2017 UCSF pharmacy school

www.westernu.edu/pharmacy/
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if you can't remember the names OR the titles of the individuals who talked with us that probably means you didn't interact with them on a close enough level to warrant a "thank you" email

#justsayin'

(and before anyone jumps on me for gettin' a little feisty, my response is more directed towards those individuals who think that they have to email each and every individual they lay their eyes on during the course of an interview; emails should be used as a professional way to thank someone for their time and reinforce a connection/conversation you had with them, not as a 'catch-all' measure to try and make everyone know who you are)
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uhohwhatever said:
if you can't remember the names OR the titles of the individuals who talked with us that probably means you didn't interact with them on a close enough level to warrant a "thank you" email

#justsayin'

(and before anyone jumps on me for gettin' a little feisty, my response is more directed towards those individuals who think that they have to email each and every individual they lay their eyes on during the course of an interview; emails should be used as a professional way to thank someone for their time and reinforce a connection/conversation you had with them, not as a 'catch-all' measure to try and make everyone know who you are)
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I agree with your parenthetical note, but I am absolutely awful with names (and sometimes with titles) and will often forget someone's name the first time I meet them, regardless of the "connection" I had with them. Many times, I forget the name of my interviewer, but if I wrote it down or happened to get a business card, I still send a thank you. Forgetting a name doesn't mean you didn't interact with someone on a "close enough level."

In other words, I don't think the legitimacy of people's inclination to send a thank you email should depend on their memory of this detail. Since there are many more important things that determine whether to send one, I leave it up to individual discretion. just my 2 cents :)
 
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I feel awkward sending out thank yous even if I did interact with the person a lot. It's not like they think you're sending them out of the goodness of your heart. =/

I think she was Cynthia Watchmaker, one of the associate deans. (the last name seems right, but I'm not 100% sure)
 
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Soheila said:
I feel awkward sending out thank yous even if I did interact with the person a lot. It's not like they think you're sending them out of the goodness of your heart. =/

I think she was Cynthia Watchmaker, one of the associate deans. (the last name seems right, but I'm not 100% sure)
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I think they'd appreciate a little thank you here and there after all the hard work they've done :) And yeah, I'm pretty sure you're right on the name.
 
Does anyone know UCSD and UCSF require the trapscript update from the fall. Should i send my update transcript to pharmcas?
 
Soheila said:
I feel awkward sending out thank yous even if I did interact with the person a lot. It's not like they think you're sending them out of the goodness of your heart. =/
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Yep. It looks a lot like sucking up :)
 
does anyone know if we need to complete the CSS financial aid and UCSF online financial aid applications now or after we are "accepted"? forgot what the guy said, but I know everyone submits FAFSA since it's due before we even find out.

Thanks to anyone who knows the answer :D
 
Soheila said:
I feel awkward sending out thank yous even if I did interact with the person a lot. It's not like they think you're sending them out of the goodness of your heart. =/

I think she was Cynthia Watchmaker, one of the associate deans. (the last name seems right, but I'm not 100% sure)
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Ooooh, Cynthia is awesome 8D She really helped me through a period of physical disability during pharmacy school. The whole UCSF SOP staff is amazing, or it was when I went there :p
 
Does anyone remember when Joel said invites would start being sent out?
 
BobbyK said:
Does anyone remember when Joel said invites would start being sent out?
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He said all the decisions will be sent out by April 1 or before. Based on last year's forum, applicants found out starting 1st or 2nd week of March.
 
Every year is different but you can look at the threads from last year, the year before, and so on to get an idea of when decisions are sent out.
 
the wait is killin' me! I know they like to spend time reviewing applicant's file, but still...


does anyone have any information on the types and pay of jobs students get during the semester? I feel like the pay rate in SF should be higher than most other places in the country but I can't find any information on this site or through google...
 
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uhohwhatever said:
the wait is killin' me! I know they like to spend time reviewing applicant's file, but still...


does anyone have any information on the types and pay of jobs students get during the semester? I feel like the pay rate in SF should be higher than most other places in the country but I can't find any information on this site or through google...
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Intern pay is different from Pharmacist pay. From the people I've talked to (UCSF, UCSD, and other recent pharmacy school graduates/students), not everyone even gets paid when getting their intern hours. The person who graduated from UCSF said she made about $30/hr, which was the highest out of everyone she know. She said most people got nothing, and the ones who did get paid got around $11-12/hr. I'm not sure about the types, but I imagine there's quite a variety of pharmacies in SF, as long as you can find an opening.

I'm getting so anxious from the wait!! If they follow last year's notification schedule (which they very well may not), people should start hearing back in the middle of next week, then every few days randomly until the last week and a half of march, when they send out the waitlists.
 
