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Pre-Pharmacy Program vs. BS in Chemistry
Started by Patel17
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I think you should transfer to GPC as the pros outweigh the cons. While some pharmacy schools give extra points for a B.S., the majority are only interested in your stats and the fact you have completed all of the required prerequisites.
In hindsight I wish I had decided on Pharmacy school before my third year, but now I figure that I'm getting education for pretty cheap so I might as well finish my B.S. You have plenty of time for this decision though.
First look to see if any of the schools you're interested in require a Bachelors, or if they give preference to such applicants. Another thing to consider is how many additional upper division classes (i.e. Biochem, Cell Bio, etc...) said schools also require, because you'll either need a third year or summer classes to cram those in.
Is this decision entirely financial based? Why not finish your Science/Math pre-reqs at Georgia State, while doing some of the more gen-ed pre-reqs through the community college? Dropping down to community college full-time may be looked at unfavorably, but in the end you should position yourself in the best situation to learn, and have grades to show for it.
First look to see if any of the schools you're interested in require a Bachelors, or if they give preference to such applicants. Another thing to consider is how many additional upper division classes (i.e. Biochem, Cell Bio, etc...) said schools also require, because you'll either need a third year or summer classes to cram those in.
Is this decision entirely financial based? Why not finish your Science/Math pre-reqs at Georgia State, while doing some of the more gen-ed pre-reqs through the community college? Dropping down to community college full-time may be looked at unfavorably, but in the end you should position yourself in the best situation to learn, and have grades to show for it.
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As the number of applicants increase - the overall statistics of those applying increases. A large majority of my peers (final year pharm students) have their BS degree. Even fewer students in the P1/2 yrs matriculated w/o a 4 yr degree.
From my experience, going from a 4yr uni to a CC is acceptable after a BS is conferred (ie you are going back to school after graduating). Transfers prior to receiving a degree raise a red flag.
Granted - this is anecdotal evidence...
+1. If there is any way you can swing it, I would get your degree granted by Georgia. Also my personal opinion.
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MRSA Sucks
To be honest, and this is just me, but I think a PharmD without a Bachelor's is sort of a joke. You basically are a candidate for a doctorate with a high school diploma. 👎
Agreed. I think an undergraduate degree should be required for admission to pharmacy school, and that pharmacists would be better respected if it were. The lack of such a requirement actually dissuaded me from pursuing pharmacy at first.
As for advice for the OP, I think I learned a lot (in class and out of class), and grew up a lot, in my college years. College is more than just a means to and end (pharmacy school admission being the end in this case)--it's a valuable experience in its own right. Whether a Bachelor's increases your chances or not is, to me, mostly inconsequential.
As for advice for the OP, I think I learned a lot (in class and out of class), and grew up a lot, in my college years. College is more than just a means to and end (pharmacy school admission being the end in this case)--it's a valuable experience in its own right. Whether a Bachelor's increases your chances or not is, to me, mostly inconsequential.
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I agree with the above posts, also college is a time to ENJOY. Why rush through life?
I'll tell you that being an undergraduate is totally different then graduate school or any other professional school. As an undergraduate you have lower expectations and more free time.
ENJOY LIFE. You have the rest of your life to work...
On top of that, programs like USC and UCSF hate CC credits, it's a known fact... they limit the maximum number of credits you can have from a CC when applying (I think it is 18?). Correct me if i'm wrong please.
I'll tell you that being an undergraduate is totally different then graduate school or any other professional school. As an undergraduate you have lower expectations and more free time.
ENJOY LIFE. You have the rest of your life to work...
On top of that, programs like USC and UCSF hate CC credits, it's a known fact... they limit the maximum number of credits you can have from a CC when applying (I think it is 18?). Correct me if i'm wrong please.
Neither USC nor UCSF expressly state that they cap the amount of credit you can use from a CC and UCSF does not state, anywhere, that they "discourage" classes from a public college... only USC does, and they state that they encourage students to pursue coursework at a 4 year school. The same holds for UCSD, who seem about on-par with USC's elitism.
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MRSA Sucks
I don't think UCSD's pharmacy program is anywhere remotely close to that of USC. UCSD is a fledgling new program that is in financial struggle. People see UCSD as an elite program because it gets swept up by the strong backdrop in biomedical research, which in many ways has nothing to do with the pharmacy program. On the other hand, USC's school of pharmacy is very well established and is sustained with strong funding.
