Pre-Professional: Pharmacy

Pharmacy

Calvin College does not offer courses in pharmacy; however, students may take courses at Calvin that are prerequisites for acceptance to a pharmacy school. Students interested in a career in pharmacy will complete at least two years at Calvin before transferring to a college of pharmacy to complete four additional years of study culminating in a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree. Many schools now prefer that students complete a BS or BA degree before enrolling in pharmacy school. Pre-pharmacy course requirements of the pharmacy schools vary greatly. Some schools do not accept advanced placement credits. Students should carefully consult the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy website (www.aacp.org) and the websites for the pharmacy schools to which they intend to apply to plan an appropriate course of study. The pre-pharmacy advisor, M. Barbachyn, will assist students in planning a pre-pharmacy curriculum, which most students take in the context of a biochemistry major. Most pharmacy schools require the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT), which should be taken in the summer after their junior year or during  the fall semester of the student’s final year at Calvin.