The Most Important Secondary School Subjects That Pharmacy Students Need

secondary school subjects for pharmacy students

To be admitted to study pharmacy in Nigeria, a student must have at least five credits pass in English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology in not more than one sitting.

Some of them are also needed in Unitary Tertiary Matriculation Examination (U.T.M.E) and other modes of admission. At times, intending students wonder what are the subjects that are very important to be good at to have a smooth education in pharmacy. Some of them are also needed in Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (U.T.M.E) and other modes of admission. At times, intending students wonder what are the subjects that are very important to be good at to have a smooth education in pharmacy.

Read Also: The Most Difficult Course Subjects In Pharmacy School In Nigeria

Among these stated subjects, other subjects are needed in pharmacy. However, students should know that there is a different level for each subject. This article try’s’ to analyse subjects that are most important and relevant to pharmacy.

Chemistry

Students that are very good in this subject should count themselves very lucky. This is because this subject is very important in pharmacy school. Many courses that are taught require some level of chemistry. In addition, chemistry has a department where it is taught at an advanced level. Other departments where it can be found very common are pharmacognosy and medical biochemistry. A glimpse of the subjects that will be taught in advance level includes acid and base, buffers, functional groups, amino acids, stereochemistry including moles.

To sum it all up, never start a pharmacy school if you do not know or have the passion for chemistry. This is the reason why the pharmacist is sometimes referred to as ‘chemist.’

Biology

This subject is hotly debated to rival chemistry in terms of relevance. It also cuts across almost every single departments in pharmacy. In fact, it spread across almost all compare to chemistry. The reason why some do not consider it the most important is that it does not involve a deep knowledge of it.

Biology is the study of living things. Since drugs are used in the treatment of living things like humans, it is imperative to study the human body a little. In addition, some of the drugs are gotten from living things which are studied to know how they work.

The list of courses where biology is commonly featured include pharmacognosy, pharmaceutics microbiology, pharmacology, clinical pharmacy, anatomy, physiology, etc. there is a course that forms a union between chemistry and biology known as medical biochemistry.

Students must also consider this subjects when they want to come to study pharmacy if they are to succeed.

Physics

Many secondary schools students who are at the point of coming to the university will find it difficult to believe that there is physics in pharmacy. This is because pharmacists are considered drug dispensers. They are more than that. In fact, drug discovery and design have many physics in it.

The knowledge of physics is important in pharmacy. It may not be as chemistry and biology. However, a good part of physics such as work is needed in pharmacy practice hence in pharmacy school curriculum. There are different types of machines used in pharmacy that must be operated. Aside from that, the principles of physics are used in mixing chemicals used for the production process. This includes the temperature of the chemicals, the speed of the moving machine parts, etc.

I can say that pharmaceutics and industrial pharmacy department is mainly physics in nature. However, topics in physics such as electricity and magnet are not found.

Mathematics

Oh yeah! This subject was a shocker when I came ignorantly into the pharmacy to discover that one of the subjects I hate back in the days is still very much present here. Apart from year one where science subjects are offered, most courses in pharmacy involve a bit of calculation. Not to mention pharmaceutics that contains many physics calculations with few formulas, they normally involve the conversion of units to more suitable units’ forms.

However, this should not be a problem to students who credited mathematics in their O ‘level. Nevertheless, there is a major problem here. Lecturers consider a little error during the calculation process, which will eventually lead to wrong answers. This is because a difference of value in drug production or other pharmacy processes can lead to a fatal dose being sold out to the public and can be very dangerous to the population. So, therefore, lecturers do not normally mark the process of calculations but the answer, unlike other departments.

Conclusively, a fair knowledge of mathematics is essential for pharmacy students.

English Language

I will not say much here because Nigerian students know the importance. To express yourself verbally (oral) or non-verbally (written), during classes and examinations, you will definitely need this. However, there are some courses in pharmacy that discuss more on effective communication skills between other medical personnel like fellow pharmacist and doctors including patients and caregivers.

Read Also: Courses In Pharmacy School In Nigeria

Other Subjects

We have just discussed on the most relevant secondary school subjects that are useful for pharmacy school education. However, there are also other minor subjects that having very good knowledge of them will not help pharmacy students if they are not very good in the others. A fair knowledge here is just to assist. Take for example:

• Government: Very little of it in pharmacy. However, there are few courses in the pharmacy where a few Government programs are discussed. A good example is pharmacy forensic or pharmacy jurisprudence.
• Geography: This subject may be useful in pharmacognosy where plants description sometimes includes location, soil types, and other descriptive characteristics. History of pharmacy will have a bit of it.
• Economics/Commerce: Among the less relevant subjects in pharmacy, I consider this as the most important. It introduces pharmacy students on business ethics.
• Agriculture: This is another important topic. In fact, pharmacognosy in pharmacy is half agriculture. Therefore, you had better consider learning this subject before coming.

If you are a student in secondary school who intend to read pharmacy, it is important you build yourself from secondary school to enjoy pharmacy school.

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