2008-09 Undergraduate Catalog
Admission to Professional Pharmacy Programs
The professional programs in pharmacy are divided into two phases: preprofessional curriculum and professional curriculum. While the requirements of the preprofessional phase can be completed at any accredited four-year institution or community college before entering the College of Pharmacy, students choosing to matriculate at a college other than the University of Florida for pharmacy studies should make certain they can fulfill all requirements for admission.
Admission to this college is selective. While specific requirements are listed below, the college is unable to guarantee admission to every candidate who meets the minimum requirements. Through the admissions committee, the college selects eligible applicants annually to begin studies in August.
The deadline for submitting all application materials is February 1 for each fall semester. Application and transcripts must be submitted to PharmCAS, a centralized application process system. Additional application materials, including campus site selection form, essay, personal profile and university application must be submitted online from the college’s website. Interviews of competitive candidates are required as part of the application evaluation.
All applicants to the professional program are required to take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). Requests for information and an application for the PCAT should be directed to Pharmacy College Admission Test, The Psychological Corporation, 555 Academic Court, San Antonio, Texas 78204, (800) 622-3231.
Examinations are held four times a year (June, August, October and January) for admission in August of the following year. For applicants residing in Florida, the test may be taken in Ft. Lauderdale, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Orlando, Pensacola, Tallahassee or Tampa. Students taking the PCAT should request that the scores be sent to the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS), code 104.
The test may be taken more than once.
Academic Advising
Students who are considering a major in pharmacy should contact the Office for Student Affairs in the College of Pharmacy for advice, literature (PO Box 100495, G205A HPNP Building, Gainesville, FL 32610-0495; 352-273-6400) and program information.
Critical-Tracking Criteria
The universal-tracking program provides accurate academic advising in an appropriate time frame. The college has designated particular criteria that must be completed each semester to progress satisfactorily toward a degree in pharmacy. Failure to meet these criteria will result in a low probability of admission to the professional curriculum within two academic years. Students may elect a three-year program that requires declaration of a science major in a college on campus. Also, see the 3-4 year program for B.S. in Nutritional Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Students should plan to take all science courses in the fall and spring semesters, especially organic chemistry. Students also should use the preprofessional sequence to satisfy general education requirements. All preprofessional courses must be completed before beginning the professional curriculum.
University of Florida Students
Students at the University of Florida who are interested in applying to this college must declare a pre-pharmacy major as a freshman and sophomore and complete preprofessional courses. Students can complete the preprofessional course work within two calendar years and will be monitored by the college through the universal-tracking program.
Students interested in pharmacy should complete CLAST, general education and the writing and math requirement before beginning the professional curriculum. Students must also receive an Associate of Arts degree prior to beginning the professional program.
Transfer Students
Students at community colleges or other four-year schools should follow a program similar to that of native UF freshmen and sophomores.
- General chemistry and biology should be completed in the first year since both are on the PCAT.
- Completion of one semester of organic chemistry, or currently taking organic chemistry, is recommended preparation for the PCAT. Students should also complete Calculus 1 prior to taking the PCAT.
- Organic chemistry, physics, public speaking, and anatomy and physiology should be completed in the second year.
- All applicants must have completed two sequential courses of foreign language in secondary school or 8-10 semester hours at the post-secondary level, or document an equivalent level of proficiency.
- Transfer students must complete an Associate of Arts (A.A.)degree prior to beginning the professional program. Students who are transferring from schools which do not offer an AA degree must meet UF's general education requirements.
- Students may take online courses to satisfy preprofessional coursework. The Admissions Committee prefers that students complete science courses with laboratories in actual classes and labs. The Public Speaking course should not be taken online.
Admission Decisions
Students must meet the admission requirements of the University of Florida and the College of Pharmacy. The College of Pharmacy Admissions Committee reviews completed applications and makes decision for admission, denial and alternate list. In addition, the Admissions Committee designates the campus site for admitted students based on the students’ preferences for campus sites and personal circumstances. Students should rank their preferences for the four campuses (Gainesville, Jacksonville, Orlando and St. Petersburg). The Admissions Committee notifies students by letter once they have made a decision. Students have two weeks from the postmarked date to notify the Office for Student Affairs if they accept or reject the invitation for admission.
Postbaccalaureate Admission
Students with baccalaureate degrees in majors other than pharmacy may be admitted by the Pharmacy Admissions Committee to the professional degree program when the necessary preprofessional course requirements and application requirements are complete.
Special Requirements and Information
All pharmacy students must be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) - adult and child - by the first day of the fall semester of the first professional year. A copy of the CPR certification will be placed in the student’s file in the Office for Student Affairs. The CPR certification must be kept current during all pharmacy studies.
Students must complete a criminal background check as well as other requirements prior to entry into hospitals for clinical training. These checks include social security number verification, employment record check, exclusion list check at state and national levels and HIPAA certification. Drug screens also may be required prior to access to clinical training sites. Blood titers against measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis and varicella may be required by selected hospitals. A physical examination is required to enter introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences in the curriculum.
Health Policies
All students must document their immunization status before matriculation to the College of Pharmacy. Students must indicate their history of acquired or natural immunity to the following diseases: measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, diphtheria and tetanus. Vaccination annually against influenza virus is required.
All students must show proof of a recent (within the past six months) tuberculosis skin test (PPD or Tine test), a diphtheria-tetanus vaccination (within the past 10 years) and a measles-mumps-rubella vaccination (if natural immunity is absent).
Admitted students must complete the three vaccinations against the Hepatitis B virus by April 1 of the first professional year. The expense for all immunizations and TB skin tests is the student’s responsibility.
Prior to entering clerkship, students must file results of a recent two-step TB skin test with the Office for Student Affairs. A TB skin test also is required at the completion of the clerkship. The results of this test must be supplied to the Office for Student Affairs to meet certification requirements for graduation. Students may petition for exemption from immunizations and TB skin tests.
Insurance
Health insurance is required while enrolled in the college. Cost for this insurance is assumed by the student. Students also must obtain malpractice insurance.
The dean’s list recognizes outstanding academic achievement each semester. Grades of U, I* or N* will not be considered, regardless of the computed grade point average. Students must achieve at least 3.5 GPA in the semester with a minimum of 12 credits.
The university offers three levels of honors at graduation: cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude. The honors information provided in the table is brief, and students should check with an adviser for complete details.