School of Pharmacy Dual Degree Programs
Jan 16th
With an increasing amount of new Pharm.D. graduates every year, many pharmacy school students have chosen to receive more education and set themselves apart from the traditional Pharm.D. graduate to pursue careers in pharmacy law, regulation, geriatrics, research, drug development, pharmaceutical industry, the government (FDA, CDC, etc.).
School of Pharmacy Table of Offered Dual Degree Programs
Some examples of dual degrees:
Doctor of Pharmacy/Master of Business Administration (Pharm.D./M.B.A.)
Doctor of Pharmacy/Juris Doctor(Pharm.D./J.D.)
Doctor of Pharmacy/Master of Public Health (Pharm.D./M.P.H.)
Doctor of Pharmacy/Master of Science in Regulatory Science (Pharm.D./M.S. Regulatory Science)
Doctor of Pharmacy/ Master of Science in Gerontology (Pharm.D./M.S.G.)
Doctor of Pharmacy/Graduate Certificate in Gerontology (Pharm.D./Gerontology Certificate)
Doctor of Pharmacy/Doctor of Philosophy (Pharm.D./Ph.D.)
Some of these degrees will require that you take additional standardized tests (GMAT, GRE, LSAT, etc.), an extra application, and more time in school. You should check these requirements early in the application process so that you will be ready when the time comes. At USC, many dual degree options are offered and some of them require only one or two extra summers with pharmacy school courses overlapping in requirements (saving you tuition and time).
The Pharmacy School Interview
Dec 27th
Every applicant worries about it, but every applicant must interview to gain admission into pharmacy school. The interview is a crucial piece of your application that will determine whether or not you receive admission. To prepare for the interview, I first suggest that applicants make use of the Student Doctor Interview Feedback to get a feel for the interview day and to see what type of questions will be asked. To practice these questions, rather than forming a script of answers (you will sound rehearsed, which is not good), you should hand a list of ‘high-probability’ questions (Why pharmacy?, etc.) to a friend or family member and simulate the interview. Prior to doing this, it would be a good idea to review your essays, resume, and supplemental application as this is what the interviewer will have in front of him or her during your interview.
Here are some of the criteria they use to grade your interview:
- Enthusiasm (How badly do you want to become a pharmacist?)
- Knowledge of Profession (When they ask you what you know about pharmacy, don’t answer, “counting pills”!)
- Communication Ability (Eye contact, etc.)
- Professionalism (Correct formal dress code, etc.)
Here are a few books that I used to help me through the interview experience. Although the books are for medical school interviews, the material completely corresponds with the pharmacy school interview. These books will help you view the questions from the point of view of the interviewer and formulate a well-articulated answer to any question they may throw at you.
List of Pharmacy Schools with Pharm.D./MBA Programs
Dec 16th
The Pharm.D. / MBA joint dual degree programs are designed for students interested in running their own business or working for a pharmaceutical company. Although programs will vary from school to school, most of these dual degree programs cuts out an extra year when compared to getting the degrees separately. I have heard many pros and cons for the degree from those who have completed the program. The pros being that you will be set apart from the thousands of graduating Pharm.D.’s every year as well as opening doors later down the line (the benefits do not necessarily come immediately upon graduation). Some of the cons include more tuition being spent (when you could be working) and most students having little or no work experience to relate to the curriculum (most MBA students have years of experience, so they are better able to relate core concepts to their previous work experience). Also, remember that you will need to take your GMAT to be accepted to these programs. At USC, by partaking this Pharm.D./MBA program, you will have no summer break and will ‘fall behind’ during your entire second year to complete the MBA (you will rejoin the class below you to complete your second year).
To get more information on the programs, you should definitely get in contact with current students in the program as well as the degree coordinator at the pharmacy school. Other dual degree programs are available with the Pharm.D. which include Pharm.D./J.D., Pharm.D./MS Regulatory Science, Pharm.D./MPH, Pharm.D./MS Gerontology, and Pharm.D./PHD.
USC’s PharmD/MBA page lists potential careers as well as requirements to be admitted into their program. Research each school’s program page to get a better idea of how the dual degree works in that institution.
