For UF (one may just be a #)

[DOPharmMD]

I just feel like at UF, you are simply a number. To all of you who got into Nova--I'd personally rather go there (I used to live in Plantation, FL) even though its a lot more money.

I have to agree. I may apply to this school with a grain of salt for what I see is disheartening. One good thing though is that it's cheap and it appears that they have a good program. But is this everything? I like when I go on a school's website and I see pictures about current students etc... UF has none of that! All you see is a glass building and just links, lots of links. You'd be hard pressed to find a single pic about a pharmacy student. Same applies for their medical program. Now if you visit the Nova website. You see students' activities, white coat ceremony, students that made the dean's list and the list goes on. The impression I get about UF is that it is all work and no fun! Now that I'm thinking about it, I probably would choose Nova pharmacy program. I must also confess that I love Gators basketball (but it may have ended once the coach and the elite players leave) and I like the fact that UF's pharmacy white coat is longer than that of the other program I've seen thus far 😉 ...

Perhaps an admin from UF is reading this. We may want to go to your school, but only because of price. After that, your view to the world is just plain dry!

P.S. Currently deciding, medicine or pharmacy. If pharmacy, application cycle 2008. If medicine, application cycle 2009.

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[ladiejay187]

Well I attend UF currently and will be starting Pharmacy school in Fall 2007. And I agree with you in some way and disagree in others.

Uf is HUGE and when you have 50k students , its hard to have personal relationships with all. So yeah- sometimes I DO feel like I am just a number. HOWEVER, I have had some professors that REALLY do try and go out of their way to help us out and get to know us.

I have heard from many students that the professors in pharmacy school know all of the students names and bend over backwards to help you. I have actually been to some pharmacy classes from the fist professional year and the professor did know all of the students names.

I am actually attending the Orlando campus and moving out of Gainesville in hopes that I will have a closer knit campus. The distance campuses have students that are a lot closer and the deans and professors really do get to know the students. Maybe try applying to a distance site and you may be happier.

I am glad to be a UF student and I think that others would too if you experienced it. And you are definitely right- you are getting an OUTSTANDING education for one of the cheapest prices you can pay for professional school- so in the end it comes down to the quality of education you want and how much you want to pay.... but I'd say - Become a Florida Gator! 🙂

 

[gators14]

Florida is not going to lose its basetball coach.......he is going to announce friday that he is staying here...check out the espn website

 

[jmkraus]

seriously, i mean i was looking at their curriculum, and i didnt even see recess anywhere!

 

[ForcedEntry]

seriously, i mean i was looking at their curriculum, and i didnt even see recess anywhere!

We get dress-up and nap time though.

 

[DOPharmMD]

Your reply to my post was neat and concise! Unlike you, I'm not a UF student. In order for me to experience the school, obviously I'd have to visit it. Fortunately, I live in Florida and could have the luxury to do so. However, one should not really have to visit the school to get an idea of what the school is like. In this day and age and such a big school like UF, it is hard to believe that their professional website has nothing to show for its stellar reputation. It is amazing that a website alone can excite so many people about a school. Why is it that most medical school website have tons of pictures etc... to excite students about its school, yet many pharmacy programs simply have a site with just links?
Like many people, I hear about UF from others and what I read, I don't have much time to travel across Florida to visit schools. I just would like to see what other UF students are doing at the school. Many websites do, why not a great program like UF? By the way, UF is not the only school doing a poor job in that regard, many schools seem to pay less attention the pharmacy website than their own medical school. UF's medical and pharmacy website are both plain dry!
One can argue that this doesn't make for a good education and I agree. Pharmacy students need something more than just a dry and full of links website. Perhaps, this is why so many people without even attending feel they might just be a number!

 

[ladiejay187]

Again I completely see where you are coming from, but here is a link to the Orlando Campus' page

http://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/cop/

There are several pictures and a link showcasing one of the 3PD students who was in a magazine.

Also there are class pictures and a powerpoint of the Class of 2010's first professional year!

