How hard is Pre-Pharmacy?

[dramaQueen16]

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I'm just curious as to how hard it is, - since Pre-Pharmacy grades are a big factor in determining if you're able to enter Pharmacy school - if you have time for fun etc. I'm just worried about not doing good because I've heard that Pre-Pharmacy is extremely difficult from some people whereas others have told me it was a easy as high school. Thanks 🙂

 

[Passion4Sci]

Depends.

Are you a science person? If so, then they're easy. If not, then they require a lot of effort.

YMMV.

 

[88888888]

Lol.. science person doesn't mean ur gonna do well. especially when ur competing against 1000+ other premeds in the class. fml.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Lol.. science person doesn't mean ur gonna do well. especially when ur competing against 1000+ other premeds in the class. fml.

No one said anything about doing well.

Just if it's hard or not. Curves and competition is another metric entirely.

 

[nicolemsm]

No one said anything about doing well.

Just if it's hard or not. Curves and competition is another metric entirely.

Luckily no curves exist at my school and there really isn't any competition per say...nursing students are in a "league" of their own. It really all falls on/depends on you. No one is going to hold your hand (nor should they). I don't think being a "science" person versus "humanities" person really benefits you much either way. You need to have a broad spectrum of knowledge and ability to effectively write and express your thoughts in applications and in classes. My micro teacher doesn't give multiple choice quizzes/tests so that's just one example of how you must be able to write legibly and understandably. I think pre-pharmacy really requires you to be a jack of all trades.

 

[Passion4Sci]

It absolutely matters.

Take my wife for example. She hates chemistry. She is NOT a "science person." She loves English, Philosophy, and argumentation/rhetoric. These thins are absent, by and large, from Chemistry and Biology. You get a little logic/rhetoric in symbolic logic from Geometry and Trig., but that's about the extent.

you should know that "humanities" subjects and "science" subjects not only utilize different portions of a human brain, but also require different conditioning and practice.

 

[phathead]

The other thing is if you are not a science person, what the hell are you doing in pharmacy? lol You do not have to love chemistry, but you can't hate it if you're going into pharmacy.

I didn't think pre-pharm was that bad, but you have to able to apply yourself. My friends who were a comm major or an anthro major thought it was crazy difficult.

 

[Passion4Sci]

My friends who were a comm major or an anthro major thought it was crazy difficult.

Precisely. It uses a different skill-set and requires different things.

 

[nicolemsm]

It absolutely matters.

Take my wife for example. She hates chemistry. She is NOT a "science person." She loves English, Philosophy, and argumentation/rhetoric. These thins are absent, by and large, from Chemistry and Biology. You get a little logic/rhetoric in symbolic logic from Geometry and Trig., but that's about the extent.

you should know that "humanities" subjects and "science" subjects not only utilize different portions of a human brain, but also require different conditioning and practice.

The other thing is if you are not a science person, what the hell are you doing in pharmacy? lol You do not have to love chemistry, but you can't hate it if you're going into pharmacy.

I didn't think pre-pharm was that bad, but you have to able to apply yourself. My friends who were a comm major or an anthro major thought it was crazy difficult.

Precisely. It uses a different skill-set and requires different things.

However, don't you deem it necessary to be a jack of all trades (as I previously mentioned in the bottom of my post) in all fields. Just because you're good at the sciences/maths doesn't make you immediately cut off for pharm. Along with the good number of sciences there ARE humanities requirements.... you can't just ace all the sciences and fail all the humanities.... red flags will be raised. Plus pharm schools want effective communicators out there serving the public. I think communication in itself is a whole 'nother area of focus that's a key component of any medical profession. For many people, it takes a lot of courage to speak to strangers and the thought of presenting in front of crowds can be nauseating. I couldn't imagine someone getting into pharmacy school with just acing sciences and "doing okay/failing" in humanities and not being able to effectively communicate their desires (cough cough application/personal statements).

