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 105 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 2008, 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 numerous evels 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 a 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 several times annually. 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. Percentile scores are also 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 2008 for Fall 2009 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 2008, 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. PHARMACY SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS ADMISSION The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree program requires at least two years of specific pre-professional (undergraduate) coursework followed by four academic years (or three calendar years) of professional study. The majority of students enter a pharmacy program with three or more years of college experience. College graduates who enroll in a pharmacy program must complete the full four academic years (or three calendar) years of professional study to earn the Pharm.D. degree. Basic to the science in pharmacy are contributions from four broad fields-mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology so courses in these basic sciences are required in pharmacy curricula. Additionally students are expected to complete general education courses, including humanities, social sciences, and courses emphasizing communications such as English composition and speech. The courses required for admission into a pharmacy program vary significantly from one institution to the next. Due to the variations in admission requirements and procedures among the colleges and schools of pharmacy, it is advisable to research different pharmacy programs. The pharmacy programs will be pleased to supply details concerning admission or curriculum. STANDARDIZED TESTS Some of the 105 colleges of pharmacy require the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing Assessment (ACT) for admission. Many also require or recommend the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). For more information about PCAT go to www.pcatweb.info PREPARATION COURSEWORK * This list below simply gives an overview of what most Pharmacy schools are looking for in subject area that relates to courses provided at UCLA. Individual schools will determine how many courses or units you will need in the specific subject areas so it is important to consult the school for more specific information. • BIOLOGY Taking the Life Sciences series 1-4 can satisfy one-year of biology with lab. The study of biological sciences, including anatomy, physiology, zoology and biochemistry, is important for building a strong foundation of knowledge of natural drugs and their actions within the body. This will prepare you for the Biology section of the PCAT. • CHEMISTRY Chemistry 14A, 14B/BL, 14C/CL, 14D or Chemistry 20A, 20B/L, 30A/AL, 30B/BL, 30C will cover general and organic chemistry courses. Many schools will list how much lab work they are looking for in both general and organic chemistry. This can vary quite a bit amoungst schools. The chemistry coursework will prepare you for the Chemistry section of the PCAT. • BIOCHEMISTRY Chemistry 153A/153L (biochemistry) Some schools will require chem 153B and 153C as well, please check with them individually to confirm. • HUMAN ANATOMY Phy Sci 13 (offered only in the summer or through UCLA Extension) • MICROBIOLOGY MIMG 101 and 101L, some schools will also accept MIMG 102/102L), embryology (MCD Bio 138), histology (EE Bio 157), and cellular biology (any upper division cell biology class will work for most schools) are all recommended. Check with individual department counselors for availability of upper division courses. • PHYSIOLOGY Phy Sci 3, 5, 166 (whole animal or human physiology) Phy Sci 3 is offered only in the summer Some schools require human physiology with lab. Check with individual schools. • PHYSICS Physics 6A, 6B, 6C or 6AH, 6BH, 6CH or 1A, 1B, 1C, 4AL, 4BL is one year of calculus-based physics with lab. • MATH Math 3A, 3B, 3C or 31A, 31B, 32A is one year calculus. Several schools require one year of college level math. For other schools, this requirement is strongly recommended, especially as preparation for physics. The one year of math can possibly include statistics (10, M11, M12, 13, Biostatistics or Biomath, Psychology 100A*) and/or computer programming classes (PIC 10A, 10B, 10C). One quarter of statistics is required for some schools including UCLA, and strongly recommended for others. These courses will prepare you for the Quantitative Ability section of the PCAT. • ENGLISH The amount of English will differ between schools. The majority require at least two courses. Writing I and Writing II courses, select general education literature courses, and any upper division English literature or English Composition courses should satisfy this requirement. A list of additional English courses that will satisfy this requirement can be found at http://career.ucla.edu/gradschool/health/englishreq.asp. These courses will prepare you for the Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension sections of the PCAT. • ECONOMICS Basic economic theory is required or strongly recommended. Econ 1 and/or 2 are possibilities to fulfill this requirement. Some schools will require micro or macro specifically. • HUMAN BEHAVIOR Psychology, Sociology, Cultural Anthropology or similar courses • SPEECH Some schools may require at least one course in speech communications/oral communication competency. This can possibly be satisfied through Comm. Studies 10 or Speech 1. Other STRONGLY RECOMMENDED courses • Other HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCE courses are strongly recommended 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. • COMPUTER SKILLS are highly recommended Many programs have incorporated computers and electronic media into their curriculum. It is not necessary to take computer courses if you feel you have sufficient knowledge. Several programs are strongly recommending that students own a computer. Other programs have indicated that students will soon have to purchase a computer as part of the requirements of their program. UCLA is not responsible for coursework being accepted by recipient schools. In addition to academic preparation, you should evaluate your personal qualifications to meet pharmacy's demands for judgment, dependability, and conscientious performance. Pharmacists, by law, are entrusted with the proper handling and dispensing of potentially dangerous and habit-forming substances. They must have high ethical standards, communicate well with patients and other health care providers, maintain reliable records, and be knowledgeable about existing and new medications on the market to ensure each patient has optimal drug therapy results. 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. Useful Websites: www.career.ucla.edu www.aacp.org www.pharmweb.net www.pharmacy.org http://www.ashp.org www.aphanet.org

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 take 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