med school or pharm school?

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prettymean

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Hello, I have a dilemma here. I was accepted into an American medical school and a Canadian pharmacy school. The medical school is very expensive (around 40K US$ a year) whereas the Candian pharmacy school is inexpensive (around a few thousand a year). Also, medical school is very gruelling, where in clinical rotation you might be expected to stay up 36 hours straight. But a medical doctor carries more prestege and money than a pharmacist. I know that pharmacist make very good money also, so money isn't the issue here. In addition, I have never been a doctor nor a pharmacist, so I don't know what it is like to be one. I am just posting here because I need some advice from you.

Thank you

Jason
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My advice: Don't go to medical school just because it offers more prestige and more money, and don't go to pharmacy school just because it's less expensive. What made you decide to apply to both pharmacy and medical school? Have you ever tried observing a pharmacist or a physician at work? If you haven't, I'd say that would be the best place to start. Both careers require way too much time, money, and effort to enter without having an idea of what you're getting yourself into.
 
Agreed, you need to shadow both professions. That is the best way to see what you are getting yourself into. Well, maybe not the best way or you would have to follow the medical doctor home and see how many times he gets paged from the hospital or pharmacies or patients throughout the night. Shadowing a pharmacist will give you a good idea what its like, shadowing a medical doctor may give you a bit skewed idea but its better than nothing.
 
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I agree. Shadowing is essential, but it's not enough to really gauge if it's a career for you. If you shadowed a retail pharmacist at a busy store for two hours at the first or last day of the month you'd be completely freaked out. You gotta figure out what you'd be most satisfied with. Medicine is a ridiculous time committment. That was a real drawback in my mind. A friend in his last year as a clinical fellow tried to take on a research project and was pushing at least 100 hrs a week. He was later removed from the lab by the PI, bc his research was not acceptable.

You really gotta figure out what's your calling. It should be that too. This is me, but I feel like you should have a calling to either pharmacy or medicine and go from there. There should be a field that you have a passion for. If it's medicine then go for it.

A note on the prestige, I know good doctors who factored that in and to me that's okay. I know a doc who knew from age 8 he wanted to be a reconstructive surgeon and a lot of that was bc of the dough, but he's a great surgeon. That said, he has a real hang-up on people in medicine not getting the respect they deserve (mostly he means pay). He figures that for his 90 hr weeks he should be getting a lot more respect and money than he feels he receives (this is in the backdrop of the SF Bay Area where peeps with no degrees were making 150K at now defunct software firms.) That shouldn't be your central motivator for any profession bc you risk some serious bitterness. I digress...

Figure out, what you really want and what you'll really accept.
 
This is my same exact dilemma also. I am seriously conflicted on whether to pursue med or pharm. I'm volunteering at a hospital right now, and i still need to get some exposure to the pharmacy. But these are my pros and cons reasons for each:

I want to go to med because I want to be an ophthalmologist because I am interested in working with eyes. And the money is nice too. However, I've been having second thoughts because of the extremely stressful application process, the competition, and all the money spent in applying. Also, the high malpractice insurance rates and all those years of schooling. and there's a huge toll on your relationships.

Thus, pharmacy seems so appealing because there's less competition and less stressful in applying. Also, its a lot of dough for not that many years of schooling. Nice hours. And from other threads I read on here, in pharm school, its about relaxing and socializing! That's so much more appealing than studying, studying, studying in med school.

I was also thinking, if I still can't decide between the two when it comes time to apply, I was thinking to applying to both. Prettymean, was that hard to do? Did you take both mcat and pcat? Any info/advice from anyone would help thanks!
 
As the others have said, you need to shadow people in both professions. If I were you, I wouldn't go to med school or pharm school next year. I'd take a year off, do volunteer work in various areas of health care, and then apply next year.
 
