What B.S would be most helpful to Pharmacy? Biology, Chemistry, or Toxicology?

[PharmNYY]

Just curious as to what other major would be the most helpful to Pharmacy.

I did not get accepted into St. Johns 0-6 program but have been offered 9,500 in scholarship money to any other major of my choice at the university. I wanted to pick one that would still be beneficial to pharmacy. What would be the best choice:
biology
toxicology
chemistry
other

I'm not sure if I can just take my own courses that I choose (just base them off of pre-pharm curriculum's) or I would have to stick to their classes. Any advice would be helpful thanks.

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[WannabePharm88]

It does not matter what you major in.
As long as you finish your pre-req, you're set. (Also, PCAT for most of the schools)

I major in Chemistry.

And most of the Pre-Pharm students I know major in Biology, Chemistry, or Biochemistry.

 

[PharMed2016]

Just curious as to what other major would be the most helpful to Pharmacy.

I did not get accepted into St. Johns 0-6 program but have been offered 9,500 in scholarship money to any other major of my choice at the university. I wanted to pick one that would still be beneficial to pharmacy. What would be the best choice:
biology
toxicology
chemistry
other

I'm not sure if I can just take my own courses that I choose (just base them off of pre-pharm curriculum's) or I would have to stick to their classes. Any advice would be helpful thanks.

I heard a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences helps alot.

 

[RaginCajun]

I agree with Wannabe.
You should pick what appeals to you. When it comes down to it at the Grad level they will teach you what is needed.

 

[UNMorBUST]

We need a sticky about undergrad degrees. It is discussed to much. Sticky should read: IT DOES NOT MATTER.

 

[dumbguy]

We need a sticky about undergrad degrees. It is discussed to much. Sticky should read: IT DOES NOT MATTER.

the initiator of this thread had a valid question. It does matter. I believe Biology is the most beneficial(helpful) for a career in pharmacy because you're learning how the body works and drugs affect how the body works. Most of the prepharm prerequisites are those in a Biology major. Note the question didn't ask which major would help you have a better chance to getting into pharmacy school but which would be beneficial.

 

[alenadoma]

the initiator of this thread had a valid question. It does matter. I believe Biology is the most beneficial(helpful) for a career in pharmacy because you're learning how the body works and drugs affect how the body works. Most of the prepharm prerequisites are those in a Biology major. Note the question didn't ask which major would help you have a better chance to getting into pharmacy school but which would be beneficial.

You're right that it matters, but this question has been posed much too much lately, only to get the same answers.

 

[Storm90]

Just curious as to what other major would be the most helpful to Pharmacy.

I did not get accepted into St. Johns 0-6 program but have been offered 9,500 in scholarship money to any other major of my choice at the university. I wanted to pick one that would still be beneficial to pharmacy. What would be the best choice:
biology
toxicology
chemistry
other

I'm not sure if I can just take my own courses that I choose (just base them off of pre-pharm curriculum's) or I would have to stick to their classes. Any advice would be helpful thanks.

The answer to this question is YES. In doing your undergrad, you will be exposed to these subjects and more. Besides, adcoms are concerned about GPA, not if you major in bio/chem/tox/other.

 

[sle3pyguii]

the initiator of this thread had a valid question. It does matter. I believe Biology is the most beneficial(helpful) for a career in pharmacy because you're learning how the body works and drugs affect how the body works. Most of the prepharm prerequisites are those in a Biology major. Note the question didn't ask which major would help you have a better chance to getting into pharmacy school but which would be beneficial.

People are saying that it doesn't matter what you major in because pharmacists are taught everything they need to know about pharmacy in pharmacy school, and that includes how the body works and the effect of drugs. Being a biology major may help you in pharmacy school, but i doubt that taking that extra cellular biology class in undergrad will help you in pharmacy practice.

And I agree with UNM, we need a sticky about undergraduate degrees. That and another sticky about using the search function.

 

[Sparda29]

History or Religion or some kind of major like that provides the easiest route since then the only sciences you need to take are your prerequisites thus probably giving you a high GPA.

All you need for the PCATs are a good knowledge of the prerequisites. Pharmacy schools will teach you what you gotta know to be a pharmacist.

If you're a Bio major, your first year might be easier since you'll have seen a bit of the material before, however pharmacy school courses go into more depth than undergraduate.

 

[UNMorBUST]

. Pharmacy schools will teach you what you gotta know to be a pharmacist.

This should be in the sticky i purposed.

 

[Sparda29]

this should be in the sticky i purposed.

lol!!!

 

[WhiteSnows]

I think chemistry is the most important subject, not biology.

 

[PharmNYY]

Sorry for causing an uproar guys, I'll try searching/researching next time first.

I just figured no better place to ask then the people that have the experience.

I was just wondering if any of those main focuses would be the most beneficial to the professional phase of the program.

Not once did I ask what would give me a better chance of getting in, or do I need one of those majors to get in. Just what would be the most beneficial to me overall..

