Rankings

[Nocsag56]

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Hi all.

Just wondering what everyone thinks of the pharm school rankings. Think they're bogus? Irrelevant in the whole scheme of things (ie: employment opportunities)?? Accurate standings?

I'm mostly referring to the last ranking put out by US News (1998).

-s

 

[Dr_Rx2003]

The newest ranking is in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

Even though my school was ranked in the top 10.....I think it is still a bit bogus(I guess it would not hurt that my school is ranked high).

BUT....there is a very remote chance that ranking could matter if you plan to work for industry or do research(I can't say this with too much confidence though). Other than that, it is pretty much meaningless.

 

[Dr JPH]

Georgraphic location means a lot.

Here in Philly PCPS (USP) and Rutgers get top billing. Temple not so much. In fact, I only hear negatives about Temple (although it is a very good school overall).

 

[loo]

Both bogus and irrelevant! Just go to an accredited school in a geographic area where you would like to practice. Make sure you bone up on the practice requirements of the state in which you want to practice since most schools tend to teach towards requirements in the state they are located in! You can look up individual state requirements through the NABP.

 

[tlh908]

I agree with loo, the school doesn't matter much. From what I can tell what employers are looking for is the license and a good personality. You can have all the smarts to be a pharmacists but it still takes a friendly personality to keep customers coming back.....

 

[INevrLearn]

If you want to work retail... you could graduate from Dr. Bob's internet school of pharmacy and they wouldn't care. Their major requirements are a license, respiration, and consciousness (that is an exaggeration aimed at the shortage, not the pharmacists, who are brilliant, wonderful people, so no flaming please!) Research and to some extent (but not really) residencies consider your school to a greater extent.

 

[Nocsag56]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

It's hard at times not to get caught up in the prestige of schools.

 

[Dr JPH]

I would hope, for your patients sake, that quality of education would factor into your decision on which school to attend.

Schools that have a higher pass rate for the pharmacy licensing boards should get more consideration than schools with lower numbers.

I would also hope that a school that offers a better array of rotations in the last professional year would stand above others.

I realize the need for retail pharmacists right now. I have also worked with interns and pharmacists from several schools from MCP, UCONN, Temple, and PCPS. Clearcut difference in what they know at different points in their education. I would take a 4th year PCPS student over a Temple graduate anyday. I've seen the difference. Hell, even I know that Vitamin K is different than Potassium (and I'm just a dumb medical student). One Owl told me that they were the same. Sure buddy...whatever you say.

Maybe I'm just stupid, but that's my opinion.

 

[Dr_Rx2003]

That was a very obvious mistake (Vit K = Potassium) but I am PRETTY SURE that s/he probably & inadvertantly got things mixed up(since K=potassium.....Vit K....mix-up).......

I agree with the previous posts......but..I am just a bit concerned about NOT the quality of school(feel pretty okay about them since they are all accredited), but the quality of STUDENTS that are being admitted to pharmacy school(For some school admissions, you need bachelor's degree to be competitive in addition to pharmacy work experience....which I think is a very good thing....b/c it shows that you need to be a well-rounded, intellectually mature [sounds a bit biased] person). I actually have a friend(PharmD) who does not give a Krap about his pharmacy school ranking(ranked pretty high) b/c he said almost none of them have a bachelor's degree. Pretty weird heh? 🙄

 

[Samoa]

Originally posted by INevrLearn
major requirements are a license, respiration, and consciousness

Consciousness is actually optional. 😀

 

[Dr JPH]

I guess my whole beef is that I know the types of students that my friends are. I would feel confident sending a patient with a prescription to any of them..

Unfortunately, I also see some of their classmates.

Some of these people failed Pharmacology....TWICE...and have now taken the "summer crash course" in order to move into the next year of the program.

I know of this at a few pharmacy schools.

And I'm not ragging on just pharmacy schools here...some medical schools have the same little "fail til u get it" attitude. Glad my school isn't like that.

 

[val3ntina33]

hmm.. hi all.. so wat anyone think about MCP.. coz i'm about planning to apply there... or Northeastern university???
please help me...
thanks

 

[Mongoos150]

My school is ranked fourth in the nation - the University of Arizona - that works both for and against my advantage. For, it's a wonderful school and it's right here and I get in-state tuition (if I were to get in). Downside is just that, it's an amazing school and is VERY hard to get into, 3.8 science GPA etc....

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Usually the rankings are based on the research and graduate education the school offers based on how they get the data. The reality is that every school is just about the same insofar as PharmD education goes. Any difference between the success and knowledge of students generally lies within the abilities of the student rather than which school hired whichever professor to read powerpoints to them for three years.

 

[patmcd]

I agree with MVU that your success is really driven by you, not your schools name. THat is assuming thought that you went to an accredited school of course. Not to mention that most people couldnt care less where you whent to school after your first job, its all about experience.