School of Pharmacy Application
Georgia Campus - PCOM was chartered in 2005, and is committed to educating community responsive, medical professionals prepared to practice in the 21st century. Supported by the latest in medical and educational technology, the school emphasizes the importance of supporting the needs of the residents in the southern region. We are excited that our new Pharm D program at Georgia Campus - Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) is focused to train students to service the southeast region of the United States and will be joining an established community of students, faculty and staff in Suwanee, Georgia.
The Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) is the professional degree granted to individuals who desire to become a licensed pharmacist. It is the highest degree received for completing the required coursework needed in the academic field of pharmacy. Pharmacists work in a number of different health care settings, including community pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing homes or other long-term care facilities, federal agencies, pharmaceutical companies and research and academic environments, to name a few. There are over 243,000 pharmacists working in the United States, but the demand for pharmacists is growing as the population continues to age and the need for medications increases.
For more information on the PharmD profession, contact the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, (ACPE) www.acpe.org.
REQUIREMENTS
Satisfactory completion of the required prerequisite coursework from an accredited college or university is necessary. A baccalaureate degree (or graduate or other professional degrees) is not required for admission to the School of Pharmacy, but students possessing a previous degree will be given additional consideration for admission. Prior to matriculation, competitive applicants must have completed the prerequisite coursework and obtained a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate coursework completed. All science and math prerequisites must have been completed within the last 10 years with a letter grade of "C" or higher. There is no minimum score for the PCAT, however composite scores < 50% or individual subtest scores < 25% are not likely to be competitive. Prerequisite courses are as follow:
- General Biology I and II (lab required): 8 credits (cellular or molecular biology with lab or zoology with lab are also acceptable)
- General Chemistry I and II (lab required): 8 credits
- Organic Chemistry I and II (lab required): 8 credits
- Physics (lab required): 4 credits
- Calculus: 3 credits
- Introductory Statistics: 3 credits
- English Composition: 6 credits (3 credits from English Literature is also acceptable)
- Economics: 3 credits
- Speech: 3 credits
- Social/ Behavioral Science (ie, History/Psychology/Sociology/Ethics): 3 credits
- Humanities (ie, Art, Foreign Language, Music, Religion): 3 credits
- Electives: 8 credits
Credits are listed as semester credits. To determine equivalent quarter credits, multiply quarter credits by 2/3 (2 semester credits = 3 quarter credits).
The Admissions Committee reviews the entire application, and is seeking well-rounded, achievement oriented people whose maturity and dedication will lead them to a successful career as a pharmacist.
ADMISSIONS PROCESS
An applicant to the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program at Georgia Campus - PCOM is responsible for ensuring all admissions materials are completed accurately and submitted on time. We follow a rolling admissions policy and encourage all applicants to apply as early as possible. Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview with the School of Pharmacy. We are pleased to announce that we are participating in PHARMCAS until March 1, 2010, you can either apply through PHARMCAS until that date or you may obtain a PCOM pharmacy application here.
Admissions materials consist of:
- Application, including an autobiographical statement
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work
- Three letters of recommendation
- $50 application fee
- Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT code 095)
Please print and complete application and mail All admissions materials directly to:
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Pharmacy Program
4170 City Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19131-1694
Please note: All applications are processed in Philadelphia. Interviews are conducted at the Georgia Campus in Suwanee, Georgia and will be scheduled through email using the email address indicated on your admissions application. Please check your email frequently and be sure to notify us of any change.
The PCOM School of Pharmacy - Georgia Campus is proceeding with plans to enroll its first class for Fall 2010 and has opened the student application process in anticipation of opening according to plan. PCOM has secured approvals from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and the Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission of Georgia.
In order to open as scheduled in August 2010, the School of Pharmacy must also attain pre-candidate status from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. Philadelphia College of Osteopathic's Medicine's Doctor of Pharmacy Program has applied for precandidate accreditation status with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL 606702-5109, phone 312-644-3575, fax 312-664-4652. Web site: www.acpe-accredit.org. For an explanation of the ACPE accreditation process, please consult the office of the Dean at 678-407-7340 or ACPE at www.acpe-accredit.org
If you have any questions regarding this or any aspect of the program, you can contact the Admissions Coordinator at Georgia Campus by calling 678.407.7340 or by email at pharmdadmissions@pcom.edu
Tuition and Financial Aid
Our financial aid office provides comprehensive assistance to all admitted candidates, a number of scholarships and federal loans are available to students in our program. Tuition for the 2010 academic year is $29,900 and further information can be obtained by calling the bursar's office at 215-871-6190.
