At some schools they offer a “0-6” program which is essentially a program where you actually start out in pharmacy school from day 1 (you still have to apply).

Then, if you make it thru all six years you are a pharmacist.

Most schools, however; run on the “2-4” program.  Meaning, you do 2 years of pre-pharmacy courses and then apply to the professional schools.

If you are accepted you then spend 4 years in the professional pharmacy program.

Selecting a Pharmacy School

Frankly, which kind of program you pursue is like debating Mac’s versus PC’s.  They both get you to the same end-point – which is a degree, so who cares?

Trust me, your employer isn’t going to care where you got your degree – only that you have one.  I’ve never had an issue with this.  Not once.  I’ve never known any other pharmacists who have, either.

In general, most go to a 2-4 program as that is the way most schools are run.  Plus they have more of a professional/academic appeal because you jump thru hoops for a couple of years and then apply.

PharmD the only degree

The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree is now the entry level degree for pharmacy.

You use to be able to get a Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) in 5 years total.  That is, 2 years pre-pharmacy and then 3 years pharmacy school.

Supposedly More Clinical

Why the push for the PharmD?

There has been, and still is, a push in the field of pharmacy to become more ‘clinical’.  Meaning: get away from the count, pour, lick and stick mentality that is pharmacy.  And get pharmacists more involved directly with patient care and clinical decisions.

Coumadin clinics, drawing blood pressure, making drug change recommendations to doctors and so forth.

Of course, academia and pharmacy associations answer to this problem is to have a higher entry-level degree.

While this may be one answer I don’t think it has helped much.  And I have the Pharm.D.

Some of the sharpest pharmacists I know got their Bachelor degrees and then went out and made a name for themselves.  Many of them did go on to get their Pharm.D’s.  But, most of them have told me that it was the experience of working, starting programs and moving up the ladder that was the biggest thing.

In short, it’s your experience and work ethic that matter – not which letters are behind your name.

Academia loves to add complexity

I didn’t have many complaints about pharmacy school in general.  In fact, overall, I really enjoyed my experience.

But, I did have a problem with schools making students get the PharmD as the entry level degree.

Seems to me that if you are a good pharmacist it will show no matter the letters behind your name.

Academia seems to thrive on added complexity.  Which makes sense, by definition, they are a bureaucracy.

Also, the extra year is spent doing rotations off campus – but you are still paying tuition and super-tuition.  Students have to arrange housing in numerous cities and other accommodations.

So this entry level requirement not only adds complexity – but about $15,000 to pharmacy stu-dent’s already high tab.

Other options

In years past, students who wished to gain more clinical experience could always apply for residencies.

Residencies are year-long assignments where you work intensely in a clinical environment.  Usually in a big, teaching institution.  You are paid a stipend, which is usually 1/3 to ½ the normal pharmacist rate.  But, they were designed for those pharmacists who had a little more drive to become more clinical.

I came close to doing this but opted against it.  The pharmacists I know who did this said they were an excellent experience.

No option

I’ll quit talking about this now because you have no option.  The Pharm.D. is the entry level degree and that’s that.
I bring this up because what makes a pharmacist good – or even great – isn’t necessarily the letters behind your name.  Instead focus on integrity, honesty and work ethic.  Those attributes will carry you much farther than your ‘title’.

Subjects

Pharmacy (both pre-pharmacy and pharmacy school) are science-based classes.

For example, my first two years I took the fol-lowing core classes: one year of general chemistry, one year of organic chemistry, physics, pre-calculus, calculus (why, I’ll never know but it was required for entry into pharmacy school.  I don’t recall ever using it again.  Thank God for that), biology (not including my labs).

In pharmacy school you’ll encounter classes like anatomy and physiology, statistics, biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmacotherapy, psychopharmacotherapy (the use of drugs in mental health disorders), and pharmacokinetics (in general, figuring out how a drug will react in a persons body based on weight, body composition and organ function).

This is only a partial sampling of the courses you’ll take.  The point is: getting into and thru pharmacy school requires passing demanding courses.  It’s hard, hard work.

Don’t kid yourself.

Cost of Pharmacy School

You probably already have a good idea of what school in general will run you.  But keep in mind that most pharmacy schools (state-run) have what is called a ‘super-tuition’.

This means that you pay extra for going to their pharmacy school.

How much more?

When I started pharmacy school it was an extra $1000 per year (1996-1998).  In my last year of pharmacy school (1999) it was raised to $3,500.

It’s probably close to that at most state schools.  I won’t put tuition numbers in this book because it takes up too much room and all you have to do is go to Google and search for schools and tuition.

Suffice it to say that college is expensive.  Pharmacy school is even more expensive.  I spent an extra 20-35% each year for attending pharmacy school.

ROI

You should treat pharmacy school like a business decision.  What will your return on investment be?

A lot of potential students think that because a school is more expensive means its better.

Not necessarily.

When I applied to pharmacy school one phar-macist told me to go to a particular out-of-state school because it was a ‘better’ school.

I asked him how it was better and he just said it had ‘higher rankings’.  He had no proof of that so I disregarded his advice.  Only later did I find out that his son had attended that school and that he had personal disagreements with personnel at the school I was going to attend.

For me, it made more sense to spend $60,000 on a state-run school rather than tack on another $30,000 in out-of-state tuition, gas expenses and such based on the advice of a biased recommendation.

In short, the school I chose was based on its quality – but also its proximity.  It was practical and a good return on investment.

Don’t let anyone talk you into going to a school simply based on status.  It’s not only an expensive mistake – it’s often times wrong.

In fact, the school I ended up going to (University of Montana) now has the largest square foot Biomedical Sciences complex of any pharmacy school in the country.

Do visit the school first

This doesn’t mean you should blindly apply to the closest and cheapest school.  You definitely want to know what you’re getting into.

So go visit the school you’re interested in before you apply there.  And ask recent graduates about their experience there.  That will tell you a lot.

I took my PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) at my school.  So I got to see the town, the facilities and met some instructors.

However you do it – make sure to visit any school you apply to.

Action Step

Start gathering information from 3 to no more than 10 schools of pharmacy and start evaluating them based on your needs.

What is their tuition?  What is their ‘super-tuition’?  How far away are they so you can estimate travel costs and how often you can afford to come back home to visit?  How much is room and board or rent in that area? What are their graduation rates?  What are their rates for passing the board exam on their first try?  What do former students have to say about going to school their?

High Book Cost

It’s no secret that college textbooks are expensive.  Because of their specialized nature, pharmacy textbooks are generally more expensive than general textbooks.

In pharmacy school two required texts are Goodman and Gillman: The Pharmacologic Basis of Therapeutics 2021 pages $155.00 list price.  And Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach for $174.00.

These are only two books of the dozens you’ll be required to purchase.  And, because new drugs are added every year you’ll have to buy new.

The good news for you is that these are cheaper now than when I went to school.  Probably due to the internet.

Related posts:

1. Pharmacy School Rankings Are A Waste of Time
2. What If The Pharmacy School Rejects Me?
3. Become A Pharmacist