Pre Pharmacy or Direct Pharmacy issue

Applying to College
1

Hello everyone, I am currently applying to colleges so I can pursue pharmacy, but I have an issue that I was hoping you guys could share your opinions on. My overall goal is to go to medical school, but due to the economy right now, my father is encouraging me to pursue pharmacy since I could get a job right after college and then potentially go on to medical school right after.

Here’s where the issue comes in. He told me to apply to both pre-pharmacy and direct pharmacy programs, but he strongly prefers direct pharmacy. So far, the only direct pharmacy school that has accepted me is MCPHS, which I really do not want to attend because it is not what I am looking for in a school. On the other hand, I really enjoy the pre-pharmacy schools I have applied to, especially because many of them have their own medical schools and cancer centers, which align with my long-term goals. Despite this, he still wants me to go to MCPHS, even though I have explained that I do not want to attend that school specifically or pursue direct pharmacy in general, for several reasons:

  1. My main goal is medical school, not pharmacy. Direct pharmacy programs seem more geared toward students who want to go straight into pharmacy and stop there.
  2. Pharmacy school is not extremely difficult to get into, so even if I choose the pre-pharmacy route, I could still apply to and enter a pharmacy program without doing direct pharmacy.
  3. If I pursue direct pharmacy, I would likely need to return to school to complete most, if not all, pre-med prerequisites just to apply to medical school. With pre-pharmacy, I could complete many of those prerequisites along the way.
  4. The pre-pharmacy schools I am considering have strong connections to their own pharmacy and medical schools, which could increase my chances of being accepted into either program.
  5. I have very limited experience in both medicine and pharmacy, so pre-pharmacy would allow me to explore both fields and decide what I truly want to pursue.

I am still in the process of applying to colleges, so I do not know how everything will turn out. It is not that I do not value my dad’s advice, but I really do not want to attend a school that I would not enjoy. That is why I wanted to ask for your thoughts, especially from those of you who are currently in pharmacy.

2

Pre pharmacy may choose a pharmacy studies major or maybe a science like chem. Nothing wrong with the non direct route. Find a school you like and can afford.

Dad is paying but this is your schooling. If he’s forcing you then find a cheaper school. Some are $20k - so you can say dad, I want to follow my path but I’m saving you money.

If you want to be at a general college then no need to go to a specialty school.

Your dad should become a pharmacist but this is your life and you aren’t interested.

Tell him but just know, many also lose interest in med school.

Maybe you can see the pharmacist curriculum. Does it match pre med ? If the classes cover both, you have cover regardless of major.

Good luck.

3

This is a little confusing to me. If you pursue pharmacy then you will be attending pharmacy school after college. You cannot work as a pharmacist with an undergraduate degree. Has your father looked at the job market for pharmacists?

Will your father allow you to attend a school that is not direct entry?

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