Anyone NOT feel smart enough for Pharmacy???

[BacardiGirl]

I know that was a dorky subject line....please forgive me.

But, in all seriousness, do any of you ever look at the list of classes (pre-req or professional) and wonder, 'Am I even intelligent enough to get through this?' I guess its a sign of insecurity..but when I think about some of the pre-reqs I will need to take within the next year and a half, I get really nervous. Mainly the Calc and Physics courses..those freak me out!
I tend to think of myself as a dedicated, hard-working, bright person/worker/student..but I'm no 'brainiac'....do I just need a confidence booster? I WANT to get through all of this and SUCCEED and become a succesful Pharmacist..but man, is it a pipe dream?

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[Phrm Girl 24]

I know that was a dorky subject line....please forgive me.

But, in all seriousness, do any of you ever look at the list of classes (pre-req or professional) and wonder, 'Am I even intelligent enough to get through this?' I guess its a sign of insecurity..but when I think about some of the pre-reqs I will need to take within the next year and a half, I get really nervous. Mainly the Calc and Physics courses..those freak me out!
I tend to think of myself as a dedicated, hard-working, bright person/worker/student..but I'm no 'brainiac'....do I just need a confidence booster? I WANT to get through all of this and SUCCEED and become a succesful Pharmacist..but man, is it a pipe dream?

I was a little worried before taking the prereqs, but once I started I learned the trick. Believe in your self and study a lot you will do fine. All I did was study and I got A's in all the science prereqs (except biochem)...trust me I never thought I could do that.

 

[SexyPlexi]

Well I just typed out a long response and my mouse went crazy and clicked it away! GRRR! So yeah in short - ditto! Study and show up and work hard and you WILL be ok! 80% of success is showing up (literally and figuratively)👍

 

[BacardiGirl]

All I do during the week after work is study!! LOL Actually, school is a nice break/change..it mixes up my day a bit, instead of just busting my a$$ at work 24/7. I guess I need to mentally prepare myself for the courses I dread!

 

[SexyPlexi]

Yeah I am like that with Biology...I just don't like a lot of it. Then when I go to study "I hate biology" flashes through my head. I really need to just change my mind and decide it is interesting instead. I think next semester when we are doing more things like systems instead of things like glycolosis it will be better.

 

[SexyPlexi]

Oh yeah...and Calculus isn't really that bad as long as you have a good professor. www.ratemyprofessors.com is your friend...and Calculus for Dummies helped me a lot too.

 

[monsterbrain]

Even though I did well in my pre-reqs, I'm nervous about handling 18-21 hrs/semester at pharmacy school. I have been struggling with test taking the last two semesters for some reason. No matter how well I think I know the material, my mind goes completely blank on the tests. It's now like a downward spiral: the more tests I screw up, the more nervous I am on the next test, the more I screw up the next test.🙁

Could this be a symptom of menopause? 😛

Anyway, I think it is normal to have a little insecurity of the unknown.

 

[Farcus]

Well as one of my former employee told me while doing the most mundane job of washing the dishes in the school's dining hall at 9:30pm closing time on a friday night, he just said "I ****ING LOVE IT." I went along with it, and the dishes went out pretty quick lol. I don't actually apply that to my school work since I actually enjoy chemistry and biology and now even calculus but if there was one thing I don't like I think I just might go with "I ****ING LOVE IT."

 

[jackal head]

I know that was a dorky subject line....please forgive me.

