Pharm.D. Degree, UT and Me W. Renee’ Acosta, R.Ph., M.S. Assistant Dean for Admissions and Advising Clinical Professor Health Outcomes and Pharmacy Practice LPPA Fall 2015

Key Points about Pharmacy School Admissions Pre-pharmacy major Pre-requisites –Online college course work –Community college course work –UT policy on simultaneous enrollment Myths in the application process

What should be my pre-pharmacy major? ANY pre-Pharmacy major is OK. Most common are Biology & Chemistry.

Do my pre-pharmacy courses have an expiration date? For UT, NO! For other PharmD programs, you need to check!

Keys to the pre-requisites All science / math courses should be for science majors. You need English comp and a literature course. Your genetics course should cover cell & population genetics. Pre-requisites do not have to be complete to apply, but they do to matriculate. There are some core / flag graduation requirements for UT. Students are strongly encouraged to have all core/flag requirements done before matriculation EXCEPT those that are taught in the Pharm.D. program.

Online & community college courses? Both online and community college courses are fine. HOWEVER, IF you wish to take one of the above while enrolled at UT that term you MUST get prior approval from your advisor!

Myth The PharmD program only cares about GPA and PCAT scores, not about passion for or experience in pharmacy. –Not true! –Yes, the average GPA and PCAT are high, but –Virtually all admitted students have significant amounts of pharmacy work experience, community service experience, and organizational experience.

GPA of enrolled students

PCAT composite scores enrolled students

Work and service experience While NOT required, direct PHR work experience as a CPhT is valuable and helpful. Volunteering & community service show your true heart! –Especially sustained service

Myth Communication skills don’t matter as admission criteria. –No one is admitted to the PharmD program without communicating effectively during interview weekend. –The committee has denied folks with a 4.0 GPA and 99% on the PCAT because during the interview they did not communicate effectively OR did not convey a real interest in helping other people. –Ethical scenario – team activity –MMI = multiple-mini interviews

Myth Language skills don’t matter as admission criteria. –Not true! –Writing achievement and potential are evaluated specifically by the PCAT writing score –And by your grades in English comp and literature

MMI admissions.html

MMI

Myth Letters of recommendation don’t matter to the admissions committee. –Letters of recommendation from Pharmacists are the gold standard for admission! –It is a red flag if someone indicates that they work in a pharmacy and do NOT have a letter from a pharmacist.

PharmCAS and UT Supplemental Application PharmCAS – required 4-6 weeks for school to receive UT Supplemental Application – required minutes to complete

Academics + Professional Academic ability –Pre-req GPA >2.8 (2015 mean =3.5) –PCAT >70% (2015 mean = 86%) –Grades in advanced science courses Knowledge of and passion for pharmacy –Essay –Letters of recommendation – Interview experiences

Real work experience Health care –Especially in pharmacy –Have contact with patients! –Learn about health care policy & medications Customer service jobs also helpful

Pharmacy work experience Understand at least one type of pharmacy experience Have real insight about the issues facing the profession Know something about medications

Meaningful service Organizational activities Community service and volunteering Where you actually DO something!

Serving in the community Care enough about helping others that you do it….a lot

Discipline 60 hour “work” week [academics, work, and service] such discipline is the key to success

Applicant Pool

GPA for Each Entering Class

Degrees of entering class

Residence of entering class

Ethnicity of entering class

Gender of entering class