|
Western University of the Health Sciences
College of
Pharmacy
Kathy E. Ford, Director of Admissions for the College
of Pharmacy and College of Graduate Nursing
Office of Admissions
309 E. Second Street
Pomona, California 91766
909-469- 5335
E-mail: admissions@westernu.edu
Website: www.westernu.edu
| PharmCAS 2009
Application and Transcript Deadline:
November 3, 2008 |
Statistics for 2008 Entering
Class Acceptees *
Number interviewed - 434
Number accepted - 92
Estimated entering class size - 120
Estimated male - approx. 21%
Estimated female - approx. 79%
Number out-of-state - 1
* Data as of April, 2008
Application Criteria for 2009 Entering
Class
Expected GPA of accepted students - 3.41
Minimum overall GPA considered - 2.50
Total number of new entrants expected - 120
Accreditation Status: Full
accreditation status
Type of Institution: Private
Participates in Early Decision Program: No
PREREQUISITES
We require 60 semesters units (90 quarter units) of
college be completed prior to matriculation. Applicants must successfully
complete ALL course prerequisites by the end of the Spring 2009 term.
College English
|
3 semester
hours |
English Composition |
3 semester hours |
General Chemistry
with Laboratory
|
8 semester hours |
Organic Chemistry
with Laboratory
|
8 semester hours |
Human Anatomy
with Laboratory (all organ systems) |
4
semester hours |
Human
Physiology with Laboratory |
4 semester hours |
Microbiology
with Laboratory (medical microbiology preferred) |
4 semester hours |
Biochemistry
(laboratory optional) |
6 semester hours |
Speech Communication |
3 semester hours |
Calculus |
3 semester hours |
Elective 1
|
3 semester hours. |
Elective 2
|
3 semester hours. |
Other clarifying information: The Admissions Committee considers applicants at the time of application with a minimum of two years of college (60 academic semester hours or 90 quarter hours) of pre-pharmacy study at an accredited college or university. Exceptions will be made on a case by case basis. Candidates who have received or will receive a baccalaureate degree or who have completed units in excess of the minimum required will be considered more favorably than applicants who have fulfilled only minimum requirements. The minimum cumulative pre-pharmacy and science grade point average (GPA) requirement is 2.5 at the time of application. Grades of C- in any of the prerequisite courses are not accepted.
For additional clarifying information regarding prerequisites, please
visit our website at: http://www.westernu.edu/xp/edu/admissions/pharmd_requirements.xml
INSTITUTION-SPECIFIC ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES
FOR PHARM. D. DEGREE PROGRAM
2009 ENTERING CLASS
|
ALL APPLICANTS |
REQUIREMENTS
AND DEADLINES
|
OTHER
INFORMATION |
| Filing
your PharmCAS application references and transcripts |
November 3, 2008 |
PharmCAS application and
all official transcripts must be received
at PharmCAS by this date. |
Supplemental
application
|
November 3, 2008 |
The supplemental application can be obtained at:
http://www.westernu.edu/
xp/edu/howtoapply
/
pharmd_application.xml
|
| Supplemental
application fee |
November 3, 2008 |
$65.00 |
| PCAT |
Not required |
|
| TOEFL
|
March 1, 2009 |
TOEFL, including essay, is required for all applicants submitting course work from foreign schools. A minimum score of 213 for the Computer Based test or 79 for the Internet Based test must be submitted by March 1 prior to matriculation. Exception: The TOEFL exam will be waived for permanent and temporary residents of the United States who have completed the English and Speech prerequisites from an accredited institution in the United States. |
| Pharmacy-related
experience |
Not required, but recommended |
Though not required, it is strongly recommended that all applicants have some pharmacy experience, either volunteer or work experience. If you cannot get pharmacy experience, then you might consult with a pharmacist regarding the profession (e.g. what does it involve, career opportunities, etc). |
| Proof
of State residency |
Not required |
|
| Non-U.S.
citizens |
Eligible to apply |
Please refer to our website
http://www.westernu.edu/admissions/
pharmd_requirements.xml
for more information |
| Foreign
transcripts |
Send foreign transcripts
to evaluation service for course-by-course report. Send to PharmCAS
by November 3, 2008 |
Please refer to the website for a listing of approved evaluation services.
http://www.westernu.edu/admissions/
pharmd_application.xml
|
Letter(s)
of Reference (recommendations/
evaluations) |
Three (3) letters of reference should be completed on the Western University of Health Sciences reference form only and submitted by the institutional deadline of
November 3, 2008.
|
See the Letters
of Reference page on this website for a list of possible
evaluators.
