I'm making a run at a PharmD....

[D-DAY]

I have decided to apply after two years of being out of college. I am married, 23, and have a degree in Microbiology with a Chemistry minor. I have worked as an Environmental Scientist for a while sitting behind a desk and I feel I can do do much better with my life and offer so much more back to society. As of right now the biggest obsticle is admissions. They make this task much harder than it needs to be. Looks like it will run me about 55K if I go through with it, which isn't too bad considering some of the numbers I have seen posted. I still need a few more undergrad classes, but less than a semesters worth, so not so bad. I was going to try and volunteer or apply at a local pharmacy for experience and maybe a little leverage with the application process. Would you guys/gals recomend I try and become a pharmacy tech as a I have a good year a few months before I would start the program.

I would like to thank everyone for the great posts I have read thus far and hope the info keeps comming. Thanks

D-DAY

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[neonam11]

If you can make more money using your microbiology or chemistry degree by working for a private company, I'd recommend going this route since you will need every dollar you save for your tuition. Then you can volunteer during your off hours at a participating pharmacy. However, I understand that since you are married, spending time with your spouse is a high priority, I'm guessing. No matter what you do, whether it be working in a pharmacy as a tech or intern, remember that one position does not have an advantage over the other in getting you into pharmacy school. I know this guy who worked as a pharmacy technician for over 3 years and thought UCSF would just give him a free pass while forgetting to concentrate on his communication skills, community service, etc. Needless to say, he got rejected. What really matters is how knowledgeable you are about the field, as expressed in your personal statement and during your interview. If you want to read a good book on the field, I'd recommend "Pharmacy: What It Is and how It Works" by
William N. N. Kelly. You can buy it online from Barnes & Noble. I hope that helps.

 

[Brill]

Welcome to the board D-Day. I agree with neonam -- if I were you I'd stick with your current job for now (if you make more money than a pharm tech that is; around $10-12/hour depending on your area) and try to do some volunteer work at a local pharmacy. Pharmacy experience definitely can't hurt your chances of admission, but depending on the school and the rest of your credentials (essay, PCAT score if required, GPA, etc.) it isn't necessarily required. I applied to one school with basically no direct pharmacy experience and I was still accepted. It came up during my interview, but he said it was no problem at all (granted, the rest of my application is above average). However, whether it is required or not, I think working/volunteering in different pharmacy settings will give you a good idea about the profession to ensure that it's really what you want to do.

Again, welcome aboard. Feel free to ask as many questions around here as you want. The more the merrier.

 

[LVPharm]

D-Day...welcome!

It's good that you are researching the profession before you apply...getting information through discussions such as this, and gaining experience in person through work/volunteering will only help you in the application process (better material for your personal statements and interviews). If you can, try to gain some experience (at the very least through "shadowing") in hospital as well as retail. Find out if you really want to do what these folks are doing for the rest of your professional life...do you think you're gonna be happy doing this stuff? As I said in another thread, pharmacy school is a rather large investment in time, money, and effort. It would suck if you decide that pharmacy isn't for you after you begin your experiential rotations.

As always, feel free to post any questions you might have (just remember to search for older threads that may have your answer(s) before you do )...I browse the forum during class breaks, so I'm usually around!

 

[Triangulation]

It's kinda funny, because my goal is to work behind a desk in pharmacy/economic policy. Viva la difference.

At any rate, i would strongly suggest getting some experience in pharmacy since you've got the time. I got in to ucsf w/out working in a pharmacy, but i know for a fact that my app would've stronger had i. I've learned an incredible amt working in a retail rx. I understand if you've got a cool title at work and make good money than it wouldn't be feasible to trade that in to be a tech at fill in the blank pharmacy, but if not it provides an excellent spring-board for your career and your application. For me it's been paid career research, and it's probably gonna segue into an internship. Stuff to think about.

It's a tremendous field and can be deeply satisfying, but it's also stressful and you've got to know what you want to do.

You are right, pharmacy, with drugs becoming so pervasive, perhaps more than any other field has the opportunity to give something to the community. The more i read up on it, the more i'm convinced this is true. Like it or not, people look at you as their life-line

 

[joyink]

Sorry, but I beg to differ. As more and more consumers have access to the PDR and are leaning towards natural or holistic forms of healing - this statement seems too broad. Many antibiotics don't do a thing as they've been over prescribed, ergo the human body has built up a resistance to them, as have the germs. Most patients/consumers do not realize that legally, the PDR and the print out that pharmacies give out, must list every contraindicationm even if one person in the entire world got a frozen little toe from a certain medication. Do you honestly believe that after reading 40+ contraindications, any person in their right mind wants to start relying on meds for their life line? I think not and am sure most consumers are now looking for alternatives. like Chinese herbal medicines.

It seems to me that people view a Rx as more of a necessity as MDs are infamous for sometimes giving patients a cursory look at best then reach for the Rx pad.

There are some of us consumers who will question and confront the prescribing doctor and educate ourselves on any particular medication and often times refuse to take it.

A better analogy is that relying totally on meds for your well being is akin to applying a band aid to an enormous wound that requires 10 stitches. Get to the source of your illness and in most cases, you will find an unhealthy lifestyle that can and should be changed.

Respectfully Submitted

 

[jdpharmd?]

