Revived Admissions Committee Member/SOP Administration Perspectives Thread

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BelmontUSOP2

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SDN members:

For many months a vibrant thread of conversation existed on SDN (of which I was an occassional participant) that provided the opportunity to pose questions directly to pharmacy faculty/administration in an attempt to demystify the application process.

Within the past 2-3 months, however, the original thread was discontinued (although you can access it and see its history...and demise)/abandoned. That was a loss.

I would like to offer a continuation of the SDN-based discussion that that original thread started within the following stipulations:

1. I can't read individual personal statements. I wish I could, but I don't have the time.
2. There are questions I can/can't answer. Accept this reality.
3. I don't live on-line 24/7. At best I can try to respond within 24-48 hrs. Assume that there is valuable information to be gleaned from other voices than mine.
4. Some of your questions will leave me scratching my head. Enjoy the moment with me. Maybe together we can learn something new.

I'm willing to offer up my 20+ years experience in pharmacy education and administration to answer reasonable (not redundant) questions. Please access the SDN archives first before posing questions. While the question is new to you, there's a good chance that someone else has asked it directly or indirectly.

If I can be of service, will.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Belmont U SOP
 
How important are LORs? I always assumed that most people are going to have good ones so they don't really help you that much but it can hurt you if you pick someone who doesn't write you a good one. Are there cases where people get in who otherwise wouldn't because their LORs are so stellar?
 
diastole said:
How important are LORs? I always assumed that most people are going to have good ones so they don't really help you that much but it can hurt you if you pick someone who doesn't write you a good one. Are there cases where people get in who otherwise wouldn't because their LORs are so stellar?
Click to expand...

LORs are important, even if, at times, they seem to be a bit of a ritual to every one involved in the admissions process. Their importance lies in reaffirming information that is presented in the other parts of an application: prior experiences, academic acumen, motivation, ethic, etc. The letters present another person's perspective on the applicant, and, thus, provide a type of triangulation of data.

Don't assume that all LORs are glowing. They aren't. Many are dull and recount only basic facts. Others are so overblown as to be rendered meaningless by the reader. The letters that have legs, however, are those that speak about the PERSON who is applying. It's by reading about this person that admissions committees get a more 3-D understanding of the person behind the application.

We are looking for best fits to our programs. In a world where 1500 applicants exist for 75 seats, programs can attend to this important issue. We read and listen. LORs also provide info to help us shape the interview session(s) or to compare notes to following.

LORs count. Take them seriously. Only ask serious, honest, quality-focused people to write them. Otherwise, you'll end up with generic, yadda-yadda letter that don't help to differentiate you from the other 1500 packets under consideration.

Thanks for the question.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Belmont USOP
 
PharmCAS is up and running and schools are gearing up to receive their first applications for the 2010-2011 academic year. That means that it's that time of the year that questions about the admissions process start to surface....admittedly, the questions hit tsunami status in Jan, though as March filing deadlines near.

That said, the purpose of this thread is to provide a neutral venue to ask questions about admissions processes and to get answers (some from me) about the process. The goal is to demystify the process and to debunk myths that swarm around this topic.

If I can't answer, I won't. Rather, I'll find an experienced colleague who can. That's a promise.

My motivation: I'm at a point where I can give back to others in a manner that my mentors gave to me early in my career.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Professor of Pharmacy
Belmont U SOP
 
Although this doesn't apply to me, I'm curious from another thread (Fail).

How much does failing a pre-req affect you? What if you fail it TWICE? What if you fail multiple pre-reqs once, but retake them all and do fine the second time?

It seems to me like that would call into serious question the ability of the student to pass their pharmacy classes on the first time. However, many people on this forum have gotten in after failing a class (or several) or even failing a class like organic MULTIPLE times.

So I'm just curious if a student who has a B, B+ average is better than a student who has a B+/A- average...but several retakes.
 
If the admissions process were just a look at numbers, not people and contexts, the process would be over in a matter of days. Apps would arrive, 6 or 7 data points extracted, placed into a spreadsheet, run in decending sum numeric order, and letter autogenerated to the top X on the list. Fortunately, that's not the state of practice.

