El Paso students who decide on a career in pharmacy after they graduate from high school, after beginning college level coursework, or after obtaining a degree may have the ability to apply to our program if we have openings in the program from unfilled or vacated high school positions. We refer to this as our transitional pathway.

Students who desire to apply as a transitional applicant should meet the following criteria:
• Have a strong relationship or residence in one of the eight (8) counties adjoining the city of El Paso comprising the Upper Rio Grande Valley or the Far West Texas Region.
  • Strong relationship is generally considered as
    • Currently a resident living in El Paso or West Texas Region
    • Married to an resident of El Paso or West Texas Region
    • Attended a high school in El Paso or West Texas Region and parents still reside in El Paso or region.

• Have taken the majority of their prepharmacy coursework from an El Paso institution of higher education
• Have a competitive core prepharmacy GPA in the required math, science and English coursework.
  • A competitive GPA in the prerequisite math, science and English coursework as calculated by University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. This GPA is referred to as core prepharmacy GPA
  • The average core prepharmacy GPA for all transitional students admitted to the UTEP CPP has been 3.53.
  • Admission statistics for all students admitted to the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy may be found on the College of Pharmacy's website (http://www.utexas.edu/pharmacy/admissions/ad_stats.html)
• Have taken the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) within past 2 years and achieved a competitive score.
  • Typically, all applicants to the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy have composite PCAT scores of greater than 60%. The average PCAT scores for all transitional students admitted to the UTEP CPP UTEP transitional for the College of Pharmacy Fall 2012 entry class was 71%
  • Admission statistics for all students admitted to the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy may be found on the College of Pharmacy's website (http://www.utexas.edu/pharmacy/admissions/ad_stats.html)
• Taken the PCAT writing exam and obtained a competitive writing score.
  • Typically, all applicants to the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy have a PCAT writing score greater than 3.0
• Must have completed or be in process of completing all prerequisite math, science and English courses required by the UT-Austin College of Pharmacy by the conclusion of the spring semester.
  • For example, a transitional student applying in Nov 2012 for the Fall 2013 must complete or be able to complete all prerequisite math, science and English courses by the conclusion of the spring 2012 semester and the student must be able to begin pharmacy studies in Austin with the fall 2013 entry class.
• Applicants should be aware that GPA and PCAT scores are only some of the criteria reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Many additional factors are considered by the Admissions Committee.
• Transitional Applicants are required to complete entire application required by the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. The application process in found on the College of Pharmacy's website and currently begins with the PharmCAS application (www.utexas.edu/pharmacy/admissions/app_instructions.html)
  • After the transitional applicant completes all components of the PharmCAS application, the applicant will be directed to the application website for the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy.
  • Within the application for the Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, the applicant will be asked if they are applying to one of the Cooperative Pharmacy Program. The applicant should indicate their desire to be considered for the UTEP Cooperative Pharmacy Program.
• Note: The application deadline for transferring to the University of Texas at Austin is subject to change and potential applicants should always check the UT Austin web site to confirm current deadlines.
• The University of Texas at Austin maintains new graduation requirement regarding core curriculum and Flag courses. All Core and Flag requirements must be satisfied to receive a degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Students seeking the Doctor of Pharmacy degree will need to comply with these requirements.
  • Core Curriculum. Students seeking the Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy will need to comply with the Core Curriculum requirements of the University of Texas at Austin.
    • Students who transfer to UT Austin from UTEP and or designed as "core complete" (per official transcript) will be considered "core complete" with UT Austin.
    • Students who transfer to UT Austin from UTEP with a prior baccalaureate or higher degree will be WAIVED once they matriculate into the PharmD program.
    • (http://www.utexas.edu/pharmacy/admissions/corecurric.html downloaded June 2012)
  • Flag Course requirements. Students seeking the Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy will need to comply with the Flag course requirements.
    • http://www.utexas.edu/pharmacy/admissions/corecurric.html
    • The flag course requirement is a new graduation requirement implemented for the Fall 2012 entry class of Doctor of Pharmacy students.
    • All flag requirements, EXCEPT Global Cultures, will be fulfilled by the PharmD curriculum
    • Please attempt to complete the Global Cultures requirement prior to matriculation into the PharmD program
    • A list of UTEP courses meeting the Global Culture flag requirement is still being developed. Use UT Austin's course schedule for course examples of Global Culture courses: http://registrar.utexas.edu/schedules/ or visit with the UTEP prepharmacy advisor.