Malina
How can I pursue a career in pharm while also having fun in college?
I want to go into the medical field of pharmacy --whether that's PharmD or pharmacology, I don't know yet, I know that I'm in that vicinity-- and get a good job where I can make an even better salary. But I also want to live the normal college life and not live four more years of stress-induced misery, where it'll be like high school all over again. I understand that college is supposed to be difficult, but I also know it's supposed to be the best time of my life. I'm looking into specialized school because I want to be focused and hopefully not have to take seven courses in Egyptian History (or something like that) just for my core credits, but I'm also looking into schools with broader spectrums where I may not get the most advanced training on my topic, but I won't be isolated to my studies. A lot to take in, I know, but what is the best plan of action? #pharmacy #college
3 answers
Constance Topolewski, PharmD, BCPS
Constance’s Answer
Hi Malina- I am not sure where you are in your high school career and/or how much you have looked into the variety of pharmacy school programs that exist, but there are actually many options to pursuing a path in pharm while still having an opportunity to enjoy your college years. That being said, pharmacy school is an extremely demanding and intense 4 years that requires much dedication, organization, studying and clinical learning. All pharmacy programs require that you complete some level of undergraduate studies prior to starting the professional pharmacy curriculum. Some of these are 2-year pre-pharm programs built into a pharmacy school, while other schools only offer a professional program and require a 4 year undergrad degree prior to applying to their pharmacy school. Depending on how specialized of a school/program you decide on, your college time may be more liberalized initially (2 vs 4 years of undergrad). I personally chose a 0-6 program, so I had guaranteed acceptance, and this allowed me to enjoy my 2 years of undergrad prior to starting into the professional program (without going too crazy as you do have to keep a minimum GPA). This of course comes with some risk as you will be underage but depending on what experiences you want this may or may not be an issue, and allows the opportunity to join social organizations, travel abroad, intramural sports, etc. The majority of pharmacy schools are considered "2-4" meaning 2 years of undergrad, followed by taking the PCAT, and reapplying to professional graduate pharmacy school. This could add additional stress to your first 2 years of undergrad. Regardless, you still will have to take "cores" (econ, stats, philosophy, psychology, history, etc) but the bulk of classes will still be heavily focused on the sciences. One thing I can tell you is once you get into a flow of learning in pharmacy, the material seems to become less challenging as it is actually your area of interest, and learning it is your goal. Another great general tip is to have peers to study with and also schedule fun/free time with, as everyone will be under the same level of stress and need a break once you enter the professional program. I cannot speak to the pharmacology path directly, but a big portion of that is doing research, which means spending many many hours in a lab doing various experiments, as well as likely being a teaching assistant- but again this would likely be in more of a graduate setting vs straight from high school. In general you will have probably the first 2 years of college to really decide whats best for you/ Right now, I would recommend researching the various programs and see how they may fit into your desire for curriculum as well as freedom- consider one of the 0-6 programs if you want that extra assurance you will have a guaranteed spot, but also be cognizant of keeping your grades. Pursuing an undergrad degree may first may be a better option if you really want that "full college experience." Hope this helps and doesn't add further confusion, feel free to reach out with any follow up questions.
Constance recommends the following next steps:
Ashley Gracio
Ashley’s Answer
Anthony Petrello
Anthony’s Answer
I completely understand you not wanting to undergo a lot of stress while in college, and I respect you acknowledging that this mindset may hinder you from getting into a pharmacy school. Honestly, one of my biggest regrets through undergrad is that no one told me how *easy* pharmacy school was to get into. I took undergrad way more seriously than I needed to, and as a consequence, I did not enjoy myself as best I could.
First, I want to suggest that you arrange a work-life balance that you can stick with throughout school. This should allow you to earn the grades you need while enjoying yourself. You may even find that a strict work-life balance may help your grades by forcing you to procrastinate less and focus on school during the allotted time more. People tend to get things done a lot more efficiently when time goals are set for them. For example, want to go out on a Friday night? Map out some time on Thursday or Friday afternoon to ensure your homework is done. Additionally, try studying in groups to have some fun while you do school work.
Although grades are important, they are far from the only thing pharmacy schools look at. If you think your grades will suffer, I will look into some extracurriculars that can help boost your application. You can also look into working as a pharmacy technician to help boost your application and earn some money while you are in school.
Ultimately, do your best in school while still enjoying yourself. Don’t let grades in undergrad or pharmacy school, for that matter, cause so much stress it ruins your life. Instead, work hard but also learn your limits and when you’ve earned a break.
Best of luck,
Anthony