 

[phathead]

However, don't you deem it necessary to be a jack of all trades (as I previously mentioned in the bottom of my post) in all fields. Just because you're good at the sciences/maths doesn't make you immediately cut off for pharm. Along with the good number of sciences there ARE humanities requirements.... you can't just ace all the sciences and fail all the humanities.... red flags will be raised. Plus pharm schools want effective communicators out there serving the public. I think communication in itself is a whole 'nother area of focus that's a key component of any medical profession. For many people, it takes a lot of courage to speak to strangers and the thought of presenting in front of crowds can be nauseating. I couldn't imagine someone getting into pharmacy school with just acing sciences and "doing okay/failing" in humanities and not being able to effectively communicate their desires (cough cough application/personal statements).

Never once did I say you should solely be interested in the sciences. The big thing is you have to like sciences in order to go to school for 8 years in it.

And I have never had a class with a curve, so keep that in mind too

 

[dramaQueen16]

Personally, I like Chemistry, - although, I do find it challenging at times - Biology, and Social Studies and I find Math and Physics alright. So, I guess I could be considered a "science-person" but to clarify I am kind of wondering how challenging it is to ensure doing well.

 

[crazybob]

However, don't you deem it necessary to be a jack of all trades (as I previously mentioned in the bottom of my post) in all fields. Just because you're good at the sciences/maths doesn't make you immediately cut off for pharm. Along with the good number of sciences there ARE humanities requirements.... you can't just ace all the sciences and fail all the humanities.... red flags will be raised. Plus pharm schools want effective communicators out there serving the public. I think communication in itself is a whole 'nother area of focus that's a key component of any medical profession. For many people, it takes a lot of courage to speak to strangers and the thought of presenting in front of crowds can be nauseating. I couldn't imagine someone getting into pharmacy school with just acing sciences and "doing okay/failing" in humanities and not being able to effectively communicate their desires (cough cough application/personal statements).

I did fine in the humanities and I got accepted. I didn't enjoy them very much, but I didn't struggle with them.

Most people who classify themselves as a science person can at least read, comprehend, and write, so they won't be failing humanities classes unless they never read or take on too much more than they can handle.

Never once did I say you should solely be interested in the sciences. The big thing is you have to like sciences in order to go to school for 8 years in it.

And I have never had a class with a curve, so keep that in mind too

When I took microecon, every test was curved because the professor knew that his tests were hard.

 

[crazybob]

Personally, I like Chemistry, - although, I do find it challenging at times - Biology, and Social Studies and I find Math and Physics alright. So, I guess I could be considered a "science-person" but to clarify I am kind of wondering how challenging it is to ensure doing well.

When I was high school, I was struggling a bit with Chemistry since I never actually understood it well, but just enough to be doing fine in my chem classes. Calculus and Physics made a lot more sense to me.

Then in college, after taking General Chemistry, it started making a lot of sense to me. I've had great teachers and I finally started to get it, and I actually majored in Chemistry.

Now here I am with all of my chemistry background and my pre-requisites done as well. You can never be sure about how well you will do something new until you actually try it on your own.

 

[waterloggedfrog]

I actually used to consider myself an arts type person, but I've had so much science now (BS in BCMB) that I think I've become a science person, I love science now. So take enough of something and you'll start to love it!

 

[Tinkerbell22]

I had time for outside things when I was in undergrad, but I had to make time for it. I didn't want to be the 4.0 90+ PCAT applicant with no life experience, volunteering, extra curriculars, etc. I went out with friends, had about 10+ hours per week all 4 years of a team sport/activity, held part times jobs, and kept up a decent GPA, plus I learned a lott and did very well on the PCAT.

It's just how you manage your time, but YES being a science person with a good memory does help.

I love science so I majored in it, but you don't have to major in a science if you are iffy about taking so many upper level classes and trying to make A's in your pre-reqs.

You can major in something like business or communications that require less hardcore science textbook reading of 20 chapters, and studying for long exams so you can focus that time just on the pre-pharm classes only.

I'm not trying to say other majors in arts or business are easy, but it's a different type of class and it gives you a break from the stuff you will deal with hardcore in the sciences.

