The awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy living has grown more in recent times. As a result of this, the demand for medical personnel in the pharmacy field has continued to be on the rise.
Pharmacy is a field of medical study that helps students to understand how medications work. According to a national organization representing the interests of pharmacy education, pharmacists educate patients on the use of prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.
In the same vein, they advise health care professionals on drug decisions and provide expertise about the composition of drugs. And also monitors the usage of drugs to ensure they are not wrongly abused.
Considering all these roles, it requires one with professional medical knowledge and skills to perform these tasks without endangering people’s lives. And, this is where attending pharmacy school comes to play, because that is where all this knowledge can be acquired.
Although there are many Pharmacy schools in the world, the best are located in certain states like Florida, USA. The Florida schools for Pharmacy students offer various degrees in Pharmacy.
Without further ado, if you want to study in Florida as a pharmacy student, then I will advise you to read on to know more about the best pharmacy schools in Florida.
Is Pharmacy School Difficult in Florida
Attending a pharmacy school in Florida can be very tasking and difficult. Because all of Florida’s pharmacy programs have a rigorous curriculum that makes it challenging for students who are not hardworking.
However, no matter how hard a nut is to crack once you have the right tool at your disposal, you won’t have to sweat at all.
That means, becoming a pharmacist in Florida without the full-time commitment, dedication, and hard work is actually a mission impossible.
Also, some Pharmacy schools in Florida device different means of helping the more passionate and committed students in their schools to achieve their dreams.
So, if you are still wondering if making any of the Pharmacy schools in Florida your study destination might be a wrong choice, you can see that it’s not.
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How to Become a Pharmacist in Florida
To become a Pharmacist in Florida you must first get an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education accredited Pharm.D degree. Graduating from a four-year university or college doesn’t qualify you as a pharmacist.
Before then, you must have high grades in some bachelor’s degree requirement courses. This includes general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, human anatomy and physiology, biology, calculus, and statistics.
You would also, need to get a good Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) score. This test comprises of different subtests that try to evaluate your writing ability, verbal ability, reading comprehension, quantitative ability, and biology and chemistry knowledge.
The courses you will take during your study will include, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacognosy, and Pharmacology.
These courses will focus majorly on the practice of Pharmacy including dispensing medication and counseling patients, and on business principles.
Practically, completing the programs will take hundreds of hours of clinical training in different settings. And, before you finish, you will be assigned to long-term clinical rotations in any of the settings.
Finally, when you are done completing all the programs, you must obtain a Florida license to practice.
This Licensure will involve completing an accredited Pharm.D. program and passing two licensing examinations:
- The North American Pharmacist Licensing Exam (NAPLEX)
- The Multi-State Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam (MPJE).
What is the Cost of Attending a Pharmacy School in Florida?
The cost of attending a pharmacy school in Florida depends on the school. There are about 7 schools in Florida for pharmacy students, and each of them has varying costs.
For instance, the University of Florida tuition and fees for a year is $22,901.38, Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy is $10,000, and that of University of South Florida is $17,000 per year.
You can see that the cost differs a lot. So, make sure you visit the school website you choose to confirm its tuition and fees before applying.
Programs for Pharmacy students in Florida
As a pharmacy school student, what distinguishes you from students in engineering or law school is the program you are pursuing. That is to say, there are pharmacy degree programs you must complete to become a pharmacist.
These programs must be accredited and offered in recognized schools. In Florida, pharmacy schools are renowned for its top-notch academic activities.
They offer various pharmacy programs that can help any passionate build an exceptional career.
Some of the programs includes the following;
What are the Pharmacy Schools in Florida Requirements?
Just like other schools have admission requirements that qualify any student to apply, so also do the pharmacy schools in Florida.
To apply for a program in any pharmacy school in Florida, you must meet up with the following requirement.
To Graduate from a Pharmacy School in Florida
If you are pursuing an M.Sc in Pharmaceutical Sciences, you need to complete around 30 to 32 credit hours.
On the other hand, if it’s a certificate program, you need to have 15 credits to complete. Note, the curriculum is based on a range of topics such as:
- Physiology and Anatomy
- Pharmacy Drugs and Healthcare
- Biochemistry
- Microbiology and Immunology
- Pharmacy Law
- Drug Information
- Drug Literature Evaluation.
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How Long Does It Take to Graduate from a Pharmacy School in Florida?
