Pre-Pharmacy

  • Profession Overview
  • Academic Preparation
  • Extracurricular Preparation
  • Application Process
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Pharmacy Profession Overview
    Choosing a career in pharmacy is saying yes to a dynamic, challenging and rewarding career full of opportunity. Whether you are fueled by patient interaction, educating the pharmacists of tomorrow, developing more effective and safe pain medications or want to put your love of animals into practice, there is a place in the profession for you.
    Check out https://explorehealthcareers.org/career/pharmacy/pharmacist/ to learn more

    • Community Pharmacy
      Community pharmacists are a patient’s most accessible health care provider, and as medication experts, they are critical to maintaining and improving patients’ health. As a community pharmacist you will work with customers to fill their prescriptions, explain proper medication use, and provide clinical services. Community pharmacists also work with doctors to identify possible drug interactions.
    • Government Pharmacy
      A career in government pharmacy offers a wide variety of opportunities, including clinical, research and administrative roles at the local, state and federal agency levels.
    • Hospital Pharmacy
      Hospital pharmacists work directly with doctors and nurses to ensure patients receive the correct medication in the right dosage and at the right time. They also may work directly with patients to educate them on medications before being discharged. This is a great opportunity for students looking for a strong interprofessional, patient care setting.
    • Long-Term Care Pharmacy
      Long-term care pharmacy provides pharmacists with the opportunity to work mostly with the elderly and their families. They provide medicine and drug treatments for long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, group homes and rehabilitation facilities. Long-term care pharmacists also serve patients with HIV, multiple sclerosis or developmental challenges.
    • Managed Care and Pharmacy Benefit Management
      Pharmacists that work in managed care have a variety of responsibilities including dispensing drugs, monitoring patient safety, developing clinical programs and managing costs. Many pharmacists that work in managed care work for health plans and pharmacy benefit management companies. Pharmacists in these roles are key in ensuring patients get the appropriate medications in a cost-effective way.
    • Medical Communications
      A career in medical communications embodies the spirit of educating others to improve patient care. Pharmacists who specialize in medical communications educate health care professionals, consumers and other pharmacists about pharmaceutical products, including prescription drugs.
      Work settings may include medical communications and medical education agencies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, schools, managed care organizations, poison control centers or hospitals.
    • Nuclear Pharmacy
      Nuclear pharmacists specialize in radioactive drugs and treatments for diseases such as cancer. They fill prescriptions, similar to community or hospital pharmacists, only these drugs are radioactive. Nuclear pharmacists may work in larger hospitals or at commercial nuclear pharmacies where radioactive drugs are prepared and delivered to smaller hospitals.
    • Patient Care
      A career in pharmacy offers a variety of opportunities to improve patient outcomes through direct patient care. Ambulatory care, home health care and office-based medication management all offer ways to be involved in direct patient care in a variety of settings.
    • Pharmaceutical Industry
      Pharmaceutical researchers develop new medications, test new substances, evaluate existing products and create new dosage forms. They also ensure that drug labeling is accurate and meets the requirements of state and federal laws. A career in research and development can include a high degree of pressure, but it is often matched by the satisfaction in helping discover and develop innovative and new treatments for better patient care.
    • Specialty Pharmacy
      Specialty pharmacists focus on appropriate drug utilization in conjunction with ongoing monitoring of patient care. As a specialty pharmacist, you dispense medication in certain chronic and life-threatening disease states. Clinical Specialties: Specializing in specific pharmacy practice areas allows you to improve patient care with board-certified expertise.
    • Veterinary Pharmacy
      One of the key roles of a veterinary pharmacist is compounding medications to meet the specific needs of pets, their owners and veterinarians. To become a veterinary pharmacist, you must complete specialized training in veterinary pharmacology and therapeutics.
  • Prerequisite Coursework
    Through the UCCS Pre-Pharmacy plan which is in line with requirements from UC Skaggs School of Pharmacy, you can fulfill the requirements for application to PharmD programs. Be sure to check the websites for the programs you are applying to.
    Pre-Pharmacy Coursework- CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy
    Work with Academic Advisor!Testing:
    Some schools, but not all, will require the PCAT. The Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT)
    For information about test dates, registration and other details, visit the PCAT website.
    https://www.pearsonassessments.com/graduate-admissions/pcat/about.html