>>> I should mention though, that admissions committees probably weigh more heavily on students who did just as well with upper level sciences classes because pharmacy school will be dealing with 17-20 credits of mainly sciences... They want to know you can handle that... and if you take a bunch of artsy or public speaking kind of classes then they might not think you can handle the course load.

 

[desmoulins45179]

I actually used to consider myself an arts type person, but I've had so much science now (BS in BCMB) that I think I've become a science person, I love science now. So take enough of something and you'll start to love it!

Not exactly. It doesn't matter how much my one friend takes math, she'll still hate it

 

[dramaQueen16]

Oh well I'm glad that some of you guys didn't find it insanely difficult.
I think my main worry is just doing not so great in the first 1 or 2 years of Pre-Pharm, applying to Pharm. school and getting rejected! If and when I get into Pharm school I think I'd be able to relax a little bit... (not saying it'll be easy)

 

[Passion4Sci]

Oh well I'm glad that some of you guys didn't find it insanely difficult.
I think my main worry is just doing not so great in the first 1 or 2 years of Pre-Pharm, applying to Pharm. school and getting rejected! If and when I get into Pharm school I think I'd be able to relax a little bit... (not saying it'll be easy)

There are a lot of things you could do with pre-pharmacy classes though if it makes you feel any better?

 

[phathead]

Oh well I'm glad that some of you guys didn't find it insanely difficult.
I think my main worry is just doing not so great in the first 1 or 2 years of Pre-Pharm, applying to Pharm. school and getting rejected! If and when I get into Pharm school I think I'd be able to relax a little bit... (not saying it'll be easy)

Don't plan on applying after two years. Just a FYI

 

[Tinkerbell22]

Don't plan on applying after two years. Just a FYI

Do you think the 2012 admissions cycle will have an unspoken degree 'requirement'? It seems like a lot of schools are starting to prefer it now... The only schools that it really seems a little more common for 2+4 students to get accepted are the ones who have a strong pre-pharm program like UF, who sort of prefer their own undergrads in a way because it's one of the better schools in Florida. Even then it seems like having a degree before matriculation helps.

 

[joh0472]

Do you think the 2012 admissions cycle will have an unspoken degree 'requirement'? It seems like a lot of schools are starting to prefer it now... The only schools that it really seems a little more common for 2+4 students to get accepted are the ones who have a strong pre-pharm program like UF, who sort of prefer their own undergrads in a way because it's one of the better schools in Florida. Even then it seems like having a degree before matriculation helps.

Most of the people interviewing at the schools the same day as me had at least a B.S or B.A and some had masters. You better have some sic stats to get into a state school after 2 years undergrad. Some of the private schools might cater towards students just completing pre-reqs and no degree (Associates degrees don't count in my book).
I don't think it is the degree as much as it is that you have learned how to be a good student in classes beyond introductory classes that draws adcom people into inviting students for interviews. Take it with a grain of salt because I haven't discussed it with an adcom member but a degree shows a little persistence as well. Enjoy undergrad though and don't think school is a race. I'm 28 with 2 kids, a wife and a mortgage and I'm still in school. Might not want to emulate me though.

 

[Tinkerbell22]

Most of the people interviewing at the schools the same day as me had at least a B.S or B.A and some had masters. You better have some sic stats to get into a state school after 2 years undergrad. Some of the private schools might cater towards students just completing pre-reqs and no degree (Associates degrees don't count in my book).
I don't think it is the degree as much as it is that you have learned how to be a good student in classes beyond introductory classes that draws adcom people into inviting students for interviews. Take it with a grain of salt because I haven't discussed it with an adcom member but a degree shows a little persistence as well. Enjoy undergrad though and don't think school is a race. I'm 28 with 2 kids, a wife and a mortgage and I'm still in school. Might not want to emulate me though.

I'm in graduate school so no more enjoying undergrad for me 🙁 lol

 

[phathead]

Part of it is what joh said, you have to almost have a 4.0 to get in after two years.

the other problem is there sheer amount of pre-reqs you have to do. in many cases it is impossible to get it done in two years and very soon it will be completely impossible.

