What is pharmacy school like

[dudecoolname]

I was curious what a school year at pharmacy school was like. tried searching and had no luck.

Such as:

How many days out of the year do you go to school? is it pretty much like taking 2 semesters in college? Do you get the summer off? etc.

How much free time do you get in a week? Do you spend most weekends studying?

How many "hours" of school in a week?

Im trying to get a good idea of what its like.

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[TemSirolimus]

I was curious what a school year at pharmacy school was like. tried searching and had no luck.

Such as:

How many days out of the year do you go to school? is it pretty much like taking 2 semesters in college? Do you get the summer off? etc.

How much free time do you get in a week? Do you spend most weekends studying?

How many "hours" of school in a week?

Im trying to get a good idea of what its like.

this is going to be highly subjective depending on the individual and school attended.

I found pharmacy school to be rather easy but tonnes of work and attention to detail. You get time to kick back every now and then and its not exactly a walk in the park. Good luck.

 

[dudecoolname]

^Thanks

Yea I meant to also ask if it was significantly different for each school, but yea for those reading this, what is school like for YOU personally.

 

[Thumper17]

It will be much easier for me when you give me back my avatar!

 

[thedrunkenpharm]

Subjective question.

I went to UNC. In the 1st year, we had at least one day off per week with afternoons mostly off. Summer rotations for one month and the rest of the summer off. Depending on how smart you were at registration, the 2nd and 3rd years also could've had one day off per week or none if you weren't so lucky selecting lab sections. 4th year is all rotations with most of December off.

How much free time did I get? I got plenty. I still partied, I still drank and smoked weed, I still practiced guitar everyday, I still chased skirts, and I lifted weights 5x per week while eating 6 times a day. On the weekends, I would sell my blood plasma for extra cash and barely study at all.

If you master the art of time management (pick up How to Become a Straight-A Student by Cal Newport) then you'll be just fine.

 

[WhiteSnows]

Before pharmacy school I only had a few white hairs in my head. After the first year, I can see a bunch of them all over my head, and I am losing my hair also.

 

[Thumper17]

Before pharmacy school I only had a few white hairs in my head. After the first year, I can see a bunch of them all over my head, and I am losing my hair also.

Probably because you are too worried over the impending doom of mankind to study properly!

 

[dudecoolname]

Subjective question.

I went to UNC. In the 1st year, we had at least one day off per week with afternoons mostly off. Summer rotations for one month and the rest of the summer off. Depending on how smart you were at registration, the 2nd and 3rd years also could've had one day off per week or none if you weren't so lucky selecting lab sections. 4th year is all rotations with most of December off.

How much free time did I get? I got plenty. I still partied, I still drank and smoked weed, I still practiced guitar everyday, I still chased skirts, and I lifted weights 5x per week while eating 6 times a day. On the weekends, I would sell my blood plasma for extra cash and barely study at all.

If you master the art of time management (pick up How to Become a Straight-A Student by Cal Newport) then you'll be just fine.

...

bahahhhaha!

Is this a joke? Well, maybe not considering your name is "drunkenpharm"

Also, how did you sell plasma w/ drugs in your system...dont they check?

 

[thedrunkenpharm]

I am not joking.

It wasn't like I was chilling with the Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd every day with a big spliff. It was a modest amount.

The plasma center didn't ever notify me of anything objectionable in my plasma because I would let time pass between partaking and selling.

I had a good time in school. Manage your time and have fun because you won't get those years back.

 

[dudecoolname]

I am not joking.

It wasn't like I was chilling with the Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd every day with a big spliff. It was a modest amount.

The plasma center didn't ever notify me of anything objectionable in my plasma because I would let time pass between partaking and selling.

I had a good time in school. Manage your time and have fun because you won't get those years back.

Ok cool, thanks for the advice, ill check out that book too

 

[crazybob]

I was curious what a school year at pharmacy school was like. tried searching and had no luck.

Such as:

How many days out of the year do you go to school? is it pretty much like taking 2 semesters in college? Do you get the summer off? etc.

15~16 weeks of classes, then a week of finals. The lengths and times of breaks depend on the school.

