How attractive am I?

[mokopharmd]

Well at least how attractive would by application be to the admissions commitee

I went to a couple of different universities, UT Austin and UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

Graduated at UTSW with BS in Clinical Nutrition and GPA ~3.571
Math/Science GPA ~3.0
Overall GPA ~3.2 to 3.4

PCAT composite 83
Verbal= 77
BIO= 85
Reading= 99
Quantitative= 44
Chemistry= 56

Speak Vietnamese fluently and can communicate efficiently in Spanish to interview Spanish speakin patients. I'm also learning Japanese.

I'm active. Volunteer. Extracurricular activities.

Sent in my completed applications since early November.
Working as a clinical dietitian at a large county hospital since October =lots of clinical/multidisciplinary (including pharmacists)/patient contact experiences.

So what do you think? I know I'm weak in certain areas, but just thought this would be a nice way to see lots of opinions.

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[LBS615]

Well at least how attractive would by application be to the admissions commitee

I went to a couple of different universities, UT Austin and UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

Graduated at UTSW with BS in Clinical Nutrition and GPA ~3.571
Math/Science GPA ~3.0
Overall GPA ~3.2 to 3.4

PCAT composite 83
Verbal= 77
BIO= 85
Reading= 99
Quantitative= 44
Chemistry= 56

Speak Vietnamese fluently and can communicate efficiently in Spanish to interview Spanish speakin patients. I'm also learning Japanese.

I'm active. Volunteer. Extracurricular activities.

Sent in my completed applications since early November.
Working as a clinical dietitian at a large county hospital since October =lots of clinical/multidisciplinary (including pharmacists)/patient contact experiences.

So what do you think? I know I'm weak in certain areas, but just thought this would be a nice way to see lots of opinions.

Are you a registered dietitian? Did you do the required internship for the ADA? Just asking because I am a RD LD/N, with a BS and MS in nutrition, and you did not mention the internship- that is why I am asking if you are a dietitian or a nutritionist.

Personally I think you need to get your quant and chem scores up, they are pretty low- and the schools will look at that. Your gpa is average too, yet I don't understand why you have two gpa's- 3.2-3.4, and a 3.5- if they are from two schools- pharmcas will just compile all your grades for a pharmcas gpa.. The BS in clinical nutrition is good- pharm schools tend to like that and the fact that you have experience in a hospital.

I got into the pharmacy school I am going to attend with a 3.5 undergrad gpa and 3.4 grad gpa. I got a 98 on the PCAT. (Reading Comp 99, Verbal 94, Chemistry 97, Bio 96, and Quant 88)- Just in case you wanted to know my stats.

When are you planning on applying? As your PCAT score is fine- you my want to try to increase the scores in quant and chem.

Good Luck!

 

[mokopharmd]

Are you a registered dietitian? Did you do the required internship for the ADA? Just asking because I am a RD LD/N, with a BS and MS in nutrition, and you did not mention the internship- that is why I am asking if you are a dietitian or a nutritionist.

Personally I think you need to get your quant and chem scores up, they are pretty low- and the schools will look at that. Your gpa is average too, yet I don't understand why you have two gpa's- 3.2-3.4, and a 3.5- if they are from two schools- pharmcas will just compile all your grades for a pharmcas gpa.. The BS in clinical nutrition is good- pharm schools tend to like that and the fact that you have experience in a hospital.

I got into the pharmacy school I am going to attend with a 3.5 undergrad gpa and 3.4 grad gpa. I got a 98 on the PCAT. (Reading Comp 99, Verbal 94, Chemistry 97, Bio 96, and Quant 88)- Just in case you wanted to know my stats.

When are you planning on applying? As your PCAT score is fine- you my want to try to increase the scores in quant and chem.

Good Luck!

Thanks for your thoughts. Yes, I am a Registered Dietitian (RD). At UTSW, our program is coordinated so that we complete our internship while completing our credits. I completed and sent out all my applications early November. You have good stats and congrats on being where I want to be. The three different GPAs are what i calculated to be the following Science and Math GPA, Overall= meaning all of my classes/grade points, and the other is what I got from graduating at UTSW.

 

[LBS615]

Depending on where you apply I think you will definetly get in somewhere. The background in nutrition should really help. Why are you deciding to leave the field of dietetics for pharmacy? I was bored after being a clinical RD for two years, I love being in school and as we both know RD's are not the highest paid career, and I have found that I need to make more money to have the lifestyle I like. I really like nutrition support and am interested in that area of pharmacy. What are are you interested in?

 

[mokopharmd]

Depending on where you apply I think you will definetly get in somewhere. The background in nutrition should really help. Why are you deciding to leave the field of dietetics for pharmacy? I was bored after being a clinical RD for two years, I love being in school and as we both know RD's are not the highest paid career, and I have found that I need to make more money to have the lifestyle I like. I really like nutrition support and am interested in that area of pharmacy. What are are you interested in?

