Preparing for Pharmacy School

What You Should Do When...

First-Year:

  • Keep your grades up!
  • Make sure your name is on the HPAG's Blackboard list.
  • Check out the Roanoke College's HPAG web site.
  • Join Students Interested in Health Careers.
  • Attend health-related programs on campus (including the Hylton Lecture) and visits from representatives of health professions schools.
  • Explore the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Considering a Career in Medicine web site.
  • Identify pharmacy schools that you might like to attend. Check out the web site for each of these schools and note specific requirements.
  • Investigate summer paid or voluntary medically-related experiences.

Second-Year:

  • Keep your grades up!
  • Make sure your name is on the HPAG's Blackboard list.
  • Participate in Students Interested in Health Careers.
  • Attend health-related programs on campus (including the Hylton Lecture) and visits from representatives of health professions schools.
  • Investigate shadowing opportunities with pharmacists. Investigate summer paid or voluntary medically-related experiences.
  • Log on the PCAT web site to learn about the Pharmacy College Admission Test.
  • Log on the PHARMCAS web site to learn about the process required for application to pharmacy schools.

Third-Year:

  • Keep your grades up!
  • Make sure your name is on the HPAG's Blackboard list.
  • Participate in Students Interested in Health Careers.
  • Attend health-related programs on campus (including the Hylton Lecture) and visits from representatives of health professions schools.
  • Investigate shadowing opportunities, placements, and internships with pharmacistss.
  • Prepare to take the PCAT. Consider taking a preparatory course for it.
  • Take the PCAT in spring semester.
  • Complete the pharmacy school online application form through the PHARMCAS web site. Submit on the first day possible.
  • Conduct a practice interview with members of HPAG.

Fourth-Year:

  • Keep your grades up!
  • Make sure your name is on the HPAG's Blackboard list.
  • Participate in Students Interested in Health Careers.
  • Attend health-related programs on campus (including the Hylton Lecture) and visits from representatives of health professions schools.
  • Investigate shadowing opportunities, placements, and internships with pharmacists.

What If You Don't Get In? Try Again!

  • Contact schools and ask an admissions counselor what your weak areas are and how you can strengthen your application in the next round.
  • Apply again.