In December I graduated from a large university obtaining a BA in chemistry with approximately a 3.5 GPA. Instead of applying to PharmD programs for fall 2015, I decided to take the year and a half off to take an online class, volunteer/intern in a pharmacy, and retake the PCAT (I did pretty mediocre my first time).
My major concern about my application is my severe lack of references. As I said I went to a big school and did not really get to know any professors well enough to write me a reference letter. In fact, the one professor I thought I knew well thought otherwise and refused to write me a letter.
I have contacted numerous hospitals around my home to find an internship or volunteer position over the past 5 months, and I continue to get the same response of: "We're sorry but you cannot volunteer in pharmacy without being in pharmacy school already". I have also looked at pharmacies such as CVS, Target, etc for interns however there are also no internship positions around me.
I know my GPA and degree aren't exactly world class and can carry me to an acceptance without any references. If I even get an internship/volunteer position by the end of June is the 5 months until the next application cycle even enough to get me a solid reference? Even then is 1 reference good enough?
I know I should have worked harder at earning personal relationships with professors throughout my college career. However, that is in the past and I can't exactly change that now, so please do not tear me apart in that regard. (I am also aware my degree and GPA are a joke, so you don't have to torch me on that either)
I know one suggestion will be trying to obtain a pharmacy technician job, however I only have until January for applications to be in, and I really cannot afford to take another year off before returning to graduate school. I simply cannot defer my loans from undergrad for 2.5 years, and I will also be pretty old by then.
My major concern about my application is my severe lack of references. As I said I went to a big school and did not really get to know any professors well enough to write me a reference letter. In fact, the one professor I thought I knew well thought otherwise and refused to write me a letter.
I have contacted numerous hospitals around my home to find an internship or volunteer position over the past 5 months, and I continue to get the same response of: "We're sorry but you cannot volunteer in pharmacy without being in pharmacy school already". I have also looked at pharmacies such as CVS, Target, etc for interns however there are also no internship positions around me.
I know my GPA and degree aren't exactly world class and can carry me to an acceptance without any references. If I even get an internship/volunteer position by the end of June is the 5 months until the next application cycle even enough to get me a solid reference? Even then is 1 reference good enough?
I know I should have worked harder at earning personal relationships with professors throughout my college career. However, that is in the past and I can't exactly change that now, so please do not tear me apart in that regard. (I am also aware my degree and GPA are a joke, so you don't have to torch me on that either)
I know one suggestion will be trying to obtain a pharmacy technician job, however I only have until January for applications to be in, and I really cannot afford to take another year off before returning to graduate school. I simply cannot defer my loans from undergrad for 2.5 years, and I will also be pretty old by then.
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