Advice

[HappyMan]

Hi there,

I was interested in apply for Pharmacy at U of Toronto for 2009 entry. But I noticed that in 2010 the program is changed to a Pharm D. program instead of the BScPharm currently offered. Should I just wait a extra year to apply and get the Pharm D. Is a Pharm D. really much better then a
BScPharm? I appreciate any advice.

HM

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[IrishRxMan]

Hi there,

I was interested in apply for Pharmacy at U of Toronto for 2009 entry. But I noticed that in 2010 the program is changed to a Pharm D. program instead of the BScPharm currently offered. Should I just wait a extra year to apply and get the Pharm D. Is a Pharm D. really much better then a
BScPharm? I appreciate any advice.

HM

It depends on what you want to do as a pharmacist. If you just want to work in retail, a RPh, which is what you would get with BScPharm, is acceptable. The trend with the profession is all schools are moving to PharmD. This allows you as a graduate to go into more areas of pharmacy without having to get a PhD or some other post doctoral work. You should talk to the school and see if you have the option of doing a PharmD before they complete the switch. I know a lot of other programs were offering both at the same time before they made the complete switch.

 

[fenixtnlfan]

I don't think you can get licensed as a BScPharm anymore. I'm almost positive you need a PharmD to become a pharmacist now.

 

[RxWildcat]

I think you can still get a license with the BS in Canada, however if it was me I wouldn't want the antiquated degree and would rather wait a year to get the PharmD.

 

[amartins02]

I agree. Why start out your career with an outdated degree.

 

[HappyMan]

In Ontario all pharmacist are BSc.Pharm. Only in 2010 we will start producing entry level PharmDs. Are they any Ontarians that care to advise. I don't think the BSc.Pharm will become obselete, because Ontario will produce it 1st entry level PharmDs in 2014. There won't be an overlap of degrees; BSc.pharm till 2009 entry and PhamD for 2010 onwards. I heard that the PharmD is more clinical; can someone tell me in what ways is it more clinical then the BSc.Pharm. Also with the PharmD degree do you guys actually refer to yourselves with the title Dr.? Thanks for the info.

 

[RxWildcat]

Also with the PharmD degree do you guys actually refer to yourselves with the title Dr.?

It depends on the setting you're in, at the college we refer to all PharmDs as "Dr. so and so" but at work we usually just refer to everyone by their first names. There's a few threads discussing this but I don't wanna dig them up because they usually go south pretty quick.

 

[shunsistoesis]

happyman: don't wait. just apply as soon as you've met all the requirements. I heard from some my friends who are currently in the pharm program at U of T that you can somehow 'upgrade' your BScPhm when the PharmD curriculum comes out. So apply now anyways..the longer you wait the more competitive it gets.

 

[UBCmicrobi]

Not to mention that the rest of Canada will still be BSc, so it will hardly be "antiquated" any time soon. Eventually, as in several decades from now, when the rest of the Canadian schools have phased out the BSc (and the old timers are all dead or retired....) then you can call it antiquated.

Most of the students on SDN are American, and totally unfamiliar with how things work in Canada, so take their advice with a grain of salt.

My advice (from a Canadian), do some research on how the program will change with the switch to a PharmD (ie what are the extras, stuff you'll learn/do that is not part of the curriculum presently). As someone stated earlier, if you plan on going the retail pharmacist route, there may not be any benefit to your career (but hey I'm not against learning stuff you may not necessarily use!), but you never know, your career plans may change during the course of your studies. Another big factor for me would be, can you afford to waste a year waiting for the PharmD? If you're still an undergrad and "youthful", then the answer might be "yes". For me the answer is definitely "no".

Good luck with your decision!

 

[UBCmicrobi]

happyman: don't wait. just apply as soon as you've met all the requirements. I heard from some my friends who are currently in the pharm program at U of T that you can somehow 'upgrade' your BScPhm when the PharmD curriculum comes out. So apply now anyways..the longer you wait the more competitive it gets.

I totally agree with shunsistoesis, apply now and if you really want that PharmD, I'm sure there will be a way to upgrade, since you'll only be a year ahead of the full pharmD roll out.

 

[IrishRxMan]

I totally agree with shunsistoesis, apply now and if you really want that PharmD, I'm sure there will be a way to upgrade, since you'll only be a year ahead of the full pharmD roll out.

You can get your PharmD as a non-traditional degree if you need it later and decided to just get the RPh. One of our profs is doing this over the web. I think it takes a while, like one or two years, but you aren't in class every day. I would check and see if they will let you get the PharmD while you're still in school so you don't have to go the non-traditional route while still doing the job you need it for, or even worse, get passed up on a job b/c you didn't have it.

 

[RxWildcat]

Not to mention that the rest of Canada will still be BSc, so it will hardly be "antiquated" any time soon. Eventually, as in several decades from now, when the rest of the Canadian schools have phased out the BSc (and the old timers are all dead or retired....) then you can call it antiquated.

I didn't intend for the term "antiquated" to be offensive, sorry if it was!

 

[naseuy]

Personally, I wouldn't want to idle around for a year. I would just get the BSc, start earning and then do the non traditional path to get the Pharm.D, but that's a personal preference.

 

[UBCmicrobi]

I didn't intend for the term "antiquated" to be offensive, sorry if it was!

Don't worry, no offence taken, it was just a poor choice of words to describe the Canadian situation, since there are no entry level PharmD programs here (yet) and a BSc is all that is required in Canada (and most students intend to practice in Canada)

 

[omnione]

Don't worry, no offence taken, it was just a poor choice of words to describe the Canadian situation, since there are no entry level PharmD programs here (yet) and a BSc is all that is required in Canada (and most students intend to practice in Canada)

If that's the situation in Canada, then I imagine that those with BS Pharmacy would be grandfathered in when PharmD completely takes over. I doubt that Canada would make the 20-year BS pharmacist go back and take courses to upgrade to PharmD.

To be honest, the BS to PharmD shift resulted from shift that led to 4-year pharmacy schools offering more than just the basics. It's not that big of a deal to me.