PreReqs and Masters

[wannabeapharm]

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I have thought about a plan which would give me an alternative if I dont get into any Pharm school..My pre reqs will begin this summer in June and some of those classes will be online and I thought about in addition to my pre reqs (which are about 6 or 7), I will take some Master level classes such as an MS in Management I have thought about this b/c my job would pay for it BUT the degree I seek must be in relation to my job and Management would be in relation to it...Didn't know any other way around this ..Any ideas are welcomed


Do you guys and gals think this is smart or should I just focus on the pre reqs...FYI I need Chemistry I,II, Org Chem I,II, Calculus,Physics I,II and maybe Speech depending on the school

Also are there any people out there who have Master degrees such as those in Management or MBA who have gone into Pharmacy

Thanks a bunch!

 

[dgroulx]

Do you guys and gals think this is smart or should I just focus on the pre reqs...FYI I need Chemistry I,II, Org Chem I,II, Calculus,Physics I,II and maybe Speech depending on the school

Also are there any people out there who have Master degrees such as those in Management or MBA who have gone into Pharmacy

Thanks a bunch!

I would focus on your prereq courses the first year. Since you don't need too many, take Chem I, Physics I & Calc in semester 1 followed by Chem II, Physics II & speech in semester 2. This leaves just organic for the following year. At that time, you could go ahead and add in Masters courses.

 

[gablet]

Will they pay for an entire semester if you only take one class towards your masters and the rest pre recs that are not required by your masters?

If they will pay for all of it, then I would think that you need to take at least one class towards the masters. Don't take anymore than necessary, you don't want to screw up your chances for getting into pharmacy school (with Bs or Cs) just to get it all paid for.

 

[jammocah]

I don't think a Masters in Management will help out more than doing well in your pre-reqs. Getting A's in your pre-req classes should be #1 priority. Then get the Masters if you have the extra time.

I have a Masters of Science in Management (job paid for it also) and will be entering pharm school this fall. There were a couple of concentrations like International Relations, Human Resource Mngmt, or Leadership but I chose a concentration in Healthcare so I can at least have it relate to pharmacy to my ultimate goal of becoming a pharmacist.

One good thing about Management though is that it can practically relate to anything because you will always have to manage either people, time, or resources so you can pull in what you learn to make you become a better manager at whatever field you pursue.

 

[wannabeapharm]

I don't think a Masters in Management will help out more than doing well in your pre-reqs. Getting A's in your pre-req classes should be #1 priority. Then get the Masters if you have the extra time.

I have a Masters of Science in Management (job paid for it also) and will be entering pharm school this fall. There were a couple of concentrations like International Relations, Human Resource Mngmt, or Leadership but I chose a concentration in Healthcare so I can at least have it relate to pharmacy to my ultimate goal of becoming a pharmacist.

One good thing about Management though is that it can practically relate to anything because you will always have to manage either people, time, or resources so you can pull in what you learn to make you become a better manager at whatever field you pursue.

You have the HealthCare concenntration? I was exactly thinking about that concentration. I have a BBA in Info Systems & management and IT job market is terrible. So I had considered taking the Masters in Management b/c job will pay for it and during that time, take some pre reqs related to Pharmacy and I WAS HOPING that way I would get reimbursed for that..

So did you get into Pharmacy school? What school you did your Masters in? My gpa when I graduated sucks and I need everything possible to get in to school with an undergrad of 2.71

 

[jammocah]

You have the HealthCare concenntration? I was exactly thinking about that concentration. I have a BBA in Info Systems & management and IT job market is terrible. So I had considered taking the Masters in Management b/c job will pay for it and during that time, take some pre reqs related to Pharmacy and I WAS HOPING that way I would get reimbursed for that..

So did you get into Pharmacy school? What school you did your Masters in? My gpa when I graduated sucks and I need everything possible to get in to school with an undergrad of 2.71

I worked in Computer networking for 2 years and then GPS Satellite Contracts for another two (for the US Air Force). The military paid for the masters (though I could've gotten it in anything). But I knew I wanted to go back into the healthcare field so I planned on getting something related to healthcare at least knowing I didnt get a Masters "just for the heck of it." I got into USC and will start this fall.

How is your science GPA? Since my masters was in a non-science, none of it contributed to my science GPA except for 1 financial class so I dont think a masters in management will help your GPA that much. Even if you got a 4.0 it would all contribute to your non-science gpa.

Are you getting the Masters only so you can have your job pay for your pharm pre-req classes? Are you sure you can get away with it?

