Central California School of Pharmacy

[elpolloblanco33]

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Has anyone heard about this new school. I sent them an email asking a few questions but if anyone on here has any information about them that would be awesome. For those in the Valley that wanna check it out their web address is http://www.ccspedu.org they don't have much info on there site. If anyone has any information about this place put it out there cause I am very interested.

 

[steveysmith54]

9th pharm school in CA? I hope this is a joke, but it's not. Pretty soon all RPh will be making minimum wage.

 

[laimyours]

Seriously. At least opening a pharmacy school at that location makes more sense than another pharmacy school in northern california. The Fresno area is desperate for pharmacists, companies are offering incentives for pharmacists to move there. But, still this is only going to saturate pharmacists.

 

[AntiviralsRule]

At most, this school will add about 120 new pharmacists to the national pool each year. Given the shortage of pharmacists in California, this is a welcome addition, IMHO. I don't think we need to worry about saturation -- yet.

Seriously. At least opening a pharmacy school at that location makes more sense than another pharmacy school in northern california. The Fresno area is desperate for pharmacists, companies are offering incentives for pharmacists to move there. But, still this is only going to saturate pharmacists.

 

[laimyours]

At most, this school will add about 120 new pharmacists to the national pool each year. Given the shortage of pharmacists in California, this is a welcome addition, IMHO. I don't think we need to worry about saturation -- yet.

An additional 120 pharmacists a year with how many schools opening up national wide this year? That will leed to saturation in my life time. LA county and Orange county are already saturated, so it does happen. Especially at the rate pharmacy schools are opening up. I'm 22 years old, I have a lot of years of work left. I think that there is reason to worry.

 

[Klemmentine]

This is all hearsay, but...


A local physician (Dr. Lynch) is behind the project. They have a small board of directors already, consisting of local MDs, PharmDs, and PhDs. They are still in the fund raising process, although they have raised enough to buy property. They bought a church on the corner of Cedar and Millbrook (about 1/2 a mile south of Fresno State). Construction is pending on how soon they can raise money for the project. Their goal is to start building in a year. They want to open for a 2010 class, with a smaller class-size of 50-60. (I think?)

Dr. Lynch's motivation behind the project is to bring pharmacists to the Central Valley, where there is a shortage. There are rumors that the school will prefer to draw from Central Valley applicants, but I don't know how likely or fair that assumption is.

I haven't heard anything about staffing. I wouldn't think there are a ton of PharmDs or PhDs looking for teaching jobs in Fresno. I'm not sure what type of connections the board has with PharmDs and PhDs outside of the Valley.

 

[ruth265]

there will be another school opening up in california in 2010 Samuel Merritt College of Pharmacy. So it's 10 pharmacy schools in california. that's fun. one of you is right Pharmacy will get saturated one day in 5-10 years. But even if doesn't in order to get a good jobs employers will look at other degrees besides PharmD like B.S. and Master's. It's gonna suck for people without any degree, just PharmD. You will see.

 

[steveysmith54]

there will be another school opening up in california in 2010 Samuel Merritt College of Pharmacy. So it's 10 pharmacy schools in california. that's fun. one of you is right Pharmacy will get saturated one day in 5-10 years. But even if doesn't in order to get a good jobs employers will look at other degrees besides PharmD like B.S. and Master's. It's gonna suck for people without any degree, just PharmD. You will see.

I think they will first consider the pharmacy school you attended before they consider your other degree.

 

[^=^]

yup

 

[ruth265]

i think they will consider both. the competition for jobs will be similar as for lawyers. employers will look at undergrad and PharmD school and any other additional degrees that you have. i think you're right

I think they will first consider the pharmacy school you attended before they consider your other degree.

 

[steveysmith54]

i think they will consider both. the competition for jobs will be similar as for lawyers. employers will look at undergrad and PharmD school and any other additional degrees that you have. i think you're right

I just hope ACPE is smart enough to not allow so many in schools in one state to open. For example, you don't see many medical schools opening, why should be different for pharmacy. IF these people want to open schools, go to states where there 1-2 existing schools, like KY, etc.

