<p>I am going to become a Freshmen at UCR and i want to get into Pharmacy school upon graduation from this institution
I know i need pre courses and all that to get recognized for admission but, I do not understand what it means when the Pharmacy School writes
8 semester hours needed?
12 semester hours needed?</p>
<p>Could anyone clear what this means?
Please
I am lost on hours and courses I need </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>A semester hour is a way of saying credit. (1 semester hour = 1 credit)</p>
<p>If you go the UCR course catalog and look at the course number/name, you’ll see a number in parenthesis --that number of credits or semester hours the course is worth. At most schools, a lecture class that meets at least 3 hours/week counts as 4 credits.</p>
<p>If you need 8 semester hours of Intro Bio, then you need 2 courses (generally Intro Bio 1 & 2) each worth at least 4 credits or 4 semester hours.</p>
<p>If you are confused about which courses you need to register for, please contact the health professions advisor at your school.</p>
<p>Thanks alot clearned some stuff up
What does 12 Quarter hours mean?
The same concept?</p>
<p>I do not know about 12 quarter hours, but I’d assume that it’s the same as six semester hours/six semester credits.</p>
<p>If you are unsure, call the admissions offices of some pharmacy schools and ask. Those requirements may also be fudged in ways… but do not count on this unless they actually tell you so. For example, my school only offered a two credit intro speech course and I needed a three credit intro speech course for the prereqs. They said since that was all that was offered at my school that it’d be OK. When in doubt, always call an admissions office. Also don’t go off of one specific school’s prereq requirements because each school has different requirements. If you don’t take that into consideration until the year you apply to schools then you could be in trouble.</p>
<p>3 quarter hours = 2 semester hours. So 12 quarter hours = 8 semester hours. </p>
<p>For a university that uses a quarter system, you’ll need 3 quarters of intro level biology (or gen chem or OChem) instead of 2 semesters.</p>
<p>And not all schools will waive the hours/credit requirement. You need to check with each and every school and not assume anything! (I once ended up re-taking a course because my undergrad offered it only as 2 credit version and the accrediting organization required a 3 credit version. They simply didn’t care that it covered the exact same material.)</p>
<p>Stevems – There is a health professions advisory service at most colleges, and it is a very good idea to meet with them early in your freshman year. They probably have a handout of suggested courses at your particular college that are a good fit for pharmacy programs.</p>
<p>Just be extremely cautious with regards to a career in pharmacy. Pharm is becoming more and more automated as well as consolidated, which means more competition for less jobs. New grads will have an extremely difficult time competing with PharmDs that have way more experience than they do for the same jobs. Pharmacy has started to go the way that law schools have—insane amounts of debt for increasingly grim job prospects and financial outlook. Pharm schools pad their stats using very similar methods that law schools do in order to keep attracting more students for their tuition dollars from nondischargeable student loans. </p>
<p>Of course there are new PharmDs that get jobs every year, but what happens to the rest? Just make sure you are 100% informed of what you are really getting yourself into.</p>
<p>Why have you picked pharmacy?</p>
<p>Thanks everybody who responded
I have checked up on all the pharmacy schools which i want to apply to and have all the information down on what i want to do.
Im just worried im not going to get in
The reason why i chose pharmacy is because, I like to help people out and help them take care of themselves.</p>
<p>I enjoy helping other people out
But im lost on what i want to do
Pharmacy is interesting
Phyical Therapist is intersting
Accounting is interesting
Im confused</p>
<p>It is true that pharmacy is becoming more automated on the prescription filling end but there is still plenty of variety of job opportunities in both retail and hospital. The trend seems to be using pharmacists to actually monitor the drug regimen of their clients. Most pharmacy programs these days have PharmD as the graduate degree.</p>
<p>As a pharmacist, I think you might feel that you are “caring” for people more in the field of physical therapy. Lots of phamacy involves caring for people remotely by evaluating their medication regimens, consulting with their doctors and making their insurance work. Certainly, these things are helpful, too. There is face-to-face counseling, but it is not the majority of your day. If you do eventually go with pharmacy, you might find more “caring” in community pharmacy than you would in a hospital or long-term care facility.</p>
<p>Did you ever consider nursing or physician assistant or dentistry? All are very “hands-on” careers.</p>
<p>I know Pharmacy is become a more automated career not hands on job anymore, I also wanted to know if i get a degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences what could i possibly due for a job in the future?
