Pre-Pharmacy Advising at Whitman College

Pharmacists dispense medications, give vaccines and provide advice to customers. 

Pharmacy schools look for applicants with a diverse liberal arts background, relevant health care experience, and strong leadership and interpersonal skills—qualities you’ll develop over your years at Whitman College.  

Earning a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree takes an additional four years after your bachelor’s degree. Some dual-degree programs allow students to earn a master’s or other advanced degree in addition to their Pharm.D.

You can learn more about becoming a pharmacist from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). And you can compare the requirements of different programs on the Compare Pharm.D. Programs page of the Pharmacy College Application Service website.

Plan of Study

Requirements vary, but most U.S. pharmacy schools recommend:

• Two semesters of general biology with labs (courses in genetics, human anatomy and physiology or microbiology may be recommended)
• Two semesters of general chemistry with labs
• Two semesters of organic chemistry with labs
• Two semesters of physics
• Two semesters of calculus and one semester of statistics
• Two semesters of English composition
• One semester of psychology
• One semester of economics
• Two additional semesters of social sciences (such as sociology or anthropology)

Some schools require upper-division courses in anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, or public speaking.