Hi Suey, I didn't take PCAT just MCAT. The pharm school I applied to does not require PCAT. I scored like 34 on my MCAT. I volunteered at a hospital but didn't volunteer at a pharmacy.
 
well, as you can probably tell from my username and the fact that i am posting in this forum, i am going throught he same thing. i will share some of my thoughts in hopes that they may be helpful for others.

i went back to school for post-bac to do science not quite sure in what direction it would lead me, maybe phd or md. i ended up getting really solidly on the pre-med track. i did a lot of volunteer work at a county hospital and at a hospice that i found both very rewarding and, at times, disturbing. i feel my volunteering did give me a good idea of being a doctor in one sense, in that i got to observe a lot of procedures. and, being at a conty hospital, really gave me a sense of what it is like to work with the underserrved. in another sense volunteering cannot give you a sense of the time commitment that it really takes to go to medical school, and what 4 yrs of school and 3+ years of residency are really like. i started to become disillusioned by medicine towards the end of my last semester as i was studying for the mcat, realizing what a draining process the application cycle would be, thinking about whether i really wanted to commit 8 years of my life to this, and having many younger doctors tell me that if they could do it over they would not pick medicine. i have decided to apply to a few med schools just to finish off what i started and in case i change my mind. but for the moment i am leaning towards pharmacy.

while i think i could definitely have a good career as a doctor, i wonder whether i really have the calling and love it takes to get me through all of the training. i am working in a pharmacy right now, and while the particular store is not very pleasant, i feel i am getting a good sense of the work that a pharmacist does. and it seems to click with me in a way that medicine does not seem to resonate with me at this point. i feel more excited about i tthan i have about other career paths. also, i am intersted in policy and public health and the pharmd degree gives me a quicker, easier way to do that than the md. i like the versatility, the shorter time commitment, and the possibilities that pharmacy offers. while want my career to be fulfilling, it is important for me to not be consumed by it and i feel pharmacy can offer me a better balance.

besides thinking about what yiou want your career to look like maybe think about how much you are willing to put in to get there. that has been a key factor for me in figuring this out. good luck with you decision and feel free to pm me if you want to chat further about this.
 
if you scored 34 on the MCAT, by all means go to medical school. You will be dissatisfied if you become a pharmacist. The job is boring and very repetitive. You will be more satisfied as a physician.
 
Pharmacy and Medicine are two distinct professions that specialize in improving patient healthcare. One must realize that the opportunities for a pharmacist are less than that of an MD. Opening a pharmacy is not as feasible as many illustrate. It's probably better to buy a gas station or convenient store, but that's beyond the point. If you're interested in opening your own clinic or specializing in a particluar area, then the hard years of med. school are worth conquering. These days getting in is the hard part. Ten years from today the competition will have increased tenfold for both pharmacy and medicine. My suggestion is to follow the pathway you like the most, know what it requires, and proceed in that direction. If you like dealing with people on a high level, then medicine may be better. Pharmacy has patient interaction as well, but not as developed as medicine, and this part of the role is quite new to the profession.

To comment on Kunsan's position, I have heard that similar argument from many pharmacists. This is not to discredit the profession because some people do like the job, including myself, but part of what I learned is that the job does become mundane after a certain period of time. In fact, many pharmacists today are applying for Medical or Dental schools because the job isn't as appealing as it was before. This is not to discourage anyone but realize that in every position there comes a time where the excitement becomes a memory of the past.
 
We have some pretty ignorant replies in this forum. So much so that I don't even care to comment on them, but if anyone else does, feel free to do so. Contrary to many SDNers beliefs, pharmacists are NOT wanna-be doctors. You think that the people accepted to UCSF or UCSD could not have gotten into med school? You think that a family practice doctor knows more about drugs than a pharmacist? You think that a MCAT score dictates your entire future? Laughable in my opinion. Try the real world, it just might surprise you.
 
It seems like some people are always of the attitude that everyone wants to be a physician and that everyone who isn't is just "settling" for something else. I probably could have gotten into med school (I even took the MCAT and scored quite well), but *gasp* I don't want to be a physician. That's why I always hate threads like this. It's inevitable that someone will come in and start posting that everyone should aspire to go to med school because any other profession is just "second class"
 
" In fact, many pharmacists today are applying for Medical or Dental schools because the job isn't as appealing as it was before."

I can't tell you how many burned-out physicians have told me to stay away from medical school. You'll find people in EVERY profession who are tired of it.
 
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I've talked with doctors who told me if they had to do it all over again that they would choose to go into pharmacy.

There's no way that I would be a physician. Although, pathology interests me and if I didn't get into pharmacy school I might have tried for pathology assistant. But, pharmacy was my first choice.
 