 

[elpolloblanco33]

I hear ya on the saturation issue. But from what I hear there is a crazy shortage of pharmacist in the Central Valley. That's where I'm going to be living anyway so hopefully by the time I'm done at Fresno State I can get into this place. It would be awesome if they had a PharmD/M.B.A. program. But being a brand new school i don't wanna push my luck.

 

[ruth265]

if there are 10 pharm schools in california i think everyone who apply should be able to get in. There are roughly 2000 people applying to all the schools in california ~1600 people. if 120 people are accepted per school and there are 10 schools (some accept more), so it's like 1200 will be accepted only in california. so there might be 1200 people graduating each year. so there must be 1200 openings for pharmacists. 😕

I hear ya on the saturation issue. But from what I hear there is a crazy shortage of pharmacist in the Central Valley. That's where I'm going to be living anyway so hopefully by the time I'm done at Fresno State I can get into this place. It would be awesome if they had a PharmD/M.B.A. program. But being a brand new school i don't wanna push my luck.

 

[elpolloblanco33]

if there are 10 pharm schools in california i think everyone who apply should be able to get in. There are roughly 2000 people applying to all the schools in california ~1600 people. if 120 people are accepted per school and there are 10 schools (some accept more), so it's like 1200 will be accepted only in california. so there might be 1200 people graduating each year. so there must be 1200 openings for pharmacists. 😕

See the problem is that people only wanna live certain places. Even though there are many openings they dont get filled cause a lot of people don't wanna live there. Like rural East Texas where I am now. I'm from here and I don't wanna live here. The Central Valley I like though (not a lot of people doo though). So even if there aren't that many openings i don't think that they will all be filled cause some are in places that people don't want to live.

 

[AbsoluteEthanol]

Great, another California Pharmacy school! Underachievers rejoice, you now have another option other than Cal. Northstate!

I think California's reputation for having phenomenal pharmacy schools is going down the drain FAST! Tuoro, Northstate and now this abomination? Give me a friggin break!

Although, I will say, this will NOT change our saleries as future pharmacists at ALL. If anything, those of us attending reputable pharmacy schools will see our saleries INCREASE because of this!

 

[cystapharm]

this is awesome!! i'm not an underachiever but knowing how competitive pharmacy schools in cali are this is really a big sigh of relief that I wouldn't have to apply out of state since there's no place i'd rather live than California anyway.

now lets pray by the time I get accepted they stop opening up some more LOL. 😀

 

[AntiviralsRule]

What basis do you have for calling this school an abomination? It hasn't even opened yet, and you're already trashing it. Give it a chance.

Great, another California Pharmacy school! Underachievers rejoice, you now have another option other than Cal. Northstate!

I think California's reputation for having phenomenal pharmacy schools is going down the drain FAST! Tuoro, Northstate and now this abomination? Give me a friggin break!

Although, I will say, this will NOT change our saleries as future pharmacists at ALL. If anything, those of us attending reputable pharmacy schools will see our saleries INCREASE because of this!

 

[chibipinkbunny]

Yes, this is an interesting situation. I'm living in California now, so yeah I suppose I'm a tad scared of job saturation. Thank goodness I'll be out in three years ^_^'

 

[laimyours]

I wouldn't call those people undersachievers, sometimes people pick a school based on location. I don't know about an increase in salaries for reputable pharmacy schools. Retail pharmacy chains love cheap labor, It might only give you an edge at a hospital position. We probaly won't see a decrease in salary, just no growth in salary. You will probaly get paid based on experience too. Now those new graduates aren't going to be paid the same amount as a pharmacist with 20 years experience. As the demand for pharmacists decreases, so will the amount of people applying. I think then we will see some of these newer smaller schools close down.

 

[pharmd4me@510]

I wouldn't call those people undersachievers, sometimes people pick a school based on location.

