I don't think it's as bad as everyone is making it out to be. I'm getting ready to start a 3 year program in August. It's going to be accelerated, we cover the same material as a 4 year, and you do get breaks. Mini breaks, but you still get them. You also still have rotations throughout the year, which lets you network. Your first year, there are 2, 5-week rotations in summer, and 1, 2-week rotation during the year. I don't know the rotation schedule for the 2nd year yet. Then your 3rd year, you're out on rotations the entire year(just like a 4th year student at a 4-year program). You also get a week long Thanksgiving break, a month long December break, and a week for spring break, and 3 weeks in the summer. I work in a hospital pharmacy right now, and we have 4-year program students who work there, and they hardly work b/c of their schedule. Like 1 or 2 weekends a month. I'm sure you can still do that in a 3 year program. I work with a clinical pharmacist in my hospital who went to Lecom, and he is one of the smartest pharmacists there. My school had a 99% pass rate on the Naplex last year. A lot of the graduating students I spoke to at my school were starting retail jobs, but there were about 10 that I met starting a clinical residency, which they said they got from their rotations. There are also lots of clubs, fraternities, and other activities.
I think the biggest thing to consider is whether you want to do a residency. A lot of 4 year programs match students like bread and butter, ie, you can be a C student and get a residency. Whereas, in a 3 year program, you kind of have to be at the top of your class to be competitive to apply. Walgreens and CVS don't care what clubs you're a part of or what GPA you have...as long as you're holding that degree. But if you want to do a residency and you decide on a 3 year school, make sure you really stand out all 3 years. For me, I like the fact of being done earlier. I'm 26 and I have a ton of pharmacy experience already. My rotations and breaks will be enough networking for me. I'll either go home to work or find a job near the school. Honestly, I don't really think networking all 4 years is necessary, as some of you have stated. I have friends from 4 year schools that decided on a residency based on their very last rotation, or a rotation during their last year. The director liked them so much, that they picked them during matching, and she was only there for a little over a month.