This institution DOES NOT accept
evaluations from the following:
Friends
Family Members
Recommendations should be solicited from people who know you well, but that are not related to you. Examples of appropriate recommendations would include professors, academic advisors, mentors, employers, teaching assistants.
The recommendations should state the nature and extent to which the recommender knows you, and should elaborate on the applicant’s attributes and abilities including communication skills, ethics, interpersonal skills, motivation toward the profession, and maturity.
|
| Interview
|
Required for invited applicants
only |
Interviews at Western University are meant to be an exchange of information in a warm and welcoming environment. The interviews are informal in nature. A wide variety of topics related to the profession as well as those of general interest may be discussed. Areas of communication skills, motivation, critical thinking and general knowledge are evaluated by the interview panel. The applicant is also encouraged to ask questions, thus it may be a good idea to have questions prepared in advance. The average interview is approximately 30 minutes in duration. The interview panel may be comprised of the following: admissions committee member, faculty member, Pharmacist and/or current student/alumni of Western University. Interviewees will also be asked to write an essay on topics will be general in nature, not necessarily pharmacy related. |
| Dates
during which interviews are generally held |
December - April |
Interviews are conducted one Saturday a month from December to April |
| ACCEPTED
CANDIDATES |
REQUIREMENTS
AND DEADLINES |
OTHER
INFORMATION |
| Acceptance
letters for regular applicants |
Approximately two to three weeks
after interview |
The College of Pharmacy
will review completed applications, conduct interviews and make
admissions decisions throughout the admissions cycle. |
| Acceptee's
response to acceptance offer |
Two (2) weeks from receipt of acceptance letter |
|
| Deposit
to hold place in class |
Due on date indicated in acceptance letter |
$500.00 |
| Date
of new student orientation |
First week of August |
|
| Date
of first day of classes and/or matriculation |
Second week of August |
|
| Requests
for deferred entrance |
No deferments considered |
|
|
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Western University's PharmD program offers an innovative curriculum encompassing both academic and experiential learning. The first year integrates the pharmaceutical sciences foundation blocks with laboratory and practice components. Pharmacy practice experiential training begins with the Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiential I (IPPE-I) course , which runs for the entire duration of the first year of study. The first year course consists of two 4-week (4 days/week) clerkships (160 experiential hours, 4 credit hours) that expose the student to community pharmacy practice in two different settings. Every student will complete both components by the end of their first year. During the morning sessions, students are in the classroom studying the pharmaceutical sciences. In the afternoon, they participate in a clinical practice foundation sequence, which focuses on learning and practicing skills related to pharmacy practice.
During the second year and the first half of the third year, course work is delivered in blocks, each of which covers a therapeutic area related to disease states that affect particular organ systems (e.g., GI/liver, renal/pulmonary, endocrine/reproductive systems) or treatment regimens (e.g., infectious disease, oncology). This period encompasses 16 blocks, each approximately three weeks long, with a break between blocks. This total immersion in a subject allows students to focus on one subject before moving on to the next.
The second year IPPE course (IPPE-II) is scheduled during the summer between the second and third years. It consists of a 4-week (5 days/week, 40 hrs/week) clerkship (160 experiential hours, 4 credit hours) that exposes to students to institutional pharmacy practice.
Moreover, Western University students gain an additional one-half year of advanced experiential training while still graduating in four years. In total, Western University provides 52 weeks of advanced experiential education compared to an average of 42 weeks at other colleges of pharmacy. The clinical training component (IPPE, APPE and AE) comprises 76 credit hours, which is 43% of the curricular requirements. Admission to the College of Pharmacy is a highly competitive process.
While grades are an important measure of academic qualification, they do not, by themselves, guarantee success as a student at Western University's College of Pharmacy or later as a pharmacist. In addition to thorough academic preparation, the college is looking for individuals who also have a good working knowledge of the profession and Western University. Successful applicants also display excellent communication skills and can demonstrate that they are compassionate, dedicated, dependable individuals with good judgment.
Visit our website at www.westernu.edu for more details, application and interview tips, FAQs, and event details.
|