Here are the list of pharmacy schools that offer the PharmD and MBA joint program:
- Arizona
- Pacific
- Southern California
- Connecticut
- Howard
- Nova Southeastern
- Palm Beach Atlantic
- Florida
- Mercer
- Idaho State
- Connecticut
- Howard
- Nova Southeastern
- Palm Beach Atlantic
- Florida
- Mercer
- Idaho State
- Butler
- Drake
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Sullivan
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Ferris State
- Missouri–Kansas City
- Montana
- Creighton
- Southern Nevada
- Buffalo
- Albany
- Campbell
- Wingate
- North Dakota State
- Ohio State
- Duquesne
- Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh
- Wilkes
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Shenandoah
- Virginia Commonwealth
End of First Semester of USC Pharmacy School!
Dec 16th
The end of my first semester at USC is finally here!
When comparing USC Pharmacy School to undergrad, it is tougher not because of the content of the material but the number of things you have going on all at once along with 18 units of courses. We just ended our finals yesterday which spanned a week and consisted of 5 finals!
In our first semester, we are all required to complete an Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) which is a part-time rotation for 40 hours sometime during semester either in the hospital setting or community setting. Our locations are picked for us, and we were split either Hospital or Community and into 3 groups that completed our rotation at different times (September or October or November). I completed my first rotation at LAC+USC in the third group (November); I was introduced to all aspects of pharmacy practice within the hospital setting. At the new hospital, clinical pharmacists were stationed at ‘satellite’ locations in each section of the hospital such as pediatrics or burn ICU. These satellite locations are mini storage sites for drugs needed most in that section of the hospital, and usually one or two pharmacists are stationed there. The majority of the pharmacists working at LAC+USC were either staff pharmacists who worked behind the scenes or Outpatient Pharmacists who provided drugs and counseling to patients at two different locations. We were also introduced to pharmacists who worked separately from the hospital itself in other areas of pharmacy practice such as the pharmacy warehouse, drug contracting (formularies), and drug information services! I enjoyed my rotation site as it opened my eyes to all hospital careers in pharmacy that go beyond the traditional roles.
In addition to the rotation requirement, we had to also complete a discussion type class on leadership, a brown bag review (counseling on a patients drug list to find interactions and inappropriate medications), and health fairs (screenings: at least 4 immunizations, 8 finger sticks, and 4 blood pressure readings).
At USC Pharmacy school, during your first semester, you can start getting involved in different organizations and leadership positions. The majority of our class rushed for a fraternity along with joining the 10 different pharmacy organizations.
The courses at USC Pharmacy School are on a grade system (not pass/no pass). The averages tend to be pretty high for all classes, so you really have to stay on top of your work. I haven’t changed much on my studying habits from undergrad, and it can take a toll on you for certain classes which require more memorization such as Anatomy. My favorite classes were Health Care Delivery (a class on the healthcare system) and Pharmaceutics (studying drug degradation, solubility, bioavailability, etc. most similar to Chemistry in undergrad). In our Health Care Delivery class, we went over many important topics of healthcare which included Medication Management Therapy, Medicare, Insurable Hazards, Managed Care, Pharmacy Benefit Managers, Current Healthcare Debate, and Pharmacoeconomics. I really believe that this class puts puts us at an advantage over other health professional schools that do not teach similar material; these topics are going to be important not only in our careers but also in shaping the future of pharmacy and our healthcare system.
Overall, I enjoyed my first semester, and I feel accustomed to pharmacy school. Although stressful at times, most us of us had time to have a good time to balance it all out! Now, I need to go find a pharmacy intern job…
First Few Weeks of Pharmacy School at USC
Sep 7th
The first week of pharmacy school involves a lot of administrative tasks such as filling out paperwork, but you also get many opportunities to meet a lot of faculty and your classmates. At USC, we are offered free food (during the 1 hour lunch break) while we listen in on the presentations from the many student organizations that exist here. I highly suggest all of you beginning pharmacy school students take advantage of these information sessions to get a feel for what clubs you will join (instead of cutting a check for every single org!). Club fees range anywhere from $30-$200 range at USC. Since pharmacy school is a lot smaller compared to undergrad institutions, you can easily meet and get to know your professors as well as the deans/associate deans.
During our fall semester of our first year, we take 18 units. Compared to undergrad, I wouldn’t say the material is that much harder (yet), but we are bombarded with more information per lecture. We are given note packets for each class; in Biosystems and Biochemical & Molecular Sites of Drug Action, our packets are 15-30 pages per 2 hour lecture.
For those who are curious, our fall semester tuition was $21,208.51 (not including books, rent, food, gas, etc.). Tuition seems to go up ~$1000 per year. Also, there are rumors that the entering class for 2010 will receive free netbooks as part of the curriculum.