A lot of places are going to have two semesters with the summers off to do whatever you want. You can choose to occupy yourself with intern hours, do research, take time to travel, etc.

If your school is at or near a VA, you might get some extra holidays.

How much free time do you get in a week? Do you spend most weekends studying?

If you consider every hour that you are not in class or lab to be "free time," then I'd say you should feel like you have plenty. Once you get used to your class schedules, you'll know what you feel comfortable doing every day, and you'll work out your own personal schedule.

On the weekends, it really depends on you. Some people go home because they have kids or because of their spouses. Others spend some of their time studying and I think the most common thing is probably to go grocery shopping.

How many "hours" of school in a week?

Im trying to get a good idea of what its like.

Hours in class per week = credit hours you're taking that semester.

That may vary from school to school.

 

[xraided81]

thedrunkenpharm
Member

"I am not joking. I had a good time in school. Manage your time and have fun because you won't get those years back. "

This is great advise from drunken pharm. It would help to find a hobby, and enjoy your last couple of years as a student, there is more to life than studying therapeutics and attending APHA functions in your time off. I learned how to brew beer while i was in pharmacy school, joined a homebrewing club, and visited the local microbrew pubs 3-4 times per week. its all about time management.

 

[joetrisman]

My conclusions are not totally finished as I've only finished two weeks thus far. My impression is that its on par with undergrad in terms of difficulty of information, but the quantity of the info and the speed at which you cover the info is much greater than undergrad. Then again, I'm attending a 3yr program that completes 4yrs worth of stuff in all year long three year thing.

 

[Trankuil]

I start school in August, so i havent experienced it yet. But I am also attending a 3 year, year round program. Its on a block system, tests every other friday, and on the other fridays you are doing your rotations. monday after the test you get off if you pass the test (if not you take another one). 6 weeks off in the summer for remidiation, the normal holidays off, and from what ive heard from students soem days you are only in class 3-4 hours, it depends on the teacher.

 

[charfdorn]

Ok cool, thanks for the advice, ill check out that book too

You really should find some students from the schools you're interested in and ask them.

 

[PharmaTope]

i found it challenging but did well. different people do better in different classes.

i regurgitated a ton of bull**** that i will never ever use in my lifetime and have forgotten by now.

i.e. MED CHEM

a lot of the classes are padded IMO. they just throw them in to justify making you be in school longer and pay more money.

the better question is, what is life AFTER pharmacy like?

Right now, not very positive going forward.

 

[dudecoolname]

^ go on?

 

[aboveliquidice]

i found it challenging but did well. different people do better in different classes.

i regurgitated a ton of bull**** that i will never ever use in my lifetime and have forgotten by now.

i.e. MED CHEM

a lot of the classes are padded IMO. they just throw them in to justify making you be in school longer and pay more money.

the better question is, what is life AFTER pharmacy like?

Right now, not very positive going forward.

This ^ except for the not positive part. Outlook is pretty good for me thus far.

 

[PharmaTope]

This ^ except for the not positive part. Outlook is pretty good for me thus far.

give it time, you got another year left along with another 10,000 + new pharmacists graduating in may and other residents graduating as well.

 

[Sparda29]

How many days out of the year do you go to school? is it pretty much like taking 2 semesters in college? Do you get the summer off? etc.

I go to school Monday-Thursday. Most days are 9-12PM, and one day I have lab and need to stay until 4PM. Fridays are exam days. However, my school has a lot, and a lot of projects to do. So with studying and the projects and homework, I'm pretty much doing school related stuff from 9AM-11PM.(albeit, after classes are over(at 12PM), I go to my friend's hookah bar to study and chill at the same time)

How much free time do you get in a week? Do you spend most weekends studying? I rarely study on the weekends since I study so much during the weekdays. I like to use Saturday for work, then Saturday night and Sunday for play.


That was for the first two years of pharmacy school at Touro NY. Now I have rotations, that's pretty much 9AM-5PM every day. You have some projects to do while on rotations, but nothing too hard if you actually learned something during the 1st two years. You have more free time unless you get the preceptors from hell.

 

[terse]

...it's like high school

 

[crazybob]

...it's like high school

Yup. Let's say that one day, I switch my seat and sit next to Sally.

