<p>You should probably go with Chem major rather than ChemE, but can you provide a link to the page that has the prereqs on it so I can help you a little better?</p>
<p>Well Japher, I am offended that you make negative statements about the profession when you clearly know nothing about it. Or, are you annoyed that pharmacists make more than chemE’s? </p>
<p>Still, my primary beef with you is that you are just plain WRONG. It is a disservice to others who inquire when you present yourself as having expert knowledge in the field when you very obviously do not. What experience do you have to back up your opinions? </p>
<p>You can think whatever you want to, but don’t spread the ignorance around please! :)</p>
<p>My cousin and best friend are both pharmacists, and I am an engineer in the pharmaceutical industry. I think I know a thing or two about the profession, but since I am so in the dark how about you enlighten us?</p>
<p>You don’t strike me as an engineering professional, or as anyone who knows pharmacists personally. 
Even if you do know pharmacists well, every career has some people who do not grasp opportunities and are dissatisfied with their jobs.</p>
<p>Feel free to read about pharmacy on any of the university websites, professional pharmacy websites and the Occupational Outlook Handbook. And btw, I have several engineers in my family (both academia and industry) and I have nothing but respect for their knowledge and responsibilities.</p>
<p>avik, you should search other pharmacy discussions on this board and reference the websites above. Pharmacy is a great profession and you should not be swayed by one negative opinion.</p>
<p>Based on what wikipedia says about pharmacists Japher’s statement isn’t too far off.<br>
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<p>and lkf725, just because someone does not try nd glorify a profession in the way you do, doesn’t mean he can’t have friends who work in that profession. And since you like the profession so much and seem to be involved somehow in it, do tell what they do rather than sit there and spout your mouth off trying to say that it it a great profession, but lack the ability to say anything about it.</p>
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You will notice that avik’s goal is to get into a 0+6 pharmacy program.
And, chemE is the backup plan.
</p>
<p>As I mentioned, NO pharmacist that I know in ANY practice field EVER does any “pill counting”, as those functions are performed by technicians and robots.</p>
<p>avik (or others) can find out more about pharmacy by referencing other pharmacy threads on CC or any of the websites I mentioned. Or, avik can pm me if he/she want to know more about any of the practice areas I mentioned.</p>
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<p>Yes, there are elective slots in all engineering programs. Usually, there are electives required in the areas of humanities and social science, as well as some engineering technical electives. I assume you need some courses like bio, biochem, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, etc. These might not fulfill the elective requirements of your engineering degree program. But, if you can get AP credit for the required electives (like history or english), you will then have space in your schedule for the elective you really want/need to take. Another option is to take the electives you need during the summer terms.</p>
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<p>Ususally, college students take about 5 courses each semester. Some take 4, some take 6, but 5 is probably the average. You can take extra courses to a point, but after a certain amount of credits they do charge you extra. Check with your prospective colleges to see what range of credits constitutes a “full time student”. I will warn you, however, that engineering is pretty time consuming and labs are usually 4 hours (which count for 0 or 1 credit only). You will be busy. However, on the good side, your classes ususally will meet only M-W-F or T-H, so you don’t have the daily grind of high school courses. You will get a day “off” to do your problem sets, study, write papers, etc. Just don’t overload yourself. I think my son had like 17 required engineering credits freshman year for which he had to attend like 23 hours of class. Frankly, I think you might do well to consider chemistry or biochemistry majors as well, as they are less math-intensive. With chemE, I think you will have at least calc I, II, and III, as well as linear algebra and differential equations (basic math for all engineers). Chem and Biochem will also have 4 hour labs, but these majors may give you more elective slots in your schedule.</p>
<p>PS to Japher and Smilodon: Why not focus on positive assistance rather than bashing other professionals? Not cool. Oh, and I have been a practicing pharmacist in various fields for 25 years. So yeah, I know something about it.</p>
<p>Luckily this is the engineering forum and not the pharmacy forum then, eh? Everyone has given the same good advice to not persue a ChemE degree if interested in becoming a pharmacist. That was what this thread was intended for and that’s were I’ll leave it. Sorry for the ■■■■■.</p>
<p>Here is a link to the Rutgers Pharm school prereqs…completion of all of these courses are required for admission into the school (If I apply to the school after completing bachelors…if I apply from high school and get accepted…then they will give me these courses during the first two years of the 6-year program)</p>
<p>Here is the link: <a href=“http://pharmacy.rutgers.edu/PDFs/C-to-C_NB.pdf[/url]”>http://pharmacy.rutgers.edu/PDFs/C-to-C_NB.pdf</a></p>
