Do I even have a chance for residency?

[jkminz]

I'm a P3 attending UIC COP. I'm mostly interested in pursuing a residency in ambulatory care. My current GPA is 3.75 but the BIGGEST factor that does not make me a great candidate is work experience. I do not have any PAID work experience. So far I have done:
- Volunteer work at various events/fairs
- Teach diabetes classes at a community clinic in Spanish
- Facilitator/leader of Spanish workshops from SNPhA, IPSF
- Undergrad research experience
- Diabetes presentation to high school students for UIC pipeline program
- Volunteer as pharm tech at a community clinic
- Hospital summer internship at the oncology clinic
- Plus IPPEs.......

I mean these are all the activities I have done so far. I've tried volunteering as much as possible and especially tried to use my language skills consistently (I fluently speak Korean, Spanish, and English - do these skills help?). I chose mostly difficult rotations that will push me to work harder but as of now I don't feel confident that I will get a residency in the future.. What do you all think?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[GoldfishPharmD]

Yes, you have a good chance. Work experience is beneficial and a lot of places love to see students that have worked especially in a hospital setting, but they look at other things.

I think you'd make a good candidate since you have done a lot of activities, volunteering, and fluent in multiple languages. Relax. Apply broadly (not all big name academic medical centers), and you'll be fine.

 

[pharm B]

Your GPA alone at least keeps you on the table for an interview. The interview and your letters of recommendation will be the big aspects to focus on in the next year, I would think.

 

[CardinalGirl210]

I'm a P3 attending UIC COP. I'm mostly interested in pursuing a residency in ambulatory care. My current GPA is 3.75 but the BIGGEST factor that does not make me a great candidate is work experience. I do not have any PAID work experience. So far I have done:
- Volunteer work at various events/fairs
- Teach diabetes classes at a community clinic in Spanish
- Facilitator/leader of Spanish workshops from SNPhA, IPSF
- Undergrad research experience
- Diabetes presentation to high school students for UIC pipeline program
- Volunteer as pharm tech at a community clinic
- Hospital summer internship at the oncology clinic
- Plus IPPEs.......

I mean these are all the activities I have done so far. I've tried volunteering as much as possible and especially tried to use my language skills consistently (I fluently speak Korean, Spanish, and English - do these skills help?). I chose mostly difficult rotations that will push me to work harder but as of now I don't feel confident that I will get a residency in the future.. What do you all think?

I don't think it matters this guy at my school had never had a job in his life and he wasn't Rho Chi and got a residency. Some of the Rho Chi people that had everything possible on their resume didn't get one - anything's possible.