    o The PCAT is a specialized, standardized test that helps identify qualified applicants to pharmacy colleges and schools. It measures general academic ability and scientific knowledge necessary for the commencement of pharmaceutical education. The PCAT is constructed specifically for colleges of pharmacy and is divided into separate sections, or subtests, each of which is timed separately.

    The averages GPA for matriculants into PharmD programs in 2021 was 3.43.

  • Shadowing: Direct observation of a licensed pharmacist, preferably in a variety of settings. Shadowing is being waived by some institutions. However, if you are able to shadow a pharmacist, you can gain valuable insight into the profession and understand more about their day to day operations. If you are unable to find in person shadowing opportunities, consider reaching out to pharmacists and asking for an informational interview. You can set up a 30 minute virtual phone call and have questions ready that you want to know.Clinical Hours: ideally working with a licensed pharmacist.Entry level roles to gain more experience:
    Pharmacy technician or Pharmacy Tech Apprentice
    Primary duties: A pharmacy technician works in a hospital or clinic pharmacy under a licensed pharmacist. They help manage the pharmacy workstation, which involves ordering medications for the inventory and keeping the shelves clean, well-stocked and in neat order.
    Pharmaceutical Research Assistant
    Lab Tech
    Teaching Assistant
  • PHARMCAS: Pharmacy College Application Service https://www.pharmcas.org/
    List of PharmD programs in the US.- https://www.pharmcas.org/school-directory/pharmd-directory
    It is important to check the admission requirements for each program that you are applying to.Cycle Dates
    PharmCAS admissions cycle typically begins in mid-July. Applicants may start and
    submit the application as soon as it is available. The final application deadline is June 1, 2022 and the document deadline is June 30, 2022.

    Main Components to the Application:
    Official Transcripts and Academic information
    Demographics and Background information
    Experiences
    Letters of Recommendation
    PCAT scores (school dependent)

  • Letters of Recommendation
    The PHARMCAS application allows a maximum of four evaluations, regardless of if those evaluations are individual letters of recommendation or committee/composite letters. UCCS does not offer committee letters and you will need to ask for 3-4 individual letters of recommendation. We suggest getting four letters of recommendation—two from science professors whose class you took for a grade, one from a pharmacist you’ve shadowed or worked with, and a fourth from an employer or another (non-science or science) professor.Check the policy for every school to which you’re applying.

    Establish Relationships
    Get to know your Professors early! Tell professors at the beginning of the semester that you would like them to keep an eye on your performance in class. It will give them a longer observational window.
    Visit their offices regularly.
    At the end of the semester, if you do well, ask them if they would be willing to write you an excellent letter of recommendation when you are ready to apply.A key to a good letter is the establishment of a relationship between student and professor based on shared academic interests.
    1. Ask thoughtful questions
    2. Delve deeper into concepts presented in lectures
    3. Share your academic and career goals
    4. Ask for recommendations for additional reading
    5. Inquire about their areas of interest and research

    Requesting Letters of Recommendation
    1. Ask if potential writers if they feel capable of writing a supportive letter. If anyone is hesitant, you should probably try someone else.
    2. Get business cards with your recommenders’ contact information.
    3. Ask if recommenders would welcome any written background material. You could include a brief biographical sketch or resume, your interests and activities, career goals, and motivation toward your intended profession. You could also include a snapshot, a copy of a paper or assignment from their class, or transcript.
    4. Always give recommenders ample time. One month at a minimum. Follow up to make sure that your letters have been sent.
    5. Send thank you notes.