<p>Also, if it helps, this is the chem eng curriculum for Rutgers:</p>
<p>Year 1: <a href=“http://catalogs.rutgers.edu/generated/nb-ug_0507/pg21462.html[/url]”>http://catalogs.rutgers.edu/generated/nb-ug_0507/pg21462.html</a></p>
<p>Years 2, 3, 4: <a href=“http://catalogs.rutgers.edu/generated/nb-ug_0507/pg21462.html[/url]”>http://catalogs.rutgers.edu/generated/nb-ug_0507/pg21462.html</a></p>
<p>I guess if I take this route, I can take some of the prereq classes in the Summer??? The ones that are not part of the engineering program, at least…Unluckily…the pharm program doesn’t take any AP Credits for science courses…even if I get in directly from high school…I will have to retake Bio and Chem 1 although I already took the AP courses in High School…they’ll probably take AP for calculus though…</p>
<p>Well…I agree that a Bio, Chem, or even Biochem major is much more related to pharmacy than chem eng…and it is easier to get a higher GPA in these majors…</p>
<p>However, with such a degree, if I do not get accepted into pharm school…like some ppl I know, then I only have one option: To become a teacher…and I hate teaching…</p>
<p>Thus, if I do not get accepted into any pharm programs now, I would prefer to major in something that I actually like…and in which the salary would be pretty good…</p>
<p>I do not want to end up as a teacher…or professor…</p>
<p>So here are my plans:</p>
<p>Ideal: 0-6 Pharm Program at Rutgers Straight out of High School
Plan #2: </p>
<p>well, I’ve never really mentioned this before, but my SAT Score is good enough to get into other 0-6 pharm programs, like St. John’s and LIU…(according to the admissions counselors…I need a 1200 composite…and I have more than that…For Rutgers…the average is 1400 composite…and that I don’t have)…</p>
<p>So yeah…if I get accepted to the program at St. John’s or LIU…or another university…I can always transfer to Rutgers…after taking the prereqs…I’m pretty sure there isn’t any MAJOR DIFFERENCE in prereqs…since both programs are 0-6 pharm…</p>
<p>It’s just that Rutgers is a better pharm school…and have better job opportunities…</p>
<p>Well…if that plan fails…</p>
<p>Then its the bachelor in something else + PCAT Plan…</p>
<p>I wish to be prepared for the worst…</p>
<p>wow you’re taking all this very seriously, wish i had the same motivation as you. but from what i know, isn’t it very hard to transfer into rutger’s pharm program? it’s 0-6 so it’s straight from high school, not undergrads. the only way you could transfer would be if someone from rutgers dropped which i’ve heard is rare. but you don’t have to apply to only schools with 0-6 programs. you could apply to usf or u mich pharmacy once you’re done with 2 years undergrad</p>
<p>I’m also interested in how knowledgeable lkf725 is about the pharmacy profession.</p>
<p>
Clearly, like anyone, I am speaking from my own frame of reference: the people I know, the places I have worked, the professional material I read. I also have a son in an engineering curriculum, so I know a little about that. Feel free to take it for what it is worth, or leave it. I was only trying to help avik and not start a debate about whether it is better to be an engineer or a pharmacist. Sheesh!</p>
<p>PS to avik: Pharmacy and Engineering = more easily employable. Chem/Bio/Biochem = more time for electives you may need.</p>
<p>Avik, it is actually not a bad thing that Rutgers Pharmacy doesn’t accept AP credits. High school classes will vary widely, and this is Rutger’s way of assuring that all students start off on equal footing and have the basics needed to succeed in upper level classes. In my experience (ack! if anyone will accept that), pharmacy schools want you to succeed and are not trying to flunk you out. If you can get in, you can graduate.</p>
<p>Also, even though you don’t have enough experience, you could take a practice PCAT to see what you would be up against. </p>
<p>How is your math? ChemE is going to be more math-oriented than chem/bio/biochem. Keep this in mind if you are protecting your gpa. DiffEq and Thermo are hard classes. </p>
<p>I have looked at your links to the pharmacy and engineering curriculum. The prepharmacy 2 years is very regimented. If you want to transfer after two years (if you don’t get the 0+6 thing), you must fulfill the requirements exactly. You need to check these things:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Are the classes (chem, physics) for engineers identical to the courses required for pharmacy? They have different course numbers. Sometimes, colleges have sections of science and math designated just for engineers, and those might not fulfill your pharmacy requirements. For example “General Physics” is not the same as “Analytical Physics”, the Economics classes are different, </p></li>
<li><p>Can a person register for the pharmacy prerequisite classes, such as “Mammalian Physiology”, if they are not a declared prepharm major?</p></li>
<li><p>Will the prepharm students have their own sections of bio, chem, etc, or will they be mixed in with the general student population? Are there designated prepharm sections of classes? If so, you probably need to be a prepharm major to register for them.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>You really need to contact an admissions counselor at Rutgers Pharmacy School to ask about your options if you don’t get the 0+6. Ask them if you need to be a declared prepharm major to be considered for the college to college transfer process, and if the class sections are the same. </p>
<p>You are doing the right thing by thinking ahead! :)</p>