PharmD Programs

[Circlenaut]

I'm finishing my junior year as a bio major at an engineering school and have decided on pharmacy. It seems that a lot of current programs are 6 years. I've made short list of schools in the South (I'm tired of New England weather). Does anyone have an experience with the following schools? How is the environment down south compared to MA? Politically, Socially?

- U of Georgia School of Pharm.
- U of Texas Austin ...
- U of Florida Gainsville
- U of Kansas
- U of North Carolina

 

[Whisper]

A friend of mine is either finishing up, or just finished up, at UGA pharm. I can ask her what she thought of the program overall, although I don't know much off-hand. The main thing I remember is their (IMO) slightly-misguided attendance policy--I believe it was something like you're allowed two absences per class, per semester. Miss more than that, and you fail, regardless of the excuses for the absences. I see the reasoning behind the policy, and I don't know that I've personally missed more than two class sessions in any of my courses while in grad school, but eh, still seems a bit excessive to me.

As far as the environment of Georgia compared to Mass...it'll take some getting used to.

 

[Circlenaut]

Originally posted by: Whisper
A friend of mine is either finishing up, or just finished up, at UGA pharm. I can ask her what she thought of the program overall, although I don't know much off-hand. The main thing I remember is their (IMO) slightly-misguided attendance policy--I believe it was something like you're allowed two absences per class, per semester. Miss more than that, and you fail, regardless of the excuses for the absences. I see the reasoning behind the policy, and I don't know that I've personally missed more than two class sessions in any of my courses while in grad school, but eh, still seems a bit excessive to me.

As far as the environment of Georgia compared to Mass...it'll take some getting used to.

Thanks for the info, I'll appreciate anything else. After finishing my degree next year I plan on working for a year with my wife while studying for the PCAT. I need to get this ball going now though.

 

[RollWave]

Why not med school?

 

[Circlenaut]

Originally posted by: RollWave
Why not med school?

Easy

- Too much work, and pharmacists get paid about 80% of what doctors make.
- A serious life long dedication
- Hard to pass the difficulties of being a doctor if not motivated/interested
- pharmacists are much more flexible in scheduling
- Not so much a "thinking" career

To be honest if I wanted to do in life what I wanted to do it would be IT. But IT/CS is highly competitive and I'm just not as good as other people. After one semester as a CS major I switched to biology and have done very well. I maintained a 3.8 GPA thus far. In my life outlook I just want a job that is stable, pays the bills and some, be able to have time with the family. I'm not trying to insult pharmacists here, I just think that for my life it will be perfect and I can tolerate being a pharmacist. Also I like that it offers the ability to if (probably when) I get bored of retail I can work research or in a hospital. The wife is also looking into pharm school (she's also a junior at the same school).


Though I will take the MCAT and apply to med school just for the hell of it since the PCAT and MCAT are very similar.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: Pippy

Originally posted by: RollWave
Why not med school?

Easy

- Too much work, and pharmacists get paid about 80% of what doctors make.
- A serious life long dedication
- Hard to pass the difficulties of being a doctor if not motivated/interested
- pharmacists are much more flexible in scheduling
- Not so much a "thinking" career

To be honest if I wanted to do in life what I wanted to do it would be IT. But IT/CS is highly competitive and I'm just not as good as other people. After one semester as a CS major I switched to biology and have done very well. I maintained a 3.8 GPA thus far. In my life outlook I just want a job that is stable, pays the bills and some, be able to have time with the family. I'm not trying to insult pharmacists here, I just think that for my life it will be perfect and I can tolerate being a pharmacist. Also I like that it offers the ability to if (probably when) I get bored of retail I can work research or in a hospital. The wife is also looking into pharm school (she's also a junior at the same school).


Though I will take the MCAT and apply to med school just for the hell of it since the PCAT and MCAT are very similar.

wut

 

[Dear Summer]

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: Pippy

Originally posted by: RollWave
Why not med school?