PharmD177 said:
Intern pay is different from Pharmacist pay. From the people I've talked to (UCSF, UCSD, and other recent pharmacy school graduates/students), not everyone even gets paid when getting their intern hours. The person who graduated from UCSF said she made about $30/hr, which was the highest out of everyone she know. She said most people got nothing, and the ones who did get paid got around $11-12/hr. I'm not sure about the types, but I imagine there's quite a variety of pharmacies in SF, as long as you can find an opening.

I'm getting so anxious from the wait!! If they follow last year's notification schedule (which they very well may not), people should start hearing back in the middle of next week, then every few days randomly until the last week and a half of march, when they send out the waitlists.
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Those intern hour pay numbers sound different from what I hear from classmates. I would actually venture to say that most people I know find paying internships, but it can be tough and requires persistence to get that paying internship (best bet is to venture outside SF). I've been hearing that intern pay rates are closer to ~$20/hr than ~$11-$12/hr.
 
JTalbain said:
Those intern hour pay numbers sound different from what I hear from classmates. I would actually venture to say that most people I know find paying internships, but it can be tough and requires persistence to get that paying internship (best bet is to venture outside SF). I've been hearing that intern pay rates are closer to ~$20/hr than ~$11-$12/hr.
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Depends on the type of job you get. Retail pharmacy interns typically get less than at hospital pharmacies ($16-$18/hr starting vs. $20-$25 starting). When all is said and done, you are really just trying to get any job that you can to get your intern hours done and get paid.

I have heard of an intern (not a grad intern) get paid as high as $33-$35/hr around the bay area at a hospital.
 
rycetrix said:
Depends on the type of job you get. Retail pharmacy interns typically get less than at hospital pharmacies ($16-$18/hr starting vs. $20-$25 starting). When all is said and done, you are really just trying to get any job that you can to get your intern hours done and get paid.

I have heard of an intern (not a grad intern) get paid as high as $33-$35/hr around the bay area at a hospital.
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That's good to hear. It'd be nice to have some spending $$$ while we slave away X_X

Hopefully we hear back today/tomorrow!! I'm getting super nervous :scared:
 
I almost hope I'm not accepted. I'm having a hard enough time deciding between two schools, making it three is gonna be even worse! :rolleyes:
 
I've had two nightmares this past week that I've been rejected. :eek:
 
cheepcheep said:
I've had two nightmares this past week that I've been rejected. :eek:
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OMG i had that dream last night. except it was of the admissions director crossing out my essays in red ink. it was awful.
 
Just hang in there guys. Go out and have fun.

I lol'ed at the nightmares but very understandable since I know that a lot of you are anxious and excited.

Best of luck!
 
well, it looks like they're going to start sending out decisions later than they did last year (which was Wednesday of this week). I wonder if they're looking at the interview recordings to make their decisions. That's a scary thought O_O
 
PharmD177 said:
well, it looks like they're going to start sending out decisions later than they did last year (which was Wednesday of this week). I wonder if they're looking at the interview recordings to make their decisions. That's a scary thought O_O
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At least we never have to see those recordings. That would be painful!
 
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Haha right?! That's what I was thinking after we did all that. Someone watching me act out those scenarios... such a strange thought
 
maybe tomorrow.. hopefully. its pretty late today. what time do they normally send them? maybe theyre snail mail this year
 
TeRRaNoXiC said:
I was reading through last year's thread aaaand... they started sending out acceptances on 3/7.. so we can be expecting to hear back any minute now!
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Lolll every time someone posts on here, I get really excited...
 
TeRRaNoXiC said:
I was reading through last year's thread aaaand... they started sending out acceptances on 3/7.. so we can be expecting to hear back any minute now!
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at the risk of sounding obsessed (but let's be honest - I think we're past that now), the 7th was a Wednesday last year, so they're already behind compared to that cycle. Looking at the calendar for this year, I would be surprised if pretty much all the acceptances/denials weren't done by the 21st-22nd, with the waitlists notified the following week. Which means they should start sending them out anytime now - at the latest early next week. That's my theory, anyway. :banana: :beat: :diebanana: :shrug: :flame:
 
Yep, we are obsessed if we're stalking last year's thread xD It's weird to think that next year's class will be reading our posts.
 
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I would also like to mention--to prove that I am obsessed too-- that there were only 28 days this February. Just sayin'! Do I win?!?
 
TeRRaNoXiC said:
They are, but my friend who goes to UCSF as a P1 now got her letter in mid-march during finals week last year (for those of us on the quarter system), so I wouldn't read into it that much.
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Wait, you know they are watching our recordings?!? Oh the horror!
 
aspharmstudent said:
http://pharmdadmissions.ucsf.edu/2013/03/making-progress-one-candidate-at-time.html
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omg i was just checking that earlier, too. if he's traveling tomorrow, i wonder if they're going to be sending out anything then :confused:

it makes me a little uneasy to think about them picking apart my application so much. in their eyes, what does it really mean to be a "good fit" for ucsf? they emphasize "serving the underserved," communication skills, and diversity, but I'm curious as to what other specific traits they look for.
 
