PharmacyPharmacyFrom point A to BFrom point A to B

A brief lecture on how to reach pharmacy school from UC A brief lecture on how to reach pharmacy school from UC MercedMerced

Presented by:Presented by:

Sean E. StaffordSean E. Stafford

Why Pharmacy?Why Pharmacy?

A career that is needed in an ever expanding A career that is needed in an ever expanding health care field.health care field.

Highly demandedHighly demanded Excellent pay, median salary ~$90,000 Excellent pay, median salary ~$90,000 Chemistry and drug interaction expertChemistry and drug interaction expert Work in hospital, retail, or researchWork in hospital, retail, or research Never on call, able to have a ‘life’Never on call, able to have a ‘life’

What do Pharmacists do?What do Pharmacists do?

Provide supervision, care, and counseling Provide supervision, care, and counseling to patients in pharmacies and hospitalsto patients in pharmacies and hospitals

Develop and research drugs.Develop and research drugs. Share their wealth of knowledge about Share their wealth of knowledge about

drug mechanisms and effects to better the drug mechanisms and effects to better the every day lives of patients with the every day lives of patients with the collaboration of other doctors.collaboration of other doctors.

Chemists that care.Chemists that care.

Where do I start?Where do I start?

Start in college as Start in college as anyany major major Plan to complete the required pre-requisite Plan to complete the required pre-requisite

classes for Pharmacy schools before classes for Pharmacy schools before college completion. college completion.

Coordinate with counselor to see which Coordinate with counselor to see which classes are equivalent to pre-requisites.classes are equivalent to pre-requisites.

Long term goalsLong term goals

Keep GPA above 3.5, excel in science Keep GPA above 3.5, excel in science classes.classes.

Do research, lab, or volunteer workDo research, lab, or volunteer work Obtain 3-5 letters of recommendationObtain 3-5 letters of recommendation Keep updated constantly with dates, Keep updated constantly with dates,

deadlines, and requirements.deadlines, and requirements.

ClassesClasses

(Cue excel classes)(Cue excel classes)

Work/ Lab/ Volunteer Work/ Lab/ Volunteer experienceexperience

All extracurricular work looks excellent on All extracurricular work looks excellent on resume/ transcriptsresume/ transcripts

Very beneficial, more time spent = highly Very beneficial, more time spent = highly favorable to admissions committeefavorable to admissions committee

Publications, total work hours, letters of Publications, total work hours, letters of recommendations show proof of hard recommendations show proof of hard work. The more the better.work. The more the better.

Letters of RecommendationLetters of Recommendation

Generally 3 from faculty that know you Generally 3 from faculty that know you bestbest

Usually 2 letters from Bio science faculty, Usually 2 letters from Bio science faculty, 1 from non-major (research professor, 1 from non-major (research professor, volunteer coordinator)volunteer coordinator)

UCM career service will hold letters for 1 UCM career service will hold letters for 1 year @ 35$ a year.year @ 35$ a year.

PharmCASPharmCAS

Centralized application program that holds Centralized application program that holds all transcript, application, and admission all transcript, application, and admission info to Pharmacy schools.info to Pharmacy schools.

Stores history of academic career, LOR, Stores history of academic career, LOR, and personal info.and personal info.

Allows for initial application to desired Allows for initial application to desired Pharmacy schools.Pharmacy schools.

Need to keep updated with secondaries.Need to keep updated with secondaries.

California Pharmacy SchoolsCalifornia Pharmacy Schools

Loma LindaLoma Linda UC San DiegoUC San Diego UC San FranciscoUC San Francisco UOPUOP UC Southern CaliforniaUC Southern California Western UniversityWestern University Touro UniversityTouro University

Other Pharmacy SchoolsOther Pharmacy Schools

83 non-california Pharmacy schools 83 non-california Pharmacy schools in U.S.in U.S.

Similar requirements but need PCAT Similar requirements but need PCAT scores.scores.

The dreaded PCATThe dreaded PCAT

NOT needed for California based Pharmacy NOT needed for California based Pharmacy schools, only non-California Pharmacy schools, only non-California Pharmacy schoolsschools

Similar to GRE, four hour test consists of six Similar to GRE, four hour test consists of six sections (Biology, Chemistry, Quantitative sections (Biology, Chemistry, Quantitative Ability, Reading Comprehension, Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning, Writing)Reasoning, Writing)

Preparation books are highly recommendedPreparation books are highly recommended

SummarySummary

PLAN AHEAD!PLAN AHEAD! Excel in pre-requisite classes, put in Excel in pre-requisite classes, put in

many extracurricular hours, keep many extracurricular hours, keep updated with deadlines.updated with deadlines.

Know requirements for each Know requirements for each Pharmacy school.Pharmacy school.

Questions?Questions?

Helpful Links:Helpful Links: http://www.uspharmd.com/school/http://www.uspharmd.com/school/

California/ California/ www.pharmcas.comwww.pharmcas.com http://harcourtassessment.com/http://harcourtassessment.com/

haiweb/Cultures/en-US/Harcourt/haiweb/Cultures/en-US/Harcourt/Community/PostSecondary/Products/Community/PostSecondary/Products/pcat/subpages/introduction.htmpcat/subpages/introduction.htm

Legal citationsLegal citations

1. http://www.canadian-online-internet-pharmacys.com/images/pharmacy_store_front.jpg1. http://www.canadian-online-internet-pharmacys.com/images/pharmacy_store_front.jpg 2. http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/02/79/22187902.jpg2. http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/02/79/22187902.jpg 3. http://www.swinertongreen.com/Project%20Profiles/Project%20Sheets/UC%20Merced%20Library%201.gif3. http://www.swinertongreen.com/Project%20Profiles/Project%20Sheets/UC%20Merced%20Library%201.gif 4. http://www.thewritersworkshop.net/writing-2.jpg4. http://www.thewritersworkshop.net/writing-2.jpg 5. http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/20/68/22666820.jpg5. http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/20/68/22666820.jpg 6. http://www.singular.uni-kl.de/Images/plaque.jpg6. http://www.singular.uni-kl.de/Images/plaque.jpg 7. https://portal.pharmcas.org/images/logoapplicants.gif7. https://portal.pharmcas.org/images/logoapplicants.gif 8. http://www.testbooksonline.com/Professional%20II/pcat.h1.jpg8. http://www.testbooksonline.com/Professional%20II/pcat.h1.jpg 9. http://www.gopunditgo.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/ucsd%20049.jpg9. http://www.gopunditgo.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/ucsd%20049.jpg 10. http://www.ttuhsc.edu/sop/images/about.jpg10. http://www.ttuhsc.edu/sop/images/about.jpg