But, in all seriousness, do any of you ever look at the list of classes (pre-req or professional) and wonder, 'Am I even intelligent enough to get through this?' I guess its a sign of insecurity..but when I think about some of the pre-reqs I will need to take within the next year and a half, I get really nervous. Mainly the Calc and Physics courses..those freak me out!
I tend to think of myself as a dedicated, hard-working, bright person/worker/student..but I'm no 'brainiac'....do I just need a confidence booster? I WANT to get through all of this and SUCCEED and become a succesful Pharmacist..but man, is it a pipe dream?

noooooooooooooooooooooo, I just spent like 1/2 an hour typing up a really long message and just lost it...well, just work hard man

 

[Drug Doc]

I have always noticed (from personal experience and from hearing my friends vent) that things always look hard and impossible if you are looking into the future. For example, if you are taking your intro basic bio class and you start thinking about how micro is going to be, its obviously going to seem impossible. Just deal with the present and take it as it comes, you will realize that as you progress through each class the following course will seem easy. Well, at least easier than you thought it was going to be. I encourage to study a lot and bust your booty (if that's your style) but try to avoid as much unnecessary stress as possible. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[ffpickle]

it's not the classes i worry about....

like the OP's said, those can be handled with hard work....

it's the "never-ending" end-game....ie. when you ARE a pharmacist and have to remember all of the stuff you learned...there is a lot to remember, and i don't know about you guys but i am still studying for the tests rather than for life, meaning i forget everything as soon as i walk away from the test...

hopefully once in pharm school they teach you to get away from learning just for test purposes and learning it in a way that you remember it forever....i suspect that clinicals and practicals help with this....

just my $0.02

 

[mrblah]

I don't think anyone is born smarter than the other. I just think the "smart" people know how to study more efficiently than you do.

Trust me, when I tell you that I am a idiot. I never got straight A's in HS, dropped out of college, etc, but when I went back to college I pulled straight A's after 10 years.

The reason I pulled straight A's is that I studied. I studied til 9 pm in the library, at least monday to thursday. I never studied friday, or saturday, and only occasionally studied Sunday. After a while, my body got used to these long study sessions, and over time, my body/brain became conditioned to it. I could sit there for hours on end, and come out, actually knowing the crap I just went over. When test came, I was confident, actually overly confident. I knew I was going to get an A.

My motivation to study: I don't want to be a @#$@!!!#!$ tech for the rest of my life. I'm going to sit in this library every day until I get that acceptance letter.

p.s. I did go out on friday and saturday night to "let off some steam" so I didn't become a total vegetable. You have to or you will burn out.

 

[PhatPharm2012]

Don't stress over it BacardiGirl because i'm beginning to believe that the best students are the insecure ones. I was the same way out of high school. I wanted to pursue a career in pharmacy but felt extremely worried when I saw some of the pre-reqs. I thought about pursuing another career because science seemed out of my league. I never thought of myself as intelligent but instead studied really hard for every class. Before every exams, my thoughts were about how i'm going to fail the exam becasue it's too dificult for me. Well, it's 3 years now since I entered college and i'm about to start my first year of pharmacy school. I got accepted to all three schools that I applied to in FL.

 

[Farcus]

I don't think anyone is born smarter than the other. I just think the "smart" people know how to study more efficiently than you do.

Trust me, when I tell you that I am a idiot. I never got straight A's in HS, dropped out of college, etc, but when I went back to college I pulled straight A's after 10 years.

The reason I pulled straight A's is that I studied. I studied til 9 pm in the library, at least monday to thursday. I never studied friday, or saturday, and only occasionally studied Sunday. After a while, my body got used to these long study sessions, and over time, my body/brain became conditioned to it. I could sit there for hours on end, and come out, actually knowing the crap I just went over. When test came, I was confident, actually overly confident. I knew I was going to get an A.

My motivation to study: I don't want to be a @#$@!!!#!$ tech for the rest of my life. I'm going to sit in this library every day until I get that acceptance letter.

p.s. I did go out on friday and saturday night to "let off some steam" so I didn't become a total vegetable. You have to or you will burn out.

Ditto, I think studying is partly conditioning, like if you were slacking in HS and somehow got into a college you wouldn't be used to the workload and the kind of work required, but after freshman year after you wise up and know what to do and start studying everyday you get used to it.

