| Intro | | | | Prerequisites |
| With an ever increasing demand for health care, | | | | Prerequisites vary greatly from school to school. You |
| more and more students are considering a career as | | | | can also find browse the school list supplied by |
| a pharmacist. Before you make that decision, you | | | | PharmCAS to get more information on the |
| should become aware of the requirements and | | | | perquisites. You may apply for pharmacy programs |
| career opportunities available for pharmacists. As a | | | | before completing all of your prerequisites, but you |
| pharmacy school student, I have not only | | | | must complete them before matriculation. For exact |
| experienced the application process but also | | | | course equivalencies (exact course numbers from |
| researched many aspects of the pharmacy | | | | your institution), check to see if the school you are |
| profession. | | | | applying for has a webpage that allows you to check |
| According to a May 2008 BLS report, there are | | | | to see the exact course numbers from different |
| 266,410 pharmacists in the United States who earn | | | | schools. I know that USC and UOP have this available |
| an average of $50.13/hour ($104,620 annually). | | | | for students. UCSF and UCSD has their course |
| Salaries vary based on geographical location, | | | | equivalencies listed on Assist.org. |
| employer, and other factors. Many newly registered | | | | Prerequisites can be taken at your primary institution |
| pharmacists report huge signing bonuses in more rural | | | | or at a community college. If you already have a |
| or in demand areas. | | | | bachelor's degree, it is more economical to attend a |
| As time passes, pharmacists continue to be given | | | | community college to knock out all your prerequisites. |
| more and more responsibilities within the health care | | | | If you are currently enrolled as an undergraduate at a |
| system. Contrary to popular belief, a pharmacist's job | | | | university, it is generally okay to take a few |
| does not constitute counting pills from 9 to 5. Only | | | | prerequisites at a junior college; however, you do not |
| 62% of pharmacists hold traditional community (retail) | | | | want to make it seem as if you are dodging all the |
| pharmacy positions (BLS). Other exciting pharmacy | | | | difficult course requirements. |
| careers include positions in a clinical setting | | | | PCAT |
| (administering drugs as a part of a medical team), a | | | | The PCAT is the "Pharmacy College Admissions |
| research lab, a government agency (e.g. poison | | | | Test." Not all pharmacy schools require the PCAT (14 |
| control), a university, a corporation, a nuclear | | | | pharmacy schools that use PharmCAS do not require |
| pharmacy (compounding and dispensing of radioactive | | | | it, my other article lists these schools). The material |
| materials for use in nuclear medicine procedures), and | | | | covered on the PCAT as described from the AACP |
| many others. Unlike other medical professional | | | | website: The PCAT is divided into separate sections, |
| careers, pharmacy has a diverse range of careers | | | | or subtests, each of which is timed separately. During |
| available. In addition, most pharmacists do not need | | | | the time allowed for each subtest, you will be |
| any residency experience for most careers (you will | | | | permitted to work only on that section. You will not |
| need 1-2 years of residency experience to become a | | | | be allowed to go back to earlier subtests or on to |
| clinical pharmacist). | | | | later ones. As you work on each section, you may |
| The Increasing Demand for Pharmacists | | | | find it useful to first answer the questions that are |
| Pharmacy careers expect a whopping 22% growth in | | | | easy for you, skipping over those questions to which |
| jobs available from 2006 to 2016 (May 2008 report). | | | | you will need to return for further thought. There are |
| With the population aging and filled prescriptions | | | | six content areas measured by the PCAT in seven |
| increasing, the demand for pharmacists is projected | | | | (7) separate subtests:o The Verbal Ability sectiono |
| to grow in all pharmacy settings. Although job | | | | The Biology sectiono The Reading Comprehension |
| placement varies based on geographical location, | | | | sectiono The Quantitative Ability sectiono The |
| pharmacists will have little trouble finding a job. | | | | Chemistry sectiono The written essays (2) |
| Pharm.D. degree | | | | GPA |
| The Doctor of Pharmacy Degree (Pharm.D.) requires | | | | Your GPA (overall and science) is the most important |
| a minimum of 2 years of undergraduate coursework | | | | aspect of your application profile. Each school has |
| (most students receive a bachelor's a degree prior to | | | | different standards when it comes to GPA, and by |
| starting pharmacy school) followed by 3 to 4 years | | | | browsing the PharmCAS pharmacy schools page you |
| of Pharmacy school. Out of high school, students can | | | | can get an idea of what different pharmacy schools |
| apply for Pharmacy schools that have a joint | | | | expect. Remember that an average GPA means that |
| undergraduate and Pharm.D. program which lasts | | | | students with GPAs under and above that value are |
| from 5 to 7 years. These programs are also known | | | | accepted. Schools may vary on how they consider |
| as "0-6 programs" or "early assurance programs." It is | | | | scoring classes that you retake, so you should get in |
| important to note that a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree | | | | contact with pharmacy school admission offices to |
| is different than obtaining a Ph.D. or M.S. in Pharmacy. | | | | get more information. |
| The Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy has been phased | | | | Letter of Recommendations |