And from other threads I read on here, in pharm school, its about relaxing and socializing!
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Yes, your right! Pharmacy school has nothing to do with working hard and learning a profession that is crucial to outcomes in health care.:rolleyes:
 
Hey thanks for showing some support for our little community! :D I was in a bit of a bad mood last night, but I re-read my post, and I stand by what I said. I know that some people think that being a doctor is the "ultimate" profession (then, of course, they will make up some nonsense about MD vs DO). It's just not true for many people. While being a medical doctor can be very rewarding, and lucrative, it's just not something that everyone wants to do. People automatically assume that pharmacists want to be doctors, but can't. Do they assume this about lawyers, engineers, or MBA's? Professional altletes?

To tell you the truth, I've never run into a doctor (older docs, usually) who has told me that he/she'd do it again if they could. The stats are supposed to be something like "half of doctors would do it again if they had the choice, but ALSO only half of pharmacists would do it again if they had the choice". I wish I had a site to back up my stats, but I can't remember where I read that.

The gallup poll of most trusted professions is usually pretty interesting too. Pharmacists are typically ranked above doctors, lawyers, priests, teachers, etc. Of course, it changes every year, but pharmacists are usually in the top three. Nurses usually beat out almost everyone, and yet they're probably some of the least respected members of the medical community. What a messed up way to judge someones worth...

By the way, I got my orientation packet today (3 days of orientation, yeech) so I guess it wasn't a computer glitch when they sent me the acceptance letter. :D
 
Yeah...I bet Tiger Woods wanted to be an NFL player but couldn't make the cut so settled for golf. :)

I'm faced with the same decision. I'm probably going to go to pharmacy school. not cause I can't get in to med school, but its more my speed. Different strokes...
 
if you scored 34 on the MCAT, by all means go to medical school. You will be dissatisfied if you become a pharmacist. The job is boring and very repetitive. You will be more satisfied as a physician.[/quote)


Kunsan,

You should try reading the posts on this forum, bc it's obvious your not. I don't know what's too boring about working in drug treatment clinics or heading drug discovery divisions. Developing drug policy to offset future recession by increasing GDP is pretty far from boring and repetitive. Others are working in clinical pharm doing rounds with doctors telling them how to dose their pts. People are cruising around all over the place with doctors, so it makes little sense to say that their jobs are less boring since they play often times the more cognitive role in the treatment plan. There are also droves of pharmacists working on ways to facilitate drug disbursement to developing countries that's mutually beneficial (that takes some econ that med school doesn't require).

BTW, I scored a 35 on the 2001 MCAT. I guess I've got a lot of boredom to look forward to.










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Kunsan,

I'm curious, do you practice pharmacy? Do you practice in retail? In hospital? Do you even practice in the United States? I do know that the practice of pharmacy is vastly different in other countries. I've read your posts from time to time and the gist of them doesn't jive with my experiences, so I'm just trying to understand your "perspective".

I scored a 33 on the MCAT waaay back in 1995 (took it "cold turkey" in a non-air conditioned classroom at UCLA). I'm not losing sleep over my decision to become a pharmacist. All it took was my brief EMT experience to convince me that I wouldn't be "cut out" for medicine.
 
Can you guys just tell me the pros and cons of being a pharmacist?
 
Kunsan,

You should try reading the posts on this forum, bc it's obvious your not. I don't know what's too boring about working in drug treatment clinics or heading drug discovery divisions. Developing drug policy to offset future recession by increasing GDP is pretty far from boring and repetitive. Others are working in clinical pharm doing rounds with doctors telling them how to dose their pts. People are cruising around all over the place with doctors, so it makes little sense to say that their jobs are less boring since they play often times the more cognitive role in the treatment plan. There are also droves of pharmacists working on ways to facilitate drug disbursement to developing countries that's mutually beneficial (that takes some econ that med school doesn't require).

Triagulation, have you worked as a pharmacist before? If you didn't you don't know the whole truth. I am a pharmacist and been working for a while now, and I know the reality of pharmacy, it is alot of boring work. Your ideal role of pharmacist or duties they proform are just ideal duties that are not entirely true.



Laters,
Kunsan
 
PM:

You should shadow individuals in pharmacy and medicine. The only way you'll know if you enjoy something is if you try it.

For medicine, if you want an idea of what it's like shadow a medical doctor or volunteer in hospitals. Most hospitals have Scribe programs where students can follow doctors around.

For pharmacy, try observing a pharmacist's role. You can be a technician and hang around the pharmacists to see what they do all day long. In addition, you could always talk to pharmacists who work in retail, about their career and what they do all day.

