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UK College of Pharmacy
Your Future in Pharmacy
Stephanie Wurth
Director of Admissions and Student Diversity
What Does a Pharmacist Do?
• Counsel patients on medication
use: prescription & OTC
• Advise other health care
professionals, doctors, nurses,
and others, on drug therapy decisions for patients
• Prevent medication errors!
• Make drugs easier for
patients to take
• Take patients’ vital signs
Career Possibilities in Pharmacy– Community Pharmacist - Oncology Pharmacist– Academic Pharmacist - Nutritional Support Pharmacist– Compounding Pharmacist - Operating Room Pharmacist– Critical Care Pharmacist - Pediatric Pharmacist– Drug Information Pharmacist - Pharmacy Benefit Manager– Hospice Pharmacist - Poison Control Pharmacist– Hospital Staff Pharmacist - Primary Care Pharmacist– Infectious Disease Pharmacist - Psychiatric Pharmacist– Long-Term Care Pharmacist - Public Health Service Pharmacist– Managed Care Pharmacist - Regulatory Pharmacist– Military Pharmacist - Veterinary Pharmacist– Nuclear Pharmacist
UK College of Pharmacy offerstwo programs:
• PharmD Program:(preparation to become a licensed pharmacist)
• PhD Program:(preparation to become a research scientist)
UK College of PharmacyPharmD Program
• PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy degree)– Requires two to three years of college prerequisites
PLUS four years of professional pharmacy school (6-7 years total after high school)
– Does NOT require a Bachelors degree.
• Overview of Profession– Avg pharmacist salary in KY =
$117,390/year
– Top 5 most satisfying career
– Top 5 most trusted profession
UK College of Pharmacy• Ranked #5 in nation (US News & World Report)
• New 280,000 sq ft building – largest pharmacy education building in the world!
• >95 % graduation rate
• UK PharmD students rank among the best in the nation in first-time pass rates (>99%) on the national licensing exam (NAPLEX)
• Interdisciplinary learning: 6 health colleges on campus (dentistry, medicine, public health, nursing, health sciences)
A Differentiated GraduateDual Degree Programs
Make yourself competitive!
Complete 2 degrees while in pharmacy school
• PharmD/Master’s Business Administration*
• PharmD/Master’s Public Administration
• PharmD/Master’s Public Health
• PharmD/Master’s of Physician Asst Studies*
• PharmD/Master’s Pharmaceutical Sciences (emerging)
• Residencies (32% of graduating students pursue)
*2-3 additional pre-reqs required. View website.
What does it take to get into Pharmacy School???
• Approximately 76% of KY residents and UK students who apply to UK COP are offered interviews
Prerequisite CoursesFor First-Time Freshman Entering College Fall 2014 or After
Courses Semesters Credit Hours
English 2 6-7
General Chemistry 2 plus labs 8-10
Organic Chemistry 2 plus labs 8-10
Biology 1 plus lab 4-5
Microbiology 1 plus lab 4-5
Calculus
-OR-
College Algebra & Elementary
Calculus
1 OR
2
4-5 OR
6
Human Anatomy 1 3
Physiology 1 3
Statistics 1 3
Business 1 3
Electives Refer to handouts for recommendations Enough to bring total to 70 or more
semester hours
Notes on Classes• UK College of Pharmacy requires the same
writing/communication requirement and policies as UK.
This includes:
– Honors classes
– English ACT score
• Biology
– Students on the 2-year track: take BIO 148 during first semester
• Chemistry 105
- If your ACT score is below the requirement, no worries! Your advisor will place you in a workshop. Possible summer class required to get back on track.
- Chem Excel is always recommended!
Math Placement Exam• UK COP Math Requirement
- Option 1:MA 109 and MA 123 • Must earn hours for both; placement alone does not satisfy
either requirement.
• Option 1 is the preferred option given the use of algebra (not Calculus!) in pharmacy school and on the PCAT!
- Option 2: MA 113.
