Leadership Position

[Maki68]

Hello,

I have been thinking a lot about leadership positions and what types of positions out there I could obtain besides ones that are under school organizations that Pharmacy schools would like. I am going to finish my prerequisites in about 2 years and as a freshman I didn't want to obtain a position before adapting to college life. Now that time is getting close before I take the PCAT in the summer, I was wondering are there any positions out there that shows leadership skills and pharmacy schools would like?

Thank you~

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[delano2000]

How about organizing a charity function or participating/organizing some kind of community service? Or even having leadership roles in church...stuff like that might help but it's good to have some involvement in school life as well.

 

[ValeRx]

Much to the dismay of a lot of students, being a secretary or treasurer of an organization is NOT leadership.

 

[babybull]

Much to the dismay of a lot of students, being a secretary or treasurer of an organization is NOT leadership.

lol -_-

 

[xNeenax]

Much to the dismay of a lot of students, being a secretary or treasurer of an organization is NOT leadership.

aawww man -_-

 

[rxlea]

I was a mentor for at risk youth. It was considered leadership. Anything that you organize will be considered leadership. I would branch out into an organization in the community. It doesn't just have to be at school.

 

[Fuaaark]

I was the president of a sport club for 2 years - it most definitely counts as leadership, despite whatever that kid is trying to say.

I organized several inter-state events et cetera.

 

[owlegrad]

Agree with Lea.

I will take it a step further. Leadership is vague - almost any activity can count in a pinch. If you do anything that involves organizing, working as part of a team, being elected, fundraising, etc. it counts.

 

[ValeRx]

Agree with Lea.

I will take it a step further. Leadership is vague - almost any activity can count in a pinch. If you do anything that involves organizing, working as part of a team, being elected, fundraising, etc. it counts.

I disagree. Being elected as a secretary or treasurer because nobody else wants the job doesn't count. The army's definition of leadership is the art of having others follow orders by providing direction, purpose and motivation. Collecting money/checks and writing everything down in a meeting does not include any leadership activity.

 

[bacillus1]

I disagree. Being elected as a secretary or treasurer because nobody else wants the job doesn't count. The army's definition of leadership is the art of having others follow orders by providing direction, purpose and motivation. Collecting money/checks and writing everything down in a meeting does not include any leadership activity.

You may be right for secretary, but many treasurer positions truly have needs for leadership. It takes leadership to plan, organize and execute events that will get people to write the checks.

 

[xNeenax]

I disagree. Being elected as a secretary or treasurer because nobody else wants the job doesn't count. The army's definition of leadership is the art of having others follow orders by providing direction, purpose and motivation. Collecting money/checks and writing everything down in a meeting does not include any leadership activity.

I don't know about that. There was A LOT of people running as treasurer and secretary where I go. They seem like popular positions to me.

 

[rxlea]

I disagree. Being elected as a secretary or treasurer because nobody else wants the job doesn't count. The army's definition of leadership is the art of having others follow orders by providing direction, purpose and motivation. Collecting money/checks and writing everything down in a meeting does not include any leadership activity.

For the purposes of applying to professional school, those will count as leadership positions. It is certainly more involved than just being a member of a club. Perhaps the roles themselves don't seem like leadership roles (on a philosophical level) but, as owle said, in a pinch, something is better than nothing!

 

[pharm B]

I disagree. Being elected as a secretary or treasurer because nobody else wants the job doesn't count. The army's definition of leadership is the art of having others follow orders by providing direction, purpose and motivation. Collecting money/checks and writing everything down in a meeting does not include any leadership activity.

It's a good thing pharmacy schools don't operate like the army, for a number of reasons.

I've been a member of organizations where the secretary was a pseudo-President. He knows the paperwork, the events schedule, etc. The Secretary for many organizations is the main point of contact, including for members who want to participate in something but might have missed out on a meeting.

Either way, the position is what you make of it. There are some presidents who are complete cardboard cutouts when it comes to leadership. They stand up, look pretty, and everyone else does all the work.

OP: Consider the ideas voiced in the posts above. Look for opportunities to be in charge of something or, even better, to help organize something or put together a new event or committee.

 

[xtsukiyox]

I'll chime in with some of what I have that "could in a pinch" be considered leadership on my app, in case it gives the OP any ideas:
- Shift Lead at a fast food joint - I had keys & the security code, but it sure looks good, don' it?
- Work Director at a bank (actually, the way I've described each of my positions at the same company, I could bend them to be leadership experience if I had to)
- Sports Organizer - my friends & I started a semi-casual sword fighting group. Someone had to talk to Parks & Recs so they didn't freak out, someone had to find parks with lights on, someone had to recruit new people / marshal the rules, and someone had to coordinate time / date with everyone's schedules. While it was a joint effort between 3 of us, I totally count that.

 

[Maki68]

Thank you for everyone's response! It was very helpful.
Many of you have mentioned about organizing a charity function or a type of community service. Because I was not able to obtain an officer position in a school organization, I feel that volunteering is not sufficient enough and that I need to do something more to make up for the position I was not able to obtain. I would really like to start a fundraising event if possible, but how do I go about starting an organization?
Does volunteering in a hospital setting count toward leadership skills? I have been volunteering at a main pharmacy for over a year now and compared to the very first time I have learned a lot not only about pharmacy but I was also able to advance skills, such as problem solving, public speaking, multitasking, and teamwork skills.