Originally posted by joyink
Sorry, but I beg to differ. As more and more consumers have access to the PDR and are leaning towards natural or holistic forms of healing - this statement seems too broad. Many antibiotics don't do a thing as they've been over prescribed, ergo the human body has built up a resistance to them, as have the germs. Most patients/consumers do not realize that legally, the PDR and the print out that pharmacies give out, must list every contraindicationm even if one person in the entire world got a frozen little toe from a certain medication. Do you honestly believe that after reading 40+ contraindications, any person in their right mind wants to start relying on meds for their life line? I think not and am sure most consumers are now looking for alternatives. like Chinese herbal medicines.

It seems to me that people view a Rx as more of a necessity as MDs are infamous for sometimes giving patients a cursory look at best then reach for the Rx pad.

There are some of us consumers who will question and confront the prescribing doctor and educate ourselves on any particular medication and often times refuse to take it.

A better analogy is that relying totally on meds for your well being is akin to applying a band aid to an enormous wound that requires 10 stitches. Get to the source of your illness and in most cases, you will find an unhealthy lifestyle that can and should be changed.

Respectfully Submitted

If you're getting you drug information from the PDR, I urge you to stop now. The PDR is composed of brand-name drugs only, and they must pay to be included in it. I shudder any time my doctor reaches for the PDR, because it means that he has no idea what he's prescribing for. I frequently bring my own reference when I go to the doctor, and usually they're greatful. I would look instead at a publication that lists side effects with the percentage of patients who experienced them (Lexi-comp has this in both print and palm versions). When I see that <1% experienced a particular side effect, I can rest pretty easily knowing that I won't die from my claritin.

You also mention herbal remidies, and I agree that they are playing a larger role in healhcare today (for better or for worse). Many of these products are not regulated by the FDA, and obviously have physiologic effects on the body, hence they contain a drug. Pharmacists should be, and usually are educated to deal with herbal products, as there are several herbal/RX adverse reactions.

As far as a "healthy lifestyle" not requiring prescription drugs.. What are you going to change for a Cystic Fibrosis patient? MS, insulin-dependant diabetes, leukemia, etc? Are these conditions that can be fixed by jogging a mile every day? Are the prescripions that keep these patients alive simplly band-aids that they shouldn't have to rely upon?

Jd

 

[LVPharm]

Unfortunately, as jd has said, there are many disease states that require the use of chronic medication usage to control them, ...and to live. The "ultimate source of illness" for many diseases can't be corrected by "lifestyle changes", and can only be currently treated via pharmaceuticals (hopefully, genetic/medical research will negate the need for pharmaceutical therapies for many diseases).

Do Medline searches for some of those "holistic forms of healing" and "herbal remedies"...look for and analyze the statistics behind their efficacy data, and compare that with current drug therapies. It may be quite difficult to find good, well designed, controlled studies for many of them that support the claims of efficacy. There are some (I saw one that did a good job at supporting the use of St. Johns Wort for mild depression), but there are also a lot of claims made by herbal manufacturers that are supported solely by testimonials and poorly designed "case studies". Pharmacists are educated to a certain degree on herbal remedies, but mostly because there are significant Rx/herbal interactions.

 

[Triangulation]

Joyink, respectfully replied, most of the pts that i see in walgreens look at their pharmacist as their lifeline. You can certainly argue that they are mistaken, but that's what they believe. I don't tell them this. The pharmacist doesn't tell them this, that's what they believe. A good chunk of these people don't think they will live or function w/out their meds. I'm not just talking about the chemo patients, or diabetics, or HIV patients (i work right next to the castro district of SF where AIDS burned through the population like a flamethrower in the 70s,80s. ) We are their lifeline, but for pts that take paxil, nexium, what have you. They see us as their lifeline as well. These people don't think they can make it w/out their medicaitions. When a woman comes in for emergency contraception at the 60th hour you're g$% d*&n sure she thinks you're pretty important.

I agree completely that lifestyle and holistic alternatives are incredibly important. My recommendation letter to pharm schools was written by the woman who wrote the Botanicals and natural supplements chapter of Lange's Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. I'm all over that stuff, but even when it comes to those medicines the patient will turn to you. I personally want to integrate holistic teaching into my pharmacy practice, but even many psychotherapists agree that cognitive behavior therapy works best when complemented with SSRIs.

 

[StevenS]

yeah, the others are right, meds are and always will be an indispensible part of health care. all the "holistic and alternative " stuff is crap for the most part. most people will never change their lifestyles and will need all the pharmaceutical help they can get to survive.

 

[whitecross]

I have decided to apply after two years of being out of college. I am married, 23, and have a degree in Microbiology with a Chemistry minor. I have worked as an Environmental Scientist for a while sitting behind a desk and I feel I can do do much better with my life and offer so much more back to society. As of right now the biggest obsticle is admissions. They make this task much harder than it needs to be. Looks like it will run me about 55K if I go through with it, which isn't too bad considering some of the numbers I have seen posted. I still need a few more undergrad classes, but less than a semesters worth, so not so bad. I was going to try and volunteer or apply at a local pharmacy for experience and maybe a little leverage with the application process. Would you guys/gals recomend I try and become a pharmacy tech as a I have a good year a few months before I would start the program.

I would like to thank everyone for the great posts I have read thus far and hope the info keeps comming. Thanks

D-DAY

You need to know this: Pharmacists require patience, dedication, and lots of customer service with patients. If you do not have these skills or sets of skills, you cannot become a Pharmacist. Neurosurgeons make around $500,500 a year.

 

[Gwalla]

banned for trolling after 7 posts..lol