Faculty in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences recently approved a change in policy to allow qualified students to transfer into the pre-pharmacy program on a space available basis no later than their sophomore year, which may be of interest to students in other majors who are interested in the pharmacy program.

Students who begin in the pre-pharmacy program directly from high school are given a number of benefits during their first two years at Drake, as they complete the admission process for the professional Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program. These benefits, called the Drake Pharm.D. Difference, can be found on the CPHS website and include a guaranteed opportunity to complete the required admission interview and writing assessment, a pharmacy faculty mentor/advisor and the CPHS Office of Academic and Student Affairs to provide resources and support for students, and having the PCAT requirement waived for admission to the professional program. (This test is required for admission at most other pharmacy programs.)

Until now current students who are not in the pre-pharmacy program but are interested in pursuing a career in pharmacy were required to apply directly to our professional program through our “transfer” admission process. Students applying to the Pharm.D. program from majors other than pre-pharmacy are not given any other benefits of the Drake Pharm.D. Difference in the admission process. This new opportunity will allow these students to have some of the benefits of the Drake Pharm.D. Difference while they go through the Pharm.D. admission process.

This new policy change has a few requirements that students must meet in order to be considered for transfer admission into pre-pharmacy. In addition to listing them below, these requirements are also updated on our CPHS website.

In order to be considered for transfer admission into pre-pharmacy, students must meet the following criteria:

1. Students must meet the requirements for entrance into the professional program at the time of admission into the pre-pharmacy program, with the exception of completing the prerequisites.
2. Students must enter the pre-pharmacy program no later than the first day of class of the fall semester in which they will be applying to the professional program.
3. Students must complete at least 14 credits of their math/science prerequisites for the professional program at Drake.

Meeting these criteria does not guarantee admission into the pre-pharmacy program. Students who successfully transfer into the pre-pharmacy program will be given all the benefits of the Drake Pharm.D. Difference for Transfer Students. Students who transfer into pre-pharmacy are required to take the PCAT as part of their application to the professional program.

Transferring into the pre-pharmacy program at Drake does not guarantee admission into the professional pharmacy program.

Students who are approved to change to pre-pharmacy would take the appropriate prerequisite courses with their cohort and be considered on the same Pharm.D. admission timeline. These students would be given the benefit of a guaranteed interview for admission consideration to the professional program, but they would still be required to take the PCAT.

If you know a student who is interested in applying to the professional Pharm.D. program, please direct him or her to contact Jessica Lang, admissions liaison for the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, at jessica.lang@drake.edu to find out if he or she meets the qualifications for transferring into the pre-pharmacy program.

—Jessica Lang