California Pharmacy School Prerequisites

(Note:  This post will be updated as needed since it is now linked through the sidebar.   Ex.  I found the min GPA required for UCSD, and have added it to my chart.)

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With the pharm tech step coming to a close, it's time to look to other things.  (Of course this look took place both before and after Thanksgiving with parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and all sorts of family.  Not skipping the holidays to work on the blog. =P)  So I took a look at the prerequisites of all the schools in California and made this Excel sheet:

(Click to Enlarge - This is meant primarily for me.  If it's of use to other people that's fine.  Most of it should make sense though.  The numbers are the number of semesters needed for each class so if you want to schools with a quarter system, you'll have to make an adjustment.  Links to the official websites for each school are further down this post.  There is a lot of detail in each page that can't be communicated through the shorthand of my Excel sheet.)

If I recorded it all right, the classes needed to get into all California schools are:

- General Chemistry I & II (with labs)

- Organic Chemistry I & II (with labs)

- General Biology I & II (with labs)

- Physics I & II (with E/M Lab)

- Calculus I & II

- Statistics

- Human Physiology

- Anatomy

- Biochemistry

- Cell Biology

- Microbiology (with lab)

- English

- Speech

- Economics

- Psychology/Sociology

And besides classes:

- GPA
- Leadership
- Experience
- Community Service
- Letter of Recommendations

Something important I need to find out, is how old my course work is allowed to be before it's too old to be counted.  Northstate specifically said 9 years on their website, and UCSD says 10 years for some classes, and 5 years for essential classes.  That means besides retaking classes that I screwed up in, I'm most likely going to have to retake classes I did excellent in, because they're just too old.  That's a little discouraging.  But well... it's not totally unexpected.  That's the reason why I'm expecting to take two or three years to get there.  All I can do is move on from where I am, so that's what I'm going to do.

Something a bit annoying is that UoP requires micro economics, and USC requires macro economics, while all the others let you choose either.  Depending on how easy or difficult it is to fit taking all these prerequisites in while working... I may just have to choose between one or the other.  That's just something I'll have to figure out later when I have more info to work with.

California Northsate College of Pharmacy

This is the only website that specifically mentioned that work experience in a pharmacy setting of at least 40 hours is recommended.  It's also one of the two schools that mentions Statistics.

Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy

I found it pretty interesting that the Anatomy requirement didn't require a lab.  I didn't know Anatomy classes came that way.  But since I'll be taking the class with the lab, it doesn't matter beyond that.  And while I didn't see all the Letter of Recommendation requirements for all the schools, it's important to know that this school requires three, and one of those has to be from a Spiritual Advisor.

Touro University College of Pharmacy

This school has one of the sparsest requirements list.  It doesn't even require General Biology of Physics.  However having a degree is a requirement for applying which is why their website doesn't cover the non-science classes as prerequisites like the other schools do.

University of California, San Diego, Skaags School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

One of the two schools that mentions that an Electricity and Magnetism Lab is required as part of the Physics prerequisites.  Makes me wonder what that's going to be used for exactly, when it comes to pharmacy.  Something to do with research is my safe guess.  Also one of the two schools that requires two courses in Calculus and not just one.  And last, the only school (that I saw) that mentioned CPR as a requirement. 

University of San Francisco School of Pharmacy

The other school that specifically mentions the E/M Lab as a prerequisite.  It's also the other school that requires two courses in Calculus.  Not much more to say.  I've been to an info session, I've been to the campus, I know I want to apply here, so I'll be sure to complete the list.

University of Southern California School of Pharmacy

The second school that requires a degree to apply.  The only school that specifically requires Human Physiology and not just some mammalian physiology.  Even more important, the only school that requires Statistics.  And the last unique bit that I found from my current outing through the schools websites, a Resume is required as part of the application process.

University of the Pacific Thomas J Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

The only school that I know of that requires the GRE.  (I didn't find this info on the website, however, I found it on the pamphlet that was given at the info session.  Other schools may have this as a requirement.)

Western University of Health Sciences School of Pharmacy

The odd way I've marked the required semesters for BioChem is because you can take just one class of BioChem if it's 5 units, otherwise it's one 3 unit BioChem class and one 3 unit Molecular Biology class.

Becoming a Pharmacy Technician - Part 11 - CA State Board of Pharmacy Application

While I'm waiting for my official results to arrive, I'm trying to take care of the steps it takes to complete the California State Board of Pharmacy application to be a pharm tech.

The main steps are:
1) Fill it out.
2) Provide a 2"x2" photo.
3) Get my finger print scanned.
4) Supply a notarized copy of my PTCB certificate.

Step 1 is of course the easy part.  And I  can't accomplish Step 4 until my certificate arrives, hopefully sometime next week.  That leaves Steps 2 and 3.

Today I took care of Step 2.  I went to the ever popular Costco with my dad.  A little too popular.  11am on a weekday, we didn't there would be many people.  We were wrong.  The parking lot was packed.  We didn't stop to consider that it's the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

So what did we do?  We drove to the Costco several cities away, where our old house used to be.  It'd an extra thirty or so minutes of travel time each way, but that Costco was never packed.  And we were right.

We did all the normal shopping, added a turkey, and I threw in some blueberries and Nutri-grain bars to snack on.  I of course stopped by the photo section of the store, took my pic, and after a ten minute wat and $5 fee, Step 2 is complete!

The next step is to get my finger scanned sometime before my certificate arrives, and then finish the rest of that waiting game.  While at the same time scouting out all the potential locations that I'm going to be applying at.  Once I have my California License in hand, it's time to find some work!  (Hopefully there's some out there.)

Weight Loss - Part 3

It's been a month, so it's time for that new update on my weight loss goal.  Once again, while not directly related to pharmacy, working towards improving my health, self-esteem, and energy levels will most definitely help me reach my goal.  It's not all about fleshing out the application.

Now for the numbers:

Starting Weight: 216.8
Weight Last Month: 211.4
Week 5 Weight: 210.4
Week 6 Weight: 209.8
Week 7 Weight: 211.6
Week 8 Weight: 212.4
Total Weight Loss: 4.4
Pounds Still to Go: 27.4
Trendline Estimate: 206.5

- Week 5: Went to the gym 5 days this week, started some ab exercises, and noticed my shoulder was hurting

- Week 6: Went to the gym 2 days this week, shoulder still hurts.

- Week 7: Went to the gym 2 days this week, worked my calves especially hard

- Week 8: Went to the gym 1 day this week

Only went to the gym 10 days this month, as opposed to 23 last month.  I also gained a pound instead of lost weight.  Not good.  I did gain a lot of muscle, but I still should have lost weight.  The reasons for the reversal?  My shoulder started it.  I wanted to give my shoulder a rest, however it still is hurt.  That's a problem.  However, I can still go do cardio and do other exercises that are not working my shoulder.  The week I worked my calves, I worked them so hard I could hardly walk.  My range of motion was impaired, and so I needed to rest those as well.

But I've gained weight two weeks in a row.  That's good to be aware of.  And that's a big reason why I'm recording my weight every week.  I'm able to catch this before it gets out of hand, and put myself back on the right track.  The plan now isn't to go extra crazy and starve myself.  The plan is to simply make sure I make it to the gym at least 4 times this week, like I'm supposed to be doing.  I'm still going to enjoy Thanksgiving and all the great food that comes along with it.  As long as I don't neglect the gym I should be fine.