a phd b/c i wanted to learn more in that field. You would so rock though with a pharmD and MD degree!

 

[OrthoFixation]

Can a pharmacist apply for MD school?

NO. Section 4, Article 7, Subparagragh (g) explicitly states "No Pharmacist may apply to or matriculate in any allopathic or osteopathic medical school."





😱 😱 Sorry, I just couldn't restrain myself. Do what you want, follow your heart. Financially, ten years of specialty practice will more than make-up for the immediate financial hit. If you want FP, you better start crunching some numbers and factor that into your decision. I'm giving up six figures to become a doc. Hapiness and satisfaction is worth way more than a paycheck, no matter what the magnitude. Good luck 👍

 

[dzlist]

are you sure that pharmD canot apply for MD progam? i will be 33 when i graduated. i got my BS a while back, and then did some research and discovered some antibodies from a big famous international pharmaceutical comp. Now, i am here, aging and feeling that i have not done much for people and "humanities"...i am going to write a book soon. By the way, English is my second language. I learned english when i was 19 years old. I am not discouraged by the fact that i am 30s when i apply. I know i can do it. I want my name on the Nobel prize winner list someday. Ok time is up for my inspirational speech .
Thank you so much guys for your post. I really appreciate all your advice. You are all wonderful. I know pharmacists' salaries are so tempting. however, we men got to do what we got to do right? some people wait their whole life for opportunities to come. i am only reaching my midlife...still have some 40 years left to study and work and make millions...

Thank you alot guys

 

[gaf]

are you sure that pharmD canot apply for MD progam?

You absolutely CAN apply. If you want to be a physician, and you have your eyes open to the financial implications, you should go for it.

 

[Blake]

i am only reaching my midlife...still have some 40 years left to study and work and make millions...

I'm pretty sure you've got other great reasons to enter medicine, and it's true that doctors have money, but where did you get the idea they get millions ? 😕 Or do they, actually ? 😎 😉

 

[pharmer]

Apply!! I got my PharmD in May 2003 and will be starting my second year of med school this year. First year wasn't too bad and second year should be better since this years courses are more relevant (not to mention we get Pharm thrown at us this year which should be a breeze). 🙂

 

[fullefect1]

It would be nice to have a part time job as a pharmacist while going to med school. You would have much more extra cash then most other students. There might even be some free time when you could study during work?

 

[gujuDoc]

I'm not a pharmacist, but I have a question pertaining to this just out of curiosity.

If you are supposed to have a bachelor's prior to med school, but you didn't get one, because Pharm school didn't require it.......

Does this mean that you still need to waste two years doing a bachelor's.....or do they look at the PharmD as making up for that???

Just a curious question that I was pondering.

 

[Syranope2]

Yea you do get paid during residency but it's chump change like $40000 american.

i know this doesn't relate at all to the post, but i know a lot of people, including some who suport entire families, that would love to make $40k a year. definitely not chump change.

that said, of course, residents are still way underpaid. just make sure you have some perspective

 

[gujuDoc]

i know this doesn't relate at all to the post, but i know a lot of people, including some who suport entire families, that would love to make $40k a year. definitely not chump change.

that said, of course, residents are still way underpaid. just make sure you have some perspective

It's not chump change, but it is when you are in massive debt that is at least like 50-200000 dollars depending on what med school you go to.

 

[tupac_don]

Yea you are right, that might be a bold statement, considering people in general. However, I am not considering people in general I am considering, myself and those who have potential to make much more than $40000, eg. doctors. For instance if you could be making 120000+ with a MD degree, or with a Pharm D degree 90000+, trust me bro, $40000 is chump change, u are taking a big paycut. Also GujuDoc has a great point. In the end it's all about perception. Now for someone who is working for $7 bucks an hour at Miki D's, yea $40000 is big cash, agree with you. However I apologize if I sounded arrogant. Best of luck to everyone.

 

[DW]

pm samoa. she was a pharmD and is now a MSII at Tulane

 

[ishikaza]

Apply!! I got my PharmD in May 2003 and will be starting my second year of med school this year. First year wasn't too bad and second year should be better since this years courses are more relevant (not to mention we get Pharm thrown at us this year which should be a breeze). 🙂

Hi! Pharmer, i too am a pharmacist, toying with the idea of applying to medical school. However, i turn 30 in a couple of months and have a young family...I am really torn, with this decision. So i guess my question is... after all these years do you still think you made the right decision? and has it been worth it for you? i want to further my education for sure, but i don't know what field to look at except for med school. Any ideas?

 

[qkhb]

Hi! Pharmer, i too am a pharmacist, toying with the idea of applying to medical school. However, i turn 30 in a couple of months and have a young family...I am really torn, with this decision. So i guess my question is... after all these years do you still think you made the right decision? and has it been worth it for you? i want to further my education for sure, but i don't know what field to look at except for med school. Any ideas?

This necrobump is impressive. Ishikaza, do you think the original posters are still on this forum after almost 11 years? You should try the search function to find more recent threads about the pharmacy/medicine switch.