Do we REALLy need Physics for Pharmacy School?

[Ava999]

I'm taking physics now (as pre-pharmacy), and I just want to know if physics will be used in the actual pharmacy program. Is it even important in pre pharmacy? Or are they making us take it just to weed out some pre pharmers?

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[headortail]

So far, not really. We do use some concepts of calculus in our chemistry classes, not physics per se.
But do I think it's important that everyone entering a professional program that is science-based / everyone with a bachelor degree in the natural sciences has at least some basic understanding of calculus and physics? Absolutely.

Not really a math/physics person, but I think that kind of stuff is really neat because it explains how things work

 

[owlegrad]

The answer is no. You will never ever use anything from physics again. But if you can't handle physics, good luck with kinetics.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Nope. You just need it to get into pharmacy school.

 

[Illinette2012]

I sure hope not!! It is, without a doubt, my LEAST favorite class I've ever taken. I'm way more worried about my grade in my 101 level physics class than my biochemistry class (which is the hardest class in my major). For some reason I just can't seem to grasp it and it's super boring to me haha.

 

[Notecard]

If you're going into nuclear then you need it. Otherwise no.

 

[Ava999]

The answer is no. You will never ever use anything from physics again. But if you can't handle physics, good luck with kinetics.

I can handle physics. Got faith

I sure hope not!! It is, without a doubt, my LEAST favorite class I've ever taken. I'm way more worried about my grade in my 101 level physics class than my biochemistry class (which is the hardest class in my major). For some reason I just can't seem to grasp it and it's super boring to me haha.

Mines too. I mean it seems easy, but when it comes to actually doing the work, dats when I'm stuck.

 

[owlegrad]

I can handle physics. Got faith

I didn't phrase that well. I meant that someone who cannot handle physics will probably struggle with kinetics, which is probably why it is a prereq. I didn't mean to imply that I think you can't handle it.

 

[xNeenax]

Ava999 has a really great personality. I like her. I hope she makes it to pharmacy school and become a pharmacist

 

[UES Girl]

I can handle physics. Got faith


Mines too. I mean it seems easy, but when it comes to actually doing the work, dats when I'm stuck.

No you don't need physics, you will soon realize that half the crap you are taking is jump through the hoop type of nonsense, not something you need for pharm school. Just like half the crap you will be taking in pharm school is to check off a check mark and not actially relevant/necessery to your degree. The reason why you have to do it, is because, we the older generation had to do, suffered our suffering, did our prison terms and we fully expect you the younger generation to go through the same BS and same amount of crap we have gone through.

 

[Ava999]

I didn't phrase that well. I meant that someone who cannot handle physics will probably struggle with kinetics, which is probably why it is a prereq. I didn't mean to imply that I think you can't handle it.

Okay, now I understand

Ava999 has a really great personality. I like her. I hope she makes it to pharmacy school and become a pharmacist

AGREED! lol same to you!

No you don't need physics, you will soon realize that half the crap you are taking is jump through the hoop type of nonsense, not something you need for pharm school. Just like half the crap you will be taking in pharm school is to check off a check mark and not actially relevant/necessery to your degree. The reason why you have to do it, is because, we the older generation had to do, suffered our suffering, did our prison terms and we fully expect you the younger generation to go through the same BS and same amount of crap we have gone through.

Thanks, I hear that ALOT. But some people say different things. What classes are needed for pharmacy school?

 

[kcwang]

IMO, I think physics is important for understanding molecular interactions. I would think its crazy if they dont require physics as prerequisite.

 

[owlegrad]

Thanks, I hear that ALOT. But some people say different things. What classes are needed for pharmacy school?

Everyone hears the alot, it is quite a big beast. His stride shakes the countryside.


I would say most of the biology series and mush of the chemistry series. The maths are helpful to a point with kinetics.

 

[confettiflyer]

we don't need half this crap, but it's all about process & developing different ways to think.

 

[boggvir]

Physics teaches you to problem solve and think logically in a way that's very different to solving a biology problem, or even a chemistry problem. It's an important skillset to develop even if you'll never directly use F=ma in your calculations while being a pharmacist. You'll never directly need to know about some historical figure or name of a philosopher either, but we judge a certain level of knowledge and skillset to be fundamental to be considered an educated person even if it's not directly applicable to your chosen field of study. This is why pharmacy, medicine, etc are doctorate level professional schools and not technical two year programs out of high school.

 

[Rouelle]

I agree with the spirit of many of the above posts. I think that the schools are often more interested in the abilities you demonstrate in performing in the classes as opposed to your direct knowledge of the material. They want to see that you are a problem solver (calculus, physics, chemistry), can learn rather large chunks of material (ochem, biology), and that you can handle traditionally tough courses. Requiring the typical math and science pre-reqs gives professional schools a metric for evaluating applicants in these areas, and introduces students to at least some of the topics to be covered in those schools.

 

[DelawareStudent]

Everyone hears the alot, it is quite a big beast. His stride shakes the countryside.


I would say most of the biology series and mush of the chemistry series. The maths are helpful to a point with kinetics.

Alots don't have to take physics.

 

[Celticspride58]

Pretty much like everyone else has said that you wont need the concepts necessarily from that course... but it def. will help you down the road thinking through certain kinetics problems. After taking Kinetics it seemed to be a lot of the same problem solving methods like in physics. Here is an equation sheet and a "word" problem, now pick the right one and solve.

 

[Ava999]

Everyone hears the alot, it is quite a big beast. His stride shakes the countryside.


I would say most of the biology series and mush of the chemistry series. The maths are helpful to a point with kinetics.

Your right, Alot is quite a bid beast that everyone hears!

