Pre-Pharmacy Preparation at UH Mānoa

Text compiled from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy website: www.aacp.org,
Pharmacy School Admission Requirements 2005-2006;
the Hawaii College of Pharmacy website: www.hicp.org,
the UHHilo website: www.hilo.hawaii.edu
and the Harcourt Assessment PCAT Candidate Information booklet

Pharm.D. Programs
Prerequisites for Admission
What makes a strong candidate?
The PCAT
Researching Schools
Application Process
Additional Information
Downloadable Brochure

Pharmacists specialize in the composition and interaction of drugs, including their physiological effects on humans. Traditionally, pharmacists dispense medications, but as the primary source of information on both prescription and over-the-counter medications, they also serve as a link in the chain between physician and patient. Pharmacists often decide on the form of medication, check for drug interactions, verify appropriate drug dosages and schedules, and advise patients in the proper use of medications. The ability to communicate effectively is critical, as pharmacists must be able to communicate with physicians in a professional, scientific language as well as with patients in lay terms.

Pharmacists are employed in a multitude of public and private settings, including community pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, HMOs, government agencies, pharmaceutical corporations, and forensic medical labs.

Pharmacists hold Pharm.D., or Doctorate of Pharmacy, degrees. Related careers include Pharmacy Technician or Assistant, at the Associates level, and Pharmacology, a drug research specialty for medical doctors (M.D.s or M.D./Ph.D.s).

Pharm.D. Programs

Completing a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree requires 6 – 8 years of education:

• Bachelors Degree (2-4 years);
• Pharmacy School (4 academic years, or 3 calendar years); and
• Residency (optional).

The Pharm.D. program requires a minimum of 2 years in undergraduate course work. Although it is possible to transfer to a Pharm.D. program after 2 to 2 ½ years of pre-professional coursework, a Bachelors degree can make you more competitive for admission and will provide you more options if you later decide to change careers. Students transferring into a Pharm.D. program before completing a Bachelors may be required to complete the Bachelors as part of the Pharm.D. program.

Many schools offer joint degree programs that may extend the number of years required. Examples include Pharm.D./Ph.D. to combine pharmacy with research or teaching; Pharm.D./M.P.H to combine with public health; Pharm.D./J.D. to combine with law; and Pharm.D./M.B.A. to combine with business administration, which is particularly helpful for those planning to own their own pharmacy.

The four-year Pharm.D. program typically consists of three years of course work followed by one year of clinical internship, which leads in turn to licensing exams.

Licensing is conducted by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) and licensing exams include the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE).

After graduating from pharmacy school, increasing numbers of students are seeking residency training in institutional and community pharmacy practice or other specialty areas. Residency is sometimes a requirement for employment in hospital pharmacy practice or as clinical faculty at pharmacy schools.

Prerequisites for Admission

Students planning to transfer into pharmacy school before completing a Bachelors degree must complete all of their school’s “prerequisites,” i.e., courses required to get into pharmacy school. Remember that prerequisites vary from school to school, so you must research which prerequisites you will need. Prerequisites can be found in the Pharmacy School Admission Requirements (PSAR); a copy is available in PAC.

The following UHM courses are commonly required for admission to pharmacy schools:

Additional requirements may include courses such as biochemistry, and additional social sciences or humanities.

What makes a strong candidate?

Tuition, as high as it is, rarely covers the cost of educating a pharmacy student, which means that each new student represents a large investment by the school. Schools need to be certain that the students they accept will be capable of completing the academic curriculum and are likely to become good pharmacists.Are you capable of completing the pharmacy curriculum?

Pharmacy school admissions committees are looking for students who have:

Pharmacy school admissions committees are looking for students who have:
• completed the prerequisites;
• a high overall GPA;
• a high science/math GPA;
• performed well on the PCAT; and
• balanced their course load so it is challenging yet realistic.

Are you likely to become a good pharmacist?

Admissions committees look for students who have:
• demonstrated empathy, compassion, and a commitment to public service;
• high ethical and moral standards and a conscientious work ethic;
• demonstrated maturity (judgment, responsibility, dependability);
• a broad liberal arts education that includes the humanities and social sciences;
• experience in the field and with what pharmacy entails;
• a well-rounded life that balances academics, community service, social activities, and personal interests (hobbies, skills, sports, etc.);
• excellent oral and written communication skills; and
• strong letters of evaluation or recommendation.

Standardized Tests

Some pharmacy schools require the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing Assessment (ACT) for admission. Many also require a standardized test called the Pharmacy College Admissions Test, or PCAT. Tables in the Pharmacy School Admission Requirements (PSAR) identify which schools require the PCAT.

The PCAT is usually administered on the third Saturday in January, June, August, and October of each year. For dates and registration deadlines, visit the PCAT website. The test is administered in paper-based format, requires one half-day (4-5 hours), and assesses your knowledge and skills in Biology, Chemistry, Reading Comprehension, Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability, and Writing.

Scores range from a 200 to 600 (600 is the highest) with 400 being the mean scaled score. Each of the five multiple-choice subtests (not including the writing section) are calculated separately and a composite score is an unweighted average of the five subtests. Percentile ranks are based on performance relative to the norm group. The composite percentile rank is calculated independently of the five subtest scores and indicates the percentage of examinees from a norm group who received a lower score. For example, a composite percentile of 70 indicates that the examinee scored higher on the PCAT overall than 70% of the norm group examinees. Writing scores are assigned on a scale of 0 to 5 (5 is the highest).

Researching Schools

The University of Hawai’i at Hilo College of Pharmacy (www.hilo.hawaii.edu), which accepted its first class in Fall 2007, is the only pharmacy program in Hawai’i. It is currently on track for accreditation.

In the U.S. and Canada, there are over 100 public and private pharmacy schools, each one unique in its mission, philosophy, criteria, and strengths. It is critical for students to research and choose the programs to which they plan to apply as early as possible. The most important part of choosing prospective schools is finding a good match between applicant and school.

The Application Process

Both the process and the applications differ significantly from school to school, but about half of all pharmacy schools use the Pharmacy College Application Service, or PharmCAS. Tables in the Pharmacy School Admission Requirements (PSAR) identify which schools use PharmCAS.

For schools that do not use PharmCAS, students will need to contact their Admissions Office directly for information on applying and for the application forms. Contact information for all U.S. and Canadian pharmacy schools can be found in the PSAR.

PharmCAS applications are submitted online. Once the application is complete, PharmCAS processes it and sends it to whichever schools the student has designated. Note: It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure his or her application is complete. For contact information, visit the PharmCAS website.

After receiving the PharmCAS applications, pharmacy schools may require applicants to submit a supplemental application, additional application materials, letters of recommendation, and/or fees directly to their Admissions Office. Secondary applications vary considerably in format and content, but virtually all require letters of evaluation or recommendation.

After reviewing the secondary applications, pharmacy schools may invite promising applicants to come for an interview. Applicants are responsible for all costs incurred while interviewing, including airfare, lodging, and meals.

• The more you know about the school, the better your chances of being accepted.
• Answers to many questions about applying are available in the PSAR.
• Contact individual schools’ Admissions Offices to find out how they handle:
• advanced placement (AP) credits
• College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) credits
• courses taken at a community college
• courses taken for credit/no credit instead of a grade
• residency issues
• time limits for old science courses
• non-U.S. coursework

Additional Information

UHMānoa’s Pre-Health and -Law Advising Center (PAC) has reference books, lists of volunteer opportunities, academic planning worksheets, and one-on-one advising by peers who can help you prepare for and apply to pharmacy schools.