Obstacles for a pharmacist going to med school

[goodb29]

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Hey everybody,

I just wanted to get some input as to what would be the biggest types of obstacles for a pharmacist getting into med school. I'm 30 and did pretty well in college and grad school, but only around like a 3.1.....I wanted to know what would set me apart and give me a good chance at being admitted. Also, I was thinking of going to DO school but I don't know a DO for a recommendation, any suggestions? Thanks

 

[keira]

Hey everybody,

I just wanted to get some input as to what would be the biggest types of obstacles for a pharmacist getting into med school. I'm 30 and did pretty well in college and grad school, but only around like a 3.1.....I wanted to know what would set me apart and give me a good chance at being admitted. Also, I was thinking of going to DO school but I don't know a DO for a recommendation, any suggestions? Thanks

Your main obstacle is going to be giving adcoms solid reasons for wanting to leave a secure, well-paying job. What makes you want to pursue an MD after already working in healthcare as a pharmacist? If you want more clinical practice, why not just pursue clinical pharmacy?

Also a 3.1 isn't hopeless, but it is very below average. You should do what you can to either raise your GPA or possibly obtain another degree. After spending a lot of time on these forums, I would recommend going back to do a post-bacc program or an SMP to show med schools that you can still handle challenging upper division science courses (especially if you've been out of school for awhile). You would need to get as close to a 4.0 as you could. Getting into a medical school with a 3.1 isn't *impossible* but it's definitely going to be very, very difficult even if you do amazingly well on the MCAT. You would need stellar extra-curriculars and drool-worthy letters of recommendation.

And if you don't know what sets you apart and could help you get admitted, how are we going to know? Just try to think of distinctive qualities that make you, "you". Would having a pharmacy degree supplement a medical degree? Have you gained a lot more clinical and patient exposure from your pharmacy work? What has being a pharmacist taught you about patient care and medical practice? Are you planning on working as a pharmacist at all after obtaining an MD? What kind of life experiences, volunteer work, etc. have you done to make you stand out? At 30 years of age, adcoms are going to expect you to have racked up a lot more "worldly" experiences and to have a much deeper understanding of your own personal strengths/weaknesses than the average undergrad.

As far as finding a DO to write a recommendation for you, I would suggest the usual avenues.. try to find a DO to shadow. Ask friends, relatives.. try calling hospitals and clinics, etc.

Good luck,
Keira

 

[Babylo]

I dont agree with that... you can get into medical school with a 3.1 if you kill the mcat.. as a matter of fact you can get into a a DO school with those your GPA, just shadow a DO for a while and get a feel for the profession, work out what to tell the adcoms about switching careers. And going through pharmacy school might be a good sign of your capabilities in medical school, cause not just anyone goes to pharmacy school. So i think u have a great shot. You can retake some undergraduate pre-reqs in d mean time, to get prepared to d MCAT.... well that depends on how long ago u took those classes. goodluck

 

[keira]

I dont agree with that... you can get into medical school with a 3.1 if you kill the mcat.. as a matter of fact you can get into a a DO school with those your GPA, just shadow a DO for a while and get a feel for the profession, work out what to tell the adcoms about switching careers. And going through pharmacy school might be a good sign of your capabilities in medical school, cause not just anyone goes to pharmacy school. So i think u have a great shot. You can retake some undergraduate pre-reqs in d mean time, to get prepared to d MCAT.... well that depends on how long ago u took those classes. goodluck

Babylo is right in that a 3.1 would be acceptable for DO schools. The main body of my response above was based on allopathic schools, my mistake. Getting into an allopathic school with a 3.1 would be extremely difficult and would require additional schoolwork to bring that GPA up. I was thinking of my own goals and experiences when writing my response.

To goodb -- you still haven't mentioned why you want to change careers. If the "respect" issue that some pharmacists face is a problem for you, you may have some problems with the DO route as well. Not saying that it's a certainty. but there are still some ignorant people out there that don't know what a DO is and dont view them on the same playing field as MDs.

 

[goodb29]

Thanks for your input guys. I really appreciate it. I actually graduated last year with my PharmD and really enjoyed the patient care aspects. But pharmacy can be pretty limiting in the amount of time you spend with patients. I was hoping to do more of that. If I was accepted to med school, I would really be interested in pursuing rural medicine like family practice or pediatrics (but this could change). I always pictured myself one day becoming just "an old country doctor". I like keeping my options open...And yes I would consider the DO route, because I have had alot of positive experiences with DO's (and MD's) as a pharmacist. I graduated from undergrad in 1999 and got my PharmD in 2005, do u think I should still go back and take my pre-reqs? I was hoping to just do really well on the MCAT and maybe take a KAPLAN course.

 

[Scottish Chap]

Thanks for your input guys. I really appreciate it. I actually graduated last year with my PharmD and really enjoyed the patient care aspects. But pharmacy can be pretty limiting in the amount of time you spend with patients. I was hoping to do more of that. If I was accepted to med school, I would really be interested in pursuing rural medicine like family practice or pediatrics (but this could change). I always pictured myself one day becoming just "an old country doctor". I like keeping my options open...And yes I would consider the DO route, because I have had alot of positive experiences with DO's (and MD's) as a pharmacist. I graduated from undergrad in 1999 and got my PharmD in 2005, do u think I should still go back and take my pre-reqs? I was hoping to just do really well on the MCAT and maybe take a KAPLAN course.

I know several people with UG GPA's between 3.0 and 3.3 who have gained allopathic admission. Granted, they all scored >29 on the MCAT and this is not the general rule of thumb but know assuredly that it does happen. Medical schools can easily fill every spot with people with insanely high stats, but they don't. Remember, you only need one offer so apply widely and make sure your application is very focused.