Here is what my schedule looks like:
Pharmacy Practice I – 4 units
Biochemical & Molecular Sites of Drug Actions – 4 units
Pharmaceutics I – 4 units
Biological Systems I – 4 units
Health Care Delivery – 4 units
Class Schedule:
MONDAY: 8am-10am, 1pm-3pm
TUESDAY: 8am-10am, 1pm-3pm
WEDNESDAY: 8am-10am
THURSDAY: 8am-10am
FRIDAY: 8am-noon, 1pm-3pm
Each student also receives a 1 month pharmacy practice experience in hospital or community per semester. This would occur WED-THURS 1PM-6PM
If you have any specific questions, feel free to email me or leave it on the comment section.
Pharmacy School Prerequisites Table
Aug 17th
Here is a chart of prerequisites (from AACP.org) for pharmacy schools for the 2009-2010. This will give you a general idea of what courses each Pharm.D. program requires you to complete, but for exact course equivalencies, you will need to do some research. (If Calculus is a requirement, a school may only accept a specific course number such as a “Math 2A”). Course requirements vary greatly from institution to institution, so it is important for you to plan out the completion of all your prerequisites as early as possible.
A simple search on Google, for “(pharmacy school name) course equivalencies” will usually direct you to a page that will clarify which classes are accepted from your university.
Here are a few equivalency pages:
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s School of Pharmacy Reaches Accreditation Status
Aug 8th
With the first class of students graduating this past May, SIUE has received more good luck as it has now become fully accredited, and thereby the only downstate pharmacy school in Illinois. Upon graduation, the school reached its final step in gaining accreditation, which Dean Philip Medon credits to the role of teamwork between students, faculty, staff, and administration. Gaining accreditation is a big step for many pharmacy schools, especially schools that are just starting out. Determining what the best method of learning is for students is part of growing as an institution and learning how to best attract incoming students to the school.
The influx of new pharmacy schools is due to a new demand for pharmacists around the country. Opening new schools allows students to stay within their hometown area without moving to a big city simply to receive their pharmacy degree. This has allowed many more students to enroll than was possible within the past years. Most administrators do not recognize the need for many students to stay at home for school in order to save money and not incur larger debts than they already have to for school. Therefore, the new availability of schools in places such as SIUE has allowed less of a commute for many as well as a new education opportunity. This newest addition to the pharmacy network has already boasted top marks from the national organization and has been told that it’s a model program. Achieving accreditation status for most pharmacy schools is a sign that they are thus able to draw higher-quality students and improve their standing even more.
Most pharmacy schools practice continuing-education programs like SIUE, in which students are provided more training to practicing pharmacists in the area so that they will constantly improve their education. In the case of SIUE, the national organization renewed this status for the next two years, after which it will only need to be renewed every six years. Getting accreditation status is a big step for any pharmacy school, and in the case of SIUE this will only mean increased amounts of applicants which will allow the school to grow out within the state. Many schools are still waiting to gain accreditation status around the country which will lead to a better education group of pharmacists entering the world after school.
This post was contributed by Jill Gordon, who writes about the lpn nursing schools. She welcomes your feedback at Jill.Gordon25@ yahoo.com
Non-traditional Pharmacy Work Experience and How I met the President of Allergan Medical
Aug 5th
Have you been looking for a pharmacy related job to beef up your application for pharmacy school? The most common form of work experience that pre-pharmacy students pursue is as pharmacy technicians in a retail setting. Outside of the more common work experience in retail positions and at hospitals, you can obtain unique pharmacy work experience through an internship for the government or a pharmaceutical company.
As an example, the FDA Office of Policy and Planning Internship Program “give(s) students an opportunity to learn about federal programs, policies, and practices first-hand. By the end of the internship, each student will have the skills and knowledge necessary to allow him or her to make a significant contribution to public health.” Pre-pharmacy students have completed this internship in the past to become familiar with policy and other relevant public health issues.
In my opinion, applying for jobs online (through mainstream job sites such as Monster.com) is one of the least efficient ways to find a job (the number of applications you send versus how many interviews you secure). These companies receive several applications a day and yours may be filtered out or forgotten before anyone ever looks at them. Although I have used these services along with my undergraduate online job board, many great job opportunities are never listed. When I recently attended an innovation seminar in Orange County called Octane OC, I was able to meet the President of Allergan Medical, Robert Grant, along with many other CEOs of local pharmaceutical and medical device companies. After giving his speech, I had a small chat with Robert Grant and asked for his contact information to inquire about job openings. He obliged, and his staff was more than helpful for me to locate an internship. (Sadly, I had to decline, as I was accepted off the waitlist at USC). At the same time, I compiled a list of pharmaceutical companies in the Los Angeles/Orange County area and contacted every single one of them to secure a few interviews. The moral of the story is to put yourself out there and look for jobs “outside of the box.”
