Bachelor of pharmacy to pharm D with family

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tuf06150

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Hello,

I have finished Bachelor in Pharmacy(4 years) from Indian subcontinent. I have finished MS in pharmaceutical science from USA. I have green card. Now I want to do Pharm D. I saw there are options for accelerated pharm D.


If I do this how I am going to pay for tution and my family?

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Some of the accelerated programs are only for U.S. graduates. I know of only two programs, Western and Nova, for international grads. Since you are a permanent resident, you can receive all applicable federal financial aid. For the PharmD program, that means loans. However, if you have exhausted any federal loan moneys via the masters degree, than only private loans will be available. The amount of money you can borrow is based on your school's cost of attendance.
One thing to keep in mind moving forward, Naplex is going to be changing a lot in the next few years. An issue for some internationals, will be the addition of a communication skills section of the exam. That is going to be added in 2017/18 time period. No one knows anything about it.
 
I did not take any Loan for my MS. I worked as a TA. University gave funding to me. Ok fafsa will pay for my tution. But how can I survive?
I mean rent, food, transport?
 
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In the cost of attendance, they assume a certain amount for cost of living. You use that money to live on. You take out more loans.
 
Hello,

I have finished Bachelor in Pharmacy(4 years) from Indian subcontinent. I have finished MS in pharmaceutical science from USA. I have green card. Now I want to do Pharm D. I saw there are options for accelerated pharm D.


If I do this how I am going to pay for tution and my family?
If you have a Bachelor's degree in pharmacy why would you want to pursue a Pharm D.? I would assume that with a family to support you'd be more interested in obtaining a license to practice pharmacy.
 
If he graduated after January 1, 2003, the 4 year bachelors does not meet minimum requirements to take fpgee. This means he can't get licensed in this country. I'm assuming that is the issue.
 
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Hello,

I have finished Bachelor in Pharmacy(4 years) from Indian subcontinent. I have finished MS in pharmaceutical science from USA. I have green card. Now I want to do Pharm D. I saw there are options for accelerated pharm D.


If I do this how I am going to pay for tution and my family?

You need to strongly, strongly re-consider what attending a PharmD school and the requisite student loans will do to you and your family. Not only will you be missing from your family for the next 3 years due to the school work and studying (accelerated program) but the student loans will impact your family's financial security for the next decade after that. It will be roughly ~13 years (3 school, 10 loan payback) before you would see any financial increase in pay than a standard lab job that you could get with your MS degree. I bet you can find a job making $60-70k right now with your MS. A retail pharmacist only makes ~$120k in the majority of the country. From reading your posts I can tell English is not your first language. And whether other posters want to admit it or not, if you do not speak fluent English without contextual errors, you will have a hard time getting a job because you will be bypassed by native speakers.
 
Thank you all for replying. English is not my native language. I have only been here for 2 years. Hopefully after I am done with my Pharm D, this will improve.

I am done with my MS. I have option to finish my PhD (which is free and I can work as TA). But I actually want to work as a pharmacist rather than working in a lab. Lets assume i got admitted in a pharmacy school on February, 2016. (3/4 years)


1) Will I be able to know for sure before August,2016 that I am getting loan from FAFSA and also financial help for my family.
2) If I do very good in PCAT, will it help me to get 100% tution waiver in any Pharm D school (3/4years) ? (My undergraduate B Pharm CGPA 3.45(WES), MS CGPA -3.71(USA), GRE-320)
 
1. You should receive your financial letter by the end of spring. You'll have to contact the school on their timeline for financial aid decisions. Most pharmacy schools only start in the fall.
2. Your PCAT score will not give you a tuition waiver. The chances of a tuition waiver/scholarship are low. You don't really see these programs in professional programs. There are only 2 programs for international grads.
The majority of students fund their way through pharmacy school by loans. You don't find the funded positions like you do in PhD programs. You can also work part-time as a pharmacy intern. However, I am not quite sure how they would put you into the system because pay is determined by year in school.
You really need to review the individual programs for more financial guidance. I can only speak in generalities.
 
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