<p>Hi everyone. I just completed my first year of pharmacy school (4 year PharmD program) and now I want to go to med school, preferably at the same institution (other side of hospital). After 1 year I made 3.92 GPA and just feel that the COP is kind of easy (with adequate studying) and I want a direct role and job in health care, as opposed to dispensing.</p>
<p>I am preparing for the MCAT this summer and would appreciate any advice on the test or applying in general. Also, any thoughts on what the COM application committee may think about this? The PharmD program is very competitive and I'm kind of ditching the program. Has anyone else done this or know someone that has?</p>
<p>I’d probably suggest pursuing clinical pharmacy. It would be virtually impossible to leave a PharmD program for an MD program as the MD program will not want to commit academic robbery by stealing you from the PharmD. Also, not completely shows you lack commitment and tend not to finish what you start. In other words… not finishing your program would be a very large red flag. Your best bet is probably to go w/ clinical pharmacy…</p>
<p>One of my S’s PharmD classmates is dropping out of PharmD and will be going to be going to a DO med school next year. He had applied to med school and pharmd, but only gotten into a pharmD program. He continued applying during his first year of PharmD, and it turned out well for him.</p>
<p>I will pursue clinical pharmacy or a PharmD/PA dual degree if they don’t accept me. I hope to be like the young PharmD student that was accepted to the DO program (except I’m MD applying). I am worried that they will have the sentiment as described by apumic but what can I do?</p>
<p>You can address your career goals in the interview or personal statements. I don’t agree that they won’t want to steal you from another program. Both programs have more applicants than they can possibly accept, and are just trying to find candidates who are committed. If you swore up & down that you wanted to be a pharmacist and are now swearing up & down that you want to be a dr at the same school, perhaps they would think you aren’t focused and it will be up to you to explain it.</p>
<p>^Students cannot be admitted to a program midway (i.e., OP leaving PharmD program means a loss of tuition to the school). Students leaving a professional program midway are viewed in a negative light as a general rule. This being seen as a sort of academic robbery is not my idea. It is one expressed by one of the most reliable adcoms on SDN (i.e., LizzyM). It’s considered bad form and rude for one program to steal a student from another and, as a result, is highly discouraged in the academic community. (Students cannot be “replaced” even though there are many, many more applicants than a given program could ever accept.)</p>
<p>In general, medical schools don’t want to take students who can’t finish a degree program. It’s not hard to see why. Med schools lose a lot of funding for every student who drops out. And med school is tough. They want students who won’t bail on a whim.</p>
<p>So, if you end up with a 3.9 and a 40 MCAT, you’ll probably still get into a med school. But, you have to be better than average. All things being equal, med schools will take the student who hasn’t demonstrated a history of fickleness.</p>
<p>If I apply to med school and am rejected, would this hurt my chances of a post-PharmD pharmacy residency? I feel like even applying puts me in a “dog house” at my COP.</p>
<p>^Well… it depends whether your school holds hard feelings. If they do, you might get slammed in your letters as not committed, etc.; you never really know.</p>
<p>Hi, after seeing the date on this post, it looks like you have probably resolved the situation by now. I am in a similar situation and was wondering what school you are attending, how you like it, and whether you feel you are getting a good education. Are you now at the medical school? Hope things are going well!</p>