Prior coursework, and an applicant's performance therein, is a question that all admissions committee members look at. How they react, and subsequently act, depends on several factors: individual biases, personal history, committee guidelines/protocol, institutional mission, etc. Each program differs in how its personnel (singly and collectively) view the issue of poor(er) prior performance in courses, regardless of retakes. There are schools that have as part of their applicant review process/calulator items that address retaken courses.

The issue gets squirrelier when you realize that there are instances within the issue that brush up against legal issues. For example, the State of Kentucky has a provision in state higher education statute that provides for an "academic forgiveness" program, whereby students who are willing to start over can do so with no prior coursework showing up on their official transcripts. While some see this as unfair, etc., other institutions must think carefully about penalizing any applicant who comes to them having been part of this program because the program is legally created, consistently managed, and, because of the nature of rules governing the accreditation of colleges and universities: other institutions have already agreed through binding processes, to accept transcripts from other accredited institutions with confidence.

I know that this isn't the answer you want, but I offer it as a reminder of the art and the science of admissions decision making. Numbers predict only a small range of potential. There is a lot to be said for initiative, sticktoitness, and adversity in an applicant, because these can be the foundation on which a caring, competent and humble, patient-centered provider of pharmaceutical care can be developed.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean & Professor
Belmont USOP
 
Can an upward trend help avoid an pre-interview rejection even if the final cGPA and sGPA's hover around or below 3.0 (if the other factors like ECs, LoRs, and PCATs are sufficient)"

What if the upward trend in GPA isn't a steady incline...it's more of a sudden jump from roughly a 2.3 during the first 80 units to a 3.8+ for the remaining 60 units?

Thank You.
 
What is your opinion on the future of pharmacy as a career. Do you believe we are heading toward a surplus, how will Walgreen's POWER program affect the future of pharmacy, Do you believe that Universal Health Care if passed could be a plus for pharmacy (I think that it might bring more people to doctors and more patients to pharmacy) Do you believe that salaries will decrease due to programs like POWER, Mail order pharmacy a possible surplus (I think pharmacy is a great profession regardless of salary but considering that I will be $170,000 in debt I am kind of depending on making X amount of dollars to pay it back.) Oh yeah, one more thing why is it that pharmacist don't have a stronger voice in stopping things that might hurt the profession like POWER, remote verifying, etc
 
dempsie5688 said:
What is your opinion on the future of pharmacy as a career. Do you believe we are heading toward a surplus, how will Walgreen's POWER program affect the future of pharmacy, Do you believe that Universal Health Care if passed could be a plus for pharmacy (I think that it might bring more people to doctors and more patients to pharmacy) Do you believe that salaries will decrease due to programs like POWER, Mail order pharmacy a possible surplus (I think pharmacy is a great profession regardless of salary but considering that I will be $170,000 in debt I am kind of depending on making X amount of dollars to pay it back.) Oh yeah, one more thing why is it that pharmacist don't have a stronger voice in stopping things that might hurt the profession like POWER, remote verifying, etc
Click to expand...

This is a lot of questions and it will take months to finish answering.
 
This came up in another thread. If a student failed a course because he was caught cheating two years ago is this pretty much an automatic rejection if he discloses it and expresses regret or is there a chance that the committee will overlook it if the application is otherwise strong?
 
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diastole said:
This came up in another thread. If a student failed a course because he was caught cheating two years ago is this pretty much an automatic rejection if he discloses it and expresses regret or is there a chance that the committee will overlook it if the application is otherwise strong?
Click to expand...

It is an automatic rejection.
 
Upward trends can help. Certainly.
You must consider the following first:
1. Do you meet minimum requirements for application consideration?
2. Can you articulate a convincing reason why you want to join this profession?

If you can answer "yes" to both, then apply and don't spend an inordinate amount of time obsessing about issues outside of your control.

All that you can control is how you educate schools about you and your interest in becoming part of their community. Focus on this.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Belmont USOP

sle3pyguii said:
Can an upward trend help avoid an pre-interview rejection even if the final cGPA and sGPA's hover around or below 3.0 (if the other factors like ECs, LoRs, and PCATs are sufficient)"

What if the upward trend in GPA isn't a steady incline...it's more of a sudden jump from roughly a 2.3 during the first 80 units to a 3.8+ for the remaining 60 units?

