Is UCSF Curriculum Really Stressful?

[Druggie]

Hi!

I just got into UCSF and UOP and am debating which one to go to. My goal is to go into clinical pharmacy and I've heard from some people that UOP focuses on retail and UCSF will prepare me more in clinical pharmacy. Is this true? I thought UOP also focuses on pharmaceutical care...I guess I'm just a bit scared to go to UCSF because I've heard that it's really stressful due to the amount of workload given to students! I heard there's just too many classes to take per quarter. Is this true? Any UCSF alumni or current students? Is the grading system P/NP? Then maybe it wouldn't be too bad. I'm just worried because if I go to UCSF I might burn myself out trying to maintain a long distance relationship (my bf lives in Stockton) and finding/paying high rent on an apt that allows dogs. Plus, I would really like to work while in school and maintain good grades for residency purposes later on. But I'm afraid if UCSF is too tough, this might be hard to accomplish. It is the best in the nation though, so it's so hard to give up my acceptance! If you could give me an idea if UCSF classes are really as bad as they say, that'd really be great! It might help my decision a little bit easier.

Thanks!

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[young skywalker]

It's difficult to answer your question because it depends on so many different factors. Whether the program is "hard" or not is ultimately very relative. I haven't attended any other pharmacy schools, so I can't say how much harder UCSF is compared to any other pharmacy school, or even if it is indeed "harder", in an absolute sense.
I graduated from Cal with a degree in chemistry. I got about a 2.8 gpa there. So far at UCSF, I've gotten only one B. The first 3 weeks of school I study about, 0 times a week, unless there is a problem set due. When it comes time for the 4-7 week midterm crunch, I study about 4 hours a day, about 2 days before each exam. When finals time comes around, I'm in the library basically every waking moment for about the week before finals and the week of. There is tons of help in the form of old exams, and classmates, prof's are always very nice and willing to help you.. tons of office hours. Classmates that are specialist in different areas will hold special review sessions, e-mail out helpful outlines and review notes. In addition UCSF really really takes care of their students, and will even hire a personal tutor for you if you are really struggling.

What really sucks up time is the extracurricular stuff. Tons of stuff i tell you, tons. But basically that is half of what you pay for. You pay for the leadership opportunities. The chances to network and getting to know alumni, talk to faculty and getting mentored, etc. etc... All of them are the leaders in their respective fields advancing the profession. Also school organizations like APHA-ASP allow you to begin "practicing" as a student pharmacist, i.e. helping at health fairs by performing Blood Glucose, Hypertension, cholesterol screenings, etc.

Also because you graduate from UCSF, I think the reputation of the school will give you an edge over the competition in terms of residencies. I.e. would you hire a 3.5GPA student from UCSF, or a 3.8 GPA student from another pharmacy school. I dunno, hard to say. Of course keep in mind that basically 99% of all UCSF students graduate. So that if you just wanted to get by, it would not be very hard at all.

Then again.. I'm only a first year, and I hear it only gets harder and harder. But that's true for any school. Ultimately the decision is up to you, because you'll have to work hard no matter which school you get into. You just have to decide where you'll get the "most" out of your time.

 

[Oneday_9]

I feel the same way, my fellow student feels. I came from a liberal arts school, so when I was accepted I originally thought this was going to be a big change for me, besides being out of school for 3 years. What I find is just what Skywalker said, all the students work together, the professors have insane amounts of office hours, tests available, but I have found the curriculum pushing me.

If you are looking for clinical pharmacy, this is definitely the place. Its the school's pride and joy and one of its foci. The opportunity to specialize and be surrounded by cutting edge pharmacy is simply across the street. For example, I have become very interested in HIV medicine and how the pharmacist can be involved in the process via using protocols to prescribe, managing the psychosocial factors, as well as managing the myraid of drugs all taken concurrently. All I had to do was walk down the street one day, see a clinical pharmacist in HIV, introduce myself, and within a week or two I was sitting in on rounds meetings at the UCSF Women's HIV Center and truly seeing how the pharmacist functions clinically in a specialized, interdisciplinary setting. The faculty have all been amazing.

On the other hand, I have also been interested in the health policy and mgmt pathway, specifically pharmacoeconomics of pharmacogenomic testing in oncology settings. I happened to be attending our 4th year student research presentations, saw the faculty member who specializes in this, spoke to her for 10 minutes, and she invited me to work on her recent research grant proposal on individualized medicine.

