Will a speech class keep me from entering pharm school?

[rx27563]

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I see where a lot of schools are requiring a public speech class however I cant take one next year when I apply because Im finishing up my B.S. Biology degree and I have no room for a class like that.....do you think places like Wingate would actually not let me enroll if i didnt have some public speech class? I could see if it was a science but this just seems silly.......i am taking a management course now and we do a lot of presentations.....would that count?

 

[penguins429]

most schools are pretty strict with their prereqs -- definitely contact the school, but don't get your hopes up, you probably will have to take a speech or public speaking class - one option that some schools allow you to do is to take one or two prereqs the summer before you start ...

 

[InsiderSJFC]

I see where a lot of schools are requiring a public speech class however I cant take one next year when I apply because Im finishing up my B.S. Biology degree and I have no room for a class like that.....do you think places like Wingate would actually not let me enroll if i didnt have some public speech class? I could see if it was a science but this just seems silly.......i am taking a management course now and we do a lot of presentations.....would that count?

Wingate University has a strict requirement regarding the speech requirement. In fact the speech requirement for our program at St. John Fisher College here in Rochester, was based on the Wingate model. At one time, Wingate would allow you to petition and come in and give a presentation to the faculty on a topic of your choice - followed by a question and answer period. Based on your perfromance, they would either waive it or not. You should check with the Director of Admssions there.

We decided here not to waive the requirement and 18 out of 55 students in our first class this year took it on summer school.

Hope that helps.

 

[ajh88]

Agree with the other 2 posters to check with the school directly, but you do still have some options since you aren't applying until next year. You could take it in summer school (which is what I did as an undergrad) or you could also look at a CC - a lot of the CC programs (at least around here) are geared towards working adults, so you might be able to find a night class that only meets once a week so it wouldn't interfere with your schedule too much.

Several of the schools I've looked at want your science pre-reqs done first (like say by June 1st of the year you want to enroll), but will give you the summer to finish non-science pre-reqs.

Good luck!

 

[tt_vo503]

I definetly think that you should take one extra class to get it over with and not have to worry about it. You really don't want to risk not getting accepted for one class. Especially with a speech class which is nothing at all, unless you have a MAJOR problem speaking in public. I think you can fit one into your schedule I took 21 credits per term for 3 terms straight last year, and was working 20hours/week. Show them your dedicated to the profession, and thats what you want to do for the rest of your life and you will easily get accepted.

 

[Pharm47]

I see where a lot of schools are requiring a public speech class however I cant take one next year when I apply because Im finishing up my B.S. Biology degree and I have no room for a class like that.....do you think places like Wingate would actually not let me enroll if i didnt have some public speech class? I could see if it was a science but this just seems silly.......i am taking a management course now and we do a lot of presentations.....would that count?

Not so much. As a pharmacist, communicating with your patients is just as important as understanding the science behind the drug. If you understand the medicine, but are unable to communicate the dangers to the patient...could lead to problematic situations!!

At the same time, I commisserate with you. It seems like a lame class...especially if you speak English fluently! I was able to "get around" a public speaking class b/c my undergrad uni required "speaking-intensive" courses to fulfill our general education requirements. My two classes that satisfied this: Molecular Genetics of Cancer and Neurobiology! I checked with the schools I was applying to, and 4/5 accepted that. If I get into the 1/5, and actually want to go there, I'll have to take a summer class.

 

[bananaface]

Most schools will enforce their prereqs. A few waive prereqs for those with certain degrees, but they usually say so up front in their prerequisite listings. Some will require you to complete the course by the end of spring, some just before you start classes. A few will let you take 1 class the first quarter of pharm school. You need to find out what each school you are applying to requires and how long you can put a prereq off.

Speech is definitely important. Communication skills are a must for success in pharmacy.

 

[rx27563]

I realize that speech is important in pharmacy..ive been a CPhT for 5 years..as we say down here in the south this aint my first rodeo......Ive seen examples of bad pharmacists and very good ones....the bad all had at least one thing in common: they couldnt communicate and/or identify with the patients in the least bit.

i took a Biomedical Ethics class last semester and we basically sat in a circle and conversed about case studies...made presentations about our individual research...it just seems that this would be enough instead of making me sit through some "easy A" class.

 

[Robinbird]

I actually go to Wingate, and I know at least one person in my class who was accepted without having speech class, but she has to take it this summer.

Oh, and the first semester of my p1 year I had to take 2 communications classes. bleh.