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Block Design Pharmacy Schools!!!
- Thread starter Chase Pharm
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i know university of southern nevada in henderson...
and western univ of health sciences in pomona cali. (i think western starts the block system in year two...)
and western univ of health sciences in pomona cali. (i think western starts the block system in year two...)
Congratulations on your acceptance in pharmacy school....Which one are you going to go to????
Thank you for your reply
Thank you....How's school going for you so far???
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What do you guys think is the benefit of block scheduling? I'm kind of terrified for it.
Seriously I don't know how I'm going to be able to focus on one subject for 3-4 hours straight every day of the week. Hopefully I'll adapt or it's going to be a long 4 years.
Seriously I don't know how I'm going to be able to focus on one subject for 3-4 hours straight every day of the week. Hopefully I'll adapt or it's going to be a long 4 years.
Honestly, I think I would prefer a block schedule. Seems easier to concentrate on one subject than trying to juggle a bunch.
As for the OP's question- I think most, if not all, 3 year programs offer the block schedule.
Block systems are good for people who want to study an insane amount of material in a very short amount of time. I love it. However, if you want to study at your own pace, the block system isn't for you.
P.s. you don't spend only 3-4 hours straight in class, you spend the entire 8 hours on one subject, and then another 5 hours after school to grasp what you learned. You slack, you won't pass.
P.s. you don't spend only 3-4 hours straight in class, you spend the entire 8 hours on one subject, and then another 5 hours after school to grasp what you learned. You slack, you won't pass.
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USC does it's therapeutics courses block style. TP I and II 2nd year 1st semester and generally 2-3 TP courses/semester afterwards.
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We have 6 hours of lecture per day @ Pac U - 3 in the morning, 3 in the afternoon (I had not heard that USN was on an 8 hr day). I know of ony a few students that study 3 to 4 hrs everyday (they do exist though). I have a study group after school that breaksdown the info passed during the day. It typically runs 2 hours - longer on some days.
I then study hard the day before the test (right now actually) - If you pass - you have a 3 day weekend. It is the NICEST way to go through pharmacy school. My life is very regimented - almost a relaxed pace as opposed to my undergraduate education(granted - this is my opinion).
If you found yourself liking summer school in high school (same class all day) - this may be for you - If you hated it - I would avoid this block system like the plague.
~above~
~above~
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Sounds good to me...I would rather concentrate on one thing at a time...I don't like to be bombarded with alot of courses...I wish more pharmacy schools would use the block system....I've been doing alot of research on Pacific University and it seems like a very good school...Again, I am from Florida and would like to stay near my family, but I will do what I have to do....
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You got that one right Chase Pharm. I'm trying to stay close to or in the SouthEast, but will do what I have to do.
First year of Western U is semi-block, and second yr is the real block. We have ~3 classes at a time while on semi block, with the block lasting around 10 wks. It helps to only have 3 subjects to keep track of and focus on.
Many students mention the block system when asked during their interview "Why Western?" but then find out it's not what they expected when they hit 2nd yr. As mentioned before, some ppl excel while focusing on one topic while it doesn't work for others. Some profs I've talked to at the school have questioned how well students retain the material since you're learning it really intensely but in such a short amt of time (~1 month per block).
Many students mention the block system when asked during their interview "Why Western?" but then find out it's not what they expected when they hit 2nd yr. As mentioned before, some ppl excel while focusing on one topic while it doesn't work for others. Some profs I've talked to at the school have questioned how well students retain the material since you're learning it really intensely but in such a short amt of time (~1 month per block).
I like the idea of the block system because of concentrating on one class a month...I would think it would help alot of students who get overwhelmed with alot of classes and exams at once....
At USN, it runs from 8am to 3 pm (sometimes longer depending on the professor) although we do get breaks and lunch. The reason we have to study is the 90% pass/no pass rule and 2 week rigid block structure, and for ****s n giggles, the curriculum is designed to get extremely tough from (aug to nov) of our P1 (something about teaching us to think like a pharmacist blah blah blah). The faculty put our top 200 presentation, OTC assessment, p-calc assessment, and hospital shadow days in back to back weeks along with our neuropharmacology block and FA/TG/lipid/AA/glucose syn/degr pathway block (my brain is fried atm). Learning neuropharmacology in 2 weeks was a PITA (100 drugs, what receptors they hit, indications, MOA, contraindications, and ADRs was a PITA).
However, we just finished this, so to be fair, it gets pretty easy from now til our p2 year 🙂 However, the 90 percent pass/fail makes all of us at USN study more than necessary. I aint giving up my 3 day weekend...NEVA!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 I'm not going to lie, there are times where i wish i were somewhere else because there are less stressful ways of becoming a pharmacist.
Touro does block scheduling and I really enjoyed the curriculum my first 2 years (now I'm a P3 and on rotations). Each block was pretty much a different body system, which made things easier to understand and remember.
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We're almost what I would call a modified block, because you will typically have 2 classes per semester that meet throughout the entire semester (but only one day per week). Then, your main block class (or classes) will be overlaid. The current setup does try to ease students into the system, as the P1s main block classes are put into twos (one meets MWF and one meets TTh). P2 and P2 year, the main block you are in meets 5 days per week.
I have somewhat mixed feelings about the block system. I really like that I'm not dealing with 6 or 7 classes all at once. I like that, if you aren't into a particular subject, it doesn't last all that long. However, as another poster pointed out, I'm not sure it's the best for long-term retention of material. Generally, if you are the type of student who keeps up with your material anyway, you will probably do well on the block. If you really enjoyed slacking off for the first month of the semester in undergrad, then you might not like life on the block system.
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