Competitive applicants to pharmacy schools are well rounded and have pursued a wide range of experiences to develop not only their scientific, thinking, and reasoning skills, but also interpersonal skills. Most pharmacy schools like to see some job shadowing or experience working in a pharmacy setting. There is no set number of hours required – it’s more about quality than quantity of experience. But many students will become certified or licensed Pharmacy Technicians* and gain valuable experience through paid employment. For more information about becoming a pharmacy technician:

Volunteering

Volunteering and community service, whether or not it is in a healthcare setting, demonstrates your commitment to serving others, as you will as a future physician.

Research

Research experience is recommended, especially if you are interested in the drug discovery and development aspects of the pharmaceutical field. It helps you to learn the problem-solving skills needed to think like a pharmacist, and develop an understanding and appreciation for the scientific and clinical research that will be the basis for staying current in this rapidly evolving field throughout your career.

Get Involved

Becoming a leader in a student organization, job, etc. gives you experience working with teams, communicating, and working together to share responsibility for accomplishing shared goals. Consider joining organizations such as Alpha Epsilon Delta honor society, Student Health Advisory Committee or GMT, and working your way toward an executive board or other leadership role.