Accredited vs Non-Accredited Schools?- Please give some advice

[PrePharmStu2009]

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Hey Guys,

I have gotten accepted into two pharmacy schools. One has been existence fro 3 years and is a rising program, also well known, it will be accredited this year as their first class graduates. The other school has been in existence for years and is accredited, also a well known school. So I wanted to ask current pharmacy students, does it matter a lot which school that you attend in the future when applying for a residency or a job? Also, another factor is the 1st school which is non accredited, but is almost will be accredited is very close to my house (30 min). The other school is 6 hours away

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

 

[rxforlife2004]

Hey Guys,

I have gotten accepted into two pharmacy schools. One has been existence fro 3 years and is a rising program, also well known, it will be accredited this year as their first class graduates. The other school has been in existence for years and is accredited, also a well known school. So I wanted to ask current pharmacy students, does it matter a lot which school that you attend in the future when applying for a residency or a job? Also, another factor is the 1st school which is non accredited, but is almost will be accredited is very close to my house (30 min). The other school is 6 hours away

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

what's the difference when you have the same outcome as soon as you graduate? It is = no jobs

 

[ttopping]

Hey Guys,

I have gotten accepted into two pharmacy schools. One has been existence fro 3 years and is a rising program, also well known, it will be accredited this year as their first class graduates. The other school has been in existence for years and is accredited, also a well known school. So I wanted to ask current pharmacy students, does it matter a lot which school that you attend in the future when applying for a residency or a job? Also, another factor is the 1st school which is non accredited, but is almost will be accredited is very close to my house (30 min). The other school is 6 hours away

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

Sometimes it can depend on the program. Not necessarily for the name, but just because they're more experienced at what they do and how they teach and run everything. The newer program is probably still sorting out all the kinks, and the students could be feeling the results. The older program also probably has deeper roots in rotation sites, contacts, residency programs, and other affiliations around the area. On the other hand, a new program could attract respectable professors from other schools of pharmacy looking for a step ahead, a better position, and a way to re-vamp the curriculum.

Not knowing what programs you're talking about however, and not knowing their reputations (because there are older well known schools who aren't as respected as others), in general, you'll get a Pharm D from both (as long as they're accredited), and residency/job will depend mostly on you, not the school you attended (majority of the time).

Edit: Yea, kind of forgot to mention that part (what firework said below). As long as the non-accredited school gets the accreditation, then what I said should apply

 

[firework]

Make sure the 1st program WILL be accredited when you graduate, they don't just say that only to get students enrolled.

 

[Praziquantel86]

Right now, I don't think the school a person goes to really makes all that much of a difference. Key words there being right now. As the job market tightens more and more down the line, I think this will begin to change for certain positions.

For retail, I doubt it will ever make too much of a difference. Chains largely hire from their internal intern pools, with other things not factoring in too much. However, residencies, fellowships and hospital staffing jobs are far more dependent on other factors. You'll find that residency program directors and hospital DoPs will display some sort of a bias in who they hire, and a lot of this is based on previous experience with students from that school, alumni relations and organizational ties. Obviously this is all anecdotal, but I've had this discussion with several people in very different geographical areas.

If you're looking to move elsewhere, name recognition carries a lot of weight. People in Texas are going to know and recognize Ohio State University, but might not have the foggiest idea about who NEOUCOP is. If both students make it to the interview stage, then they're both probably on an equal playing field. However, I'd argue that the person from the recognizable school is far more likely to get to that interview in the first place.

When making this decision, you need to ask yourself a few things. First, what are your long term plans (its very hard to say for sure at the beginning, but at least an idea)? Second, what are your reasons for attending one school over the other? Finally, and probably most importantly, what if it does make a difference? No one here can tell you for sure one way or the other, and there will always be a healthy debate. But if you have the choice, why put yourself in a situation where that's just another thing you have to worry about?

Just my $0.02.

 

[delano2000]

Right now, I don't think the school a person goes to really makes all that much of a difference. Key words there being right now. As the job market tightens more and more down the line, I think this will begin to change for certain positions.

For retail, I doubt it will ever make too much of a difference. Chains largely hire from their internal intern pools, with other things not factoring in too much. However, residencies, fellowships and hospital staffing jobs are far more dependent on other factors. You'll find that residency program directors and hospital DoPs will display some sort of a bias in who they hire, and a lot of this is based on previous experience with students from that school, alumni relations and organizational ties. Obviously this is all anecdotal, but I've had this discussion with several people in very different geographical areas.

If you're looking to move elsewhere, name recognition carries a lot of weight. People in Texas are going to know and recognize Ohio State University, but might not have the foggiest idea about who NEOUCOP is. If both students make it to the interview stage, then they're both probably on an equal playing field. However, I'd argue that the person from the recognizable school is far more likely to get to that interview in the first place.

When making this decision, you need to ask yourself a few things. First, what are your long term plans (its very hard to say for sure at the beginning, but at least an idea)? Second, what are your reasons for attending one school over the other? Finally, and probably most importantly, what if it does make a difference? No one here can tell you for sure one way or the other, and there will always be a healthy debate. But if you have the choice, why put yourself in a situation where that's just another thing you have to worry about?

Just my $0.02.

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