Hi,
I’m a rising senior, and I want to study CALS food science in Cornell and apply for pharmacy school after fulfilling the prerequisites in Cornell.
I know most students major in chemistry of biology for pre-pharm major, but is food science adequate as well?
I’m okay with taking additional classes other than the normal food science curriculum.
Another general question about pre pharm programs,
Could you explain the general paths ( 2+4, 3+4, and 4 year pharmacy programs. etc… ) to becoming a pharmacist and clarify the difference between them?
Thanks!
There are 0-6 programs and 2+4 programs, and 3+4 programs. Some pharmacy schools only require a certain number of prerequisite classes and those can be completed in 2-3 years. Then the pharm D program is 4 years.
Some pharmacy schools require a bachelor’s degree.
If you are only completing pharmacy prerequisites, look into the pharmacy schools you are interested in, and see which classes they require.
You probably won’t need to declare a major at all.
PharmCAS website has some helpful information
My D had to take General Chemistry 1 and 2 with labs, Biology 1 and 2 with labs, Ochem 1 and 2 with labs, Calculus, English Composition 1 and 2, psychology, statistics, and some humanities electives. 68 credits total. Her pharmacy school doesn’t require physics so she was able to finish this in two years.
Temple, for example, requires physics, so theirs is a 3+4 program.
This is the prerequisite list for U Buffalo pharmacy school:
http://pharmacy.buffalo.edu/academic-programs/pharmd/pharmd-via-pharmcas/pharmcas-prerequisites.html
You should probably look at the pharmacy schools in your state first and see what they require, instate tuition might be less than OOS tuition.
Thanks for all the reply!
I had another question regarding the courses.
If I took AP chem and bio in high school, is it required for me to take general introduction to chemistry / biology, or are the AP credits equivalent to those courses?
I know they are different classes, but will it enable me to not take those general intro courses in college and jump right into next level chem/bio (ex, organic chem/ micro bio…)
Some schools will give college course credit for AP scores of 4 and 5. Search for “AP credit policy” on each college website.
My D was able to use AP credit for history, economics, English and Calculus 1. Her school’s pharmacy prerequisites only required Calculus 1 so she didn’t have to take any higher level Calculus classes.
I would not recommend skipping the intro college classes General Chemistry 1 and 2 and biology 1 and 2 with labs.
You will need a high GPA for pharmacy school admission and a good foundation of knowledge for taking organic chemistry and the PCAT.