Lecom - Pharmacy early acceptance programs
Your future as a pharmacist can begin at PennWest California where you’ll earn your undergraduate biology degree– and benefit from a unique opportunity to prepare for your career in pharmacy.
PennWest California offers an Early Acceptance Program with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), enabling PennWest California biology majors to follow a pathway toward a career in pharmacy, dentistry or osteopathic medicine.
Under the Early Acceptance Program, qualified PennWest California undergraduates in the B.S. in Biology: Pre-professional Program can be assured of provisional acceptance or a reserved seat in LECOM's School of Pharmacy, School of Dental Medicine or the College of Osteopathic Medicine. Students in the Early Acceptance Program must then complete a successful interview and meet all academic requirements.
LECOM recognized the growing national need for pharmacists and opened the School of Pharmacy in 2002 to offer the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum. The primary goal of the LECOM School of Pharmacy is to prepare pharmacists to be effective members of a changing healthcare environment dedicated to patient-centered care.
Students can apply for the Early Acceptance Program as soon as their senior year of high school, or prior to the start of their third year in the biology program at PennWest California, depending on their desired program track:
- Eligible osteopathic, pharmacy or dental students may choose a "4+4" program that assures them a seat in a four-year LECOM program once they successfully complete the four-year, 120-credit pre-professional biology program at PennWest California.
- Highly motivated osteopathic or pharmacy students may select an accelerated "3+4" program. This option allows qualified students to enter LECOM's medical or pharmacy school after completing just three years (90 credits) at PennWest California. PennWest California accepts the first 30 credits in LECOM's four-year medical/pharmacy program toward completion of the B.S in Biology degree.
Early Acceptance: Important Advantages
Through the Early Acceptance Program, future pharmacy students in PennWest California's pre-professional biology program get the right foundation by completing rigorous courses that offer excellent preparation for graduate-level studies. With early acceptance, students largely bypass the intense competition for pharmacy school seats and can focus totally on their studies during their senior year in college.
LECOM's tuition is lower than many other medical, pharmacy or dental schools. Program director Dr. Ed Zuchelkowsi notes: “Students also enjoy a considerable savings because they don't have to apply to multiple schools (and pay multiple application fees) or spend added time and money to travel to multiple interviews.”
To qualify for admission to the programs, students should have a high school grade-point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher (unweighted), with an SAT score of at least 1240 or an ACT score of at least 26. The entrance exam for pharmacy school (PCAT) is not required.
Students who are interested in joining the Early Acceptance Program should notify
PennWest California when they apply (or as soon as possible) in order to meet program
deadlines. Current PennWest California biology students, as well as transfer students,
will be considered for the Early Acceptance Program if they meet the requirements.
Nationally Recognized LECOM
LECOM has grown to become the nation’s largest medical college, with campuses in Erie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and Bradenton, Florida. LECOM receives the most medical school applications in the country.
Consistent with LECOM’s core value of creating student-centered education, the School of Pharmacy offers three distinct learning pathways for the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree, providing students the option of choosing a pathway most suited to their learning needs:
- At the Erie campus, an accelerated three-year pathway enables students to complete the PharmD degree in three calendar years.
- In Bradenton, students choose a four-year pathway.
- Students also may choose to study online in the four-year, first professional degree distance education pathway.
All three curricula offer the same spectrum of didactic courses, credit hours, and experiential education and experiences. The full array of supporting services exists at both the Erie and Bradenton campuses. Physical facilities at each campus are state-of-the art and of sufficient size to meet all educational and administrative functions.
School of Pharmacy alumni are working in a variety of positions at retail and community pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and physician offices.
The School of Pharmacy has established the Center for Drug Information and Research (CDIR). The CDIR’s mission is to provide healthcare professionals, caregivers and patients with independent research, analysis and evidence-based responses to drug information requests. The Center publishes The LECOM Point which contains independent best evidence analyses and commentary on a variety of medical and pharmaceutical subjects.
Each LECOM campus building in Erie and Bradenton provides expansive teaching and learning areas and includes the latest teaching technology. The LECOM Bayfront Campus, Coffee Culture Café and Student Center, and the John M. and Silvia Ferretti Medical Fitness and Wellness Center in Erie provide additional space for education and student activities. In Greensburg, LECOM uses classroom space at Seton Hill University.
LECOM is a member of LECOM Health, an academic health center that includes Millcreek Community Hospital and the clinical practices managed by Medical Associates of Erie. Other members of LECOM Health include Corry Memorial Hospital, LECOM Senior Living Center, LECOM Senior Living Communities, LECOM Medical Fitness and Wellness Center, LECOM Health Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Lifeworks Erie, and Visiting Nurses Association of Erie County. LECOM students learn and work in all of these facilities.
Get your start at PennWest California today to enter the field of pharmacy. Benefit from our Early Acceptance Program with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Apply now!
Lake Erie College of Medicine
Nationally Recognized
Learn about LECOM, the nation's largest medical college.
Early Acceptance Programs
Vital Head Start
Qualified biology majors can be assured of provisional acceptance in LECOM's College of Osteopathic Medicine, School of Pharmacy or School of Dental Medicine.
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