I agree. I chose pharmacy schools (many others as well) mainly based on location. I'm from the bay area, which is why I chose Touro. I was granted an interview to USC which I turned down. Being a new school doesnt automatically mean that the quality of education that one is getting is inferior to that of an established school. Give the new school a chance before you start talking trash about them.

 

[steveysmith54]

I agree. I chose pharmacy schools (many others as well) mainly based on location. I'm from the bay area, which is why I chose Touro. I was granted an interview to USC which I turned down. Being a new school doesnt automatically mean that the quality of education that one is getting is inferior to that of an established school. Give the new school a chance before you start talking trash about them.

I agree somewhat. However reputations are not just built over night. Attending a more established school will give you more options for chosing best rotation sites (USC and UCSF have preceptors with top hospitals, like Cedar Sinai etc). if you decide to move later on, a degree from a more well known school can get you a better job.

 

[WWE]

is this a four year or three year college? anybody know?

 

[cdpiano27]

Don't you think that there are just WAY TOO MANY pharmacy schools opening up? If 7 pharmacy schools open up each year, in just 5 years you will have an additional 35 pharmacy schools. I am very afraid that saturation is on the way. Although there is more than retail, that is where the majority of most jobs are, and this "saturation" will lead to greater competition in residencies, fellowships too. This is just such a bad idea. I think the AACP should put a limit too all of these new schools opening up. It is just way way too many. I really believe so. There will definitely be a saturation at this pace for sure. If in ten years there are an additional 70 schools, what is going to happen? Already some of the big metropolitan areas (such as Los Angeles) are already saturated, and eventually the smaller places will be as well. This is really a very bad idea. If someone wants to go to Fresno, he or she can simply move back there from anywhere in California after getting a license and passing the law exam.

 

[prepharmdude]

wow another pharm school in CA! its good for me to apply for another pharm because my grades are not the best

 

[laimyours]

I just think a school in fresno makes more sense than another 2 in northern california. Thats 5 pharmacy schools in Northern California. But, either way I think they need to take it easy with all the pharmacy schools opening up. Instead of looking at it as it will be easy to get in you need to look at it as a threat to your profession. If all you needed was 2.0 to get into pharmacy school then everyone would be a pharmacist.

 

[mrblah]

no matter where they open those schools, the majority of the pharmacists will end up in SF, OC, or LA.

Having so many pharmacy schools is probably why OC and LA is saturated with pharmacists.

Its like WesternU in pomona, how many of the graduates stay in the inland empire? Not many. 90 percent of my brother's graduating class ended up in orange county.

 

[AbsoluteEthanol]

wow another pharm school in CA! its good for me to apply for another pharm because my grades are not the best

thank you for reinforcing my point

 

[cystapharm]

thank you for reinforcing my point

grades arn't everything. it depends on the school and each individuals circumstance. A 3.0 student is just as capable of being a good pharmacist as a 4.0 student.
for example a freind of mine got a C in calculus and I got an A but I can't remember **** I learned while she went on to teach Calculus. \
A lot of professors of mine claim to have gotten D's as an undergrad and that they didn't have the best grades but look where they are now.
Not everyoen who is happy about this school opening up is an underachiever because even excellent qualified students don't luck out the first time applying. I mean 2500 applicants for 100 seats...are you saying only 100 people were trully meant to be pharmacists while the other 2400 are considered "underachievers?"

 

[steveysmith54]

. I mean 2500 applicants for 100 seats...are you saying only 100 people were trully meant to be pharmacists while the other 2400 are considered "underachievers?"

There are 8 schools in CA now. Most people apply to the same schools. So there are 900 spots open to 2400+ students.

 

[cystapharm]

There are 8 schools in CA now. Most people apply to the same schools. So there are 900 spots open to 2400+ students.

ok so i was exaggerating. basically there are not enough seats for a lot of qualified students not just underacheivers

 

[steveysmith54]

ok so i was exaggerating. basically there are not enough seats for a lot of qualified students not just underacheivers

How do you define qualified? Is it someone who has met minimum requirements, like 2.5 science gpa, etc?

