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.
2.
2.
GPA range
75
2.
5
-2
.
<=
51
00
.2
5
.5
0
-3
.
-3
-3
00
.7
5
-4
.
-3
76
01
26
51
76
50
3.
3.
3.
3.
Number of people
GPA of enrolled students
Pre-req GPA 2015
40
30
20
10
0
PCAT composite scores enrolled
students
PCAT composite score 2015
40
20
PCAT composite
<5
0
0
59
-5
0
69
-6
0
79
-7
0
89
-8
0
0
99
-9
Number of people
60
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
http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2013/02/021313-vetmedadmissions.html
MMI
http://school.med.nyu.edu/md-admissions/mmi-faqs
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
15-20 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
Admissions Statistics
900
Received
Reviewed
Accepted
Enrolled
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
20
06
20
07
20
08
20
09
20
10
20
11
20
12
20
13
20
14
20
15
Number of People
800
Year
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
20
06
20
07
20
08
20
09
20
10
20
11
20
12
20
13
20
14
20
15
GPA
GPA for Each Entering Class
GPA
3.5
3.0
2.5
YEAR
Degrees of entering class
NO DEGREE or Associate
Baccalaureate
Master's or higher
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
YEAR
20
15
20
14
20
13
20
12
20
11
20
10
20
09
20
08
20
07
20
06
0
20
05
Number of enrolled students
DEGREES of PharmD
entering students
Residence of entering class
Ethnicity of entering class
ETHNICITY 2015
50
HISPANIC
ASIAN
40
NUMBER
BLACK
30
WHITE
20
NATIVE
AMERICAN
MULTIRACIAL
10
UNREPORTED
H
A
U
M
M
ER
W
VE
N
AT
I
IC
A
LT
N
IR
U
A
N
C
R
EP I A L
O
R
TE
D
IT
E
K
C
N
B
LA
A
SI
A
H
IS
PA
N
IC
0
ETHNICITY
Gender of entering class
Gender 2015
100
Men
Women
60
40
20
en
W
om
en
0
M
Number
80
Gender