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Help Roxas Decide on a Career Path


Roxas
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Okay so this is as new to me as it is to you guys so bear with me because I have no idea what I'm done. Also, this is in the United States, so keep in mind that your advice might not apply to me if you're not from around here.

Basically I want to switch from going to med school to going to pharmacy school.

Since I was little, I've always wanted to be a doctor. As clichéd as that sounds, it's true. I've always loved science, and my experiences in medicinal research have been the ones that I enjoy and remember the most. After high school, I considered myself lucky because I entered my undergraduate career with a decided career path and already knowing what I wanted to major in. Because of my research specialization, I wanted to go for an MD-PHD program (basically getting an MD as a physician and a PhD as a research scientist), but I had to abandon that dream early on because of its rigorous admission process, my lack of publishing as an undergraduate, and overall no-life-ness. Moving to the present, college is treating me well, I just finished up my second year and I'm currently double majoring with a B.A. in Chemistry and a B.A. in Theater Studies. I've got buttloads of research experience, solid extracurriculars, I founded a fraternity last fall, but as a pre-med my grades are pretty bad. I started off my first semester with a 3.74, which was 0.01 away from my minimum goal of 3.75 (because med schools are superficial tyrants who just look at if you have an A or not), but I've been slowly declining from there from 3.74 to 3.57 to 3.34 to 3.10. Currently, my cumulative GPA stands at a 3.49 (which is a little more a B+ than an A-) and my major/chem/science GPA is an abysmal 3.01 (which is a solid, vanilla B). On the bright side, I've managed to get A's in all of my lab courses (which at my school is a feat in itself), and I don't think I've gotten anything that's not an A in a theater class lol. And it's not like I'm slacking either. I went to an elite New England preparatory school and I currently attend a Top 20 university in the States. I have a dedicated work ethic, I don't even go out that much, and (as the FE4THREAD can probably vouch) I'm rarely on the internets/SF while school is in session. Now I know that it's not like I'm failing out of school or anything, but I put some rather high standards for myself to succeed, and I've had to consistently lower the bar each semester, only to fail reaching the new bar time after time.

Now as a chem major, I've come to expect that my courseload would be more demanding than most people. And as a Chemistry B.S. aiming for graduate school (e.g. an Masters or Doctors in Chemistry), it's "ok" to get a C+ in biochem or analytical or organic II (or all three, as in my case), because they understand what a chem major goes through. However, as a pre-med student, I'm in a pretty heinous situation, as medical schools in the States are notorious for only looking favorably at high-GPA candidates with solid MCAT scores, and pretty much dismissing the rest. And as for the MCAT itself, holy crap, I know that I don't do standardized testing well. And as a victim to this "new MCAT2015" thing (seven hours, twice the subject material), I really don't think that success is in my future. The only reason I got a 2400 on my SAT is because I took that thing three fucking times. I don't think I can afford to do that with the MCAT. I would put about six monthsor moreof studying into this, and if I didn't do well, I would probably just get one more try, if at all. And the thought of that terrifies me. But what terrifies me even more is that even if I DO end up getting into medical school, the journey isn't over. The road to being a doctor is probably the most masochistic thing a young adult can experience in terms of workload, mental weariness, and physical exhaustion. There are still people who drop out every year, and then what happens?

My logic in pre-med to pre-pharm is thus:

1. No standardized testing (well, there's the PCAT, but half the schools I'm considering don't even require standardized testing like wut how is that legal)

2. Less pressure to maintain a competitive GPA (i.e. 3.8+), even though it's highly unlikely that I can graduate with anything over a 3.7 at this point.

3. Lack of a "kill me now" environment in graduate school.

4. More conducive to my research interests. Plus I still get to study medicine.

5. Something about doctors making less money in the future where everybody's a doctor, but whatever they're still making like $70,000 more on average than a pharmacist gg.

SO YEAH. Calling all pre-med/pre-pharm/med/pharm/chemistry/BASICALLY ANYBODY SCIENCEY PEOPLE:

Am I just deluding myself? Am I lowering my standards by a lot? Is this really worth it? Do I still go for med school, maybe as a DO? Or am I over-exaggerating my situation? I really have no idea what I'm doing at this point. I'm planning on asking my major advisor later in the summer for career advice, but I'm not going to be back at school until later this summer, and I'm really like having a sort-of-crisis right now.

but dude like seriously i don't want to go to med school in the Caribbean or something man like yes, you can get your degree that, but who's going to hire you ugh.

tl;dr my GPA isn't going the way I want it to. MD-PHD seemed unlikely before, but now even MD sounds like a lot. Planning to switch to pharmacy school because pre-med sounds like torture and I don't think I can get into med school, much less succeed (i.e. dropping out would still be a reality). Asking older people for help.

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I don't see how going from premed to pre-pharm is a demotion.

Do you really like research? Why not go the PhD track?

EDIT: idk what the chem subject GRE is like but i know the regular GRE is easy as balls lol i prepared like hell for reading comprehension and didn't do anything in math or writing and got 5.0 writing, 170 math, and 157 reading comprehension

i am just not that great a reader

Also, there's most definitely no way in hell pharmacy school is much different in terms of that whole "kill me now" mentality than anything else. They all suck major dick to go through.

