Ohio State vs UIC for a PharmD/PhD

[wint]

I've been looking into their programs. I'm planning to get on the dual-degree track as soon as possible. Trying to figure out which school would be better for my needs.

Can anyone provide me with some insights or inside perspectives?

They both seem equally promising as far as education and research go. I'm slightly leaning towards Chicago, only because I'm wary of having to spend the next 7-9 years in Columbus OH.

Points in favor of UIC:
Chicago is not Columbus.
Their graduate program has 2x the faculty, the graduate students, and the NIH grants compared to Ohio. (Not sure if this is necessary a good thing.)

Points in favor of Ohio State
Ohio State seemed friendlier, admin seemed more competent and seemed to care more about the students.
Faculty seemed more approchable which could make finding research/advisors easier.
PharmD is awarded when it is completed. UIC waits until both PharmD and PhD are complete before granting both. This could be a deal breaker but UIC also offers some degree of tuition assistance towards the PharmD program so the policy seems more fair that way (There is some disagreement regarding the feasibility of obtaining this tuition assistance).

My impression is that Ohio State would be the better place to get a PharmD, while Chicago would be the better place to get the PhD. No idea of that accuracy though.

Thanks, much appreciated!

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[NickW9682]

obvious statement...PhD = 50k PharmD = 100k

 

[Rouelle]

I have a PhD and am working on a PharmD. I am not in a combined program (two different schools with a time gap in between), so my experiences may not apply as directly as some to your particular situation. However, my opinion is that if you are definitely going to commit to a dual degree, let the PhD part determine where you go. While the "prestige" of a PharmD program does not matter much, prestige does matter a bit for a PhD. Also, the PharmD is going to be pretty much set in stone (you pass classes X, Y, and Z and you are done in 4 years), the PhD is extremely variable. You are at the mercy of a research advisor, the quality of your research projects, and a lot of luck. My advice is to feel out as much as possible the faculty you may be interested in having as your research mentor. Talk to their grad students, grad students from other research groups, and the faculty themselves. Try to get a feel for how long their grad students take to graduate, where they go upon graduation, their work schedule, etc. After you get a feel for both places, then make your decision.

 

[genesis09]

UIC and OSU's PharmD programs are both well regarded. They are about equal in prestige.

A major issue is what you want to get the major in and what you want to do afterwards. There are pharmaceutical companies in the Chicago area, and some have employees which are involved at UIC.

My understanding is that during the PhD portion, you can be a GA/TA and that can help with your tuition. Most of the faculty are approachable and helpful.