People are like "omg, that guy is sitting next to sally. I wonder if he likes her" then another person says "I heard they were spending a lot of time alone. I wonder if they're going out!"

 

[dudecoolname]

Yup. Let's say that one day, I switch my seat and sit next to Sally.

People are like "omg, that guy is sitting next to sally. I wonder if he likes her" then another person says "I heard they were spending a lot of time alone. I wonder if they're going out!"

haha, I thought terse was being sarcastic but you seem to agree with what he said

 

[crazybob]

haha, I thought terse was being sarcastic but you seem to agree with what he said

You'll notice a lot more gossip and talking behind people's back in classes.

If some guy and some girl in class were spotted making out in the parking lot or something like that, you'll know it's going to get around and people around you will be talking about it and wondering if they are dating.

Sometimes you can't help but wonder if the girl is really dating that guy, if her FB went from "in a relationship" to "single" the week before you heard this. It makes you think that she dumped her old bf for this guy.

 

[thedrunkenpharm]

I will concur with the similarity of High School to Rx School.

4 years together (ok, 3 if you don't want to count final year rotations) in the same classroom with the same people with the same seat every day. You'll hear gossip and bickering. You'll hear hookups and breakups. You'll see cliques and sub-groups. People will bicker about grades and professors.

Then again, I enjoyed High School because I was a delinquent. Guess that's why I enjoyed Rx school.

 

[dudecoolname]

^how are you enjoying life after pharm school drunkenpharm?

 

[nabokhednazzer]

i am studying in iraq so i will let to immagine the sorts of crazieness where i live!!!!!!

 

[owlegrad]

I will concur with the similarity of High School to Rx School.

4 years together (ok, 3 if you don't want to count final year rotations) in the same classroom with the same people with the same seat every day. You'll hear gossip and bickering. You'll hear hookups and breakups. You'll see cliques and sub-groups. People will bicker about grades and professors.

Then again, I enjoyed High School because I was a delinquent. Guess that's why I enjoyed Rx school.

I guess my class is lucky, I don't see any of this. Or at least very little of it. We are adults, no need for unnecessary drama. I have never been into gossip though, so maybe it does go on and I just don't notice it.

 

[crazybob]

I guess my class is lucky, I don't see any of this. Or at least very little of it. We are adults, no need for unnecessary drama. I have never been into gossip though, so maybe it does go on and I just don't notice it.

Do you know many people in your class? I notice that ones who are social and know almost everyone tend to be the ones who gossip the most.

Ones who don't know that many people seem to not gossip so much.

 

[desklamp]

Subjective question.

I went to UNC. In the 1st year, we had at least one day off per week with afternoons mostly off. Summer rotations for one month and the rest of the summer off. Depending on how smart you were at registration, the 2nd and 3rd years also could've had one day off per week or none if you weren't so lucky selecting lab sections. 4th year is all rotations with most of December off.

How much free time did I get? I got plenty. I still partied, I still drank and smoked weed, I still practiced guitar everyday, I still chased skirts, and I lifted weights 5x per week while eating 6 times a day. On the weekends, I would sell my blood plasma for extra cash and barely study at all.

If you master the art of time management (pick up How to Become a Straight-A Student by Cal Newport) then you'll be just fine.

haha nice. just curious, what did your GPA come out to be in the end?

I'm confused how people end up with so much free time, my classes go from 8 am to almost 5 pm on all days except for tuesday and friday. Tuesday ends really early, and friday gets out at around 1-2pm. Throw in the possibility of TA-ing (or doing research) or an internship on weekends and some weeknights, plus keeping up with class material a bit each night, plus possible pharmacy association/fraternity activities, and I'm starting to freak out. And this is P1 .

Are the classes not that hard, that you can just chill most of the evenings after class is done?

 

[owlegrad]

Do you know many people in your class? I notice that ones who are social and know almost everyone tend to be the ones who gossip the most.

Ones who don't know that many people seem to not gossip so much.

Yikes Bob, can I be somewhere in between?

I know almost everyone in my class. Of course I am only close with a handful of them, mostly other guys. Even the girls that I hang out with don't seem to gossip overly much. I am probably picking the least gossip-y people as my closest friends though, so I suppose there is some truth to the idea that some selection bias is going on here.

