Everything about PHARMACY MAJOR PLEASE!?

Question

I am definitely interested in being a pharmacy major in college. I'm a junior in high school right now, and I'm starting to think of my future. I love chemistry more than any other science class. I was looking into Chemical Engineering, also, but it seemed like it was more concentrated on physics, math, and chemistry. It seems like Pharmacy is more based on chemistry, biology, and maybe some simple math - I prefer biology way more than physics. Well, I'm clueless as to how this 2+4, 0+6, and 4+4 Pharmacy programs work. I get that most people do the 2+4 program because it is the most well-rounded. I will probably end up doing that, also. In addition, do I have to go to a separate school for the first 2 years and then apply to another Pharmacy school? Please explain everything there is to know about applying for pre-pharm and pharmacy. Also, are there any great pharmacy ivy league schools? because on the ranks, there are no ivy league pre-pharm or pharm schools at all. Thanks!

Answer 1

Okay, let me try and answer your questions, not in any particular order. I'm not sure of any Pharm schools outside of Texas. You do not have to do your first two years at a different school, but in most cases the first two years of basics are cheaper at a community college or junior college. Most people in Texas wil do their basics somewhere before transferring to a Pharmacy school. You do the basics and take the PCAT, then get accepted at the Pharm school.

Here, we have either the 5 or 6 year plan, if you are at a Pharm school already, or most community or junior colleges have a transfer agreement of 2+3 or 2+4 with a Pharmacy college in the area. With Texas and the school I work, the 2+3 will get your Bachelor's in Pharmacy, and the 2+4 will get your Doctorate in Pharmacy.

Pharmacists are health professionals who practice the art and science of pharmacy. In their traditional role, pharmacists typically take a request for medicines from a prescribing health care provider in the form of a medical prescription and dispense the medication to the patient and counsel them on the proper use and adverse effects of that medication. In this role, pharmacists ensure the safe and effective use of medications. Pharmacists also participate in disease state management, where they optimise and monitor drug therapy – often in collaboration with physicians and/or other health professionals. Pharmacists have many areas of expertise and are a critical source of medical knowledge in clinics, hospitals, and community pharmacies throughout the world.

Below is a degree plan from the school I work at. This will get your first two years finished. After that, you will need to apply to a Pharmacy School to finish and take the PCAT (Pharmacy College Aptitude Test). There are several Pharmacy Schools in Texas. UT-Austin, U of Houston, Texas Southern in Houston, Incarnate Word University in San Antonio, Texas A&M - Kingsville, and I believe Texas Tech in Lubbock.

Good Luck.

Curriculum: Year 1, Semester 1
BIOL 1406 Principles of Biology I OR BIOL 1413 General Zoology
CHEM 1411 General Chemistry
ENGL 1301 Freshman Composition I
MATH 1314 College Algebra
KINE Any Activity course (1100-1199)

Curriculum: Year 1, Semester 2
BIOL 1407 Principles of Biology II OR BIOL1411 General Botany
CHEM 1412 General Chemistry II
MATH 2412 Precalculus
ENGL 1302 English Composition II
KINE Any Activity course (1100-1199)

Curriculum: Year 2, Semester 1
CHEM 2323 Organic Chemistry I - Lecture
CHEM 2223 Organic Chemistry I - Lab
PHYS 1401 General Physics I
BIOL 2401 Human Anatomy & Physiology I

Curriculum: Year 2, Semester 2
CHEM 2325 Organic Chemistry II - Lecture
CHEM 2225 Organic Chemistry II - Lab
PHYS 1402 General Physics II
BIOL 2421 Microbiology
BIOL 2402 Human Anatomy & Physiology II

Required Electives:
ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics
ENGL 2322-2377 Literature
GOVT 2305 American Government (Federal)
GOVT 2306 American Government (State)
HIST 1301 History of the US I
HIST 1302 History of the US II
PSYC 2301 General Psychology
SPCH 1311 Fundamentals of Speech

Answer 2

The only degree available is the Doctor of Pharmacy. The B.S. Pharmacy degree was phased out a couple of years ago.
I would recommend you try, if you have good high school grades, and get into a 0+6 program because you only have to apply once.
The important prereqs for Pharmacy are chemistry, biology, and physiology.
The 0+6 program is one you get accepted to directly out of high school.
The 2+4 program is one you take two years of prereqs preferably at a 4 year university, and then transfer to pharmacy for the final 4 years. You do not have a bachelors. Most programs are like these. For you prereqs, you can go to another school than the pharmacy school.
The 4+4 program means you have to get a bachelors before transferring into pharmacy. This is the trend.
No Ivy League school offers Pharmacy, and no one cares about where you get you degree.
To apply for regular prePharm, just apply as a normal undergraduate at the school you're interested in.
To apply for pharmacy, first you must complete your prereqs. You also have to take the PCAT. Most schools use Pharmcas, but some don't.
The average successful candidate is one with a bachelors who applies to a 2+4 school.