PHARMACY

WHAT IS PHARMACY?
Pharmacists are health professionals who are concerned with the pharmaceutical needs of patients. In the past, pharmacists were known as the professionals whose primary function is to compound and dispense medicines prescribed by physicians, dentists, or other authorized health care providers. In recent years, however, the responsibilities of pharmacists have broadened substantially, primarily in the areas of consultation with physicians, direct patient care and patient education. The majority of registered pharmacists work in a variety of settings. Most visible are different types of community pharmacies which range from independent, strictly prescription pharmacies, such as those found in medical office buildings, to chain pharmacies that generate income from the sale of other merchandise (e.g. food, drug and discount stores). Pharmacists are also employed in hospitals, home health care, nursing homes, other health care facilities, or health maintenance organizations. Opportunities for pharmacists that expand beyond direct patient care are found in research or manufacturing organizations, colleges or universities, and various departments in the government.

AREAS OF SPECIALITY
Specialization opportunities are becoming increasingly available for pharmacists to work as clinical pharmacists, such recognized pharmacy practitioner specialties are ambulatory care, clinical phamacokinetics, geriatrics, oncology, psychopharmacology, drug information, and nutrition support. Pharmacists have also been instrumental in establishing many of the poison information and control centers around the country.

DESIRED SKILLS
As pharmacists become more involved in educating patients about their prescribed medications, including possible drug interactions and side effects, communication and interpersonal skills and a desire to help others are vital. Other skills integral to a successful pharmacy career include critical thinking skills, good judgement and dependability, attention to detail, consultation skills, and knowledge of business management. Due to the nature of the position pharmacists are required to be on their feet for long periods of time particularly in community pharmacies.

DEGREES OFFERED
Currently, there are 82 accredited pharmacy programs in the United States. Pharmacy programs award two professional degrees: The Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (BS Pharm.) and the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D.) The Bachelor's degree requires five years of collegiate study, whereas the Pharm. D. is a four year program following a minimum of two years of pre-pharmacy coursework in college. Approximately 75% of students admitted to Pharm. D. programs have completed four or more years of university work. Only three programs in the US offer the BS degree as the only professional degree and by the year 2006, all accredited pharmacy programs will award the Pharm. D. as the only professional degree in pharmacy. Some schools also offer joint programs with M.S and Ph.D degrees. These are research oriented degrees and are not intended to provide preparation for licensed pharmacy practitioner. California has four universities which exclusively offer the Pharm.D. degree: UCSF, USC, University of the Pacific (UOP), and Western University of Health Sciences.

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
The demands and trends are changing with the increased pharmaceutical needs of a larger and older population, and greater use of medication. Pharmacy services are shifting to long-term, ambulatory, and home care settings, where opportunities for pharmacists will be best. New opportunities for pharmacists are emerging in managed care organizations, where pharmacists analyze trends and patterns in medication use for their populations of patients. Fast growth is also expected for pharmacists trained in research, disease management, and pharmacoeconomics—determining the costs and benefits of different drug therapies.

RELATED CAREERS
Persons in other professions who may work with pharmaceutical compounds are biological technicians, medical scientists, pharmaceutical chemists, and pharmacologists.