I see it as elitist due to its small 60-student matriculating class and its small, non-information bearing website (Suggesting it's got a, "If you have to ask, you can't afford it" mentality). That is a mis-attribution on my behalf if they are indeed not elitist.
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MRSA Sucks
Oh, misunderstanding on my part. I thought when you said "elite," that you were referring to the quality of the program rather than their attitudes on admissions. But you are right, they do have a very "elitist" attitude. UCSD always seemed to be a very impersonal type of school. Their initial plan a decade ago was to increase enrollment to 150 a few years ago. Poor funding has precluded that possibility.
Honestly, I think these premed or prepharm or whatever tracks are dumb. Why not pursue a degree and take the prereqs (if you don't wanna bother with dealing with two separate lists, then choose bio or chem, and many of your prereqs will be done). If you decide to apply to pharm school during your undergrad, then great - if you get in, even better, if you don't, at least you'll still be treking towards that BS/BA.
But I do agree, I think it's ridiculous to be able to get a pharmD without a bachelor's. I think a bachelor's should be mandatory..... but that's just me.
Anyway, if you can't handle going to school full time AND finding a few hours to squeeze for volunteer or work experience, you gotta wonder, are you going to be able to handle the workload of pharm school?
But I do agree, I think it's ridiculous to be able to get a pharmD without a bachelor's. I think a bachelor's should be mandatory..... but that's just me.
Anyway, if you can't handle going to school full time AND finding a few hours to squeeze for volunteer or work experience, you gotta wonder, are you going to be able to handle the workload of pharm school?
This gets at the heart of the matter for me, moreso than worrying about whether someone's got a Bachelor's degree or not. Then again, besides a few select schools, attrition doesn't seem to be that big of a problem, and because there are a zillion malpractice/negligence lawsuits going, we can safely assume that people are being trained properly in the programs... Therefore we can conclude things are going along pretty well.
A 4 year degree may never become a concrete pre-requisite but it very well may become a soft one, meaning that the number of applicants without one is so small that not having one makes you stick out in a negative way.
That said, I think there is, and has been, a great deal of degree inflation in the last ~10 years. Does everyone really need a BA/BS? An interesting story I heard over the one Christmas dinner I went to out of deference to my family came from my cousin Katy. She was explaining how, at her office that she's worked at for 13 years now, she's being blocked from advancement/promotion/raises until she gets a (basically useless for her) Bachelor's degree, just because the newer applicants have them. By her own admission, she sits in one place mostly all day, answering phones, typing e-mails, doing accounts payable, etc... hardly work which requires a BA/BS and which was done for decades with just a high school diploma, in both her opinion and mine.
But hey, what do I know.
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Ah, yeah, simple mis-communication in the word usage.
It's surprising to me that Skaggs has poor funding!
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MRSA Sucks
Haha, I believe he just paid for the building.
No, I mean, Skaggs, the name of the school. Not the man himself.
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MRSA Sucks
My bad. This is a good article:
http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080915/news_1m15pharmacy.html
If you are applying for schools that don't require a degree, it just depends on what you want to do when you get out of school. This is a difficult question to answer, because it is very subjective and there really isn't a right answer.
If you want to go into any type of research, the BS would probably help, and you could probably look into a joint PharmD/MS or PharmD/PhD type of thing. If you just want to be a normal practitioner, staff pharmacist, or whatever then you probably don't need the BS.
My advice: apply and see what happens. If you maintain a high GPA and get pharmacy experience, and get a good PCAT score, schools won't care where you got your pre-reqs from. If you go to a CC you will need a high PCAT score, I will tell you that much. If you don't get in your first try, get the BS. Having that BS gives you a lot more flexibility and security if you are having trouble getting into pharmacy school.
Good luck!
If you want to go into any type of research, the BS would probably help, and you could probably look into a joint PharmD/MS or PharmD/PhD type of thing. If you just want to be a normal practitioner, staff pharmacist, or whatever then you probably don't need the BS.
My advice: apply and see what happens. If you maintain a high GPA and get pharmacy experience, and get a good PCAT score, schools won't care where you got your pre-reqs from. If you go to a CC you will need a high PCAT score, I will tell you that much. If you don't get in your first try, get the BS. Having that BS gives you a lot more flexibility and security if you are having trouble getting into pharmacy school.
Good luck!
In general, yes. If I were you, I might consider having the surgery, then finishing prereqs, especially the tougher ones. That way you'll be into the "swing of things" school-wise...pharmacy school might be less of a shock as far as work load.