Basically, what I am saying is that the types of projects and settings available, with no disresepct to other schools who I am sure have similar opp's, is premier, and will prepare you to be the best candidate for a residency as in the residency you will have to do a project of some kind (all the pathways require this). I think it won't be easy, it will be a challenge, but I have talked with many recent grads who are doing pretty elite activities in all facets of healthcare and science. It comes down to how do you wish to contribute, where you will get the best education, and where will you be happy. These are some pretty complicated issues.


Don't let the challenging curriculum stop you, it isn't insane, it isn't easy, depends wholly on what you put into it. We have so many people struggling, excelling, or just sitting in the average. I wish I could say I have only one B, but I had 2...haha...friggin Skywalker.

Feel free to private messagel Skywalker or I any other questions you may have. I know UCSF would be a great choice...

 

[bananaface]

This is an advising question, so it's being moved to pre-pharmacy. (Mostly so that other students in a similar position also have the opportunity to benefit from the advice given.)

- Anna

 

[Apteka]

Congratulations on your acceptances! Now, decisions, decisions...

>I've heard from some people that UOP focuses on retail and UCSF will prepare me more in clinical pharmacy. Is this true?

I haven't heard this outright, but it might be a good idea to compare the curriculum and the coursework... you can see UCSFclass schedules with course descriptions at:
http://************/6ege5
I haven't been able to find UOP course schedules for the School of Pharmacy, but you might be able to page one of the UOP students here to find out.. That said, the courses that are required in the first year are challenging but nowhere near as challenging as the 3rd and 4th years, from what I hear... In first year you take a lot of Chemistry (Physical, Organic, Pharmaceutical), 2 qtrs of Anatomy (Gross and Histology), Clinical Pharmacy Practice (OTC products and counseling patients- practical and really useful knowledge), Biopharmaceutics/Genetics/Pharmacogenomics... (I know I'm leaving a lot more out, but these are the key classes that come to mind..)

>I guess I'm just a bit scared to go to UCSF because I've heard that it's really stressful due to the amount of workload given to students! I heard there's just too many classes to take per quarter. Is this true? Any UCSF alumni or current students? Is the grading system P/NP?

Every required core course is at UCSF SOP is for a LETTER grade, period, and you have to stay on track and take the courses as they are offered so that you can graduate on time. Electives are P/NP, and even some of those have a paper or a final (I've avoided those so far, enough to do without extra work, imho.)

>I'm just worried because if I go to UCSF I might burn myself out trying to maintain a long distance relationship (my bf lives in Stockton) and finding/paying high rent on an apt that allows dogs.

Rent can be high with more than 1 pet (esp if they're over 30 lbs,) but if you search enough, you can find a great landlord who will allow you to rent the place with your pups for a reasonable rate.. just have to do some searching. If you're already settled in life in Stockton and are comfortable there with friends and a significant other and support, I know it might be tempting to decide on UOP. If I were you, I'd pay a visit to both campuses as soon as possible, and see which campus 'feels right' to you. (Let me know if you are coming, if it's next week after Tuesday I'd be happy to bring you to my classes.)

>Plus, I would really like to work while in school and maintain good grades for residency purposes later on. But I'm afraid if UCSF is too tough, this might be hard to accomplish. It is the best in the nation though, so it's so hard to give up my acceptance! If you could give me an idea if UCSF classes are really as bad as they say, that'd really be great! It might help my decision a little bit easier.

They do say that your grades don't matter 'unless you decide to do a residency'- and I can't speak for those who are residents here, but I would hardly let a potential fear of a lower GPA deter you from coming to UCSF. Once you are here, like Skywalker says, among your class you are encouraged to develop a great deal of support for each other, and it's true that so many of our fellow students 'run the show' and take the initiative to clarify things (or sometimes teach them!) for all of us, taking time our of their own busy schedules... I don't feel like the classes are there to 'weed us out' (someone asked me this once,) but they are there to give you a fundamental background in what they think is important for you to know, and challenge you accordingly. It's not an insurmountable amount of work, but depending on what type of study schedule you are comfortable with, it can be an adjustment. We're on quarter system so everything goes by SUPER FAST (which is nice, sometimes, since semesters that are 18 weeks long tend to drag on and on...) I think Skywalker's study 'schedule' is pretty realistic. At the same time, I guess it's not how MUCH you study but how WELL you do.

Good luck deciding!!!

 

[Apteka]

Ugh. the URL was supposed to be
tinyurl dot com /6ege5

sigh.

 

[Apteka]

OOps, and by:
"I guess it's not how MUCH you study but how WELL you do."

I MEANT TO SAY:
I guess it's not how MUCH you study but how WELL you do study.

d'oh.