Easy

- Too much work, and pharmacists get paid about 80% of what doctors make.
- A serious life long dedication
- Hard to pass the difficulties of being a doctor if not motivated/interested
- pharmacists are much more flexible in scheduling
- Not so much a "thinking" career

To be honest if I wanted to do in life what I wanted to do it would be IT. But IT/CS is highly competitive and I'm just not as good as other people. After one semester as a CS major I switched to biology and have done very well. I maintained a 3.8 GPA thus far. In my life outlook I just want a job that is stable, pays the bills and some, be able to have time with the family. I'm not trying to insult pharmacists here, I just think that for my life it will be perfect and I can tolerate being a pharmacist. Also I like that it offers the ability to if (probably when) I get bored of retail I can work research or in a hospital. The wife is also looking into pharm school (she's also a junior at the same school).


Though I will take the MCAT and apply to med school just for the hell of it since the PCAT and MCAT are very similar.

wut

seriously. compared to a pharmacist? you crazy son

 

[erub]

Originally posted by: Dear Summer

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: Pippy

Originally posted by: RollWave
Why not med school?

Easy

- Too much work, and pharmacists get paid about 80% of what doctors make.
- A serious life long dedication
- Hard to pass the difficulties of being a doctor if not motivated/interested
- pharmacists are much more flexible in scheduling
- Not so much a "thinking" career

To be honest if I wanted to do in life what I wanted to do it would be IT. But IT/CS is highly competitive and I'm just not as good as other people. After one semester as a CS major I switched to biology and have done very well. I maintained a 3.8 GPA thus far. In my life outlook I just want a job that is stable, pays the bills and some, be able to have time with the family. I'm not trying to insult pharmacists here, I just think that for my life it will be perfect and I can tolerate being a pharmacist. Also I like that it offers the ability to if (probably when) I get bored of retail I can work research or in a hospital. The wife is also looking into pharm school (she's also a junior at the same school).


Though I will take the MCAT and apply to med school just for the hell of it since the PCAT and MCAT are very similar.

wut

seriously. compared to a pharmacist? you crazy son

He is saying that pharmacy is less thinking than being a doctor..don't see what the problem is?

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: Pippy

Originally posted by: RollWave
Why not med school?

Easy

- Too much work, and pharmacists get paid about 80% of what doctors make.
- A serious life long dedication
- Hard to pass the difficulties of being a doctor if not motivated/interested
- pharmacists are much more flexible in scheduling
- Not so much a "thinking" career

To be honest if I wanted to do in life what I wanted to do it would be IT. But IT/CS is highly competitive and I'm just not as good as other people. After one semester as a CS major I switched to biology and have done very well. I maintained a 3.8 GPA thus far. In my life outlook I just want a job that is stable, pays the bills and some, be able to have time with the family. I'm not trying to insult pharmacists here, I just think that for my life it will be perfect and I can tolerate being a pharmacist. Also I like that it offers the ability to if (probably when) I get bored of retail I can work research or in a hospital. The wife is also looking into pharm school (she's also a junior at the same school).


Though I will take the MCAT and apply to med school just for the hell of it since the PCAT and MCAT are very similar.

wut

I am amazed that the PCAT and MCAT are so similar

OP, passing biology is hardly an indicator of a future in pharmacy and definitely way too soon to be looking at schools...get past Organic then Biochem and get back to us.

SECOGS (Univ. of Miami) is another school...pricey...the top 3 Florida schools (UF, FSU, UM) are known for great academics and a great student life. Politics are what you make it. I went to UF and FAU.

 

[Codewiz]

Another option is MUSC

http://www.musc.edu/pharmacy/a..._programs/pharmd.shtml

MUSC is in downtown Charleston, SC. Awesome place to live. Lots to do and exciting city.

 

[RagingBITCH]

I was gonna say, if you didn't want to move, MCPHS is right there in Boston.

There's also University of Tennessee and one in Houston.

You might also look at the school's rep or if it's geared more towards retail or the hospital environment. (MCP is more retail as is Houston, Tennessee is geared towards hospital)

 

[Circlenaut]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Mo0o

Originally posted by: Pippy

Originally posted by: RollWave
Why not med school?

