Pharm. D for international students?

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I did my B.S in UW Madison (my major was Computer Engineering)
My overall GPA is around 3.2.
I had some health problems from my 4th semester till 6th semester or so. My grades suffered a little bit in that time. In other science courses I have done reasonably well. (A on calculus, and other math classes , AB and B in calculus based physics, B and AB in gen chem sequence, my major classes are mostly Bs).

After I have been exposed to phamacy envrionment, I have decided to pursue pharmacy and came back to U.S to take org chem and biology.

I have found out that a lot of pharmacy schools prefer in-state and domestic students to international students.

Is it significantly much difficult for internationals to get in than domestic students? I think it's a bit ironic given how U.S has become much more diverse and will require pharmacists and doctors with cultural diversity.

 

[intellimouse]

You should apply to University of Hawaii-Hilo for pharmacy school. It is a very diverse school. Hawaii is very diverse and the curriculum deals with diversity in pharmaceutical care. I am attending here my first year of pharmacy school and there are a number of international students in my class.

 

[CHARMO]

You should apply to University of Hawaii-Hilo for pharmacy school. It is a very diverse school. Hawaii is very diverse and the curriculum deals with diversity in pharmaceutical care. I am attending here my first year of pharmacy school and there are a number of international students in my class.

Just wondering how you are getting along at University of HAWAII's pharmacy program. Given that it's new, is it up to expectation?? Please share you views so far on stuff like how u r finding the classes, professors, living conditions, other students etc. Thanks. You can PM me if u wish

 

[sdn1977]

I did my B.S in UW Madison (my major was Computer Engineering)
My overall GPA is around 3.2.
I had some health problems from my 4th semester till 6th semester or so. My grades suffered a little bit in that time. In other science courses I have done reasonably well. (A on calculus, and other math classes , AB and B in calculus based physics, B and AB in gen chem sequence, my major classes are mostly Bs).

After I have been exposed to phamacy envrionment, I have decided to pursue pharmacy and came back to U.S to take org chem and biology.

I have found out that a lot of pharmacy schools prefer in-state and domestic students to international students.

Is it significantly much difficult for internationals to get in than domestic students? I think it's a bit ironic given how U.S has become much more diverse and will require pharmacists and doctors with cultural diversity.

What you're experiencing, I think, is the saturation of how many qualified candidates there are.

Although you are an international student, depending on your home country, many schools have students who are first or second generation from your country, but are citizens - so that provides the diversity while still allowing the students whose families have provided support (whether it is via taxes or private contribution to the private schools) the diversity they need.

Indeed, the US is extremely diverse, particularly in my state - CA. Thats why those students who are an underrepresented minority, but are actually citizens of my state, can have a good chance of being accepted if they word their personal statement well.

However, it is of note that not all ethinicities are underrepresented in all states. For example, for UCSF, being of chinese or vietnamese background is not necessarily considered a minority because of the demographics of the bay area. That may not be true, however, in other states or in private schools.

But - as an international student, my advice is to present yourself in the very best light possible. Particularly in your personal statement, you'd want to highlight your desire (if it is indeed a desire) to use what you have learned to go back to your home country or expand your experience & knowledge to those countries which perhaps are less advanced than we are medically. That mindset & presentation would particularly appeal to a school like UCSF given their concept of world health.

Good luck, welcome & I hope you find what you're looking for!

 

[mklibra]

However, it is of note that not all ethinicities are underrepresented in all states. For example, for UCSF, being of chinese or vietnamese background is not necessarily considered a minority because of the demographics of the bay area. That may not be true, however, in other states or in private schools.

But - as an international student, my advice is to present yourself in the very best light possible. Particularly in your personal statement, you'd want to highlight your desire (if it is indeed a desire) to use what you have learned to go back to your home country or expand your experience & knowledge to those countries which perhaps are less advanced than we are medically. That mindset & presentation would particularly appeal to a school like UCSF given their concept of world health.

Good luck, welcome & I hope you find what you're looking for!

I happen to be an undergrad student studying at UCI, although I am undeclared, I am looking into doing BME, or chemical engineering, whichever that will help me fulfill my pharmacy requirements easier...
However, one thing that bothers me is that, I heard the quota for med school is 86 international out of 30,000 US citizens... which makes me worry about pharmacy.
What are some statistics out there for international pharmacy admissions in the US?
How do I increase my chances? eg. sign a contract with a pharmaceutical company...?
I don't want to waste my 4 years at UCI paying extremely expensive tuition and not get anything out of it. I'm so worried :'(

 

[whitecross]

I did my B.S in UW Madison (my major was Computer Engineering)
My overall GPA is around 3.2.
I had some health problems from my 4th semester till 6th semester or so. My grades suffered a little bit in that time. In other science courses I have done reasonably well. (A on calculus, and other math classes , AB and B in calculus based physics, B and AB in gen chem sequence, my major classes are mostly Bs).

After I have been exposed to phamacy envrionment, I have decided to pursue pharmacy and came back to U.S to take org chem and biology.

I have found out that a lot of pharmacy schools prefer in-state and domestic students to international students.

Is it significantly much difficult for internationals to get in than domestic students? I think it's a bit ironic given how U.S has become much more diverse and will require pharmacists and doctors with cultural diversity.

Go back to school - Engineering - Make $60,000 when you graduate.

 

[cdpiano27]

Ideas:

For both of you the field of choice is to get a PhD in biostatistics. Half of my students are from China in my class.

Trust me, I am doing it at North Carolina State, which actually also has a good enginenering program, EE at #28, ChemE at about #23. And statistics is a good applied program, and places less emphasis on the theory than at UW-Madison. I think Madison has the best biostats/stats program in the country but IS EXTREMELY difficult with less than half passing the qualifier, and your fellow students are from Peking University math department.

However, you can apply to programs at NC State, UC Riverside, UC Davis, UCLA, Columbia, etc.


Salary after PhD in biostat in pharm company ~ 90-95K which is only slightly less than pharmacist, but with no loan debt.

But it may even be the same. THe grad schools give you tuition waiver and stipend, so you have no student debt, unlike a pharmacist makingn 106K a year but with at least $60,000 debt at the least, if they went to a state school, or as much as $120-160K in debt, if a private school.

For the person at UCI - become a math major - biology/biochemistry minor undergrad, and apply to biostat Grad school.

To the person at UW-Madison, start applying to many grad schools' statistics programs and apply to NC State and Virginia Tech (they are more applied). Ii can also advise you how many / what schools to apply to if you give me private message.

Biostat people are hired in pharmaceutical companies (think Eli Lilly, Merck, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, etc.)

 

[freezedry]

As an international student myself, I understand your concern. It is true that some (or many) public schools will prefer in-state students; not just international students but other out-of-state students have smaller chance than in-state students. Some schools will not accept any international students; You can go to pharmCAS' website (http://www.pharmcas.org/collegesschools/AAGResidencynonUST.htm) to see which schools do accept international students and which don't. Overall, I would say while it is possible for international student to attend pharmacy school here, it would be more difficult than people who have citizenship or permanent residancy. I suggest looking for private schools to apply, since they do not care for in-state or out of state... The tuition is going to be about the same whether you go to public or private school anyways. Good luck!

 

[cdpiano27]

Also, how does an international student pay for tuition if they cannot take out the Stafford/Perkins loans that a permanent resident / US citizen could take out. Is it all private loans?