 

[inquirer89]

I was in the same boat as a lot of the posters here; I didn't think I could do it and wasn't "smart enough". I even hated chemistry when I started out my prereqs. Well, I've actually learned to like (not love!) chemistry once I studied and gave my classes 110% of my work and attention. It took some bumps in the road...and even now I'm not always confident, but it's getting there. Just have the passion of wanting to become a pharmacist in mind, and everything will fall into place.

 

[BacardiGirl]

Sometimes I think that outside influences also affect how I feel about my performance/goals. Most of my friends and family think its great that I have a fantastic goal that I am working toward and am enthusiastic about..but at the same time, my mom will be quick to suggest I drop out of school to focus on work and paying bills. etc...and my live-in boyfriend, while supportive, sometimes mentions that I ought to (also) focus on my (god-awful) job and not go 'backwards' by looking for part time work instead to be able to free up more time for classes. I understand their point, since I am in my early 30's and have adult responsibilities now...but...then again, I made this decision to do this on my own, and want to reach it. Do you ever feel lack of support from those closest to you? When I sense that my loved ones don't really think I can 'do this' it affects my own thinking..even though I should not let it.

 

[SexyPlexi]

Sometimes I think that outside influences also affect how I feel about my performance/goals. Most of my friends and family think its great that I have a fantastic goal that I am working toward and am enthusiastic about..but at the same time, my mom will be quick to suggest I drop out of school to focus on work and paying bills. etc...and my live-in boyfriend, while supportive, sometimes mentions that I ought to (also) focus on my (god-awful) job and not go 'backwards' by looking for part time work instead to be able to free up more time for classes. I understand their point, since I am in my early 30's and have adult responsibilities now...but...then again, I made this decision to do this on my own, and want to reach it. Do you ever feel lack of support from those closest to you? When I sense that my loved ones don't really think I can 'do this' it affects my own thinking..even though I should not let it.

Wow what a bummer. That would definitely affect me as well. I feel so lucky that my husband, family, and friends are all super supportive and positive and they always tell me that I am smart enough to do it and they believe in me 100%. Come here whenever you need some positive support and encouragement and keep self talking and telling yourself what you really know to be true: that you CAN do this...whether it be through sheer determination and hard work or just being "naturally" smart - you can still accomplish your goal. Do it for YOU because you deserve the best!

 

[kampungboy]

it's all about finding your niche.. .what works best for you ...
for me .. it was waking up early in the morning at 4.30 am every morning.... 5 days a week.. .to study... before going to school ... that was the only time i can ever concentrate and focus.... and actually learn something concrete....
i think it's because of the cool nice fresh air that you get in the morning ... with the total silence...... ( no text messages, no phone calls, no IM messages.... nothing ... ) that is the best time to study, nobody to disturb you or interrupt your concentration.... although i must say.. .that is the time where you will feel really hungry.....

so you need to find what works best for you ...
some people like studying in the afternoon, some late at night ... some at starbucks, some at the park.. some at the library.. some at the beach.. some while eating ... some in groups... whatever it is ... you need to explore everything... and find what best suits your study habit...
and once you find what's most suitable for you ... use it to the fullest potential and it will benefit you...

cheers.....

 

[cuedee]

Sometimes I think that outside influences also affect how I feel about my performance/goals. Most of my friends and family think its great that I have a fantastic goal that I am working toward and am enthusiastic about..but at the same time, my mom will be quick to suggest I drop out of school to focus on work and paying bills. etc...and my live-in boyfriend, while supportive, sometimes mentions that I ought to (also) focus on my (god-awful) job and not go 'backwards' by looking for part time work instead to be able to free up more time for classes. I understand their point, since I am in my early 30's and have adult responsibilities now...but...then again, I made this decision to do this on my own, and want to reach it. Do you ever feel lack of support from those closest to you? When I sense that my loved ones don't really think I can 'do this' it affects my own thinking..even though I should not let it.

It sucks to have naysayers in your ear especially your mom and boyfriend. These are people that you trust to tell you the truth about yourself so of course what they say is going to affect you. You have to tell yourself they don't know what they're talking about this particular aspect of your life because, honestly, they don't.

