Preparation for Pharmacy School
Academic Preparation
What you'll need
- a Bachelor’s degree (not required by all schools)
- any major is appropriate, so study something you love!
- completion of prerequisite classes
- vary from school to school
- the most common classes are outlined below
Extracurricular Preparation
What you'll need
Experiences that develop and demonstrate skills in
- communication
- leadership
- community service
- research
- familiarity with the profession
Extracurricular Activities
- Make sure you have contact information for supervisors and physicians you work with or shadow in case you need a recommendation letter. Try to keep an open relationship with them after you discontinue activities.
- Keep a record of all hours of service and experiences. The PreHealth Planner Spreadsheet can help with this.
- Writing reflections on each activity in a journal will be helpful when you write your personal statement.
Pharmacy Experiences
Interacting well with sick people is one of the key indicators of a successful healthcare provider. Your experience can take a variety of forms: as a pharmacy technician, MA, CNA, EMT, or in another role.
Shadowing Pharmacists
This should be one of your first experiences as a PrePharmacy student. Observing pharmacists working in different environments in action will help you understand the profession. Shadowing also help you get to know pharmacists as many pharmacy schools require at least one recommendation letter from a pharmacist. Competitive applicants shadow pharmacists in various settings more than 50 hrs.
The University of Utah College of Pharmacy has a shadowing program for PrePharmacy students.
Community Service
Because you are preparing for a humanitarian profession, it is important to have volunteer experiences that demonstrate a commitment to serving others in your community. It is suggested that this be ongoing throughout your college years prior to application for admission. Having interaction with people coming from different backgrounds than your own will strengthen your interpersonal skills and communication skills. Experiences from high school do not count.
Leadership
As a pharmacist, you will be a leader and team member in many ways – with your patients, your staff, your colleagues, and in your community. Examples include offices held in organizations, committee work; leadership in church activities; coordinating a project; managing, training, supervising at work or in other activities; teaching experience of any kind; coaching; peer counseling or mentoring, etc.
PrePharmacy Coursework
This guide is designed for applying to a range of pharmacy schools. It is not a comprehensive list. Requirements may vary by school so applicants should look closely at what is required at the schools at which they are applying. The following list indicates the most commonly classes required or recommended by pharmacy schools in the west and the top ten schools that University of Utah graduates attend. See a PreProfessional advisor for more information.
AP & IB Credit
Students with Advanced Placement (AP) and/or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits in science or math should meet with a Preprofessional advisor in order to discuss AP in relation to prerequisite classes.
Community College Credits
Pharmacy schools vary on their view of prerequisite classes taken at Community Colleges. Some accept them but look on them with some disfavor, other schools readily accept them. Students should be aware of this when planning their education.
There are a number of very good reasons for students to begin their college education at a Community College, so we have some recommendations for those who wish to do so. In general it is okay to take the following classes at the Salt Lake Community College.
- MATH 1050 College Algebra and anything below
- MATH 1060 Trigonometry
- BIOL 1610 & 1615 General Biology 1 labs in place of BIOL 1210 at the U of U
- CHEM 1210 & 1215 General Chemistry 1 with lab
- CHEM 1220 & 1225 General Chemistry 2 with lab
- ENGL 1010 and 2010
- CLEP Credit & Correspondence Study—You are required to report all of the courses and credit hours that you earned. However, those credits may not be acceptable as part of the prerequisite courses. Check each program’s requirements section online.
- Online Courses—Depend on programs. Ask schools you consider applying to directly.
- Withdrawals--W’s should be used only for emergencies, although W’s will not affect your GPA.
- GPA— Minimum requirements for Total GPA range from 2.5 - 3.0. Most schools set a minimum
grade requirement for prerequisite courses of C or better. Many pharmacy programs
also look at prerequisite GPA separately. However competitive applicants admitted to Pharmacy programs generally have 3.5 or higher Total GPA depending on
the program.
- UUCP requires a minimum Total GPA of 3.0, and a prerequisite GPA of 2.8 with a C or higher in all prerequisites. Average Total GPA for admitted applicants is usually around 3.5
- Roseman requires a minimum Total GPA of 2.8, and a C or higher in all science and math prerequisites, and a grade of B or higher in English Composition I and Speech.
- Repeated Courses— PharmCAS, the central application service, will calculate all grades including repeated
courses into your GPA. (This is different from the U of U’s undergraduate policy to
only count the most recent attempt.)
- At the University of Utah College of Pharmacy, UUCP, the second grade will be calculated in the GPA unless the second grade is C- or lower, regardless of how many additional times students retake the course.
- Grade Expiration—Many programs require certain prerequisite courses to be completed within 5 to 10 years (10 years for UUCP) before matriculation to pharmacy school. Check each program’s requirements section for more information.
Science Courses
REQUIRED BY MOST SCHOOLS
BIOL 1610, Fundamentals of Biology I (3 credits) Formerly BIOL 1210.
Even if not required, this is the prerequisite for most Biology classes
BIOL 2325, Human Anatomy (4 credits) Prerequisite BIOL 1210 or 1610
Required by UUCP
BIOL 2420 Human Physiology (4 credits) Lab 2425 (1 credit) Prerequisites BIOL 1210 or 1610 and CHEM 1210
Microbiology: Either of the following
One of these is required by UUCP and many other programs, but the lab may not be required
BIOL 3210 (3) Microbiology (3 credits) Lab 3215 (1 credit), Prerequisites: BIOL 2020 & CHEM 1210
OR
PATH 3100 Medical Microbiology (3 credits)
In order to take the proper math class, you must have ACT, SAT or math placement test scores, or successfully pass a prerequisite math course. Some students will need MATH 0980 or MATH 1010 before starting the PrePharmacy Math sequence.
