Pre-Pharmacy Route Help

[IndieMed]

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I've changed my mind a million times on what I wanted to do. For the longest time, maybe 6 years it was medical school, then I realized how freaking competitive it is and how good you need to be. Then I lowered myself to a PA and now I'm pretty sure I'm set on Pharmacy (I always loved chem which is a help). The science classes I've taken so far are listed below with my grades.

Gen Chem 1: A-
Gen Chem 2 Honors: A
Orgo 1 Summer Class (worst decision ever): C
Orgo 1 Retake: A-
Bio 1: C+
Bio 2: C+
Orgo 2 (worst professor in history): D
Neuroscience: D+
Calculus: B+


Classes I still need to take:

Anatomy and Physiology 1 (Will take in the summer)

Anatomy and Physiology 2
Gen Physics 1
Microbiology
Organic 2 (retake)

Of the last 4 listed above, I will take 2 in fall and 2 in the spring. Which 2 and 2 should I pair?

Before starting this semester my goal was to become a PA so I decided to take Genetics and Cell Biology. I’ve never been so miserable in my life. I really can’t stand either of these classes. I never liked biology. The first exam avg for genetics was 56 and only goes downhill from there. Since I decided to change my mind to Pharmacy, I no longer need these 2 classes at ALL. They would’ve satisfied requirements for my Neuroscience Bachelors which I am no longer getting because I only recently found out most Pharmacy schools don’t require a BA/BS. I’m in a dilemma. I am definitely dropping Cell Biology because otherwise I’d probably get a D in the course. Now for genetics, its either I drop it and loose $2400 for both classes together or keep it and get maybe a C+/B- . This entire semester has been a waste after changing my mind to Pharmacy and last semester as well since I’ve chosen to not take 4 extra classes to get a Bachelors I don’t even need. If I drop both, I will have now until July 1st to STUDY for A&P 1- 3 months of studying before the class even starts.

If you’re wondering what will make me stand out to Admissions since I won’t be getting a Bachelors, I’ve done an internship (chemistry) at Brookhaven National Laboratory last summer and will again this summer. Doing research since January 2016. I’ve also been a dispatcher for an EMS organization for 2 years in September and will probably continue that until I start Pharmacy school. I’m thinking of getting my Phlebotomy certification in the summer (after A&P 1) and work for a year (we all need $). Is this something I should do (it’s a 1 month course)?

All in all I feel like I’ve wasted a lot of time and quite frankly I’m disappointed in myself and need to hear from other people what you think I should do/shouldn’t and do I have a chance at getting into Pharmacy School. My age is 20, will be 21 in 3 months.

Thanks alot..

 

[AsuPharm]

There are still plenty of PA schools you could get into, you're young kid chill out. Have you looked into this field at all and what the statistics are about future job potential? Wasting your time would be going into this field, especially considering the HRSA is predicting about 50,000 pharmacists will be unemployed about the time you would graduate.

 

[beautifulrobot]

Liking chemistry isn't a good reason to pursue pharmacy. If you really like medicine and the work that an MD or a PA does, I think you will end up being disappointed with pharmacy. They are very different professions.

Also, in terms of your ECs, although you don't really need ECs to get into pharmacy school (it helps, but isn't a requirement like med school), you would get more bang for your buck if you had pharmacy related ECs - volunteering in a pharmacy, getting a pharm tech job, etc. EMS and phlebotomy related ECs would make me question whether you really know what you're getting into with pharmacy.

 

[xothinkpink]

I got into a top 10 pharmacy school with an Associates degree...so no a bachelors isn't necessary. I'll also be 21 in a couple of months so I think we're in a similar boat.

Since you don't like biology I would spread out your remaining biology courses. So take A&P 2 and Organic 2 together in the Fall. Take Micro and Gen Physics 1 in the spring.

Don't give up...but make sure pharmacy is actually what you want to do.

 

[IndieMed]

There are still plenty of PA schools you could get into, you're young kid chill out. Have you looked into this field at all and what the statistics are about future job potential? Wasting your time would be going into this field, especially considering the HRSA is predicting about 50,000 pharmacists will be unemployed about the time you would graduate.

Not sure where you got that information from but theres due to be growth. A slight one but still a growth in the future.
Pharmacists : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Also thanks for all the help .

 

[AsuPharm]

Not sure where you got that information from but theres due to be growth. A slight one but still a growth in the future.
Pharmacists : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Also thanks for all the help .

Lets run some numbers: They claim 3% growth in jobs for 10 years between 2014 and 2024. They claim about 300,000 pharmacists are employed as of 2014. So, 3% growth would equate to about 9000 new jobs by 2024, which doesnt sound so bad until you see that about 15,000 are graduating every year. So, while 9000 new jobs will be added over 10 years, there will be 150,000 new graduates in the same time period. Sure some people are going to retire. Below is linked the HRSA study that gives you the projections which I am quoting which doesn't seem too far off once you dig into the statistics. Growth doesn't mean anything unless you factor in everything.

https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bhw/nchwa/projections/pharmacists.pdf

 

[pharm1091281]

I got into a top 10 pharmacy school with an Associates degree...so no a bachelors isn't necessary. I'll also be 21 in a couple of months so I think we're in a similar boat.

Since you don't like biology I would spread out your remaining biology courses. So take A&P 2 and Organic 2 together in the Fall. Take Micro and Gen Physics 1 in the spring.

Don't give up...but make sure pharmacy is actually what you want to do.

May I ask which pharmacy school you got accepted in? I am in the similar boat as you with completing the prereqs and have been working in retail pharmacy for the last 5 years while volunteering in the hospital inpatient pharmacy for 1 year now.