PharmAcademy
Discover if Pharmacy is the career for you.
The PharmAcademy program offers a fun and comprehensive learning experience about the diverse career paths in pharmacy from expert pharmacy faculty and practitioners. During this program, students will spend five days on the Midwestern University campus learning from Midwestern University faculty, practicing pharmacists, alumni, and current pharmacy students.
One week summer program for high school sophomores & juniors
- Summer 2025 dates: Check back later (tentatively mid-to late June 2025)
- 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day
- Registration Information
- PharmAcademy 2024 schedule of program activities
PharmAcademy Program Overview
This program offers a fun and comprehensive learning experience about the diverse career paths in pharmacy from expert pharmacy faculty and practitioners. During this program, students will spend five days on the Midwestern University campus learning from Midwestern University faculty, practicing pharmacists, alumni, and current pharmacy students.
The summer 2025 session will take place tentatively mid-to late June 2025 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm each day, and will include interactive presentations and small group games. The program will cover these topics and more.
Activities in Pharmacy Practice
- Pediatric medication administration
- Infectious diseases
- Veterinary medicine
- Internal medicine and cardiology
- Oncology care pharmacy
- Ambulatory care & diabetes
- Substance abuse disorder
- Community pharmacy
- Solid organ transplant
- Emergency medicine
- Natural products
- Pharmacy research
- Laboratory exploration
Additional activities
- Team-building exercises
- Games to help learn about pharmacy topics
- Simulated hospital environment activities
Midwestern University has been offering a summer pharmacy program for high school students for more than 20 years. Most of the past participants have gone on to pursue various careers in pharmacy.
As the profession continues to evolve, there are numerous career paths in pharmacy. So each day in the program will offer different activities and discussions about various topics in pharmacy practice.
Eligibility
PharmAcademy participants must have completed their sophomore or junior year in high school (graduating classes of 2026 or 2027).
Although not required, it is recommended that students should have at least a 3.0 weighted cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale).
Fees & Registration
The 2025 fee for participation is $210 per student for the full five days, which includes all activity costs, as well as lunch each day. This fee is payable online with a credit card, or you can mail a check made payable to Midwestern University. Please note: Participants are responsible for their daily transportation to campus.
There are two options to submit registration (please select one):
Online option: PharmAcademy Online Registration Form. It includes both the registration form, as well as acceptance of the "Consent for Participation Agreement."
Hard-copy option:
- PharmAcademy Printed Registration Form
This form may be completed electronically and then printed for submission. Or, this form may be printed first and then completed. Please write legibly. - Consent for Participation Form
These two forms must be submitted together via fax or email. Please refer to the Registration Form for further details.
Enrollment occurs on a first-come-first-served basis, and there is a maximum of 48 seats in the program. Because there will be additional communications before and during the program, please be sure that the email addresses entered on the Registration Form are ones that are checked frequently over the summer.
Contact Us
Ms. Cheryl Kane
PharmAcademy Program Coordinator
ckane@midwestern.edu
Dr. Sheila Wang
PharmAcademy Program Director & Professor
swangx@midwestern.edu
Sheila K. Wang, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCIDP is the Director of PharmAcademy.
Dr. Wang is a Professor in Pharmacy Practice at Midwestern University, and a Clinical Infectious Disease Pharmacist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
Activity Schedule
Find more information about scheduled speakers, demonstrations, and activities in the 2025 schedule.
Additional Information
Did you know? Pharmacists today...
- Are at the forefront of healthcare and its innovations
- Have been on the front lines during the COVID-19 healthcare crisis, as well as providing vaccinations to fight the pandemic
- Merge science, patient care, technology, business, and math skills
- Practice in a variety of settings including hospitals, clinics, corporate offices, etc.
