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Is the path to becoming a pharmacist difficult?
One of my dream jobs is to become a pharmacist and want to know what classes to take in college. I want to know is being a pharmacist worth the time spent in college.
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5 answers
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Dinah’s Answer
There are a few ways to get into pharmacy school:
1. Just doing the pre-requisites and applying to pharmacy school
2. Completely a full undergraduate degree
Depending on where you want to go, some schools don't require a four year degree to get in, but some also require a undergraduate degree. You can start by looking into the pharmacy schools you want to go to, and the schools website should indicate what pre-req courses you need before applying. Just a heads up, most schools require math, chemistry, and biology. Another important thing to look into is the passing rate of the Naplex per school, because it can help guide you into making a decision if that school is a right fit for you or not. As of now, there is a pharmacy shortage in many states and many pharmacists are getting sign on bonuses. A big consideration is how much debt you are getting yourself into and what area of pharmacy you want to work in.
In my opinion, I would start working as a pharmacy technician and see how you like that first, because you can get the feel on how a pharmacist works on a day to day basis.
1. Just doing the pre-requisites and applying to pharmacy school
2. Completely a full undergraduate degree
Depending on where you want to go, some schools don't require a four year degree to get in, but some also require a undergraduate degree. You can start by looking into the pharmacy schools you want to go to, and the schools website should indicate what pre-req courses you need before applying. Just a heads up, most schools require math, chemistry, and biology. Another important thing to look into is the passing rate of the Naplex per school, because it can help guide you into making a decision if that school is a right fit for you or not. As of now, there is a pharmacy shortage in many states and many pharmacists are getting sign on bonuses. A big consideration is how much debt you are getting yourself into and what area of pharmacy you want to work in.
In my opinion, I would start working as a pharmacy technician and see how you like that first, because you can get the feel on how a pharmacist works on a day to day basis.
Updated
Lara’s Answer
Generally you will need to get a Bachelors degree in Science, making sure you have all the pre-requisites for pharmacy school. My suggestion would be to go to the website of a pharmacy school near you and download their pre-requisites to get in. You also have to take the PCAT. (Pharmacy school admission test) It is competitive to get in, so you need to be sure to keep your grades up in undergrad. It is a very rewarding profession and there are many different avenues you can take, from retail to consulting.
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Shaira’s Answer
One of the most difficult things about taking the pharmacist path is the time spent obtaining the degree. Now, if this is a career that truly inspires you and you are in love with it, I 100% assure you it would be worth it. I studied at MCPHS Worcester Campus in MA and it was an accelerated program. This takes almost 3 years to complete and it does not require the PCAT. Now, after you "survive" school, then you have to prepare for the board exams. NAPLEX which is the same for everyone in the US and the MPJE which is different for every state. Right now I have a debt of around $215K and it sounds horrible but it is what it is. I do not regret a thing. I love what I do and I hope I make even more strides with my career. One tip tho: Life happens, and things change quickly., so if you take this path and some things do not go the way you expected it, it is OKAY. Because, truly, everything does happen for a reason.
If you ever have any questions about my experience, reach out and let me know! You can find me in Linkedin and other social media as well. Hope everything goes well and happy holidays!!
PS: the steps from Shadi are true and very important.
If you ever have any questions about my experience, reach out and let me know! You can find me in Linkedin and other social media as well. Hope everything goes well and happy holidays!!
PS: the steps from Shadi are true and very important.
Updated
Brianna’s Answer
Please also see my response to the question here and do some research so you are aware of all of your options as a pharmacist: https://www.careervillage.org/questions/630737/what-is-the-day-to-day-life-as-a-pharmacist. Evaluate all of your other options as well. How long would you be in school for those and how much do those careers pay? I went to Butler and graduated in 2006. It has been a while and has possibly changed but I started at Butler right after high school and after my first two years I applied to, and was accepted into, the official pharmacy program based on application and my grades. See here for current requirements: https://www.butler.edu/pharmacy-health/doctor-of-pharmacy/admission-information/. After you are accepted, you complete 4 years of the pharmacy program with one being a year of experiential rotations. After you graduate you then take your licensure exams and can go on to complete 1-2 years of residency (not required though) and can even complete fellowship programs and become board certified in various areas. I'm not sure on how the job market looks but you can also ask schools about their job placement rates after graduation in addition to their NAPLEX pass rates. And I agree with Shadi- if you do well in high school or pre-pharmacy college chemistry and math classes and are dedicated to putting in the time to study, you should do fine. Pharmacy programs are somewhat challenging but not terribly so.
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Shadi’s Answer
The courses you'll need to take can be tough, but if you have a strong background in math, chemistry and biology, you will do just fine. Many pharmacy schools do not require a four year degree to get in, but the more competitive ones might even have people with Master's degrees (6 year degrees) applying, so it depends on where you want to go.
Currently, the job market is not very promising for pharmacists unless you're willing to relocate to a rural area. Inner cities are saturated and the starting pay rates are very low compared to the amount of debt you'll take on getting a doctorate in pharmacy. That is a big consideration to take into account: the return on investment. You must be prepared to do what it takes to make it worth it.
Consider the school you want to go to.
Research forums where students past and present post about their experiences there.
Ask the school about their NAPLEX pass rate or look it up online.
Look at the pre-requisites for their program.
Look at total tuition cost, and consider interest rates into the amount you might need to borrow. (Many students nowadays graduate with $200,000 in debt)
Currently, the job market is not very promising for pharmacists unless you're willing to relocate to a rural area. Inner cities are saturated and the starting pay rates are very low compared to the amount of debt you'll take on getting a doctorate in pharmacy. That is a big consideration to take into account: the return on investment. You must be prepared to do what it takes to make it worth it.
Shadi recommends the following next steps: