Hi, I’m borrowing Some Common Sense’s account to offer some advice.
Sparky – you’ve chosen a very ambitious goal for yourself. Hatzlocha rabba! Be prepared, none of the schools that I know of are not coed and all (Touro being the one exception that I know of) have classes on Yom Tov and expect you to study on Shabbos. It’s very manageable but just be prepared to have “the religious discussion”. Yichud comes up every so often but not much. Also note, you will be asked to work with students from the opposite gender and saying no will almost instantaneously cause problems.
As a practicing pharmacist myself, let me offer my own view of A&P and Orgo and offer some advice. ironpenguin and the others are correct – A&P and Orgo are very intense courses with wildly different skills necessary to excel. A&P requires a procedural memory allowing you to track the various physiological process across the anatomical structures. Orgo is almost entirely theoretical – it requires memorizing many reaction, the physical forces driving the reaction and their requisite conditions (cofactors, coreactants, catalysts and environments) with the ability to think/apply the processes to reach your destination – it has very little to do with memorizing a process; it is about applying facts and constructing a process. It’s the thinking and applying that throws off many people because most of collegiate courses are taught to memorize, not to apply.
As a student pharmacist and as a practicing pharmacist, anatomy and organic chemistry synthesis is almost entirely useless (unless you enter research). However, physiology and the concepts of organic chemistry become absolute requirements. First semester is a course in biochemistry that assumes you know all the concepts of organic chemistry on your fingertips. Our field is derived from biochemistry – the chemistry of biological systems. So Some Common Sense is correct – the exact differences between tissues is determined on a molecular level. Why are tendons easy to snap but a rope of human hair the same size can hold many pounds? They’re both connective tissues but the difference is determines at the biochemical level.
All bioactive substances are affected by many process in the body. Be it hepatic action, renal clearence or protein binding, the pharmacist must understand all of this. Physiology courses become critical. How does the kidney work? Why do some drugs work with a decreased renal function and why do some become hyperactive and still others become inactive? Physiology answers that and you must know it because you will be asked about it.
Some general pharmacy advice – a very strong majority of pharmacist enter the community and work in stores. You will be administering vaccines (read: injections) and asked about Over-The-Counter products. From medicated shampoos to foot creams and everything in between, patients will look to you for advice. Even family, neighbors and friends will call you asking for advice – I relish the opportunity to teach and help people help themselves – to each their own. You will need to know for what and how these are used; you will be asked to offer recommendations using these medications – happens every day. Find a job in a local pharmacy – it will serve you very very well. During school, you will be asked brand/generic names for drugs and be required to tell them apart. What is the generic for Lipitor (the world famous cholesterol medication)? What is the difference between Miralax and Mirapex? Hydralazine and hydroxyzine? How do they work? What are they used for? Dosing? Contraindications? Adverse events? Flash cards and memory games become very important.
Don’t get me wrong – you will have a wealth of knowledge at your disposal such that you can extemporaneously teach a high school course in biology without a lesson plan or even refreshing your memory. Maybe 5 minutes to figure out what you want to say but that’s it. Don’t let that run away with you – looking down other health professionals from that tower of knowledge will net you a miserable situation almost immediately. I’ve seen in happen. Medicine is a very small world.
Patient manner is also very important. Ask any pharmacist – they can tell you about patients who were nice, rude and anywhere in between. An enormous amount of patience and self-control are necessary; a nice helping of a sense of humor always seems to follow. Be short with a patient or a holier-than-thou will fly as far as a lead brick in terms of being able to get a patient to trust you and follow your advice. Remember, patients will take your word as the absolute truth and may, many times, take your word over that of their physicians. We have a great responsibility as we are their last line of defense from inadvertently hurting themselves.
In summary, focus on doing well in the prerequisite courses as you will need the knowledge (except physics – kinetics, mechanics, sound, light, relativity have extremely limited use in pharmacy and is only something you would need if you went into formulation development in industry). Find a job at a pharmacy – chains will hire you as an intern. Depending on the state in which you live, you may be granted certain authority above that of the regular employee. Develop the specific character traits you will need. Be prepared to work hard – the end is well worth it. You’re walking into a field that possesses enormous possibilities to prevent harm and to help people. We have a tremendous responsibility. Hatzlocha rabba on your decision!