I will say the upperclassmen seem to have it much worse than us, I have heard from several of them that the gossip and in-fighting is awful. I really don't think my class is like that (knock on wood).

 

[crazybob]

Yikes Bob, can I be somewhere in between?

I know almost everyone in my class. Of course I am only close with a handful of them, mostly other guys. Even the girls that I hang out with don't seem to gossip overly much. I am probably picking the least gossip-y people as my closest friends though, so I suppose there is some truth to the idea that some selection bias is going on here.

I will say the upperclassmen seem to have it much worse than us, I have heard from several of them that the gossip and in-fighting is awful. I really don't think my class is like that (knock on wood).

I hear gossip about the other classes sometimes, but they usually won't exaggerate IMO. Some girls in my class talk about something someone said and make it seem worse than it actually was.

I've learned to try to be careful when I'm talking to a girl who knows a lot of people in class, because she'll tell all of her friends if she thought you sounded mean even if you didn't say anything in a mean way

 

[owlegrad]

I hear gossip about the other classes sometimes, but they usually won't exaggerate IMO. Some girls in my class talk about something someone said and make it seem worse than it actually was.

I've learned to try to be careful when I'm talking to a girl who knows a lot of people in class, because she'll tell all of her friends if she thought you sounded mean even if you didn't say anything in a mean way

But don't people just learn to not trust "that girl"? I mean when she says something about someone to you do you trust that what she is saying is accurate? Also, could I structured made that question more confusingly?

But seriously I have no patience for gossiping. The more that I think about it, the more I think you may be correct in thinking that the gossip is going on around me and I am just oblivious to it. I don't listen to it and I certainly don't spread it, so people probably don't do it too much around me.

 

[crazybob]

But don't people just learn to not trust "that girl"? I mean when she says something about someone to you do you trust that what she is saying is accurate? Also, could I structured made that question more confusingly?

But seriously I have no patience for gossiping. The more that I think about it, the more I think you may be correct in thinking that the gossip is going on around me and I am just oblivious to it. I don't listen to it and I certainly don't spread it, so people probably don't do it too much around me.

Does your class ever have people who come up with code names for people so that only the "group" or "clique" or "buddies" will know which person they're talking about?

 

[Its Z]

You two girls stop the gossip about your classmates and get a room.

 

[owlegrad]

Does your class ever have people who come up with code names for people so that only the "group" or "clique" or "buddies" will know which person they're talking about?

No, although some people do have nicknames. Nothing in code though - as far as I know. You are making me wonder what people say behind my back.

You two girls stop the gossip about your classmates and get a room.

 

[crazybob]

I know people talk about me in class. How do I know this? I went to a social event for school and got a little crazy. When I got back, some of my classmates, and few upper class students (which were people who did not go to the said event) heard about what happened, and they were talking to me about it

It wasn't anything inappropriate though.

 

[terse]

tons of gossiping going on at my school, more so the class above me though; gossip spreads like wild fire. it really depends on a class' dynamics and the type of people in certain classes.

it's inevitable when you have a class size of 185, majority girls, and 1st through 3rd years all crammed in a small building sharing 2 classrooms. 1st years always get a lot of attention since they're the "fresh meat" that upperclassmen like to check out. i learned the hard way that i was being watched under a magnifying glass

 

[crazybob]

tons of gossiping going on at my school, more so the class above me though; gossip spreads like wild fire. it really depends on a class' dynamics and the type of people in certain classes.

it's inevitable when you have a class size of 185, majority girls, and 1st through 3rd years all crammed in a small building sharing 2 classrooms. 1st years always get a lot of attention since they're the "fresh meat" that upperclassmen like to check out. i learned the hard way that i was being watched under a magnifying glass

That's so true.

I can't contribute much to your second point though, since I'm not a girl.

But I will say that it's easiest to meet someone when you're in the same school and the same buildings. You also run the risk of having people find out about you, and gossiping about whatever you do.

 

[terse]

^ i'm not a girl either

 

[wes011]

I was curious what a school year at pharmacy school was like. tried searching and had no luck.

