Pharmacists to Medical School?

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22 is definitely a kid.
I worked in retail pharmacy as a tech for 10 years before I became a pharmacist. What I am doing now, really everything I have done since graduating, bears no resemblance to my work as a non-pharmacist. You do you, of course, but it might be a premature decision.


And for some extra gold, you can be forgiven of your indulgences.
I have sinned quite a bit.
 
Hi everyone, I am sort of in the same situation. I just started considering Medicine, particularly the 3 + 3 family medicine accelerated track. I'm optimistic about the thought of this, however I graduated with Bsc in Biochemistry in 2008 and Pharmd in 2012. What are my choices? I am certainly ready to do the work of studying hard for the MCAT and volunteering/shadowing but I'm concerned it has been too long since i graduated.
 
Hi everyone, I am sort of in the same situation. I just started considering Medicine, particularly the 3 + 3 family medicine accelerated track. I'm optimistic about the thought of this, however I graduated with Bsc in Biochemistry in 2008 and Pharmd in 2012. What are my choices? I am certainly ready to do the work of studying hard for the MCAT and volunteering/shadowing but I'm concerned it has been too long since i graduated.
Why go to Medical school for family medicine if you're already a pharmacist?

I can't imagine that's a financially smart decision, from a lifetime earnings perspective.
 
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Changing professions is generally a bad idea. People need to think more about what they want to do, and not just go to pharmacy school because they didn't get in anywhere else. There is little to no advantage to having both a PharmD and a MD.
 
Changing professions is generally a bad idea. People need to think more about what they want to do, and not just go to pharmacy school because they didn't get in anywhere else. There is little to no advantage to having both a PharmD and a MD.
Au contraire; your advantage is that you can win virtually every biggest d*** contest amongst your friends and enemies.




***debt
 
What if I have a plan to finance my Medical education from my own savings?

That's better, but still not great. It depends how old you are and how long you plan on working. Remember that you're losing income AND paying for medical school during those 6 years.

It'll take 6 years of work as a family doctor just to catch up to the amount of income you would have made as a pharmacist (assuming 120k as a pharmacist and 220k as a family physician, and 50k for the residency income and after taxes).

Then the medical school tuition itself is I'm guessing around 100k-200k. So probably another year or two of work to cover that. Then, medical school is obviously much, much harder. Then there's the problem of obtaining both a residency and a job after.

You'll basically be playing catch-up for 8 years. So if you're on the younger side (~30), sure, it's still doable. But if you're closer to 40, I'd have to start wondering what the point is.
 
Thought about it. Took MCAT. Decided not to - granted job options were much better for pharmacists back then.

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this was me - I got a 37 on my MCAT converts to 520 I think (humble brag) - but then I talked to two physicians I know (ironically both were pharmacists before going to med school) and they told me how many hours they worked. At that time pharmacists were in huge demand - I did a cost benefit analysis - and it made no sense to go to med school as my breakeven point was around age 50.
 
That's better, but still not great. It depends how old you are and how long you plan on working. Remember that you're losing income AND paying for medical school during those 6 years.
It'll take 6 years of work as a family doctor just to catch up to the amount of income you would have made as a pharmacist (assuming 120k as a pharmacist and 220k as a family physician, and 50k for the residency income and after taxes).
Then the medical school tuition itself is I'm guessing around 100k-200k. So probably another year or two of work to cover that. Then, medical school is obviously much, much harder. Then there's the problem of obtaining both a residency and a job after.
You'll basically be playing catch-up for 8 years. So if you're on the younger side (~30), sure, it's still doable. But if you're closer to 40, I'd have to start wondering what the point is.
I think physicians have a much shorter expiration date than pharmacists, as well.

Nobody cares if the crypt keeper is working for RPh To Go.
I wouldn't see a doctor over 60, tbh
 
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Au contraire; your advantage is that you can win virtually every biggest d*** contest amongst your friends and enemies.

HaHa, well that is why I said little to no advantage....for people who have friends (or enemies), there is that little advantage. For the anti-social person who just wants to go to school forever to avoid having to deal with people in the real world, they don't even have that little advantage.
 
Yea i am studying for it now. Its mainly critical thinking but still a beast. I have scored avg for all mcat test takers just from my diagnostic without studying so i am aiming for at least 505 to be good for MD.

505 is not gonna get you an MD...unless you are UR (you're an eskimo...the last jedi...or something). Also you will be asked and expected to explain why you are transitioning from pharmacy to MD. Admissions committee are seeing a lot of that these days and having a pharmacy degree is actually a burden that you must be able to explain.
 
I think physicians have a much shorter expiration date than pharmacists, as well.

Nobody cares if the crypt keeper is working for RPh To Go.
I wouldn't see a doctor over 60, tbh

well to be truthful, most of them get to retire earlier to - although I know tons of docs 65+ including my pediatrician
 
well to be truthful, most of them get to retire earlier to - although I know tons of docs 65+ including my pediatrician

Yeah, i know a few doctors over 60 that i would trust with my care, and some below 60 that i would avoid like the plague. I could see why someone would be skeptical of an older physician, but i don't know if thats a really good rule of thumb...
 
505 is not gonna get you an MD...unless you are UR (you're an eskimo...the last jedi...or something). Also you will be asked and expected to explain why you are transitioning from pharmacy to MD. Admissions committee are seeing a lot of that these days and having a pharmacy degree is actually a burden that you must be able to explain.
OP is a URM. 505 is more than enough. 500 is good for MD. Ive seen it plenty of times.