Pre-Pharmacy Program
Have your sights set on a career in pharmacy? This efficient route forward transforms you into a strong applicant for Drake University’s Pharm.D. program.
College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences | On-Campus
Program Options
Explore the details and requirements for the Pre-Pharmacy program, as well as Drake’s Doctor of Pharmacy.
Pre-Pharmacy Program
Envisioning your future as a pharmacist begins in your first year as a Bulldog. You’ll take the necessary prerequisites and ready your application, all while accessing opportunities for career exploration, advising, and mentoring.
Doctor of Pharmacy Program
This high-impact, future-focused four-year program blends didactic coursework, lab-based practice, and extensive clinical experience in a variety of settings to prepare you to lead the pharmacy profession.
Meet the Faculty
Experienced faculty across the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences help you develop the practical knowledge and analytical mindset to excel as you advance your studies.
Michael Nelson, BS, PhD
Assistant Dean, Student Affairs and Enrollment Management; Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Outside the Classroom
From research and career exploration to student organizations and intensive advising, Bulldogs encounter a holistic process of personal and professional formation that complements classroom learning.
Advising and Mentorship
Get expert guidance from day one. You’ll benefit from a career and academic support team, including a pharmacy faculty mentor who knows the profession and what it takes to prepare for it.
Student Organizations
Join organizations like the Student National Pharmaceutical Association as early as your first semester to begin building professional skills, a network of support, and an understanding of career opportunities.
Job Shadowing and Career Exploration
Clarify your trajectory. The program includes formal and informal opportunities to shadow professionals, experience workplace environments, and learn about the variety of areas you can pursue within the pharmacy field.
Internships and Clinical Rotations
Internship placements let you explore your professional options in Iowa’s thriving capital. Once you advance to Drake’s Pharm.D. program, you’ll hone your skills further in diverse clinical contexts.
Research
Strengthen your application to the Pharm.D. program with a record of research achievements. Even at the undergraduate level, students join faculty in ongoing projects and share their results in professional venues.
Service Learning
Drake students collectively leverage their knowledge to benefit the Des Moines community on a wider scale. This ethos leads to both formal and informal opportunities to enhance your learning while making an impact.
Careers & Skills
Drake’s Pre-Pharmacy program gives you a flexible starting place for a variety of paths forward. The majority of students transition successfully to our Pharm.D. program, known for 98+% job placement rates.
Students entering the field often begin careers in community or institutional pharmacy practice, going forth with an entrepreneurial mindset and a deep understanding of their role in patient care outcomes.
Opportunities
- Pharmacy doctoral programs
- Medical school
- Research
- Institutional pharmacy
- Hospitals
- Government agencies
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Community pharmacy
Skills
- Analyze and evaluate scientific research
- Collaboration
- Critical thinking
- Laboratory-based research
- Statistics
- Professional communication
Salary & Growth Outlook
The median salary for pharmacists in 2024. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
"“My sophomore year, I was able to get involved in research at Drake, which was just a huge opportunity, because at many colleges, sophomores don't always get to be involved in research.”"
Take the Next Step
Prepare for a career as a pharmacist in Drake’s intensive program, which covers all prerequisites and transitions into the Pharm.D. program in just two years.
