Schooling options after Pharmacy School

[NateRobinson]

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I'm very interested in learning about the career options for pharmacists after pharmacy school, as in, going to medical school, law school, etc. other stuff. Basically after the 6 years, becoming a doctor, a pharmacy lawyer and stuff. Anybody know of any links that could give me info regarding this?

 

[njac]

Do you hate yourself or something?

 

[grizzlesgrizzlies]

you are a 2 time Sprite All Star Weekend Slam Dunk contest champion, you do not need any more schooling

 

[PharmDstudent]

You can do anything after pharmacy school, but the key is to get a degree that you can use as a pharmacist. Otherwise, there's no point in going to pharmacy school if you're just going to end up working as a physician or a lawyer or whatever.

Career changes are always exciting... but you'd have to justify the cost of having more than one career, i.e. you like both and would do either.

 

[bigpharmD]

I'm very interested in learning about the career options for pharmacists after pharmacy school, as in, going to medical school, law school, etc. other stuff. Basically after the 6 years, becoming a doctor, a pharmacy lawyer and stuff. Anybody know of any links that could give me info regarding this?

do you really think there are links devoted to this?

 

[KARM12]

I'm very interested in learning about the career options for pharmacists after pharmacy school, as in, going to medical school, law school, etc. other stuff. Basically after the 6 years, becoming a doctor, a pharmacy lawyer and stuff. Anybody know of any links that could give me info regarding this?

If you want to be a physician then going to pharmacy school will be a waste of time and money. If you want to be a physician, why not just go to medical school?

There are a jobs for a PharmD/JD. They work for governing boards of pharmacy like NABP or for private firms.

 

[ffpickle]

If you want to be a physician then going to pharmacy school will be a waste of time and money. If you want to be a physician, why not just go to medical school?

There are a jobs for a PharmD/JD. They work for governing boards of pharmacy like NABP or for private firms.

Could a PharmD make you more competitive when matching for MD residency spots?

I heard of a PhD-neuroscience (prior to med school) from my school from several yrs ago being more competitive for neurosurgery spots....same thing with a cardiology nurse who went into med school and I was told he was more competitive when matching into a cardiology fellowship....

 

[PharmDstudent]

Could a PharmD make you more competitive when matching for MD residency spots?

I heard of a PhD-neuroscience (prior to med school) from my school from several yrs ago being more competitive for neurosurgery spots....same thing with a cardiology nurse who went into med school and I was told he was more competitive when matching into a cardiology fellowship....

Sounds right. Any previous experience related to a field should help, but what would you relate to medicine regarding pharmacy? Toxicology or pathology maybe?


(I still have the idea of going to med school, down the road, in the back of my mind, so this is an interesting topic to me.)

 

[ffpickle]

Sounds right. Any previous experience related to a field should help, but what would you relate to medicine regarding pharmacy? Toxicology or pathology maybe?


(I still have the idea of going to med school, down the road, in the back of my mind, so this is an interesting topic to me.)

I think you could work a PharmD into many residencies, especially many Int. med. fellowships such as Inf. Dis. & Endocrin.

I would think that knowledge of neuropharmacology is especially important in Psych residencies.

 

[PharmDstudent]

I think you could work a PharmD into many residencies, especially many Int. med. fellowships such as Inf. Dis. & Endocrin.

I would think that knowledge of neuropharmacology is especially important in Psych residencies.

Yeah...

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

Could a PharmD make you more competitive when matching for MD residency spots?

I heard of a PhD-neuroscience (prior to med school) from my school from several yrs ago being more competitive for neurosurgery spots....same thing with a cardiology nurse who went into med school and I was told he was more competitive when matching into a cardiology fellowship....

No... MD residency spots are almost exclusively based on your MD grades plus exams after. Your personality and recommendations are the tie breaker.

Neurosurgery is not a competitive residency...