There are many schools in Florida which are offering Pharmacy programs; some of these include the University of Florida College of Pharmacy and LECOM School of Pharmacy.
You can enroll in a 2 to 3 year-long Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a concentration in Clinical Toxicology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, or Precision Medicine.
For Pharm.D programs, it will take you 3 to 4 years to complete. Apart from these long degrees, short certification courses are also available to students.
So, enrolling in any certification courses like Clinical Toxicology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and Precision Medicine will take you a year to complete.
What are the Pharmacy Technician Schools in Florida?
Pharmacy technicians are responsible for handling all aspects of the prescription fulfilment process and assisting the pharmacist with day-to-day operations.
To become a pharmacy technician, you must complete a one-year diploma or certification program at a pharmacy technician school or a two-year associate degree program.
So, if you are interested in building a career as a Pharmacy Technician in Florida, attending any of the following colleges will help you a lot.
How many Pharmacy Schools are in Florida?
In the United States of America, there are up to 150 pharmacy schools that are fully accredited. Out of these schools, seven (7) are in Florida.
These schools teach the following courses;
What are the Best Pharmacy Schools in Florida?
In Florida, Pharmacy schools are extremely competitive. To apply to any of the best Pharmacy schools in Florida, you must have completed an undergraduate degree program which is usually a four-year program.
Additionally, getting into the schools requires you to have a high PCAT score for admission. And once you are done with the study, you get a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.).
This is the major degree that qualifies you to become a licensed pharmacist in Florida.
Statistically, there are approximately 20,800 pharmacists working in Florida, earning an average annual salary of $119,710 as of 2018.
Therefore, we have created a ranking of the best pharmacy schools in Florida to help you find a school that meets your needs.
Our Ranking Methodology
Basically, the classification and ranking of each school are based on their NAPLEX Pass Rate and also the number of programs they offer. We also considered the Graduation Rate, Accreditation, program duration, and Tuition fees.
Below is the list of the best Pharmacy Schools in Florida:
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#1. University of Florida
Address: 1415 S. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Tallahassee, Florida 32307
The University of Florida Pharmacy school is #1. Pharmacy school in Florida in terms of high-quality education. The school is among the six schools in the university.
If you want to study at the School of Pharmacy at UF, you have two options; To go for the entry-level Doctor of Pharmacy program which is for first-time pharmacy students, and can be completed in Gainesville, Jacksonville, Orlando or St. Petersburg.
This option has 4-years of program coursework which includes clinical biochemistry, pharmacology, and pharmacotherapy.
The second option is to go for a part-time, 3-year Pharm.D. program. This will benefit you more if you are working. The courses you will focus on disorders in circulatory, cardiac, respiratory, and other systems.
For joint degree programs, there are many options. you can go for Pharm.D, including a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences, an MBA, a Master of Public Health (MPH) or a Ph.D. Master’s degree programs.
The University of Florida School of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
#2. USF Health’s Tanjea College of Pharmacy
Address: 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. Tampa, FL 33612
Next in our list of the best pharmacy schools in Florida is University of South Florida school of Pharmacy known as Health Taneja College of Pharmacy.
This school is actually the first public school of pharmacy in Florida.
The USF COP curriculum is very similar to that offered by other schools and colleges across the state of Florida and country.
Basically, this school offers Pharm. D. programs to aspiring pharmacists. The program aims at helping students become a leading center for interprofessional excellence in the different fields of pharmacy,
Aside from this program, students can also apply to a seven-year accelerated Pharm. D. program.
USF Health’s Tanjea College of Pharmacy is accredited by the Pharmacy Education Accreditation Council (PDAC).
To apply for this program, submit an application to the Taneja College of Pharmacy through the PharmCAS.
Note, PCAT score is not required here.
Accreditation
Employment Rate
This school offers Pharm.D. program, Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology degree and 5 different graduate certificate programs in the following pharmacy fields:
#3. Palm Beach Atlantic University– Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy
Address: West Palm Beach, FL 33403, United States
Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy at Palm Beach Atlantic University is also one of the best pharmacy schools in Florida.
The university is a private Christian university that welcomes students from all religious backgrounds.
Pharmacy school in Palm Beach university offers its students with on-going educational opportunities to get advanced degrees.
This is achieved through a 4 years Pharm.D. degree program at the school.
Moreso, you can take part in five practice clerkships in ambulatory care, drug information, internal medicine, hospital pharmacy and community pharmacy.
Note, Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy is accredited by the Pharmacy Education Accreditation Council (PDAC).