So again to support my case- the distance campus' are more personal and may be just the place for you 🙂

 

[Trancelucent1]

I have to agree. I may apply to this school with a grain of salt for what I see is disheartening. One good thing though is that it's cheap and it appears that they have a good program. But is this everything? I like when I go on a school's website and I see pictures about current students etc... UF has none of that! All you see is a glass building and just links, lots of links. You'd be hard pressed to find a single pic about a pharmacy student. Same applies for their medical program. Now if you visit the Nova website. You see students' activities, white coat ceremony, students that made the dean's list and the list goes on. The impression I get about UF is that it is all work and no fun! Now that I'm thinking about it, I probably would choose Nova pharmacy program. I must also confess that I love Gators basketball (but it may have ended once the coach and the elite players leave) and I like the fact that UF's pharmacy white coat is longer than that of the other program I've seen thus far 😉 ...

Perhaps an admin from UF is reading this. We may want to go to your school, but only because of price. After that, your view to the world is just plain dry!

P.S. Currently deciding, medicine or pharmacy. If pharmacy, application cycle 2008. If medicine, application cycle 2009.

I can see you point but I'd like to make a few comments. First of all I attend the Orlando campus and am in my 3rd year on rotations. I completely see where you're coming from but UF is definately not like that at all. I guess it's easy to sit on the outside and assume how it is because it's a big school but it's not like that. I consider my campus one big happy family, a family that I was sad to leave for rotations! At the distance sites the classe sizes are around 50 students and since you do group presentations a lot your first year you really get to know each other! I am very involved on my campus (past president of FSHP, student rep, involved in other organizations) an I've never felt like just a number. All of our campus faculty know me and I've worked closely with many of them through various organizations. Also if you go to the national or state organizations our Dean usually has dinners and or cocktail parties where you get to interact with faculty and administrators. Also there are many events in gainesville that faculty participate in. I guess I can't stress enough that I've never felt like just a number and never would consider UF "dry." It was my number one choice and the only school I was willing to go to. I guess everyone should just find what works best for them. For me it was a distance site. I feel like I've been able to flourish and have many some very good connections all across Florida!

ETA: We also have a student affairs website that has dean's list info and other student info. At our campus we also have a bulletin board with tons of pictures of students throughout the campus.

 

[aboveliquidice]

As a current undergrad at UF - I think I can chime in as well.

If you are worried about being just a number - you shouldn't avoid UF all together. UF has 4 sites for its Pharmacy program - 3 distance learning, and one at the Main campus in G-ville. I currently work for Shands @ uf (attached to the College of Med & Pharmacy & Nursing) - I have shadowed both students & residents from the College & the hospital. I can honestly tell you that yes - In Gainesville - you will probably feel like a number. The distance learning sites however, have a completely different feeling. I have visted the Orlando Campus - and was quite impressed by the cooperative nature of the whole group of people.

Uf is a haven for overacheivers - this comes from the competitive nature of our undergraduate programs - and it does somewhat boil over into the professional schools. That being said - you really should go to one of the distant sites and shadow a student - you might like what you see. Regardless of what you may have heard - There is more to a program than the flashy website the school hosts.

~above~

 

[huzeifa52]

I would not judge a school by its website....just like I wouldnt judge a book by its cover.....UF is one of the best schools in the nation...and let me say that NOVA is nowhere near to being one of the best....you cannot compare a UF graduate and a NOVA graduate and say that they are equally trained for the job....I used to work at a pharmacy as a tech and now as an intern and my pharmacist has had the opportunity to work with both UF and NOVA graduates....and in her own words she says "I would hire a UF graduate in a flash...NOVA graduates I would hesitate but do it anyway coz I need pharmacists"....I am a 1st year student at the St Pete campus...and I love it....my class is 56ppl....I know everyone like Ive known them forever....we are like a big family....everyones looking out for each other.....we do stuff together all the time.....Ive already made some great friends....learnt how to play poker.....play tennis every other week....things i rarely did in undergrad.....unless we are swamped with tests..which we frequently are......Im not saying its easy....but its an experience.....my point being....dont judge UF COP by its website....talk to some students that actually go there....we have open houses all the time....come to one....you'll be amazed at how much you will learn abt the campus.....Overall, I would rather go to a school that I can be proud and honored to be a part of.....I wear my UF College of Pharmacy tshirt one day....and I feel like im a movie star or something.....its a great feeling when random ppl look at you and say GO GATORS!!!.....especially with UF breaking records like its a joke....trust me....there is no better feeling than being a member of the GATOR NATION.....and as they say.....THE GATOR NATION IS EVERYWHERE.....

