Your opinion of pharmacy schools that don't do very much research

[DrPepsi]

Pretty simple question: what's your opinion of pharmacy schools that don't do a lot of research or aren't research heavy? does research play a factor into what pharmacy school you want to apply to?


The only reason I ask is that a tech I used to work with was having a discussion about this with an intern so I decided to ask the masses what they think.

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[ChemistWiz]

Well research certainly gives the college more prestige, but a pharmD is a PharmD is a PharmD. The only things research can do is give you more prestige, which won't matter after you graduate, and possibly give you a chance to learn more. Colleges who offer research aren't necessarily "better" but they do give you the option to expand your mind past the curriculum.

 

[ShadowRX]

Well research certainly gives the college more prestige, but a pharmD is a PharmD is a PharmD. The only things research can do is give you more prestige, which won't matter after you graduate, and possibly give you a chance to learn more. Colleges who offer research aren't necessarily "better" but they do give you the option to expand your mind past the curriculum.

Prestige? Of course, kid, but the real answer is what ELSE you can do with a Pharm.D. from a research-heavy school.

I hope in your own research you've been looking at job prospects. Hundreds of branches OF branches of pharmacy exist, besides chain retail.

A graduate from such a school would stand to be more prepared for a whole lot more jobs than a graduate who wasn't exposed as much.

But, from the very core, it depends on the candidate's willingness to research at a school like that. If they don't take the opportunity to, then it won't matter.

But, to the OP's question of a non-research-heavy school, then it comes down to how the school functions to the end goal: management or community-based.

 

[ChemistWiz]

Prestige? Of course, kid, but the real answer is what ELSE you can do with a Pharm.D. from a research-heavy school.

I hope in your own research you've been looking at job prospects. Hundreds of branches OF branches of pharmacy exist, besides chain retail.

A graduate from such a school would stand to be more prepared for a whole lot more jobs than a graduate who wasn't exposed as much.

Of course they prepare you. It's not like,though, they are offering you a chance at a job a non-research school can't. All jobs are up for grabs, whether or not you are prepared is on you.

 

[Praziquantel86]

Of course they prepare you. It's not like,though, they are offering you a chance at a job a non-research school can't. All jobs are up for grabs, whether or not you are prepared is on you.

I'll respectfully disagree with that. Research fellowships very heavily favor students who have research backgrounds, and if you don't go to a school that offers research opportunities, you're not going to have that background. I doubt that a student graduating from a school with no prior exposure to research would have a shot at, say, the Novartis fellowship.

 

[Sparda29]

Never really liked research, my Organic professor tried to get me into it during junior year but I got bored of it within a week. (Spending 6-7 hours a day looking through orgo reactions, conducting an experiment, and then to only get like a minuscule amount of something resembling what you're looking for, I don't have the patience for that.)

Now, if we were testing unknown materials on live animals or humans, that's something I would consider fun.

 

[whatbout2morrow]

Prestige? Of course, kid, but the real answer is what ELSE you can do with a Pharm.D. from a research-heavy school.

I hope in your own research you've been looking at job prospects. Hundreds of branches OF branches of pharmacy exist, besides chain retail.

In chain retail, all PharmDs are more or less equal. Outside of it, things are very very different. You have much less of a chance finding a career in cutting edge pharmacological research, dosage form design, drug design, pharma administration research, toxicological research, pharmacognostic research and hundreds of other fields in pharmacy if you graduated from a diploma mill (unless you get into some sort of post doc or PhD program in a research-based institution after your PharmD).

 

[delano2000]

In chain retail, all PharmDs are more or less equal. Outside of it, things are very very different. You have much less of a chance finding a career in cutting edge pharmacological research, dosage form design, drug design, pharma administration research, toxicological research, pharmacognostic research and hundreds of other fields in pharmacy if you graduated from a diploma mill (unless you get into some sort of post doc or PhD program in a research-based institution after your PharmD).

I guess it all depends on what route you want to take with the degree. I don't really have any interests in research so it won't be a major factor to me.

 

[whatbout2morrow]

I guess it all depends on what route you want to take with the degree. I don't really have any interests in research so it won't be a major factor to me.

Yes, it really depends on the person. I'm the kind of person who likes to keep my options open and explore different fields instead of confine myself to one place. I don't know what lies in store for me. Maybe some years in retail or hospital, a possible MBA or PhD and to the industry or up the corporate ladder, heck maybe even teaching. Still got a long way to go.

 

[Sparda29]

We have a couple of students doing research here at Touro. I never asked them what they are researching though.

 

[tungsten87]

i think research is one of the most important types of EC's to be a part of at some point. my biochem undergrad research solidified everything i learned in organic, biochem, molecular bio, genetics to a ridiculous level.. without doing research through these years i probably would have forgotten everything i know. instead, i still pretty much remember everything from these courses (esp. biochem). research also sharpens your analytical skills as well if you participate in experimental design/interpreting data. i personally would not attend any institution without a strong research program, much less a school that does not engage in ANY research.

 

[clarkalim]

I know this is an old thread, but I have had a very hard time finding what I need on Google or on this site...

Does anyone know where I can find a list of pharmacy schools that do a lot of research?

I'm interested in industrial pharmacy. I'm trying to figure out what schools that would be best to attend that would help me with my goal.

Is it just best to look at the US News and World Report rankings and go from there, since they are based on the amount of research funding given to schools? And if so, where should I "cut off" my list? (i.e. at what ranking should I stop considering schools?)

 

[y0ssarian87]

I know this is an old thread, but I have had a very hard time finding what I need on Google or on this site...

Does anyone know where I can find a list of pharmacy schools that do a lot of research?

I'm interested in industrial pharmacy. I'm trying to figure out what schools that would be best to attend that would help me with my goal.

Check out NIH RePORT. You can search by organization type --> Domestic Higher Education --> Schools of Pharmacy. I think this only reports NIH funding, and there are many other sources of funding. I'm not sure how you would find all sources of funding.

 

[clarkalim]

Check out NIH RePORT. You can search by organization type --> Domestic Higher Education --> Schools of Pharmacy. I think this only reports NIH funding, and there are many other sources of funding. I'm not sure how you would find all sources of funding.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[y0ssarian87]

Thanks a bunch!

No problem!