Should I still pursue pharm d?

[SpikeB13]

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I am in a senioritis crisis right now. I have finished up most of the prerequisites required needed to apply to pharmacy school and just need to take calculus. However, I am a 6th year senior and have had to retake a lot of classes since my freshman year. The classes:

Bio I- F/C
Chem I- D/C
Statistics-D/C
O Chem I- C/B
O chem II- D/C
Histology- D/B
Precal- D/B
Human A&P- D/B
Animal Phys-D/retaking next spring

As you can see my grades are lousy, and the only explanation is because I have bipolar depression. I've been seeing a psych doc about this and counseling therapy which have helped me a lot at a personal level.. However I am having a hard time changing some of my behaviors and study habits. My moodiness greatly effects how I use my time and how I have studied in the past, but I am still driven to become a competent pharmacist. I know pharmcas averages all grades and retakes. so I'm only applying to schools who consider retakes. Also taking the pcat for the 2nd time this July. Advice regarding effective study habits and time management and application tips would be appreciated. Thanks..

 

[RxStudentatUB]

Try Touro NY, D'Youville, USCF, Eastern Shore Maryland, Chapman, Applachian, LECOM. Your grades don't really matter as much as your bank account.

 

[PharmtoCS]

Try Touro NY, D'Youville, USCF, Eastern Shore Maryland, Chapman, Applachian, LECOM. Your grades don't really matter as much as the amount of student loans you are willing to owe.

Corrected that for you.

 

[SpikeB13]

Thanks for the school suggestions but Touro NY's NAPLEX pass rate is terrible, in 2013 only 69% passed the first time. The rest of the schools you listed have at least a 90% NAPLEX pass rate though.

 

[dsleazy]

Your grades aren't very competitive, but that's only part of the battle. Do you have experience in a pharmacy setting? Do you participate in extracurricular activities? How will you do on the PCAT? I believe when you fill out your pharmCAS application, there's a section where you write in your special circumstances- I would definitely encourage you to put down your medical history and maybe even in your personal statement go more into depth about it. If you can get an interview in some places, then as long as your interview is strong you have a really good chance of getting in. It's true some places aren't as competitive as others, and some are more expensive than others- look into those. If this is what you really want to do with your life, I personally feel like it's worth it. I also know plenty of people as well who didn't get in their first time, don't be discouraged! Learn what you can fix or do better and reapply. Best of luck!

 

[SpikeB13]

I have PTCB certification, but haven't came up on a pharm tech job as of yet. I also am going to be participating in some research at my university this summer and fall semester before I graduate with my BS in Biology/Chemistry December 2015. I'm taking Dr. Collins prep class before I take the PCAT in July so I hope to see an improvement in my scores. My number one school (FAMU) doesn't require the PCAT, but the other schools on my list do so I still want to do great. Thanks for the support and I'll keep you all posted