 

[NickW9682]

I use psychryogy and socioligy on a daily basis, enough so that I can almost spell them

 

[rologist]

I completed Pharmacy School, and went on to Medical School and now practice medicine. As painful as Physics was to endure, I am thankful for the basic knowledge and the scientific "common sense" it gives us. Instead of hating it, I now embrace it, and sometimes review it to do such basic things as work on my motorcycle electrical system. I had a house built, and actually understood the structural steel engineer's calculations. I have avoided traffic accidents because of my understanding of inertia. My advice is to bite the bullet, work as hard as you can on it, and hope one day you can appreciate it. Physics is your friend!

 

[Ava999]

Your right, Alot is quite a bid beast that everyone hears!

I completed Pharmacy School, and went on to Medical School and now practice medicine. As painful as Physics was to endure, I am thankful for the basic knowledge and the scientific "common sense" it gives us. Instead of hating it, I now embrace it, and sometimes review it to do such basic things as work on my motorcycle electrical system. I had a house built, and actually understood the structural steel engineer's calculations. I have avoided traffic accidents because of my understanding of inertia. My advice is to bite the bullet, work as hard as you can on it, and hope one day you can appreciate it. Physics is your friend!

Thanks! I actually passed the class w/ a C. I'm aiming for an A this next semester!

 

[Ava999]

I completed Pharmacy School, and went on to Medical School and now practice medicine. As painful as Physics was to endure, I am thankful for the basic knowledge and the scientific "common sense" it gives us. Instead of hating it, I now embrace it, and sometimes review it to do such basic things as work on my motorcycle electrical system. I had a house built, and actually understood the structural steel engineer's calculations. I have avoided traffic accidents because of my understanding of inertia. My advice is to bite the bullet, work as hard as you can on it, and hope one day you can appreciate it. Physics is your friend!

How long did it take you to do both? Because thats too much for me!

 

[NickW9682]

how pissed do I have to get to throw a pill into orbit?

 

[owlegrad]

how pissed do I have to get to throw a pill into orbit?

This is why we need physics!

 

[delano2000]

I'm loving some of these responses.

 

[BadgerPharm]

When I told my professor I was pre-pharm he asked me if physics was on the PCAT. I told him no and then he questioned why I was taking it then. Simple answer, because the schools say i have to. He seemed surprised. On a side note...just finished my physics requirement today!

 

[Rockinacoustic]

i completed pharmacy school, and went on to medical school and now practice medicine. As painful as physics was to endure, i am thankful for the basic knowledge and the scientific "common sense" it gives us. Instead of hating it, i now embrace it, and sometimes review it to do such basic things as work on my motorcycle electrical system. I had a house built, and actually understood the structural steel engineer's calculations. i have avoided traffic accidents because of my understanding of inertia. my advice is to bite the bullet, work as hard as you can on it, and hope one day you can appreciate it. Physics is your friend!

lol

 

[R2pharmD2]

When I told my professor I was pre-pharm he asked me if physics was on the PCAT. I told him no and then he questioned why I was taking it then. Simple answer, because the schools say i have to. He seemed surprised. On a side note...just finished my physics requirement today!

I don't know that I've ever taken a course for any other reason

 

[wildspuds]

The way I see it, the reason physics is required is because taking physics shows you different ways to solve the same problem. It's a sort of way to unlock your brain and start realizing there are more than one way to solve a problem. Physics is: here is a ball, here is how much it ways, use an equation to determine what color it is. This forces (no pun in tended) you to look at it from as many angles as possible. This logic is also the only reason people with degrees in mathematics can get jobs.

Atleast, that is my take on it.

 

[xNeenax]

When I told my professor I was pre-pharm he asked me if physics was on the PCAT. I told him no and then he questioned why I was taking it then. Simple answer, because the schools say i have to. He seemed surprised. On a side note...just finished my physics requirement today!

omg you're a pre-pharm student??? I always thought you were a pharmacy student.

 

[BadgerPharm]

omg you're a pre-pharm student??? I always thought you were a pharmacy student.

You are correct, only a pre-pharmer.

 

[croquemonsieur]

prerequisites for doing well in pharmacy school: basic algebra skills and a decent memory. most people don't have much problem with the latter...you'd be surprised how many people can't set up and/or solve a simple equation. true story.

 

[pharm B]

Worst part about physics at my school? I had the second highest grade in the class, and the professor tried to fail me. We had people getting 20s on tests!

I actually really like physics, if only because I love looking at the same problem many different ways ( as an above poster said). But a bad professor with a chip on his shoulder can make the course a nightmare.

 

[owlegrad]

But a bad professor with a chip on his shoulder can make the course a nightmare.

True of any course.

 

[headortail]

prerequisites for doing well in pharmacy school: basic algebra skills and a decent memory. most people don't have much problem with the latter...you'd be surprised how many people can't set up and/or solve a simple equation. true story.

True fact. I have no problem with people using the calculator, but plugging in 80/8 is a little too far... In fact, the lowest average test score in our pharmacy calculation course was of the conversion exam (apothecary/avoirdupois/metric) where calculators weren't allowed (and some simple long divisions were involved, god forbid).

 

[confettiflyer]

True fact. I have no problem with people using the calculator, but plugging in 80/8 is a little too far... In fact, the lowest average test score in our pharmacy calculation course was of the conversion exam (apothecary/avoirdupois/metric) where calculators weren't allowed (and some simple long divisions were involved, god forbid).

I've done this (punch in 80/8), usually for the simple fact that i want a double check when i'm exhausted.

 

[NickW9682]

I learned that there is a ti83 program d/l website for physics. But thats just hearsay. Its not only what you know but how you know to access it