Frequently Asked Question(s)
Q:Is Pharmacy right for me?
A:Pharmacists play an integral role in the health care industry. These professionals dispense medication and manage prescriptions. If you want to work in a field that has a positive employment outlook, pharmacy may be a suitable career path. Apart from positive employment opportunities, if you enjoy working with others and want to help people on a daily basis, consider becoming a pharmacist.
Q:Where do PharmD grads find work?
A:PharmD graduates can find work in a varied set of industries. They could go for clinic pharmacy practice, community pharmacy or geriartic pharmacy. Besides this, they could also opt to work for government agencies, where they would be made a part of local, state or federal government agencies such as the National Institute of Health.
Q:Why study a doctoral in pharmacy?
A:A doctor in pharmacy is for people who are interested in working as a pharmacist. It is a high powered career that needs dedication and commitment. The employment outlook for this profession is nearly the same as the average for all occupations and the median pay is relatively high as well, according to data from the Bureau of labor Statistics.
Q:How long does it take to receive PhD in pharmacy?
A:The amount of time to receive a PhD in pharmacy might vary. For instance, you could go for a bachelor's degree which takes four years, even though you are required to have only three years of undergraduate study. Following this, you would be required to enroll in a Pharm D degree, which would usually take another four years, adding up to a total of 7-8 years in total.
Q:What kind of background is suitable for admission to the PhD program?
A:Typically, most colleges would require you to have at least a bachelor's degree, to be eligible for admission into a PhD program. There are, however, some colleges that might ask for a masters degree as a prerequisite to apply for a PhD program. As for the subject, science students might mostly be expected to have a solid understanding of concepts of math and statistics.
Q:Can I pursue for pharmacy degree with B.S. degree in chemistry?
A:To be eligible for a pharmacy degree, what you need is to have completed a certain set of courses. No matter what your bachelor's major was, you need to have completed the relevant required coursework with the minimum grade requirement. You might be required to have completed a certain number of courses in chemistry, physics and biology.
Q:What is the programs curriculum of PhD pharmacy?
A:The curriculum of a PhD pharmacy might vary from university to university but there are certain courses that are common to most programs. These include pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, business management and pharmacy practice. In addition to these, fundamental courses in physics, chemistry and biology are also offered.
Q:What is the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree?
A:It is a postgraduate degree that offers opportunities in research, clinical practice, manufacturing, teaching and judicial aspects of the health care industry. To get a doctor of pharmacy degree, you need to complete two to four years of an undergraduate program and another four years for the professional doctorate program.
Q:What is the difference between the Pharm.D. program and the Ph.D. program?
A:A Pharm.D. degree is a professional degree aimed at training students for careers such as pharmacists, in retail or in hospitals. A Ph.D. in a pharmacy related subject, on the other hand, prepares students to produce original research. Unlike the Pharm. D., a Ph.D. focuses more on making new discoveries in pharmaceutical science.
Q:What is the average GPA of students admitted to the program
A:Most pharmacy schools have a minimum grade point average (GPA). This could vary from 3.0 to 4.0. However, there are schools who might have lower GPA requirement than this. Typically this minimum requirement revolves around this number, as per the individual university's requirements. Students who wish to pursue an education in pharmacy science should ensure that they score high grades, especially in the relevant science subjects such as biology and chemistry.
Q:Do I have to complete all of the prerequisites before I apply to the program?
A:Not necessarily. Most universities and colleges give students a buffer time zone, in which they are allowed to complete their prerequisites even after the application process. For instance, if the application deadline is in March, colleges might give you up to June to fulfill all the requirements. Make sure to indicate this in your application.