Switching from med school to pharm school

Started by Mr Indecisive
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Mr Indecisive

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Hi Guys,

I was just wondering if anyone here on the forum either switched from medical school to pharmacy school, or knows of anyone who did. Its seems to be very common that people go from pharmacy into med, however its hard to find someone who went the other way around. I am seriously considering this as an option for myself, and would greatly appreciate speaking to someone who went through the experience, or at least knows someone's story.
 
Mr Indecisive said:
Hi Guys,

I was just wondering if anyone here on the forum either switched from medical school to pharmacy school, or knows of anyone who did. Its seems to be very common that people go from pharmacy into med, however its hard to find someone who went the other way around. I am seriously considering this as an option for myself, and would greatly appreciate speaking to someone who went through the experience, or at least knows someone's story.
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Don't do it........
 
They go from pharmacy to med because they know what a joke pharmacy is becoming. Stick with med school, just grit your teeth and tough it out. At least you'll have a job when you get out, especially in primary care.
 
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Mr Indecisive said:
Hi Guys,

I was just wondering if anyone here on the forum either switched from medical school to pharmacy school, or knows of anyone who did. Its seems to be very common that people go from pharmacy into med, however its hard to find someone who went the other way around. I am seriously considering this as an option for myself, and would greatly appreciate speaking to someone who went through the experience, or at least knows someone's story.
Click to expand...

I have a kid in my P3 class that went up through M3 year I think and then switched. He's one of the smartest in my class.
 
Dont mind at all.
I feel as though I'm just not cut out for the profession of medicine. My biggest interest during my undergrad was pharmacology, and I always loved the idea of becoming a pharmacist. Good pay, normal working hours/conditions, I know I love the science of drugs and pharmacy, and I really do feel like I would be happy as making that my career. I did well in undergrad and got this idea in my head (partly from myself, and partly from pressure from people in my life) that if I COULD be a doctor, it would be a major cop out not to dedicate my life to it. Yes I'm interested in medicine, but I just don't know if I want the life of a doctor. Plus, I just don't know how comfortable I feel in the role of a clinician. I'm honestly more of a thinker than a hands on person.

I think of the path I'm headed down, and I just feel this sense of dread. I then think "well...maybe you can try to switch and do pharmacy" and the dread goes away, and I feel happy. I'm obviously confused about this whole situation, but this instinctual gut feeling must mean something, even though I admittedly have little pharmacy experience
 
Mr Indecisive said:
Dont mind at all.
I feel as though I'm just not cut out for the profession of medicine. My biggest interest during my undergrad was pharmacology, and I always loved the idea of becoming a pharmacist. Good pay, normal working hours/conditions, I know I love the science of drugs and pharmacy, and I really do feel like I would be happy as making that my career. I did well in undergrad and got this idea in my head (partly from myself, and partly from pressure from people in my life) that if I COULD be a doctor, it would be a major cop out not to dedicate my life to it. Yes I'm interested in medicine, but I just don't know if I want the life of a doctor. Plus, I just don't know how comfortable I feel in the role of a clinician. I'm honestly more of a thinker than a hands on person.

I think of the path I'm headed down, and I just feel this sense of dread. I then think "well...maybe you can try to switch and do pharmacy" and the dread goes away, and I feel happy. I'm obviously confused about this whole situation, but this instinctual gut feeling must mean something, even though I admittedly have little pharmacy experience
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Do what you want to do, and what you know will make you happy!
 
Mr Indecisive said:
My biggest interest during my undergrad was pharmacology, and I always loved the idea of becoming a pharmacist. Good pay, normal working hours/conditions, I know I love the science of drugs and pharmacy, and I really do feel like I would be happy as making that my career.I'm honestly more of a thinker than a hands on person.

...even though I admittedly have little pharmacy experience
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Don't look through rose-colored glasses. You'll find that pharmacy for many is neither pharmacology- nor thinking-intensive post-degree. A residency to put you into those "thinker" clinical roles will put you right back where you began, except under an MD instead of being one. "Normal" working hours/conditions not guaranteed, and, as some would say, untrue. Know what you're getting into. If you're more of a thinker, there are always opportunities for MDs to get into healthcare consulting. For example: http://www.mckinsey.com/careers/faqs/medical_degree
 
I suggest you talk with the practicing pharmacists, both retail and hospital. Retail pharmacy is no walk in the park, and hospital pharmacy isn't any easier either. Make sure you are serious about this and know what you're getting into before you commit.
 
I knew a guy who actually finished medical school and absolutely hated it. He went to pharmacy school (started as a P3) and is a clinical pharmacist at a pediatric hospital
 
I only know of one person who got their MD and then went to get their PharmD. They really enjoyed compounding and found a passion in it. They went through pharmacy school and when they got out they went into compounding pharmacy.

I think it sounds like you'd do well as a clinical pharmacist. Much of the job is patient case reviews, managing therapy and working with physicians. However, the frustrating aspect behind it is that because you aren't a physician you aren't really allowed to do much apart from recommend things or do delegated tasks. In some settings like the VA or in states that allow for pharmacists to be providers you can work more independently under a practice agreement similar to NP/PA, but it's frustrating in some other settings where you are more limited. I'm strongly interested in the clinical side of pharmacy and have been pondering med school post PharmD (although the more and more I think going into retail for money/work schedule becomes more appealing).

