Will I be rejected because of my character?

[mrfox1]

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so, here is my background. I have bounced around between careers a-lot, none of which I have found satisfying. I am now considering something in healthcare and am doing some basic research. Anyhow, my academic record is as follows.

Undergraduate (Psychology) - 3.507 GPA
Law (1 year) - 2.95 GPA
Business Masters (not MBA) - 3.293 GPA
Total GPA = 3.41

I am considering pursuing a career as a Pharmacist, but I am so scared of being rejected because they will see that i've bounced around too much and won't take a chance on me.

So, my hypothetical plan is to complete all the science prereqs over the next 3 semesters (i've no need to complete the other prereqs, as I have earned them already and achieved 'A's in those classes), with a full 16-17 credit course load. I also plan to volunteer/work at a local hospital, hopefully as a pharm tech during this year-1.5 years.

Say I do very well in these classes, do I stand a chance of being accepted or is pharmacy one of those fields where they are not too welcoming of career-changers? also, would the admissions office even care about my past academics, or would the solely focus on how I do on the science prereqs?

thanks for your responses!

 

[Pharma-Sis]

I don't think you'd get rejected solely on the career change ordeal but if you don't earn as high of grades that are expected in the sciences then that's when you worry. Hey the experience helps a ton so go for it.

Pharmacy is highly competitive as we know, but as long as you do well and explain yourself for why you would want to pursue pharmacy in interviews you're golden man. Sounds like you got a plan. 🙂

 

[riggylou]

I am in a very similar boat...3 degrees that are non-pharmacy! Its worked out positively for me. Your education is not totally unrelated to pharmacy if you think about it..it's all in how you spin it and make the connections...and be able to come up with some background of why healthcare/why pharmacy.

The only thing I would caution you on is your timeline and course-load, especially since you plan to volunteer/work. I say this because it is something that surprised me..how intense a schedule full of science courses would be. [I thought I could do it in 1.5 years at first but its ended up being ~2.5 + 1 extra class]. Its really important to have a good GPA and even if that means taking on less at once, it makes your chances of admission that much higher in the end. I would say start with 12 credits and see how it works out...you could probably find somewhere to take Anatomy & Physiology in the summer. Just my 2 cents.

 

[jerbearox]

so, here is my background. I have bounced around between careers a-lot, none of which I have found satisfying. I am now considering something in healthcare and am doing some basic research. Anyhow, my academic record is as follows.

Undergraduate (Psychology) - 3.507 GPA
Law (1 year) - 2.95 GPA
Business Masters (not MBA) - 3.293 GPA
Total GPA = 3.41

I am considering pursuing a career as a Pharmacist, but I am so scared of being rejected because they will see that i've bounced around too much and won't take a chance on me.

So, my hypothetical plan is to complete all the science prereqs over the next 3 semesters (i've no need to complete the other prereqs, as I have earned them already and achieved 'A's in those classes), with a full 16-17 credit course load. I also plan to volunteer/work at a local hospital, hopefully as a pharm tech during this year-1.5 years.

Say I do very well in these classes, do I stand a chance of being accepted or is pharmacy one of those fields where they are not too welcoming of career-changers? also, would the admissions office even care about my past academics, or would the solely focus on how I do on the science prereqs?

thanks for your responses!

nobody wants a quitter.

just kidding really or not really, who knows?

 

[mrfox1]

I am in a very similar boat...3 degrees that are non-pharmacy! Its worked out positively for me. Your education is not totally unrelated to pharmacy if you think about it..it's all in how you spin it and make the connections...and be able to come up with some background of why healthcare/why pharmacy.

The only thing I would caution you on is your timeline and course-load, especially since you plan to volunteer/work. I say this because it is something that surprised me..how intense a schedule full of science courses would be. [I thought I could do it in 1.5 years at first but its ended up being ~2.5 + 1 extra class]. Its really important to have a good GPA and even if that means taking on less at once, it makes your chances of admission that much higher in the end. I would say start with 12 credits and see how it works out...you could probably find somewhere to take Anatomy & Physiology in the summer. Just my 2 cents.

thanks for the tips. did you end up getting into pharmacy school then?

 

[riggylou]

thanks for the tips. did you end up getting into pharmacy school then?

You are welcome. 🙂 5 interview invitations (applied to 8 schools) --> 1 acceptance, 2 waiting to hear post-interview, 1 future interview, and I declined one interview cause it is too far to travel to.

 

[kwasi]

my brother, apply!!! i had an F in biochemistry, a cum. gpa of 3.0 and i still managed to get interviews and an acceptance letter from a really good school. just do well at the interviews and i am positive you will get in. goodluck

 

[Gaiya]

I don't think it would hurt you as long as you explain how your passion for pharmacy is different from your past paths. It's fairly realistic that you aren't born knowing what you are going to do with your life. However you will have to convince them that pharmacy is THE career for you after some soul(?) searching. And yeah, you better have something more than "I want to help people."

Another advice I would give (on the same line as riggylou) is try to emphasize on how your past career paths will help you. Pharmacy is at the end of the day a business, so tell them how you'd be able to use what you learned in business school. Laws and regulations are very important in the pharmacy field so tell them how you have a better grasp of how law works than the average applicant.

If you get experience as a pharmacy technician, you will get a feel of the pharmacy field. So after working in the field for over a year, see if you want to still be a pharmacist. This is a personal opinion, but I think you'll be able to form an opinion with about a year's experience. Also interview a pharmacist if you get a chance.. even if it's through email. Just fyi, it's fairly difficult to get a pharmacy technician position if you don't have prior training. I studied for the tech test and passed with flying colors... but I only got a position because I miraculously had personal connections. Obviously pharmacies are going to choose people that have gone through pharmacy technician programs rather than just take a paper test.