PRE-PHARMACY PREPARATION Requirements for admission to colleges of pharmacy vary on various levels including pre-requisite coursework, PCAT, and application deadlines and process. It is recommended you check the Pharmacy School Admissions Requirements Book available in the Career Center for the requirements of your institutions of choice. TIMELINE Beyond required coursework and PCAT preparation, the timeline for the application process begins about year and a half prior to expected matriculation. The following is a general guideline, check with each of your institutions of choice for specific timelines.      April       May           June      July        August       Sept./Oct./Nov./Dec.        Jan/Feb./March/April Take PCAT (Jan or March)                                        «----Submit Applications to Schools of choice) -----»                                                      «---- Receive Supplementary Applications -------»                                                                      «----------------------Interviews------------------------»                                                                                       «--------------Admissions decisions ----------------» STANDARDIZED TESTS Some colleges require the applicant to take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) which is offered 3 times annually (in 2001-2002 - October, January, and March, respectively). Others also request SAT, ACT, or GRE scores. Check with the individual institutions of your choice for their particular requirements. The PCAT consists of approximately 300 multiple-choice questions in the following individually timed sections: Verbal Ability; Quantitative Ability; Biology, Chemistry and Reading Comprehension. The scores are scaled on a range from 100-300 as well as percentile scores are provided. It is recommended that students take the PCAT during the Winter or Spring of the year before applying to Pharmacy (i.e. Winter/Spring 2002 for Fall 2003 anticipated matriculation). APPLICATION PROCESS The application process for most pharmacy schools starts approximately 18 months prior to your matriculation date (generally in your junior year unless you are applying before the completion of a bachelor's degree). The process can be complicated and time consuming. You will have to concentrate on the application process (meeting important deadlines) as well as on the activities (work, school, co-curricular activities, etc.) that you are currently pursuing. Since the application process for Schools and Colleges of Pharmacy is individual, applicants need to prepare early by identifying potential schools, and requesting application materials to meet each institution's requirements, guidelines, and deadlines. Contents of the application may include: An official application form - deadlines vary among institutions and depend on start date, however most admit in Fall only. Letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with your academic and professional activities - sometimes requested on specific "Letter of Reference" forms Personal or Professional Goals Statement (essay) Official transcripts from all previous colleges and universities attended Application fee Additionally, some schools require supplementary applications and invite perspective students for interviews. Check with the Pharmacy School Admission Requirements (PSAR) book for individual school's processes. For 2003, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy is introducing a centralized application service - PharmCAS, Pharmacy College Application Service. This service will streamline the process of applying to multiple schools and colleges that participate in this program.

