So far I have gotten accepted to both UMich (in state) and UNC. Both have great pharmacy programs, and if I go to Michigan I could potentially participate in a program that would allow me to enter the graduate PharmD program after about 2-3 years of undergrad upon completing the necessary prerequisites. However, other people I have spoken to have said you are far more competitive if you have a 4 year degree first. Part of me is also drawn to the excitement that is the 4 year undergraduate college experience, and I am still waiting to hear back from schools that do not have a PharmD program (I would apply to it later after I get a degree if I went to these schools). On the other hand I also wouldn’t mind saving a couple years of tuition money. Any thoughts?
It isn’t just a couple of years of tuition money that you save. You save a couple of years. Those years are important for things like having relationships, having kids if you want them. After 8 years of school you have not just spent the money but you have spent those years focused on school and often not much else. You’ll be 8 years older. No you would not be pushing the biological clock (especially important for women) at that point but it means you will be just starting your career. And depending upon what type of career you want, you may have to continue burning the mid-night oil for the first part of your career. So, saving 2 years can make a difference.
I’d also add its two years of tuition but also not earning $90-100k for two years. A PharmD is a PharmD whether you have a bachelors degree or not.
You might be more competitive applying to a PharmD program with a 4 year degree, but if you’re already in a program that can get you out sooner that’s the way to go. You’ll also add a another year if you do a residency which is becoming somewhat of a requirement for getting hired in a hospital setting. And to repeat again, a PharmD is a PharmD. Your undergrad is completely irrelevant in the pharmacy world once you’re a PharmD.