Easy

- Too much work, and pharmacists get paid about 80% of what doctors make.
- A serious life long dedication
- Hard to pass the difficulties of being a doctor if not motivated/interested
- pharmacists are much more flexible in scheduling
- Not so much a "thinking" career

To be honest if I wanted to do in life what I wanted to do it would be IT. But IT/CS is highly competitive and I'm just not as good as other people. After one semester as a CS major I switched to biology and have done very well. I maintained a 3.8 GPA thus far. In my life outlook I just want a job that is stable, pays the bills and some, be able to have time with the family. I'm not trying to insult pharmacists here, I just think that for my life it will be perfect and I can tolerate being a pharmacist. Also I like that it offers the ability to if (probably when) I get bored of retail I can work research or in a hospital. The wife is also looking into pharm school (she's also a junior at the same school).


Though I will take the MCAT and apply to med school just for the hell of it since the PCAT and MCAT are very similar.

wut

I am amazed that the PCAT and MCAT are so similar

OP, passing biology is hardly an indicator of a future in pharmacy and definitely way too soon to be looking at schools...get past Organic then Biochem and get back to us.

SECOGS (Univ. of Miami) is another school...pricey...the top 3 Florida schools (UF, FSU, UM) are known for great academics and a great student life. Politics are what you make it. I went to UF and FAU.

I've already finished Biochem and Organic, have taken virology, immunology, molecular biology, mammalian cell culture. I think I'm fine...

Thanks I'll keep SECOGS in mind

 

[Circlenaut]

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
I was gonna say, if you didn't want to move, MCPHS is right there in Boston.

There's also University of Tennessee and one in Houston.

You might also look at the school's rep or if it's geared more towards retail or the hospital environment. (MCP is more retail as is Houston, Tennessee is geared towards hospital)

Thanks for the MCPHS suggestion. I'll be doing a project this summer with them. But two reason I don't want to go there. Twice as expensive as southern schools, and it's in New England. I really want to get out of here, along with the wife.

 

[vi edit]

If you plan to go clinical, be sure to seek out schools that have associated medical centers on/near campus. The intern hours and rotations being that close is invaluable. And if you can, pick an area that has a number of hospitals in the region for your clinical rotation year.

If you plan to rot in a walgreens after you get out then that stuff is less important.

Another suggestion if you want a change of weather is University of Arizona in Tucson. They have a very good program and the weather is damn near perfect about 8 months of the year.

A resident my wife worked with went to University of Texas San Antonio for his pharmacy degree and was very well prepared for the clinical world. I think he did his undergrad at Austin, but the pharmacy professional program is at San Antonio.

My wife went to University of Iowa which has a very good clinical program as well and did her residency at Nebraska Med Center. University of Nebraska has a very good pharmacy program too. But neither of those areas will give you the change of weather you probably want.

 

[Phokus]

What do clinical pharmacists do anyway, compared to the cvs/walgreens pharmacists?

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: Phokus
What do clinical pharmacists do anyway, compared to the cvs/walgreens pharmacists?

Depends on just how invovled they want to get. My wife for example is a major overacheiver. She's heading up three big projects right now for her hospital to try and lower the drug budgets for some departments that are hemoraging money. One of the projects is looking at the effects of a department routinely giving peptic pump inhibitors (pepcid, nexium, ect) as a help prevent ulcers in it's long term patients. Instead of scanning patients on a risk basis they are just handing them out like candy and the effects are pretty crazy. Your stomach is one of your primary defense mechanisms for killing virus/bacteria before it hits your intestines. If you tame down the stomach acids then those bugs make their way through and cause a whole host of problems.

So my wife is digging through piles of clinical data looking at the med rec and history of these patients and putting a report together as to why these patients are having the problems that they are.

Plus she's heading up a team with some other Neuro ICU specialists on how to properly manage spinal injuries and prevent the onset of paralysis and other issues associated with it.

She's right there in the thick of things working side by side with the cardiologists, surgeons, and various specialized MD's.

 

[Circlenaut]

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: Phokus
What do clinical pharmacists do anyway, compared to the cvs/walgreens pharmacists?

