Pharmacists are known as "medication specialists" and are healthcare providers who educate patients on medication: when and how to take it, as well as its side effects. They must be detail-oriented and meticulous. Pharmacists must also communicate effectively and carefully consider the various factors that may interfere with their patients' medication such as lifestyle, age, other medication, or health conditions. 45% of pharmacists work in independent or retail pharmacy.
Academic Sample Plan
Plan ahead by viewing the UCSD Pharmacy School Timeline.Explore
Discover whether a pharmacy career matches your interests, purpose, abilities and meets your lifestyle expectations:
- Check out Pharmacy for Me for detailed information and opportunities
- Read Is Pharmacy For You?
- 100+ Pharmacy Career Pathways
- Learn about careers and issues in pharmacy at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) website
- Pharmacy Schools and Pharmacist Careers: How to Become a Pharmacist
Prepare
Confirm your interest in pharmacy, prepare academically, and develop the necessary skills and experience.
UC San Diego Options
You can pursue pharmacy at UC San Diego as a traditional Pharm.D. student or as a student in the accelerated seven-year B.S./Pharm.D. program. See UC San Diego options.
- Traditional Pharm.D. students must complete all the requirements of their B.A. or B.S. degree prior to matriculation into the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
- Current UCSD undergraduates interested in the 7-year BS Chemistry/Doctor of Pharmacy Program apply after their second year of undergraduate studies.
Academic Requirements
PharmCAS has a list of Common Prerequisites and the UC San Diego classes you can take to meet them. The below list is a general guideline. Please check individual schools for their specific prerequisites:
- One year of biology
- One year of general chemistry
- One year of organic chemistry (FAQ)
- One biochemistry course
- One year of physics
- One human physiology course with lab
- One microbiology with mab
- English composition/college-level writing
- Communication/public speaking
- One economics course
- One statistics course
- One behavioral sciences course
Note: Please consult your academic advisor on the most appropriate sequence for your major requirements.
While many of these classes fulfill the common pre-pharmacy requirements, to learn more about the specific academic requirements for UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences please visit the Skaggs website. Students should also understand the above courses are a general recommendation and may not reflect students taking classes outside of UC San Diego.
Planning
Sample 4-Year Timeline including options with and without a gap year.
Pharmacy Competencies
Evaluators will be asked to rate pharmacy applicants on each of the following characteristics:
- Oral Communication: speaks clearly with precision and accuracy, without ambiguity.
- Written Communication: writing is precise, accurate, grammatically correct, and unambiguous.
- Intellectual Ability: academic competence and aptitude for a pharmacy degree program.
- Leadership: takes initiative and motivates others.
- Ethics: displays honesty, integrity, and ethical behaviors.
- Empathy: considerate, sensitive, and tactful in response to others.
- Reliability: dependable, responsible, prompt, and thorough.
- Judgment: displays critical thinking skills, common sense, and decisiveness.
- Interpersonal Relations: able to get along well with peers and superiors.
- Adaptability: reacts well to stress, is poised and controlled.
- Professional Appearance: maintains good personal hygiene, appropriate attire, well-groomed.
Experience
We recommend students pursue pharmacy clinical experience which can be done through a variety of activities such as:
- Getting to know a pharmacist!
- Volunteer
- Shadow
- Work as a clerk
- Work as a pharmacy technician
- Note: beginning Jan. 2, 2020 the TCP will be requiring completion of an approved course or 500 hours of pharmacy experience prior to taking the exam. Learn more about eligibility requirements.
- Volunteer at the UC San Diego Free Clinic
- General Pre-Health Experiential Opportunities List
- Get Involved with Student Organizations
- Students are encouraged to explore any student organization of interest, not necessarily limited to pharmacy-related groups. A comprehensive list can be found at the UCSD Center for Student Involvement.
Apply
Applying to pharmacy school occurs in the summer, one year before the program starts. Identify programs that match your skills and interests and complete an application. Some steps take more time to complete than others, so plan ahead!
Schools & Programs
Find Pharmacy Schools: consider curriculum, clinical training options, location, and cost
Review Admissions Policies and Practices
Applying as an international student
Application
- PharmCAS: service to apply to multiple Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree programs offered by schools and colleges of pharmacy. Compiles your transcripts, letters, essay, and activities
- Submit supplemental applications from individual schools when required
- Follow the Checklist for Applicants
- PharmGrad: application service to apply to multiple M.S. and Ph.D. programs offered by colleges and schools of pharmacy
- Personal Essay
- Your Personal Essay should address why you selected pharmacy as a career and how the Doctor of Pharmacy degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals. Describe how your personal, educational, and professional background will help you achieve your goals. (4500 characters)
Gaining Experience
For any successful pre-health path, you will need to demonstrate you have experience. This includes service/volunteering, leadership, research, and/or other experiential learning opportunities.