Are Pharmacy Schools in California Better than Others?

Pharmacy schools in California boast some of the most extensive degree and research programs in the country, but are they necessarily the best ones to attend?  After years of studies from students, it is clear that pharmacy schools in California may have higher rankings for specific programs, but they are comparable to programs throughout the country. 

Some of the earliest pharmacy programs are in fact in California, but this does not necessarily mean that they are the best in the nation.  Rather, they have become the most distinguished and the most sought after for many students, much like Harvard and MIT have the same respectable titles.  However, pharmacy programs have popped up in a number of locations around the nation, indicating that students do not have to travel exorbitant distances solely to earn a pharmacy degree.  Pharmacy programs at major state universities have emerged in recent years, rivaling those of California schools and indicating that state schools have the same amount of resources as the schools in California.

Lately, pharmacy programs around the country have been taking great leaps in research and have helped out the pharmaceutical industry more than ever before, as vaccines have become more heavily researched within pharmacy school.  Pharmacists no longer have to be confined in the small Walgreen’s box of a career, but instead are now more flexible to include many different paths in life.  The research path has stemmed from pharmacy schools which cater exclusively to research programs, many on the East Coast.  California no longer reigns supreme in this regard, but is in fact a heavy contender for the top research program title in the pharmacy program. 

As the years continue, online pharmacy programs seem set to overtake other traditional programs as more students enroll in online courses.  While some programs require on-site course hours, others simply require a set number of online courses and then a certain amount of residency in a pharmacy.  Online programs can additionally attract students from any state, and have overtaken numbers of enrolled students in pharmacy schools around the nation.  While pharmacy schools in California remain heavily sought after by incoming students and are continuously ranked high, they are no longer the only option for hopeful pharmacy students as more programs emerge every year, set to overtake the rival programs with their graduation rate and research programs. 
 

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