havin a pharmD -improve admission?

[yatek]

hi everyone, I'm new here. I've searched the forums but couldn't find this topic, please point me in the right direction if you have seen a thread like this.

anyway, just wanted to find out if having a pharmD under your belt would improve acceptance into medical school (I am 3rd year pharmD student, day dreaming about medical school, but my gpa is only 3.0)

I also posted this topic in the pharmacy forum, not sure who would be more knowledgable about this

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Sparky Man]

hi everyone, I'm new here. I've searched the forums but couldn't find this topic, please point me in the right direction if you have seen a thread like this.

anyway, just wanted to find out if having a pharmD under your belt would improve acceptance into medical school (I am 3rd year pharmD student, day dreaming about medical school, but my gpa is only 3.0)

I also posted this topic in the pharmacy forum, not sure who would be more knowledgable about this

Hard to say. I don't think they will see it as a huge plus, but if you are doing well that's great. Also, you are going to have to explain to them why you are switching. They'll want to know you aren't just flaking out.

 

[GoBlue2004]

I graduated from pharmacy school with a PharmD and it looks nice, but if you didn't have a high gpa, then it doesn't help you at all. 3.0 is pretty low for medical school standards.

hi everyone, I'm new here. I've searched the forums but couldn't find this topic, please point me in the right direction if you have seen a thread like this.

anyway, just wanted to find out if having a pharmD under your belt would improve acceptance into medical school (I am 3rd year pharmD student, day dreaming about medical school, but my gpa is only 3.0)

I also posted this topic in the pharmacy forum, not sure who would be more knowledgable about this

 

[Winged Scapula]

Ditto to the above answers. In and of itself, an advanced degree doesn't usually confer any advantages, especially if your gpa in that field of study is low.

 

[LVDoc]

While I agree that an advanced degree may not confer any advantage in the event that the applicant's GPA is not competitive, it will definitely lend you an extra tool to utilize in your profession. Medical doctors do not have a good background in pharmacology. Considering that most physicians either only prescribe medications or perform surgeries, your knowledge of pharmacology will indefinitely help you in your future treatment of patients. It doesn't matter what the admissions committees think. This will help you. And you can tell them that.

 

[doc05]

NO. It will not be helpful. Certainly not for admissions. Marginally helpful in practice, but realistically, not much.

 

[bob13]

yatek,

yes it will help. i know of several Pharmd's that entered med school

 

[yatzek]

ok, I am a bit confused now... my question should've maybe been "do i have a chance of getting into ANY medical school?" ie. is there anything I can do now?

thanks for all the helpful replies, this place rocks

 

[vraypharmd2md]

I am confused by the posts also. I was wondering the same things myself. I even asked some people at medical schools before I applied. They said that it didn't add any more benefit than having a competitive major. HOWEVER, it does have a tremedous benefit! You can get tons of clinical experience during your rotations of the last year of pharmacy school. So when you go on the rotations, indicate that you might be interested in pursuing medicine. Most of the times my preceptors were nice and introduced me to doctors who let me shadow them during the pharmacy rotation.
Work hard to improve your gpa; study hard for the MCAT; and try to do something (like research or something out of the ordinary) to distinguish yourself more from the other "pre-meds" out there.

 

[yatzek]

was kind of depressed reading the other posts. I am going to do research this summer and plan on doing a lot more, already making some ties with professors. I am going to take physics next semester maybe. So now all I have to do is study my ass off to improve that GPA and do well on the MCAT... thanks for all the replies they are all appreciated. This thread may change what I do in my life! ( i dont get much advice about these things)

 

[cheapdate]

was kind of depressed reading the other posts. I am going to do research this summer and plan on doing a lot more, already making some ties with professors. I am going to take physics next semester maybe. So now all I have to do is study my ass off to improve that GPA and do well on the MCAT... thanks for all the replies they are all appreciated. This thread may change what I do in my life! ( i dont get much advice about these things)

Why get a pharmD and then decide to go to medical school? seems like a waste of time. Did you planned this when you were entering pharmacy school or is this a change of heart kind of thing?