Best bet if you're gonna shoot to applying with no degree is do it once you start your third year

 

[Tinkerbell22]

Yea I pretty much see the same stuff going on that you guys are talking about... I couldnt figure out if you told her not to apply after 2 yrs for that reason or being humorous.. Lol I actually know only one person personally who was accepted straight from a CC but it was veryy hard bc they were waitlisted forever.. Sry im on a go phone writing this!

 

[nicolemsm]

Part of it is what joh said, you have to almost have a 4.0 to get in after two years.

the other problem is there sheer amount of pre-reqs you have to do. in many cases it is impossible to get it done in two years and very soon it will be completely impossible.

Best bet if you're gonna shoot to applying with no degree is do it once you start your third year

Not true.... I know some people who were interviewed AND accepted from my school recently with no degrees... no associates, just pre reqs and their stats weren't all that "great" per say

 

[Legion]

It is hard but if you manage your time correctly you are fine..

 

[dramaQueen16]

Gah... 4 years before application?
I'm in BC and I know quite a few pharmacists or pharmacy students that have all gotten in after 1 year - with decent to good grades - making their total schooling 5 years... I'm not sure though; maybe things are way more competitive now and they'll probably be even more once I graduate! I know the UBC website says minimum of 1 year but I guess that doesn't cut it...

 

[UES Girl]

Gah... 4 years before application?
I'm in BC and I know quite a few pharmacists or pharmacy students that have all gotten in after 1 year - with decent to good grades - making their total schooling 5 years... I'm not sure though; maybe things are way more competitive now and they'll probably be even more once I graduate! I know the UBC website says minimum of 1 year but I guess that doesn't cut it...

With schools requiring more and more prerequisites, it's going to be physically impossible to finish something in 2 years, let alone in one year.

Let's say a school requires biochemisty as a pre-req:

at my former undergrad you needed two semesters of general + two semesters of organic before you could even sign up for biochem. With summer classes being cut due to budget cuts and all, that means that you won't get to take biochem untill your third year.

This is just one example, but I guess it must depend on the school.

And four years really isn't that bad, considering you are earning a Doctorate degree. I am personally for making a bachelor degree mandatory like for medical schools, maybe then medical professionals would have more respect and would not look so down upon the pharmacy field.

 

[88888888]

my school requires orgo I before taking bio I

 

[Passion4Sci]

my school requires orgo I before taking bio I

Wow, Cal is really weird.

Gen Chem I can maybe understand (Understanding Hemoglobin / Carbonic Acid and the Sodium - Potassium pump theories would be easier w/ Gen Chem) but... Organic??

 

[phathead]

Not true.... I know some people who were interviewed AND accepted from my school recently with no degrees... no associates, just pre reqs and their stats weren't all that "great" per say

That is VERY atypical. Most of the major schools in this country will be moving to a degree requirement within a handful of years. The thing to remember is that people who are just starting their pre-pharm courses need to be aware of it so they are not caught off guard.

Out of the 19 stores I've worked in, with 60+ pharmacists, 100+ techs and 40+ interns I have met precisely one person who was accepted after two years within the last 6 years.

 

[delano2000]

It absolutely matters.

Take my wife for example. She hates chemistry. She is NOT a "science person." She loves English, Philosophy, and argumentation/rhetoric. These thins are absent, by and large, from Chemistry and Biology. You get a little logic/rhetoric in symbolic logic from Geometry and Trig., but that's about the extent.

you should know that "humanities" subjects and "science" subjects not only utilize different portions of a human brain, but also require different conditioning and practice.

I agree wit P4Sci. I hated all the "humanities" classes. I think I mostly have B's in those classes while in the science classes I have all A's except for a B in Ochem lab. So I guess it differs.

 

[Tinkerbell22]

That is VERY atypical. Most of the major schools in this country will be moving to a degree requirement within a handful of years. The thing to remember is that people who are just starting their pre-pharm courses need to be aware of it so they are not caught off guard.

Out of the 19 stores I've worked in, with 60+ pharmacists, 100+ techs and 40+ interns I have met precisely one person who was accepted after two years within the last 6 years.

Yeah I only know one like I said before, and I think they were having a rough time last time I heard... They had a good GPA too... better than my Uni GPA.

