Some Questions about pharmacy school

[dawgg912]

I'm a current resident of California and I was considering pharmacy school out of California. If I go to school out of California will I have to take the California board exam if I want to practice in California? I heard awhile back something about the Naplex coming to California? Will it happen soon? I've recently recieved my pcat score of 89% composite and I was wondering how good of a score this was and if this will help me substantially in applying to out of state schools. My g.p.a at UCLA wasn't that hot. I'm hoping that my pcat score will make up for it. I was also wondering about how accelerated programs such as Midwestern work. I heard that midwestern is geared toward retail pharmacy and that if I don't want to do retail, then i shouldn;t consider Midwestern Glendale. I ultimately want to be a Pharm D. at a biotech company. I think they are the pharmacists that teach the pharmaceutical representatives or soemthing. How can I research this profession? Is there a title for that profession? How should I plan my future? Thanks for all the help guys.

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[michelleca4]

There are no more California Board board, just Naplex.

 

[kim.]

That's a good PCAT score... what's your GPA like? Do you have any work experience? That helps too!

 

[Roxicet]

Originally posted by dawgg912
I was also wondering about how accelerated programs such as Midwestern work. I heard that midwestern is geared toward retail pharmacy and that if I don't want to do retail, then i shouldn;t consider Midwestern Glendale.

Who told you that? They need to do some research before they go around spouting such misinformation! And do some of your own research before you believe it.
http://www.midwestern.edu/cpg/

If it were true that MWU is geared only toward retail, then I wouldn't have been accepted bc I told them that retail is exactly what I DON'T want to do. Your education is what you make of it, and what you do with your pharmD training is up to you.

 

[28657]

Originally posted by dawgg912
I was also wondering about how accelerated programs such as Midwestern work. I heard that midwestern is geared toward retail pharmacy and that if I don't want to do retail, then i shouldn;t consider Midwestern Glendale. I ultimately want to be a Pharm D. at a biotech company. I think they are the pharmacists that teach the pharmaceutical representatives or soemthing. How can I research this profession? Is there a title for that profession? How should I plan my future? Thanks for all the help guys.

Midwestern Glendale's didactic coursework is just like any other COP. I think many school's may slightly gear their students toward retail careers versus hospital. For example our pharmaceutics lab focused on compounding retail drugs the entire time except for the last three labs in which we prepared hospital drugs. However, student's are required to take an even number of retail and hospital rotations. We are also allowed elective rotations which is where you would learn certain specialties that may interest you (i.e. management, law, nuclear). And a few of the elective rotations are for "industry" - big drug companies, which might be what you're seeking.

 

[dawgg912]

Wow, so if i wanted to do something besides retail, that means I have to do like a residency or something right out of pharmacy school right? Is that like two years or something? I've worked at a pharmacy for six months and I also have my pharm tech license. My pharmcas G.P.A. from UCLA is 2.8 cum and about 2.6 science. I know this is low but I'm taking classes at a community college right now to bring it up. I guess I'm relying on my 89 percentile pcat score to help me in. I've only applied to Midwestern Glendale for 2004. You guys think I have a shot?

 

[Roxicet]

Originally posted by dawgg912
Wow, so if i wanted to do something besides retail, that means I have to do like a residency or something right out of pharmacy school right? Is that like two years or something? I've worked at a pharmacy for six months and I also have my pharm tech license. My pharmcas G.P.A. from UCLA is 2.8 cum and about 2.6 science. I know this is low but I'm taking classes at a community college right now to bring it up. I guess I'm relying on my 89 percentile pcat score to help me in. I've only applied to Midwestern Glendale for 2004. You guys think I have a shot?

The admissions counselor at MWU said that the average science GPA/overall GPA has been 3.3/3.5, and the average PCAT has been 75-80% for the admitted students recently. How many pre-req classes do you have left to take at the CC?

 

[28657]

Originally posted by dawgg912
Wow, so if i wanted to do something besides retail, that means I have to do like a residency or something right out of pharmacy school right? Is that like two years or something?

I don't think residencies are necessarily required for any pharmacist position, but it does make you a more competitive candidate for employment. Residencies are usually a year long.

 

[dawgg912]

I was gonna retake like 2 or 3 classes over and one more prereq along with anatomy this semester along with a bio class im retaking. Yeah i know averages are intimidating with my gpa but Im hoping theyll look at my pcat score and see also how I changed my academic outlook around my last year at UCLA and achieved all A's and B's in all my classes.