Does the school you attend matter?

[Glycine918]

Please forgive me for my naivete. I am curious as to whether the reputation of the pharmacy school one attends will influence competitiveness for residencies? Also, will it make any difference if the school has only reached Candidate accreditation status by the time one graduates?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[CrazyFox]

Good question Glycine I was qurious myself also is it gonna affect your future employment where from you graduated?

 

[sdn1977]

Previously I would (& have said) no.....it depends more upon what you do with what you're presented.

But...after reading some of the posts on here about different schools, I'd have to say, it would be very difficult to obtain the acceptable exposure & experience with some environments.

But - again - lots of people diss BS pharmacists. I've worked with many! But, they were very, very well trained & willing to take on clinical duties & knew how to access & assimilate information readily.

If you go to a school which promotes lick & stick mentality with just the basics - that's all you'll be trained to do. There are some things you absolutely do NOT learn without guidance from someone who is beyond you - whether its an attending or a resident.

Look at the curriculum & rotation exposures. Ask these questions in the interview. Be really, really objective. Think about what you might write on your ps then think about if you can really achieve that in 20-30 years....????

 

[sleazye]

Previously I would (& have said) no.....it depends more upon what you do with what you're presented.

But...after reading some of the posts on here about different schools, I'd have to say, it would be very difficult to obtain the acceptable exposure & experience with some environments.

But - again - lots of people diss BS pharmacists. I've worked with many! But, they were very, very well trained & willing to take on clinical duties & knew how to access & assimilate information readily.

If you go to a school which promotes lick & stick mentality with just the basics - that's all you'll be trained to do. There are some things you absolutely do NOT learn without guidance from someone who is beyond you - whether its an attending or a resident.

Look at the curriculum & rotation exposures. Ask these questions in the interview. Be really, really objective. Think about what you might write on your ps then think about if you can really achieve that in 20-30 years....????

Have you heard of any other programs besides Mass-Worchester that get such bad feedback? What is your opinion on 3 year programs? Do you feel that it is too much info for 3 years and that it is beneficial to be able to work and gain experience over the summer instead of being in class? Other posts have presented these questions and no one really seems to know.

 

[sdn1977]

Have you heard of any other programs besides Mass-Worchester that get such bad feedback? What is your opinion on 3 year programs? Do you feel that it is too much info for 3 years and that it is beneficial to be able to work and gain experience over the summer instead of being in class? Other posts have presented these questions and no one really seems to know.

I actually cannot speak to this one specific school since I don't know it personally, nor do I know of any of its graduates.

However, I am familiar with one 3 yr school in my are which I've had the pleasure of working with - University of the Pacific, Stockton CA. They are very skilled, altho their "history" has always been in retail, I don't believe that is any longer true. Their faculty is very involved in changing the retail environment in their area as well as the state. They are very focused on participating in the goals of changing.

If you can, try to access the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners (JCPP) which has devised a vision statement outlining the future roles of pharmacists from an educational as well as a practical perspective (www.aacp.ort/DOCS/MainNavigation/Resources/6725_JCPPFutureVisionofPharmacyPracticeFINAL. It is endorsed by Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, Acerican College of Apothecaries, Americal College of Clinical Pharmacy, American Pharmacists Association, American Society of Constultant Pharmacists, American Society of Health-system Pharmacists, NABP, National Community Pharmacists Association & National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations.

This will give you a vision of what a group of practioners agrees on & if your school's mission statement doesn't coiincide, then I'd ask this difficult question during the interview.

I'd also consolidate these visions within your personal statement if you're at that point.

 

[nightcrawleRx]

I’ll be starting at Worcester this fall so seeing as how I’m not yet a pharmacy student, I really have no way of answering the OP. However, I have contacted a lot of current students about the program at MCP and they haven’t had any negative things to say besides that you will have a lot of work (be ready) and that should be expected in a professional program. I’ve also worked with a few graduates in my hometown area that also had mostly good things to say. I would love to argue the people bashing it but I don’t have any first hand knowledge of whether these claims are true or not so it’s just not my place. However, you can bet your ass that come this time next year I’ll be sure to put in my two cents and clarify a lot of these concerns that have been raised. As far as the 3-year programs go, at MCP we don’t actually take more credits/semester than any other program I don’t think. We just get lesser breaks and so maybe have less time to work in a pharmacy setting. Let’s be real though, those first few summers home you might as well still be a tech b/c you aren’t far enough along in your studies for any good pharmacist to trust you with their responsibilities. Most of us already have experience as techs and a lot of the students I’ve been in contact with work a few hours during the semester.

