How important is the pharmacy school that you went to?

[stlmo314]

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I go to a decent state school with a good reputation from what I've heard. Will I have an advantage over those who went to diploma mills when it comes to matching for residency?

Thanks guys

 

[pharmdlm45]

In the state that I live in there was only one pharmacy school for a very long time (a state school) with a private school starting less than 10 years ago and another school just starting this year. I think a lot of people just assume that the state school is “better” due to its long history plus some bias given that the majority of pharmacists in the state went there. However, the site that I work at has had multiple terrible students from the state school and a lot of awesome students from the private school. In addition, during one of my residency interviews one of the pharmacists at the site said that the state school students have been getting worse and worse, while the private school students have been only getting better since opening (this individual went to the state school too). Ultimately, I’m not an RPD and I’ve never been involved in the resident selection process but personally I would never take that into account because for me it’s all about what YOU are doing, not what school you went to.

 

[Papichulooo_92]

In the state that I live in there was only one pharmacy school for a very long time (a state school) with a private school starting less than 10 years ago and another school just starting this year. I think a lot of people just assume that the state school is “better” due to its long history plus some bias given that the majority of pharmacists in the state went there. However, the site that I work at has had multiple terrible students from the state school and a lot of awesome students from the private school. In addition, during one of my residency interviews one of the pharmacists at the site said that the state school students have been getting worse and worse, while the private school students have been only getting better since opening (this individual went to the state school too). Ultimately, I’m not an RPD and I’ve never been involved in the resident selection process but personally I would never take that into account because for me it’s all about what YOU are doing, not what school you went to.

Piggybacking off your statement, I am also not an RPD, nor I have I also been involved in the resident selection process. But I am in also a similar situation where my school was recently founded in the last couple of years in a state where the only other pharmacy school was our state school has been established for +75yrs. I believe when I was going through the residency process that my newly-founded school placed me at a disadvantage -- in my own opinion.

Placing myself in an RPD's shoes, I would feel slightly more comfortable extending interviews to students of a recognized institution because their establishment gives me a personal assurance of their formal education quality. On the flipside of the coin, as a student in a newer school, I believe the newer schools founders/administration recognize that they are at a slight disadvantage competing against schools with longer histories and they are focused creating a HIGHLY competent and qualified pharmacist. I personally attest that I feel sharper in my quality of thinking, reasoning, professionalism, etc; as compared to the state school and working with them on rotations -- but could be my personal bias.

 

[Corytrade]

School was not important during our selection process.

 

[headortail]

Regional reputation is of the most importance. If you're outside of CA, you may not have ever heard about school X or residency program Y, but locally their reputation may exceed those that you do know (I didn't know either because I went to school OOS). People have talked about not taking students from school A because of the overwhelming negative experience. While a good school may not rule you in, a school with sour reputations locally may rule you out more than you may think.

If you apply out of the region, then what school you go to is less important because people just don't know them. People in CA may know UMich is a great school, but they're not likely to have a lot of experience with grads from UMich to form any opinion, so it tends to be neutral. Going to a "name" school out of region may give you a 1% advantage, but probably not more.

 

[rxrhino]

This is coming from a subjective point of view based on my RPD's opinion at my residency program. He said that if an app came from some no name school he would just toss the application aside. I do believe coming from a reputable can will make you stand out, but will not necessarily make or break you chance for an interview.

 

[Dred Pirate]

somewhat important

From my personal experience being part of the selection committee

If you went to a crappy diploma mill school - you are gonna have to do a lot to set yourself apart.
IF you are local and went to a good school - no negative or positive
If you are from out of state and went to a good established school - you are way ahead