Pharmacy
Preprofessional Studies
Become a critical part of the medical world.
Pharmacists have the responsibility of carrying on a doctor’s work and ensuring that patients receive the proper medication and treatment they need. Becoming a licensed pharmacist in the United States is an extensive process, but it can lead to a fulfilling career that is both stable and well paid, with opportunities to work in a variety of locations.
The details
What you need to know.
As the population ages and the healthcare industry continues to grow, the need for licensed pharmacists has increased. In order to become a licensed pharmacist, you will need to do the following:
- Earn a doctor of pharmacy degree (from a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education)
- Complete four years of academic coursework
- Have 1,000 hours (depending on the program) of clinical experience
- Pass required licensing exams
- North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX)
- Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE)
- Written exam
- Practical exam
Workplace Environment
- Hospitals
- Care facilities
- Research
- Pharmaceutical companies
Acceptance into a doctor of pharmacy program does not always require a bachelor’s degree. However, most students earn an undergraduate degree while completing their prerequisite courses. While planning your preprofessional journey, it’s important to know the following:
- No specific major needed
- Biology and chemistry are common
- Completion of bachelor’s degree encouraged
- Three to four years of prerequisite courses required
- Meet with your preprofessional advisor as early as possible
Note: Once you have finalized your major and academic plan, a discipline-specific faculty member may be also assigned as a pre-pharmacy mentor and guide.
As the population ages and the healthcare industry continues to grow, the need for licensed pharmacists has increased. In order to become a licensed pharmacist, you will need to do the following:
- Earn a doctor of pharmacy degree (from a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education)
- Complete four years of academic coursework
- Have 1,000 hours (depending on the program) of clinical experience
- Pass required licensing exams
- North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX)
- Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE)
- Written exam
- Practical exam
Workplace Environment
- Hospitals
- Care facilities
- Research
- Pharmaceutical companies
Acceptance into a doctor of pharmacy program does not always require a bachelor’s degree. However, most students earn an undergraduate degree while completing their prerequisite courses. While planning your preprofessional journey, it’s important to know the following:
- No specific major needed
- Biology and chemistry are common
- Completion of bachelor’s degree encouraged
- Three to four years of prerequisite courses required
- Meet with your preprofessional advisor as early as possible
Note: Once you have finalized your major and academic plan, a discipline-specific faculty member may be also assigned as a pre-pharmacy mentor and guide.
Requirements and Recommendations
What to expect from your preprofessional studies.
The following list includes some of the most common prerequisites for many of the pharmacy programs in the in the United States:
- Biology with lab (at least two semesters)
- Chemistry with lab (at least two semesters)
- Organic chemistry with lab (at least two semesters)
- Molecular and cellular biology
- Microbiology
- Anatomy and physiology (at least two semesters)
- Calculus
- Statistics
- English composition
It is also important to gain direct healthcare experience through working or volunteering in a medical environment. Prepharmacy students are encouraged to begin by job-shadowing a pharmacist and to start looking for volunteer opportunities as early as their freshman year. In addition, you are encouraged to find organizations and extracurriculars that can provide leadership experience, allow you to develop interpersonal skills, and show a commitment to you communities.
Applying to Graduate or Professional School
Prepare for the next step.
In addition to requiring you to complete all prerequisites with a high GPA, many pharmacy programs require you to take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). This exam is designed to test your knowledge of biology, chemistry, and mathematics, and to assess the your skills in writing and critical reading. You should plan to take the PCAT no later than the September before you hope to begin the pharmacy program. After you pass the PCAT, you can utilize the Pharmacy College Application Service, a centralized application accepted by most pharmacy schools.
Contact Us
Have questions?
Contact Marcy Ball, preprofessional advisor for health programs, at [email protected] or 260-481-5735.