Thank You.
Click to expand...
 
So much depends on the context and the way in which the applicant expalins events. While some institutions may choose not to consider such an applicant, there is no single opinion on the issue nationwide.

In the past 20+ years, I've been part of admissions committees that have admitted students in the scenario described...even recently. And, I am happy to state, in each case, it was a decision I never regretted. These were individuals who screwed up big time, paid major penalties, lost the respect of others, and even themselves, but learned some important lessons that they were able to channel toward setting themselves up for success.

I do not condone dishonesty. Nor, do I tolerate absolute intolerance. The world of professional practice is one of indeterminacy and grey. The art of practice is listening, watching and feeling for the information one needs to determine what is the most certain thing in the midst of uncertainty. Contrition can be real...even lifechanging.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Belmont USOP
diastole said:
This came up in another thread. If a student failed a course because he was caught cheating two years ago is this pretty much an automatic rejection if he discloses it and expresses regret or is there a chance that the committee will overlook it if the application is otherwise strong?
Click to expand...
 
Please relax. The most critical issue in any early decision application is straightforward: complete it by any posted deadline.

That one hurdle is the most effective screen one can use with early admissions processes, because many folk can get their act together to meet a deadline that's been posted for months.

Worry less about one issue; most life-changing factors are big issues, more complex than one variable.

Your goal with any application is to get on the interview list. Once there, you get the chance to pitch you are a desirable commodity. The entire process is one of sales -- we are all trying to create strong matches so that the resulting bonds will be strong enough to last for the years during and after the formal education at the SOP.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Belmont USOP

Jetninjin said:
Hello,

... trying not to give away any personally-identifying info here, so please bear with me!! =)

I am applying Early Decision to a top-10 school with a high GPA and a 4.0 in all my math and science courses. I just took the PCAT and scored very, very high in both composite and in all subsections except Quant, where my percentile is absolutely dismal (<40). Long story short, due to reasons beyond my control, something happened and I was in a ton of physical pain, which was very distracting and I ran out of time. Quant was the last section on the PCAT, and is therefore the only one where my score was impacted.

So I have almost perfect stats - and a high composite! - except for this one horrible subsection.

I really don't want to retake the PCAT since the rest of my numbers are so high - plus the next PCAT would be past the Early Decision date so it would be moot.

I guess my question is, how much is this one subsection going to hurt me? Will ad adcom consider my explanation and give me the benefit of the doubt? It is so frustrating, I have done so well on everything else, I don't want my fate to hinge on one non-science subsection I couldn't control .... >.<

Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
Thank you so much ... it is hard for us to see the forest for the trees sometimes I guess!
 
BelmontUSOP2 said:
So much depends on the context and the way in which the applicant expalins events. While some institutions may choose not to consider such an applicant, there is no single opinion on the issue nationwide.

In the past 20+ years, I've been part of admissions committees that have admitted students in the scenario described...even recently. And, I am happy to state, in each case, it was a decision I never regretted. These were individuals who screwed up big time, paid major penalties, lost the respect of others, and even themselves, but learned some important lessons that they were able to channel toward setting themselves up for success.

I do not condone dishonesty. Nor, do I tolerate absolute intolerance. The world of professional practice is one of indeterminacy and grey. The art of practice is listening, watching and feeling for the information one needs to determine what is the most certain thing in the midst of uncertainty. Contrition can be real...even lifechanging.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Belmont USOP
Click to expand...

While I respect both your experience and your position, I disagree with this sentiment. To accept a person who has made the choice to cheat is a logically flawed perspective. There will always be more applicants than positions to be filled. In regard to this situation, someone that has a damaged sense of ethics should not be chosen over a person who does not.

If a person is willing to cheat, knowing full well the expectations of conduct, there is no way you can tell the depth to which their moral compass is damaged. What happens the next time a morally ambiguous situation arises? I would go with the person who has made the right choice a thousand times before going with the one who has made the wrong choice.

Every school I have attended, including the pharmacy program I currently attend (of which I am a full member of the admissions committee), has a zero tolerance academic dishonesty policy. I would imagine that Belmont has a similar policy. If you would remove a student from your ranks if they cheated in pharmacy school, why would such an activity not preclude admission in the first place?
 
