Pharmacy is almost like an open secret in the medical field. Not only do pharmacists (median $128,000 per year), but their role is also increasingly important as . But what makes pharmacy particularly unique among other doctorate-level medical professions is the process for entry. While most med schools have a notoriously stress-inducing testing and application process, pharmacy schools offer a centralized application process with higher acceptance rates for qualified candidates.
Anyone can become a pharmacist with the right preparation. There are dozens of Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs available. Some schools will require a standardized test designed specifically for pharmacy degree applicants. Others only require you to meet academic prerequisites in courses critical to success in a pharmacy degree program. To ensure you鈥檙e a top candidate, examine all of the minimum requirements that exist for most pharmacy schools; then meet those requirements prior to submitting applications.
Types of pharmacy jobs
鈥淧harmacy鈥� is a loaded term. There鈥檚 more than one type of pharmacist. Within the profession, you鈥檒l find positions such as:
- Ambulatory care pharmacy
- Clinical pharmacy
- Compounding pharmacy
- Home care (infusion) pharmacy
- Hospital pharmacy
- Regulatory pharmacy
As with most other medical professionals, many pharmacists also specialize. Pharmacists can focus on areas such as oncology, pediatrics, geriatrics, psychopharmacology, and many others. Where you choose to focus depends on your interests and additional training both during and after you complete a pharmacy degree.
Not everyone who wants to work in pharmacy will need to obtain a Doctorate of Pharmacy. Pharmacy technician and pharmacy assistant jobs are also available and typically require a high school diploma at a minimum. Additional certifications or an associate鈥檚 degree may be required.
Two paths to becoming a pharmacist
What鈥檚 most unique about pharmacy is how the application process for pharmacy schools differs compared to other professions within medicine.
Med schools are well known (sometimes feared) for their difficult entry requirements, which include the MCAT and culminate in a that hovers around 41%. Competition is fierce, so med school applicants apply, on average, 鈥� or as many as 20 in highly competitive states.
Conversely, pharmacy schools have strict, but not overbearing application requirements.
To become a pharmacist, you鈥檒l need to follow one of two paths:
- Take and excel in the prerequisite undergraduate coursework for select degree programs
- Achieve a high score on the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT)
Note that almost every PharmD program will require you to successfully complete an undergraduate degree. Some Doctor of Pharmacy degree programs will admit students with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in any area so long as the applicant has a high enough score on the PCAT. However, many programs, including Keck Graduate Institute (黑料吃瓜网)鈥檚 , do not require you to submit a PCAT score at all. In such a situation, you鈥檒l need to submit transcripts that meet your prospective school鈥檚 academic coursework that鈥檚 considered a prerequisite for the program.
You may want to follow both paths to increase the likelihood of getting admitted to the school of your choice. Research the programs you鈥檙e most interested in and follow the requisite coursework guidelines for admittance. Many schools with no PCAT requirements will have similar coursework prerequisites.
Make sure to study for and take the PCAT the year before you plan to submit applications. This will give you time to retake the test 鈥� just in case you need to earn a higher score.
The pharmacy school application process is centralized through the (PharmCAS) system. You鈥檒l be able to submit all of your applications in one place. The pharmacy school application cycle typically runs from the summer to the fall, ending just before schools begin to admit new students.
Don鈥檛 miss the PharmD application window
Apply to 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 Doctor of Pharmacy degree program using the PharmCAS system. 黑料吃瓜网 has no PCAT or other standardized testing requirements. Submit your transcripts with the prerequisite coursework alongside other application materials. 黑料吃瓜网 accepts prerequisite coursework from accredited four-year and two-year institutions.
黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 four-year PharmD program will prepare you for roles across the medical industry. Courses in areas such as Drug and Biologic Regulations, Principles of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Cardiovascular/Renal Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry, and Pharmacy Management will help make you a versatile hire in pharmacies, hospitals, NGOs, government agencies, or within private-sector biotech companies.
to learn more about our PharmD program, including available need- and merit-based financial aid opportunities.