Again, i just want the pharmacy profession to maintain the same integrity as medical. Opening 1-2 brand new stand alone schools every yr will hurt the profession!!! It makes it resemble a technician like profession.

If you are concerned about your chances to get accepted, take the PCAT and apply out of state.

Like others said, opening a school in Fresno does not mean more RPh will want to go there. The companies who need the RPh that bad can just pay the RPh enough to make them want to make the move.

 

[^=^]

I agree with everyone. I mean, give the school a chance at least to open up before you go around making comments about it. Plus, it's not like the school is a preschool or middle school, it's still a Pharmacy school and if it gets approved then that shows there's some quality in it.

 

[Snake Doctor]

It's been push back to 2011 now 🙁

http://www.ccspedu.org/ccsp_timelines.htm

I have the feeling Samuel Merrit is going to the same...

 

[bluesickle]

10 schools in CA ... that's OVERKILL!

 

[PharmDmexican]

Building a pharmacy school in FRESNO is a great thing !! this allows to gain a lot more diversity within the hispanic community.

I think for one there is a shortage and a GREAT!! need of hispanic pharmacists who know how to speak spanish ,thus for those people who meet this criteria there will NEVER have a hard time finding a job where ever they go especially in the central valley.

Also when it comes down to it does not matter which school you go to, employers are looking for those students who have this background because I am proof of it.

Great, another California Pharmacy school! Underachievers rejoice, you now have another option other than Cal. Northstate!

I think California's reputation for having phenomenal pharmacy schools is going down the drain FAST! Tuoro, Northstate and now this abomination? Give me a friggin break!

Although, I will say, this will NOT change our saleries as future pharmacists at ALL. If anything, those of us attending reputable pharmacy schools will see our saleries INCREASE because of this!

 

[rrr10]

Employers will look also at job experience. Those who have been out and practicing for years vs new graduates.

 

[confettiflyer]

This is an absolute joke. I feel bad for students attending this school. By the time this school gets up and running and graduates its first class, its graduates will have issues getting work because THE "SHORTAGE" IS going to disappear. Hell, it's 2009, and there's no more real shortage in OC and SD such that they're hiring anyone with a pulse.

Besides, who is going to hang around the central valley? So much for logic here...you're gonna get a bunch of lower grade students who couldn't get into UOP/USC/Touro from all over the state who will bolt back to LA/SF/SD the moment they graduate.

What a freakin' joke. Good thing I'll be entering the labor pool in CA before this school kills it.

 

[MRSA Sucks]

I'm sorry to say to the people who disagree with the opening of this new school:

But I am ecstatic that a pharm. school is opening up in that area. That area is in a huge shortage of health care professionals and it will truly attract prospective professionals to the area. Look, in a pharmacy point of view, its awesome. That area deserves a pharm. school. To be honest, I'm sort of shocked at the outrage (but I respect your feelings). We should be applauding that we will have future colleagues in the Central Valley helping out the people in that area.

BTW, I don't plan on applying to the school since I want to move out of California so I have no vested interest in the school other than the fact that I embrace anybody who wants to work in pharmacy and to want to make a difference in that area. This is simply awesome.

 

[meteor2]

I'm sorry to say to the people who disagree with the opening of this new school:

But I am ecstatic that a pharm. school is opening up in that area. That area is in a huge shortage of health care professionals and it will truly attract prospective professionals to the area. Look, in a pharmacy point of view, its awesome. That area deserves a pharm. school. To be honest, I'm sort of shocked at the outrage (but I respect your feelings). We should be applauding that we will have future colleagues in the Central Valley helping out the people in that area.

BTW, I don't plan on applying to the school since I want to move out of California so I have no vested interest in the school other than the fact that I embrace anybody who wants to work in pharmacy and to want to make a difference in that area. This is simply awesome.

