Expert: Dr. Tara Kompare, Pharm.D. - 7/19/2007

Question
Hi my name is Brittney. I am entering my senior year in high school this year. After high school, I plan on attending college for pharmacy. This summer I am taking a class called Career Exploration at Suny Brockport and one of our assignments is to contact people who work or know about the career field that we are interested in. I have a couple questions that you may be able to answer for me. I am wondering what classes are needed to be taken in college? What major information that I may need to know? About how much are the college expenses? Are there any other recommendations that you may have for me. I hope to hear from you soon so that I can continue exploring the pharmacy field. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Brittney

Answer
Hi Brittney,

I am glad to hear of your interest in pharmacy and am happy to answer your questions:

1) I am going to refer you to my alma mater, VCU, and their list of prerequisites at:http://www.pharmacy.vcu.edu/Pharmd/prereq2008.html.

Most pharmacy schools require the same prerequisites.

2)As far as tuition, that depends on the school. The average cost per year for me was about 10,000.

3) Some recommendations:
-Work in a pharmacy before you apply to pharmacy school. This will help ensure that you like the field and looks great on your application. Try to work in a hospital and retail environment if you can.

-Try to maintain a full course load each semester while maintaining a good GPA.

-Join a pre-health club at your school.

These are some of the basics. I wish you the best. Let me know if you have any more questions. I would be glad to help.

Regards,

Dr. Tara Kompare, Pharm.D.
www.themedicinemom.com