What school would you go to? Can you take both Masters classes and Pre-req classes at the same school? How will they disburse the money to pay for classes? At least for the military, they paid the school directly and if they did that, it wouldnt make sense if they paid two different schools. Plus they had someone check my grades after each disbursement to make sure I'm not flunking so it would look suspicious if I was taking Organic Chemistry when my degree is supposed to be in Management.

The pharm pre-reqs you listed that you had to take are probably not offered online and most have labs. If you're going to be working full-time and taking those classes at night... AND you're thinking of adding a Master's program... wouldn't it take you twice as long to actually finish everything before you would be able to apply to pharm schooL? I'd rather finish off the pre-reqs as soon as I can so that I can apply as soon as I can. Unless you never planned on finishing the Masters but then that might look bad to adcoms too...

 

[wannabeapharm]

I worked in Computer networking for 2 years and then GPS Satellite Contracts for another two (for the US Air Force). The military paid for the masters (though I could've gotten it in anything). But I knew I wanted to go back into the healthcare field so I planned on getting something related to healthcare at least knowing I didnt get a Masters "just for the heck of it." I got into USC and will start this fall.

How is your science GPA? Since my masters was in a non-science, none of it contributed to my science GPA except for 1 financial class so I dont think a masters in management will help your GPA that much. Even if you got a 4.0 it would all contribute to your non-science gpa.

Are you getting the Masters only so you can have your job pay for your pharm pre-req classes? Are you sure you can get away with it?

What school would you go to? Can you take both Masters classes and Pre-req classes at the same school? How will they disburse the money to pay for classes? At least for the military, they paid the school directly and if they did that, it wouldnt make sense if they paid two different schools. Plus they had someone check my grades after each disbursement to make sure I'm not flunking so it would look suspicious if I was taking Organic Chemistry when my degree is supposed to be in Management.

The pharm pre-reqs you listed that you had to take are probably not offered online and most have labs. If you're going to be working full-time and taking those classes at night... AND you're thinking of adding a Master's program... wouldn't it take you twice as long to actually finish everything before you would be able to apply to pharm schooL? I'd rather finish off the pre-reqs as soon as I can so that I can apply as soon as I can. Unless you never planned on finishing the Masters but then that might look bad to adcoms too...

Thanks for your advice...I dunno if my plan is a smart one..I was going to take some master and pre req classes at the same time..I may not finish the masters before i go into the Pharmacy program pending I do get into one. I have only take 3 science classes...2 Bio and 1 Geology class. I did not need the Geology class and I didnt realize this b/c I was a freshman in school and didnt know about the dropping feature but I got B's in Bio and "D" in Geology

What masters would u think would be ok? Well I was thinking that a masters in IT or Mgmt would be the only way I could get reimbursed...what you think
I had said that the Masters in Health care could provide me some leverage if I didnt get into a Pharmacy school ..but I didnt knwo what EXACTLY I could do with it

Where did you go your masters degree?

 

[jammocah]

Masters from Troy State Univ

Like I said before, you should find out first if you can actually have your company agree to pay for your pre-req classes. I doubt they would agree to pay for random classes if they don't pertain to your masters degree because it's a waste of their resources.

If yes they will pay - then go ahead with your plan. A masters in anything would be fine. Just make sure you devote more time to getting good grades in your pre-req classes b/c I would think the pre-req classes would hold more weight in your admission to pharm school. You'd probably take longer to finish but I guess you get to save money this way.

If no - then forget the masters and just enroll at a community college to get the pre-req classes done. You'd get to finish faster and apply sooner though it would probably just make a small dent in your pocket.

I suppose you should weigh your options --- time vs. money.

Will you actually be saving that much money?? Can you sacrifice the time spent on your Masters to the time you should be spending on your pre-reqs? Do you have time to volunteer at a pharmacy or do other extra-curricular activities? Is it worth it to wait an extra year until you can apply because you have to take classes for your Masters? Depending on the school, you may have more science classes than those you listed above (i.e. econ, english, biochemistry, microbiology, anatomy, physiology)

 

[wannabeapharm]

Masters from Troy State Univ

Like I said before, you should find out first if you can actually have your company agree to pay for your pre-req classes. I doubt they would agree to pay for random classes if they don't pertain to your masters degree because it's a waste of their resources.

If yes they will pay - then go ahead with your plan. A masters in anything would be fine. Just make sure you devote more time to getting good grades in your pre-req classes b/c I would think the pre-req classes would hold more weight in your admission to pharm school. You'd probably take longer to finish but I guess you get to save money this way.

If no - then forget the masters and just enroll at a community college to get the pre-req classes done. You'd get to finish faster and apply sooner though it would probably just make a small dent in your pocket.

I suppose you should weigh your options --- time vs. money.

