One-week Summer Program for High School Sophomores and Juniors

on the Downers Grove, IL campus

Summer 2023 Dates set:  July 31 - August 4, 2023 
9:00am to 3:00pm each day

Program Overview

Discover if Pharmacy is the Career for You

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. This summer 2023 session will take place on July 31 through August 4, from 9:00am to 3:00pm each day, and will include interactive presentations and small group games. 

The program will likely cover these topics in pharmacy practice:

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
• Pharmacy information technology
• Natural products
• Pharmacy research

Laboratory Exploration

Additional Activities:

• Team-building exercises/escape room
• 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. 

Pharmacy Careers

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 about:

Pharmacy as a career

Early assurance admissions programs for high school students

Pre-Pharmacy Course Guides (for traditional admissions)

Eligibility

PharmAcademy participants must have completed their sophomore or junior year in high school (graduating classes of 2024 or 2025).

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).

Fee & Registration

Registration for the Summer 2023 program has not yet opened. If you are interested in attending next year's program, please send an email with your name (student and parent names), email addresses, and year of high school graduation to Ms. Cheryl Kane at ckane@midwestern.edu. We will notify you when registration opens for  the summer of 2023, which will be in approximately February of 2023.

Program FAQs

Q: What is the schedule for the program?
Students will spend each of the five days (July 31st – August 4th) 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. For details, the Program Schedule will likely be available shortly before the program begins.

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, August 4th, we will invite parents to campus for 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. Afterwards, 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?
Registration for the Summer 2023 program has not yet opened. If you are interested in attending next year's program, please send an email with your name (student and parent names), email addresses, and year of high school graduation to Ms. Cheryl Kane at ckane@midwestern.edu. We will notify you when registration opens for  the summer of 2023, which will be in approximately February of 2023.

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: 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: 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.

Contact Us

Ms. Damienne Souter 
PharmAcademy Program Manager 
dsouter@midwestern.edu  

Ms. Cheryl Kane 
PharmAcademy Program Coordinator 
ckane@midwestern.edu  

Midwestern University 
College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove Campus 
555 31^st Street 
Downers Grove, IL 60515 
630-971-6417   
CPDG@midwestern.edu

The Director of PharmAcademy is Sheila K. Wang, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCIDP.  Dr. Wang is an Associate Professor in Pharmacy Practice at Midwestern University, and a Clinical Infectious Disease Pharmacist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

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