Why I Didn't Pursue Medical School After Pharmacy School | PharmD to MD

Here's my story about why I didn't pursue medical school after pharmacy school.

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[fazelbhoyza]

Hello Brian, thank you so much for sharing your experience between battling med school urges and pharmacy practice. I could SOOO relate to your thoughts while rounding in hospitals and wondering whether I should pursue med. I'm currently a M2. Graduated PharmD in 2014 and have worked inpatient, outpatient, retail and everything in between and finally decided to take the plunge in 2016. I have absolutely no regrets today. I think what really pushed me into a medical career was because I was so fed up with the limited scope of practice that pharmacists have. As a pharmacist, we learn so much in pharm school and apply so little. I was tired of feeling so inadequate. Secondly, I also couldn't live without knowing what would my life have been if I hadn't tried one last time (got rejected 2X prior to pharm school). Anyways, I think your video would really help out those outliers in pharm school who are considering a switch to medicine. Also if any of your viewers need any advice on the switching process, id be happy to help. Thank You.

[kingsman]

My dad was a pharmacist. He graduated from the University of Houston School of Pharmacy. He was a medic in the United States Army. My father then decided to move to Pennsylvania to become a physcian. My father started his residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center. He worked very hard during his 3 year residency.He started at Memorial Hospital Northwest. Which later would become Memorial Hermann. My father is Dr. Herman Reyes F.P. Medicine and your patients miss you dad! And so do I.

[DrJessicaLouie]

Thank you for sharing your story Brian and helpful advice! I also chose pharmacy over medicine and did not pursue medical school after my PharmD. I opted to continue with post-graduate training in critical care and academia as a pharmacist after 9 years of training.

[khorva]

I really appreciate your perspective here. I'm about to start applying to pharmacy school in a couple of weeks and I was having second thoughts because of everything I read on the forums how its miserable it is. I'm in the middle of debating whether to just go ahead and try for med school next cycle so this really helped alot.

[maryhasaballa]

Wow there is so much insight in this video. Throughout pharmacy school, I was mentally rotating thoughts between pharmacy and medical school. I love studying diseases and I love the biological sciences. It is weird that I loved studying the physical assessment courses, where you examine the patient, much more than the pharmacy communications courses, where you counsel on the medications. The major factor for me was blood, surgery, and guts as well. I never saw myself as a surgeon or practice in an ER setting but maybe I saw myself as an Endocrinologist, a pathologist, or a radiologist. Sometimes I kick myself in the butt for being sensitive and not trying, but am exhausted even thinking about it.

[moonology]

A lot of people have the misconception that pharmacy students are people who can't make it to medical school and settled into pharmacy. For me and foremost, I don't have the funds for medical school given the cards I've been dealt in life. Secondly, I'm more interested in medicine than diagnosing. I'm not keen on the responsibilities of a physician, its endless documentation, and terrible work-life balance. I much rather play the support than be at the front-line figuring out a disease- at least, that's how I see pharmacists.

Unless you own your own business, you're going to be thrown patients from the PAs, the nurse practitioners, and the owner of the business who frequently takes trips out of town all while juggling your patients. On the other hand, I don't want to settle in being a PA or nurse practitioner seeing as they don't have a doctorate in their field and have less knowledge on many matters. I don't mind dual enrolling or going back to school for this however along with a PharmD. It's just that the ones I seen constantly ask the supervising doctor questions - practically everyday for clarification or views; I don't want to put myself in a position where I have to constantly rely on the knowledge of a superior or be at the mercy of their mood everyday. Whereas in pharmacy, you got your techs to help out and everyone works in a team effort towards one goal.

I guess the cons to it is that you don't get reimbursed for your consults compared to a provider, which is fine to me because usually the consults are very short and informal. It's the tradeoff for not having the responsibility and putting in the financial and educational efforts of a MD. It's too bad that they don't give pharmacists provider status, but that makes sense or otherwise I could see them quickly replacing NPs...which bugs me a bit since they can prescribe medications given they have less formal education than a pharmacist. Though it's definitely rewarding as a physician if you enjoy taking the time to hear people's stories and getting to know the people around your community - definitely has its perks.