Much of retail pharmacy is verification, that seems to be the biggest aspect. You'll have to counsel here and there and during flu season giving immunizations can take up considerable time, but generally it feels more like a task oriented type of a job with prescription verification and drug utilization reviews (checking for interactions, safety, etc). I will say that in many cases community pharmacy provides for great living hours. I worked in a pharmacy staffed by 2 pharmacists, both worked 80 hours bi-weekly and were full time. They worked 13 hour shifts, 9 hour Saturdays and 6 hour Sundays. One week they would work 3 13 hour shifts and then the weekend, the other week they worked 2 13 hour shifts giving them 5 days off. 5 days off one week, 2 days off the other, long shifts with no break. Honestly, that kind of schedule (at least for me) is very appealing, they didn't have to stay late either and were able to leave at closing and come in only a few minutes before opening to unlock things. It was run pretty well.

Honestly if I were you I'd stick with med school. There are jobs in medicine where you don't need to do procedures or even see patients. Research or consulting come to mind. You could also maybe work for an insurance company or managed care if a desk job appeals to you. Going through med and then pharm will rack you up tons of student loan debt and as a pharmacist you are more than likely going to make less money and have more debt. Financially it's probably not going to be the best decision. Now, if you love pharmacy and know your life will be more fulfilled in that go for it, you can't put a price on loving your career.
 
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Mr Indecisive said:
Hi Guys,

I was just wondering if anyone here on the forum either switched from medical school to pharmacy school, or knows of anyone who did. Its seems to be very common that people go from pharmacy into med, however its hard to find someone who went the other way around. I am seriously considering this as an option for myself, and would greatly appreciate speaking to someone who went through the experience, or at least knows someone's story.
Click to expand...

No, don't do this. Grind it out. I am actually trying to go back to school for med. You have no idea how bad things are on this side.
 
I am about to start my P2 year, and I work as an inpatient pharmacy technician at an academic medical center. I've also had the opportunity to go on gen med rounds with attendings, ms3's and ms4's. And after being around the med students I think to myself "my god, my classmates aren't near as disciplined, focused, nor as sharp as these people." Stay in medical school. There is a whole lot you can do with an MD.

And in pharmacy school there's a whole lot of other bs you have to do outside of class to get into a pharm residency. You have to work as a tech or intern, you have to join organizations and hold officer positions, and possibly do research. Whereas in medical school all you have to do is study and do research to get into a competitive residency.

I held multiply officer positions in my undergrad fraternity and I don't want to do it again. If you truely devote yourself to it it's like taking 3 more credit hours. In pharmacy school people run for officer positions just to put it on their cv and they just go through the motions not giving 2 sh*ts about if they're really making an impact.

I'll tell you once more, stay in medical school.
 
Mr Indecisive said:
Hi Guys,

I was just wondering if anyone here on the forum either switched from medical school to pharmacy school, or knows of anyone who did. Its seems to be very common that people go from pharmacy into med, however its hard to find someone who went the other way around. I am seriously considering this as an option for myself, and would greatly appreciate speaking to someone who went through the experience, or at least knows someone's story.
Click to expand...

How far into med school are you? And how are you performing?
 
gwarm01 said:
Started as a P3? This sounds dubious.
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Could be true, in some schools certain of the classes are combined med/pharm d classes, so obviously he would have already had credit for those, and I can see the college giving him a pass on certain classes based on his having an equivalent or greater level class in med school. Also, if the pharm d class had openings due to students quitting/flunking out, that its a win-win situation to let the med student in, as they aren't going to have too many applicants for an open 3rd year slot.

msweph said:
We had a guy switch from med to pharm school because he failed Step 1 lol
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Crazy, he would have been better off buckling down & studying harder instead of switching majors.

To the op, assuming you've got a year or two med school completed, I think you need to finish it out. Too much loans to get a program without a degree, just to go into another program and get more loans. Of course, if you are independently wealthy, then this wouldn't matter.
 
If you think you're going to be happier as a pharmacist, by all means go to pharmacy school. I enjoy being a pharmacist (most especially a retail pharmacist) and I don't see myself practicing in any other setting. I have fun at work ..I love kids, I'm always giving them stickers at work.
 
Stick with medicine unless you really want to do pharmacy, which isn't all too bad. Forget the haters, you can definitely build yourself into a successful pharmacist in the hospital if that what you want but for love of god don't quit medicine for retail pharmacy. I consider pharmacist clinicians one way or another even if retail so i'm not sure what you mean by not feeling comfortable w/ being a clinician??!!

I had a MD in my class, he was mad chill and real hussh hussh about it with most people. He was actually internationally skyping as a IM consultant when we went on an internationale pharmacy study abroad trip. He said he like the pharmacy consultating side of things which I'm kind of baffled when he was already an IM consultant. I think he said he really like long term care or something. So yes it does happen, and this is a full practicing MD with 10 year of experience and he's wife is a pediatrician too. Funny guy...
 
msweph said:
Arent you a rx sup at Walgreens?
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RXM...but my best friend/college roomate was rxsup but walgreens has since gotten rid of that position anyways...everyone's DM now. It's not a pretty job...I wouldn't do it.
 
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