If you're interested in clinical pharmacy, then volunteer at a hospital and find out who the clinicial pharmacists are. Talk to them, ask if you can spend a day observing what they do.

Either way, both professions are excellent, well-paid, and very gratifying occupations. It's a win-win situation for you either way.
 
Kunsan,

You need to move forward with the stage of argument titled "rectifiying the names": What kind of pharmacist are you? It sounds like you're in retail or in-patient, but most of the pharmacists I know are not. Several are instructors at ucsf who do virtually nothing repetitive, unless you consider research repetitive. I know three authors in Bertram Katzung's Clinical Pharmacology by Lange, and what they're doing has no repetitive work whatsoever, once again they're in research, teaching, and clinical assistance.

I work next to a pharmacist everyday at close-quarters as they're training me for consults when I get my intern license after school begins. So I see and hear absolutely everything a pharmacist does throughout their day. If you can name it in retail pharmacy I've seen it.

Retail pharmacy can be frustrating, but boring, nuh uh.

I wish micapez would post bc she can relay some of her thoughts on this subject bc we just addressed it.

I'm still not planning to do my majority of career in retail, but the more I work in it the more respect i have for it. It's an invaluable role in today's world of medicine.

I'm curious: Does helping a pt when they're desperate or providing a superb consult for a new med when their child is sick give you a sense of satisfaction? It's strange to me, bc i don't know many pharmacists who don't routinely get pts who ask them if they agree with the doc's treatment plan. Most pts really do trust their pharmacist to get them through their illness and they express it.
 
Originally posted by Triangulation
Several are instructors at ucsf who do virtually nothing repetitive, unless you consider research repetitive.
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A person can teach college with a PharmD? Wow, I never knew that.
 
Originally posted by Modnar
A person can teach college with a PharmD? Wow, I never knew that.
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Sure, especially on the clinical side of things. You might have PhD professors for lecture, and then PharmD's for lab and clinical experiences/rotations. I was interviewed by a PharmD professor.
 
Originally posted by Modnar
A person can teach college with a PharmD? Wow, I never knew that.
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Absolutely! Most of the teachers in my 2nd year classes are clinical pharmacists who hold PharmD's, not PhD's. They teach "therapeutic disease state management" courses. Most of the PhD's taught our 1st year classes in medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, etc....all the "pharmaceutical science" classes.
 
Triagulation, have you worked as a pharmacist before? If you didn't you don't know the whole truth. I am a pharmacist and been working for a while now, and I know the reality of pharmacy, it is alot of boring work. Your ideal role of pharmacist or duties they proform are just ideal duties that are not entirely true.


Kunsan:

WHERE (what country) do you practice pharmacy? The "reality" of pharmacy is different in other countries.
 
Originally posted by LVPharm
Triagulation, have you worked as a pharmacist before? If you didn't you don't know the whole truth. I am a pharmacist and been working for a while now, and I know the reality of pharmacy, it is alot of boring work. Your ideal role of pharmacist or duties they proform are just ideal duties that are not entirely true.


Kunsan:

WHERE (what country) do you practice pharmacy? The "reality" of pharmacy is different in other countries.
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"Kunsan" is a troll. Go to one of his posts and use the "search" feature (which shows that user's posts) and you'll see that he offers no positive advice to anyone, and is seemingly an "expert" in every field. :rolleyes:
 
I am sorry that this is getting out of hand. So there is one person out of hundreds of people that thinks being a pharmacist is boring. That is not bad for the field of pharmacy, and I think he has the right to say it is boring or whatever. Even though I think he should have worded his opinion a bit more tactful, I appreciate his honesty and courage. I am probably going go med school against my better judgement ( it is A LOT of more hard work and A LOT of more expenses which I do not think it's worth ) because of pressure from my parents, my aunt, and my best friend. But it is true that both are excellent professions that are extremely rewarding. I am just glad to have to decide between two extremely wonderful careers that many people can only dream of. My older uncle was a computer programmer at the Silicon Valley. He has some serious mental problem and is now out of work. His brother in law used to be a project manager that made six figure income and now has been out of job for more than a year. And his brother has a Ph.D. in computer science from MIT and is also out of work. I think we ( be you a medical doctor or pharmacist ) should consider ourselves very lucky in a pretty fickle world that ordinary people would live in constant anxiety of losing their jobs.