• If you place into MA 113, you are good where you are!
• AP credit accepted (4 or higher)
• If you have satisfied the requirement but need to “brush-up,” take MA 109 as an elective!
• Math Excel is always recommended!
Elective Courses to Consider
• Prerequisite course handout in folder
– Bottom right corner lists suggested electives (not required)
• Take major courses or UKCore courses as electives to strengthen your back-up plan.
• Take UK 101 (freshman orientation course)
- UK 101 students have higher GPAs and retention rates
- Only 1 credit hour
- Important for prepharmacy students!
FAQ: What major should I choose?
• ANY major works as long as you take the required pre-pharmacy courses
• Always have a back-up plan! • Majors to consider:
– Agriculture Biotechnology (College of Agriculture)– Human Nutrition (College of Agriculture)– Human Health Sciences– Biology (College of Arts & Sciences)– Undergraduate Studies (This major houses the
Pre-Med advisors to help keep you on track! Best option if unsure)
FAQ: When will I complete the Prepharmacy courses?
10% – 15% of admitted students = 2 yr path
40% of admitted students = 3 yr path (most common)
• Who is the successful 2-year student?– Has some AP credit, often 2 or more courses
• This will lower college course load.
– Math ACT of 26/27 or higher
– Has excellent high school prep & good study skills
– Able to score competitively on the PCAT (must take it after your freshman year on this plan)
2 year vs. 3 year• If you are planning to follow the 2-year prepharmacy
plan, and are not already in Undergraduate Studies, change your major.
• Two-year students can change to the 3 year plan if it becomes too difficult. Assess after first semester.
• See handout in folder for 2 and 3 year sample schedules. (Take this with you to register for classes tomorrow!)
Admission to the PharmD Program
• College prepharmacy coursework (2-3 years)– College GPA (3.0 – 3.5 recommended)– We do not look at high school grades or ACT/SAT scores
• Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT)
• Past experiences– Work and/or volunteering/shadowing– Educate yourself about healthcare careers
• Letters of Reference – Plan ahead! (Work in a pharmacy, take same professor 2 semesters in
a row, etc.)– 3 required; 1 must be from a pharmacist or professor
• If invited: Interview
Pharmacy School
• Class work and rotations – Professional year 1 -3 (PY1 – PY3)
• Rotations in community/retail, hospital and other sites
• Labs (sterile, compounding)
• Mock patient labs – Diagnose and counsel mock patients
– Professional year 4 (PY4) • Rotations in 7 different areas of pharmacy (6
wks each)
• International rotations available
What Should I do to Prepare?• Educate yourself about health care careers
– Volunteer in the medical field (hospital, nursing home, hospice, Red Cross, etc.)
• Center for Community Outreach – Project Health
– Shadow a professional 2-3 hours (request assistance from guidance counselor or family member)
• 3-4 different types of pharmacists if possible
• Career Center
• Explore whether health care is the right field for YOU!
• Become familiar with admissions processes and requirements of schools
– Prerequisites may vary!
Prepharmacy Support at UK
• Prepharmacy Advising
• Prepharmacy Club meetings are held once a month each fall and spring semester
• Prepharmacy Open House events
– March 7 and Oct/Nov 2015
MOST Importantly:
Join the prepharmacy listserv to receive emails about these events and more!
– Complete the small handout included in your folder and leave on the back row of the room before you leave this session!
Paying for Pharmacy School• Financial Aid
– 90% of students on full loans for COP
– Professional students cannot claim parents income on financial aid documents• Typically allows for more financial aid
• Scholarships– Available only to students admitted to COP, not
undergraduate students
– Some UK undergraduate scholarships can be applied to pharmacy school. See UK Scholarship Office for details.
BioPharm Complex Stop by and see the largest Pharmacy Education
building in the world! (Corner of Virginia Ave and South Limestone)
Questions?
Stephanie WurthDirector of Admissions and Student Diversity
Sharon GonzalesRecruitment and Admissions
