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Prepharmacy Advisor The following is an attempt to answer some of the questions frequently asked of the Prepharmacy Advisor. Please feel free to call (864.656.3829) or write: (E-mail: ragrc@clemson.edu) or Dr. Ric A. García | |
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Initially, the interested student should contact a pharmacy or the Pharmacy Department at a local hospital or clinic, express an interest in the field, and ask to be allowed to observe a pharmacist. Pharmacy schools require that students have a through knowledge of the pharmacy profession, and rate the student more highly if he or she has researched the profession, has health care employment experience, has worked in a pharmacy for more than a year , and has a realistic concept of present and future career roles. Observing pharmacists will not only give the student a better understanding of the pharmacy profession, but will also provide some contacts in the field. Observation experiences should be varied to include clinical as well as retail pharmacists. Nonresidents of South Carolina should contact the Pharmacy Departments at the universities in the state of residence (a list of schools that offer Pharmacy is available from the Prepharmacy Advisor). We want students to come to Clemson and South Carolina, but they should be aware that state supported pharmacy programs must award the majority of class positions to state residents. At the Medical University of South Carolina, the class size is usually 65. It is possible to gain South Carolina residency status while pursuing your education at Clemson. Check with the Office of Undergraduate Studies if you are interested in this option. The number of years that a Pharmacy program requires depends on the type of program and the school. The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) degree is the entry-level degree at the South Carolina College of Pharmacy. The Pharm. D. requires six and one-half years of academic study including at least two years of prerequisite study. Although there are some Pharmacy Programs that still offer the B. S. in Pharmacy, most offer the Pharm. D. as the sole first professional degree. The Prepharmacy program at Clemson is not a degree granting curriculum; although Clemson will award, under certain conditions, the degree of Bachelor of Science in Preprofessional Studies to a student who has completed the first year of a pharmacy curriculum after completing a minimum of 90 approved semester credit hours at Clemson. Preprofessional Studies degree applications are available in the student records office. Clemson's Prepharmacy curriculum was established to help insure that the prerequisites for application to the Pharmacy program at the South Carolina College of Pharmacy are met. (Requirements for most Pharmacy schools are fairly similar, but, if a student is interested in a school other than the MUSC or USC campuses of the South Carolina College of Pharmacy, as many are, he or she should obtain a catalog from that school so that progress in fulfilling the requirements there can be monitored.) The South Carolina College of Pharmacy requires completion of the sophomore year or approximately 66 semester hours at an institution of higher learning. All students that enter the Prepharmacy curriculum at Clemson are asked to consider a degree granting major. In the event that the first application to a pharmacy program is unsuccessful (admission to all pharmacy programs is competitive ), the student may continue working toward a degree for the junior and perhaps senior year. There is no limit to the number of applications that may be made to pharmacy school. Also, the acquisition of a baccalaureate (bachelor's) degree is considered a plus, and graduates are ranked higher during the initial screening. Beyond that, a degree opens the schools with graduate level degrees in pharmacy or pharmaceutical sciences to you. In most instances, application at the graduate level requires the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). A major reason that the pharmacy field is so appealing and competitive is that it is a lucrative occupation. Starting salaries are around $45, to $55 per hour for an approximate yearly salary of $95,000 to $115,000. The practice of pharmacy has changed over the past 20 years. It is much more than "counting and pouring" in a drugstore. The focus of practice has shifted from the product to patient care. Now, the pharmacist has expanded opportunities to directly improve a patient's quality of life through the responsible provision of drug therapy and other health-related services. A pharmacist is often the first health professional a consumer will go to with a health question. Also a pharmacist is likely to be the last health care team member to consult with patients about their drug treatment. Recognizing the benefits and risks of good drug therapy, today's pharmacist must not only be a dispenser of prescriptions, but also a communicator of information and a direct provider of drug-related primary health care. Selection to pharmacy school is NOT automatic upon the completion of the Prepharmacy Program. Selection is based on the applicant's academic ability as shown in the Prepharmacy curriculum, score on the PCAT, letters of recommendation, and personal interviews. The applicant is expected to exhibit a degree of maturity commensurate with upper-level academic study as well as motivation for the practice of pharmacy. Applications are usually submitted during the fall of the year preceding the student's anticipated entrance into the college. Applications are normally acted upon beginning in early February until the class is filled or all applications have been processed. Applications from individuals with Prepharmacy courses in progress should be submitted after December 1st for the subsequent fall semester. Applicants who have completed all Prepharmacy course requirements may apply prior to December 1st. Applications will continue to be received until January 31st for the following fall. Only applicants who will have completed the minimum hours of required courses by the beginning of the fall semester will be allowed to matriculate. Grades of less than "C" (2.00) for prerequisite courses will not be accepted for transfer and all deficiencies must be removed prior to entering the College of Pharmacy. | |
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We welcome you to Clemson and encourage your participation as a prepharmacy student. Like most students you'll probably love it here. A beautiful climate (usually), a beautiful campus (always), bowl game sized crowds at every home game, an excellent academic atmosphere - social atmosphere also, and a chance to pursue an important occupation at a fine university This program requires 66-90 semester hours of undergraduate coursework. In addition, students must apply to the pharmacy program of their choice for acceptance into its program. | |
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Prerequisite Curriculum * Note: the Clemson University B. S. in Preprofessional Studies requires additional courses (see advisor). | |
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(Rev. 08aug06 | |
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