Prereq's don't generally expire so I would not repeat them. However, more than half of my classmates did take a professional prep. course for the MCAT and, with hindsight, I think it was a massive disadvantage that I did not (10 years removed from prereq's and absolutely zero high school or college study in physics). I would strongly advise you to take either Princeton or Kaplan based on the fact that you have been removed from the most basic sciences for so long, you need a good score.

Good luck!

 

[burntcrispy]

I was an RN for 6 years before applying to med school. I got into an allopathic program with a GPA of about 3.2 after taking lots of classes to bring it up from around a 3.1. With as many credit hours you probably have it won't really move much by taking extra classes.

Best advice I can give is to try to kill the MCAT. You should get into a DO school if nothing else. Bottom line is that you have a definate good shot at going to med school if that's what you want to do. You will not regret it. There's a pharmacist in my class and she loves it.

 

[vtucci]

We have a PharmD in our class and she is really well-liked. So buck up....

It is totally possible to get into an allopathic program with your stats if you do well on the MCAT. I would recommend looking into your state school programs. Also, it will depend on whether you are a URM.

If you are worried, I would suggest spending a year doing some post-bac premed work to boost the GPA and have more clinical experience.

Don't worry about your age. I will be 30 later this year and about 1/4 of my class is over 25 (with some in their 30s and a few in their 40s).

 

[chocopinipig]

i really don't see a reason for a graduate of a pharmD degree to go to medicine.
as far as im concerned that(PharmD) is already a very good course to take.

But i do understand that we all have dreams.. an MD degree seems to be what you really want. Simply consider the following; consider the cost of med school, the great amount of time you would need to dedicate yourself to MD education, and the number of years and effort you need to become a primary care physician.

I am a pharmacy graduate a few years back, had my MD degree 2 years ago. I would advice an allopathic medical degree instead though.. you already had more than 5 years training in pharmaceutical science, you might find some of the subjects in DO a bit "spiritual" and "metaphysical". (personal opinion of course).

goodluck.

 

[goodb29]

You guys have been really encouraging. Alot of my friends are not as encouraging (some have even said that I am stupid and just take the money as a pharmacist). For me, I really enjoy the medical field and would enjoy being a physician. I will give it my best shot. Thanks so much for your advice. I will probably not apply until next year because I want to make sure that I am well prepared for the MCATs. (and I have to save money as well) So i just wanted to say thanks again...

 

[happy36]

I am 37 y/o and a pharmacist by profession. I love patient care and want to be a general practitioner. I'm applying to medical school this year or the next. The only real concern I have is the huge debt I will have when I get out in my 40's.

 

[njbmd]

Hey everybody,

I just wanted to get some input as to what would be the biggest types of obstacles for a pharmacist getting into med school. I'm 30 and did pretty well in college and grad school, but only around like a 3.1.....I wanted to know what would set me apart and give me a good chance at being admitted. Also, I was thinking of going to DO school but I don't know a DO for a recommendation, any suggestions? Thanks

Hi there,
In terms of obstacles, there are none if you are a competitive applicant. In terms of the information that you provided above you have some work to do in terms of your GPA. It is a bit on the low side for most medical school matriculants in today's competition. Contrary to your opinion, you DID NOT do "pretty well" in your undergraduate and graduate school. If you have not taken all of the pre-medical courses, you will need to get them done and do well.

You also need to take and do well on the MCAT. This is by no means a "chip shot" especially in light of your GPA. The MCAT is a test of using the science of your pre-medical courses to solve problems. This test is dramatically different from the manner in which most undergraduate schools test. It is NOT a test of regurgitation of factoids thus you need to make sure that you are prepared from a knowledge base and pracitical application standpoint.

In terms of what will "set you apart", you will need to address this in your personal statement. Only you know what makes you unique and only you know what brings you to medicine. These must be clearly articulated in your application. In short, YOU have to set yourself apart.

If you do not know an osteopathic physician, you can easily find a few. Osteopathic physicians are everywhere in the United States. Contact your local medicial society and get some names. You might also get in contact with any college of osteopathic medicine to find the names of an osteopathic physician in your area.

You have some "homework" to do, so get busy. Getting into any medical school is about being proactive about your application and getting what you need. You can get some good ideas from websites such as SDN but ultimately, you need to get yourself competitive. Osteopathic schools are not out there begging for applicants. There is plenty of competition out there.

Good luck!

njbmd 🙂

 

[chrisjohn]

NJBMD hit all the salient points.

You too can matriculate with <3.0 GPA but only with BAM BAM BAM MCAT scores.

My own experience was that nothing can compensate for poor UG grades other than a stellar graduate science GPA plus a conferred degree w/ thesis and a BAM BAM BAM MCAT score.

It’s your trip around the block, so make the most of it.

 

[RxnMan]

NJBMD hit all the salient points.

You too can matriculate with <3.0 GPA but only with BAM BAM BAM MCAT scores.

My own experience was that nothing can compensate for poor UG grades other than a stellar graduate science GPA plus a conferred degree w/ thesis and a BAM BAM BAM MCAT score.

It’s your trip around the block, so make the most of it.

If you've got a 3.1 in that PharmD program, then you've got a battle. I'm living proof that you don't need a 3.0+ GPA to get into medical school, but you need to have some proof of high ability in the classroom (and you can see what I had to do to overcome that low GPA). A 3.1 in grad school is scraping the bottom, as most programs I've seen will place people on probation for earning less than a B in a class (which is why a high grad GPA does not impress ADCOMs as much as a high ugrad GPA).

I also see debt being a problem for you, and you'll need to show what a MD will get you that a PharmD didn't. Also - How will a PharmD make you a better doc?