Depends on just how invovled they want to get. My wife for example is a major overacheiver. She's heading up three big projects right now for her hospital to try and lower the drug budgets for some departments that are hemoraging money. One of the projects is looking at the effects of a department routinely giving peptic pump inhibitors (pepcid, nexium, ect) as a help prevent ulcers in it's long term patients. Instead of scanning patients on a risk basis they are just handing them out like candy and the effects are pretty crazy. Your stomach is one of your primary defense mechanisms for killing virus/bacteria before it hits your intestines. If you tame down the stomach acids then those bugs make their way through and cause a whole host of problems.

So my wife is digging through piles of clinical data looking at the med rec and history of these patients and putting a report together as to why these patients are having the problems that they are.

Plus she's heading up a team with some other Neuro ICU specialists on how to properly manage spinal injuries and prevent the onset of paralysis and other issues associated with it.

She's right there in the thick of things working side by side with the cardiologists, surgeons, and various specialized MD's.

This guy nailed it. Pharmacy can get as interested as you want it to be. This is what I especially like about it. For the first few years after I graduate, the wife and I wants to just live a little, a save money. After a few years of boring cvs work then I want to get into clinical.

- Felipe

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Pippy
I'm finishing my junior year as a bio major at an engineering school and have decided on pharmacy. It seems that a lot of current programs are 6 years. I've made short list of schools in the South (I'm tired of New England weather). Does anyone have an experience with the following schools? How is the environment down south compared to MA? Politically, Socially?

- U of Georgia School of Pharm.
- U of Texas Austin ...
- U of Florida Gainsville
- U of Kansas
- U of North Carolina

Depends on where you go.

The only area on your list that would resemble the stereotypical NE political/social environment would be Chapel Hill. The Triangle has a strong liberal presence, but the rest of NC is rather good 'ol boy conservative.

The weather is great though, but February can be freaking cold. If you don't mind the freak ice storms every 3 or 4 years, you'd probably dig it. Depends on how you handle 4-5 straight months of 90+ temps and 100%+ humidity (at night, too).

Madison, GA is probably comparable in many ways. You'd have to kill me and drag my lifeless corpse with you to ever see me in Kansas, though

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Pippy

Originally posted by: RollWave
Why not med school?

Easy

- Too much work, and pharmacists get paid about 80% of what doctors make.
- A serious life long dedication
- Hard to pass the difficulties of being a doctor if not motivated/interested
- pharmacists are much more flexible in scheduling
- Not so much a "thinking" career

To be honest if I wanted to do in life what I wanted to do it would be IT. But IT/CS is highly competitive and I'm just not as good as other people. After one semester as a CS major I switched to biology and have done very well. I maintained a 3.8 GPA thus far. In my life outlook I just want a job that is stable, pays the bills and some, be able to have time with the family. I'm not trying to insult pharmacists here, I just think that for my life it will be perfect and I can tolerate being a pharmacist. Also I like that it offers the ability to if (probably when) I get bored of retail I can work research or in a hospital. The wife is also looking into pharm school (she's also a junior at the same school).


Though I will take the MCAT and apply to med school just for the hell of it since the PCAT and MCAT are very similar.

But pharmacy tends to be a "heavy drinking career," and you'll have to consider the high probability of developing vericose veins.

 

[Mo0o]

From what I hear, the pay is lower in the hospital setting in comparison to walgreens (not sure if this is true). So it's kind of a trade-off between intellectual stimulation and money.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: Mo0o
From what I hear, the pay is lower in the hospital setting in comparison to walgreens (not sure if this is true). So it's kind of a trade-off between intellectual stimulation and money.

Depends on the hospital. University Hospitals usually pay pretty crappy but make up for it with decent vacation/sick pay and decent 403b matching.

But the hospital my wife works at now is a private run one that's about 650 beds, decent size. She makes within a couple percent of what retail makes. I can virtually guarantee you that she'd trade that couple grand for the job satisfaction she has where she's at.

Her current employer pays almost 40% better than offers she was getting at state/university hospitals.

 

[RollWave]

Originally posted by: Pippy

Originally posted by: RollWave
Why not med school?

