Pre-Med the same as Pre-Pharm?

<p>I am currently attending a four year university that does NOT offer any major regarding pharmaceutical science, thus there is no "pre-pharm" track. However, I am currently undecided but enrolled on the Pre-med track. In the case that I wasn't able to make it into med school, I would really like to be a pharmacist. </p>

<p>If my school doesnt offer a pre-pharm track, can I still apply to Pharmacy school, because i am doing the Pre-Med track (they have similar pre requisites)?</p>

<p>Would Pre-Med prerequisites be the same as the pre pharm requisites?</p>

<p>After graduating after four years of undergrad, would pharmacy school only be 2 years rather than med schools' 4 years?</p>

<p>Is the track to become a pharmacist less rigorous than that of becoming a doctor? </p>

<p>What track should I take if I want to become a pharmacist...since the school I attend doesnt have a established pre-pharm program, can I stil apply to pharmacy school after 2 years?</p>

<p>You don’t need any official pre-pharm track…prof schools don’t require such. They just require that you’ve taken the pre-reqs…which are generally the same as pre-med.</p>

<p>Check with the pharm schools that you’ll be applying to so that you’re sure not to overlook a req’t. Some have more chem or humanities req’ts. So, look those over.</p>

<p>*can I stil apply to pharmacy school after 2 years? *</p>

<p>Look at the various pharm school reqts. Some seem to have enough req’ts that 3 years of undergrad is needed.</p>

<p>PharmD programs are a 4 year professional degree. Some programs allow students to enter after 2 years of undergraduate work, but you must have successfully completed all pre-reqs first–which as mom2 says may take longer than 2 years. Many program strongly prefer applicants who have completed their BA/BS first.</p>

<p>The track to pharm school is just a rigorous as the pre med track since the pre-reqs for both are nearly identical and you will be taking the same courses side-by-side with the pre meds.</p>

<p>Pre-pharm has more chemistry & bio requirements than med school does–including biochem, A&P, stats, genetics, and micro. (There may be other requirements so check with your potential schools for specifics.) </p>

<p>Some pharm programs require coursework in economics in addition to the science and math.</p>

<p>Thank you! this helped a lot!</p>

<p>I like you, WayOutWestMom! So many people don’t understand that the undergrad work for pharmacy is generally as rigorous (and often more so) as that for medical school (however the MCAT is much more rigorous than the PCAT. Yikes!).</p>

<p>Pepe411 - as previously stated, you don’t need a pre-pharm program, you just need the prerequisite classes. If you have any idea about which pharmacy schools you want to apply to, go to their admissions pages and look at their prereq requirements. Every school will be different. Most of them have stats listed too regarding how many students come in with a bachelors degree, average age, GPA, PCAT scores, etc. That will give you some idea as to how much undergrad work you need or want to do. When all else fails, call up their admissions offices. They will be the most helpful, by far.</p>