Does it matter?

[rLee1106]

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So my question is this. In terms of getting hired or salary payment, does the pharmacy school ranking (UCSF being #1) matter? I'm hearing conflicting sides where one is "Oh, a Pharm.D. is a a Pharm.D...doesn't matter where you graduate from as long as you have a Pharm.D." to "Yeah, it does matter..go to the BEST pharmacy school there is so you can get paid more, etc" Anyone with any insight, please share it.

Also, do any of you guys know anyone who earned their Pharm.D. but decided to become a doctor also later on? How many more years would that require?

 

[aubieRx]

I am no expert but im almost 100 percent certain med school would be another 4 years. I dont think there is that much overlap between med and pharm schools really...assuming you did mean a medical doctor and not some kind of pharmacy research degree

 

[TrojanAnteater]

I asked my pharmacist the same question and he said it shouldn't really matter right now where you get a pharmD from. Although I can see for instance if your in Southern California where 50% of the pharmacists went to USC, then you may get some preferential treatment. But I doubt that your pay reflects what school you go to.

 

[imperial frog]

Retail - doesn't seem to matter...the companies want your license so they can make money...not that there's anything wrong with that because they are compensating you very nicely.

Specialties - might not get you a higher salary directly, but it might get you a little extra consideration with getting the residency you might need for it, although the connections you might make on the way through school can help with this too.

 

[rLee1106]

I am no expert but im almost 100 percent certain med school would be another 4 years. I dont think there is that much overlap between med and pharm schools really...assuming you did mean a medical doctor and not some kind of pharmacy research degree

So with a Pharm.D., someone could just apply for an addition 4 years to become a medical doctor? What if you have a Pharm.D. but not a Bachelor degree..would that still be 4 years?

 

[nikkai]

So my question is this. In terms of getting hired or salary payment, does the pharmacy school ranking (UCSF being #1) matter? I'm hearing conflicting sides where one is "Oh, a Pharm.D. is a a Pharm.D...doesn't matter where you graduate from as long as you have a Pharm.D." to "Yeah, it does matter..go to the BEST pharmacy school there is so you can get paid more, etc" Anyone with any insight, please share it.

Also, do any of you guys know anyone who earned their Pharm.D. but decided to become a doctor also later on? How many more years would that require?

That'd be an expensive consequence of being of fickle...

Pretty much anyone can apply to medical school as long as you have the prereqs and take the mcat. That's why there are plenty of great people that are older than 30, 40 and maybe even 50. They'll see your pharm D in your CV and maybe it'll help you.

But I would just ask why you might change your mind? Prescribing rights? More control over your patients? There are paths that a pharmacist can take to approach those areas if that's what you'd want.

 

[aubieRx]

So with a Pharm.D., someone could just apply for an addition 4 years to become a medical doctor? What if you have a Pharm.D. but not a Bachelor degree..would that still be 4 years?

Why would you want to go to school for that many years is the question i would have to ask you?

Good lord no. lol. I'd pick one or the other and fly with it. No sense in getting both as far as i am concerned.

 

[pharmergirl]

Why would you want to go to school for that many years is the question i would have to ask you?

Good lord no. lol. I'd pick one or the other and fly with it. No sense in getting both as far as i am concerned.

At UIC COP at least, it used to be that if you had a PharmD from UIC then if you were accepted to their med school, the med school would only be 3 years instead of 4. I have met at least 2 PharmD that got their MDs.

 

[gablet]

At UIC COP at least, it used to be that if you had a PharmD from UIC then if you were accepted to their med school, the med school would only be 3 years instead of 4. I have met at least 2 PharmD that got their MDs.

My heavens! Is this a normal practice!?! No wonder why it is so competitive to get into Pharm D school, even the people who want to be doctors are doing it too!