<p>When I was in college, two friends applied for and were accepted into pharmacy programs that at the time were 5-year (total) programs. You did two years undergraduate, then completed a three-year program to become a licensed pharmacist.</p>
<p>A few years ago a nephew completed a pharmacy degree through the state flagship's pharmacy program, which consisted of two years of undergraduate education, at which time you applied for and were accepted into the four year pharmacy program (which included a year of rotations).</p>
<p>Just recently someone told me that the state flagship is no longer accepting anyone into the pharmacy program without an undergraduate degree, which in effect turns pharmacy into an 8-year program!</p>
<p>Is this the norm now? Are there other states that still offer a pharmacy degree in five or six years?</p>
<p>Only a couple of schools, i.e. Ohio State, Washington, actually require a BS. More schools have a defacto BS requirement. Plenty of schools will accept you without a BS. It really depends on the school.</p>
<p>I graduated from USC pharmacy > 25 years ago. Most of my class had a BA or BS. I knew one with an AA, was a 45 yr old who had put hubby through pharmacy school and was letting him do the same 20+ years later. One was a close friend who did her 2 yr pre reqs at USC. The class before us had primarily students with masters. Last I checked, USC requirements took 3 years and if accepted they would let you graduate before starting pharmacy school. Competition is so tough, you almost need a bachelors to be considered. The amount of material covered really requires 4 years of pharmacy after a solid undergrad education. Frankly, I am glad I had the undergrad degree. The education has come in handy.</p>
<p>S has been accepted into a PharmD program after 2 years of college, but did have credits earned from other colleges during high school and summer school. (AP credits in math and science weren’t counted towards required prereqs). His PCAT score was good, and he had the usual ECs that are suggested for pharmacy applicants. </p>
<p>His pharmacy school recently added additional prepharm prerequisities for incoming students, making it harder & harder to complete the prereqs in two years. This is consistent with the movement towards 4(B.S.)+3 programs. The complexity of the field probably warrants the additional years of study, but obviously makes the degree more costly for future pharmacists.</p>
<p>The last new incoming B.S. Pharm degree class occurred about ten years ago. The last bachelors class to graduate was in 2004 from Purdue.
I survived very nicely on my 2 years of pre-reqs at what is considered to be a “prestigious” pharmacy school.</p>
<p>Almost all the pharmacy schools in CA require or have a defacto requirement of a BS.</p>
<p>UIC is not a 8 year program. The guaranteed acceptance program now requires a BS, but regular admissions do not. UIC does have accepted students who do not have a BS. The fact is over the past few years, a BS has become a defacto requirement.</p>
<p>Ohio Northern University has a 6 year program – if accepted as a freshman, you have automatic admission (continuation) into their Pharm D program. And they have great merit scholarships!</p>
<p>We had two pre-pharm students volunteering with us this summer. One is in a 5-year U of the Pacific program (after your 1st year, you’re pretty automatically in pharm track which takes 4 more years) while the other is in a 6-year Creighton program (you complete your 1st year & apply for pharm school & start it after your 2nd year of college if you’re accepted–the pharm program itself lasts 4 years). Don’t know how/if those programs are slated to change, as my kids did not find the field attractive for themselves.</p>
<p>I have to say, the more I learn about pharmacy, the more complicated it’s becoming, with all the laws on privacy and other issues, especially as pharmacists become increasingly involved in chronic disease management and other important health issues.</p>
<p>My sister graduated from Rutgers as a pharmacist - late '80s. It was a 5 year program.
I just looked its now a 6 year program if accepted directly from HS. St John’s University in NY also has a similar 6 year program.</p>