aspiring pharmacist-totally confused

[dvsdiva13]

Well i guess not totally...You see im a high school junior this year, and i want to become a pharmacist, i actually want a PharmD/MBA so i can work more on the business side of things.
I'm confused about several things:
1. What can i do now (other than ace my the SAT and get straight A's in challenging courses) to get my foot in the door at schools that offer pharmacy? should i work at a pharmacy? volunter..etc?

2. What is the best school (preferrably in CA) that offers the PharmD/MBA dual degree?

3. What is the best school (preferrably in CA as well) that offers the PharmD period?

4. This is what i really want to know: Whats the deal with the pharmacy program, is there like a prepharmacy program you must enter first to get into it? and if so is it a major you can choose or just random courses you must take to get accepted? is it easier to be accepted at a school that offers pharmD when you do prepharmacy course work there? Just how do i go about this whole thing anyways?


as you can see its the whole school process that has been giving me the most grief.
any advice would be most welcome!!!

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[speciald]

My daughter, a senior, had many of the same questions a year ago. First, your GPA and SAT/ACT are the major factors for admissions, so definitely keep studying for those! Also, many pre-pharms like to have a lesser course burden so getting AP or other college credit for electives while you're still in HS is a good idea. Math/science credits are not always accepted though so, while taking them is a good idea, don't plan on transferring those. Gaining pharmacy experience is generally a plus - shadowing opportunities may exist, my D arranged several rotations through her GC at school, gaining not only experience and exposure to the field but also several LOR's from professionals. And it will help you with the dreaded essays! You can also start visiting colleges, spring break for HS is generally a good time as most colleges are still in session. Summer visits are okay, but you won't see alot of students or profs and the campuses definitely have a different atmosphere when bustling with activity! Do whatever you can to be ready to apply early in the process - this is especially important for schools with rolling admissions!

The pharmacy programs are generally 0-6 (you enter from hs and have a spot reserved for the full program, provided you maintain their gpa requirements), or 2+4 (taking pre-pharmacy classes, then apply to the PharmD program). The 0-6 programs may relieve the anxiety of competing for limited spots, studying for pcats, etc. but are certainly not for everyone. Some 2+4 schools give preference to their own pre-pharm students, or have early assurance guarantees, some don't. They all have different requirements as to PCAT (pharmacy school admissions test), minimum gpa, interviews, etc. You can do your pre-pharm courses in about 2 years at colleges without PharmD programs as well, but be aware that PharmD prerequisites vary from school to school.

We may be a little on the analytical side, but found it very helpful at the beginning stage to look at a variety of schools in the northeast and to make an Excel spreadsheet outlining the type of program, requirements, average acceptance data, some college data like costs and availability of housing, honors/merit aid, etc. and any unique programs/features. That really helped my D narrow her choices to four 0-6 and two 2+4 schools and those are the ones she's most serious about visiting and applying to. From there, she's talking to actual students, emailing admissions, looking at NAPLEX pass rates as an indicator, and thinking about what's really important to her in a college. They're all good schools, some big and some small, some urban and some rural, and it may all come down to something like who has research opportunities, good financial aid, and a/c in the dorms, but something will stand out to her and to you too!

Go to the FAQ sticky near the top of the Pre-Pharmacy forum on SDN - many of your questions will be answered and it will lead you to a list of accredited programs and other helpful links. I'm sure the pharmacy students here can answer your CA college questions or you can easily search the forums for previous posts. The traditional college "ranking" and other stats usually don't apply to their PharmD program - especially when it comes to acceptance rates, etc. - but may give you a general idea of who else is on campus! As always, the "best" college is always the one that's the best fit for you - academically, socially, and financially!

I hope this is a little helpful to you! Good Luck!

 

[Marge1]

speciald,

How did your daughter go about setting up pharmacy rotations while still in highschool? I am a senior now and am having a terrible time trying to get some pharmacy experience. Was there any special training or something that made these rotations available?

I have checked at the three local pharmacies around here and they are not allowed to let anyone behind the counter who is not on their payroll. Did your daughter volunteer at a hospital? I am still waiting on a call back, but I have heard that hospitals are not too keen on letting high school students volunteer in their pharmacies. They said that I could volunteer and shadow the nurses, but (even though it would be a valuable life experience) I am not sure that this would teach me anything from a pharmacy standpoint since it would mainly involve residents in the nursing home operated by the hospital.

Any information you could provide would be helpful.

 

[speciald]

Talk to your GC - they're probably still available even though school's out. Our hs has a program, it's actually run by BOCES, called Professional Horizons. Kids apply for it and they set them up with shadowing - lawyers, doctors, pharm, or whatever they're interested in. My D did pharmacy, radiology, and epidemiology and the coordinator found willing professionals and set it all up. She did it over the summer, but it's often done during the school year (you're responsible for keeping up with any classes you miss though). She only had to have timesheets signed and write a short essay about her experiences. Another of our local hospitals also has a program they call MASH which rotates hs students from all over the area through departments. These are non-credit things with no coursework involved.

