141 Central Avenue
Keuka Park, New York 14478
(315) 279-5000
Keuka Park, New York 14478
(315) 279-5000
© 2010 Keuka College
Keuka College is a great place to prepare for a career as a pharmacist. We offer all of the amenities of a small school — small class sizes and personal attention from professors — as well as a high level of academic rigor. This combination ensures that our students are as well prepared or more prepared than others seeking to meet the challenges of pharmacy school.
Most pharmacy schools will accept students after two years of appropriate prerequisite undergraduate coursework from any accredited institution. Accepted students then complete four years at the pharmacy school and finish with a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) degree.
That degree may be earned in nearby Rochester at the Wegman School of Pharmacy at St. John Fisher College, the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, or the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (campuses in Albany and Colchester, Vt.). In addition, the D’Youville College School of Pharmacy accepted its first entering class in the fall of 2010, and there are a few pharmacy colleges downstate (Long Island University, St. John’s University, and Touro College).
The prerequisite coursework typically involves 60 to 70 credit hours. You should consult the specific requirements of the doctoral programs you plan to consider, but in general, you can expect to take the following courses during your two years at Keuka College:
All science courses require laboratory components and most pharmacy schools will not accept AP or CLEP credit, or online courses to fulfill these requirements.
The number of top-notch students applying to pharmacy school each year far exceeds the slots available. In order to be admitted, candidates must demonstrate that they know what a pharmacist does via first-hand experience. And there is no better place to gain that experience than Keuka College, the national leader in experiential, hands-on learning. Keuka students are required to conduct a Field Period each year they are enrolled.
These 140-hour internships allow students to take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to the "real world." Pre-pharmacy students should plan to spend their Field Periods shadowing a pharmacist, preferably in a variety of settings (drug store, grocery store, hospital, etc.). Not only will you gain significant experience, but you will have inside knowledge of the day-to-day responsibilities of a pharmacist. This is the kind of knowledge that impresses pharmacy school admission committees.
The health professions are service-oriented; therefore, you need to demonstrate a desire to serve others. Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Be a scout leader. Coach a soccer team. Volunteer to work with disadvantaged people. Join a service organization. To say that you "want to help people" is cliché and not enough for the people who will determine whether or not you are admitted to pharmacy school. You need to establish a record of social responsibility. Field Period offers opportunities to do that and so do the many service organizations and clubs at Keuka College.
Pharm. D. programs are selective. Schools receive hundreds of applications per year, but typically interview only 200 to 250 candidates and admit just 75 to 200. Students must complete all prerequisite coursework specified by the schools to which they are applying. Most pharmacy schools have a minimum GPA requirement in the 2.5 to 3.0 range. However, the average GPA of admitted students is typically in the 3.2 to 3.5 range.
Most pharmacy schools also require their students to take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test, or PCAT. Details about test content and dates can be found at the PCAT Web site. You should plan to take this test by October of your sophomore year and your goal should be to score in the 70th percentile or higher.
Generally speaking, the application deadline is around Feb. 1, but sooner is better. The application process is time consuming and putting it off until the last minute could result in a sloppy set of materials that would greatly diminish your chances of admittance.
Initial application materials are typically submitted through PharmCAS, an online pharmacy school clearinghouse. Most schools use this service, which means you only have to submit materials once, even if you are applying to multiple schools. The PharmCAS Web site contains a wealth of useful information about pharmacy schools and the admission process. Students are encouraged to use it early and often. It also details what each school requires applicants to submit.
Once your completed set of application materials is received by PharmCAS, they will be forwarded to the schools you designated. Most schools require that a supplemental application—requesting additional materials that may be unique to their programs—be submitted.
Upon receipt of the PharmCAS application and supplemental application, the admissions committee at the pharmacy school will conduct an initial screening in which applicants are evaluated based on academic performance, PCAT scores, letters of recommendation, experience in the pharmacy field, and participation in other service activities, and other criteria.
The top candidates will be invited to campus for personal interviews with members of the admission committee and other faculty members. This is your opportunity to showcase your communication skills, your devotion to a life of service, and your passion for pharmacology.
© 2010 Keuka College