[danijelapehar]

You are talking about saturation, but in my country I feel that's not the case. I think news once mentioned we actually lack pharmacists, and from my mother's stories you can easily find a job. I don't know what the future holds though, but I'll put pharmacy, medicine, speech therapy, dental medicine and maybe rehabilitation education on my wish list of universities. I just need to figure out the order in which I will put them.

[jacobl]

People always seem to shy away from medical school because they think it's going to be a terrible lifestyle and they'll be on call 24/7. This is not true. There are many specialties and opportunities for you to live life fully and still be a doctor. The beginning part may be rough in terms of getting in medical school, going through residency, but after that.. life can be pretty good. There are many fields in medicine, literally countless. Not everything is surgery.

[st]

Thank you for sharing this! I'm going through the same situation except with optometry school. This was really motivating!

[timkirk]

hey Brian. I like the way the you eloquently articulate your thoughts and opinions. I am a practicing pharmacist. I can't say that I considered Med school during pharmacy school. I was anxious to graduate and start practicing. Pharmacy school was almost 200K in CA, and took me 8 yrs to get a pharm.d post HS. I just wanted to pay off my loans and living the "adult" life. After practicing pharmacy for several yrs, I regret not going to med school bc of the pharmacists saturation and other problems that we have in the profession. I feel like pharmacy was much better in the 90's and early 2000's compared to nowadays.

[mouhib]

Dude I am in pharmacy third year as well and I have an issue with blood and injuries that makes me faint. If it weren’t for that I would have easily challenged myself in medical school. Can you tell me what did you try to desensitise yourself because I tried searching online for ways to overcome this problem but nothing useful stood out.

[phiokeke]

I have uncles that did study medicines before I started pharmacy school, I seek advice from them if it worth it to study MD after true with Pharm sch. All them were talking about, was the student loans is a lot. The whole idea is to pursue what you like wisely. Not every MD's are happy because they are physician including my uncle, trust me. Pursuing MD after getting PharmD, make sure you have the CASH before you embark on that journey because you don't want to be miserable at the end. Secondly, you want to consider your age. How many years left for you to work to pay-off the debt before living a normal life? We all need a life mentally. SO THINK WISELY.

[JP-vrrg]

you are such a motivation, thanks for your story

[ericwanume]

Hello Brian, for me currently am fresh graduate from Pharmacy school but my passion has always been surgery and this is the reason I want to join medical school. Advice me please.
Thank you
Eric.

[princessdancel]

I’m actually scared to choose. I got into a school who had a PharmD program which is the 6 years course but I also wanted to be doctor. I’m worried about the time it takes up and financial needs because med school is expensive. It’s just hard to choose.

[larchdental]

It's a wise choice to know what you want to do and what you can or can't do.

[itsnoone]

Hello Brian, thank you so much for sharing your experience but I wonder what the difference between medical and pharmacy opportunity job and its the field are. Next few months, I will graduate from high school. I hope you can explain my confusion.

[princeahuja]

Hello,
I am a hospital pharmacist in USA and I want to become a doctor so
In order to do that I need to give MCAT and in order to give MCAT do I need to do all my "prerequisites" courses for it or I can directly prepare for MCAT and then get into medical
I am so
Can you please

[DrMV-kqbf]

Thank you for the highly informative reflection! Super helpful!

[cyo_o]

I still don't know what should i really do. I am now a third yeat student of Pharmacy and I am not gratuated yet. I love to study pharmacy subjecta like Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical chemistry etc ., but somtimes i really want to be a doctor because Pharmacists rarely contact with patients closely, they only consel about medicine and dos and don'ts.For me i want to stay close to patients health carw and to diagnose about disease. But i don't wanna spend my time and finance to study med sch but if someone ask me that stay whole day only in the pharmacy department and spend the rest of my life like this, I will say NO I can't. So can u advise me what should i do.