Pharmacy to Caribb medical school?

[lemonsoda]

Hi everyone! I am just hoping if I could get some advice!

I am a non-trad pharmacy student. I completed an undergrad degree with a 3.6 gpa, lots of research and medical volunteering hours. I had originally planned on pursuing medicine but due to a low mcat (499) I decided to start pharmacy school. I completed my P1 year with a 3.4 gpa. However, working in a pharmacy has made me want to not pursue the profession. I recently applied to a top 4 caribb med school and was accepted. My question is if ignoring the financial aspect, If I should complete my pharmD degree and apply in my P3 year so then I would have time to retake the mcat or if I should just not waste time due to my age and just go to the caribb top 4 school now?

Any advice is much appreciated, Thanks!

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[Rockinacoustic]

Even if you told me your pharmacy school tuition was free, there is zero reason to get a PharmD if your goal is to be a physician.

 

[rxkrafted]

I haven't met a single carib grad that has recommended anyone to attend those schools due to the difficulty in landing a residency in the specialty that they want. Read all the horror stories in the pre-med/med forum. If you couldn't get into any MD or DO school in the states and don't mind if you end up in family med or least competitive specialties, go for it. It definitely is a gamble.

 

[TateThePharmacist]

If you really desire to be a physician, then I wouldn't waste any more time and I'd go for it. As was already mentioned though, you're pretty much committing to family medicine if you go to a Caribbean school. Which there's nothing wrong with that, if that's your cup of tea.
Also I just want to go on record here and say that I've never been impressed with any doctor who went to a Caribbean med school, not to say that there aren't exceptions, just recognize that going into the program.

 

[DexterMorganSK]

Hi everyone! I am just hoping if I could get some advice!

I am a non-trad pharmacy student. I completed an undergrad degree with a 3.6 gpa, lots of research and medical volunteering hours. I had originally planned on pursuing medicine but due to a low mcat (499) I decided to start pharmacy school. I completed my P1 year with a 3.4 gpa. However, working in a pharmacy has made me want to not pursue the profession. I recently applied to a top 4 caribb med school and was accepted. My question is if ignoring the financial aspect, If I should complete my pharmD degree and apply in my P3 year so then I would have time to retake the mcat or if I should just not waste time due to my age and just go to the caribb top 4 school now?

Any advice is much appreciated, Thanks!

Take the MCAT again and go for a DO program; don't waste your time with Carrib schools.

 

[spacecowgirl]

Top 4 Caribbean? How many are there?

 

[lord999]

I've always liked @mimelim 's and @Oso 's answers to this question:

Caribbean Medical Schools

Hey everyone. I was hoping to gain some opinions about Caribbean medical schools. I know that there is "the big 4" including St George, American university of the Caribbean, Saba, and Ross, but I also know there are lots of other lesser known schools that I have heard are well run programs...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Caribbean Medical Schools

Hey everyone. I was hoping to gain some opinions about Caribbean medical schools. I know that there is "the big 4" including St George, American university of the Caribbean, Saba, and Ross, but I also know there are lots of other lesser known schools that I have heard are well run programs...

forums.studentdoctor.net

The entire thread is worth reading. Your MCAT is too low. You are wasting your time in pharmacy school when you should be studying to retake MCAT.

 

[BidingMyTime]

Unless you are independently wealthy and have nothing better to do with your money, I would *NOT* go to a Caribbean school. It is a high-priced gamble. With your stats, you could be one of the lucky ones who succeeds going the Caribbean school route.....but because of your stats, you would be far better trying to go the traditional route. I would study hard, retake the MCAT, make sure you have volunteering/job shadowing, and go for it. If your MCAT is still on the low side, then consider applying DO.

 

[lemonsoda]

Thank you everyone for your advice! Really appreciate it
I guess the reason I was considering finishing pharmacy is because many of the US schools I called wanted to see the degree finished before applying and said they looked down on withdrawal. Another thing I fear is withdrawing from pharmacy and not getting into any medical school and having no job.

The Caribbean medical school i got accepted in was SGU. But even there I fear not getting through the carrib education and then ending up with nothing. I guess im just afraid of taking risks.

Another thing I was considering is apply P3 year and getting accepted hopefully p4 year? Would I be able to have the pharmD without the boards? Would I be able to take the boards later on if I wanted to work part time while in medical school?

or maybe i'm just being unrealistic with my plan

 

[RapidEyeMovementLearning]

499 is enough for some of the new DO schools. You should just apply and see what happens.

 

[RapidEyeMovementLearning]

Thank you everyone for your advice! Really appreciate it
I guess the reason I was considering finishing pharmacy is because many of the US schools I called wanted to see the degree finished before applying and said they looked down on withdrawal. Another thing I fear is withdrawing from pharmacy and not getting into any medical school and having no job.

The Caribbean medical school i got accepted in was SGU. But even there I fear not getting through the carrib education and then ending up with nothing. I guess im just afraid of taking risks.

Another thing I was considering is apply P3 year and getting accepted hopefully p4 year? Would I be able to have the pharmD without the boards? Would I be able to take the boards later on if I wanted to work part time while in medical school?

or maybe i'm just being unrealistic with my plan

You can't balance any kind of part-time work during medical school. Especially since most schools are moving towards team-based learning that will require you to attend classes.

 

[steveysmith54]

Have no idea about Caribbean med school path, but even an average family medicine doc is doing a million times better than an average pharmacy new grad.

 

[ValeRx]

Go to the pre-med/med forums. @Goro or @Faha will tell you that you should avoid carib med schools like the plague. In fact I'm kinda chuckling over here at the thought of a "top 4" carib school.

 

[Goro]

Hi everyone! I am just hoping if I could get some advice!

I am a non-trad pharmacy student. I completed an undergrad degree with a 3.6 gpa, lots of research and medical volunteering hours. I had originally planned on pursuing medicine but due to a low mcat (499) I decided to start pharmacy school. I completed my P1 year with a 3.4 gpa. However, working in a pharmacy has made me want to not pursue the profession. I recently applied to a top 4 caribb med school and was accepted. My question is if ignoring the financial aspect, If I should complete my pharmD degree and apply in my P3 year so then I would have time to retake the mcat or if I should just not waste time due to my age and just go to the caribb top 4 school now?

Any advice is much appreciated, Thanks!

You're fine for DO with a broad application.

Do NOT do Carib