Cheers!
 
prettymean, remember that you are posting on a pharmacy forum. It's natural that the majority of posters would have positive things to say about the profession--to do otherwise would be to demean themselves.

The thing about pharmacy vs. medicine is that they really are very different, and most people would be strongly drawn to one or the other, but not both. Most indecision on this point results from lack of knowledge of one or both professions, which is why there's so much skepticism--at least in pharmacy--of the motivations of pharmacy applicants who even mention being interested in medical school. And I doubt anyone can adequately explain the difference without offending the members of one or both professions. You just have to do your best to get a look at each profession yourself, and make your own decision.

I am a pharmacist headed to medical school in about 2 weeks. People in pharmacy have asked me what it is I dislike about pharmacy that made me want to go into medicine. I have no answer for them, because it isn't about disliking pharmacy. Pharmacy didn't drive me away, it simply wasn't me, and I knew it from the first day I walked into orientation at pharmacy school. The real question is, why didn't I just go into medicine in the first place? And the answer is, I didn't think I could do it, so I never gave it any thought.

I also know MDs who gave up medicine to practice pharmacy, and I respect their decision. I've been told that having a pharmacy degree is good preparation for medical school. However, I know that I will have a great deal to learn nonetheless. Likewise, medical school is good preparation for a PharmD, but an MD would still have a great deal to learn in order to earn a degree in pharmacy. They are not the same curriculum, and the same person is unlikely to be equally interested in or suited to both.

Some things you could think about include: the extent of your willingness to accept liability for what happens to your patients; your ability to accept a non-decisionmaking role vs. your need for professional autonomy; your lifestyle goals and the needs of your family; your stamina; the things that motivate you to do your best work; the things that frustrate you to the point of quitting; what kind of person is your intellectual equal, and do you need to have those kind of people around you; how well do you work with people FAR less educated than yourself...

...and many other considerations. If you think about these things, you will be able to make the choice that's right for you.
 
Samoa, I think that your comments are well worded and very accurate.. ..except one. As a pharmacist, do you believe that you're in a position to (quote) "accept a non-decisionmaking role"? As a pharmacist, do you not make any decisions? How long/Where have you practiced and in what position?
 
Samoa:

When you talk about assuming a "non-decision making role", are you referring to pharmacists in hospitals working under protocol? It's my understanding that pharmacists can "recommend" and make decisions under an approved protocol....so, it's not really a "non-decision making role", but it isn't autonomous either. I was also wondering if you know if pharmacists ever chair P&T committees in hospitals, or do they only sit on those committees.

Of course, the physicians are "on top" when it comes to who is ultimately responsible for the treatment decisions in a hospital. When it comes to hospital administration, the CEO of the hospital I work at is....a pharmacist, not an MD or DO ;) The cream always rises to the top :D
 
"what kind of person is your intellectual equal, and do you need to have those kind of people around you; how well do you work with people FAR less educated than yourself..."

I'd like to hear a little bit more about that too. It seems like that would apply to both professions.
 
"what kind of person is your intellectual equal, and do you need to have those kind of people around you; how well do you work with people FAR less educated than yourself..."

I'd like to hear a little bit more about that too. It seems like that would apply to both professions.
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I agree that comment is slightly dicey. My own personal opinion is if you want to wax intellectual for a living than go into academia in the humanities. That's about the only place you can do that and get paid for it. MDs, PharmD, PhD's we have a job to do, you need to be resourceful to get it done, but none of these professions provide the milieu for sitting around and talkin about "grand visions and political theory" as my hero Robert Reich would say. I enjoy stimulating conversations more than anyone you will ever meet, but on the clock in healthcare is not the place for it

I guess you could also be talking about the technicican assistance med techs, pharm techs, nurses perhaps. All I can say, I'll never say a bad word about them bc nothing can move forward w/o 'em. Moreover, I've never worked with a pharm tech who wasn't ridiculously competent and incredibly diligent. It surprised me actually. I'm always telling them they should apply to pharm school.
 
hehe, this thread reminds me of why i lost interest in this board.
Samoa and Kunsan are both right of course.
for the poster with the original inquiry - note that those who jumped on the aforementioned are those with least experience in the field.