Will you actually be saving that much money?? Can you sacrifice the time spent on your Masters to the time you should be spending on your pre-reqs? Do you have time to volunteer at a pharmacy or do other extra-curricular activities? Is it worth it to wait an extra year until you can apply because you have to take classes for your Masters? Depending on the school, you may have more science classes than those you listed above (i.e. econ, english, biochemistry, microbiology, anatomy, physiology)

Troy State Univ was the school I was considering as well. did you attend one of the off sites (not the main campus in Troy,AL)?

So do they oeven offer Chemistry, Physics and all the pre reqs for Pharm School? I didnt know if they did offer them thru the various campus sites or thru their online distant learning courses
Which TSU campus did you attend..So I guess it's best to go with the pre req's. I may not have enough time to get the classes I need before fall 2006. Just curious, did yor gpa increase by taking those classes? I've a 2.71 and didnt know if my gpa could even reach a 3.0 considering its low avg.

 

[drhemi70]

wanna,
I would not worry about the managment class. First of all you have some difficult classes ahead for you. Second it will cost you more money if you can get in to the masters program(do you have to take the GRE). Take the time you would spend studing for the masters class and study for the pcat and work on getting A's in the prereqs. I think this will help you more in the long run.
DR

 

[wannabeapharm]

wanna,
I would not worry about the managment class. First of all you have some difficult classes ahead for you. Second it will cost you more money if you can get in to the masters program(do you have to take the GRE). Take the time you would spend studing for the masters class and study for the pcat and work on getting A's in the prereqs. I think this will help you more in the long run.
DR

Thanks alot for your advice and help. Yes,Ive taken the GRE and can be admitted on my scores.
So which cmapus did you attend? Did you find it hard for those classes at TSU and where they offered often?

Thanks

 

[jammocah]

Thanks alot for your advice and help. Yes,Ive taken the GRE and can be admitted on my scores.
So which cmapus did you attend? Did you find it hard for those classes at TSU and where they offered often?

Thanks

I went to a sister campus that was offered on the military base. The professors came out and taught us either three times a week during the night (6-10pm) or during the weekends (Friday night through to Sunday - your whole entire weekend would be taken up). I wouldnt say it was hard but there was a lot of papers for one and that takes up a lot of time in and of itself and group work.

For the pre-req classes you need, you will not be able to take them online (since most require a lab). Besides, you wouldn't want to. Where are you located? Which campus would you go to?

Assuming you do well in your masters, your Non-Science GPA would increase but not by a lot since the masters program has only 30 or so units versus the 250 units you did in undergrad.

However.... what pharm schools would look at more closely is your SCIENCE GPA. This is where your pre-req classes come in. Since you HAVEN'T taken the majority of them, you're almost working on a clean slate here so you don't want to mess it up.

 

[wannabeapharm]

I went to a sister campus that was offered on the military base. The professors came out and taught us either three times a week during the night (6-10pm) or during the weekends (Friday night through to Sunday - your whole entire weekend would be taken up). I wouldnt say it was hard but there was a lot of papers for one and that takes up a lot of time in and of itself and group work.

For the pre-req classes you need, you will not be able to take them online (since most require a lab). Besides, you wouldn't want to. Where are you located? Which campus would you go to?

Assuming you do well in your masters, your Non-Science GPA would increase but not by a lot since the masters program has only 30 or so units versus the 250 units you did in undergrad.

However.... what pharm schools would look at more closely is your SCIENCE GPA. This is where your pre-req classes come in. Since you HAVEN'T taken the majority of them, you're almost working on a clean slate here so you don't want to mess it up.

yeah only sciences I have taken are Bio I,II and I got b's in both HOWever I took Geology and made a D in it and it wasnt req'd of my major which I didnt know b/c I was new to the college thing

Which pharm school u got into or applied to? The only thing that concerns me is that it is competitive and may take mulitple trys to get into one which means that I will be near or over 30 before I even start a career

 

[jammocah]

Which pharm school u got into or applied to? The only thing that concerns me is that it is competitive and may take mulitple trys to get into one which means that I will be near or over 30 before I even start a career

It's never too late to start.. Think of it this way.. you'd have a good 30 or so years in the pharmacy field. Now doesn't that make you feel better? 30 years !!!! That's a long enough time.. yea?

I applied to CA schools only because I'm a Cali girl. When you've been in the military moving so many places.. you learn that no where beats home. Fortunately, I got accepted to my FIRST CHOICE school (USC) really early so I didnt have to waste money on airplane tickets, hotel, gas, or take extra time off work.. I LOVE that I'll be staying close to home.. That reminds me.. Mother's Day is coming up soon! Don't forget your mothers!