Pharmacy education requires early preparation. In addition to their first professional degree, which prepares them for practice in the field, pharmacists may also choose to complete postgraduate study, which may consist of a non-degree residency experience, a graduate degree programme, or both. Pre-Professional Pharmacy Study Students interested in pharmacy study should start preparing for entrance to college while still in secondary school. Requirements for admission to colleges of pharmacy vary, so students need to check the catalogues of individual pharmacy schools. By carefully planning their secondary school and pre-professional study, students increase their chances of acceptance to pharmacy school.
Few colleges admit students directly from secondary school.
Entry requirements usually include mathematics and basic sciences, such as chemistry, biology, and physics, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences. It is important that pre-professional students arrange their course work to meet the requirements of the college of pharmacy in which they eventually plan to enrol. British-educated students should read our Beginner's Guide to Undergraduate Study in the United States , which explains about US undergraduate degrees, how and when to apply and includes information on tuition fees and financial aid. It is a good idea to contact pharmacy programmes at the same time as you are researching pre-pharmacy programmes to find out about requirements for later professional pharmacy study. Colleges of pharmacy may still require international applicants to have attended a US regionally-accredited university for at least one academic year prior to enrolling at the college of pharmacy.