"non-decision-making role" rubs the wrong way eh? well, what did you think you'd be doing?? that's why those little paper missives from doctors to pharmacists are called "orders"(or prescriptions). sitting on p and t committees has nothing to do with actual clinical decision making on patient's treatment.
even in their area of expertise pharmacists at best will make "suggestions", while the ultimate decisions will be made by a doctor.
pharmacy and medicine are very different. let's not confuse those looking for info. they are different professions, with different educational paths, different pay scales, different opportunities, different pluses and minuses, and well.. pretty much everything else. they are only vaguely related by virtue of being lumped together in the same "healthcare" field.

you gotta realize most posters here are pharmacy students who would never admit that they made a wrong career decision.
 
Originally posted by StevenS
Samoa and Kunsan are both right of course.
for the poster with the original inquiry - note that those who jumped on the aforementioned are those with least experience in the field.
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And some of the posters are disgruntled pharmacists who didn't like their career choice. If you're unhappy, then change your field.

Opinions about certain professions are fine but it's not respectful to put down any profession or to deem a certain profession more superior than the others. And when you look down on someone, there's always a hundred other people looking down on you.

You may have certain experience with being a pharmacist but that doesn't give you a right to tell the rest of these pharm students that pharmacy sucks and state it as a fact. It's also wrong of you to consider the rest of these posters 'unexperienced' in the field of pharmacy to really offer a solid point of view.

How do you know the extent of their experience and how can you automatically place yourself so high on the pedestal and consider yourself all knowing?

The truth of the matter is that you are not all knowing. Sure you might have a viewpoint given your circumstance but what you've experienced is what YOU experienced....it's individual. Not all pharmacists may be feeling the way you do. An opinion is fine but stating it as a fact is not.
 
Originally posted by LVPharm
Of course, the physicians are "on top" when it comes to who is ultimately responsible for the treatment decisions in a hospital.
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No, the insurance companies are.... they determine who gets treated non? :laugh:
 
Originally posted by Kovox
And some of the posters are disgruntled pharmacists who didn't like their career choice. If you're unhappy, then change your field.

Opinions about certain professions are fine but it's not respectful to put down any profession or to deem a certain profession more superior than the others. And when you look down on someone, there's always a hundred other people looking down on you.

You may have certain experience with being a pharmacist but that doesn't give you a right to tell the rest of these pharm students that pharmacy sucks and state it as a fact. It's also wrong of you to consider the rest of these posters 'unexperienced' in the field of pharmacy to really offer a solid point of view.

How do you know the extent of their experience and how can you automatically place yourself so high on the pedestal and consider yourself all knowing?

The truth of the matter is that you are not all knowing. Sure you might have a viewpoint given your circumstance but what you've experienced is what YOU experienced....it's individual. Not all pharmacists may be feeling the way you do. An opinion is fine but stating it as a fact is not.
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Well said!:clap:
 
muhahaha.
this is deja vu all over again :D
last time i suggested improving reading comprehension, but i doubt it will help.
anyway, i dont feel like wasting any more time on this, let's just say that some people have been reading things that werent there to begin with.
 
StevenS,

You have to realize that just because you have made a wrong career decision, that doesn't mean other pharmacists feel the same way. Did you decide to go into the profession because of the money? Did you research the profession before you decided to become a pharmacist? Is pharmacy your first choice? I have made numerous mistakes in my life, but I am confident my decision to pursue a career in pharmacy will not be one of them because I know what I want and a career in pharmacy fits it like a groove.

Pharmacy is a profession that offers numerous opportunities not only in retails, but also hospitals, drug companies and academia just to name a few. I respect your opinions, but from my experience, most pharmacists do not feel the same way as you do. I highly suggest changing profession, not only for yourself, but for the profession of pharmacy as well. I wish you the best of luck in the future.
 
last time i suggested improving reading comprehension, but i doubt it will help.
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Steve, it's good to see you back on the boards (well not really). Last time you "suggested" you had it coming to you (after all you are on the Pharm.D. board):p, you do raise a certain ire with your postings mostly because you don't post anything of consequence just that somebody is right when they degrade pharmacy. Your a little bit like a "yes man".

Samoa, I think your sounding a tad elitist there referring to those FAR less educated people with whom your burdened working around. I was a paramedic before I went back to school, only an associate's degree so I suppose your going to be burdened once again with the FAR less educated sort when your a physician. :rolleyes:
 
After reading some of the threads on SDN, I wonder if most posters here on SDN who are medical, pharmacy, optometry, and dental students or students of any career would ever admit that they made a wrong career decision.
 
