What is the professional pharmacy curriculum classified as?

[DrPepsi]

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I've used the search bar already and came up with nothing pertaining to my question. My colleague and I were having a discussion recently about whether or not pharmacy is considered undergrad or not. Of course some schools have a 2-4 program and some people get a bachelors degree then move onto pharmacy school but I'm talking about the program itself.

Is it considered undergrad?

 

[rxlea]

I've used the search bar already and came up with nothing pertaining to my question. My colleague and I were having a discussion recently about whether or not pharmacy is considered undergrad or not. Of course some schools have a 2-4 program and some people get a bachelors degree then move onto pharmacy school but I'm talking about the program itself.

Is it considered undergrad?

No.

 

[DrPepsi]

No.

That's what I thought. The argument stems from a former intern who wants to apply to law school after he graduates from pharmacy school. The only problem seems to be that the law school admissions center doesn't know what to classify as undergrad (law school GPA is based on your undergrad grades), whether it be the entire 6 years he did or just the 2 years of pre-pharmacy.

 

[tablet]

During my first year in pharmacy school, I am considered an undergraduate in terms of the student loans that I qualify for. ?
Can anyone explain that.

 

[ttopping]

During my first year in pharmacy school, I am considered an undergraduate in terms of the student loans that I qualify for. ?
Can anyone explain that.

It's how a lot of schools work. At UB I was an undergrad for my first 2 years of pre-pharm (obviously) and I paid undergrad tuition my p1 year. My guess is that due to the fact that you still might be taking undergrad classes (pharmacology, micro, biochem), it's still semi-undergrad in terms of classification/tuition. They might be shifting away from that eventually.

I would personally classify the entire pharmacy program as a "professional program". Kind of how I would classify PT school or similar programs. Although I doubt that would be a choice if you had to classify it on a transcript...in the same way, how would you classify med school?

 

[owlegrad]

It's how a lot of schools work. At UB I was an undergrad for my first 2 years of pre-pharm (obviously) and I paid undergrad tuition my p1 year. My guess is that due to the fact that you still might be taking undergrad classes (pharmacology, micro, biochem), it's still semi-undergrad in terms of classification/tuition. They might be shifting away from that eventually.

I would personally classify the entire pharmacy program as a "professional program". Kind of how I would classify PT school or similar programs. Although I doubt that would be a choice if you had to classify it on a transcript...in the same way, how would you classify med school?

It depends on the number of credits you have. The entire pharmacy program is professional but if you don't have enough credits financial aid calls your first year "undergrade". By your second year everyone has enough credits to be called professional. Only the financial aid office would call your first professional year undergraduate, this is strictly a credit-hour issue.

 

[rxlove]

I've used the search bar already and came up with nothing pertaining to my question. My colleague and I were having a discussion recently about whether or not pharmacy is considered undergrad or not. Of course some schools have a 2-4 program and some people get a bachelors degree then move onto pharmacy school but I'm talking about the program itself.

Is it considered undergrad?

Pharm.D.= Doctor of Pharmacy. It's a doctorate.

 

[Sparda29]

It's usually considered grad school on the financial forms.

 

[MountainPharmD]

Pharm.D.= Doctor of Pharmacy. It's a doctorate.

Profound. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[rxlove]

Profound. Thanks for the clarification.

I am confused as to why the OP, a pharmacist, would be questioning the classification of their own degree.

 

[Milly12]

I am confused as to why the OP, a pharmacist, would be questioning the classification of their own degree.

Because it's not undergrad, and, at least at my school, it's not considered a graduate degree. It's a "professional" doctorate. However, on all the FAFSA and financial forms, it's usually considered a graduate degree (like masters, PhD, etc).

Not sure if that applies to every university so it can be confusing.

 

[byork]

In Canada, an MD is considered an professional undergraduate degree for sure. I think it is the same with the entry-level PharmD although not all universities have implemented that just yet. (They will soon.)

Undergraduate doctorate sounds like an oxymoron though... (I assure you I'm definitely NOT wrong)

 

[DrPepsi]

I am confused as to why the OP, a pharmacist, would be questioning the classification of their own degree.

Try reading the thread in full next time. A former intern of mine is being told by prospective law schools that he can't apply to their school because he doesn't have an undergrad degree, which to them is defined as a Bachelors degree. The problem with him applying is that he doesn't know what to submit as his undergrad work. He went to a 2+4 school so he completed the requirements to get into a pharmacy school and did not complete a bachelors degree. There's a lot more but I'm sure you don't want to hear the whole issue but if you want I can post what I know the bylaws are for law school, the ABA, and other things they're telling him.

The reason I asked was to see whether or not his pharmacy courses would be considered undergrad work and how they would be calculated into his undergrad GPA. Surely 2 years of work isn't sufficient or at least that's my opinion. When I went to pharmacy school, I was classified as an undergrad even though I was in a Pharm.D. program but I know that's not the case for everyone.

 

[type b pharmD]

. Surely 2 years of work isn't sufficient or at least that's my opinion. When I went to pharmacy school, I was classified as an undergrad even though I was in a Pharm.D. program but I know that's not the case for everyone.

On the other hand, some schools classify as graduate even if you just had a few years at a CC. (my situation).

Thank god cause i needed those loans

 

[orthomyxo]

Usually at 0-6 schools the first four years are considered to be undergrad.

 

[dreezy10]

It depends on the program.....

For Example

University of Colorado considers all of its students graduate level students,

University of Wyoming considers the P1 students undergrads for financial purposes.

But I would say the level of difficulty of the curriculum is graduate level at probably all schools.

 

[Farmercyst]

It depends on the program.....

For Example

University of Colorado considers all of its students graduate level students,

University of Wyoming considers the P1 students undergrads for financial purposes.

But I would say the level of difficulty of the curriculum is graduate level at probably all schools.

What did they have to do to get to P1 though?
Dr Pepsi's issue is that his intern did a 2+4. For sure the 2 years are definitely undergrad, but once you transition, then what? At the 2+4s I'm familiar with, you could be considered a P3 (P1-P6) or you could be a P1. In either event, the classification doesn't state whether your units are still undergrad or graduate units. That might be the kicker. I'm thinking that if the classes are listed as 500-600 level courses they'd be graduate courses and 100-400 (or however they might be designated, my first UG had 1000-4000) as undergrad. That might make it easier to clarify. In the end he'd probably have to go back and forth between the two schools to figure it out.

 

[DrPepsi]

Thank you all for your responses! I spoke with him recently and he showed me a letter he received from the Law School Admissions Council. It said that they would not calculate a GPA (apparently the LSAC is like PharmCAS so they send out information to a lot of schools) and instead would send the transcript to every school he applied to allowing those schools to determine what his GPA would be.