Wow. I too am interested in nutrition support, and I would like to move on from being a dietitian because for what you acknowledge regarding our salary. Unfortunately we do not get paid enough for the important job that we do. I have a great job at a major county hospital in Dallas, TX. I see so many patients, and many with unusual or serious issues. My day is rarely boring. But I need more money. Money, although a major factor is not the only factor, as I believe that I have what it takes to make me an awesome pharmacist. In fact, I'd like to come back to the hospital I'm working for and be a nutrition support pharmcist. Maybe get involved with some of the research that is going on here.

I currently am responsible for acute stroke, neurology, epilepsy, and rehab patients. I also have a lot of experience involving tube feed recommendations. I haven't done any TPN though. I'm sort of scared to venture into that area so early on. TPN here is done very thoroughly by dietitians with help from pharmacists. I know at some hospitals, the pharmacists are responsible for most of the TPN work.

 

[LBS615]

The dietitians at my hospital do the TPN's, along with MD's. The pharmD's do not do it here because they do not have any that specialize in nutrition support, they just make the mixes. I do TPN and TF's everyday- I love doing them. I do the renal ICU, a telemetry floor ( we are a big cardiac hospital), and a mixed floor that is known to have the majority of the sickest patients on it ( a lot of HIV, cancer, renal disease), as well as I cover a psych unit. That is why I am interested in nutrition support becuase I have had a good bit of experience in it. You should really try to get some experience doing TPN's - to see if you really like that area. It will also help you in pharm school to be familiar with how to calculate TPN's. I am surprised that you don't get to do any or participate with any at your hospital. Ask the RD's if you can help do some to get some exposure.

 

[mokopharmd]

Nice patient population. My previous responsibilities included similar patients as yours. One was a chest medicine and general surgery floor, the other was infectious disease, and the other one being the psych unit. Chest med/gen surgery and infectious disease are always so busy! Some days I just wanted to cry. Not to mention many of the patients on those floors are angry at world, noncompliant, leave AMA, and then come back on the floor again via ER.

TPN's are a definitely an interest to me even though I haven't had a chance to do any at work. I have rounded with the nutrition support team which includes MD's and pharmacists. It's very intense, but it's nothing I can't do. I just think that I need to establish rapport first. A lot of the attendings and residents are hard headed and think they know more about nutrition than us, that's why I'm taking a little longer before I cross into TPN's. If I don't make it into pharmacy, I'll head CNSD for sure before I decide to apply for school again. I'm praying really hard to get in this year though.

 

[LBS615]

You will get in somewhere. I think you have good experience and that will help. Did you apply for 2005 or for 2006? Do you know yet where you want to apply?

 

[mokopharmd]

You will get in somewhere. I think you have good experience and that will help. Did you apply for 2005 or for 2006? Do you know yet where you want to apply?

I've applied to University of Texas at Austin, University of Houston, Texas Tech, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Nevada, and Kingsville A&M.

 

[sy329]

I've applied to University of Texas at Austin, University of Houston, Texas Tech, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Nevada, and Kingsville A&M.

Hi, I applied to UT Austin as well...did u already get an interview with them?

good luck

 

[mokopharmd]

Hi, I applied to UT Austin as well...did u already get an interview with them?

good luck

Nope. I haven't gotten an interview from them or anyone yet . Waiting as patiently as I can. How about you? Good luck.

 

[PharmDster]

hey moko, tao cung la` Vietnam ne` ma`y...tao cung hoc tieng Japanese luon ne`..GPA cua tao chi? hon ma`y mot chu't thoi =)...tao chua lay PCAT ma`y oi..PCAT co' kho' khong vay? noi nghe coi ...im so similiar to you man!! haha

 

[mokopharmd]

hey moko, tao cung la` Vietnam ne` ma`y...tao cung hoc tieng Japanese luon ne`..GPA cua tao chi? hon ma`y mot chu't thoi =)...tao chua lay PCAT ma`y oi..PCAT co' kho' khong vay? noi nghe coi ...im so similiar to you man!! haha

Hehehe. PCAT kho hay de thi tuy moi nguoi. Watashi no Bettomamu go wakarimasu ka? A number of people say it's hard, others say it's a piece of cake. In my opinion it's ez. I could probably get something in the 90's if I study enough and pace myself better. I did not do about 15 chem questions The ones I didn't do, I noticed were ez. I also did not realise that there's calculus or precal on the pcat. I took it years ago so i didn't study that for the revised pcat.

Another day without any rejection letters or interview invitations
What's wrong with these schools??? I get an invitation when my application sucks, but when it's 10 times better, I don't hear anything from them. I'm certain a troll took my mail!!!

 

[mokopharmd]

Back in 2001 when UH interviewed me, I had est 2.9 GPA overall. My science was probably around 2.54. My pcat was 75. I had about 15 less volunteer experiences than I do now.

pharmDster-have you applied yet?

 

[PharmDster]

tao chua apply for any schools ma`y oi, tao chi? ask thoi....tao se~ take PCAT this October hopefully, November and Jan. ma`y co AIM khong ma`y , chat choi...Hai, wakarimasu!

 

[mokopharmd]

Got rejected by UH. Found out today. At least I don't have to wait in agony anymore regarding UH. Maybe 4th time's a charm in my case.