| out for the most part, although you may | | | | One to four letters of recommendations are required |
| occassionally hear about a registered pharmacist | | | | in the application process for pharmacy schools. |
| (R.Ph.), who only received a B.S. in pharmacy before | | | | Schools differ on who they accept letters of |
| the implementation of the Pharm.D. as the norm for | | | | recommendations from, so it is important to know |
| pharmacists. I don't know much about online Pharm.D. | | | | what is acceptable by looking at the school profile |
| program, but I am very skeptical about these | | | | pages on PharmCAS. Generally speaking, receiving |
| programs as pharmacy school is very rigorous with | | | | letters of reference from pharmacists and science |
| many hands on labs, which would be impossible to do | | | | professors who know your ability and potential on a |
| online. Pharmacists are technically doctors (Dr.), but | | | | personal level will be the most beneficial. |
| many opt to just place the 'Pharm.D.' title after their | | | | Financing Pharmacy School |
| names. | | | | Like other professional degrees, financing your way |
| Undergraduate Majors | | | | to a Pharm.D. is significantly more costly than |
| There is no requirement or restriction on | | | | undergraduate programs. Government grants that |
| undergraduate majors for pharmacy school. Many | | | | you may have received for your undergraduate |
| students choose to pursue Biological Sciences and | | | | program are usually no longer available, so paying for |
| Chemistry majors as many of the pharmacy | | | | your tuition will primarily depend on student loans. |
| prerequisites are requirements for those majors. | | | | Make sure you apply for FAFSA before their |
| Other students pursue a wide variety of majors | | | | deadline, so that you are considered for some of the |
| (business, art, psychology, economics, engineering, | | | | government loans. It is also a good idea to apply for |
| etc.) before beginning their pharmacy careers. In the | | | | national, school, corporate, online, and local |
| end, successful completion of prerequisites is what | | | | scholarships. Any money that you can get for free to |
| really matters; however, choosing a biology or | | | | pay down your tuition will mean less money you will |
| chemistry (or similar major) may give you a stronger | | | | be paying on interest for the life of the loan. Even a |
| science background to prepare you for the material | | | | $1000 scholarship will decrease your loan amount by |
| presented to you in pharmacy school. | | | | $1000 along with all the interest you would have paid |
| PharmCAS | | | | during the life of the loan. I will provide a list of |
| PharmCAS (Pharmacy College Application Service) is | | | | scholarships that are available in the near future. |
| the "centralized application service for applicants." | | | | Pharmacy Experience |
| Although a majority of the pharmacy schools use this | | | | Although pharmacy experience is not a requirement |
| service, there are a few pharmacy schools that | | | | for admission into pharmacy school, working in a |
| choose not to use PharmCAS. Students use | | | | pharmacy is a great way to beef up your resume |
| PharmCAS to submit Letter of Recommendations | | | | and also get a feel for what it is like working in a |
| (done either online or by paper), transcripts, a | | | | pharmacy. You may also consider obtaining your |
| personal statement, and additional application | | | | Pharmacy Technician license so that you may be |
| information. This service is not free, and you will need | | | | given more responsibilities within the pharmacy. See if |
| to pay $140 for first pharmacy school and $40 for | | | | accepted students at different pharmacy schools |
| each pharmacy school after that. It is important to | | | | have had pharmacy work experience or a pharmacy |
| note that some pharmacy schools require you to | | | | tech license by searching applicant profiles. |
| send in some of the application material DIRECTLY to | | | | Dual Degrees |
| them in addition to sending it to PharmCAS. | | | | In addition to the Pharm.D., some students may |
| Supplemental Application | | | | pursue an additional degree (MBA, JD, PhD, MPH, etc.) |
| Many schools also require a supplemental application | | | | in order to fill more specific niches in the pharmacy |
| and an additional fee in addition to the PharmCAS | | | | world. You can check which pharmacy schools offer |
| application. The supplemental application usually | | | | dual degree programs on (Useful Links -> Dual |
| contains essays which gives a clearer picture of the | | | | Degree Chart). If you are interested in any of these |
| candidate and his or her fit with a pharmacy school. | | | | programs, you should definitely start by researching |
| PharmCAS has a pharmacy school information page, | | | | them on pharmacy school websites or contacting the |
| which lists all of the pharmacy schools and their | | | | office of admissions of pharmacy schools to get |
| specific application requirements. | | | | more information. Additional requirements (such as |
| Interview | | | | the GMAT and additional letters of reference) are |
| Every pharmacy school requires the infamous | | | | expected for most of these programs. At some |
| interview process to judge your fit for their program. | | | | universities, these dual degree programs may |
| Although the weight placed on the interview varies | | | | eliminate your summer vacation or have you fall back |
| from school to school, one's performance at an | | | | a year from your pharmacy class as you complete |
| interview is a significant factor to receive admission | | | | your additional degree before going back to your |
| to pharmacy schools. | | | | pharmacy studies. |