Such as:

How many days out of the year do you go to school? is it pretty much like taking 2 semesters in college? Do you get the summer off? etc.

How much free time do you get in a week? Do you spend most weekends studying?

How many "hours" of school in a week?

Im trying to get a good idea of what its like.

I just started my 3 year program. We go to school 11 weeks and then are off 2 weeks, year round (44 weeks of classes per year, i.e. the QTR system).

So my days go like this.

M - Class from 830 - 1230, eat lunch, study from 1-6, eat dinner, study from 7-11/12
T - class 930-330, study from 330-11/12
W - class from 930-330 study from 330-11/12
Th - class from 930-430, study from 430-11/12
Friday - professional fridays. Sometimes we have speakers scheduled or additional things we have to attend on campus, if not, we get the day "off". My off day consisted of studying pharmaceutics from 900-500, and then coming back home after visiting my folks and studying 10-3am.

Saturday - I took off completely yesterday, but that is because I studied pretty well during the week.
Sunday - back to the grind. Taking a short break while reading history of pharmacy notes and going to prep for this week. 2 quizzes on Wednesday, 1 exam on Wednesday, 2 exams on Friday.

Professional school is your job. You should assume you are going to put in 40 hour weeks + additional study time.

I have 6 classes which equates into 18 hours. Intro to health care system, history of pharmacy, anatomy and pathophysiology, microbiology, pharmaceutics I, and pharmacy calculations w/ lab.

 

[CUninja]

Gonna be starting P3 year here in a couple weeks.

P1 year was really just an extension of undergrad, to which the school basically admitted. We have students from different educational backgrounds (some with a Masters, some with only the prereq's...sorry to break it to people here, but at least in my class, the more schooling you'd done before, the less you struggled with pharmacy school. Of course there are exceptions.) We all got to know each other pretty well...there have always been cliques but for the most part there are no major complaints. A lot of parties P1 year spring because we got out at 10AM on Thursday. (The school is changing the curriculum for the class of 14, so no longer that way.)

P2 year was 100X more difficult...you just had to put in a ton of effort to pass some classes. A common theme from last year was complaining about school. P2 year is supposed to be our busiest year, though.

There is plenty of time outside of school to do what you want to get done. If you want good grades at my school, you are going to be studying your ass off. Me, not so much...I've spent my time working, getting to know people and riding...there are seven of us from my class alone that find time to go riding for three or so hours every weekend when the weather isn't bad.

So...as an answer to the OP...it's dependent upon your school and whether you want good grades. I, personally, do not think the pharmacy sky is falling, so good grades are not a priority of mine.

 

[thedrunkenpharm]

haha nice. just curious, what did your GPA come out to be in the end?

I'm confused how people end up with so much free time, my classes go from 8 am to almost 5 pm on all days except for tuesday and friday. Tuesday ends really early, and friday gets out at around 1-2pm. Throw in the possibility of TA-ing (or doing research) or an internship on weekends and some weeknights, plus keeping up with class material a bit each night, plus possible pharmacy association/fraternity activities, and I'm starting to freak out. And this is P1 .

Are the classes not that hard, that you can just chill most of the evenings after class is done?

Honestly, after getting in, I didn't give a s*it about my GPA. I can't remember what it was, but I did get mostly B's and C's so it wasn't stellar.

The classes could be super hard (pharmacodynamics comes to mind) but usually there were a couple of classes that you didn't really need to study or read for (Health Systems comes to mind). I chilled most evenings because I studied efficiently. Sure there were times where I'd have to put a weekend in studying but not too much. I wasn't a part of any student groups or clubs nor did I do research. No extracurriculars at all. That saved me a butt load of time.

 

[crazybob]

Honestly, after getting in, I didn't give a s*it about my GPA. I can't remember what it was, but I did get mostly B's and C's so it wasn't stellar.

The classes could be super hard (pharmacodynamics comes to mind) but usually there were a couple of classes that you didn't really need to study or read for (Health Systems comes to mind). I chilled most evenings because I studied efficiently. Sure there were times where I'd have to put a weekend in studying but not too much. I wasn't a part of any student groups or clubs nor did I do research. No extracurriculars at all. That saved me a butt load of time.

That whole "studying efficiently" that people talk about is something I can't seem to figure out well.

