http://www.touro.edu/pharmacy/FAQs.asp

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q. How is the College of Pharmacy structured?

A.
The Touro College of Pharmacy New York confers the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree; the program is four years in length. The curriculum has two components — classroom and experiential. The classroom component encompasses the first two years, covering the foundation courses in biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacy practice, and public health. The experiential component covers the last two years and includes four-week practice experiences designed to create a clinically mature graduate fully prepared to enter pharmacy practice or pursue post-graduate pharmacy residencies, fellowships, or graduate work.


Q. Is the Touro College of Pharmacy New York accredited?

A.
The Touro College of Pharmacy has been granted candidate accreditation status for the Doctor of Pharmacy program by ACPE.


Q. When did the College open?

A.
The inaugural class began October 2008.


Q. What is the class size?

A.
The inaugural class contains 66 students. The class entering Fall 2009 is projected to be 80 students, with a class of 100 students to begin in Fall 2010.


Q. Where is the College of Pharmacy located?

A.
During the summer of 2009, the College of Pharmacy will move to its permanent location at 230 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027. Until building renovations are complete, College offices are located just around the corner at 2090 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10027.


Q. What are the requirements for admission to the Touro College of Pharmacy?

A.
For a full list of requirements for the College of Pharmacy, please visit the admissions requirements/prerequisites section of this web site or PharmCAS at www.pharmcas.org


Q. Is the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) required?

A.
The PCAT is required. The PharmCAS code number for the Touro College of Pharmacy in New York is 104.


Q. What Grade Point Average (GPA) is required?

A.
Students should have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75.


Q. How can I apply to the College of Pharmacy?

A.
All applications must be made through PharmCAS at www.pharmcas.org.  Supplemental applications can be found on this web site.


Q. When can I apply?

A.
The PharmCAS application is currently available at www.pharmcas.org. The Supplemental Application will be available on July 1, 2009 on this web site, www.touro.edu/pharmacy.


Q. What is the College of Pharmacy’s policy regarding who receives an interview?

A.
To be considered for an interview, the candidate must exceed minimum application requirements. Therefore, interviews are by invitation only, and not all candidates are invited for an interview.  Not all interviewed candidates are accepted.


Q. I have been told that I have very nice handwriting. Do I still need to type or computer-generate my application documents?

A.
Yes. Applicants are required to submit typed or computer-generated application documents for both PharmCAS and the Supplemental Application. Handwritten applications will be rejected.


Q. How can I determine if I am a competitive candidate?

A.
Admission to the College of Pharmacy is competitive. Applicants are evaluated holistically on a range of factors including GPA, PCAT scores, pharmacy and non-pharmacy related work experience, pharmacy and non-pharmacy related volunteer experience, and knowledge of the role of the pharmacist as part of today’s health care team.  Most successful candidates have a GPA of 2.75 or greater.


Q. If I am unsuccessful in being admitted, can I reapply?
A.
Yes.  Candidates who were not invited for an interview or offered a position in the class will have received an e-mail from the Office of Student Affairs explaining why they were not selected.  You should do your best to resolve the problem(s) indicated in the e-mail, then reapply through PharmCAS and the Supplemental Application.  A completely new set of application documents must be submitted with your reapplication.


Q. How do I determine which courses (course numbers or titles) at my school will satisfy your prerequisite requirements?

A.
We require a specific number of semester hours within each subject area---for example, 8 semester hours of General Chemistry. This means that any courses in Chemistry (General Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry) will satisfy the requirement, provided the total number of semester hours taken equals or exceeds 8, and provided such coursework was completed at an accredited institution. Specific prerequisite requirements may be found in the Admission Requirements section of this web site.


Q. Is it possible to apply to the program without having completed all of the undergraduate requirements and prerequisites at the time of application?

A.
Yes. Candidates who have not yet completed their baccalaureate degree and/or prerequisites may apply, be interviewed, and be accepted on a provisional basis on the condition that they must obtain a bachelor’s degree and complete all program prerequisites by May-June of the academic year prior to the year for which they have applied (for Fall 2009 admission, the deadline is May-June 2009).


Q. What is the current amount charged for tuition? Is this expected to increase yearly?

A.
Tuition has been established at $31,200 for the 2009-2010 academic year, plus $500 in fees. Touro College reserves the right to make tuition adjustments at any time without prior written notice.


Q. What options are available to fund my pharmacy education?

A.
All College of Pharmacy students are eligible for Federal loan assistance, which is available in various forms. Specific information regarding Federal loans will be able to be obtained by visiting the Financial Aid section of this web site, which is currently under construction.


Q. As an international student, am I required to have a course-by-course evaluation of my pre-pharmacy education?

A.
Yes.  All international transcripts must be submitted to one of the credentialing agencies listed on our website and in the PharmCAS application instructions.


Q. If I have an international pharmacy degree, which courses am I able to waive in the Touro College of Pharmacy curriculum?
A.
None.  To receive the Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Touro College of Pharmacy, all students are required to complete the full four (4) year curriculum.


Q. How do I become a pharmacist?

A.
To practice pharmacy, a person must obtain a pharmacy license, which is granted by individual states. Licensure requires successful completion of an accredited educational program, one or more examinations, and, in some cases, a specified amount of practice experience.