PHARMACY School :
By Eyong Nelson
Eyong Nelson is a Pharmacy student at Howard University School of Pharmacy in Washington D.C.
The profession of pharmacy is one of the most trusted and among the fastest growing profession of our day. Pharmacy school is a 4 year graduate program leading to a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Pharm. D.) and prepares graduates for careers in a variety of areas of the pharmacy practice some of which include Site based practices such as ambulatory care practices, retail practices (chain or independent practice), primary care or home care. Institutional care, including hospice, nursing home care and hospital pharmacy. Career opportunities also exist in specialty practice areas (residency programs) such as oncology pharmacy practice, pediatrics, nuclear pharmacy practice, psychiatric pharmacy practice, nutrition support pharmacy, and pharmacotherapy. Other areas of practice include the pharmaceutical industry, insurance and managed care companies in local, state and national government agencies, academia and a variety of private practices and research companies.
The increase in demand for pharmacists in all fields, the limited number of pharmacy schools and the high applicant pool makes getting into Pharmacy school very competitive, selective and prestigious. Application to pharmacy school is done mostly through the Pharmcas system
(
www.pharmcas.org).
Read further about Pharmacy school below: [Click on a link to access the appropriate section]
To be eligible for admission consideration into the Pharm. D. degree program, you must have completed
the required pre- pharmacy program (this usually encompasses a Math level of calculus, two semesters
each of college level English, general chemistry, biology, organic chemistry and physics plus a
semester of speech and various electives which vary slightly depending on the school of pharmacy
you are seeking acceptance into. A bachelor's degree in any field is acceptable and highly encouraged
as long as you have satisfied the perquisites for the Pharm. D. program. A bachelor's degree provides
a competitive edge but, as with all other graduate and professional programs, does not guarantee admission
into a particular Pharmacy program.
GPA:
Good academic standing is an absolute criterion for admission. Most schools require a minimum GPA of 3.0 to
be considered for admission. Usually, two distinct GPAs are calculated; your overall GPA and your science
GPA (which includes only the core science courses) and to be competitive, you should strive to have a
science GPA of 3.3 or higher and an overall GPA of 3.4 or higher (average acceptance GPA in most schools).
Community Colleges focus on very practical training and usually do not provide the most optimal preparation
for students considering graduate and professional schools such as Pharmacy school. It is therefore,
advisable for students to complete their pre-pharmacy coursework at a four-year College/University.
The Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) (www.pcatweb.info) is a nation wide standardized test offered
three times a year which measures general academic ability and scientific knowledge necessary for the
commencement of pharmaceutical education. The PCAT is made up of 6 section containing approximately
280 multiple-choice questions and an essay, taken in four and half hours.
- English, has four areas of focus administered at separate times during the exam (Reading Comprehension section, Verbal Ability section (test analogies and sentence completion), Essay ( new section being implemented))
- Math (Quantitative Ability section measures skills and applications of algebra, geometry, probability and statistics, pre-calculus, and calculus.
- Chemistry section (tests on principles and concepts of general and organic chemistry)
- Biology section (tests on principles and concepts of general biology, along with microbiology, and human anatomy and physiology)
PCAT scores are graded on a percentile scale. Though most schools do not have minimum PCAT score, a composite score of 75% or higher makes your application very competitive.
Most schools require 2 letters of recommendation. These letters should come from professors and
healthcare professionals who are very cognizant of your work and who have supervised you in an
academic or professional setting. It is important for you to have very cordial and professional
relationships with all professors as they may be in the best position to highlight your accomplishments,
work ethic and determination to the Admission committees of the programs you are considering. Time is
always a factor and it nobody's friend. So, do plan accordingly. Do not be afraid to ask recommenders
if they are willing to write you a strong recommendation. It does not help you if the person you have
chosen to say a word about to the Admission Committee is not willing to write a convincing and positive
recommendation. Do not forget to send "Thank You" cards to all your recommenders.
The Personal statement is an opportunity for you to tell the Admission Committee more about yourself and
not what GPA you have or what your PCAT score is. This is where you dwell on unique experiences that have
shaped your life, what you enjoy doing outside the classroom and, more importantly, what kind of future
do you envision for yourself. This is usually where you answer the question: Why do you want to be a
Pharmacist? The best personal statements usually have all of these components. It is advisable to have
someone read through your statement to make sure you come across as thoughtful and determined to achieve
certain goals.
After a thorough review of your application, a decision is made of whether to grant you an interview or not.
There are some Pharmacy programs that do not require a personal interview. Check with all the programs you
are considering, ensuring that you are cognizant with their application process. The interview is an
opportunity for the Committee member(s) to get a 'feel" of your personality. It basically looks for
professionalism, your knowledge of current trends in pharmacy and healthcare and also, your communication
skills. It helps to practice with friends or have a Mock interview at your schools' Career Services Office.
Being confident is key and feel free to express your opinion on issues. Most Interviewers prefer a candidate
with an opinion and not just anyone who is undecided or hasn't thought about the issues.
Be prepared and relax.
For those accepted in to pharmacy school there is the challenge of paying the cost of the four-year program.
Most school, if not all schools, have financial aid packages through FAFSA which is usually enough to cover
your tuition and basic living expenses for the whole year. There are also personal loans, grants and
scholarships offered through the schools system to assist in tuition payment. Loans are usually not
repayable until graduation. Check with your programs to find out about financial aid for international
students. For those interested in working part-time, there are many internship programs with most of the
big retail stores offering very competitive pay. There are numerous employment opportunities post-graduation
and the earnings are very lucrative with a rising trend in re-imbursements.
"The easy part is getting in to a pharmacy school; the hard part is staying in school," (Dr. Ofosu).
And as lion cubs being molded to lions to head the Cameroon of tomorrow I think that is a challenge we are
all willing and capable of undertaking.
- Apply early ( use the early decision process to your advantage you don't need to have all your prerequisite before apply as long as you are able to complete them before the fall of your application year).
- Apply to your state first (instate applicant's are usually given preference).
- Apply wisely (know the application pool for previous years, the average entrance GPA and PCAT scores).
- PCAT test is very fast pace (if you don't know the answer on first impulse go to the next question you won't have time to think)( the goal is to get as many right as possible before you can rationalize on the ones you are not sure of).
- Network (get to know pharmacist in the workforce and in the school system.
- Some schools offer 6 year program (2 prerequisites, 4 years Pharm D) guaranteeing you a place in pharmacy school.
- Volunteer/intern at a pharmacy.
- Your PCAT scores should not be older the 2-3 years.
- Personal statement: remember you are selling yourself so you want to highlight your achievements, participation in organizations/clubs, community service, as they relate to healthcare.
