After I wrote my last post, about the possibilities of pharmacy as a career, I started thinking: I don’t know anything about this! Why not ask someone who does.
So I contacted a friend of mine, Richard Valone, who is a clinical specialist in the pharmacy department at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac. Rick has been a pharmacist for more than 20 years, and I knew he’d have some answers for me. He did!
Rick told me that general admission to pharmacy school occurs after two years of a full-time pre-pharmacy curriculum, which would include:
- General biology with lab (2 semesters)
- General chemistry with lab (2 semesters)
- Organic chemistry with lab (2 semesters)
- Calculus (2 semesters)
- Human anatomy and physiology, introduction to microbiology with lab, physics with lab (2 semesters)
- Other courses that often are required include political science, speech, college writing and statistics.
Rick says after completing a pre-pharmacy program, an applicant myst take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT). Generally, an applicant must score in the 75th percentile (the top quarter of those taking the test). Most schools also require the applicant to come in for an interview.
Wayne State and Ferris State take approximately 100 students per academic year, and University of Michigan takes fewer, according to Rick.
Pharmacy school itself is a four-year, full-time program. The last academic year is completely clinical, with students required to do a number of rotations at both hospital and retail settings. Some schools, he said, do offer electives in research, industry, long-term care and a few other areas.
"I would highly recommend that anyone interested in pharmacy call a pharmacist, visit a pharmacy, ask to interview the pharmacist — or even shadow for a day," Rick said.
"This is the best way to get a good idea of what a pharmacist truly does."
What about you? If you think this might be a career for you, why not join the pharmacy group on this site, so that you can talk with others like yourself? And if you are a counselor, pharmacy student or pharmacy, please join as well — so that students have a sounding board and a real-life advisory group for their career decisions.
If you would like to revisit my previous blog on pharmacy, it has some resources and links you might find useful.