REQUIRED BY MOST SCHOOLS
MATH 1050 College Algebra (4 credits) Prerequisite MATH 1010 or placement
MATH 1060 Trigonometry (4 credits) Prerequisite MATH 1050 or placement
Not always required, but these two classes are the prerequisites to Calculus. May be substituted with MATH 1080 (5 credits) Precalculus
MATH 1210 Calculus 1 (4 credits) Prerequisite MATH 1060, 1080, or placement
Required by UUCP (Waived with AP Calc AB score 5 or BC score 4 for UUCP)
Math 1070 Statistics (3 credits) Prerequisite MATH 1010 or placement. Other Statistics classes can be accepted (for example, PSY 3000, FCS 3210 or SOC 3112
Required by UUCP
REQUIRED BY SOME SCHOOLS
MATH 1220 Calculus II (4 credits) Prerequisite MATH 1210 or placement
REQUIRED BY MOST SCHOOLS
CHEM 1210 General Chemistry I (4 credits) Prerequisite MATH 1050, or math placement
Lab CHEM 1215 (1 credit)
CHEM 1220 General Chemistry 2 (4 credits) Prerequisite CHEM 1210
Lab CHEM 1225 (1 credit)
CHEM 2310 Organic Chemistry I (4 credits) Prerequisite CHEM 1220
Lab CHEM 2315 (2 credits)
REQUIRED BY SOME SCHOOLS
CHEM 2320 Organic Chemistry II (4 credits) Prerequisite CHEM 2310
Lab 2325 (2 credits)
Required by UUCP
Required by Most Schools
One year of Physics w/ labs required; students have two series to choose from. Algebra and trig-based physics, or calculus based physics.
Please consult with both your major and PPA advisor to determine the correct lecture and lab sequence.
- PHYS 2010 General Physics I (4 credits) Prerequisite MATH 1060
- Lab PHYS 2015 (1 credit)
- PHYS 2020 General Physics II (4 credits) Prerequisite PHYS 2010
- Lab PHYS 2025 (1 credit)
OR
- PHYS 2210 Physics for Scientists and EngineersI (4 credits) Prerequisite MATH 1210
- Lab PHYS 2015 or2215 (1 credit)
- PHYS 2220 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II (4 credits) Prerequisite MATH 1220 and PHYS 2210
- Lab PHYS 2025 or 2225 (1 credit)
Non-Science Courses
REQUIRED BY MOST SCHOOLS
- 2 semesters of English Composition courses
- WRTG 1010 (3 credits)
- WRTG 2010 (3 credits) Prerequisite WRTG 1010
- CW course (3-4 credits) If no course in your major, choose something from either Writing or English department
- REQUIRED OR RECOMMENDED BY SOME SCHOOLS
- Either Professional/Technical Writing (WRTG 3015) or Public Speaking (COMM1020) UUCP requires one of these and prefers the writing class
Most medical schools require at least 1 Behavioral Science and 1 either Arts or Humanities course.
REQUIRED OR RECOMMENDED BY SOME SCHOOLS
Any Psychology course
Any Sociology or Anthropology course
OPTIONAL PREPARATORY COURSES FOR MATH, CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
- CHEM 1200 (3 credits) Preparation for College Chemistry, Usually offered online. Check class schedule for more information
- CHEM 1208 (1 credit) Introduction to the Periodic Table, Offered online between semesters for 2 weeks
- CHEM 2308 (1 credit) Introduction to Organic Chemistry Offered online between semesters for 2 weeks.
OPTIONAL COURSES FOR EXPLORING THE HEALTH FIELD
- College of Health LEAP, LEAP 1100 (3 credits) and 1101 (3 credits), College of Health LEAP, 2 semester seminar course for Freshman considering health majors, http://leap.utah.edu/program-options/college-of-health/.
- HEDU 1020 (3 credits) Introduction to Health Profession (Fall only). Explores health professions excluding medicine.
Prepare for Letters of Recommendation
Types of Letters Needed
Requirements
Requirements vary between schools, so research schools early and know what you need. Plan ahead! Get to know people from these categories so they can write excellent letters for you. Generally, you will need one letter from each of the following:
- Pharmacist, supervisor, or other healthcare professional
- Professor (Usually Science—Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math)
Get to Know your Professors
During the Semester
Tell professors at the beginning of the semester that you would like them to keep an eye on your performance in class. It will give them a longer observational window.
Visit their offices regularly.
End of Semester
At the end of the semester, if you do well, ask them if they would be willing to write you an excellent letter of recommendation when you are ready to apply.
How to Establish a Relationship
A key to a good letter is the establishment of a relationship between student and professor based on shared academic interests.
- Ask thoughtful questions
- Delve deeper into concepts presented in lectures
- Share your academic and career goals
- Ask for recommendations for additional reading
- Inquire about their areas of interest and research
Ask about Opportunities
After you have gotten to know professors, ask about further opportunities, e.g., teaching assistantships, individual research projects, etc.
Resources
Downloadable Resources
PreHealth PlannerKeep track of your activities, and your research on medical schools.
Student Groups
Pre-Pharmacy Student Club uofuprepharmclub@gmail.com
Campus Connect find more than 200 student organizations at the U