HBCU Pharmacy Schools

[NCRxgal]

In the "Minorities get the Upper Hand" thread, someone made a comment about those who attend predominantly Black Universities will not know how to "deal with white people." Personally, it just boggles my mind how impersonal people can be when they mention there interactions with people of other ethnic groups. "Dealing with them" has such a negative connotation. I feel sorry for anyone entering the healthcare profession with the notion that they're going to have to "deal" with so many different people. I feel sorry for you beign that it's inevitable and I resent the comment. I just had to get that one off of my chest. But anyways, I just wanted to know you all take on whether or not HBCU pharmacy programs are seen as highly ranked as predominantly white universities. Thank you for your time.

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[Abilify]

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[mph2pharm]

Interesting post. I have received degrees from both an HBCU and a non-HBCU. The experiences were very different and yes some people in the "real" world do look at graduates from HBCUs in a less than positive way, but what I have learned is that it is up to you to prove your worth in whatever you do regardless of the "type" of school you have attended. I would like to believe that at the end of the day, what matters most is the skill set that you bring to a job, and the "value added" you bring to the work that you do. Some of the most brilliant people I know are proud graduates of HBCUs and they are doing some great things in the world. Wherever you go to school, just make sure that you personally get all that you can out of the program and that you do your very best.

 

[highlyfavored]

Interesting post. I have received degrees from both an HBCU and a non-HBCU. The experiences were very different and yes some people in the "real" world do look at graduates from HBCUs in a less than positive way, but what I have learned is that it is up to you to prove your worth in whatever you do regardless of the "type" of school you have attended. I would like to believe that at the end of the day, what matters most is the skill set that you bring to a job, and the "value added" you bring to the work that you do. Some of the most brilliant people I know are proud graduates of HBCUs and they are doing some great things in the world. Wherever you go to school, just make sure that you personally get all that you can out of the program and that you do your very best.

Well put. I too have attended a HBCU and a non HBCU. I agree with you that the experiences were very different. Personally when it can to the business side, the non HBCU ran circles around the HBCU. At the HBCU the line was ALWAYS busy at the financial aid office. They would tell me they hadn't received paperwork that I sent. I was sending it certified, BTW. I learned to do that the hard way. When I was at the HBCU, they did not have online registration. One year, I stood in line for over 5hrs to register. While my friends at a non HBCU spent 20min on line to register. The process got better over the yrs that I was there, but it seemed they were always yrs behind the non HBCUs. Now on the other hand. I would not trade one of my professors from the HBCU for a professor from the non HBCU. Those from the HBCU seemed to care alot more. I called a few years after graduation and they still remembered me, and were glad to write recommendations for pharm school. Anyway to answer the question at hand...HBCU pharm schools...I've nevered been enrolled in one so I can't say if they are inferior, but from the posts I have read on here, ppl are experiencing the same thing I did when I attended a HBCU. The business aspect sucks (for lack of better words). Read the posts about FAMU and Howard. PPl are calling day after day and never getting to speak to anyone. When they do speak to someone they are not given a clear answer. I have contacted some non HBCU pharm schools and they have ALL responded quickly. In some cases, the dean emailed me back! I think if HBCU pharm schools don't "get with it" they will be given a bad rap on communciation alone. PPL will not want to even bother to see if there education is up to par. Too much of a headache on the front end. Just my opinion.

 

[bananaface]

That was a strange comment about "dealing" with white people. It's not as if people attending HBCs are somehow isolated in an unhealthy way so as to not be able to interact with non-blacks. And, it's not as if there is a special way to interact with people based on race. Based on culture, perhaps. But, culture and race are not synonymous.

In pharmacy, there are people you just have to "deal" with. You have to "deal" with people who are verbally abusive or rude. It's only disrespectful to say you have to "deal" with someone if the experience should not be assumed to have a negative connotation.

I don't know that there are "white universities" in pharmacy. Nearly half of my class is of Asian descent. There is enough variety at non HBCs that no group can really be considered "dominant" in the numerical sense.

 

[mph2pharm]

It's funny highlyfavored because you are exactly right, I also experienced my challenges dealing with the administrative/business side of things within HBCUs. I didn't have to deal with financial aid too much at my HBCU because I had a full scholarship but I heard horror stories from many of my friends. I did have to deal with financial aid at the non-HBCU I attended and my experience was very positive. I never had any problems and they were very responsive when I would call or email them.

You are also correct in that my HBCU professors still remember me (my name and all) after all these years. I really felt like I was more than just a number to them...that they really wanted to see me succeed and that they took a personal interest in my growth and my future aspirations (didn't feel that way at all at the non-HBCU I attended---maybe it was me or maybe just the school I attended).

I'm pretty bummed right now because the HBCU pharmacy school I am interested in attending is in a little bit of trouble right now if you know what I am talking about. I really hope that they can get it together.

 

[highlyfavored]

It's funny highlyfavored because you are exactly right, I also experienced my challenges dealing with the administrative/business side of things within HBCUs. I didn't have to deal with financial aid too much at my HBCU because I had a full scholarship but I heard horror stories from many of my friends. I did have to deal with financial aid at the non-HBCU I attended and my experience was very positive. I never had any problems and they were very responsive when I would call or email them.

You are also correct in that my HBCU professors still remember me (my name and all) after all these years. I really felt like I was more than just a number to them...that they really wanted to see me succeed and that they took a personal interest in my growth and my future aspirations (didn't feel that way at all at the non-HBCU I attended---maybe it was me or maybe just the school I attended).

I'm pretty bummed right now because the HBCU pharmacy school I am interested in attending is in a little bit of trouble right now if you know what I am talking about. I really hope that they can get it together.

Don't be bummed. They'll pull through. The HBCU I attended was threatened with the same thing and some how they made it happen.
Good luck