 

[orthomyxo]

It's very hard. I sit in my room all day and all night buried in books and assignments. I have no time to eat, I haven't slept in 4 days, and I pee in a bottle just so I don't have to interrupt my study sessions. I have also begun self-injecting with EPO to get more oxygen to my brain, and maximize my chances of getting straight A's. [/sarcasm]

But seriously...it's pretty difficult, but it's very very doable.

 

[phathead]

It's very hard. I sit in my room all day and all night buried in books and assignments. I have no time to eat, I haven't slept in 4 days, and I pee in a bottle just so I don't have to interrupt my study sessions. I have also begun self-injecting with EPO to get more oxygen to my brain, and maximize my chances of getting straight A's. [/sarcasm]

But seriously...it's pretty difficult, but it's very very doable.

Yes, but again, its not possible for some schools.

Some of you who have been doing this for six months or so really need to understand there is a lot of variation out there and just because something works for you, doesn't mean it works for everyone.

My main goal on this board is to dispel all the 'factual' information that is given out here, of which this is an example.

 

[dramaQueen16]

And four years really isn't that bad, considering you are earning a Doctorate degree. I am personally for making a bachelor degree mandatory like for medical schools, maybe then medical professionals would have more respect and would not look so down upon the pharmacy field.

Okay so... would that mean for UBC, considering they offer BSc. in Pharmacy and PharmD that you would need to do the one year pre-req minimum, the BSc. in Pharmacy and THEN the PharmD in order to become a Pharmacist or would you just need to do however many years it takes to do your pre-reqs then just the BSc. in Pharmacy and the PharmD would just be kind of like an upgrade?

Sorry if that's confusing... I was just checking out the information for Undergraduate and Graduate: http://www.pharmacy.ubc.ca/undergraduate_programs/introduction.html

 

[LilMACPrincess]

Often i hear the same question from Freshmen.... honestly, it is very challenging and depending on the person can require a large amount of study time. Its all about time management and there is always time for fun as long as you plan it well enough.

 

[dramaQueen16]

Well good to know that it's still do-able at some schools.

 

[demondeachem]

Capacity in the sciences is certainly helpful in pre-pharmacy coursework, however I don't necessarily agree with the assumption that humanities and sciences are mutually exclusive. Analytical skills and the ability to think "outside of the box" are relevant in Chemistry just as they are in Latin. This is not to say that an English all-star would have no trouble with physics, but the fields do share some common skill sets.

At any rate, one of the more important attributes for success in any field is the willingness and desire to learn for understanding, rather than for memorization and regurgitation.

 

[quimicosoy]

Pre-pharmacy is hard if you think that you are going to have a great time, and complete requirements really fast, and get accepted. You need to be serious about your education, and sacrifice things that you actually don't want to. It is just a matter of decisions and time management.

Unfortunately, I believe people who do not have a "scientific mind", are going to have way harder time in pre-pharmacy and pharmacy school as well.

Usually, a scientific approach is a mechanistic approach, step by step, or sequence of things that a person must be able to imagine it in their brain. This does not happen in other courses.

Then, when you get to pharmacy school, you will have to memorize TONS OF TONS of drugs, and how do you make sense of them? By mechanistic approaches, this drugs goes to here, then changes conformation, and positive feedback, and enters here, exit there, and is secreted by the kidneys thanks to this and that etc...

Otherwise, it would be a bunch of names of drugs really hard to memorize.

So, as I say, it will be way harder, if you don't have the aptitude, or deprive yourself from learning it. good luck 👍

 

[Tinkerbell22]

I don't think pre-pharmacy has to be a sacrifice if 1. The material comes somewhat easier/quickly to you and 2. You have decent time management.

If the material is a little more difficult for you, than of course you will have to spend more time than the average student, but I have seen students very dedicated to going to pharmacy school who pull it off. Honestly... I think most students who survive pre-pharmacy and get accepted might find the material easier just because they were able to make decent grades and still be well rounded in other areas. BUT it's not impossible to do well in the bare minimum pre-reqs without being a total science nerd. Everyone is different.

