is Pharmacy just as hard to get into as medicine?

im applying next year and there's so many choices to choose from.

is Pharmacy more concerning research and science? i like science, mainly chemistry though :smile:

i wouldnt mind a more community Pharmacy work where i need to communcate as i could always improve my social skills :cool:

then again the idea of medicine does appeal to me

Reply 1

Jimmocrates

I haven't done both, and i doubt any of the other pharmacy people on here have, so can't give a first hand account.
But I lived with a guy doing medicine for 3 years, they seemed to have more self directed learning than us, whihc means they have less hours of lectures than us.

The content of lectures is weird with pharmacy - there's such a massive variety of subjects you do modules in, whihc aren't really related, meaning you have to be able to learn (and pass) exams in a lot of different subjects.

When it comes down to exams, medics probably do have it harder than us. For a start the pass mark is higher and they have exams coupled together which means you need to know more stuff at the same time.

We do a fair bit of clinical stuff - its the best bit of the course, whihc is the most interesting and seems most relevent.

Reply 2

jennyflake

Personally I found pharmacy easier to get into, but only because they actually have enough spaces for the number of people trying to get in. I got rejected from four medical unis, and then got accepted to one pharmacy and turned down the offer of an interview over the phone from another.
The grades are the same for many of the pharmacy schools and medicine, but there are some pharmacy courses that ask for lower grades.
Basically ignore how easy they are to get into... go for whichever you want...dont go for second best without giving the first option a go!

Reply 3

Jimmocrates

EDIT: Pharmacy is nowhere near as hard to get into as medicine, the demand for medicine is immense. Don't let that fool you though. The course itself is really hard.

Reply 4

Astudentinneed

Pharmacy deals in medicine and medical research right?

i thought they will be a lot morepeople interested in this course?

and howdoes this course differs from chemistry?

Reply 5

Astudentinneed

or medicine for that matter?

Reply 6

Jimmocrates

There's hardly any comparison between pharm and chem. We do a couple of modules looking at chemical synthesis of drugs, but there are soooo many disciplines of pharmacy, like cellular biology, physiology, pharmacology, pharmacy law and ethics, social pharmacy, disease management, pharmacokinetics.

As for medicine, i think the major difference is that medics diagnose, whereas pharmacists don't. I think they also have to do more on ethics and stuff, as their decisions can have big implications. Having only done pharmacy though, i can't give definitive answers on the other degrees.

Reply 7

j00ni

Jimmocrates

As for medicine, i think the major difference is that medics diagnose, whereas pharmacists don't. I think they also have to do more on ethics and stuff, as their decisions can have big implications. Having only done pharmacy though, i can't give definitive answers on the other degrees.

Yeah medicine is pretty much as jimmocrates says, extra ethics and diagnosing, but less of the chemistry and difficult stuff about drug kinetics and such like :p:

As long as you can get on a course pretty much any idiot can do medicine, as long as you are 100% committed and dedicated to learning (I would say that there is more to learn than pharmacy, but it's generally easier to grasp the concepts)

Reply 8

Jimmocrates

j00ni

Yeah medicine is pretty much as jimmocrates says, extra ethics and diagnosing, but less of the chemistry and difficult stuff about drug kinetics and such like :p:

Damn straight Jonni. If you aren't committed, then its a lot of hard work to get through and you don't get none of the honey for a shed load of work.

PS: Ta for the left overs, made a very tasty bbq for us toneet :wink:

Reply 9

iceman_jondoe

i'll be doing pharmacy if i dont get into medicine after my gap year

Reply 10

j00ni

Jimmocrates

Don't think my bowels could handle any more bbq

iceman_jondoe

i'll be doing pharmacy if i dont get into medicine after my gap year

lol, shhh, the natives of this forum get restless when it is suggested that pharmacy/pharmacology is a back up for medicine :p:

indeed

Pharmacy is much easier to get into than medicine. No UKCAT, no ridiculous competition, not the same high demand in terms of grades and experience. Many people do/don't get into medicine purely for their background and the opportunities (or lack thereof) that they are able to seek out for experience. Things like tutoring for good grades, parents who work in the health sector, a school that can help you achieve your maximum in exams and will support you 100%, duke of Edinburgh programmes, knowing people who can get you into operation theatres or other parts of hospitals, or a GP surgery. I considered medicine then realised later on that pharmacy suited me better since I like that whole side of chemistry, so I ended up applying for courses in pharmacy and pharmacology (pharmacology being a back-up), and I'm starting pharmacy in four days at Strathclyde. I must say, during my time preparing for medicine I tried really hard to get all sorts of experience. I could only get four days in A&E due to a consultant that my older sister was friends with. In applying for medical school that isn't much to go on, but I was going to make do with it. The UKCAT can be so hard depending on what type of learner you are and how you approach problems. Lots of people doing medicine brag about it being easy but I personally despised studying for it.

If you apply for medicine, you need to not be put off by anything. And I mean anything. Your desire to practice medicine has to be strong enough to the point where you can confidently say that nothing else with the potential of negating it matters. Medicine is hoop after hoop after hoop. School exams, getting experience, extracurricular activities, UKCAT, applying, interviews, uni examinations. Then when you get out of uni you specialise in something up to the point of consultancy and, depending on which field you choose, you may have to do several years of examinations (some you may need to travel to go and sit, paying for yourself), or if the field is competitive (e.g. being a consultant brain surgeon) you may need to get a PhD or an MD. This would all be mixed in with you still practicing medicine. Commit and you will do it, another year to get into medicine if you don't make it in first-time-round never hurts. Dedicate and nothing will stop you.

I know I'm a decade late and the person asking the question could have a PhD in Pharmacy by now but this would be good for anybody else who is on the webpage and cares to know today, especially those wanting to do medicine : )

Reply 13

chinadollfalls

No it's a lot easier to get into, but IMO just as hard to pass and register. Much better life flexibility and freedom though IMO, and both are very very similar.

Reply 14

username2752874

Original post by Astudentinneed

im applying next year and there's so many choices to choose from.

is Pharmacy more concerning research and science? i like science, mainly chemistry though :smile:

i wouldnt mind a more community Pharmacy work where i need to communcate as i could always improve my social skills :cool:

then again the idea of medicine does appeal to me

There's generally less applicants per place (though this does vary) and definitively lower entry requirements. Pharmacy at the top universities is ABB-AAB - usually. Medicine though is AAA-A*A*A.

So yeah, still a good challenge to get in to, but not as hard as medicine.

Reply 15

tcameron

Not as hard. I just got into pharmacy and am about to start this year. Yes the interviews can be daunting but hardly as difficult as a medicine interview. Also no need for UKCAT/BMAT though in some of my interviews I did have to do maths/chemistry tests.
Also entry requirements are lower.

Reply 16

suitofgold

Original post by Astudentinneed

Pharmacy deals in medicine and medical research right?

i thought they will be a lot morepeople interested in this course?

and howdoes this course differs from chemistry?

Depending on your uni, you get lots of pharmacology, law, ethics, communication, therapeutics, and medicines.

You get some chemistry, not a lot. You have your basic organic chemistry which overlaps a lot with A levels, and you also have your medicinal chemistry which is the application of OChem.

You don't get a lot of medical research (if at all).

Reply 17

username4087228

Original post by tcameron

Sorry Idk much about medicine interviews but what type of questions are asked apart from the "why do you want to do pharmacy?" Sort of a direct question but I was just curious :smile: