Could someone browse over this curriculum?

[anewmanx]

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I'm starting Pharmacy school next month in Costa Rica and wanted someone who was educated in the US to give me a brief overview of areas that my curriculum here is going to miss out on in comparison.

I'm a US citizen and will be obtaining my dual citizenship here in Costa Rica in two years. I have a family here in Costa Rica so I have a pertinent reason to be studying overseas. Furthermore my Post 9/11 GI Bill is going to pay every last red cent of the tuition for the entire degree. Three semesters are done a year here, no breaks. Pretty accelerated education. Only downside is it's entirely in Spanish. Not a real problem for me now after three years here.

Curriculum:
http://unibecostarica.com/documents/PharmacyAcademicProgram.pdf

I intend on coming back to the US around the time I finish. I'm just trying to figure out if the education I receive here will be significantly lacking in any area to the degree that I will need to do a non-traditional program to transition my licenciatura (5 year bsc) to a pharmd. I'm aware I could get licensed just with the foreign BSC, but I'd hate to be getting paid for doing a bad job! Not sure how different the field of pharmacy is in this country in comparison.

All I want to do is retail work. Willing and able to get my internship hours as a volunteer.

Any advice is appreciated. Have a great day!

 

[PharmdA07]

Is there experiential practice / rotation in your curriculum? If you want to come back to the states, you need these hands-on training, which is very essential to the practice of pharmacy

 

[anewmanx]

Is there experiential practice / rotation in your curriculum? If you want to come back to the states, you need these hands-on training, which is very essential to the practice of pharmacy

Yeah, it's not terribly clear in the wording of the curiculum, but it's in the last semester of the Licenciatura. You can't graduate without giving a minimum of 3 months of slave labor to the public healthcare system as a pharmacist. For a medical doctor they require a solid year.

 

[Jibby321]

If you plan to move back to the states why not just go to school in the states?

 

[anewmanx]

If you plan to move back to the states why not just go to school in the states?

Ah, for this I have a couple really good answers.

1) My wife and I just had our first baby. Her mother has cancer, for the second time, and it's the only grandchild. Seems somewhat cruel to take her away when we don't know if she will go back into remission or not.

2) I live in paradise. Seriously, it's incredible. I'm a few hours away from some of the most incredible beaches in the world, and a few hours in another direction from some of the most amazing cloud type rainforests in the world.

3) Tuition. It's only $5500 a semester. My GI Bill will pay every penny of it. I'll graduate with no student loan debt whatsoever.

4) Speed. Three semesters a year with less than 2 weeks of breaks. You finish your degree much faster.

5) I need two more years until I'm a dual citizen. I would like to have dual citizenship for entry and exit reasons when visiting family. Also, the healthcare system is WONDERFUL in Costa Rica. Private medicine is top quality and the prices are outstanding. Case in point, my wife's prenatal care and cesarean, at a private hospital with one doctor the whole way through, was only $6000 before my military insurance kicks in and repays a portion. Her scar looks like it was drawn on with a pencil. You can't beat that! We want to have two more children before we return to the states due to how cheap it is.

6) The weather. I'm a disabled vet and my injuries hurt a lot less here. I only want to return to the US long enough to build up a nest egg for retirement.

7) If I need them, I can still get Stafford loans at the institution I'm attending. Might come in handy if I am strapped for cash and there is an emergency.

8) I want to perfect my Spanish. I am conversationally bilingual, but I want to reach an academic level of understanding in the language.

9) Last one, and it's my personal opinion. I have no interest in wasting time and credit hours studying "liberal arts." The rest of the world doesn't waste their time on it, the United States shouldn't either. I don't need a gender studies class or a class on world history to do my job. I don't believe it adds that much to the individual person. There are scores of US graduates who are experts at writing a report, and utterly incapable of doing their jobs.

Those are my basic reasons for not wanting to come back to the states for education. Thank you for asking! It was a very valid question.

 

[Jibby321]

Ah, for this I have a couple really good answers.

1) My wife and I just had our first baby. Her mother has cancer, for the second time, and it's the only grandchild. Seems somewhat cruel to take her away when we don't know if she will go back into remission or not.

2) I live in paradise. Seriously, it's incredible. I'm a few hours away from some of the most incredible beaches in the world, and a few hours in another direction from some of the most amazing cloud type rainforests in the world.

3) Tuition. It's only $5500 a semester. My GI Bill will pay every penny of it. I'll graduate with no student loan debt whatsoever.

4) Speed. Three semesters a year with less than 2 weeks of breaks. You finish your degree much faster.

5) I need two more years until I'm a dual citizen. I would like to have dual citizenship for entry and exit reasons when visiting family. Also, the healthcare system is WONDERFUL in Costa Rica. Private medicine is top quality and the prices are outstanding. Case in point, my wife's prenatal care and cesarean, at a private hospital with one doctor the whole way through, was only $6000 before my military insurance kicks in and repays a portion. Her scar looks like it was drawn on with a pencil. You can't beat that! We want to have two more children before we return to the states due to how cheap it is.

6) The weather. I'm a disabled vet and my injuries hurt a lot less here. I only want to return to the US long enough to build up a nest egg for retirement.

7) If I need them, I can still get Stafford loans at the institution I'm attending. Might come in handy if I am strapped for cash and there is an emergency.

8) I want to perfect my Spanish. I am conversationally bilingual, but I want to reach an academic level of understanding in the language.

9) Last one, and it's my personal opinion. I have no interest in wasting time and credit hours studying "liberal arts." The rest of the world doesn't waste their time on it, the United States shouldn't either. I don't need a gender studies class or a class on world history to do my job. I don't believe it adds that much to the individual person. There are scores of US graduates who are experts at writing a report, and utterly incapable of doing their jobs.

Those are my basic reasons for not wanting to come back to the states for education. Thank you for asking! It was a very valid question.

Thanks for the response. I was just curious. All of those are very valid reasons. And from that I need to make my way down to costs rica sometime. I have never been out of the country but I do plan to after graduation.

Hablo Español! (Kinda lol) I had 3 years in HS and I work with a cubano so I told her only to talk to me in Spanish. Lol.

Gracias!

 

[pezdispenser]

The curriculum seems light on therapeutics which is probably the most important course in the PharmD, and I'm not sure if pharmacokinetics is covered under any of those courses. But you said you want to work retail, where you don't really need them anyway. 😉

Seems more into:
Pharmacognosy
Drug Analysis
Quality Control
Industrial Pharmacy
Homeopathy
Toxicology

 

[anewmanx]

Thanks for the response. I was just curious. All of those are very valid reasons. And from that I need to make my way down to costs rica sometime. I have never been out of the country but I do plan to after graduation.

Hablo Español! (Kinda lol) I had 3 years in HS and I work with a cubano so I told her only to talk to me in Spanish. Lol.

Gracias!

Con gusto.

It is a beautiful and relatively cheap place to vacation. Cost of living is average if you live here; similar to semi-rural areas of the united states. Not as high as a major metropolitan city. Rent on a 1 bedroom will run you about $300 a month. Even private health insurance plans will only run you around $100. Electronics and cars are prohibitively expensive. Upwards of 50% import taxes make those items unobtainable for many. The public transportation system is magnificent. You can go anywhere in the country for around $20.00 by bus. A bus from my city to the capital only runs $2.00. The cost of a 25 minute cab ride to my school is around $10.00. An average backpackers hostel if you're on vacation will run $10.00 a night for a shared bunkhouse type room, and $30.00 a night for a private room with air conditioning. Obviously those prices aren't if you're staying at a luxury resort; that can run upwards of $500 a night. Only your Hollywood types and stock brokers can afford that garbage.

The Spanish spoken here is extremely formal with a very clean accent. It's not quite like anything I ever heard in the United States.

 

[anewmanx]

The curriculum seems light on therapeutics which is probably the most important course in the PharmD, and I'm not sure if pharmacokinetics is covered under any of those courses. But you said you want to work retail, where you don't really need them anyway. 😉

Seems more into:
Pharmacognosy
Drug Analysis
Quality Control
Industrial Pharmacy
Homeopathy
Toxicology

Thank you! That is excellent information. I figured I would not need as much knowledge to work retail. It's not that I'm opposed to more knowledge, but pharmacy is not my end game goal. It's just a stepping stone. It fits the right spot right now, and is free. Who would turn down something free?

I think the curriculum is so different here because Pharmacists have a frightening amount of prescribing power in this country. I could go down the street, give them my medical history, and they will prescribe me nearly anything I want as long as it's not a narcotic. I could even get therapeutic anabolic steroid injections for my genetic condition (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) if I wanted to. That's experimental and damn near impossible in the united states. No one needs a prescription to get birth control here, even injectable forms. It's somewhat frightening. They'll even give out psych meds without a prescription. They have incredible power and autonomy to practice pharmacology in this country. It's a shame the pay is so low ($2,000 a month if you're lucky.)

 

[radio frequency]

I think the low amount of therapy courses (many schools get ~2 years here) is a little concerning and could hold you back longer term in the States.

Otherwise, the curriculum doesn't look bad and it's interesting to see the heavier focus on pharmacognosy.

 

[anewmanx]

I think the low amount of therapy courses (many schools get ~2 years here) is a little concerning and could hold you back longer term in the States.

Otherwise, the curriculum doesn't look bad and it's interesting to see the heavier focus on pharmacognosy.

Well, I really appreciate the reply! I'm glad the curriculum at least stands up in most areas. When I saw that a BSC to PharmD Non-traditional course took up to three years I was astounded. I wonder if the switch to mandatory pharmd from the original bsc pharm education that existed in the United States was as much about producing better pharmacists, as it was about putting more money in the pockets of greedy universities. Similar to how the cost of medical school tuition has risen disproportionately with inflation with no justification the last twenty years. Not every pharmacist needs massive amounts of clinical experience. (I.E. Walmart, CVS, etc... jobs.)

On that last note. Do you think the heavier pharmacognosy focus would lend itself well to transitioning to a research career at some point?

 

[radio frequency]

Probably not, to be honest. I don't think the pharmacognosy will be especially helpful unless you want to work for a chain like Pharmaca that caters to "that crowd" in the States (I realize it's not the same crowd worldwide!). I also think a bachelors in pharmacy may hold you back in getting jobs in research. If you want to do research, a PhD is the way to go (not a PharmD).

And while I agree that not all knowledge learned in therapy courses is applicable in retail, much of it is, and the job requirements for retail pharmacists are changing. You will be required to do MTM visits at some point in time in the future, likely. That's where therapy courses could be quite beneficial.

We have students who graduated with international bachelors in pharmacy at my school and there are definitely things they've learned that weren't touched on in undergrad for them. The PharmD is not the same degree as a BS in Pharmacy; there is more meat in the PharmD. It's also not really the same focus for these degrees, even if outwardly both degrees produce pharmacists. The PharmD focuses more heavily on patient care and seems broader, from what I've gathered. I really can't say one is better or worse...they are different and both degrees have their strengths and weaknesses.

 

[anewmanx]

Probably not, to be honest. I don't think the pharmacognosy will be especially helpful unless you want to work for a chain like Pharmaca that caters to "that crowd" in the States (I realize it's not the same crowd worldwide!). I also think a bachelors in pharmacy may hold you back in getting jobs in research. If you want to do research, a PhD is the way to go (not a PharmD).

And while I agree that not all knowledge learned in therapy courses is applicable in retail, much of it is, and the job requirements for retail pharmacists are changing. You will be required to do MTM visits at some point in time in the future, likely. That's where therapy courses could be quite beneficial.

We have students who graduated with international bachelors in pharmacy at my school and there are definitely things they've learned that weren't touched on in undergrad for them. The PharmD is not the same degree as a BS in Pharmacy; there is more meat in the PharmD. It's also not really the same focus for these degrees, even if outwardly both degrees produce pharmacists. The PharmD focuses more heavily on patient care and seems broader, from what I've gathered. I really can't say one is better or worse...they are different and both degrees have their strengths and weaknesses.

Thank you for all the information. I can't see myself working as a pharmacist for more than five or six years before I go back to school and transition to something I like more. Maybe a PhD in chem or just throw the cards in the air and go to med school once I have the money in the bank. Life's about more than money. Once my bills are paid off and we have a paid for home I see no reason not to continue to expand my mind. My wife's father did that. He went back to school in his forties and got four bachelors degrees, two licenciaturas, a masters and a doctorate. Brilliant artist and educator. I envy him.

I definitely have more respect for the PharmD from a clinical perspective. It is a meatier degree, especially when combined with a post graduate residency. I can see where it would be essential when working with nuclear medicine, or working with the nephrology department, a transplant team, etc... Those are not areas that I think I would want Joe from CVS compounding my drugs.

 

[Jibby321]

Con gusto.

It is a beautiful and relatively cheap place to vacation. Cost of living is average if you live here; similar to semi-rural areas of the united states. Not as high as a major metropolitan city. Rent on a 1 bedroom will run you about $300 a month. Even private health insurance plans will only run you around $100. Electronics and cars are prohibitively expensive. Upwards of 50% import taxes make those items unobtainable for many. The public transportation system is magnificent. You can go anywhere in the country for around $20.00 by bus. A bus from my city to the capital only runs $2.00. The cost of a 25 minute cab ride to my school is around $10.00. An average backpackers hostel if you're on vacation will run $10.00 a night for a shared bunkhouse type room, and $30.00 a night for a private room with air conditioning. Obviously those prices aren't if you're staying at a luxury resort; that can run upwards of $500 a night. Only your Hollywood types and stock brokers can afford that garbage.

The Spanish spoken here is extremely formal with a very clean accent. It's not quite like anything I ever heard in the United States.

Wow. Yea I really would like to make my way down to central and South America some time for sure. I have a friend who took a surf trip down to Nica and said it was an awesome country. Stayed with some locals and said it was a great experience!

 

[anewmanx]

Wow. Yea I really would like to make my way down to central and South America some time for sure. I have a friend who took a surf trip down to Nica and said it was an awesome country. Stayed with some locals and said it was a great experience!

I recommend it. I will say this though. I've been to Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.... Nicaragua is the Harlem of Central America. In comparison Costa Rica is LA. It's truly a third world country in Nicaragua; extremely dangerous outside of the tourist spots.

 

[Jibby321]

I recommend it. I will say this though. I've been to Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.... Nicaragua is the Harlem of Central America. In comparison Costa Rica is LA. It's truly a third world country in Nicaragua; extremely dangerous outside of the tourist spots.

Ill keep that in mind when I plan my ventures in the future. (After 2017). Haha

Good luck with everything and thanks for serving.

 

[anewmanx]

Ill keep that in mind when I plan my ventures in the future. (After 2017). Haha

Good luck with everything and thanks for serving.

You're welcome. I wish I could have done much more.

Here's an entertaining fact for the readers. The GDP of Costa Rica is 61.43 Billion Dollars. The United States in 2007 Spent 74 Billion Dollars on incarceration. That's right, we spend more on 2.5 million inmates than a 4.8 million population produces every year.

&_&

 

[Jibby321]

^^^wow

What's a pharmacists salary down there anyway?

 

[anewmanx]

^^^wow

What's a pharmacists salary down there anyway?

Very low. You're lucky to make $2000 a month in retail unless you own your own pharmacy. Then, well, I would suppose you could come close to the wages in the US.

Even a Doctor starting their first year fully licensed only makes around $4000 a month here. Wages are pretty low. Yet, it's consistently rated one of the happiest places in the world. I can see why after three years here. It is a totally different cultural climate. The national catchphrase is "pura vida" which means the pure life. People truly do live happy lives here.

 

[RxMonkey]

"I'll graduate with no student loan debt whatsoever."

You had me right there.

The only doubt I would have with the program is that the degree might not allow you to be competive for the increasingly scarce jobs that US PharmDs are already fighting over.

That being said, I don't know the extent to which the fact that you will be foreign-trained will affect your ability to find work. Perhaps someone else can chime in.

 

[anewmanx]

"I'll graduate with no student loan debt whatsoever."

You had me right there.

The only doubt I would have with the program is that the degree might not allow you to be competive for the increasingly scarce jobs that US PharmDs are already fighting over.

That being said, I don't know the extent to which the fact that you will be foreign-trained will affect your ability to find work. Perhaps someone else can chime in.

My hope *fingers crossed* is that I will be able to get employed at a smaller independent pharmacy based on three key factors.

1) I already have health insurance for my family (Tricare.)

2) I'm willing to work for 10k-15k less a year.

3) I'm willing to work per-diem or multiple part time jobs with no benefits to make my salary. In fact, I'd prefer it. I don't like any one person holding the keys to my income.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

I'm not sure how well that curriculum would prep you for the NAPLEX. But then I know nothing about how foreign RPHs get licensed here.

 

[anewmanx]

I'm not sure how well that curriculum would prep you for the NAPLEX. But then I know nothing about how foreign RPHs get licensed here.

FPGEE first then naplax. Still, there are prep classes I can pay for that will cost around $2-3k. Pennies if you think about it.

 

[oldstock]

I'm starting Pharmacy school next month in Costa Rica and wanted someone who was educated in the US to give me a brief overview of areas that my curriculum here is going to miss out on in comparison.

I'm a US citizen and will be obtaining my dual citizenship here in Costa Rica in two years. I have a family here in Costa Rica so I have a pertinent reason to be studying overseas. Furthermore my Post 9/11 GI Bill is going to pay every last red cent of the tuition for the entire degree. Three semesters are done a year here, no breaks. Pretty accelerated education. Only downside is it's entirely in Spanish. Not a real problem for me now after three years here.

Curriculum:
http://unibecostarica.com/documents/PharmacyAcademicProgram.pdf

I intend on coming back to the US around the time I finish. I'm just trying to figure out if the education I receive here will be significantly lacking in any area to the degree that I will need to do a non-traditional program to transition my licenciatura (5 year bsc) to a pharmd. I'm aware I could get licensed just with the foreign BSC, but I'd hate to be getting paid for doing a bad job! Not sure how different the field of pharmacy is in this country in comparison.

All I want to do is retail work. Willing and able to get my internship hours as a volunteer.

Any advice is appreciated. Have a great day!

as a foreign pharmacy graduate, the FPGEC process will take you ~ 1 -- 2 years which require you to take the FPGEE exam, and take TOEFL iBT too even if you are US native born/US citizens.

"Definition of a Foreign Pharmacy Graduate

The FPGEC defines a “foreign pharmacy graduate” as a pharmacist whose undergraduate pharmacy degree was conferred by a recognized school of pharmacy outside of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. US citizens who have completed their pharmacy education outside the US are considered to be “foreign pharmacy graduates,” while foreign nationals who have graduated from schools in the US are not.

FPGEC Certification

NABP provides the FPGEC Certification Program as a means of documenting the educationalequivalency of a candidate’s foreign pharmacy education, as well as the license and/or registration to practice pharmacy. In the process of FPGEC Certification, candidates provide documents that verify their educational backgrounds and licensure and/or registration. Candidates are also required to pass the FPGEE and the Test of English as a Foreign Language ™ (TOEFL ®) Internet-based Test (iBT). The FPGEC Certificate allows foreign graduates to partially fulfill eligibility requirements for licensure in the states that require the Certification."

http://www.nabp.net/system/rich/ric...original/fpgec-application-bulletin-0414a.pdf


and more hurdles and time traps when you are registering for the NAPLEX and MPJE and applying for state licensures,

"After Receiving FPGEC Certification

Once you receive your FPGEC Certificate, please contact the board of pharmacy in the state where you wish to obtain your pharmacist license to receive information about that state’s requirements for internship and licensure. NABP also advises that you check the state’s eligibility requirements for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) before registering for those examinations."

https://www.nabp.net/programs/examination/fpgec

You probably would have to complete the intern hour requirements for state boards of pharmacy of pharmacy in the States (~ 1,500 hours ??). That easily add another year of time to your whole process of trying to be licensed with you Costa Rica pharmacy diploma.

So that would be 2-3 year total for that FPGEC process. Adding to 3 years of Costa Rica pharmacy school that 5-6 years at minimum counting from the time you matriculate here in pharmacy school down to Costa Rica and the time you are licensed to practice as a RPh here in the US.

If you apply and do a non-trad PharmD, you would probably spend 1-3 years easily in addition to your Costa Rica BS in pharmacy. Again 5-6 years in total.

Why not staying here and going to a 3-year Pharm D program ?? or even regular 4-year program ?? What is good out there without requiring you to sacrifice something ??

I have not mentioned yet all the difficulty that a foreign pharmacy graduate might encounter when he/she has to apply for jobs or residencies. Esp. the pharmacy job market is already tight and even tighter in the future. Very difficult, let me tell you that now.

Thank you for all the information. I can't see myself working as a pharmacist for more than five or six years before I go back to school and transition to something I like more. Maybe a PhD in chem or just throw the cards in the air and go to med school once I have the money in the bank. Life's about more than money. Once my bills are paid off and we have a paid for home I see no reason not to continue to expand my mind. My wife's father did that. He went back to school in his forties and got four bachelors degrees, two licenciaturas, a masters and a doctorate. Brilliant artist and educator. I envy him.

I definitely have more respect for the PharmD from a clinical perspective. It is a meatier degree, especially when combined with a post graduate residency. I can see where it would be essential when working with nuclear medicine, or working with the nephrology department, a transplant team, etc... Those are not areas that I think I would want Joe from CVS compounding my drugs.

It sounds more like you really want to go to med school or do a PhD instead. Why not cut the chase and do it now ?? You can go to med school/PhD in Costa Rica and stay near your family, or even med school in the Caribbean. (I don't know about Costa Rica, but many Caribbean med schools have very cheap tuition). If you could go back to the States, you can be licensed to practice medicine in the US. Still troublesome and time-consuming, but it is worth the risks as it is not easy to get into med schools here.

Again, if you want to stay near your family and have fun time in Costa Rica but also want to come back and make money in the US, that is not an easy cake for you later to eat.


I honestly do NOT think going to Costa Rica for pharmacy school is a good idea, even if you would end up having less debts for your pharmacy degree !!

 

[anewmanx]

as a foreign pharmacy graduate, the FPGEC process will take you ~ 1 -- 2 years which require you to take the FPGEE exam, and take TOEFL iBT too even if you are US native born/US citizens.

.........

You probably would have to complete the intern hour requirements for state boards of pharmacy of pharmacy in the States (~ 1,500 hours ??). That easily add another year of time to your whole process of trying to be licensed with you Costa Rica pharmacy diploma.

.........

Why not staying here and going to a 3-year Pharm D program ?? What is good out there without requiring you to sacrifice something ??

It sounds more like you really want to go to med school or do a PhD instead. Why not cut the chase and do it now ?? You can go to med school/PhD in Costa Rica and stay near your family, or even med school in the Caribbean. If you could go back to the States, you can licensed to practice medicine in the US. Still troublesome and time-consuming, but it is worth the risks as it is not easy to get in med schools here.

I honestly do NOT think going to Costa Rica is a good idea, even that you would end up having less debts for your pharmacy degree !!

Well, you must have missed the post I made earlier stating the personal reasons I have. I'm a resident of Costa Rica, and my wife's family is Costa Rican. Irregardless, I am stuck down here another three or four years due to personal reasons. I figure why waste the right, right? As for the internship hours; in my home state is is a progressive requirement based upon your score on the FPGEE, as low as 300 hours if you score in the top tier, maximum of 1500 hours. So it's not terrible. (Washington State.)

You're right though. For me, Pharmacy will only be a temporary vehicle to another stage in life. I am fascinated by the chemistry, but I know at some point I will get bored with doing the actual job. I would prefer to move on to a PhD afterward, but there isn't one offered in this country in chemistry. Alternatively, I would prefer to study medicine some day. Yet, one has to remember. Not everyone is a 20 year old with no responsibilities who can live on just student loans. I'm 31 and have three children. Probably will have my fourth and fifth before I graduate pharmacy school. Before I chose to take this path in my life, I was a medic in the Army. No glory in that just, just a basic paycheck. I joined to get the money to go to college. Now that I've recovered from the crippling injuries I received, a little bit, I am able to go to school. I'd prefer to try my hand at this, and if I don't like it, to attend medical school in the US at a later time. (When I have money saved up.) Having kids changes a lot.

I don't want to attend medical school here in Costa Rica. That I am quite sure of. I would be stuck here for a minimum of five years. Too long.

 

[oldstock]

Well, you must have missed the post I made earlier stating the personal reasons I have. I'm a resident of Costa Rica, and my wife's family is Costa Rican. Irregardless, I am stuck down here another three or four years due to personal reasons. I figure why waste the right, right? As for the internship hours; in my home state is is a progressive requirement based upon your score on the FPGEE, as low as 300 hours if you score in the top tier, maximum of 1500 hours. So it's not terrible. (Washington State.)

You're right though. For me, Pharmacy will only be a temporary vehicle to another stage in life. I am fascinated by the chemistry, but I know at some point I will get bored with doing the actual job. I would prefer to move on to a PhD afterward, but there isn't one offered in this country in chemistry. Alternatively, I would prefer to study medicine some day. Yet, one has to remember. Not everyone is a 20 year old with no responsibilities who can live on just student loans. I'm 31 and have three children. Probably will have my fourth and fifth before I graduate pharmacy school. Before I chose to take this path in my life, I was a medic in the Army. No glory in that just, just a basic paycheck. I joined to get the money to go to college. Now that I've recovered from the crippling injuries I received, a little bit, I am able to go to school. I'd prefer to try my hand at this, and if I don't like it, to attend medical school in the US at a later time. (When I have money saved up.) Having kids changes a lot.

my super-long post is just a friendly concern/look out for you bro... 🙂

I am a non-trad student, working full-time, having bills + family + kids, switching careers, you-name-it... At this age of mine (40's), I've been through a lot too. Everyone has their personal difficulty and hurdles that are holding them back. But if you really want something, you would have to pay a price. That's the way I see it.

Just want you think it more thoroughly and consider all the options/routes. But hey, if you already had your mind made up and set out for this route, then why asking ?? Just go for it !! GL 🙂

 

[anewmanx]

my super-long post is just a friendly concern/look out for you bro... 🙂

I am a non-trad student, working full-time, having bills + family + kids, switching careers, you-name-it... At this age of mine (40's), I've been through a lot too. Everyone has their personal difficulty and hurdles that are holding them back. But if you really want something, you would have to pay a price. That's the way I see it.

Just want you think it more thoroughly and consider all the options/routes. But hey, if you already had your mind made up and set out for this route, then why asking ?? Just go for it !! GL 🙂

Well, the personal issues I had weighed hard. There was one question mark left for me I could not answer myself.

Was the curriculum worth two ****s?

That's why I asked. I wanted to make sure I wasn't getting a severely lacking education. I do truly appreciate your advice and concern though! Who knows, I may end up really enjoying pharmacy. It seems very interesting, and money isn't really an issue to me. I have a disabled son who I will have to provide for when he gets older, so I do need a little more money than usual, but medical bills won't be an issue during retirement because of the free medical care in Costa Rica.

It's a huge relief to know there weren't any big red flags in the curriculum. To everyone who has responded, you have no idea how much I appreciate your input.

I will take note of your advice though. I have the first five semesters before the curriculum becomes so drastically different that I could not feasibly switch to the medical degree at the same university. If by those five semesters I am sure I will hate pharmacy, I can commit to the longer MD program.

 

[AJF505]

I would not be super excited about a school that considered homeopathy a subject worthy of two 3 hour classes.

 

[anewmanx]

I would not be super excited about a school that considered homeopathy a subject worthy of two 3 hour classes.

All pharmacy schools in this country are required to teach the same courses. There are no electives, no differences in degrees. To be government accredited the government chooses the courses.

That being said, this is a hippie rainforest loving environmentalist government... so you can see why those classes are on there.

 

[oldstock]

Well, the personal issues I had weighed hard. There was one question mark left for me I could not answer myself.

Was the curriculum worth two ****s?

That's why I asked. I wanted to make sure I wasn't getting a severely lacking education. I do truly appreciate your advice and concern though! Who knows, I may end up really enjoying pharmacy. It seems very interesting, and money isn't really an issue to me. I have a disabled son who I will have to provide for when he gets older, so I do need a little more money than usual, but medical bills won't be an issue during retirement because of the free medical care in Costa Rica.

It's a huge relief to know there weren't any big red flags in the curriculum. To everyone who has responded, you have no idea how much I appreciate your input.

I will take note of your advice though. I have the first five semesters before the curriculum becomes so drastically different that I could not feasibly switch to the medical degree at the same university. If by those five semesters I am sure I will hate pharmacy, I can commit to the longer MD program.

Of course the curriculum worth something. It is what is required to be a RPh down there in Costa Rica.

imho the content seems light compared to the US PharmD curriculum I have seen. The focus is also different. Plus you will not do your rotations here in the US. So you will have more difficulty to learn what you did not learn down there and adjust to what is/are different here when you come back to the US and practice pharmacy (provided that you have already successfully passed all hurdles to be licensed). Not to count all difficulties and limitations that a foreign pharmacy graduate will have to face when looking for a job/residency (= super hard) considering we almost have surplus here already of US pharmacy graduates.

If you want to know whether or not you like pharmacy, work/volunteer/shadow in a pharmacy. Pharmacy school and working in pharmacy are two different things imho. No need to go to school to know that.

but to me, the whole pharmacy is not worth it for you. You are not even sure you want and/or commit to pharmacy yet. Why take on a lot of risks and hurdles for your future by going to pharmacy school there in Costa Rica ??

For real, why not cut the go-around and go for what you want in the first place, esp if you have a chance to get in med school there ?? I would go to medical school there now and be done with it if I were you. You were even a Medic in the Army. You already know you want medicine more than pharmacy. Yes, there will be same or more hurdles for you when you go back to the States and apply/register for licensure but a MD will give you more options/opportunities and flexibility then. It would be also more fitting and appropriate for your life long ambition and worth the trouble. That is my honest opinion 🙂

 

[anewmanx]

Of course the curriculum worth something. It is what is required to be a RPh down there in Costa Rica.

imho the content seems light compared to the US PharmD curriculum I have seen. The focus is also different. Plus you will not do your rotations here in the US. So you will have more difficulty to learn what you did not learn down there and adjust to what is/are different here when you come back to the US and practice pharmacy (provided that you have already successfully passed all hurdles to be licensed). Not to count all difficulties and limitations that a foreign pharmacy graduate will have to face when looking for a job/residency (= super hard) considering we almost have surplus here already of US pharmacy graduates.

If you want to know whether or not you like pharmacy, work/volunteer/shadow in a pharmacy. Pharmacy school and working in pharmacy are two different things imho. No need to go to school to know that.

but to me, the whole pharmacy is not worth it for you. You are not even sure you want and/or commit to pharmacy yet. Why take on a lot of risks and hurdles for your future by going to pharmacy school there in Costa Rica ??

For real, why not cut the go-around and go for what you want in the first place, esp if you have a chance to get in med school there ?? I would go to medical school there now and be done with it if I were you. You were even a Medic in the Army. You already know you want medicine more than pharmacy. Yes, there will be same or more hurdles for you when you go back to the States and apply/register for licensure but a MD will give you more options/opportunities and flexibility then. It would be also more fitting and appropriate for your life long ambition and worth the trouble. That is my honest opinion 🙂

One of the oddities about medical education here precludes me from studying here as well. Surgery is a mandatory in the curriculum and I have a tremor in my right hand from my nerve injury in the military. I would have to try to get my arm repaired, hope the surgery took, lose some of my va compensation... a lot of pain and hardship, just to get approved to study that in this country.

It's a bit of catch 22.

 

[oldstock]

One of the oddities about medical education here precludes me from studying here as well. Surgery is a mandatory in the curriculum and I have a tremor in my right hand from my nerve injury in the military. I would have to try to get my arm repaired, hope the surgery took, lose some of my va compensation... a lot of pain and hardship, just to get approved to study that in this country.

It's a bit of catch 22.

dang, that is hard !! My hat off and salute for your service and all the sympathy/support for your hardship.


I have an idea. If you still want pharmacy, how about applying to long-distance pharmacy programs (US of course 🙂 ) ??

There are 2 such programs that I know of:

1. Creighton University SOP, Omaha, NE

https://spahp.creighton.edu/admission/pharmacy/pharmd-distance-pathway

and, 2. LECOM SOP, Brandenton, FL

http://lecom.edu/school-pharmacy.php/Pharmacy-4-year-Distance-Education-Pathway/49/2208/613/7239

check them out, and see whether you could work with those programs being in Costa Rica if you could get accepted 🙂

 

[anewmanx]

dang, that is hard !! My hat off and salute for your service and all the sympathy/support for your hardship.


I have an idea. If you still want pharmacy, how about applying to long-distance pharmacy programs (US of course 🙂 ) ??

There are 2 such programs that I know of:

1. Creighton University SOP, Omaha, NE

https://spahp.creighton.edu/admission/pharmacy/pharmd-distance-pathway

and, 2. LECOM SOP, Brandenton, FL

http://lecom.edu/school-pharmacy.php/Pharmacy-4-year-Distance-Education-Pathway/49/2208/613/7239

check them out, and see whether you could work with those programs being in Costa Rica if you could get accepted 🙂

That might be worth looking into. I could do the prerequisites here, advance a good way into the pharmacy course, then transition to the US program after I had exhausted as much as I could of it here. Not a bad idea at all! Either way, I'd prefer to get my general chem, biology, organic chem, physics, and calculus done here. No reason to spend huge amounts of money on a US university for the prerequisites!

 

[BidingMyTime]

On one hand, there is no debt, so other than the time commitment you have nothing to lose. I would think your course of study would prepare you quite well for going on and getting a masters & a PhD if you decide to go that route. I'm not sure about the qualifications for a US medical school (I don't think the foreign degree would matter, but I don't know if they would count the prerequisites from a foreign university the same as from a US university)--this might be something to check into ahead of time.

The process to become a pharmacist in the US with a foreign degree is a bit time-consuming, but its not impossible. I could be wrong, but I think once you are licensed as a pharmacist in the US, if you can ace your interviews, I don't think a foreign degree would be counted against you--maybe some places would, but I think there are plenty that really wouldn't care. But who knows, you might decide to stay in Costa Rica longer than planned & end up working as a pharmacist there (you mention the low salary, but when you don't have college debt & healthcare expenses & vehicle/gas expenses, the low salary may go just as far there as a higher salary in the US.)

If you were 100% sure you wanted to work as pharmacist for the rest of your life in the US, I'd encourage you to check more into other options of obtaining a US degree....but since this seems pretty unlikely for you, I think you'll do just find getting your BS Pharm. Honestly, while there are a few differences (homeopathy & the lack of kinetics sticking out, as already mentioned by others), the curriculum sounds pretty similar to the BS Pharm I (and thousands of other practicing pharmacists) got in the US up until 2000 or so. While there may be a bit of a learning curve with the different trade names & some other aspects of US practice, I think you will have a firm enough foundation from your foreign courses to easily be able to catch on.

 

[anewmanx]

On one hand, there is no debt, so other than the time commitment you have nothing to lose. I would think your course of study would prepare you quite well for going on and getting a masters & a PhD if you decide to go that route. I'm not sure about the qualifications for a US medical school (I don't think the foreign degree would matter, but I don't know if they would count the prerequisites from a foreign university the same as from a US university)--this might be something to check into ahead of time.

The process to become a pharmacist in the US with a foreign degree is a bit time-consuming, but its not impossible. I could be wrong, but I think once you are licensed as a pharmacist in the US, if you can ace your interviews, I don't think a foreign degree would be counted against you--maybe some places would, but I think there are plenty that really wouldn't care. But who knows, you might decide to stay in Costa Rica longer than planned & end up working as a pharmacist there (you mention the low salary, but when you don't have college debt & healthcare expenses & vehicle/gas expenses, the low salary may go just as far there as a higher salary in the US.)

If you were 100% sure you wanted to work as pharmacist for the rest of your life in the US, I'd encourage you to check more into other options of obtaining a US degree....but since this seems pretty unlikely for you, I think you'll do just find getting your BS Pharm. Honestly, while there are a few differences (homeopathy & the lack of kinetics sticking out, as already mentioned by others), the curriculum sounds pretty similar to the BS Pharm I (and thousands of other practicing pharmacists) got in the US up until 2000 or so. While there may be a bit of a learning curve with the different trade names & some other aspects of US practice, I think you will have a firm enough foundation from your foreign courses to easily be able to catch on.

Wow, that is some solid info! Thank you. I honestly can't see spending more than 10 years working. I know most people consider the money you could put away in ten years to not be enough to live on, but I consider it FAR more than enough to live on. I already have a guaranteed pension from Veterans Affairs for the rest of my life that will more than cover my basic expenses and then some. At this point I just want to provide a better foundation for my children.

I think more than anything, it's important to me to do something more with my life than just being a crippled soldier. I don't think it gives the right example to my kids. So in the end, it won't matter to me that much what I study; just that I apply myself to something.

 

[radio frequency]

I second the idea of Creighton's distance PharmD. It's a respected program and could give you way more opportunities if you do need to come back to the States.

I like your attitude too, but I want to warn you that pharmacy school could easily suck away your love of learning. I don't love the classes in the same way I loved the prerequisites and I dread further education now in a way I never thought I would.

 

[Kelp103]

Just as a warning, Creighton and LECOM require attendance in the summer (2-4 weeks depending on which school and which summer session). I don't know if that's a problem or not.
Creighton is playing with online proctoring for tests so that could help you there, but LECOM still has on-site proctoring at different testing locations for tests (so this could be a problem as I doubt there is a testing site in Costa Rica, but I could be wrong, they have more information on their website 🙂).
This is LECOM's first year as an online pharmacy program though, so things could change.

 

[anewmanx]

Just as a warning, Creighton and LECOM require attendance in the summer (2-4 weeks depending on which school and which summer session). I don't know if that's a problem or not.
Creighton is playing with online proctoring for tests so that could help you there, but LECOM still has on-site proctoring at different testing locations for tests (so this could be a problem as I doubt there is a testing site in Costa Rica, but I could be wrong, they have more information on their website 🙂).
This is LECOM's first year as an online pharmacy program though, so things could change.

The occasional trip to the US isn't a problem; not at all. Irregardless I would need to get the prerequisites knocked out here in Costa Rica. Thank God they attend school year round!

 

[oldstock]

That might be worth looking into. I could do the prerequisites here, advance a good way into the pharmacy course, then transition to the US program after I had exhausted as much as I could of it here. Not a bad idea at all! Either way, I'd prefer to get my general chem, biology, organic chem, physics, and calculus done here. No reason to spend huge amounts of money on a US university for the prerequisites!

The occasional trip to the US isn't a problem; not at all. Irregardless I would need to get the prerequisites knocked out here in Costa Rica. Thank God they attend school year round!

I see now that you have not done your prereq yet. So you cannot apply to Creighton's long-distance program and/or LECOM's now. You have to take and complete the prereq somewhere, and you are determined to do it down there in Costa Rica and not the US. (If you worry about cost, US community colleges are excellent places to do your prereq cheaply and they are also offering courses year round too, fall/spring/summer, but I see you do not want to stay in the US for now).

I agree with BidingMyTime on checking ahead of time to see if your prereq taken there would be accepted/transferable with the pharmacy schools you are interested in applying/transfering here in the US just to be sure (e.g. I would call Creighton and LECOM first to find out b/c those two long-distance programs would allow you to stay in Costa Rica for their PharmD programs). Those prereqs from Costa Rica would be considered from foreign schools and not from US accredited colleges or universities. You do not want to do the prereq there in Costa Rica and only be surprised to find out later when you are ready to apply to pharmacy school in the US that your prereq are not transferable.

