I'm sure you've heard this before, but.....

[pharmD eighty7]

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Alright guys I need a little advice. I am sure you have all heard this before, but I need some honest opinions.

Here is the deal. I am a senior in college and have been accepted to the university of TN pharmacy school. I rececntly have been second guessing this as my career choice for some time, with medical school really being my interest. I always thought I was never smart enough to make it in though.

Now, I think I want to try. So, my question is, is it possible, and what is the right direction to head. Here are my stats:

-Biochem Major
overall GPA of 3.8
Sci- GPA ~3.66
Math GPA ~3.9
PCAT score of 80---Only studied literally two weeks before.
I have a little volunteer expirience shadowing at a pharmacy.
Is this attainible if I shadow and volunteer ~150 hours and I score decent on the MCAT, or am I looking at going to grad school then applying?? I just need a liitle help 😳
Any advice is much appreciated

 

[Catalystik]

Your GPAs are very good. Did you check to be sure you have all the usual prerequisites? Some med schools want an upper-level Bio with lab. A few want behvioral science. Presumably you have the year of physics plus lab.

Typical ECs for med school will be 1.5 years of clinical experience for about 150 hours (a year is the minimum desirable, though some get in with 6+ months if they have a lot going for them otherwise). Aim for physician shadowing (not considered a volunteer activity) of 60-80 hours split among 2-3 types of doc, of which one is primary care. Community service of some sort is important. If you volunteer for medical experience, it covers both bases (but adcoms still like to see nonmedical community service, too). Research: a year is average, but only 60% list it. Teaching, Leadership, Sports, Artistic Endeavors, Hobbies are some other categories that you'd want to have some of to look well-rounded.

Do you have any pertinent ECs for med school? Are you willing to put the time into what you need for a good application? Adcomms will be totally put off by a lot of last-minute (read, desperate) activities to make themselves look eligible. A two year masters that would give you research opportunities isn't such a bad idea. You could also work (lab research or clinical environment would be nice), save money, and get ready that way.

 

[rrickett]

Personally I think volunteering/ shadowing is over done by undergrads. Med schools like passion about ECs, not clinical exposure per se.

If you threw down a 30+ on the MCAT you would get into a MD program. Do yourself a favor and focus on that and not volunteering etc.

 

[Morsetlis]

If you threw down a 30+ on the MCAT you would get into a MD program. Do yourself a favor and focus on that and not volunteering etc.

Yeap.

 

[tremulousNeedle]

People have given you all-around solid advice, here's some extra info so you can compare MCAT to PCAT.

I took the PCAT a couple months after the MCAT.
My PCAT score (with only the prep I did for the MCAT): 99
My MCAT score - low thirties

In my opinion, the MCAT is an entirely different beast than the PCAT, much more thought-intensive, so take your preparation seriously.

-senior medical student / admissions committee interviewer

 

[J ROD]

Alright guys I need a little advice. I am sure you have all heard this before, but I need some honest opinions.

Here is the deal. I am a senior in college and have been accepted to the university of TN pharmacy school. I rececntly have been second guessing this as my career choice for some time, with medical school really being my interest. I always thought I was never smart enough to make it in though.

Now, I think I want to try. So, my question is, is it possible, and what is the right direction to head. Here are my stats:

-Biochem Major
overall GPA of 3.8
Sci- GPA ~3.66
Math GPA ~3.9
PCAT score of 80---Only studied literally two weeks before.
I have a little volunteer expirience shadowing at a pharmacy.
Is this attainible if I shadow and volunteer ~150 hours and I score decent on the MCAT, or am I looking at going to grad school then applying?? I just need a liitle help 😳
Any advice is much appreciated

Look at me....you will never know unless you try. If you want it, you have to go for it.

I would recommend getting more clinical experience. Through shadowing, volunteering, etc.

The MCAT is alot harder than the PCAT. I did not even study for the PCAT.

 

[pharmD eighty7]

Thanks for all of the advice! Unfortunately, I have absolutely no extracurriculars. I may have discovered medicine a little too late it seems like.

 

[Catalystik]

Weigh carefully what it will take to make you happy and feel fulfilled in a career. If you're flexible, get the PharmD. If you'll spend the rest of your life yearning for medicine, it will only take another year's investment in time to make it start happening. You didn't think this would be an easy transition, did you? Not really. But, you are so far ahead of the usual last-minute-career changer, just by virtue of the fact that you don't need to spend a few years fixing a poor GPA first. Consider carefully, so you don't end up paying for pharmacy school and then going into medicine and being even deeper in debt.

 

[pharmD eighty7]

Quick question, I talked to my biochem professor about doing research with him. He said that he would be able to take me aboard. I can register this as 'undergrad research', and get credit for it as an upper division elective. Is this the type of research that is desirable my med schools?

 

[Catalystik]

Absolutely. Research is research, whether for class credit, volunteer, or paid.