Gone are the PCAT days.

Shine Bright Edition #11

Subscriber count: 569

We’re throwing a retirement party for the PCAT, come on in!

2024 marked the PCAT’s retirement, pharmacy schools no longer have an admissions exam.?

The test was noted as a barrier and removed admittedly as the academy's applicant pools continued to decline.?

Several academy's discontinued its requirement in 2018 and 2019 and others followed suit in fear they would not stand a fair fight in the selection amongst those not requiring it.??

Breathe.

There’s varying emotions here, rightfully so as the evidence is mixed.?Take a moment and breathe!

One solid study found a correlation between PCAT scores and pharmacy calculations as well as the PCOA exam success though the correlation with academic success and beyond has no clear evidence one way or another.

The role of “pharmacist” is in recovery, searching for solid purpose and expansion of clinical roles so the reputation is on the line.

With the PCAT gone, many are wondering…?

• How is this going to impact the quality of providers to come?
• How well will these students do within the pharmacy programs??
• How will that fare for them post graduation for the MPJE and NAPLEX?

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These are valid concerns that only time will tell.?

Many agree removing the PCAT vs adjusting it and the use of alternative means of testing would have been preferred:?

• Alternative testing means with practice based vs standardized methods
• Questions directly relevant to the material used within pharmacy school
• Supporting learner development through strategies aimed at gaps?

Real talk.?

The PCAT, albeit a silly standardized test that was not completely relevant to the practice of pharmacy - it stood as a good indication of what testing would look like and what the expectations may be. The removal of this test may set many up for failure. Word is students are struggling more now than ever, requiring more faculty attention and support. Pharmacy school is HARD.?

In the end, the priority should be a focus on admitting quality and competent providers aware of the struggles they are likely to enter who are eager to come fight for the profession and the future trajectory of pharmacists as more than a dispenser of medicine.

Top it all off with what is going on in the industry once they do all that uphill fighting in their studies to enter the real world.

There continues to be many struggles for the majority of pharmacists and word has spread. It’s like a bad apple spoils the barrel.?

The word has gotten out.

The word has continued to spread on things like:

• Saturated job market as most seeking non-dispensing roles
• The wage and opportunity ceilings
• PBMs and drug prices hindering care and forcing closures
• Staggering rates of pharmacists feeling? unfulfilled?
• Pharmacist salary is continuing to decline

Taking the PCAT away for students to enter isn’t going to solve the things that truly matter when pharmacy is seemingly rotting from the inside out. Find the industry's root issues and work to solve them.?

It's time pharmacy got back to where we started!

Start a side hustle or dive right into solving real problems we’re facing. Think of new and creative ways to help patients improve their health. Take action on these ideas. Provide direct care or building innovative programs for healthcare systems and industry. Charge for them.?

Pharmacists have the variety of characteristics needed for doing something new, innovative, exciting as an entrepreneur.

The entrepreneurial spirit and questioning the status quo is where we began, and how we’ll evolve.

Let’s reignite the spark pharmacists need to survive the next 10 years!

Hello there! I’m Dr. Ashley Kay Pendrick ? PharmD, BCGP , here to help pharmacists see the bright side of things so that they can find fulfillment in their lives.

PS. Want to finally find fulfillment in your pharmacy journey? The Consulting Master program from the Bright Side presale just opened, wahoo!

This simple 5-step program will set your foundation mentally, show you how to start consulting and get you out there marketing. (expected to launch by mid-July!)

Check out more info in the comments if you're ready to get serious about consulting.