I have thought about Physician Assitant- but i do not really understand the just of it
And i do not know where to go for training and all that
Lost about the whole careet</p>
<p>A degree in Pharm Sci will not qualify you to be licensed as a pharmacist but you might find a job as a drug rep, or in a lab/manufacturing facility.</p>
<p>If you haven’t already shadowed a pharmacist or other heathcare providers, that would be an excellent place to start. Pre-Pharmacy has a high attrition rate and it’s smart to have a back up plan in place. A PA provides direct care to patients, much as an MD does, but on a more limited basis and the educational required is generally a master’s degree…there are some combined 5 year programs out there. If, like many pre-pharms, you don’t want the “blood and guts” aspect of patient care, perhaps one of the therapuetic health professions would suit you (ie. physical therapy or occupational therapy. This site will give you a good overview of all of them. Their professional group sites (like AACP for pharmacy, AOTA for occ. therapy, etc.) have greater detail and links to all of the accredited college programs.</p>
<p>[Home</a> | explorehealthcareers.org](<a href=“http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/home]Home”>Home)</p>
<p>Physical Therapist do not make enough money
The money pay is not a lot
If i transfer to UCI to major in Pharmectuacal Sciences and become a pharmacy scientist I could make money
Im still lost
Im afraid of not making Pharmacy School</p>
<p>I strongly suggest that you do some homework on the health care professions. Since you’ve mentioned pharmacy the most, here are some good websites to start your research. By the way, research positions in the pharmacuetical industry require PhD’s, unless you wish to be a lab assistant or something similar. </p>
<p>Here’s the website for the American Association of Schools of Pharmacy:
[AACP</a> - Is Pharmacy for You?](<a href=“http://www.aacp.org/RESOURCES/STUDENT/PHARMACYFORYOU/Pages/default.aspx]AACP”>http://www.aacp.org/RESOURCES/STUDENT/PHARMACYFORYOU/Pages/default.aspx)</p>
<p>Here’s a brochure on what is involved with becoming a PharmD:
<a href=“http://www.aacp.org/resources/student/pharmacyforyou/Documents/PharmD.pdf[/url]”>http://www.aacp.org/resources/student/pharmacyforyou/Documents/PharmD.pdf</a></p>
<p>And, here’s an illuminating website on the joys of pharmacy (both at the school level as well as the practice - but take the comments with a grain of salt):
[Pharmacy</a> Forums [ PharmD ] - Student Doctor Network Forums](<a href=“Pharmacy Communities (PharmD) | Student Doctor Network”>Pharmacy Communities (PharmD) | Student Doctor Network)</p>
<p>You need to learn about health care professions in college. Go to your college career center for starters. Pharmacists don’t make more money than physical therapists, either (the current trend is the doctorate level in both- many schools/states have dropped the bachelors level as sufficient training). Make up your mind- do you want to help people or make money? Making money is the purpose of business, it can be a byproduct of other professions. All health professions require a love of the field to put up with all of the nasties involved in being unwell. The road to getting the degree in any health field is full of necessary coursework that many can’t handle- psychologically, not academically. The Pharmacist probably has the least amount of patient contact of any allied health field professional except Medical Technologists.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Not true…pharmacists top out very quickly and those not working for a drug company or becoming administrative staff for another large concern do not have much greater earnings than their much less experienced colleagues. On the other hand, PT’s typically start a bit lower (but are often bonused) and all of the PT’s I graduated with now have large private practices with PT assistants and other PT’s working for them. They are making much more than most pharmacists do.</p>
<p>You’re a freshman now and have no idea if you have what it takes to get the stellar grades you’ll need in some pretty grueling coursework. I would focus on that as it’s moot if you don’t keep your GPA high. The rest will follow naturally. Money is not a great reason for going into any of the health professions though and will not sustain you through the 6-7 years that you’d need to commit to achieving a PharmD or DPT.</p>
<p>Stevems93:</p>
<p>Please sit down with a counselor at UCR. They will have plenty of information to give you and guide you through making the decision. You are just starting out so you have plenty of time to make this decision.</p>
<p>As I have said, the biological sciences are strong at UCR and there are some very good programs and counselors. Give them a chance to work with you.</p>
<p>My guess is you already looked at the PharmCAS website because that is were you got the question about semester units. I think USC has semesters, not hours listed. You need to be aggressive about meeting with an advisor and joining a pre health professional club. I don’t know how true this is, but I have heard that you are going to be in classes that have students trying to be one of the few admitted to the Haider Med School program there. I hear they really mess the curve for everyone. </p>
<p>Do look at the student doctor network and read what students and pharmacists are saying.
You are close to several pharmacy schools at UCR, is your home close to UCR? You will need a letter from at least one pharmacist,best they know you well. </p>
<p>Don’t look at pharmacy just for money. Who knows what is going to happen with all the new schools popping up. I do know of a new grad with limited work experience who is not finding a job, even with a pharmacist parent. She had good grades.</p>