 

[quimicosoy]

Yes, it is true what Tinkerbell22 says, pre-pharmacy does not have to be a sacrifice, BUT if you make it a sacrifice in your life, or let's put it another way, you make it YOUR top priority in life, there is only one thing for sure that you are going to accomplished.

100% SUCCESS. Isn't that the whole idea?

I wish I had set my mind from the beginning so I could have gotten better grades. I did not have it as my 100% priority, it was 90%. Still, it makes the difference. As another user said, you are competing against people from everywhere, so in reality is not going to be a breeze.

Plus, the whole idea is to prepare yourself for what you will be facing in a few years which is hard core.

For instance, my girlfriend is a top nursing student, she gets good money (15 K) in scholarships. 4.0 gpa, honors...bla, bla... And she had to take this class Pharmacology for nursing. She told me. This is HELL!!!why? because she has not taken those science classes that one has to seriously consider. She has taken like 4 phys and ana classes. I saw in that book lot of Biochem, acid and bases, organic chem, concepts. And it is only nurse approach. Imagine a pharmacist approach?

So, just take prepharmacy courses as serious as you can, and it will pay off for sure. You will do great in pcat, gpa, and strong foundation for pharmacy school.

 

[twinspharm]

The difficulty really depeneds on the student. One student may find it difficult and one may find it easy.,

For example I study fair amount for my pre-pharmacy career. I could probably study a lot lot less and still get A's, but I'm really determined to accepted to pharmacy school

On the other hand, my sister said she rarely, if ever studied for classes and she's currently a pharmacy student.
Her GPA was above a 3.9

Its all based on the student.

 

[nicolemsm]

I don't think pre-pharmacy has to be a sacrifice if 1. The material comes somewhat easier/quickly to you and 2. You have decent time management.

If the material is a little more difficult for you, than of course you will have to spend more time than the average student, but I have seen students very dedicated to going to pharmacy school who pull it off. Honestly... I think most students who survive pre-pharmacy and get accepted might find the material easier just because they were able to make decent grades and still be well rounded in other areas. BUT it's not impossible to do well in the bare minimum pre-reqs without being a total science nerd. Everyone is different.

VERY TRUE.

You said it so eloquently.👍

You need to be serious about your education, and sacrifice things that you actually don't want to. It is just a matter of decisions and time management.

👍

I completely agree with you both.
😎

 

[namtd07]

Don't forget. Pre-Pharmacy courses depend on how professors/instructors teach.

Each class is different. A Professor could be a powerpoint person or just a lecture with drawings on the projector. Or a professor could just lecture all day without any visual aid. I wouldn't say all courses are hard. It just depend on the professor's teaching style so I wouldn't worry about the difficulty of the courses, just as long as you pay attention in class and ask questions.

 

[rxlea]

It's very hard. I sit in my room all day and all night buried in books and assignments. I have no time to eat, I haven't slept in 4 days, and I pee in a bottle just so I don't have to interrupt my study sessions. I have also begun self-injecting with EPO to get more oxygen to my brain, and maximize my chances of getting straight A's. [/sarcasm]

But seriously...it's pretty difficult, but it's very very doable.

🤣🤣🤣

 

[ShadowRX]

I don't think that all Pre-Pharmacy requirements are that big a deal, in my book.

I'm saying that with respect to how the majority of those classes are core classes for graduating with almost any degree from any university. So, you;re going to have to do well, either if you're wanting to head to pharmacy school or not. Sure, pre-req's might vary from university to university, but for the most part, there's not a whole lot of difference in being a member of the pre-pharmacy concentration or being a non-science degree-seeker.

I disliked the feeling of treating undergrad like high school all over again (with the exception of Organic, of course). Texas universities are not very good. I'll count my lucky stars I will have a degree and get the hell out of UH soon.

 

[breambuster]

Can anyone give me some insight on how hard famu's pharm schooling is i've been thinking that, that's what id be good at and what i would like to do for a living instead of being a law enforcement officer ...there's just not enough money in it for the stress! Thanks for the help and if you can recommend any books please do so!