Pharmacy
Texas A&M University
Office of Professional and Graduate School Advising
4233 TAMU Henderson Hall, College Station, Texas 77843-4233
PHONE: (979) 847-8938 FAX: (979) 458-0873
http://honors.tamu.edu/opsa
Pharmacy
WHAT? Pharmacists dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners
and provide information to patients about medications and their use. They advise physicians
and other health care providers on the selection, dosages, and side effects of medications.
Pharmacists must understand the use, composition, and effects of drugs. Compounding the
actual mixing of ingredients to form powders, tablets, capsules, ointments and solutions is only
a small part of a pharmacist's practice, because most medicine is produced by pharmaceutical
companies in a standard dosage and form.
Pharmacists in community (retail) pharmacies answer customers' questions about prescription
drugs, such as possible adverse reactions and interactions. They answer questions about over-
the-counter drugs and make recommendations after asking a series of health questions, such as
whether the customer is on any other medication. They also give advise about durable medical
equipment and home health care supplies. Those who own or manage community pharmacies
may buy and sell non-health-related merchandise, hire and supervise personnel, and oversee the
general operation of the pharmacy.
Pharmacists in hospitals and clinics dispense medications and advise the medical staff on the
selection and effects of drugs, in some cases making rounds with them. They may make sterile
solutions and buy medical supplies. They also monitor drug regimens, advise patients on the
use of drugs when they are discharged from the hospital, and evaluate drug use patterns in the
hospital.
Pharmacists who work in home health care prepare medications for use in the home and
monitor drug therapy.
Most pharmacists keep computerized records of patients' drug therapies to insure that harmful
drug interactions do not occur. They may also teach health professions students. Some
pharmacists specialize in specific aspects of drug therapy, such as drugs for psychiatric disorders,
intravenous nutrition, or the diagnostic use of radiopharmaceuticals.
About 1 out of 7 pharmacists worked part-time in 1998. Most full-time salaried pharmacists
worked about 40 hours a week. Some however, worked more than 50 hours a week. Most self-
employed pharmacists worked more than 50 hours a week. Pharmacist held about 230,000 jobs
in 2004. Sixty one percent of pharmacists work in community pharmacies, either
independently owned, part of a drug store chain, or part of a grocery store or department store.
Most community pharmacists were salaried, but a substantial number were self-employed.
More than one quarter worked in hospitals, and some worked in health maintenance
organizations (HMO's), clinics, nursing homes, and the Federal Government. The median
salary for full-time pharmacists, in the United States, in 2004 was $84,900, depending on the
type of practice, responsibilities, and geographic local. (Adapted from 1998-99 Occupational
Outlook Handbook, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.)
HOW? Texas A&M does not offer a degree in Pharmacy nor does it have a Pre-Pharmacy
degree program. Students may choose to pursue a degree in their chosen area while
completing the required courses listed on the opposite side of this handout. Students
may elect to enter Pharmacy School without having completed their Bachelor's Degree,
depending upon the school they choose to attend. Texas has six pharmacy schools:
University of Texas, University of Houston, Texas Tech University (located in Amarillo
and Abilene, Texas), Texas A&M HSC – Kingsville, University of the Incarnate Word and
Texas Southern University. Completion of the professional program may take between
three and five years depending upon how many prerequisite courses have been completed
and at what point the student enters pharmacy school. Students also have the option of
completing their Bachelor's Degree at Texas A&M University and then continuing in
pharmacy school to complete the professional requirements.
General Info: To enter pharmacy school, students should 1) At minimum, complete the
recommended courses listed below as part of their chosen degree plan. 2) Obtain knowledge
of the work environment. 3) Register for and take the Pharmacy College Admission Test
(PCAT), which includes sections on the following: Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability,
Biology, Chemistry, and Reading Comprehension. Students should test the summer before
they plan to apply. 4) Complete the application to their chosen schools. Deadlines vary, so
students should always check with the institutions.
Selection Criteria: 1) Academic Performance: Overall academic performance is considered
(including transfer hours), especially grades in the prerequisite course work. Accepted
students typically have a minimum 3.0 or above. The average accepted GPR into pharmacy
schools in Texas for 2006 was 3.5. 2) Semester Course Load: Withdrawals, frequent Q-
Drops and low course loads are reason for concern with admissions committees. 3) Test
Scores: Students should achieve competitive scores on the PCAT. 4) Letters of
Recommendation: Students are typically required to submit three evaluations that address a
student's motivation, leadership potential, dedication and integrity. One of these must be
from a pharmacist. 5) Interview: Applicants may be invited for an interview in which
personal characteristics such as maturity and communication ability are measured.
s:opsa/handouts/phamacy 09/08 kk
Course
U of
Texas Tech
Texas
TAMHSC K
UIW
TSU
Houston
Biol
111/112
111/112
111/112
111/112
111
111/112
8 hours
8 hours
8 hours
8 hours
4 hours
8 hours
Micr
351
351
351
351 351 None
req’d
Chem
101/102
101/102
101/102
101/102
101/102
101/102
8 hours
8 hours
8 hours
8 hours
8 hours
8 hours
Ochem
227/237
227/237
227/237
227/237
227/237
227/237
228/238
228/238
228/238
228/238
228/238
228/238
8 hours
8 hours
8 hours
8 hours
8 hours
8 hours
Math
131or171or1 131or171or
131or171or
131or171or
150 or 131
150 and
51
151
151
151
and 171or151
131or171or151
3 hours
3 hours
3 hours
3 hours
7 hours total
6 hours total
Stat
302 or 303
302 or 303
302 or 303
302 or 303
201 or 302
None req’d
(302 rec’d)
(302 rec’d)
(302 rec’d)
(302 rec’d)
(302 rec’d)
Physics
201 or 1 yr
201
201
201 218 6
hours
HS
Speech
203
203
None req’d
203
None req’d
203
Engl
*104
* 104 and 203 104 and 203 104 and 203 and
104 and 203 and
104 and 203 and
210 and 203 and 210
210 or 301
210 or 301
210 or 301
Social
3 hours
* see note
None req’d
3 hours
3 hours
3 hours
Behavior Psyc 107 or
** see note
(psyc, soci or
(econ, psyc, soci
(psyc, soci or
Science
Soci 205
econ)
and pols count)
econ)
Gene
None req’d
None req’d
302
301
None req’d
None req’d
preferred,
4 hours req’d
301/320
okay
3 hours
Fine arts *see note
None req’d
None req’d
4 to 6 hours
3 hours
3 hours
Vis/perf 3hrs
Vis/perf
Vis/perf
History
*6 hours
*see note
6 hours
6 hours
3 hours
6 hours
**see note
Pols
*6 hours
*see note
6 hours
6 hours
None req’d but
6 hours
**see note
can count for
Soc/Behav req.
Anatomy None req’d
None req’d
None req’d
None req’d
319 and 320 req’d 4 hours
UIW also requires 3 hrs of Philosophy and 1 hr of Physical Education.
TSU also requires 1 hr of Medical Terminology, 3 hrs of Computer Science and 3hrs of NUTR
Tech also requires 3 hrs of Economics (this will also count for UIW’s Soc/Beh requirement)
**Tech also requires (baccalaureate exempt) 15 hours of Humanities and Social Science, this 15 hours can
be Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, History, Philosophy, and others.
*Baccalaureate exempt.
Please Note: All prerequisites and information are subject to change at any time without
notice. It is the responsibility of the applicant to remain up-to-date on all requirements.
The required prerequisite courses also vary according to whether or not you will have a
bachelor’s degree upon entrance into pharmacy school.