 

[type b pharmD]

you are a 2 time Sprite All Star Weekend Slam Dunk contest champion, you do not need any more schooling

post of the month !👍

 

[atticus27]

post of the month !👍

Agree👍

 

[student 0101]

hey "Nate"....

lol, I've been browsing the forums wondering about the same thing you are. I'll be graduating next year and i dont feel as if i can stay in retail and/or hospital pharmacy at all... The problem is probably not following my passion before i entered pharmacy school, but now that I'm here i want to use my degree and then add on to it (i.e. MBA, Master's in pharmacy admin., etc)

A master's is obviously additional $$$, and i have to justify getting another degree on top of the pricey one that i am already working on =(

I'm not sure anyone has any experience with this or knows of anyone with additional degrees thats they have used along with their pharm.D ??

It would be great to talk to someone who has done it before me or has a job that is "out of the box"

 

[FarscapeGirl]

Umm... why? Do you want two degrees because one is not enough??

I am currently finishing a PhD in molecular biology and starting pharmacy school in the fall. I definitely didn't plan this course and am only finishing with the PhD because I made a commitment to my adviser and the timing worked out well. I had originally thought I wanted to do research, but when I realized I didn't, nor did I want to do anything else with the PhD, I started to look for another career. I figured out that I wanted to be involved more in health care and that pharmacy would be a much better fit for me. I'll end up with two advanced degrees, and I'm certain my PhD training will help somewhat in pharmacy school, but I don't need them both.

There's only two reasons you end up with advanced degrees. You either change your mind about a career (hence people with PharmDs that then go to med school) or you want to do something that requires both (pharmacy law or pharmacy research). If neither of these apply to you, be happy with one.

 

[PHARMDhope2b]

Physicians commonly pursue the PhD because many of them go into research and having the PhD allows for the attainment of many NIH grants. I work with many MD/PhD's and this is the reason many do this. Same goes for dentists, pharmacist, or other terminal professional doctoral degrees.

I dont know of any that got a PhD so that they would be more competitive in medical school. Most applied to a MD/PhD program or started the PhD while in medical school. MD, DDS, PharmD, etc prepares you to be a clinician while the PhD prepares you for a career in research and academia.

Could a PharmD make you more competitive when matching for MD residency spots?

I heard of a PhD-neuroscience (prior to med school) from my school from several yrs ago being more competitive for neurosurgery spots....same thing with a cardiology nurse who went into med school and I was told he was more competitive when matching into a cardiology fellowship....

 

[FarscapeGirl]

Also, from what I've heard from those who are in MD/PhD programs, these people have been doing a lot of research through their entire undergrad career and sometimes even started in high school.

I think the students they take for these dual degree programs are on a whole different level from those who are "just" going to get their MD or their PhD. You really have to be able to demonstrate that you're interested in both fields and that you'll be able to cut it in the programs.

 

[nikkai]

do you really think there are links devoted to this?

Yes

 

[PheXeRiaN]

You have some options.

While in school you can complete a PharmD/PhD program if you would like to do research for a living.

You can do what I am doing which is a PharmD/MBA program while in school, or, you can complete an MBA after pharmacy school. If you speak a foreign language you could consider an masters in international business.

You can also work on speaking spanish fluently or any other language to help make you better looking to a business. German, French, etc...

You can also do a PharmD/JD. They make pretty good money depending on where you work. You can become a patent lawyer.

You can also get license to practice patent law without having to get the full JD. But it is quite difficult. You would basically be working for drug companies.

You can also get a certificate in Six Sigma, or work your way up to the highest Six Sigma belt to make your resume look more promising.

Some pharmacists go to P.A. school afterwards and practice under a physician. However, they are not paid as much as a typical pharmacist, usually a good bit less.

Some schools have many pharmacy students that graduate and go right into med school. Mercer pharm school does this or used to do this. Medical school is also an option.

You can get a computer programming degree and go into pharmacy informatics and write and design computer programs for the pharmacy industry. I've heard that is a pretty big field.

You can also get an immunization certification depending on the state that you practice in, to give immunizations.


Thats about all I can think of at the moment. You have some options. =)

My plan currently is the PharmD/MBA, with six sigma certification, then immunization certification, then work on speaking spanish fluently. This will pretty much set me up for moving up into management in either retail or the hospital world.

Depends on what you want to do.

Enjoy.