How much chemistry is involved in pharmacy school?

[deleted423669]

For pharmacy students, how much chemistry is involved in pharmacy school? I am a Biology major, so chemistry is not my strongest subject. I have checked out curriculums for different schools, but I just want to know from the viewpoint of a student. Is it like general chemistry or organic chemistry? If chemistry is not my strongest subject, should I consider another career?

For pharmacists, how much chemistry is actually involved in your day to day career. I am considering hospital/clinical pharmacy.

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[Lubeckd]

chem 2 acid and base, buffers. Ochem functional groups, amino acids, r and s groups, stereo chemistry so far. Also some basic chem 1 dimensional analysis in p1 so far. Yup, it all comes back. Some stuff about Moles as well.

 

[WhiteCrow]

I had the same question. It has been forever since I had any chemistry in college. I tried doing a practice problem the other day and had no idea how to do it. Do the instructors in pharm school go over the basics again?

 

[dancingallday]

I had the same question. It has been forever since I had any chemistry in college. I tried doing a practice problem the other day and had no idea how to do it. Do the instructors in pharm school go over the basics again?

It depends on the professor. Some will "baby" you more than others when it comes to going over basic stuff, while others will expect you to find a tutor or seek help from a classmate to get yourself to the level of the class. My advice is to pull out your old gen chem notes a couple weeks prior to class starting and go over at least acids/bases, buffers, equilibrium, and chemical kinetics if you can't remember things, as it'll help you stay ahead during the semester if you're not struggling to remember the basics. (If you want to really be ahead, review basic organic chem, since that'll help you with biochem in pharmacy school.)

 

[bw6]

In my experience, lotsa chemistry. Lotsa biochemistry as well. Very little biology. They tend to focus on science subjects more relevant to drugs (biochemistry, physiology, medicinal chemistry) and not biology.

Not be quite honest, biology is not nearly as relevant to pharmacy as chemistry. I would have to say that biochemistry and physiology will prepare you the best for pharmacy school.

 

[xtsukiyox]

I concur with the chemistry topics mentioned above. Acid/base has been huge, pH & pKa, but functional groups & understanding o chem is important too. (Even if it's not directly applicable, it has helped me follow where my biochem prof was going with her points sometimes.) Rate equations made an appearance in Pharmaceutics. I haven't had Med Chem yet.

However, I have made one sweeping & overly generalized observation. Biology folks are very good at grasping systems and processes (and memorizing whatever other random facts are thrown at them). This can be very helpful. If you are good in A&P, don't underestimate that gift.

What part of chemistry is the worst? If it's the math - you'll be doing targeted and applicable math (read "story problems"), but I have yet to use Avogadro's Number or anything more complicated than the inverse log button on my calculator. If it's the generality of gen chem - you will be doing only stuff applicable to pharmacy, which is a great help. I didn't enjoy gen chem either. You may have to practice a particular type of problem more than some of your classmates, but that's okay, everyone has their strengths.

 

[Billy Madison]

A **** ton. Metrically speaking


"Back to school, back to school... To prove to dad I'm not a fool. Got my backpack on, my shoes tied tight, hope I don't get in a fight."

 

[MrsAppleseed]

chem 2 acid and base, buffers. Ochem functional groups, amino acids, r and s groups, stereo chemistry so far. Also some basic chem 1 dimensional analysis in p1 so far. Yup, it all comes back. Some stuff about Moles as well.

This is a pretty good summary.
Chemistry wasn't exactly my shining star either (read: terrible), but it hasn't been anywhere as bad as I thought. Functional groups in terms of chemistry, and as a whole, biochemistry is what it's all about as someone else said.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Henderson Hasselbalch, and Bronsted-Lowry acid-base theory. Everything else is SAR that you'll learn on the spot.

 

[wongj1992]

In my experience, lotsa chemistry. Lotsa biochemistry as well. Very little biology. They tend to focus on science subjects more relevant to drugs (biochemistry, physiology, medicinal chemistry) and not biology.

Not be quite honest, biology is not nearly as relevant to pharmacy as chemistry. I would have to say that biochemistry and physiology will prepare you the best for pharmacy school.

I did fairly well in biochemistry but I was horrible at the enzyme kinetics stuff (Km).. how much of that is used in pharmacy?

 

[Corpseman]

I did fairly well in biochemistry but I was horrible at the enzyme kinetics stuff (Km).. how much of that is used in pharmacy?

Quite a bit so far for me.

 

[bw6]

I did fairly well in biochemistry but I was horrible at the enzyme kinetics stuff (Km).. how much of that is used in pharmacy?

Funny you should bring up enzyme kinetics, just had an exam on that last week.

Enzyme inhibition is how a good number (more than half I believe) of drugs work, therefore the kinetics of enzyme catalysis and inhibition are very important. I have seen it quite a few times already and expect that this type of kinetics and on into pharmacokinetics will be a recurring theme at my school.

 

[Pharmgrlnxdor]

P1 year = 2 semesters of fast paced biochemistry
P2 year= 4 classes, 2 classes per semester of medicinal chemistry
P3 year= 4 classes, 2 classes per semester of medicinal chemistry

right now we are having a medicinal chemistry lecture nearly every third day of classes...it is hell

 

[The Recoverer]

I took a lot of biochem as an undergrad. They said many pharmacy schools value a good foundation in biochem. maybe O chem too

 

[ulam]

For pharmacy students, how much chemistry is involved in pharmacy school? I am a Biology major, so chemistry is not my strongest subject. I have checked out curriculums for different schools, but I just want to know from the viewpoint of a student. Is it like general chemistry or organic chemistry? If chemistry is not my strongest subject, should I consider another career?

For pharmacists, how much chemistry is actually involved in your day to day career. I am considering hospital/clinical pharmacy.

Don't go to pharmacy school if you don't understand and like Chemistry...

It is the basis of Pharmacy.

 

[owlegrad]

Don't go to pharmacy school if you don't understand and like Chemistry...

It is the basis of Pharmacy.

Oh?

 

[joetrisman]

Oh?

I know right.