Last edited:
I just discovered that I made a mistake on my pharmcas in one of my academic awards section. I recieved President's list honors, but called it the Dean's list for some bonehead reason. Should I e-mail each school I apply to to correct this?
 
Errrors to your PharmCAS application can be corrected/updated by you at any time. Each program that you have identified for PharmCAS to send your application materials to will receive updates to your file anytime there is new information/change of information in the database. For example, you change your phone number, PharmCAS downloads your file to the schools targeted at the next download window (about every 2 weeks).
 
BelmontUSOP2 said:
Errrors to your PharmCAS application can be corrected/updated by you at any time. Each program that you have identified for PharmCAS to send your application materials to will receive updates to your file anytime there is new information/change of information in the database. For example, you change your phone number, PharmCAS downloads your file to the schools targeted at the next download window (about every 2 weeks).
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for your prompt reply. I was really freaking out about that error. Actually, I've just been very anxious about everything. Anyhow, I really appreciate your presence here, and I find your advice extremely helpful.

Thank you!
 
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BelmontUSOP2 said:
to pitch you are a desirable commodity. The entire process is one of sales --
Click to expand...
First, thank you very much for starting the thread and for answering the questions.

Now that you mentioned that the entire process is one of sales, what characteristics do you consider a desirable commodity must have?

Thank you again!
 
Miss Arm said:
First, thank you very much for starting the thread and for answering the questions.

Now that you mentioned that the entire process is one of sales, what characteristics do you consider a desirable commodity must have?

Thank you again!
Click to expand...

Dr. Hobson can probably add more, but I'd say one of the most important characteristics is to be a good communicator.
 
Please note that my statement of selling yourself within the admissions process is in no way meant to denigrate the integrity of the process nor the qualifications of applicants against another. Rather, I use the term to help isolate a concept that is very important to the process: identifying what one has to offer a program that might help them decide to learn more about you. This is a key first step in getting a seat in any program...getting the attention needed to secure an interview. The interview is where the process of getting an invitation to join a class really occurs. It's the chance for the program to find out about the real person behind the paper portrayal.

So, with that disclaimer out of the way, assets include:
- completed undergraduate degrees (shows ability to complete programs, not just pre-reqs)
- mid-twenties or older (suggests more life experience, maturity)
- miliatry experience (discipline, tolerance for scedules that aren't about personal convenience)
- full-time volunteering (Peace Corp, Teach for America, etc.) suggests a serious commitment to others and ability to do without so that others can have.
- recognition for speaking and/or writing ability (communication skills are essential for professional success now, and will only increase as the profession changes)
- unique prior jobs (can pique interest to learn more. I had a friend who got a plum summer internship during law school because he had listed on his resume that he was a certified stuntman [due to an acting job that required him to fall from a rooftop] and the interviewer wanted to meet a stuntman)
- non-health care, but parallel skills/experience (example: information management systems expertise is akin to emerging medical informatics and e-prescribing initiatives)
- motivation
- ability to juggle multiple responsibilities
- management experience, including personnel management

Please notice that I've not listed the standards: high PCAT, GPA, etc. These are the standard/expected items. You need to think of yourself outside of this very narrow norm.

We can discuss this list and its expansion further as interest demands.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Belmont USOP

Miss Arm said:
First, thank you very much for starting the thread and for answering the questions.

Now that you mentioned that the entire process is one of sales, what characteristics do you consider a desirable commodity must have?

Thank you again!
Click to expand...
 
Hi Dr. Hobson, thanks so much for taking your time out to answer our questions!
Sorry if some of my questions seem to basic...I was a premed and had intentions of applying to med school until recently. I'm still trying to figure out which is the best career.

- I'm interested in becoming a clinical or hospital pharmacist. As far as I understand, the route to getting there is first getting your pharmD, and then doing clinical residencies afterwards? So how does the PhD or masters in pharmacy play in all this? Do I need to get a phD in order to become a clinical pharmacist?

-How does the name of your undergraduate institution play a role (if any) in admissions?
 
The PharmD degree is the only degree route to practice pharmacy (regardless of setting) in the United States and is the only accreditable degree option recognized by the Accreditation Council on Pharmacy Education (the US professional accred body for pharmacy).