I'm torn between UCSF and USC :/ My heart says SF but I really want to go into industry and it seems USC might be the better choice for that goal.
 
I'm torn between UCSD and UCSF, I live in SD so its definitely convenient and I know UCSD has a very good program. On the other hand, UCSF really impressed me with their interview day and their facilities. And of course their reputation as number 1 is important but moreover their reputation as pioneers in the field of clinical pharmacy and healthcare in general makes me want to be a part of that. I know UCSD has some great research that goes on there and great faculty but I don't know anything about their facilities or what kind of prospects I might have out of school versus going to UCSF. Anyone want to weigh in?

Also for anyone who recently got admitted to UCSD, did you get a background check email? I was admitted on Monday but haven't received anything, I haven't accepted the offer yet though so I don't know if that is why.
 
aw man... i guess we have to wait a few more days :(
 
TeRRaNoXiC said:
Personally I'm not judging a school based on how they run interview day because it's a one-day thing where they know and you know that you will be evaluating each other. So in a sense what you see is not very representative of what the school and culture is really like. For example, how USC ran interview day was terrible, I would give it a 3/10 in terms of overall organization and presentation, but since I know tons of people who go to USC and have attended several programs that they offer I know that they are much better than how they advertised themselves at the interview. Anyone get the same feeling?



And no, I didn't get a background check email yet.
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yeah that's kinda what happened to ucsd for me. based on the impression from the interview day, i would have picked ucsf > usc > ucsd. but after re-evaluating ucsd, I'm having trouble deciding between that and usc now, with the usc deposit due in just a few days. but I love ucsf too. :scared:

it looks like we won't be hearing back from ucsf until at least next week :/
 
dktaba said:
I'm torn between UCSD and UCSF, I live in SD so its definitely convenient and I know UCSD has a very good program. On the other hand, UCSF really impressed me with their interview day and their facilities. And of course their reputation as number 1 is important but moreover their reputation as pioneers in the field of clinical pharmacy and healthcare in general makes me want to be a part of that. I know UCSD has some great research that goes on there and great faculty but I don't know anything about their facilities or what kind of prospects I might have out of school versus going to UCSF. Anyone want to weigh in?

Also for anyone who recently got admitted to UCSD, did you get a background check email? I was admitted on Monday but haven't received anything, I haven't accepted the offer yet though so I don't know if that is why.
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i got the background check email, but it was a day after i got into usc. so i'm not sure if ucsd or usc initiated it.
 
Yes I agree a decision shouldn't be based solely on an interview day but I would think that since it is the schools one shot to show off and show you what distinguishes them from any other programs that they would try to wow you. But I've also done a lot of research on both schools reading about the programs and talking to current students and graduates of the programs. I think ultimately with USC, UCSD or UCSF you can't go wrong. Just gotta pick the school that you think will provide you with the environment and program that suits you as an individual and where you feel you can excel the most.
 
dktaba said:
I'm torn between UCSD and UCSF, I live in SD so its definitely convenient and I know UCSD has a very good program. On the other hand, UCSF really impressed me with their interview day and their facilities. And of course their reputation as number 1 is important but moreover their reputation as pioneers in the field of clinical pharmacy and healthcare in general makes me want to be a part of that. I know UCSD has some great research that goes on there and great faculty but I don't know anything about their facilities or what kind of prospects I might have out of school versus going to UCSF. Anyone want to weigh in?

Also for anyone who recently got admitted to UCSD, did you get a background check email? I was admitted on Monday but haven't received anything, I haven't accepted the offer yet though so I don't know if that is why.
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Is UCSF or u Minnesota the pioneers of clinical pharmacy? Ppl at Minnesota say they are the pioneers.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using SDN Mobile
 
There can be more than one pioneer...
 
I guess it's possible we could start hearing back any moment now :scared:

having email on my phone is the worst thing EVER. every random vibration immediately sends me into panic mode.
 
PharmD177 said:
I guess it's possible we could start hearing back any moment now :scared:

having email on my phone is the worst thing EVER. every random vibration immediately sends me into panic mode.
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I totally get you! Although I set my phone to not automatically vibrate when I get emails, I'm still super anxious. In fact, I check my email, this forum, and Joel's blog very frequently - if not too frequently, to just see if there are any status updates.

I hope we hear soon, but I understand they're just doing their best to thoroughly assess all candidates before finalizing on their decisions.
 
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