Health Sciences : Pre-Pharmacy

Becoming a pharmacist is the most common career goal for students in the Health Sciences – Pre-Pharmacy track.  

Pharmacists practice as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team to improve patients' lives by optimizing medication-related outcomes.  They receive extensive education in the therapeutic management of disease states using evidence-based guidelines for drug therapy. They counsel patients on the use of prescription and nonprescription medications. They are core members of medical teams who provide direct patient care in hospitals, ambulatory clinics, long-term care facilities, and other health care settings. system and advance scientific innovation.  

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of pharmacists is projected to grow 3% from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.  The current median pay for a pharmacist is $132,750 per year. 

Pharmacists typically work in: 

• Health-systems and Hospitals 
• Community and Independently Owned Pharmacies  
• Ambulatory Clinics 
• Accountable Care Organizations 
• Academia 
• Specialty Pharmacies 
• Pharmacogenomic Centers 

Pharmacists can specialize and become Board Certified in a variety of areas such as: 

• General Pharmacotherapy 
• Ambulatory Care 
• Oncology 
• Cardiology 
• Emergency Medicine 
• Pediatrics 
• Geriatrics 
• Compounding and Sterile Preparations 
• Infectious Disease 
• Nuclear Pharmacy 
• Nutritional Support 
• Psychiatry 
• Solid Organ Transplantation 

If you decide not to pursue a pharmacy degree, you will be prepared for a variety of other graduate programs, certifications, and employment opportunities: 

• Medical school (MD) 
• Osteopathic medical school (DO) 
• Physician assistant school (PA-C) 
• Chiropractic school (DC) 
• Optometry school (OD) 
• Dental school (DDS or DMD) 
• Doctor of Physical therapy programs 
• Athletic Training programs 
• Occupational Therapy programs 
• Orthotics and Prosthetics programs (CO or CP) 
• Public Health programs (MA, MS, or PhD) 
• Exercise Physiology or Biomechanics programs (MS or PhD) 
• Nutrition programs and more. 

If you choose not to pursue a graduate education, the following career opportunities are available to you:   

• Biomedical researcher 
• Medical or biomedical equipment representative/sales 
• Exercise equipment representative/sales 
• Pharmaceutical product representative/sales 

Graduating students are also eligible to earn professional certification from a variety of organizations.  

Advisors will be there to help you at every step of your academic journey. If you have advising related questions, please visit the College of Allied Health Sciences’ Academic Advising.

Students who have earned a high school diploma or GED and have attended a college or university other than the University of Cincinnati since earning their high school credentials are considered transfer students. Please visit UC Admissions for information about applying to the university as a Transfer Student. 

If you are currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at the University of Cincinnati (including UC Blue Ash and UC Clermont), but want to change your major to one in the College of Allied Health Sciences, please visit Transition Students for more information.