Should you wish to add to the training and skill set developed in the PharmD program (as a subset of grads do), your options are a residency/fellowship program, a Master's program or a Ph.D. program. The Ph.D. is the research focused degree program, while the PharmD is not. The PharmD focuses on the art of delivering care while the Ph.D. focuses on extending the range of what options exist for care and refining what we already know through systematic testing.

This model is analogous to the MD, MD-PhD difference that one sees in many teaching hospitals. Within the MD cohort we find a subset of who have chosen further education and, while they may work directly with patients, are also engaged in a range of other research-based activity.

As for the second question, worry less about names than about the person. An applicant's home UG institution is no indicator for the quality or integrity or the lived experience of the applicant.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Belmont USOP

phillips101 said:
Hi Dr. Hobson, thanks so much for taking your time out to answer our questions!
Sorry if some of my questions seem to basic...I was a premed and had intentions of applying to med school until recently. I'm still trying to figure out which is the best career.

- I'm interested in becoming a clinical or hospital pharmacist. As far as I understand, the route to getting there is first getting your pharmD, and then doing clinical residencies afterwards? So how does the PhD or masters in pharmacy play in all this? Do I need to get a phD in order to become a clinical pharmacist?

-How does the name of your undergraduate institution play a role (if any) in admissions?
Click to expand...
 
Advice:

We are entering the time within the next 4-8 weeks when many schools that offer an early admissions option within their admissions cycle start to close that door.

If you are planning to apply for consideration as an early decision applicant, you will need to make certain that you got ALL of your required materials in (to PharmCAS and the school) before the closing date. Many of these programs stipulate that the application must be complete (all materials received) by the closing date for the decision period.

Check your deadlines and then get over to your planning calendar. Carve out the time to complete the application. You can't be considered until you apply.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Belmont USOP
 
Hello Dr. Hobson,

I have a question regarding LOR and work experience. I am a certified pharmacy tech, yet have not worked in a pharmacy. I found a clerical job at the university I attend that pays above the usually pharmacy tech pay, and cannot afford to leave the school job because I can't support myself on the technician wages.

Would me not having pharmacy experience, and most likely not having a letter of recommendation have a large negative effect on my application? I have hundreds of volunteer hours through a service organization, and have other strong letters of recommendation from professors and professional managers. I am just concerned that a review committee would doubt my interest in the field as I don't have first hand experience.

Thank you in advance for any advice
 
I've asked the forum this, but I thought it'd be nice to get the input of a member of someone on an Admissions committee.

What are your thoughts on alternative medicine, and the study of it to supplement your pharmacy education? I am thinking of mentioning this in my personal statement, but I have been met with much negativity with regards to this from prepharm students. Please note, I do not want to have a career in alternative medicine, as so many are quick to say I should do when I bring it up. I want to be a pharmacist HOWEVER the community I hope to work for is big on alternative medicine. I would like to study a bit on it, so I can determine if there will be drug interactions between their prescribed drugs and their alternative medicines. What would your (and your colleagues') opinion be if you read a personal statement mentioning this?

Thank you very much! I have been debating this for days as I have been trying to finish up my personal statement.
 
busyizzy said:
I've asked the forum this, but I thought it'd be nice to get the input of a member of someone on an Admissions committee.

What are your thoughts on alternative medicine, and the study of it to supplement your pharmacy education? I am thinking of mentioning this in my personal statement, but I have been met with much negativity with regards to this from prepharm students. Please note, I do not want to have a career in alternative medicine, as so many are quick to say I should do when I bring it up. I want to be a pharmacist HOWEVER the community I hope to work for is big on alternative medicine. I would like to study a bit on it, so I can determine if there will be drug interactions between their prescribed drugs and their alternative medicines. What would your (and your colleagues') opinion be if you read a personal statement mentioning this?

Thank you very much! I have been debating this for days as I have been trying to finish up my personal statement.
Click to expand...

I apologize for jumping in on your answer but I read this on the pharmacy forums and thought of your situation. One of the pharmacists mentioned how the physicians love it when the ER pharmacist has knowledge about alternative medications because a surprising amount of people have reactions or OD on them. The specific comment is #2 of this thread:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=653325
 
Given the hoopla that surrounds pharmacy experience in the application & interview process, it's easy to get paranoid about needing to work in a pharmacy in order to get into pharmacy school. Let's be rational for a second, however, and consider the fact that each school annual admits competent and ultimately successful students who have never set foot in a pharmacy of any sort except as a paitent.

