I was granted an interview!

[chunmngm]

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Hi, last week I received an email granting me an interview. I'm excited and nervous. What and how can I prepare for such upcoming day?

 

[Kavina]

Hi, last week I received an email granting me an interview. I'm excited and nervous. What and how can I prepare for such upcoming day?

Congratulations! Best of luck to you.

For preparation, I would start by brainstorming answers to possible interview questions. I used this list: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/ultimate-potential-interview-question-list.719760/ and jotted down a few thoughts for each question. Don't write out word for word what you would say, since you do not want to appear rehearsed, but I found just getting my brain thinking about some of the tough questions was really helpful.

Do extensive research on the school you've applied to. Most schools have a plethora of information on their website. Find out as much about the program as you possibly can, since not only will that help you be able to answer the question "Why [name of pharmacy school]?" but will help you be able help you formulate a list of questions to ask either during the interview (since most interviewers will ask if you have any questions for them) or throughout the interview day. Remember, the school is not just interviewing you; you are also interviewing the school- you want to make sure it's a good fit for you.

Do as much research on the pharmacy profession. Know the role of the pharmacist and the career opportunities available for pharmacists (it's much more then just hospital or retail). What aspects of pharmacy are you interested in? A good tool to assess what area of pharmacy might be a good fit for you is the APhA Career Pathway Evaluator: http://www.pharmacist.com/pathway_survey. There's a series of questions asking what type of work environment you prefer and personality questions, and it will give you a list of potential matches that might be a good fit for you. The best part is the survey links to very extensive career profiles, so you can read in detail about what that job entails, education requirements (do you just need a PharmD, or do you need residency training too?), and even salary. http://www.pharmacist.com/career-option-profiles

Make sure you are up to date on any current events involving healthcare. Some current events to look into include: Disneyland measles outbreak (be familiar with the arguments for and against vaccinations), Brittany Maynard (right to die movement), Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), Ebola outbreak, etc. These may or may not come up during the interview, but it's always good to be prepared, and show you are a well-read individual.

Lastly, make sure you are dressed for the part. If you don't have a nice, well-fitting suit, now is the time to go get one. For men, gray or navy suits are the best choice, since black can appear too formal. Make sure you have matching dress shoes, dress socks, a nice button up shirt and tie. You will want to get your suit tailored and pressed. If you will need to travel to your interview, also invest in a good travel garment bag. I would also recommend getting a haircut before your interview. You only have one chance to make a good first impression, so you want to look your best.

 

[chunmngm]

Congratulations! Best of luck to you.

For preparation, I would start by brainstorming answers to possible interview questions. I used this list: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/ultimate-potential-interview-question-list.719760/ and jotted down a few thoughts for each question. Don't write out word for word what you would say, since you do not want to appear rehearsed, but I found just getting my brain thinking about some of the tough questions was really helpful.

Do extensive research on the school you've applied to. Most schools have a plethora of information on their website. Find out as much about the program as you possibly can, since not only will that help you be able to answer the question "Why [name of pharmacy school]?" but will help you be able help you formulate a list of questions to ask either during the interview (since most interviewers will ask if you have any questions for them) or throughout the interview day. Remember, the school is not just interviewing you; you are also interviewing the school- you want to make sure it's a good fit for you.

Do as much research on the pharmacy profession. Know the role of the pharmacist and the career opportunities available for pharmacists (it's much more then just hospital or retail). What aspects of pharmacy are you interested in? A good tool to assess what area of pharmacy might be a good fit for you is the APhA Career Pathway Evaluator: http://www.pharmacist.com/pathway_survey. There's a series of questions asking what type of work environment you prefer and personality questions, and it will give you a list of potential matches that might be a good fit for you. The best part is the survey links to very extensive career profiles, so you can read in detail about what that job entails, education requirements (do you just need a PharmD, or do you need residency training too?), and even salary. http://www.pharmacist.com/career-option-profiles

Make sure you are up to date on any current events involving healthcare. Some current events to look into include: Disneyland measles outbreak (be familiar with the arguments for and against vaccinations), Brittany Maynard (right to die movement), Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), Ebola outbreak, etc. These may or may not come up during the interview, but it's always good to be prepared, and show you are a well-read individual.

Lastly, make sure you are dressed for the part. If you don't have a nice, well-fitting suit, now is the time to go get one. For men, gray or navy suits are the best choice, since black can appear too formal. Make sure you have matching dress shoes, dress socks, a nice button up shirt and tie. You will want to get your suit tailored and pressed. If you will need to travel to your interview, also invest in a good travel garment bag. I would also recommend getting a haircut before your interview. You only have one chance to make a good first impression, so you want to look your best.

Wow, thank you so very much.
I had, last year, interviews for medical schools. It shouldn't be any more difficult. Also, do I have to bring anything with me?

 

[Kavina]

Wow, thank you so very much.
I had, last year, interviews for medical schools. It shouldn't be any more difficult. Also, do I have to bring anything with me?

The school will usually let you know if you need to bring anything to the interview. I would probably bring a favorite pen, since many schools have you write an essay on site, and a small notebook, in case you want to jot down any notes from the interview day. I would also print out the email with the interview details (time to meet, location, etc...) and maybe a campus map, to make it easier to locate the place.

You will also need to be able to explain why you want to be a pharmacist, especially since you had applied to medical school last year. I'm not sure if your school does open or closed files, but definitely be prepared for it to come up. Why the sudden career change? You will need to demonstrate during the interview a sincere dedication and interest in the pharmacy profession.

 

[SClENCE]

They will ask you these questions:

Why pharmacy?
Why this school?
Tell us about your extracurriculars/work experience
What makes you believe that you are prepared for the coursework in pharmacy school?
What is a problem that you think pharmacists face on a daily basis?

These are the most common questions that I ran into. Often they will ask smaller questions based on your answers.

 

[chunmngm]

Also, my primary school option hasn't reply anything, but that they got my application from PharmCAS. Is there a way I can check the process? I don't want to call or email because I think it might be a little distespectful?