MAJOR & CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Students can major in almost any discipline provided the required courses are completed in order to be competitive when applying to schools of pharmacy. Pre- pharmacy students are also encouraged to participate in an internship experience in a pharmacy setting in order to become acquainted with the field prior to making formal application to selected professional programs. REQUIRED COURSES Most colleges of pharmacy require one to two years of pre-pharmacy coursework. Prerequisites for entry into pharmacy programs typically include biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics through college algebra/trigonometry, and perhaps one course in calculus. Additionally students are expected to complete general education courses, including humanities, social sciences, and courses emphasizing communications such as English composition and speech. Pre-Professional Pharmacy and Required Courses Biology Life Sciences 1, 2, 3, 4. One year of coursework with lab. Notes: LS 1-4 will prepare you for the Biology section of the PCAT. If you took LS 2 and 3 before Fall 98, then take two additional life science lab courses (in departments such as OBEE, MCD Bio, neuroscience, psychobiology, or physiological science). Chemistry Life science or non-science majors: Chemistry 14A, 14B/BL, 14C/CL, 14D; plus 153A/L (biochemistry). Physical, life or non-science majors: Chemistry 20A, 20B/L, 30A/AL, 30B/BL, 30C; plus 153A/L (biochemistry). General and organic chemistry courses are required. Many schools include a separate requirement for or a strong recommendation to take biochemistry. The chemistry coursework will prepare you for the Chemistry section of the PCAT. Physics Physics 6A, 6B, 6C or 6AH, 6BH, 6CH or 1A, 1B, 1C, 4AL, 4BL One year with labs is generally recommended. Trigonometry-based physics can also satisfy this requirement, but UCLA only offers calculus-based courses and these are required for the various science majors. Math Math 3A, 3B, 3C or 31A, 31B, 32A This is your preparation for calculus-based physics. Several schools require one year of college level math. For other schools, this requirement is strongly recommended, especially as preparation for physics. One year of math can include statistics (see below) and computer programming classes (PIC 10A, 10B, 10C). These courses will prepare you for the Quantitative Ability section of the PCAT. English One year of college level literature and composition. Writing I and Writing II courses, select general education literature courses, and any upper division English literature or English Composition courses will satisfy this requirement. Please see the “English requirement for health professions schools” sheet for a complete list of suggested courses. These courses will prepare you for the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension sections of the PCAT. Economics Econ 1 and/or 2. Basic economic theory is required or strongly recommended. Speech Speech 1 or Com Studies 10 are required or strongly recommended. Statistics Statistics 10, M11, M12, 13, Biostatistics or Biomath, Psychology 100A* One quarter of statistics is required for some schools including UCLA, and strongly recommended for others. *Check with individual schools for acceptability of classes offered outside of the Statistics department. Other recommended courses Other Biology Physiology, anatomy, embryology, histology, or cellular biology are all recommended. Check with each individual department counselor for availability of upper division courses. Physiology OBEE M166, Phy Sci 3, 5, 111A-C Anatomy Phy Sci 13, 107, NeuroSci M102 Embryology MCD Bio 138 Histology OBEE 157 Cellular Biology Any upper division Microbiology or MCD Bio class, OBEE M158 Microbiology MIMG 101/101L Other Humanities and Social Science courses are strongly recommended. The non-science GPA is an important component to your overall academic record, and liberal arts education. Courses in the following can enhance your communication skills and overall understanding of the world: Anthropology, Communication Studies, Economics, any ethnic studies area (e.g. Women’s Studies, LGBT Studies, Afro-American Studies, Chicana/Chicano Studies, Near Eastern Studies), Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Speech to name a few. Computer skills are strongly recommended. Some programs could ask you to own a computer by the time you start the curriculum. Recommended Courses UCLA Equivalents* Notes Course prerequisites do vary among pharmacy programs therefore students are strongly encouraged to gain more information regarding pharmacy schools and requirements. Sources include http://www.aacp.org , or the Pharmacy School Admissions Requirements Book available to view at the UCLA Career Center. UCLA is not responsible for coursework being accepted by recipient schools. Students should contact the individual schools directly.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES HOW CAN THE UCLA CAREER CENTER HELP? CAREER EXPLORATION A combination of written information, experiential opportunities, testimonials or exposure to others and academic experience are helpful in exploring possible career opportunities. The career center affords various resources and services to assist students in this process including the Career Center Library, Workshops, Counseling, assessments, and special programming. A career in pharmacy requires diligence, and a desire to help people, make sure this is the career you desire and the steps necessary to attain your goals. HEALTH CARE RELATED INTERNSHIPS Experiential educational and volunteer programs are an excellent way to expand your knowledge of the health professions beyond the classroom. Participation in health related internships will strengthen your application to professional schools and provide exposure experiences that can be highlighted in the personal statement. A select number of health care internships focusing on research, legislation and public policy are available through the Career Center's internship office on a local, national and international basis. A sampling of internship opportunities include (but are not limited to) the National Institute of Health, the Surgeon General's Office, Cedar Sinai, AIDS Action, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services and the American Heart Association. Visit the Career Center's Internship and Study Abroad Services Office for a resource sheet handout providing an overview of health related internships. Please visit career.ucla.edu for more information. MOCK INTERVIEW After reviewing your materials, most schools grant interviews prior to making final decisions regarding admissions. The Career Center offers Interviewing workshops as well as an opportunity to receive a mock interview and feedback prior to your actual interviews. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES LIBRARY Careers In Pharmacy, Brenda M. Ecclestone, ed. Pharmaceutical Press Opportunities In Pharmacy Careers, Fred B. Gable VGM Career Horizons/NTC The Pfizer Guide: Pharmacy Career Opportunities, 2nd ed. N.a. Merritt Communications, Inc. Pharmacy School Admission Requirements, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Pharmacy Student Companion, The: Your Road Map To Pharmacy Education And Careers, 3rd Ed., Daniel H. Albrant & Linda R. Harteker American Pharmaceutical Association WEB For information on pharmacy as a career, pre-professional and professional requirements, programs offered by all the colleges of pharmacy, and student financial aid, contact: American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, 1426 Prince St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Internet: www.aacp.org Pharm Web www.pharmweb.net Pharmacy Virtual Library www.pharmacy.org General information on careers in pharmacy is available from: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 7272 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814. Internet: www.ashp.org American Pharmaceutical Association, 2215 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20037-2985. Internet: www.aphanet.org National Association of Chain Drug Stores, 413 N. Lee St., P.O. Box 1417-D49, Alexandria, VA 22313-1480. Internet: www.nacds.org