Thoughts

[VCU07]

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Ok...I guess I will post to see where I stand.
BS biology 2003 gpa 3.71
PharmD 2007 gpa 3.75
Tons of volunteer experience, mainly as an undergrad.
Clinical Experience
research experience

Have been working on MCAT score, taking in April. Hopefully, I can get it high enough to be competitive.
Do you guys think having a Pharm.D will help/hurt?

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

Ok...I guess I will post to see where I stand.
BS biology 2003 gpa 3.71
PharmD 2007 gpa 3.75
Tons of volunteer experience, mainly as an undergrad.
Clinical Experience
research experience

Have been working on MCAT score, taking in April. Hopefully, I can get it high enough to be competitive.
Do you guys think having a Pharm.D will help/hurt?

I don't see how it could hurt.

 

[Mobius1985]

Most important: Your undergrad GPA is very good. Your professional degree GPA is also good, but you won't be judged by that much (oddly enough). So you're starting out not needing to do any repair on your coursework. MCAT score is the second component by which your application will be primarily judged. There are a lot of courses in PharmD school that surely helped you as you prepare for the MCAT, but you'll probably need to relearn your physics.

Whether the Pharm D will help or hurt will depend on how you spin your reasons for going into med school. I recommend you not say that you dislike pharmacy, hate the insurance hassles,or that it's not the career you thought it would be, but rather that some aspect of medicine is so compelling that you had to pursue it. Mention all the reasons why having a PharmD will make you a better doctor. Be convincing that you won't jump ship again, once you become a physician, because adcomms will be concerned about that possibility.

Due to that latter concern, it will be important for you to have physician shadowing experience. Much of your pharmacy experience is clinical experience, where you are dealing one-on-one with sick people, and that is very important to list on your application, too. But be sure you can be convincing that you understand exactly what the practice of medicine will entail and totally know what you're getting yourself into.