Easy

- Too much work, and pharmacists get paid about 80% of what doctors make.
- A serious life long dedication
- Hard to pass the difficulties of being a doctor if not motivated/interested
- pharmacists are much more flexible in scheduling
- Not so much a "thinking" career

To be honest if I wanted to do in life what I wanted to do it would be IT. But IT/CS is highly competitive and I'm just not as good as other people. After one semester as a CS major I switched to biology and have done very well. I maintained a 3.8 GPA thus far. In my life outlook I just want a job that is stable, pays the bills and some, be able to have time with the family. I'm not trying to insult pharmacists here, I just think that for my life it will be perfect and I can tolerate being a pharmacist. Also I like that it offers the ability to if (probably when) I get bored of retail I can work research or in a hospital. The wife is also looking into pharm school (she's also a junior at the same school).


Though I will take the MCAT and apply to med school just for the hell of it since the PCAT and MCAT are very similar.

Not true.

 

[blinky8225]

Originally posted by: Pippy
I'm finishing my junior year as a bio major at an engineering school and have decided on pharmacy. It seems that a lot of current programs are 6 years. I've made short list of schools in the South (I'm tired of New England weather). Does anyone have an experience with the following schools? How is the environment down south compared to MA? Politically, Socially?

- U of Georgia School of Pharm.
- U of Texas Austin ...
- U of Florida Gainsville
- U of Kansas
- U of North Carolina

I can't tell you about the rest, but I know a bit about UNC. I go to the school down the road, but I've visited the campus a few times. As for weather, it is certainly warmer than New England, but we've had few days where it has dropped below 20 here. I'd say the average for winter, though, hovers around 45.

The social environment is great if you like college towns. Chapel Hill is pretty much centered around UNC and enjoys a pretty good relationship with the locals. Franklin Street is a great college hang out with lots of bars, restaurants, and the like. Student body is also over 60% women, and generally the girls there are pretty good looking. Apparently, North Carolina's public schools fail men. Over 80% of the students are also from North Carolina because they have a quota to meet, so admissions is pretty difficult if you're out of state. I know the Pharmacy program follows a similar quota, although it may not be as high as 80%. Greek scene is pretty big but not overwhelming.

The Triangle area is somewhat an oddity in the south politically. It's nearly as liberal as any area you will find New England. There are three major universities, and Research Triangle Park has drawn lots of transplants. In addition, Durham has a very high African-American population.

 

[flunky nassau]

Originally posted by: RollWave

Originally posted by: Pippy

Originally posted by: RollWave
Why not med school?

Easy

- Too much work, and pharmacists get paid about 80% of what doctors make.
- A serious life long dedication
- Hard to pass the difficulties of being a doctor if not motivated/interested
- pharmacists are much more flexible in scheduling
- Not so much a "thinking" career

To be honest if I wanted to do in life what I wanted to do it would be IT. But IT/CS is highly competitive and I'm just not as good as other people. After one semester as a CS major I switched to biology and have done very well. I maintained a 3.8 GPA thus far. In my life outlook I just want a job that is stable, pays the bills and some, be able to have time with the family. I'm not trying to insult pharmacists here, I just think that for my life it will be perfect and I can tolerate being a pharmacist. Also I like that it offers the ability to if (probably when) I get bored of retail I can work research or in a hospital. The wife is also looking into pharm school (she's also a junior at the same school).


Though I will take the MCAT and apply to med school just for the hell of it since the PCAT and MCAT are very similar.

Not true.

Yeah, pharmacists make from 100k to 200k (in california). Though, i have a colleague who made ~$250k last year from all the overtime.

Obviously it depends on what kind of MD you are. I'm thinking it can range from $150k (primary care) to $750k (surgeon)?

But to achieve the level of a surgeon, you basically have given away most of your prime years (26-35) doing nothing but studying & residency. No thanks.

I admire doctors, but would never ever want my kids to become one unless that's what they really wanted to do.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Pippy

I've already finished Biochem and Organic, have taken virology, immunology, molecular biology, mammalian cell culture. I think I'm fine...

Thanks I'll keep SECOGS in mind

you did a lot in 3 years...if you aren't a true 'junior' you may want to qualify that, if you are then pharmacy should be a cakewalk.