Accreditation
This school offers Pharm.D. program which coursework covers the following programs
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#4. Nova Southeastern University
Address: 3200 S University Dr, Davie, FL 33328, United States
Nova Southeastern University School of Pharmacy is another top-rated school in Florida.
This school has ground-breaking initiatives and visionary curricula, educates future pharmacists to help people live healthier, better lives.
However, this Florida pharmacy school is well known globally as a leader in pharmacy education and research, graduating students with Ph.D., Pharm.D., and an M.S. degree.
Pharm.D. program curriculum at this school consists of three years of basic pharmacological sciences interspersed with summertime clinical experiences.
To complete the fourth year, students must take a 7 or 8 week clinical rotations in the following fields: internal medicine, ambulatory care, advanced hospital care, community pharmacy.
Getting into this pharmacy school requires that you have an average cumulative GPA of 3.52. And also an average composite score on the PCAT of 79%.
USF Health’s Tanjea College of Pharmacy is accredited by the Pharmacy Education Accreditation Council (PDAC).
Accreditation
This school offers a Pharm.D. program in the following pharmacy fields:
#5. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Address: 1858 W Grandview Blvd, Erie, PA 16509, United States
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine is one of the best Pharmacy schools in Florida founded in 1992.
The LECOM School of Pharmacy offers three pathways to the PharmD degree.
These pathways aim at preparing pharmacy professionals committed to providing high-quality, ethical, and empathetic patient-centered pharmaceutical care to serve the needs of a diverse population.
The first pathway is the three-Year Accelerated Pathway which is Pharm.D. helps students to become effective members of the health care team for all areas of practice.
Additionally, it provides students with the opportunity to enter Masters degree programs in Biomedical Sciences, Health Services Administration, Biomedical Ethics, and Medical Education.
Then the Four-Year Florida Pathway and the Four years Online Distance Education Pathway.
The LECOM School of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
Accreditation
There are different pharmacy pathways offered at LECOM School of Pharmacy. they include:
Note, each of the pathway has its own coursework or curriculum.
#6. Florida A&M University
Address: 1415 S. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Tallahassee, Florida 32307
The Florida A&M University School of Pharmacy was organized in 1951.
The College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences provides students that have an interest in health science a unique experience. With this experience, they can build an exceptional career in the health sector.
In same vein, the school offers a broad foundation for careers in pharmacy by offering systematic instruction in the health and life sciences.
Basically, a traditional six-year Pharm.D degree including 2 years of pre-pharmacy study are offered in this Florida Pharmacy school
After completing the above mentioned programs, students can choose to take the following courses:
- Drug analysis
- Pharmaceutics
- Microbiology and immunology
- Principles of drug action
- Patient assessment
- Pharmacokinetics.
Florida A&M University School of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
Accreditation
The available Pharmacy programs in this school include:
#7. Larkin University
Address: 18301 North Miami Avenue, Suite 1Miami, Florida
Larkin University was founded in 2013 as a private, not-for-profit university.
This university’s college of pharmacy aims at promoting and fostering pharmacy education. Also, to create compassionate and knowledgeable pharmacists who will be prepared to pursue a multitude of career options, including post-graduate education.
Doctor of Pharmacy in this school takes 3 years to complete with is different from other schools.
To apply for Pharm.D. program at Larkin University, you must complete 63 semester credit hours of prerequisite coursework with a preferred 2.7 overall GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Also, you need two letters of recommendation, Personal statement and Dean’s Letter if you have attended a pharmacy program before.
Larkin University School of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
Accreditation
The available Pharmacy program in this school include:
FAQs
Here are the top-rated Pharmacy schools in Florida:
The University of Florida.
The University of South Florida.
Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Nova Southeastern University.
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Florida A&M University
Larkin University
There are 7 pharmacy schools in Florida that any student aspiring to become a pharmacist can make a study destination.
Yes, there are more than 20 Pharmacy Technician Schools in Florida. The includes:
McFatter Technical College
Osceola Technical College
Pensacola State College
Pinellas Technical College
Southeastern College-Miami Lakes Campus
Pasco Hernando State College
Altierus Career College – Tampa
Indian River State College….
To attend any of the Pharmacy schools in Florida, you must have the following: A Bachelor’s degree, minimum science GPA of 2.5,
Minimum Pharmacy college admission test (PCAT) score that is higher or equal to 40th percentile and so on.