Pre-Pharmacy
Help People Live Happier, Healthier Lives with a Career as a Pharmacist
Because much of the required coursework for pharmacy school is in the sciences, most Pre-Pharmacy students select Biology, Biochemistry, or Chemistry as their majors. As long as the required prerequisite courses are taken any major can be pursued and degree awarded. Our advisors will assist you with confirming each of your prospective pharmacy program's prerequisite course requirements.
If you are interested in helping people live healthier lives, then a diverse and rewarding career in Pharmacy might be just what the doctor ordered. As a pharmacist, you can help improve the quality of life for patients on a daily basis and be involved in patient care, research, and innovation.
You should let your academic advisor know as soon as possible that admission to pharmacy school is your post-graduation goal. Your advisor will work with you to ensure that you take the required prerequisite coursework, complete the required hours of clinical experience if necessary, and mentor you towards research experiences that will broaden your training and make your application stand out.
Catawba College students interested in pursuing a career as a pharmacist can branch out into many different areas such as community practice, pharmaceutical research and development, hospital pharmacy, nuclear pharmacy, consultant pharmacy, long-term and health care pharmacy, and government pharmacy. While the responsibilities vary among these areas of pharmacy practice, the common underlying thread is that pharmacists help patients get well.
Program Highlights
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Pre-Health Advisory Committee
We provide advisement on preparing for admission to veterinary school, draft "Committee Letters" of recommendation, and conduct mock interviews.
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Pre-Pharmacy Research
Conduct an Independent Study with a faculty member, apply for summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs), and complete a pharmacy internship.
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Leadership Experience
Get leadership experience and network with peers with similar interests by becoming an active participant in one of Catawba’s many clubs and organizations.
Participate
Participate
Get connected with the Pre-Health Club at Catawba College. In this organization, you’ll have the opportunity to meet alumni that have walked your same path towards a health career, as well meet other students with similar goals.
Program Details
Dr. Holli Chandler '16 Chemistry GraduateOn internship experiences: I would tell other prospective interns not to sell themselves short. No matter what your background or where you come from! I came in not expecting to get results from our internship experience, and we got some results, and that was awesome.
Recommended Experiences
While it is important to have good GPA and PCAT scores, pharmacy schools want to know that they are admitting well-rounded individuals that demonstrate good judgment, dependability, and attention to detail. Pharmacy schools also want to know that as a Pharmacist, you will have high ethical standards, communicate well with others, be organized with medical records, and stay current on your knowledge about medications to ensure each patient has optimal results. There are many experiences that you can have while at Catawba College, in addition to networking, internships, and conducting research, to demonstrate your commitment to these qualities:
Clinical Experience
Catawba students can get some of the best clinical experience by shadowing a pharmacist or working as a pharmacy technician in a pharmacy or health-related setting such as a hospital or nursing home. We recommend students seek out these opportunities as early and often as possible, keeping an accurate and detailed journal of your experiences including dates, locations, contact information, and if it was paid or volunteer-based. The number of hours and type of work involved should also be recorded. If you are unable to gain clinical or volunteer experience directly related to pharmacy, contact the admissions office of the pharmacy school to which you plan to apply for a list of experiences they would accept which adequately demonstrate your knowledge of the profession.
Networking
Network and make connections with professionals that can write good letters of recommendation. Most programs require 1-4 letters of evaluation or recommendations, several of which should be from a practicing pharmacist and professor or academic advisor. Select individuals who know you well and can speak to your maturity, dependability, dedication, compassion, communication skills, leadership, and any hands-on experience in the field.
Resources for Pharmacy School
Prepare for Pharmacy School
Prepare for Pharmacy School
Most pharmacy schools use the following as selection criteria for admission:
- Completion of Prerequisite Coursework
- Overall GPA and GPA of Required Courses
- Score on the PCAT
- Pharmacy Office Shadowing Experiences
- Letters of Recommendation
- Application through the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS)
- Interview
Next-Generation Resources
The Graham Genomics Lab allows students to engage in vital research, gaining broad and deep knowledge in a particular field, enabling them to put that knowledge to work for the common good. It features next-generation sequencing platforms from leading technology providers, including Illumina® and Pacific Biosystems. Catawba students acquire hands-on skills as they conduct research projects and work with innovative sequencing equipment, participating in multi-disciplinary, multi-platform research from concept through to data delivery and interpretation.
Net Price Calculator
Net Price Calculator
We know that a college education is one of the most important investments a student will make in their lifetime.
Catawba College's Net Price Calculator is a tool used to provide students with an estimate of the financial aid they might qualify for prior to receiving their official Financial Aid Award.
Catawba students in Dr. Megan Flocken's Biomedical Ethics class visited the local Downing Farm to explore sustainable agricultural practices in action.
Three Catawba College undergraduate students have each been awarded Yarbrough Undergraduate Research Grants from the North Carolina Academy of Sciences for the upcoming 2023-24 academic year.
During the 2022-2023 academic year, Catawba College students and their faculty mentors in the Natural Sciences attended several scientific conferences locally, regionally and nationally to present exciting research and professional development opportunities. Twenty-two students presented a total of thirty-one oral and poster presentations this year, highlighted within four off-campus conferences.
