They wouldn't be calling you back if they weren't interested. I doubt your past lower grades are a huge issue since your overall stats are fine. It's up to you to sell yourself and present a person with a calm, doctorly mien, despite flustering questions. When you know it will be a stress interview, it is much easier to look at it as a game you have to play and keep your cool.
On your campus is there a Career Center where you could ask them to help you practice a stress interview so you remain calm and focused? If not, perhaps family and friends in the know can put you under fire.
Did you take English II and get a higher grade? Is there any evidence that your writing skills are good? (Yes! The "R" writing score.)
Did you already give a good explanation for wanting to drop out of the Pharm school? You need not rehash it here, but revisit it, refine it, add additional insights you've had since submitting.
Do you have a good explanation for how your attraction to pharmacy segued into a greater interest in medicine?
Why only 1 year of clinical experience? Why no nonmedical community service? Perhaps you demonstrated altruism in some other way? Why is the shadowing sparse? Did your Pharm program allow for any patient interaction or did you attend ICU/ward/etc rounds with physicians on the team that could qualify for "shadowing?"
Mind you, I am not personally attacking/criticizing you, but rather trying to think of questions you may have to field, and giving some hints of a good response.
Everyone thank you for the replies, its given me much to think about!
Yes theres a career center on campus and I will look into a mock interview.
I took English II and got a B. English unfortunately was never as good as science or math. The first interview, I did give an explanation of why I wanted to get out of pharmacy and how it helped me decide to go into medicine. I told the interviewer that what I really wanted was more patient contact and I wanted to diagnose and serve them directly. Although, I don't know how strong of a reason this is?
One of the things Im worried about is how schools will view quitting the program. The pharmacy program Im in is a 6 year 2+4 program where there are 2 years of undergrad and 4 years of pharmacy school. Right now Im in my 2nd year of pharmacy school but if it were regular undergrad, it would be my senior year. I can get a bachelors degree after completion of this year. I've asked the dean of pharmacy and I have it in email from her that I can leave, although I do not know if adcoms will accept this? And should I explain this to the interviewer?
Yeah my clinical experience is lacking a bit but I am still doing it right now. In my pharmacy program I had community and hospital experience, except for the most part I was distributing drugs to patient containers and not doing rounds in the ICU. I did get some patient contact at the community though but for the most part I got patient contact through volunteering at the SICU and the shadowing experience I had.
I attempted to get shadowing from more than one physician by calling lots of doctors around NJ but they all did not have time or they felt that their patients would not appreciate having a student observe. When I did get a chance to shadow it was with a family friend. How many hours do most people have?
Sorry for the length and don't worry, I consider this to be very constructive and I appreciate the honesty as now I have more insight as to what to improve upon so thank you!