 

[Dangflo]

I always doubt if i can achieve becoming a pharmacist. My father has been calling me stupid all my life to a point that i believe it. But nontheless i am trying to prove my worth

 

[Farcus]

I always doubt if i can achieve becoming a pharmacist. My father has been calling me stupid all my life to a point that i believe it. But nontheless i am trying to prove my worth

That'll give me more point to prove to my family that they're wrong... A better motivation than just trying to get into a pharmacy school. It worked for me in college, I wasn't feeling AP US history and one of my close friend was like why are you taking it when you know you wouldn't pass the test. I ended up with a 4.

 

[monsterbrain]

Sometimes I think that outside influences also affect how I feel about my performance/goals. Most of my friends and family think its great that I have a fantastic goal that I am working toward and am enthusiastic about..but at the same time, my mom will be quick to suggest I drop out of school to focus on work and paying bills. etc...and my live-in boyfriend, while supportive, sometimes mentions that I ought to (also) focus on my (god-awful) job and not go 'backwards' by looking for part time work instead to be able to free up more time for classes. I understand their point, since I am in my early 30's and have adult responsibilities now...but...then again, I made this decision to do this on my own, and want to reach it. Do you ever feel lack of support from those closest to you? When I sense that my loved ones don't really think I can 'do this' it affects my own thinking..even though I should not let it.

Keep saying this to yourself every time your family/friends give you negative advice: I'm going to be 38 no matter what. So do I want to be a 38 year old in a "god-awful" job OR a 38 year old pharmacist making a 6-figure salary? It is YOUR life, and you should do what makes YOU happy (as long as you're not hurting anyone, etc.). Stay strong!!

 

[Garfield3d]

You can pretty much lump students into 4 areas: 1.) Inherently smart + hard working, 2.) Inherently smart only (but lazy), 3.) Hard working (but mentally nothing special), and 4.) Neither smart or hard working (bums).

A lot of people really aren't what you would consider inherently smart. We get stuck on logical paradoxes and hard problems take us a long time to understand. Epiphanies don't happen very quickly and we don't instantly recognize things. How you deal with this conundrum is what defines a "good student." As your peers finish their homework early, turn in their tests before you do, or go out to relax while you're stuck at the library, you can either leave your work incomplete or you can accept your deficiencies and compensate for your slower comprehension.

It is certainly helpful to have the support of friends and loved ones in your endeavor, but ultimately you are responsible for your actions and ambitions. This does not mean that you should ignore their words or look down upon their suggestions. However, if need be you will have to be your own pillar of support. As they impart their advice onto you, you must keep in mind that you are the only person who endeavors to be a pharmacist. While your friends and family relate their experiences to you, none of them are familiar with the path that you are taking.

So, in the end, only you will be most qualified to judge the quality of your actions. You're the captain of your own ship. Call the shots as you see fit.

--Garfield3d

 

[jackal head]

Sometimes I think that outside influences also affect how I feel about my performance/goals. Most of my friends and family think its great that I have a fantastic goal that I am working toward and am enthusiastic about..but at the same time, my mom will be quick to suggest I drop out of school to focus on work and paying bills. etc...and my live-in boyfriend, while supportive, sometimes mentions that I ought to (also) focus on my (god-awful) job and not go 'backwards' by looking for part time work instead to be able to free up more time for classes. I understand their point, since I am in my early 30's and have adult responsibilities now...but...then again, I made this decision to do this on my own, and want to reach it. Do you ever feel lack of support from those closest to you? When I sense that my loved ones don't really think I can 'do this' it affects my own thinking..even though I should not let it.

Ultimatley people care about themselves and don't want to see others succeed. The gain you would make by accomplishing this goal will ultimatley be for yourself. Sure your mom and your bf will benefit but they will not feel the satisfaction and fullfilment you will and thus from their perspective it is not a worth the "risk".

That's why you have to be internally driven. Wheter or not you can make it depends on you and no one knows yourself better than you do.