- Earn an average annual salary of $128,570, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022
- Are the medication experts on healthcare teams
- Are one of the most highly trusted professionals
- Have good communication, team work, and leadership skills
- Are in demand with job security
A Pharmacy career has many options
Hospital: Emergency Medicine • Oncology • Infectious Diseases • Cardiology • Pediatrics • Critical Care • Organ Transplant • Nuclear • Specialty • Drug Information
Community: Chain and Independent Pharmacies • Compounding • Community Health Center • General Medicine • Long-term Care • Veterinary
Corporate: Pharmaceutical Research and Development • Translational Research • Information Technology • Consulting • Government Agencies
And many more ...
Learn more
*Catalog items (2025-26) subject to change
Q: What is the schedule for the program?
Students will spend each of the five days (June 2025 TBD) on the Midwestern University campus in Downers Grove. Each day will be filled with various fun activities that will help students learn more about a career in pharmacy. When available, a tentative schedule will be posted on our Webpage.
Q: How does the student get to campus?
Very important: Transportation is the sole responsibility of the student/family. Pace bus service offers limited accessibility, so please review such schedules thoroughly. The campus is not located near the Downers Grove train station. Parents may drive their teens to campus and pick them up at the end of the day. However, due to security restrictions, parents may not spend the day on campus. Parking is free on campus, and students who drive themselves each day will be issued temporary parking passes on the first day of the program (proof of auto insurance required).
Q: Will parents have the chance to see what their teen has done in the program and tour the campus?
On the final day of the program, Friday, TBD, we will invite parents to campus for a presentation of all that the students did while on campus. This visit will also include the Closing Ceremony where certificates of completion will be awarded. Afterward, parents are welcome to speak with some of our faculty members, as well as tour our beautiful campus and its state-of-the-art facilities.
Q: How does the registration process work?
You may register and pay for the program online, or you may print the Registration Form and mail, fax, or email your payment (see "Fees & Registration" section above). Complete instructions are available on the form.
Also required as part of the registration process is the parent- or guardian-signed Consent for Participation Agreement. If registration is done online, then this electronic Agreement is included in the online process. If registration is done with hard copies that are mailed, faxed, or emailed, then there is a separate form that will need to be printed, signed, and included in the submittal.
Once we have all of the components (registration form, payment, and signed consent agreement), we will process the registration and confirm enrollment via email to both the parent and student.
Enrollment occurs on a first-come-first-served basis, and there are 48 seats in the program. Please note: In addition to the email, there will be other emails sent in the early month of June regarding other program details. Please be sure the email addresses entered are ones that are checked frequently in the summer months.
Q: What if the program is filled to capacity? How will I know and what are my options?
In the online sign-up: when the program reaches capacity, the system will no longer accept new registrations. If you would like to be added to the wait list, please send an email to Ms. Cheryl Kane at ckane@midwestern.edu to indicate your interest in being added to PharmAcademy's wait list. If space becomes available, she will notify you. If you are doing hard-copy registration, then we will not process your payment until you accept an available seat in the program.
Q: What is your cancellation policy?
If there is a need to withdraw from the program, we ask that you notify us as soon as possible. If we receive notice of withdrawal before date TBD, then we will refund all monies paid. After date TBD, we will not be able to issue any refunds. We are not able to pro-rate any fees; the cost for each registered participant is $210 for 2025, which includes all activity costs and lunch each day.
Q: I understand from previous information that a pharmacy technician license is required as part of the program. Is this still the case?
No, the pharmacy technician license is no longer needed. This program has a new name and a different curriculum that does not require this license. This program offers students greater insights into the many career paths in pharmacy through hands-on activities that focus on patient care and current pharmacy topics, as well as the opportunity to learn about pharmaceutical research.
Q: Is there any on-campus housing available for participants in this program?
No, there is not. Participating students/parents must plan to commute daily to campus from their own home or the home of a nearby adult family member who can provide the minor with supervision and guardianship for the duration of the program’s five days. Our campus is located 20 miles straight west of downtown Chicago in the Oak Brook area, where there is an abundance of shopping, dining, and entertainment options.