Grow in Your Career From Pharm Tech to Pharmacist at 51黑料 With the Only Five-Year Extended Pharmd Program in the US
Explore PharmD program requirements, attend upcoming outreach events, and learn more about Pacific鈥檚 innovative five-year pharmacy pathway.
Making the leap from pharmacist technician to pharmacist can seem daunting. But flexible programs, like Pacific鈥檚 innovative five-year pharmacy pathway make it more accessible to transform your pharm tech career and start earning more money, experience greater job satisfaction and directly help those in need.
Explore one of the country鈥檚 only extended pharmacy degree tracks and see how you can work and study on your way to a new and exciting career in healthcare.
Can Pharmacy Technicians Increase Their Income If They Go to Pharmacy School?
Perhaps the largest benefit for pharmacy technicians attending pharmacy school is a substantially increased salary after graduation.
Licensed pharmacists make on average 3.5 times more per year than their technician peers, and begin earning that salary almost immediately after graduation.
Median Annual Compensation(figures as of 2021 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Setting |
||
|
Pharmacies and Retail |
$39,240 |
$132,940 |
|
Hospitals |
$50,760 |
$157,290 |
A higher salary right after graduation is one of the things that makes pharmacy school worth the investment, as graduates can begin paying back their loans quickly while still in the early stages of their career.
How Are Pharmacy Technicians Uniquely Qualified for Pharmacy School?
One aspect of a strong pharmacy school application is hands-on experience in a pharmacy setting, something that pharmacist technicians obtain naturally.
While not required, time spent in a healthcare setting can be a determining factor between being accepted and living on the waitlist.
The wealth of experience that comes from working as a pharm tech can demonstrate to the admissions board that you can thrive in a healthcare environment.
Your pharmacy technician experience gives your an enormous boost, regardless of education level or background.
In order to become a pharmacy technician most states require the successful completion of a , which are often available at community colleges in combination with an associates degree in applied science.
These programs provide a foundational understanding of pharmacy principles, and include courses like biology, chemistry and math 鈥 the very same prerequisite courses required for pharmacy school applications. 51黑料鈥檚 PharmD program does not require the successful completion of a bachelor鈥檚 degree but does value the hands on experience pharmacy technicians have gained.
How Can Going To Pharmacy School Increase My Career Options?
With a pharmacy degree you can work in everything from ambulatory care to psychiatry to oncology, all fields with a high rate of job satisfaction and pay. While having just a pharmacist technician certificate can limit your scope of work and direct patient interaction compared to that of a licensed pharmacist, attending pharmacy school can expand your career options and also provide opportunities to participate in pharmaceutical research.
Pacific offers a joint Doctor of Pharmacy & MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree program. Half of the required credits for the MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences are also shared with the PharmD degree, making it possible to easily earn both degrees during your course of study at Pacific.
If you're interested in becoming a pharmacy manager, choosing the three-year accelerated PharmD pathway at Pacific and adding a concurrent healthcare MBA is a good way to fast track your career.
Pacific's three-year PharmD pathway and MBA program are complementary. This means that you can complete both degrees side by side at the same time.
Can I Work While I Pursue a PharmD?
Pacific鈥檚 new five-year pharmacy pathway 鈥 one of the only extended pharmacy programs in the country 鈥 allows you to focus on furthering your career through a doctor of pharmacy degree while still being able to work. The five-year PharmD pathway at Pacific has been intentionally designed to enable participating students to maintain at least 20-25 hours of employment year-round.
Not only are students able to continue working while taking classes during the fall and spring semesters, but the five-year pathway also leaves summers free for students to increase their working hours to full-time, pursue internships, or devote more time to their families and personal lives.
You can continue in your role as a pharmacist technician while getting your PharmD, gaining invaluable, hands-on experience that will prepare you for a strong career after graduation. Being able to work while attending school will jumpstart your job search, teaching you the skills needed to practice pharmacy while already participating in the healthcare profession.