Originally posted by StevenS
muhahaha.
this is deja vu all over again :D
last time i suggested improving reading comprehension, but i doubt it will help.
anyway, i dont feel like wasting any more time on this, let's just say that some people have been reading things that werent there to begin with.
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I suggest capitalization, and paragraph structure.
 
Scientist, you're onto something there. it's quite understandable psychologically, because otherwise it would be very demoralizing for many of these folks. coming from this bunch however it's very surprising because if i didnt know any better i'd think this was some kind of shrink board the way they are able ti get into your mind and tell you what you "really" think. they ignore what was actually said(typed) and draw their own conclusions. it's really quite impressive, almost like having a career counseling and a psychoanalysis session all in one, ahahhaha.

it's a riot i tell you... but a poor source of objective info for the unfortunates seeking some unbiased insights.
 
Yeah, I'm kinda hoping one day these guys will actually address a rebuttal that is posted, but that seems to be well beyond their reach.

It's funny how my pharmacy has to call back a doc's office every hour for when they prescribe incorrectly or flat out miss drug allergies and such. Sorry, but I don't take 'orders' and if someone tries to give me one they're not gonna like it afterwards.

This other point that keeps popping up, but you guys never seem to wanna address is: A lot of the time the pharmacist will get first crack at the pt. They come to me, before they go to their doc. Once again, people don't like doctor visits. They don't enjoy spending their time and money in an office. Pts will come to a pharmacist and when the pharmacist tells them they need to see the doc they go. Like it or not, that's the reality, particularly in underserved areas. So don't give me any garbage about who's making decisions. I know you're hoping Steve that everyone will have this obstinate confidence and love for physicians, but you're hoping in vain. I see as many pts as you do and that's not their opinion. They want to feel better. If that means seeing a pharmacist, seeing a physician, or seeing a faith healer, they'll do it as long as it makes them feel better. Got it?
 
This back and forth bickering is the exact reason I gave the advice that I did in the first reply to this thread. It's always a good idea to reasearch a prospective career by talking with those who have been in it, those who are currently in it, or those who will be in it, but the best way for someone to find out if a career is right for them is to actually get out there and observe/experience it firsthand. That's how I feel anyway.

It's been said time and time again -- there are positives and negatives to every profession. I don't think anyone is denying that. For some reason some people choose to concentrate only on the negative aspects of some careers. While it is true that some only want to concentrate on the postive aspects, I don't think I've seen any of the regulars in here being guilty of this.
 
I'm sorry, but this is just completely wrong. There are many, many people in these forums who admittedly took the wrong career path and are pursuing one of the health professions as a second career. I can think of at least three or four people that have posted in this forum who originally chose pharmacy but for various reasons have decided to pursue something else and have admitted that they didn't make the proper choice the first time around. Go read some of the threads over in the podiatry forum and tell me if you think people are afraid to admit they made a wrong career decision.

Originally posted by Scientist
After reading some of the threads on SDN, I wonder if most posters here on SDN who are medical, pharmacy, optometry, and dental students or students of any career would ever admit that they made a wrong career decision.
Click to expand...
 
Brill, you are right. I have read threads in the podiatry forum and they are mostly advising students to not pursue podiatry. They admitted that they have gone into the wrong field and can really sense a sad ending for the present podiatry students.

In my previous post, I was trying to be facetious.

I wonder why it is rare to see someone recommend not going into medicine. Except for talks on divorce rates, it seems like the perfect career.
 
Sheesh, yes, most of the people here are students or prospective students and are going to be gung ho about pharmacy. If they weren't, I would worry about their sanity.

Unfortunately, you can't base how you are going to feel about being a pharmacist by being a technicain or even an intern. It's just not the same. It's different when you become the final say and where all the responsibility lies. Don't get me wrong, its as close as you can get to understanding it, and it will give you a good idea, but you can't base whether you are going to be happy or not down the road on the fact that you loved being a tech or intern.

Now, please understand, a good portion of you are going to love being a pharmacist and are going to be great/active pharm.d.'s and I look forward to having you as associates. To the naysayers, they are being honest to their true feelings and not painting a rosy picture to try to lure unknowing children into the dark profession of pharmacy. Get real. Pharmacy is what you make of it. Stop complaining and do something or move on to the greener pastures on the other side of the hill.
 
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