How to Choose a Pharmacist School

Planning

The secret to choosing the right pharmacist school is to plan ahead.

Some people begin by drawing up a list of what they want a pharmacist school to offer. These lists shouldn't just concentrate on the academic side, either. They should include details such as places to eat, sports facilities, accommodation, and environment.

These details may appear trivial, but if they contribute to a student's well-being while studying for an intensive Pharm.D. degree, then they become important.

The next step is to start conducting research into pharmacist schools. This can take time but it's worth the effort. After all, a degree course takes four years to complete, so the wrong decision about a school can create problems later on.

Location

One of the first issues to look at is location. For example, students need to ask themselves whether they want to go to the pharmacist school that's conveniently near the parental home, or whether they want to go to the school they really prefer.

This can be a difficult issue, but students should try to keep an open mind. With 100 pharmacist schools across the U.S., there are certainly options available.

Curriculum and qualifications

Not all pharmacist schools offer the same curriculum and qualifications. Most offer a Pharm.D. course but only about two-thirds can provide the chance for additional degrees such as a Master of Science or a Ph.D.

Most students are content to take the Pharm.D. degree and nothing else. What's more, once a student is a Doctor of Pharmacy it may be possible to apply for a further degree elsewhere.

Student qualifications

Students should always check the academic qualifications the pharmacist schools expect them to have for the degree course. This may affect the choice of school.

Pharmacy school rankings

To research the reputation of a school, students can look at the rankings produced by bodies such as the U.S. News and World Report. Rankings should not be the only guide to a final decision, but they do suggest how others, including students, regard a school.

Internet

Rankings are available on the Internet. Another source of Internet information is the web sites that many of the pharmacist schools maintain. These may have answers to questions and concerns.

Students can also check out those sites and blogs that have opinions about pharmacist schools. Personal views are not necessarily reliable, but they may give an idea of what to expect from a school.

Visit

The Internet is a useful source of general information but it is not a substitute for visiting the pharmacist schools themselves. It's inappropriate to arrive unannounced, but it is usual to attend open school days.

How many of these open days anyone can go to will depend on time and money. Nonetheless, they're a useful way to get the feel of a place.

Potential students also have the chance to ask the staff questions. These could include queries about the size of the classes, the success rate for passing the final exams, the duration of internships with pharmacists and hospitals during the course, and the achievements of students once they've left.

Experience

As well as visiting pharmacist schools, students should try talking to working pharmacists in their area. Pharmacists are busy people, so it's wise to first make an appointment to speak to them. Most are happy to discuss the schools they went to and their subsequent experiences.

Cost

The fees of a pharmacist school may have a strong influence on a decision. This is one of those factors that many students can do nothing about. As well as fees, they must also take accommodation, travel, food, and so forth into account.

Shortlist

When the research is over, students can compare the results with the original list of pharmacist school preferences. It should then be possible to create a shortlist and start the application process.

Published on 2009-11-16