Pre-Pharmacy: How Do You Become a Pharmacist?

Pre-Pharmacy: How Do You Become a Pharmacist?

Innovative. Empathetic. Leader. Sound like you? If you’re interested in helping shape the future of healthcare as a part of a cohesive team, perhaps you’re interested in becoming a pharmacist. As a pre-pharmacy major at Indiana University Kokomo, you’ll receive the training and foundational knowledge you need to go on to graduate school and succeed. As a future pharmacist, you’ll have the opportunity to work in drug stores, nursing homes, and health clinics. Your knowledge will be vital and sought-after by doctors and mental health professionals alike. You’ll get to work with patients to help them take charge of their health and make the best choices they can.

If you’re wondering about the future outlook for this career field, you’ll be happy to know it’s looking pretty good! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job outlook for pharmacists is expected to grow as fast as average through 2026 at 6 percent. The annual median salary is $124,170.

4 Things to Keep in Mind As a Pre-Pharmacy Major

At IU Kokomo, it’s our passion and number one goal to prepare you for whatever comes next for you. As a pre-pharmacy major, here are 4 things to keep in mind on your journey:

1. It’s never too early to start thinking about graduate school. Let’s face it: professional graduate programs are competitive. The earlier you start preparing, the better! While a high GPA is important, you’ll also stand out when you pack your resume full of extracurricular involvement, job shadowing experience, and research performed side-by-side with our faculty.

2. Keep an eye out for information on the STEPS program. There is an exclusive program for pre-healthcare students at IU Kokomo called STEPS. Students admitted into this program will benefit from mock interviews, a review of the admissions process, clinical job shadowing experience, and tours of healthcare facilities. Only a few students are admitted so be sure to look for information on when to apply!

3. You’ll want to get to know your academic advisor really well. It’s important to understand that as a pre-pharmacy student, you’re not only looking to fulfill your undergraduate requirements, fit classes to your schedule, and graduate on time, you want to ensure you’re fulfilling the requirements for your future graduate program. Working closely with your academic advisor will help you know what the next steps are and keep you on track.

4. You can start at IU Kokomo and go to graduate school at Purdue University for your Doctor of Pharmacy. Once you finish your undergraduate degree (perhaps in biochemistry, biological and physical sciences, or biology) from IU Kokomo, you’ll be on to the next step! If you are geographically bound and enjoy living in this area, Purdue University offers an excellent program in their College of Pharmacy. Check out the details below.

Want to make connections with your peers? Check out the School of Sciences Pre-Professional Club!

Prerequisite Requirements for Purdue University College of Pharmacy

Plan of Study for the pre-pharmacy program at Indiana University Kokomo

Plan of Study for the pre-pharmacy program at Indiana University Kokomo

*MICR-J 200 (Microbiology and Immunology) & 201 (Microbiology Lab) may be substituted for MICR-M 310 & 315

**MATH-M 119 (Brief Survey of Calculus I) or MA 221 (Calc. for Tech 1) may be substituted for MATH-M 215

***MATH-M 120 (Brief Survey of Calculus II) or MA 222 (Calc. for Tech II) may be substituted for MATH-M 216

****ECON-E 200 (Fundamentals of Economics) or ECON-E 202 (Introduction to Macroeconomics) may sub. for ECON-E 201

***** PHYS-P 221 Physics 1 (calculus-based) may be substituted for PHYS-P 201.

A cumulative total of 60 credit hours (includes advanced placement, department credit, pass/not pass, etc.)

is required to meet admission requirements.

This plan of study is specifically designed for Indiana University Kokomo students preparing to apply for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Purdue University College of Pharmacy. Additional information about the College and professional program admissions is located at www.pharmacy.purdue.ed.

Before applying for admission to Purdue University College of Pharmacy, you should contact the

Office of Student Services, (765) 496-6885, pharmacy-oss@purdue.edu, for current and accurate information. You must use the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS, www.pharmcas.org) to make an application. Purdue does not require the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT).

This document has been prepared with the assistance of Christian Chauret, Ph.D., School of Sciences, IU Kokomo, 765-455-9371, cchauret@iuk.edu.

The information contained in this document is subject to change as a result of action by federal and/or state governments, the trustees of Purdue University, the administration of Purdue University and the faculty of the College of Pharmacy.

Ready to get started?

If becoming a pharmacist sounds like the perfect career path for you, the School of Sciences at IU Kokomo is the place to start. If you have questions on how starting at IU Kokomo is an excellent launching pad for your future career as a pharmacist, don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly faculty and staff. If you know this is the next step for you and you’re ready to get started, apply now!