Your reply to my post was neat and concise! Unlike you, I'm not a UF student. In order for me to experience the school, obviously I'd have to visit it. Fortunately, I live in Florida and could have the luxury to do so. However, one should not really have to visit the school to get an idea of what the school is like. In this day and age and such a big school like UF, it is hard to believe that their professional website has nothing to show for its stellar reputation. It is amazing that a website alone can excite so many people about a school. Why is it that most medical school website have tons of pictures etc... to excite students about its school, yet many pharmacy programs simply have a site with just links?
Like many people, I hear about UF from others and what I read, I don't have much time to travel across Florida to visit schools. I just would like to see what other UF students are doing at the school. Many websites do, why not a great program like UF? By the way, UF is not the only school doing a poor job in that regard, many schools seem to pay less attention the pharmacy website than their own medical school. UF's medical and pharmacy website are both plain dry!
One can argue that this doesn't make for a good education and I agree. Pharmacy students need something more than just a dry and full of links website. Perhaps, this is why so many people without even attending feel they might just be a number!

 

[Dr2011]

hi everyone
i feel so good reading all these gud things abt uf distant sites pharmacy program. i have interview next fri at orlando campus n i live here in orlando. i have to admit i was little disappointed b/c i chose gainseville for my first choice when i applied. but after reading these gud things abt small classes, i am glad tha uf is giving me chance and invited me for interview to orlando campus. i was just little worried abt how satellite program works..

Thanks a lot

 

[DOPharmMD]

I would not judge a school by its website....

I agree but, what can one say about this picture on a school's website:
http://www.med.ufl.edu/education/med.shtml

Looks like an execution room for Death Row inmates to me. But what the heck, good school or not... someone can be a lot more creative than this. Like I said, the Gators appeal to me. I'm just very surprised by their lack of enthusiasm which radiate all across their lousy website. The above link represent the first thing a prospective medical student sees. How lame.

 

[Trancelucent1]

I agree but, what can one say about this picture on a school's website:
http://www.med.ufl.edu/education/med.shtml

Looks like an execution room for Death Row inmates to me. But what the heck, good school or not... someone can be a lot more creative than this. Like I said, the Gators appeal to me. I'm just very surprised by their lack of enthusiasm which radiate all across their lousy website. The above link represent the first thing a prospective medical student sees. How lame.

I guess if you went to the school then you'd understand the enthusiasm. We always get e-mails from the Dean about how proud he is or memos congratulating professors on awards and such. Enthusiasm is definately not lost here but if you don't go here you'll never get it. I've never felt more apart of something grand than since our very first orientation where the Dean addressed us.

In another great point, I seem to remember HICP having a pretty decent website which boasted all these great things about the school and all the enthusiasm that the dean had....and we all know how that turned out. I'd much rather go to a school which spends more time on education than the website. And technically, UF's pretty advanced, especially since they record our lectures and we can watch them anytime online and you don't have to be present. I'm a night owl so watching lectures in my pajamas was appealing to me, and I never once regretted it. Now that I'm on rotations I'm not regretting it either, especially after hearing how the preceptors tend to think UF students are more prepared. One of the preceptors that said this went to a different FL school as well and still liked UF students better. I have one rotation site which won't take students other than UF students because of a few bad apples. Of course that's not to say that all of us are like that...there are a few questionable characters in my class that probably won't make us look that great. There are definatly positives to going to UF, the Gator Nation spreads out far and wide and I think it can only benefit me in my career, especially since the College of Pharmacy was established in 1923!

 

[FSUNOLE]

Well, I'm currently attending Florida State University and will be attending UF College of Pharmacy in Gainesville in the Fall. For me, I'm a very social person and just loves to talk to everyone and experience many different cultures. I think if you have a very outgoing personality, then Gainesville is a place for you. To me, the Gainesville campus has a lot of diversity and that is very important. Also, I think being able to get everything you have within reach e.g Shands and professors' office hours are just right around the corner... Simply, I don't think you would become a number if you are willing to be active and do well in your academics..... For undergrad, I chose FSU over UF because UF was too huge but FSU was smaller and gave me more intimiate feeling.