I know all I need to do is complete all the pre-reqs, etc.

I also did not know this was a bad place to ask about undergrad. degrees/majors.

Thank you to the people that answered my actual question and sorry for causing havoc to the people that were upset with my question due to the constant bringing up of the subject. I am still in high school and have no clue about this stuff.

Sorry I guess my question was poorly worded.

 

[pharmant]

If you plan on getting the B.S. degree, I think Toxicology will be the best. Toxicology is very similar to pharmacology; you will review dose response curves and relationships, kinetics, biotransformation, chemistry of xenobiotics. Toxicology studies the adverse effects of a chemical or substance on the body, while pharmacology is the beneficial effect of chemicals on the body. This can simply be exposure limits or the amount of medicine taken. If you take to much aspirin it went from a beneficial application to a toxic event. You will study how the body handles and metabolizes xenobiotics (foreign chemicals, such as drugs or a toxin) this will give you insight into what you will see in the first couple of years of pharmacy school. If you are just planning on doing the prereqs and then applying, the major does not really matter. I personally feel that a toxicology or pharmacology route might be the best.

 

[pharmwannebe2]

Just curious as to what other major would be the most helpful to Pharmacy.

I did not get accepted into St. Johns 0-6 program but have been offered 9,500 in scholarship money to any other major of my choice at the university. I wanted to pick one that would still be beneficial to pharmacy. What would be the best choice:
biology
toxicology
chemistry
other

I'm not sure if I can just take my own courses that I choose (just base them off of pre-pharm curriculum's) or I would have to stick to their classes. Any advice would be helpful thanks.

I go to USP in there 0-6 Pharmacy school. My friend is majoring in Pharmacology/Toxicology. So far (this is my third year/ first professional year) and we have taken all the same classes except that I had to take microbiology. I don't know about your school but you should check to see if the Pharmacy kids take the same courses as Toxicology. If they do that would show really well if you apply to Pharmacy school after you graduate.

Also, I know at my school that there is always some kids that fail out before they reach 3rd year and at my school it is possible to get into the professional program even if you aren't pharmacy (it is pretty hard to do that though). At my school, they don't except anyone that isn't from USP...at least. The people that I know that didn't start out as Pharmacy but are in my class now are a lot of people that graduated from USP in majors such as Pharmaceutical Sciences.....because they took this major, they already completed a lot of the classes I have to take now (like Biochemistry, Pharmaceutics).

Check out the course load that Pharmacy students have to take and see how similar the classes are with different programs!

Even if they don't allow any kids into the professional pharm. program that didn't start off in the professional pharm. program. I feel like Pharmacy is basically how drugs effect the body....too much drugs creates a toxic effect. Toxicology is how toxic chemicals work and how it effects your body. Basically a few of your classes will be similar to what you will take in Pharmacy school like Physiology (how toxins/drugs will work on your body exactly)....etc.

 

[BlueCrayon]

I agree with this...I actually had a molecular biology degree, but I worked doing research for a long time in Pharmacology/Tox department so I think that helped even more. I think just about any relevant degree will give you a great background for pharmacy school although biology would be nearer the bottom of my list. Tox would be great because it has more relevant info related to pharmacy. I've noticed a degree really does give you a nice head start in pharm classes too.

If you plan on getting the B.S. degree, I think Toxicology will be the best. Toxicology is very similar to pharmacology; you will review dose response curves and relationships, kinetics, biotransformation, chemistry of xenobiotics. Toxicology studies the adverse effects of a chemical or substance on the body, while pharmacology is the beneficial effect of chemicals on the body. This can simply be exposure limits or the amount of medicine taken. If you take to much aspirin it went from a beneficial application to a toxic event. You will study how the body handles and metabolizes xenobiotics (foreign chemicals, such as drugs or a toxin) this will give you insight into what you will see in the first couple of years of pharmacy school. If you are just planning on doing the prereqs and then applying, the major does not really matter. I personally feel that a toxicology or pharmacology route might be the best.

 

[ValeRx]

Personally I think learning something the first time around is better. I find myself being bored and not paying attention in classes that cover some of the same material that I've picked up in other classes.

 

[CaptainCurl03]

undergrad degree is crucial in my opinion. yes, you can major in anything and pick up all the essential classes through the prereqs but the rigor that comes with a science major is a necessity in my opinion in order to survive in pharm school.

i can't tell you which choice is the best because those majors differ quite a bit depending on what undergrad school you go to. i majored in biophysical chemistry and worked in the biochem research lab for 3 years. i think i finished with 10+ bio classes and 10+ chem classes. i would probably recommend a bs in pharmaceutical sciences if it's offered, followed by biochem or something similar. you can always take electives that gear you more toward pharmacy-related classes if your major is too general. i'd say pharm school is much more chemistry-based rather than bio-based like med or dental school. the bio we cover is centered around physical biology