 

[ValeRx]

- Sports Organizer - my friends & I started a semi-casual sword fighting group. Someone had to talk to Parks & Recs so they didn't freak out, someone had to find parks with lights on, someone had to recruit new people / marshal the rules, and someone had to coordinate time / date with everyone's schedules. While it was a joint effort between 3 of us, I totally count that.

I don't think starting up your own LARP/Dungeons & Dragons stuff is considered leadership, sorry. LIGHTNING BOLT!

 

[xtsukiyox]

I don't think starting up your own LARP/Dungeons & Dragons stuff is considered leadership, sorry. LIGHTNING BOLT!

Thanks for my morning giggle.

Nope, that's not it at all. Shinais, not character sheets. Street clothes, not Spock-ears. The only reason we weren't using live steel was because not all of us have the proper protection to do it safely. This was at least as much work as organizing a soccer team (with at least twice as many people).

I forget how many people assume they know enough to tear others down on the interwebz. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[ValeRx]

Thanks for my morning giggle.

Nope, that's not it at all. Shinais, not character sheets. Street clothes, not Spock-ears. The only reason we weren't using live steel was because not all of us have the proper protection to do it safely. This was at least as much work as organizing a soccer team (with at least twice as many people).

I forget how many people assume they know enough to tear others down on the interwebz. Thanks for the reminder.

Oh I deeply apologize if your feelings were hurt by my post. On second thought you should definitely put your sword fighting on your application. I know I'm pretty impressed that you would have used "live steel." Definitely impressed.

 

[xtsukiyox]

Oh I deeply apologize if your feelings were hurt by my post. On second thought you should definitely put your sword fighting on your application. I know I'm pretty impressed that you would have used "live steel." Definitely impressed.

Man, I'm really digging your dry humor ValeUC. That's code for steel swords with edges, not practice wooden swords. I appreciate the apology - I was more disappointed with the judgement than hurt.

If I'd have enjoyed playing soccer or softball, I would have probably been a coach & I would have put that down, but I don't enjoy more mainstream sports, so I put the sword fighting I've been involved in for years (~400+ hours organizing, on top of the hours actually participating). The reason I listed it here for the OP is because nobody else mentioned organizing a sports league or coaching as a leadership position, & I'd certainly consider it as such.

Besides, who are you going to remember, the chick whose claim to fame is that she's secretary of her pre-pharm club (like everyone else) or the chick who can handle a spear?

Obviously, you wouldn't list something as off-the-wall as sword fighting as an EC if a) you can't speak to it compellingly, b) it's a trivial activity / you weren't involved in a meaningful way, AND c) it doesn't round out your application. But I think this is important for any EC you list.

 

[ValeRx]

Besides, who are you going to remember, the chick whose claim to fame is that she's secretary of her pre-pharm club (like everyone else) or the chick who can handle a spear?

Obviously, you wouldn't list something as off-the-wall as sword fighting as an EC if a) you can't speak to it compellingly, b) it's a trivial activity / you weren't involved in a meaningful way, AND c) it doesn't round out your application. But I think this is important for any EC you list.

While I share your sentiment about secretaries and treasurers of various groups, I would advise against being too off-the-wall. I understand that many people are trying to be memorable and to show diversity, I'll share this one bit of advice: make sure what you put on your applications doesn't make you memorable in a BAD way.

 

[xtsukiyox]

While I share your sentiment about secretaries and treasurers of various groups, I would advise against being too off-the-wall. I understand that many people are trying to be memorable and to show diversity, I'll share this one bit of advice: make sure what you put on your applications doesn't make you memorable in a BAD way.

This is good advice. To this point, being captain of a Wii gaming club or leader of a WoW guild probably wouldn't make the list (no matter how much you feel like you exemplified leadership ability in it).

And to your last point: I will specifically take care to prepare how I will answer questions in an interview around that particular activity. While it's not a mainstream sport, it does build a lot of the same good qualities as regular sports (teamwork, perserverance / hard work) and the leadership required was similar to a league organizer / team coach (organization, coordinating schedules, coordinating with parks & recs, safety considerations, etc.). I will be sure to highlight the similarities and how it helped me develop leadership skills applicable to further endeavors, rather than the differences between the sword fighting & traditional sports (or, worst case scenario, sword fighting and your LARP example).

I realize it's a risk putting it on the application, but I'm hoping that the way I put it on there will be a conversation starter rather than an opportunity for someone to LIGHTNING BOLT! me out of the running due to bad assumptions. I will take some more time to wordsmith my entry in PharmCAS, though.

TL;DR: I appreciate that you've pointed out what specifically stood out to you, so I can use it productively to strengthen my application.

 

[e_phn]

delete

 

[MsPharmacist2B]

I am in the process of implementing a Pre-Pharmacy Interest Group at my school. Would this be considered a good Leadership position?

 

[rxlea]

I am in the process of implementing a Pre-Pharmacy Interest Group at my school. Would this be considered a good Leadership position?

Yes.

 

[Electrode]

I'm not sure about organizing live steels and all. But being an active treasurer or secretary in any school/professional organization very much counts because it requires some level of responsibility to handle those positions. In other words, it indirectly indicates how organized and responsible you likely are/will be. Those virtues/skills are not far from that of a President or even the World leader.

Besides, it is not like you're applying directly for some leadership position in pharmacy school. They just want to know if you potentially have the leadership virtues/qualities/skills that are necessary for the pharmacy profession.