The Trade-Offs of Leaving Pharmacy for Medicine

As many of you know, I started out as a pharmacist before returning to medical school and eventually becoming an oncologist.

Every now and then, I get a message from a pharmacy student or resident pharmacist wondering if they should make the same move. I’m guessing they feel some of the same pull I did. I wanted to be more directly involved in decision-making, and I missed the opportunity for longer-term relationships with patients and families. I also loved diagnostics and the challenge of working through difficult cases when the answer wasn’t clear. Looking back, I think it was probably that curiosity that sealed it for me.

I’m really glad I made the change. I love what I do, and I do feel a strong sense of purpose in it.

But I also see things differently now from the other side. Medicine is meaningful work, but it comes with a lot that I didn’t fully understand until I got here.

The clinic grind is real. There is not much time to reset or recharge. You’re pulled in many directions, and the pace can wear on you. The responsibility, and Epic, never really turns off.

As a pharmacist, I could usually clock out at the end of the day. I thought about my patients then too, but it was easier to transition back to home life. Now it feels different. There are sleepless nights, not just from overnight call, but from conversations or decisions that stay in my head longer than I expect.

And honestly, the thing I underestimated most was life outside of work.

Raising a family is a whole life on its own. It takes time, energy, and presence. Medicine doesn’t always make that easy. I missed more things than I would have liked. Weekend rounds, late nights, moments with my kids that I wish I could get back now that they’re older. Even when I was there, there were times when I wasn’t fully present after a hard day.

I still remember telling one of my favorite pharmacy preceptors that I was thinking about going back to medical school. She said, “You know the world needs excellent pharmacists too, Dan.”

She was absolutely right.

Pharmacy can offer a great deal of impact and purpose. My father certainly found that, and it’s shaped the way I’ve always viewed the profession.

If you’re considering it, be clear with yourself about why. Know what you want and what you’re willing to give up, and be sure you’re ready for those trade-offs. I’m thankful for the path I took, but it’s important that it works for your life as a whole, not just your career.

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