These internships are a perfect way for you to gain relevant pharmacy work experience and set you apart from other applicants. If you plan on pursuing a PharmD/MBA or a career in the corporate or government setting, it will be very beneficial for you to obtain one of these positions.
New Pharmacy Schools and their Accreditation Statuses
Jul 21st
New Pharmacy schools are opening up at an alarming rate in the United States. Personally, I would not attend a pre-candidate pharmacy school as it is not a smart move fiscally as the loans you will receive as a student at these schools would not be subsidized (you pay interest from day 1, which makes a huge difference on how much you pay back over the life of the loan VS. at an accredited pharmacy school a large portion of loans does not accrue interest until after you graduate). In addition, there is no guarantee that the school receives accreditation; Hawaii College of Pharmacy (HICP) comes to mind. HICP ended up closing their doors leaving their students without a degree and down thousands of dollars. This does not mean that the new schools will all fail, but it is something to be aware of. Do your research before committing to one of these programs.
Here are the recently opened pharmacy schools:
Belmont TN ——————————-Pre-Candidate**
Calilfornia Northstate CA ——————-Pre-Candidate**
Charleston WV—————————- Candidate**
Chicago State IL ————————–Pre-Candidate**
East Tennessee State TN ——————Candidate**
Findlay OH ——————————–Candidate**
Harding, University of AR ——————-Pre-Candidate**
Hawaii at Hilo HI —————————Candidate**
Incarnate Word TX ————————Candidate**
Lipscomb TN ——————————Pre-Candidate**
NEOUCOP OH ——————————Candidate**
Pacific U. (OR) OR —Just received full accreditation, thanks for the update rxgirly2012
Southern Illinois Edwardsville IL ————-Candidate**
Sullivan *** KY —————————-PreCandidate
Texas A&M – Kingsville TX ——————-Candidate**
Thomas Jefferson *** PA——————- Pre-Candidate**
Touro (CA) CA —————————–Candidate**
Touro (NY) NY —————————–Pre-Candidate**
Union TN ———————————-Pre-Candidate**
According to a research done by a member of studentdoctor, these are other pharmacy schools that may be opening in the near future:
possible schools for 2011
Central California SOP- private stand-alone no university affiliation
Samual Merrit (#10 in CA)
St. Joseph College, CT
Roosevelt University, Chicago
Univerity of NC Greensboro
possible schools opening 2010
The University of Maryland Eastern Shores
Drexel
Farleigh Dickinson
D’ Youville College
Concordia-Wisconsin-projects a class size of 300.
Presbyterian College-NC
University of South Florida
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
schools opening 2009
Husson University
New England, University of ME
Notre Dame of Maryland
Regis University
ACPE lists the detailed accreditation status of all American Pharmacy Schools.
Preparing for the Pharmacy School Interview
Jul 9th
The interview can make or break your application. At most pharmacy schools, the interview portion of your application weighs significantly enough to push your application over the top to gain acceptance or push you down into the rejection pile.
Here are some tips to help you succeed at your interview
-Know what you need to bring to the interview session (pen, paper, id, resume, etc.)
-Take advantage of speaking to current students and your fellow interviewees prior to your actual interview. This will get your social skills warmed up and ready to go by the time you sit down and start telling two strangers why you should be picked out of the pool of well-qualified students.
-Definitely do look over StudentDoctor.net’s interview feedback section where students give their feedback and the questions they faced at interviews across the nation. It is important that you DO NOT make your responses sound rehearsed. Look over the essays that you have written as many questions will stem from those.
-Get a good night of sleep and eat prior to your interview. Being well rested and stomach not grumbling are definitely a plus.
-I personally purchased this book, The Medical School Interview: Secrets and a System for Success
-Don’t get lost! Print out a map online of where you need to go and have a backup just in case you get lost (calling a friend to give you directions from a computer). I actually purchased a Garmin Nuvi 265wt GPS because I was traveling to a very unfamiliar area, and I did not want to get lost!!
Most Recent Comments