I'd ask someone for you but 3.49 is indeed too low for MD/PhD, I'm not sure you're totally hopeless for an MD in the US though but I'm not sure if I know many people that got below a 3.5 and into med school. On top of that, if you really don't like to work as a physician, you're better off not doing it. I know a 3.49 is good enough for a PhD if you've got good research, a good personal statement, and good recommendations.

Bear in mind, you don't even necessarily have to go into your undergrad field in case you want to do something else. My friend got a BA in chem and a minor in math and I know his GPA was hovering around a 3.5 and he's doing an applied math PhD at Cornell, which is far far different than his research interests. The minor helped, but he had also only started taking the non-required math classes (so anything beyond Calc 3) when he started applying, and got the minor in his very very last semester. Just an option I'm throwing out there.

I really know nothing about pharmacy school, only one dude I know is in it and he goes to UMB (which is a very very good professional school btw, although Baltimore isn't as flashy a city as others, but that's what I love about it) and I'm pretty sure he didnt get a 3.5.

Edited by Lord Raven
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for some reason you feel guilty for wanting to change. why? it's your life, mate.

grad school is a ways away for me, so i don't think anything i say should hold weight, especially since we're in different fields. regardless, i don't think schools (that you fit the gpa min. for, if they have one) will toss out your application because of a slightly lower gpa if you show strength in the other areas of the application (mcat, personal statement, etc.). then again, pre-med is notorious for it. which really is shitty.

(4) is why i feel switching would be good for you. research is a cruel beast when you don't enjoy what you're doing. research is a cruel beast when you do enjoy it, just less so. better to be stressed but content/somewhat happy than to be stressed and miserable.

at the end of the day, i would say not to sell yourself short. go for what you truly want.

Edited by Phoenix Wright
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Pharmacy's a totally legitimate profession in its own right, plus, you'll still have loads of research opportunities. Medicine is a daunting career, and a whole lot of work. It's one of those things that you need to have your heart set on to be stupid enough to do it. If there's anything you'd rather do, the general advice is to go for that instead.

As someone who's a month away from entering their final year of medical school, admittedly in the UK, I'd advise to go for what you want to do, but consider your own well-being when deciding.

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Thanks everybody for their input omg i love you all. ;-;

ALSO TIL LORD RAVEN =/= RAVEN ARE YOU KIDDING ME.

I don't see how going from premed to pre-pharm is a demotion.

Do you really like research? Why not go the PhD track?

Also, there's most definitely no way in hell pharmacy school is much different in terms of that whole "kill me now" mentality than anything else. They all suck major dick to go through.

Honestly, it really isn't. I just have some stupid mindset going around in my head thinking that anything that doesn't end up with me being a doctor is me "settling" for something inferior. Like this is something that I've wanted for a really long time and it's starting to crumble when it all really matters.

I do enjoy research a lot, but I see it as more of an escape from the daily business of classes, if anything. I can't imagine doing it as a career for days or years on end. It seems a bit much.

kek i believe you.

for some reason you feel guilty for wanting to change. why? it's your life, mate.

I just (wrongly, I know) feel like it's me "stepping down" from my ambitions and having to settle with something else. But there's always the what if's about the situation: if I had gone to an objectively "easier" college, I could probably put in the same amount of work I"m putting in now and have held onto a 4.0 for the past four semesters. Would I still be feeling this way? Probably not. Would I still feel prepared? Who knowwwwws.

Pharmacy's a totally legitimate profession in its own right, plus, you'll still have loads of research opportunities. Medicine is a daunting career, and a whole lot of work. It's one of those things that you need to have your heart set on to be stupid enough to do it. If there's anything you'd rather do, the general advice is to go for that instead.

As someone who's a month away from entering their final year of medical school, admittedly in the UK, I'd advise to go for what you want to do, but consider your own well-being when deciding.

I feel like it's one of those all-in-balls-deep things or not in at all, and I really ain't feeling all-in right now.

Personally, I'd advise against trying to go to med school. I'm not sure how well you'd do there considering your current GPA.

Yeah honestly, I feel like even if I were to somehow miracle my way into a good med school, I wouldn't be able to stand up to the pressure and probably end up dropping after a year or two and ultimately wasting money/loans.

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I feel like it's one of those all-in-balls-deep things or not in at all, and I really ain't feeling all-in right now.

From personal experience, I can tell you it's pretty tough. I know a lot of people who dropped out in the first few years. Not that I don't think you're able enough to actually do it, it's just that it's a lot of work and pressure. So if you want in, make sure it's what you want.

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  • 1 month later...

Getting into a PhD program without having the grades for it is a nightmare.

I'd say settle for pre-pharm. It's still a relevant field, you'll still be making bank if you land a job, and you'll still be doing your research thang.

Alternatively, you could do what my brother did and study abroad. He's at a school in China right now, and the bar for getting into a med program is lower over there, tuition not nearly as ridiculous, and you'll still be learning the same stuff. The courses he's taking are in English, and he's learning Chinese to boot.

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  • 2 years later...

I know I'm about to necro on SD but fuck it my 50 warn points expired two years ago so @me underline crew

I just wanted to say that three years later, I graduated with a 3.51 cumulative GPA/3.06 science GPA, 510 MCAT, pushed out a coauthored publication into a (low impact :KnollRoll:) journal, killed it at an SMP,  and will be matriculating at a US MD school in a few months.

 

hashtag how the fuck did i get into medical school

 

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. . .and since this was a personal update, I'll let that necro slide.  But if you want to update again, you'll have to ask a mod.

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