Anyways, my point is that there should be no discrepancy between a 3 or 4-year program when it comes to residencies. I can’t yet comment about whether or not the school comes into play, and for this I apologize to the OP for this somewhat long post. I just wanted to get my thoughts out. I’m actually interested in more answers as well because it seems as though doing a residency may not pay off right out of school but 20 years from now, when the profession has evolved, it may very well pay off.

 

[lvp0021]

I actually cannot speak to this one specific school since I don't know it personally, nor do I know of any of its graduates.

However, I am familiar with one 3 yr school in my are which I've had the pleasure of working with - University of the Pacific, Stockton CA. They are very skilled, altho their "history" has always been in retail, I don't believe that is any longer true. Their faculty is very involved in changing the retail environment in their area as well as the state. They are very focused on participating in the goals of changing.

If you can, try to access the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners (JCPP) which has devised a vision statement outlining the future roles of pharmacists from an educational as well as a practical perspective (www.aacp.ort/DOCS/MainNavigation/Resources/6725_JCPPFutureVisionofPharmacyPracticeFINAL. It is endorsed by Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, Acerican College of Apothecaries, Americal College of Clinical Pharmacy, American Pharmacists Association, American Society of Constultant Pharmacists, American Society of Health-system Pharmacists, NABP, National Community Pharmacists Association & National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations.

This will give you a vision of what a group of practioners agrees on & if your school's mission statement doesn't coiincide, then I'd ask this difficult question during the interview.

I'd also consolidate these visions within your personal statement if you're at that point.

Have you worked with or heard of U of Houston in Texas? Are there a lot of this school's graduates who go into clinical? I've been accepted to multiple schools and finally decide to go to this one and anxious to find out if there is any negative aspect about, espcially if it's a "retail or lick&stick (in your word)" school. I plan on pursuing clinical/ hospital practice. Any feedback from you will be truely appreciated!

 

[sdn1977]

Have you worked with or heard of U of Houston in Texas? Are there a lot of this school's graduates who go into clinical? I've been accepted to multiple schools and finally decide to go to this one and anxious to find out if there is any negative aspect about, espcially if it's a "retail or lick&stick (in your word)" school. I plan on pursuing clinical/ hospital practice. Any feedback from you will be truely appreciated!

Yes - I have heard of the University of Houston, altho I don't know anyone who has graduated from there on a personal level.

I have not heard of anything negative nor would I actually unless something dramatic came to light.

To me, the key is how easily tied is the school to a medical center. You can see from the "talk" of CA schools, some feel USC is more geared toward retail than UCSF. However, you can tell from my banter with Zpak that we are both very clinically similar. In fact, I worked for over 10 years with a pharmacist from USC and we basically did the same thing, but on different days/shifts.

The point here is, USC had the advantage of a large university medical center for those students to take advantage of. Likewise, UCSF had that very same thing. If you have to travel a tremendous distance and do your rotations in a hospital which does not have house staff or pharmacists routinely interacting daily with physicians, nursing, PT, RT, etc...you won't get very skilled clinically. You'll be very good at hospital pharmacy tasks, but you won't get that kind of knowledge that comes from using & perfecting your pharmaceutical care and verbal/written interactions with those of other professions.

Congratulations on your acceptance!!! Now, when you go - go with an open & sponge-like mind. Be willing to be open to learn everything, because you'll never know when you might need that exposure. Put yourself in a position to take advantage of all the opportunities presented to you - from giving "brown bag" drug talks to seniors or sitting in at grand rounds. If they teach you to give immunizations, step right up & say I want to do that. I cannot even imagine what they might teach you 3-4 years down the road,, but keep up with the changes.

Finally, network. When they assign you an advisor, go meet the person. Ask that individual how to become involved. Join the student organization. There might be interest groups which you can join - oncology, nuclear pharmacy, pediatrics - go find out about each. If you can, at least once, go to a state oraganization meeting. You'll hear about programs in other parts of the country & that will whet your appetite either to stay & develop that in TX, or go to that program and learn more.

This is a time to explore & absorb everything you can. Good luck & enjoy!

 

[ZpackSux]

Yes - I have heard of the University of Houston, altho I don't know anyone who has graduated from there on a personal level.

I have not heard of anything negative nor would I actually unless something dramatic came to light.

To me, the key is how easily tied is the school to a medical center. You can see from the "talk" of CA schools, some feel USC is more geared toward retail than UCSF. However, you can tell from my banter with Zpak that we are both very clinically similar. In fact, I worked for over 10 years with a pharmacist from USC and we basically did the same thing, but on different days/shifts.

