Why Do Pharmacy Programs Require Calculus?

[LovelyGirl98]

I've always wondered... and never really got a clear answer... on why pharmacy programs require calculus as a pre-req class? How does anything in calc relate to what a pharmacist will be doing?

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[Farmacist2011]

My calculus teacher told me, in regards to pharmacy specifically, the rate at which a drug is being released or broken down in your body or whatever you call it, is a function of some sort, forgot the specifics. I think along with organic they need a few hard pre reqs to show an applicant can handle tough coursework that's not just memorizing.

 

[Notecard]

We were told that it's important for kinetics.

 

[owlegrad]

Calculus is much harder (mathematically) than kinetics. I really think it's just a weed out course. Some random concept may apply somewhere in kinetics, but it's not like you will be differentiating or integrating.

Not every COP requires it anyway.

 

[BrightLight]

Being able to understand calculus is what separate pharmacists from techs.

 

[crazybob]

The PCAT has plenty of questions from calculus on it.

Kinetics has calculus in it and some of the calculations in nuclear pharmacy uses calculus.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

I think kinetics and some of my pharmaceutics classes would have been easier if I'd had calculus, but it turned out ok anyway.

 

[owlegrad]

Being able to understand calculus is what separate pharmacists from techs.

Huh, I thought it was the paycheck.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Huh, I thought it was the paycheck.

👍👍

 

[crazybob]

Huh, I thought it was the paycheck.

👍

You never know if you have a former engineer who is doing pre-pharm. In that case, the engineer would be better at calculus.

 

[DrDrugs2012]

At some schools, the pharmacokinetics classes are exceptionally challenging. The professors, in their passion and zeal for the subject, expect students to understand the derivations of equations and those derivations all involve calculus. Other schools simplify and basically teach students how to interpret data and calculate the most essential numbers using much simpler algebra. Neither is a "better" approach given that both have downsides. But I will say that a general knowledge of calculus theory can help students understand the concept of non-linear dynamics and rates of change.

 

[smoothmoneyb]

I would tend to agree with what most of the other posters here have already said. Although I think an even better question would be "why do so many pharmacy schools require Bio 2?"

 

[Swishers]

I would tend to agree with what most of the other posters here have already said. Although I think an even better question would be "why do so many pharmacy schools require Bio 2?"

I wonder the same thing. Why do future pharmacists need to know crap about plants, ecology, etc?

 

[bp2313]

I wonder the same thing. Why do future pharmacists need to know crap about plants, ecology, etc?

To answer some dumb random questions at the counsultation window.

Why is Cal a pharm pre-req? Because we need to calculate the limits of self-control before kicking a druggie out of the pharmacy.

 

[delano2000]

To answer some dumb random questions at the counsultation window.

Why is Cal a pharm pre-req? Because we need to calculate the limits of self-control before kicking a druggie out of the pharmacy.

 

[veyep]

I've always wondered... and never really got a clear answer... on why pharmacy programs require calculus as a pre-req class? How does anything in calc relate to what a pharmacist will be doing?

Pharmacokinetics of every single drug used is measured by using calculus.

 

[veyep]

My calculus teacher told me, in regards to pharmacy specifically, the rate at which a drug is being released or broken down in your body or whatever you call it, is a function of some sort, forgot the specifics. I think along with organic they need a few hard pre reqs to show an applicant can handle tough coursework that's not just memorizing.

😱 not true!

 

[veyep]

I wonder the same thing. Why do future pharmacists need to know crap about plants, ecology, etc?

Research and drug delvelopment! (also natural products.)

 

[owlegrad]

Pharmacokinetics of every single drug used is measured by using calculus.

False.


How do you use calculus to model zero-order kinetics? Maybe a better question would be, why would you use calculus? It couldn't be a simpler model, no calculus required:

I am not saying that calculus is not used in a high-level kinetic studies or anything, but I have never used differentiating or integrating to solve a kinetics question. Kinetics uses formulas that any algebra student should be able to use. Was calculus required to get those formulas? I have no idea, but you don't need calculus to use them, or to model any of the pharmacokinetic parameters. Statistics is a more helpful class than Calc.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/index.php?title=Image:Zero_order_graph.png

 

[crazybob]

How do you use calculus to model zero-order kinetics? Maybe a better question would be, why would you use calculus?

I was gonna get really nerdy here, but I'll stop myself

 

[owlegrad]

I was gonna get really nerdy here, but I'll stop myself

No, by all means, if you want to call me out, go ahead. I don't see calculus being used for this, but if you can enlighten me, please do.

 

[crazybob]

No, by all means, if you want to call me out, go ahead. I don't see calculus being used for this, but if you can enlighten me, please do.

Not necessarily a need, but just an optional thing. Did I make you mad or something? You did say you felt like I was calling you out on this.

dN/dt = -k

dN = -k dt

N = -k t + C

Which would give you a straight line with a negative slope.

N(0) = n0

n0 = -k (0) + C

n0 = C

N = -k t + n0

I know no one would really do this, but technically, you could use a little bit of calculus.

 

[owlegrad]

Not necessarily a need, but just an optional thing. Did I make you mad or something? You did say you felt like I was calling you out on this.

dN/dt = -k

dN = -k dt

N = -k t + C

Which would give you a straight line with a negative slope.

N(0) = n0

n0 = -k (0) + C

n0 = C

N = -k t + n0

I know no one would really do this, but technically, you could use a little bit of calculus.

🙄 I even rephrased "how" to "why" to avoid this kind of nit-picking. 😛

Of course you didn't make me mad, I used the term calling out in a playful manner. I doubt you could ever make me mad. 👍