 

[jackal head]

it's all about finding your niche.. .what works best for you ...
for me .. it was waking up early in the morning at 4.30 am every morning.... 5 days a week.. .to study... before going to school ... that was the only time i can ever concentrate and focus.... and actually learn something concrete....
i think it's because of the cool nice fresh air that you get in the morning ... with the total silence...... ( no text messages, no phone calls, no IM messages.... nothing ... ) that is the best time to study, nobody to disturb you or interrupt your concentration.... although i must say.. .that is the time where you will feel really hungry.....

so you need to find what works best for you ...
some people like studying in the afternoon, some late at night ... some at starbucks, some at the park.. some at the library.. some at the beach.. some while eating ... some in groups... whatever it is ... you need to explore everything... and find what best suits your study habit...
and once you find what's most suitable for you ... use it to the fullest potential and it will benefit you...

cheers.....

i second this, its something people often over look but its very good advice

 

[rxlynn]

Keep saying this to yourself every time your family/friends give you negative advice: I'm going to be 38 no matter what. So do I want to be a 38 year old in a "god-awful" job OR a 38 year old pharmacist making a 6-figure salary? It is YOUR life, and you should do what makes YOU happy (as long as you're not hurting anyone, etc.). Stay strong!!

Much better than I could have said it, but I agree so much. To the OP, I am in a similar situation - older student, family responsibilities, non-supportive parents. However, I know that I like pharmacy better than anything else I've ever done in my life, it's going to be a door to provide a better quality of life for my family, and it's going to be one of the top achievements of my lifetime. For all those reasons and more, I get up every morning and tell myself that I can do this. You can too!!

 

[BacardiGirl]

Thank you all for the nice dose of confidence! 🙂

 

[Sirius77]

I just started pharmacy school at Midwestern University in June 2008. I know it has been only a month. But, things are a lot easier then I expected. Yeah, there is a lot to study, our first physiology test was 10 chapter covering 3 weeks of lecture. But, since I am not working this first quarter, I have had adequate time to study. Even thought I haven't been at the top of our class, I am still doing pretty well.

My 2 cents is it boils down to time management, can you manage life, school, family, and studying. This is also, what a 3rd year pharmacy student told me in the group interview that I had at the school. I think she was dead on.

 

[laimyours]

Anyone can do it, it's just how bad they want it. I know i've made a lot of sacrifices to reach my goal of getting into pharmacy school, and will continue to make them as I'm in pharmacy school. Taking 17 units and working 20-30 hours a week, and studying. I don't have much of a social life anymore. Earlier in my college career when I didn't have a focus I couldn't push myself. Like mrblah said it comes down to studying. I know some BRILLIANT people that are horrible students. I know it sounds silly but I don't care if it takes me 20 years and I get rejected 10 times, I'm going to be a pharmacist.

 

[mrblah]

Keep saying this to yourself every time your family/friends give you negative advice: I'm going to be 38 no matter what. So do I want to be a 38 year old in a "god-awful" job OR a 38 year old pharmacist making a 6-figure salary? It is YOUR life, and you should do what makes YOU happy (as long as you're not hurting anyone, etc.). Stay strong!!

I just say "screw them all"😀. You are right, you have to do what you want to do in order to succeed. Nobody is going to live your life for you, so don't let haters out there tell you what you can or cannot do.

 

[xeodragon]

There's a bunch of great stuff written in this thread, and I will +1 the posts about having to make some sacrifices, having good time-management, and how decisions ultimately come down to the individual.