If your prereq coursework from Costa Rica is not accepted and thus you cannot apply/transfer to a US PharmD program with those prereqs, then you only options would be completing your Bachelor of Pharmacy in Costa Rica and then going with the FPGEC route to be licensed or using that BSPharm degree to apply later to a US PharmD program.

GL 🙂

On one hand, there is no debt, so other than the time commitment you have nothing to lose. I would think your course of study would prepare you quite well for going on and getting a masters & a PhD if you decide to go that route. I'm not sure about the qualifications for a
US medical school (I don't think the foreign degree would matter, but I don't know if they would count the prerequisites from a foreign university the same as from a US university)--this might be something to check into ahead of time.

The process to become a pharmacist in the US with a foreign degree is a bit time-consuming, but its not impossible. I could be wrong, but I think once you are licensed as a pharmacist in the US, if you can ace your interviews, I don't think a foreign degree would be counted against you--maybe some places would, but I think there are plenty that really wouldn't care. But who knows, you might decide to stay in Costa Rica longer than planned & end up working as a pharmacist there (you mention the low salary, but when you don't have college debt & healthcare expenses & vehicle/gas expenses, the low salary may go just as far there as a higher salary in the US.)

If you were 100% sure you wanted to work as pharmacist for the rest of your life in the US, I'd encourage you to check more into other options of obtaining a US degree....but since this seems pretty unlikely for you, I think you'll do just find getting your BS Pharm. Honestly, while there are a few differences (homeopathy & the lack of kinetics sticking out, as already mentioned by others), the curriculum sounds pretty similar to the BS Pharm I (and thousands of other practicing pharmacists) got in the US up until 2000 or so. While there may be a bit of a learning curve with the different trade names & some other aspects of US practice, I think you will have a firm enough foundation from your foreign courses to easily be able to catch on.

 

[anewmanx]

....... checking ahead of time to see if your prereq taken there would be accepted/transferable with the pharmacy schools you are interested in applying/transfering here in the US .....

This is actually something I did extensively when I was first considering attending school here. In order for a foreign credit to be accepted as a prerequisite, it generally has to be attended in person (hard to get online accepted,) and it must be from a school accredited in the country attended. Furthermore, some schools require that the classes be taught in the native language of the country. A good example of this precedent is the State of California won't license anyone to practice medicine who obtained their degree in a language other than the native language of the country attended.

Now, in Costa Rica, there are two accrediting bodies. One accredits the curriculum by national standards, and the other by international standards. UNIBE, the school I will be attending, is accredited with both. Most of the medical and pharmacy schools here are accredited with both.

So, in order to transfer my credits to the United States, I need to have them evaluated by a professional credit evaluation service. The only issue I may run into is science courses in this country are generally 3 credits instead of four. If that becomes an issue, I can take an additional class in each subject in the US to overcome the 2 credit gap. Likely, the issue can be waived since all of the science requirements are taught in a full year block (two semesters.)

I've attended school in the United States before, and I've audited courses here in Costa Rica. There is a 1000% difference in the way they run education here and I find it incredibly appealing. Here's the highlights for anyone who's ever interested in coming here for any additional education:

1) If a class says three credit hours, you attend three hours a week. If you can't keep up with those three hours, their opinion is you need to study harder.
2) There are no electives. Everyone who graduates has received the same education in a topic. There are no wasted classes.
3) You cannot graduate without either doing a thesis (even required for some BACHELORS,) or doing a professional community service for a minimum of 150 hours; sometimes much, much more. If the person that you are working under does not certify that you did a good job and were able to apply the knowledge you obtained in your degree you do not graduate.
4) A passing grade is a 70, and it is frowned upon heavily. You run the risk of being put under academic suspension if you don't bring your gpa up.
5) Class size is quite small, usually less than 25.

 

[oldstock]

good that you have already done your research and know what you are getting into.

thanks for the info !! I learn something new as well !!

GL with everything !! 🙂

This is actually something I did extensively when I was first considering attending school here. In order for a foreign credit to be accepted as a prerequisite, it generally has to be attended in person (hard to get online accepted,) and it must be from a school accredited in the country attended. Furthermore, some schools require that the classes be taught in the native language of the country. A good example of this precedent is the State of California won't license anyone to practice medicine who obtained their degree in a language other than the native language of the country attended.

Now, in Costa Rica, there are two accrediting bodies. One accredits the curriculum by national standards, and the other by international standards. UNIBE, the school I will be attending, is accredited with both. Most of the medical and pharmacy schools here are accredited with both.

So, in order to transfer my credits to the United States, I need to have them evaluated by a professional credit evaluation service. The only issue I may run into is science courses in this country are generally 3 credits instead of four. If that becomes an issue, I can take an additional class in each subject in the US to overcome the 2 credit gap. Likely, the issue can be waived since all of the science requirements are taught in a full year block (two semesters.)

I've attended school in the United States before, and I've audited courses here in Costa Rica. There is a 1000% difference in the way they run education here and I find it incredibly appealing. Here's the highlights for anyone who's ever interested in coming here for any additional education:

1) If a class says three credit hours, you attend three hours a week. If you can't keep up with those three hours, their opinion is you need to study harder.
2) There are no electives. Everyone who graduates has received the same education in a topic. There are no wasted classes.
3) You cannot graduate without either doing a thesis (even required for some BACHELORS,) or doing a professional community service for a minimum of 150 hours; sometimes much, much more. If the person that you are working under does not certify that you did a good job and were able to apply the knowledge you obtained in your degree you do not graduate.
4) A passing grade is a 70, and it is frowned upon heavily. You run the risk of being put under academic suspension if you don't bring your gpa up.
5) Class size is quite small, usually less than 25.