Pharm School Pre-Reqs Confusion! Bio Labs!

[emkwong]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I was looking at pre-requisites for pharmacy schools in California and noticed that they require 3 biology labs. The problem is that I am a Chemistry major and to take those labs we would also have to enroll in the lecture co-requisites for those labs also.

University of Pacific listed specific labs (cell bio lab, molecular bio, physiology lab) and those labs needs the lectures as co-reqs or pre-reqs as well!

So my question is, can I take any bio lab to fulfill pharmacy school pre-reqs or do I have to take specific bio labs AND the lectures for those labs? I'm so confused because I am a Chemistry major and I don't want to take extra biology lectures that aren't pre-reqs for pharmacy school.

 

[klj5269]

I was looking at pre-requisites for pharmacy schools in California and noticed that they require 3 biology labs. The problem is that I am a Chemistry major and to take those labs we would also have to enroll in the lecture co-requisites for those labs also.

University of Pacific listed specific labs (cell bio lab, molecular bio, physiology lab) and those labs needs the lectures as co-reqs or pre-reqs as well!

So my question is, can I take any bio lab to fulfill pharmacy school pre-reqs or do I have to take specific bio labs AND the lectures for those labs? I'm so confused because I am a Chemistry major and I don't want to take extra biology lectures that aren't pre-reqs for pharmacy school.

I can see the third lab being an anatomy and physiology lab or microbiology lab, and some schools may require you to have those lectures also, so it wouldn't be a waste or your time. Contact the admissions departments of the schools you are interested in to see if they require any of those things. But then again, if you don't want to take a bunch of biology, I would not suggest going to health professional school...

 

[emkwong]

Well like I said, I am a Chemistry major and we don't have to take biology to get a B.S. degree. So I've already taken an extra 5 biology classes. It's just confusing to me because it seems like the pre-requisites are more tailored towards biology majors.

 

[xtsukiyox]

I'm looking at the UoP website here:

General Biology - Two semesters or 3 quarters with labs in each term. Should be a course sequence designed for biology majors. (Pacific does not accept AP for this requirement.) *Please check the articulation agreeement with your school to determine if your sequence meets our requirement. Students who have not enrolled in two semesters/three quarters of biology within the last seven years are required to enroll in two semesters of biology with labs as a refresher in this area. (Genetics, Microbiology, Cell Biology, Physiology, and Anatomy are acceptable for refresher courses as long as the general biology requirement has been completed.)

The term "biology with labs" means lecture with lab (there are some anatomy lectures that don't come with a lab). Have you taken 2 semesters of general biology with labs in the last 7 years? The specific courses you listed in your original post are "acceptable as refreshers," in case your general bio prereqs are too old.

 

[wanttobepharm]

Well like I said, I am a Chemistry major and we don't have to take biology to get a B.S. degree. So I've already taken an extra 5 biology classes. It's just confusing to me because it seems like the pre-requisites are more tailored towards biology majors.

What school do you go to? I went to UCI and to my knowleage it is actually possible for chemistry majors to take bio labs through approval of bio department counselors.

If your school has a strict restriction, i am sure the counselors office will help you out as long as you prepare early and contact them way ahead of time.

 

[xtsukiyox]

It's just confusing to me because it seems like the pre-requisites are more tailored towards biology majors.

Actually, from looking at the UoP website I quoted above, it sure looks like all they need is 2 semesters general biology & 1 semester micro (lab optional). It's 4 semesters of chemistry (between gen chem & o chem).

I was really surprised A&P isn't required at all, so I am probably reading this darn thing wrong.

 

[klj5269]

Well like I said, I am a Chemistry major and we don't have to take biology to get a B.S. degree. So I've already taken an extra 5 biology classes. It's just confusing to me because it seems like the pre-requisites are more tailored towards biology majors.

I don't know why you are calling them extra... they are necessary for you to understand upper level and doctoral level classes. If you don't take things like physio and anatomy as prereqs, you will have to take them eventually in pharmacy school. Its not that it is tailored to biology majors, its that pharmacists study how drugs work in PEOPLE, who are biological organisms, not about just the drugs.

 

[xtsukiyox]

I don't know why you are calling them extra... they are necessary for you to understand upper level and doctoral level classes. If you don't take things like physio and anatomy as prereqs, you will have to take them eventually in pharmacy school.

I'm confused as to which "extra" classes in particular the OP has taken. There aren't many needed for UoP - certainly not 5 without labs.

 

[albertwon]

I have graduated from UCI with Sociology degree in 2006.
Most schools do require biology with lab. I've talked with admissions of couple of the pharmacy schools. They told me to retake biology lab component or retake the general biology course and lab. Very few schools will accept classes such as anatomy, physiology, and microbiology as part of the biology with lab requirement.

 

[Digsbe]

Well like I said, I am a Chemistry major and we don't have to take biology to get a B.S. degree. So I've already taken an extra 5 biology classes. It's just confusing to me because it seems like the pre-requisites are more tailored towards biology majors.

I'm a molecular biology major and nearly all the pre-reqs were requirements for my degree as well (I have a minor in chemistry). Much of what you will learn in pharmacy school is biology oriented. You'll learn physiology, immunology/virology, microbiology, much about disease states and other biological/clinical applications. Of course there is chemistry as well, but having a good foundation in biology is also essential to succeed in pharmacy school.