Is it even worth applying to competitive summer internships your first year?

[desklamp]

I'd like some hospital experience, but apparently so do 99% of the pharm D students out there.

Is it even worth applying to programs like mayo clinic or other programs that "require at least 1 year completion of pharmacy school" for summer of P1 year? Barring getting AIDS or cancer, I'm pretty sure my GPA will be a 4.0 after P1, but who doesn't have a 4.0 with first year classes, so i doubt that will make an applicant competitive.

I guess I am unsure because there are students out there with countless years of experience in retail and hospital pharmacy, and who are far better at schmoozing up to the professors, and are president of every society under the sun.

So again, just wanted to confirm the futility of applying to those types of programs with lackluster credentials like:

1 year of pharmacy school
high GPA
about 6 months of retail pharmacy experience
research
no professors that think i am the best thing since sliced bread (i.e. no glowing recs)
no leadership experience in student pharmacy associations, or in cupcake bake sale/organizing bar crawls, which apparently is very very important in being a good pharmacist.

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[Pinser555]

P1 here and already have 2 internships for the summer, cardinal nuclear and industry in a major metropolitan area. Work hard and network and you'll be a shoe in. Its not what ya know but who ya know.

Good Luck!

 

[jyso]

it cant hurt you but only help you. if you want to do a residency or considering it, it can help distinguish you from other candidates. but if you are looking into retail, it doesnt matter really.

my girlfriend is during her residency right now, and she didnt have too much internships but from what he said residencies look at your gpa and rotations and not too much on your extracurricular activities.

if you dont have anything better to do during your summer then do it. I did a internship with pfizer my 2nd year and honestly when i did interviews for jobs or previous internships no one really asked me about it. if you want the experience i say go for it.

 

[bacillus1]

my girlfriend is during her residency right now, and she didnt have too much internships but from what he said residencies look at your gpa and rotations and not too much on your extracurricular activities.

if you dont have anything better to do during your summer then do it. I did a internship with pfizer my 2nd year and honestly when i did interviews for jobs or previous internships no one really asked me about it. if you want the experience i say go for it.

Really? I've heard the exact opposite from many people, including some residency directors. I heard the more extracurricular stuff you do the better, and GPA doesn't really matter. If you can land something, go for it, but for a P1 it's really hard. I say apply for 2 or so that you really like, but you don't have to apply to like 8-10 things because chances are a lot of them don't want you.

 

[confettiflyer]

Really? I've heard the exact opposite from many people, including some residency directors. I heard the more extracurricular stuff you do the better, and GPA doesn't really matter. If you can land something, go for it, but for a P1 it's really hard. I say apply for 2 or so that you really like, but you don't have to apply to like 8-10 things because chances are a lot of them don't want you.

This is the opposite I've heard. Extracurriculars don't matter in that pretty much everyone is going to have it as background/clutter on your CV. GPA and rotations/letters get you in the door, interview/fit will seal the deal.

 

[owlegrad]

This is the opposite I've heard. Extracurriculars don't matter in that pretty much everyone is going to have it as background/clutter on your CV. GPA and rotations/letters get you in the door, interview/fit will seal the deal.

Probably depends on the extracurricular. I tend to think like you; everyone is gonna list tons of BS EC's; but if you did something truly impressive though it could easily make a difference. Much like college admissions I imagine.

 

[bacillus1]

This is the opposite I've heard. Extracurriculars don't matter in that pretty much everyone is going to have it as background/clutter on your CV. GPA and rotations/letters get you in the door, interview/fit will seal the deal.

Wait, so leadership experience and research don't matter? I would see those as "extra-curriculars". Why the heck am I trying to sign up for research next semester then? I'm only doing it because professors told me that I have to differentiate myself from other applicants as much as possible, especially if I don't have hospital experience (and these people are residency directors). And I theorized that no one cared about my Rho Chi membership, at least if they compare me with an applicant that has a 3.3-3.4.