 

[yatzek]

long story, but to make it short, I have a tennis scholarship to go to school here (drake) and I didn't originally intend on even doing pharmacy, but now I love the subjects like physiology and want to keep on studying ( I am also an international student which makes things maybe more complicated)

 

[Moze]

i cant say i know specifics, but i personally know a guy who did his pharmD and then went on to medical school (umdnj). he says having been a pharmD first hugely improved his chances simply because the course work in pharmacy school is so intense and in-depth. a good deal of if is also related/similar to medical courses. i would imagine that medical school admissions committees would take these things into consideration when making decisions.
again, this is just what i've gathered from people.

 

[fullefect1]

Yes you can get into medical school. Apply to DO schools. You have a better chance of getting in with that low of a GPA.

 

[yatzek]

i dunno what pre med is like but maintaining a 3.0+ gpa throuhout pharmacy school is pretty damn hard, its longer too...

 

[cheapdate]

i dunno what pre med is like but maintaining a 3.0+ gpa throuhout pharmacy school is pretty damn hard, its longer too...

So you're leaving one grad school to go into another? I applaud your diligence . You ever thought about working for a year or two first? simply because as a pharmacist, you can make some decent salary that'll reduce your financial burden a little bit in med school. That and as a pharmacist, you can afford some nice vacation before going back to school

 

[kwakster928]

i am assuming that you are in your 3rd year of six year program. you probably got in there straight from high school or started your pre-pharmacy major at drake. your 3.0 gpa probably is from meeting minimum requirement to move onto the professional years. if you want to go to medical school in my opinion, you have some serious more work to do. i believe they will look at your pre-pharmacy years in your organic grades, gen chem, bio grades, and chances are your grade will be lower than people who ususally get in. if i were you if pharmacy is not your thing, dont waste your time. get your regular BS and BA and just apply to medical school.

 

[yatzek]

good assumptions... yeah, i gotta lot of work to do. Dont mind studying forever...and working for a while then going back to school is idealy what i would like to do... i dont know how realistic this is yet. the way i see it is, if my grades suffer i'll still attain a pharmD, but with my current gpa there is no way in hell I'll get in anywhere.

 

[pharmer]

yatzek,

Hi. I did exactly what you are talking about doing. I went to a 6 year PharmD program took, the MCAT and Pysics I and II during my 5th year, and applied in June of my last year and matriculated 2 months after graduating. I'm a second year med student right now. I applied by the EDP program at my state school and I think the Adcomm definitely looked highly upon my having a PharmD. You also pick up a ton of clinical experience in pharm school and that definitely prepares you for the wards. You do need to get your GPA up though as the Adcom probably won't take too much merch on you just b/c you are in a prof school already. My school has its pharm course the 2nd semester of second year (along w/ systemic path and various other courses). Its fast pace, but grossly underdetailed when it comes to therapeutic application of drugs to disease states where pharm school will again be extremely benificial to you then and on the wards. I pick up shifts in a retail setting during the school year which are always available if you want to work and is extremely nice when you want to make a quick $400 for a days work. PM me if you have questions.

Pharmer

 

[vraypharmd2md]

I am about to finish my PharmD in May and will be going to med school in August. I am going to get liscenced to work over the summer and hopefully during the year. About how much did you work during the school year? I was thinking about 3-4 days a month for myself.

 

[pharmer]

I am about to finish my PharmD in May and will be going to med school in August. I am going to get liscenced to work over the summer and hopefully during the year. About how much did you work during the school year? I was thinking about 3-4 days a month for myself.

3-4 days a month is exactly what I did.

 

[lgooden]

yatzek,

I pick up shifts in a retail setting during the school year which are always available if you want to work and is extremely nice when you want to make a quick $400 for a days work. PM me if you have questions.

Pharmer

How many hours do you work to make $400 in 1 day, and at what pharmacy?