The issue is not about the region, its about the total number of schools in the state. If there is a state rule that restricts people from moving out of the region and work after graduation, then yes this is perfect. There is nothing to be discussed. However, the issue here is people are free to move wherever they want to after graduation, so the region that lacks pharmacist continue to lack pharmacist, the region that is saturated with pharmacists will be even more saturated.

 

[MRSA Sucks]

The issue is not about the region, its about the total number of schools in the state. If there is a state rule that restricts people from moving out of the region and work after graduation, then yes this is perfect. There is nothing to be discussed. However, the issue here is people are free to move wherever they want to after graduation, so the region that lacks pharmacist continue to lack pharmacist, the region that is saturated with pharmacists will be even more saturated.

Hi meteor:

Valid point and thanks for your response. However, the hope is that it will attract prospective students in that area since they now have a better chance to attend pharm. school since it is close to their home and who otherwise may not have the opportunity to go to pharm. school far away. That way they can help the community they lived and grew up in.

You are right - there will be students who want to go there for school and move out as soon as they graduate, but hopefully the majority of people who they accept into the program will commit to the area.

 

[confettiflyer]

Hi meteor:

Valid point and thanks for your response. However, the hope is that it will attract prospective students in that area since they now have a better chance to attend pharm. school since it is close to their home and who otherwise may not have the opportunity to go to pharm. school far away. That way they can help the community they lived and grew up in.

You are right - there will be students who want to go there for school and move out as soon as they graduate, but hopefully the majority of people who they accept into the program will commit to the area.

Okay I'll have to respectfully disagree here. I think, because the money attached to the PharmD at present, the # of students that have acceptances out of the area will take it no matter what. The presence of a school in the central valley (which arguably does need resources, health professionals, etc...) for a student in the area will not necessarily sway them into or out of the profession.

With that said, if someone is set on practicing in Fresno/Bakersfield/Stanislaus/etc... after pharm school WILL come back regardless of where they go.

What this school does is simply allow even more students at the lower end of the GPA scale (which, from personal experience, is how new schools attract students) admittance into an already crowded field of 110+ pharmacy schools. Students that couldn't have gotten into a better program will go here instead. After they're done, they'll be able to "buy" their way out of the central valley. This is what's happening in the midwest with towns dying, upwardly mobile people don't come back.

The other problem is, like CNCP, this school will open without regional accreditation but ACPE pre-accreditation. The consequences are such that, due to the lag time between the two, the entering class will be subject to more expensive/less favorable loan terms. What you're doing now is admitting a lower caliber entering class and saddling them with loans that is no longer in parity with the annual pharmacist's salary.

While I agree with you the CV needs better pharmacists/physicians/nurses/etc... simply plunking a school in CA, with its highly mobile population, is NOT the way to address this need. In fact, it'll make it worse.

And better yet, when the HSR project is finally built, it'll be entirely possible to commute from a more "desirable" part of the state to school each day.

 

[MRSA Sucks]

Okay I'll have to respectfully disagree here. I think, because the money attached to the PharmD at present, the # of students that have acceptances out of the area will take it no matter what. The presence of a school in the central valley (which arguably does need resources, health professionals, etc...) for a student in the area will not necessarily sway them into or out of the profession.

With that said, if someone is set on practicing in Fresno/Bakersfield/Stanislaus/etc... after pharm school WILL come back regardless of where they go.

What this school does is simply allow even more students at the lower end of the GPA scale (which, from personal experience, is how new schools attract students) admittance into an already crowded field of 110+ pharmacy schools. Students that couldn't have gotten into a better program will go here instead. After they're done, they'll be able to "buy" their way out of the central valley. This is what's happening in the midwest with towns dying, upwardly mobile people don't come back.

The other problem is, like CNCP, this school will open without regional accreditation but ACPE pre-accreditation. The consequences are such that, due to the lag time between the two, the entering class will be subject to more expensive/less favorable loan terms. What you're doing now is admitting a lower caliber entering class and saddling them with loans that is no longer in parity with the annual pharmacist's salary.

