<p>Hi, I am currently a high schools senior looking to major in pharmacy. I dont know the difference between a B.S. in pharmacy and the Pharm.D. program. I heard Pharm.D. is professional degree? I also heard that after Pharm.D. you get your PhD right after it? if thats the case, then why even bother to get B.S. in pharmacy? Is Pharm.D. a graduate program? Is it four year program? How long is the undergrad before I go into the Pharm.D. program, 2 years? or 4 years? Whats the difference between pre-pharmacy and pre-med? Do I major in something when Im in undergrad school? Alrite, I appreciate you guys looking at my questions, and thank you very much.</p>
<p>Here's the scoop, you CAN'T be licensed as a pharmacist without the PharmD. You don't need to get your PHd after you get your PharmD unless massive debt is up your ally. The PharmD is a 4 year professional program requiring at least 2 years of pre-pharm work, but a lot of programs prefer 4 years. Some schools have 6-yr programs combining it in one program, others have early assurance programs where if you mantain certain requirements you get an assured place in the pharmacy school. If you do 4 years then you would have a major. The biggest difference between pharmacy and doctors is that it's unusual to get a PharmD without a science major if you did 4 years beforehand, while majoring in something like history or other social sciences/humanities is more common for med school. Hope that helps a little.</p>
<p>Nice to see another prospective pharmD student out there</p>
<p>oo thanks, I see, but then if some school have B.S. for pharmacy, and the Pharm.D., then I have to study 4 years for B.S. and then 4 years for Pharm.D., so thats 8 years and still doesnt get a PhD for pharmacy?</p>
<p>Most schools now offer only the PharmD. Ist school to have it was USC. You do not need a pharmD to be licensed but since most schools offer only the PharmD, most people now are Pharm.D's. I like the website USPharmD.com because it has links to the pharmacy schools. Not that it matters but my BA is in Social Sciences/history.
Celebrian-glad to hear you are still a future pharmacist :).</p>
<p>PhD is usually obtained when you want to go into research or be pharmacy school professors. PhamD's do teach. A few years back I was on a cruise with a pharmacy professor-he said it was difficult to find pharmacists to teach because they made a lot more money working as a pharmacist.</p>
<p>Feng look at several pharmacy school websites and find the information. Right now there is such a shortage of pharmacists that it really doesn't matter what degree as long as you pass the exam to get your license. Of course, no one can predict the future and you may lose out to a PharmD if you are a BS applying for the same job.</p>
<p>NO. The B.S. will lead to a shortened PharmD, because you're already learning some of the stuff. Very few universities are keeping the B.S. degrees because they're pretty pointless.</p>
<p>OO man, thanks again, but if some school have both B.S. and pharm.D., then which one will be the shortened program? Would they have B.S. for 2 years then 4 years of pharm.D. OR have 4 years of B.S. and 2 years of Pharm.D.? This is my last question for now, thank you very much for answering everything.</p>
<p>The PharmD would be shortenend (how much differs by program).</p>
<p>If the school has a BS and a PharmD. The BS pharm will be shorter in total time. It might be only a year shorter. The pharmD gives you more clinical time(I believe). USC used to be this-pre pharm classes could be completed in two years anywhere. Apply and hope to be accepted to the 4 yr pharmD program. Many other schools had a 5 yr BS program. USC pharmacy became more competitive, my class had just a few students w/o a bachelors. The class before me had lots of Masters before they started the 4 yr program. Most CA pharmacy schools seem to admit only those with a bachelors. USC now requires 3 yrs of pre pharm, 4 yrs preferred-even in the TAP program(the program that admits from high school). Do search the websites, talk to pharmacists. You will have to demonstrate your interest and involvement in pharmacy when you apply. USC has a fairly strict transfer rule, if you have a BS and want to transfer in..you might be able if there is room and you still have to do the last two years.</p>
<p>What if i'm majoring in chemistry (undergraduate) if i'm interested in going into pharmacy, would i then apply to pharmacy school after i graduate? If so, how many years would it take to complete?
Thanks</p>
<p>Mishyle it would take a grand total of 8 years, or 4 years undergrad, 4 years PharmD. You would apply during your senior year I believe (though not sure about that one). Sometimes they take more than 4 years.</p>
<p>M, check each school's program. In general-most pharmacy schools are 4 yrs, 3 yrs if they go year round. An undergrad degree in chemistry will make pharmacy lots easier. There is a ton of chemistry.</p>
<p>oh wow 8 years!! would it have been smarter to apply to something like the rutgers 6 year pharmacy program?</p>
<p>Personally, I wouldn't do the PharmD without a heavy chemistry background. I'll be a biochemistry major myself :D</p>
<p>I wish I had been a chem major. Can you imagine the fun I had - A history major who hated chemistry. But hating didn't equal couldn't do. Bio chem is a great major.</p>
<p>do people generally work after graduating (undergrad) or do they apply right away to pharmacy school?</p>
<p>Thanks, so should I apply for TAP? Since Im graduating high school next June. What about early assurance program?</p>
<p>I'm in a PharmD program straight from highschool. Rutgers Pharmacy Class of 2011. Honestly, if getting a PharmD takes more than 6 years, there's no value proposition in the degree. If it takes 8 years, you might as well take the long haul and become a doctor (if you can). The reason I'm doing pharmacy is because I got into a program straight from HS and I can use it as a springboard to other things that will really interest me. It is the highest paying part time job so you can be flexible with your time and maybe pursue another professional degree while making a minimum of 70k a year.</p>
<p>check out University of the Pacific and their program. You can earn a PharmD. in a very short amount of time.</p>
<p>Yep, there's the 5 year program.</p>