Now, admitting that admissions committees are staffed, in large part, by pharmacy faculty (many of whom are pharmacists) there is a bias (stated and/or unstated) toward folk who may better understand the realities of pharmacy as a result of having worked in a pharmacy at some point.

My belief is this: meaningful work in environments that have serious performance expectations and that can support the develoment of maturity, strong ethical stances and a committment to others can occur equally well on a construction site as in a Revco, on a John Deere combine as in a basement hospital pharmacy distribution center, or at a food kitchen instead of a small-town independent pharmacy/soda shop. The challenge for the applicant is to educate the committee members about the work experience and its many values.

In the scenario you recount, there is a logical, compelling reason for making the employment decision you have. How can anyone with real-world experience challenge that decision as non-appropriate? And, frankly, any program that perpetuates an instutional bias against broad work and volunteer experiences that aren't specifically pharmacy-based is a program that I would think about discovering what are the other biases that are in place there. It may not be an environment that offers you a best fit.

You control your story and its telling. Figure out how to best leverage the many valuable experiences (paid and volunteer) that you have. You are packaging yourself as someone whom the committee members want to invite in for a face-to-face interview. That's your primary goal at this point in the application process.

I hope this response provides some reassurance and a strating point for crafting your presentation of yourself, your decisions, and your experiences.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Belmont USOP

Theta16 said:
Hello Dr. Hobson,

I have a question regarding LOR and work experience. I am a certified pharmacy tech, yet have not worked in a pharmacy. I found a clerical job at the university I attend that pays above the usually pharmacy tech pay, and cannot afford to leave the school job because I can't support myself on the technician wages.

Would me not having pharmacy experience, and most likely not having a letter of recommendation have a large negative effect on my application? I have hundreds of volunteer hours through a service organization, and have other strong letters of recommendation from professors and professional managers. I am just concerned that a review committee would doubt my interest in the field as I don't have first hand experience.

Thank you in advance for any advice
Click to expand...
 
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Continuing professional development is a key to professional success and personal fulfillment. Learn broadly (and, at time deeply) about as many aspects of your professional practice (direct and tangential) as you can. It is enjoyable and beneficial. You stay engaged and your patients and colleagues benefit.

Complementary and alternative theraphy is a reality in the US health care system and to function within it, one needs to know as much as one can about the broad details and the local trends that will affect you and your patients' lives.

Most SOPs are offering, at the least, increasingly complex elective courses on topics in this area of practice. All pharmacy students should take advantage of the opportunity to learn about this large, but often unacknowledged, area of contemporary health care.

Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Belmont USOP

busyizzy said:
I've asked the forum this, but I thought it'd be nice to get the input of a member of someone on an Admissions committee.

What are your thoughts on alternative medicine, and the study of it to supplement your pharmacy education? I am thinking of mentioning this in my personal statement, but I have been met with much negativity with regards to this from prepharm students. Please note, I do not want to have a career in alternative medicine, as so many are quick to say I should do when I bring it up. I want to be a pharmacist HOWEVER the community I hope to work for is big on alternative medicine. I would like to study a bit on it, so I can determine if there will be drug interactions between their prescribed drugs and their alternative medicines. What would your (and your colleagues') opinion be if you read a personal statement mentioning this?

Thank you very much! I have been debating this for days as I have been trying to finish up my personal statement.
Click to expand...
 
phillips101 said:
- I'm interested in becoming a clinical or hospital pharmacist. As far as I understand, the route to getting there is first getting your pharmD, and then doing clinical residencies afterwards?
Click to expand...

Having worked in a hospital as a tech, I can say that there were both pharmacists there that did residencies, and ones that did not. Several of the pharmacists that did not do residencies were fairly new (less than 3 years of experience), so don't get too caught up in "having" to do a residency.

However, I will say that the pharmacists that did residencies were very glad that they did them. They felt that it better prepared them for a clinical setting. They highly recommened anyone interested in becoming a clinical pharmacist doing a residency.
 
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