Pharmacy / Nursing

[Guest samdecham]

I'm considering my options for premed, and have wondered if pharmacy or nursing would harm my chances. I figure since there is such a shortage of both, it might be considered wrong to complete the program and take a seat away from someone who might have truly stayed with it... Any opinions?

[Guest aneliz]

It is sometimes difficult to accumulate the pre-reqs you need for med from within such a specialised undergrad program...you may need to take extra courses or summer courses to be able to satisfy med pre-reqs....as both programs tend to be very structured with very little flexibility or 'wiggle' room to take electives....something to be aware of.

[Guest Jackie Nicole]

Hi samdecham,

 

I don't think completing either pharmacy or nursing would harm your chances. However, if I was you I would only take either program if I felt it's something I could see myself doing for some time if I didn't get into med. If you have no interest in pharmacy or nursing aside from using either as a premed program then my advice to you is don't do it. It will be very difficult to have consistently high marks in a program that doesn't interest you. I don't know about pharmacy but since I am in nursing I can tell you that it's hard getting in the prerequisites for med while doing nursing. I don't know where you're going to go for your undergrad but at Ottawa U. you won't have a chance to do any electives until third year when you only get to do a 3 credit elective. In this case your best chance to do your prereqs would be in the summer and keep in mind that you would only be allowed to do only so many credits over the summer. I know this because I've spent this last year figuring out a way to get this prereqs done and it doesn't look like I'll be able to finish them until 4th year. Anyway this is just my two cents worth. Good luck in your decision.

 

Regards,

Jackie

[Guest blackbox]

Hi samdecham,

 

I agree with what has been said so far. I am also in nursing and doing the "pre med" courses on the side. It's no easy task. However, the extra pains are well worth it. It's a great program itself, and working as an RN will be a great career if you decide meds isn't what you want. plus, all the practicums will give you an oportunity to see first hand if medicine is really what you want. keep in mind that your reasons for wanting to be a physician don't have to be completely different from your motivations to become an RN. fundamentally, i find that my reasons are the same.

 

all the best,

 

Kyle

[Guest Steve U of T]

From what I understand about pharmacy, you need to do one year of an undergraduate degree before applying. You should be able to get most, if not all, of your prerequisites for medical school done during that year. I think pharmacy has prerequisites, and they probably overlap a lot with the med school prerequisites (haven't looked into it, but I think you need chem, bio, at least). I think pharmacy is another 4 years on top of that first year, which is a pretty big commitment. However, I met a pharmacy graduate who is now in medical school, and apparently, as a pharmacist, you can earn enough money during the summer to easily pay your med school tuition. I think that is a strong benefit to that route. Pharmacy is something I briefly considered during my first year of undergrad, although I knew medicine was what I really wanted to do, and I didn't want to take a space away from somebody who really wanted to be a pharmacist.