 

[UES Girl]

I feel not smart enough all the time, I am a surrounded by a bunch of people who have been accepted to UCSF either med, dental or pharmacy and I constantly feel like I am not good enough. Needless to say, this has been hindering my application this year - I am almost too scared to re-apply. 🙁

 

[monsterbrain]

I feel not smart enough all the time, I am a surrounded by a bunch of people who have been accepted to UCSF either med, dental or pharmacy and I constantly feel like I am not good enough. Needless to say, this has been hindering my application this year - I am almost too scared to re-apply. 🙁

From what I've read on this forum, you seem to have accomplished quite a bit. Don't you already have a chemistry degree? So I was/am surprised that you did not get accepted. Was it because you were trying to get into just one specific school? Despite your disappointment, you come across in your posts as a highly intelligent gal. I am sure your time is coming. 😍

 

[cinnamoroll12]

I feel not smart enough all the time, I am a surrounded by a bunch of people who have been accepted to UCSF either med, dental or pharmacy and I constantly feel like I am not good enough. Needless to say, this has been hindering my application this year - I am almost too scared to re-apply. 🙁

Same here. I'm surrounded by people who are either planning to apply to UCSF and UCSD only or have been accepted to either of those two schools. I feel weird telling those people that I plan to apply to out-of-state schools too. 😳

 

[hersheyslove]

I know that was a dorky subject line....please forgive me.

But, in all seriousness, do any of you ever look at the list of classes (pre-req or professional) and wonder, 'Am I even intelligent enough to get through this?' I guess its a sign of insecurity..but when I think about some of the pre-reqs I will need to take within the next year and a half, I get really nervous. Mainly the Calc and Physics courses..those freak me out!
I tend to think of myself as a dedicated, hard-working, bright person/worker/student..but I'm no 'brainiac'....do I just need a confidence booster? I WANT to get through all of this and SUCCEED and become a succesful Pharmacist..but man, is it a pipe dream?

"you may not be smart enough for medicine but you always smart enough for pharmacy." That is the quote from my bio instructor at UCLA when i asked him in my third year what path he think i suited for. I got a B in that class. I was naive to think pharmacy are easy and i hate him for life for ruin my self-esteem

 

[Jahrizzone]

The way I think about all the obstacles that are to come, I think of it optimistically. For example, I think about my family, I think about other people in other countries that are not even fortunate to even have a chance to even compete for a spot in a pharmacy school. I think about how great its going to feel when I graduate from pharmacy school and I am able to support my family. All those things boost me up with enough confidence to move forward. I dont give a damn where any of my peers are going to school nor am i worried about their grades. Because what they do is not going to effect me, my future is the result of what I do NOW, and if other people want to put me down because they feel im not good enough , screw them. 😀

 

[sakigt]

Waiting to get another $^*^%^#$#@ hold off my class - I overheard a mentally handicapped guy trying to get his AA without taking Algebra since he had taken it 3 times and couldnt pass. That breaks my heart. THATS "not smart enough." Slacking off and getting a C in Physics isnt "not smart enough" its lazy.

I would guess most people fall into the "lazy" category - which means its something YOU can help.

 

[Tina9]

Hey BacardiGirl and everyone

I read some of your posts. I feel sort of the same way. With pharmacy, I have applied for pharmacy 3 times. Now that I have gotten rejected so many times. I feel like I have almost lost confidence in myself to actually get through the school. Also, I have gotten very nervous in my exams during my final year because of all the negativity from not getting in. Actully, I am from Toronto and the school here doesnt tell u what you have done wrong. I actually think thats kind of mean because u put so much energy and money towards applying and they dont even tell u where u went wrong in your profile.

In terms of family support, My parents are nice but a bit rough...like they want me to do realistic things too. For instance, they dont really want me to do they PCAT, they just want me to relax and enjoy my summer which is nice...but it doesnt bring me my goal. All I am trying to say...is you family probably just wants to stop stressing yourself out with work and enjoy yourseld and live! But that is so f**king hard these day....we are born in such a go-go world...like I haven't taken a summer vacation...actually away from boooks in about 4 years....that sucks!

Even at times I dont feel smart enough for pharmacy which is one reasoon why I am debating to reapply. I have actaully graduated this year and I am going to teacher's college becuase that the only thing descent thing I got into...that I could afford.

But keep in touch.....everybody....I guess we have to just ignore these feelings and reach our goals! Another thing pharmacy is routine work...you will get better at it with time...best of luck!