While I agree with you the CV needs better pharmacists/physicians/nurses/etc... simply plunking a school in CA, with its highly mobile population, is NOT the way to address this need. In fact, it'll make it worse.

And better yet, when the HSR project is finally built, it'll be entirely possible to commute from a more "desirable" part of the state to school each day.

Hi confettiflyer,

Thanks for your views and well put!

 

[deleted268170]

Building a pharmacy school in FRESNO is a great thing !! this allows to gain a lot more diversity within the hispanic community.

I think for one there is a shortage and a GREAT!! need of hispanic pharmacists who know how to speak spanish ,thus for those people who meet this criteria there will NEVER have a hard time finding a job where ever they go especially in the central valley.

Also when it comes down to it does not matter which school you go to, employers are looking for those students who have this background because I am proof of it.

Cool...but where's the love for Los Angeles?!

 

[SHC1984]

9th pharm school in CA? I hope this is a joke, but it's not. Pretty soon all RPh will be making minimum wage.

Well at least this school will give the opportunity for people with 30 on PCAT/1.5 GPA to get accepted. 🙄

 

[SHC1984]

10 schools in CA ... that's OVERKILL!

CA only needs UCSF and UCSD all the other schools are there to make money and allow people with low stats to get a chance.

 

[koercive]

CA only needs UCSF and UCSD all the other schools are there to make money and allow people with low stats to get a chance.

Well USC PharmD has been around for a longer time...


I really think this is going not hurt the profession in California and the students that attend that school. Non-accredited means higher tuition (no subsidized is a huge difference in the amount of interest you pay off over the life of the loan) and a lot of these graduates will probably have a hard time finding work by 2014 beyond.


I believe there are under 20 optometry schools in the nation. Pharmacy schools, on the other hand, seem to open up at a rate of +5% a year 😕😕

 

[SHC1984]

Well USC PharmD has been around for a longer time...


I really think this is going not hurt the profession in California and the students that attend that school. Non-accredited means higher tuition (no subsidized is a huge difference in the amount of interest you pay off over the life of the loan) and a lot of these graduates will probably have a hard time finding work by 2014 beyond.


I believe there are under 20 optometry schools in the nation. Pharmacy schools, on the other hand, seem to open up at a rate of +5% a year 😕😕

Its going to hurt the profession b/c all the people that got accepted into those non-accredited schools are people with low stats that shouldn't even be in pharmacy in the first place.

Yeah I think one pharmacy school in each state is more than enough. 20 optometry schools? that sounds great, I am glad at least someone knows how to regulate the amount of schools actually needed.

 

[rxforlife2004]

Building a pharmacy school in FRESNO is a great thing !! this allows to gain a lot more diversity within the hispanic community.

I think for one there is a shortage and a GREAT!! need of hispanic pharmacists who know how to speak spanish ,thus for those people who meet this criteria there will NEVER have a hard time finding a job where ever they go especially in the central valley.

Also when it comes down to it does not matter which school you go to, employers are looking for those students who have this background because I am proof of it.

I don't know what you guys are talking about but we are ALREADY OVER-SATURATED!!!! This is absolutely INSANE!

 

[confettiflyer]

well, on the upside...assuming this school and samuel meritt open in '10, i'll get a two year head start in finding a job before the floodgates are unleashed.

last ditch effort...you can always petition the CA BoP to not approve the school for intern license cards when their app comes through at the summer board mtg before they open, haha. I'd love to see that one.

 

[woowooeoe]

I hear ya on the saturation issue. But from what I hear there is a crazy shortage of pharmacist in the Central Valley. That's where I'm going to be living anyway so hopefully by the time I'm done at Fresno State I can get into this place. It would be awesome if they had a PharmD/M.B.A. program. But being a brand new school i don't wanna push my luck.

call them several times, one ring and have recording and not taking voice mail 5594762940. receive automated email response notification school respond shortly but never receive word from them.