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Pre-Pharmacy
Background Information
Pharmacists are specialists in the science and clinical use of medications, and a December, 2000, government report noted that the demand for pharmacists outstrips the number of pharmacists available or currently in training. Pharmacists are employed in academic, community, and government sectors, with about 60% of the pharmacists currently employed in community pharmacies. An increasing number of pharmacists are employed in hospitals, nursing homes, or health maintenance organizations where they are members of patient total-care teams.
Pharmacists are trained about the composition of drugs, their chemical and physical properties, their uses, and their activity within the body. In the Fall, 1998, approximately 37% of students in pharmacy programs were enrolled in baccalaureate (B.S.) degree programs. However, a recent change in policy has mandated that to sit for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX), individuals will need a doctoral degree in pharmacy (Pharm.D.). After the fall, 2002, the B.S. in pharmacy will no longer be offered at any U.S. institutions.
The Pharm.D. degree requires four years of professional training, following a minimum of two years of pre-pharmacy education. Many individuals complete a four-year traditional liberal arts baccalaureate (B.S.) degree before application to pharmacy school. In 1998, the application to enrollment rate for pharmacy programs (B.S. and Pharm.D.) was 3.1:1. The prerequisites vary from school of school, and some, but not all, schools require the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT).
Examples of Prerequisites
As an example of application requirements, the requirements for admission to the Purdue University School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Sciences are listed below. The web site at Purdue School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Sciences also links to a list of the specific courses at the University of Evansville that fulfill the pre-pharmacy requirements.
Pharmacy College Admission Test PCAT) scores -
http://www.pcatweb.info -
College courses (minimum required):
General Biology/Zoology - 2 semester courses with labs Microbiology - 1 semester course with lab Anatomy and Physiology - 2 semester courses with labs General Chemistry - 2 semester courses with labs Organic Chemistry - 2 semester courses with labs Physics - 1 semester course with lab Writing - 2 semester courses Calculus - 2 semester courses
Recommendation letters Interview - to assess motivation, degree of maturity, and general character Volunteer service and leadership experience
Primary Contact Information:
Office of Student Services
1330 Heine Pharmacy Building
School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Sciences
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47907-1330
Phone: (765) 494-1357
FAX: (317) 496-1875
http://www.pharmacy.purdue.edu/
Professional Societies
Other Career Options
Students interested in careers in basic pharmaceutical science may obtain Master’s and Doctoral degrees. Upon successful completion of these programs, individuals accept positions with academic institutions, pharmacy practices, professional and trade associations, pharmaceutical companies, state and national government agencies, and a wide variety of health service delivery programs. See the graduate school section of the Purdue web site (http://www.pharmacy.purdue.edu/academics/graduate/) for examples of graduate programs.
Some advanced degree programs focus on research into the understanding of the composition, design, and application of pharmaceuticals, while other programs focus on such areas as policy and social application of pharmaceutical sciences. For example, graduate degree programs in pharmacy administration (M.S. and Ph.D.) train scientific researchers to approach problems in pharmacy that can be solved by an understanding of the principles, concepts, and applications of the economic, management, marketing, political, social, and behavioral forces that drive pharmacy-oriented systems and organizations.
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