SCCP vs. South University (Columbia)?

[care0320]

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Hi, does anyone have any thoughts about both of these schools? Which one they prefer and why? Thanks!

 

[littleowl]

I tried to bypass this thread to avoid hurting anyone's feelings. I lived in SC my entire life and worked as a CPhT for 11 years. ALL of the pharmacy students that have ever rotated through my pharmacy as fourth year students from SCCP (regardless of campus) were useless. They were completely unprepared to practice and couldn't answer the most basic therapeutic questions without their Lexicomp app on their smartphones. It was a complete nightmare...and it scared me so badly that I moved out of state to attend an alternative Pharm.D program. If I were you I'd hedge my bets and go with the three year program at South. Just offering my 0.02.

 

[Waffle Houzen]

SCCP. I would avoid 3-year programs. I know very respectable practitioners from SCCP. That said, they may be an exception within a terrible program. I doubt that though. I've heard mostly negative things about several 3-year programs across the country. I was accepted to the one in Vegas back when it was called USN. I'm extremely glad I turned that offer down. My current employer avoids hiring their grads b/c they haven't fared well at all on the job. Bad rep from a large employer. Plus lots of people failing out of their shietty money-grubbing program. Seriously, that place gave me the creeps on interview day. Stunk to high heaven of a diploma mill money making machine. Make South a backup school maybe.

 

[Kimichals]

A pharmacy program is what you make of it, and I think the decision is only relevant to the individual. There are competent students at SCCP and South University--I personally know and have worked with students from both schools. I also know reputable faculty from SCCP that have gone to work for South and vice versa. There are a number of factors that play into which students are matched with certain rotations and how they perform or are perceived, and subjective data is often not the best means of choosing a program. I looked at several schools and based my decision on available programs, length of the program, faculty research, student involvement in organizations, cost, etc. South and SCCP each offer very different programs in what they offer, so you just have to figure out what you want out of a program. Now that I'm in, I take full advantage of all opportunities that come my way. In any program, you can separate the students who are fully involved in their education from those who are not. Both schools are accredited and you can earn the same basic diploma from each. I know you probably want a straight answer, but all I can tell you is to look at the facts and decide. Write down a list of your wants and needs from a program and do some research to find which school comes closest to matching your priorities. Don't base your decision on the personal opinion of others.