 

[117296]

There are 5 to 10 0+6 schools left in the nation out of about 110 or so...most have gone to 2(many times, 3)+4. Do check the pre-pharm stickies.

And BTW, SAT/ACT is only a factor in undergrad admissions and the 0+6 schools.

The PCAT is recognized by about 60-70% of schools, also. It is taken the year before you want to apply to a non 0+6 program.

 

[Marge1]

My guidance counselor told me that I should consider taking the pharmacy technician certification exam so that I could work at our local pharmacy in town.

I looked in the pharmacy licensure and exams section of this website, but I haven't been able to find any recent discussion of the test. Am I looking in the right place?

I was wondering if anyone could reccomend the best book for someone who has absolutely no pharmacy experience?

Apparently, because of liabilities you have to attain a pharmacy technician certificate or be issued a temporary one stating that you are in the process of getting your certificate (valid for like 8 months).....

Any suggestions? Anything online would be helpful too. My counselor didn't have too much information because pharmacy...(actually anything science related) does not seem to be a big interest in our school....

Thanks.

 

[sle3pyguii]

1. What can i do now (other than ace my the SAT and get straight A's in challenging courses) to get my foot in the door at schools that offer pharmacy? should i work at a pharmacy? volunter..etc?

2. What is the best school (preferrably in CA) that offers the PharmD/MBA dual degree?

3. What is the best school (preferrably in CA as well) that offers the PharmD period?

4. This is what i really want to know: Whats the deal with the pharmacy program, is there like a prepharmacy program you must enter first to get into it? and if so is it a major you can choose or just random courses you must take to get accepted? is it easier to be accepted at a school that offers pharmD when you do prepharmacy course work there? Just how do i go about this whole thing anyways?

1. If you mean 0-6 programs and other programs that lead directly to a PharmD after high school, you should volunteer or work at a pharmacy to show you are actually motivated enough to research the career beforehand. If 0-6 programs aren't what you mean, and you plan to go through undergrad first, volunteer experience would help, but your high school GPA and ACT/SAT scores won't mean anything.

2. My guess would be USC seeing how they have a fair amount of respect for both degrees.

3. There is no best pharmacy school. All the schools lead to a PharmD. The USNEWS Rankings of the "best" pharmacy schools mean very little when it comes to getting a job and passing your boards. Getting a PharmD isn't like getting a JD or an MBA, where the school prestige and ranking matters a lot.

4. When you declare yourself as a "pre-pharmacy" student, it means you are working on courses that are needed to apply to pharmacy school. It isn't a real major and therefore won't lead to a bachelors of any kind.

There isn't a specific pre-pharmacy school you have to go to. The grades you get in your pre-pharmacy courses will have more weight than the caliber of your school.

I'm not sure if schools give preferential treatment to their own students. You would have to call and ask yourself.

If you want to avoid the PCAT and know without a doubt that you want to be a pharmacist, apply to 0-6 programs. If you want to have a traditional college experience, pick a major you LIKE. Most pre-pharmacy students choose Biochemisty, Biology, or Chemisty because of the huge overlap between the major requirements and the Pharmacy pre-requisite courses. If you don't like any of those, just choose a different major and you can take the pre-reqs on the side. You might even be able to pick up a minor from doing the pre-reqs. The major doesn't matter, just as long as you keep your GPA up in college.

 

[sle3pyguii]

My guidance counselor told me that I should consider taking the pharmacy technician certification exam so that I could work at our local pharmacy in town.

I looked in the pharmacy licensure and exams section of this website, but I haven't been able to find any recent discussion of the test. Am I looking in the right place?

I was wondering if anyone could reccomend the best book for someone who has absolutely no pharmacy experience?

Apparently, because of liabilities you have to attain a pharmacy technician certificate or be issued a temporary one stating that you are in the process of getting your certificate (valid for like 8 months).....

Any suggestions? Anything online would be helpful too. My counselor didn't have too much information because pharmacy...(actually anything science related) does not seem to be a big interest in our school....

Thanks.

You don't really need a PTCB license to get pharmacy experience. It would help you to get a better feel for what a Pharmacist does (compared to a volunteer), but it isn't absolutely necessary. Volunteering at a hospital pharmacy is also an option. You could also ask some Pharmacists if you could shadow them for a while.

 

[speciald]

Marge:

Do you know your states licensing requirements? Are you over 18? I know most of the large chains won't hire minors as techs due to liability issues. You might also apply as a pharmacy clerk in the smaller or independent pharmacies - where we are, techs often start out in that position.