In some classes, I just get how to study, so it's not a problem. In other classes, I have to review things over and over again until the hour before the exam and then I get like a C.

What does everyone do to "study efficiently"?

 

[homeslice]

I just started my 3 year program. We go to school 11 weeks and then are off 2 weeks, year round (44 weeks of classes per year, i.e. the QTR system).

So my days go like this.

M - Class from 830 - 1230, eat lunch, study from 1-6, eat dinner, study from 7-11/12
T - class 930-330, study from 330-11/12
W - class from 930-330 study from 330-11/12
Th - class from 930-430, study from 430-11/12
Friday - professional fridays. Sometimes we have speakers scheduled or additional things we have to attend on campus, if not, we get the day "off". My off day consisted of studying pharmaceutics from 900-500, and then coming back home after visiting my folks and studying 10-3am.

Saturday - I took off completely yesterday, but that is because I studied pretty well during the week.
Sunday - back to the grind. Taking a short break while reading history of pharmacy notes and going to prep for this week. 2 quizzes on Wednesday, 1 exam on Wednesday, 2 exams on Friday.

Professional school is your job. You should assume you are going to put in 40 hour weeks + additional study time.

I have 6 classes which equates into 18 hours. Intro to health care system, history of pharmacy, anatomy and pathophysiology, microbiology, pharmaceutics I, and pharmacy calculations w/ lab.

That seems like a pretty outrageous amount of studying, but if you can keep it up, I commend you.

I guess to keep with the theme, I probably average about 10 hrs/week studying (ranging from 0 to ~30 during really busy weeks). The key is being able to sort through all the BS.

 

[wes011]

That seems like a pretty outrageous amount of studying, but if you can keep it up, I commend you.

I guess to keep with the theme, I probably average about 10 hrs/week studying (ranging from 0 to ~30 during really busy weeks). The key is being able to sort through all the BS.

Yeah you are correct on that. I am a career changer, married with a kid so I have to make sure I dont' mess up. Plus since I have been out of school for a while and going back, I want to make sure my study habits are up to par when I hit the harder courses in the third QTR.

 

[desklamp]

That whole "studying efficiently" that people talk about is something I can't seem to figure out well.

In some classes, I just get how to study, so it's not a problem. In other classes, I have to review things over and over again until the hour before the exam and then I get like a C.

What does everyone do to "study efficiently"?

i suppose it means to study and not get distracted during that time and be super focused so you retain all the information and don't have to reread things over and over.

other than that, i'd like to know people's study tips too. i'm taking anatomy now (trying to squeeze in pre-reqs right before school starts) and there is so much info to retain, i seriously am on the verge of just giving up and going for a nice, solid B, since it's not like pre-reqs matter anyways after acceptance...

i imagine memorizing 80 billion drugs will be similar

 

[Sparda29]

i suppose it means to study and not get distracted during that time and be super focused so you retain all the information and don't have to reread things over and over.

other than that, i'd like to know people's study tips too. i'm taking anatomy now (trying to squeeze in pre-reqs right before school starts) and there is so much info to retain, i seriously am on the verge of just giving up and going for a nice, solid B, since it's not like pre-reqs matter anyways after acceptance...

i imagine memorizing 80 billion drugs will be similar

Part of good studying is taking a LOT of breaks. Personally, I play a couple of rounds on Modern Warfare 2, Starcraft 2 every hour when I'm studying. Also, try to study somewhere you're comfortable and relaxed. For me, that is my friend's hookah bar.

And memorization is not too useful in pharmacy school. You just need to understand the basic mechanisms about the different drug classes. Once you figure that out, the rest comes easy. Knowing where to use the drugs in different situations, that comes with rotations.

 

[nicolemsm]

I have 6 classes which equates into 18 hours. Intro to health care system, history of pharmacy, anatomy and pathophysiology, microbiology, pharmaceutics I, and pharmacy calculations w/ lab.

micro in pharm school? sounds off, if anything it should be a pre req for pharm school!

 

[thedrunkenpharm]

Really, I recommend getting that book from Cal Newport and his other book How to Win at College. Lots of great stuff to put things in perspective to make the most of your time in school.