The point here is, USC had the advantage of a large university medical center for those students to take advantage of. Likewise, UCSF had that very same thing. If you have to travel a tremendous distance and do your rotations in a hospital which does not have house staff or pharmacists routinely interacting daily with physicians, nursing, PT, RT, etc...you won't get very skilled clinically. You'll be very good at hospital pharmacy tasks, but you won't get that kind of knowledge that comes from using & perfecting your pharmaceutical care and verbal/written interactions with those of other professions.

Congratulations on your acceptance!!! Now, when you go - go with an open & sponge-like mind. Be willing to be open to learn everything, because you'll never know when you might need that exposure. Put yourself in a position to take advantage of all the opportunities presented to you - from giving "brown bag" drug talks to seniors or sitting in at grand rounds. If they teach you to give immunizations, step right up & say I want to do that. I cannot even imagine what they might teach you 3-4 years down the road,, but keep up with the changes.

Finally, network. When they assign you an advisor, go meet the person. Ask that individual how to become involved. Join the student organization. There might be interest groups which you can join - oncology, nuclear pharmacy, pediatrics - go find out about each. If you can, at least once, go to a state oraganization meeting. You'll hear about programs in other parts of the country & that will whet your appetite either to stay & develop that in TX, or go to that program and learn more.

This is a time to explore & absorb everything you can. Good luck & enjoy!

I thought UCSF only cranked out Savon pharmacists...

That being said... and since I'm in Texas...I work with many many fine U of H pharmacists who are wonderful clinical pharmacists.

 

[sdn1977]

I thought UCSF only cranked out Savon pharmacists...

That being said... and since I'm in Texas...I work with many many fine U of H pharmacists who are wonderful clinical pharmacists.

See how long you've been gone??? Savon is slowly being gobbled up by CVS (in SCA) & Safeway (in NCA). There are still some around, but not so many.

Nah - we mostly worked at the Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic .

I knew you'd know about these folks in TX.

 

[lvp0021]

Thanks so much SDN and ZpackSux. It really relieves me now to know that UH does have clincial pharmacists going out. The school is housed within Texas Medical Center with a lot of hospitals and pharmacy labs and other students from UT, Baylor... joining in. That's the reason why I chose it. Even though Ohio State and Mercer have the same thing; especially Ohio State. But well, I already signed the agree statement and everything so...
Thanks so much guys. It seems like I'll be reborn again next Fall LOL It's the felling like when you first step in college for your BS degree, you wonder "Do I need to ask the teacher for permission to go to the restroom as I do in high school?" Sorry if it sounds silly but I am partly excited partly scared and anxious LOL.

I thought UCSF only cranked out Savon pharmacists...

That being said... and since I'm in Texas...I work with many many fine U of H pharmacists who are wonderful clinical pharmacists.

 

[guptek]

what is ohio state's rating when it comes to residencies??

 

[lvp0021]

what is ohio state's rating when it comes to residencies??

I'd say high as it's a very famous school and the prestige is very very influential. YOu should visit it sometimes, it's pretty also with so many activities and potentials...

 

[GatorRxGirl]

what is ohio state's rating when it comes to residencies??

Probably 2nd...

 

[WVUPharm2007]

So..uh..yeah, how do you come up with this "ranking?"

Up here, we always see Pitt as a tad bit better than Ohio State.

 

[sdn1977]

what is ohio state's rating when it comes to residencies??

As a place to go to for pharmacy school or for residency?

For residency, it always used to be the highest regarded residency for administrative pharmacy - Zpak might know that more than I since I actually don't keep up with that field.

But, when I was getting out of school - yeah, I know - forever ago - if you wanted to know the ins and outs of administrative pharmacy, from pre-managed care to dop to insurance formulary analysis....Ohio State was the place to go.

 

[Rxbound]

I suspect that GatorRxGirl's ranking is based on the inability of Ohio State to beat Florida (whom I suspect she puts at No. 1) in at least two sports this year.....but I may be completely off.

 

[GatorRxGirl]

I suspect that GatorRxGirl's ranking is based on the inability of Ohio State to beat Florida (whom I suspect she puts at No. 1) in at least two sports this year.....but I may be completely off.

Very good. You can have a Scooby Snack. My reasoning is OSU is #2 at everything else, so why not residencies too.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Ooooooooh, ok.

 

[guptek]

how abt western univ's ranking for residency??