midyear dilemma

[simon11]

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Okay, help you who have gone the way before me..... My final exams for fall semester fall the week of midyear meeting. So, do I really need to go this year as a P3 knowing I truly want a residency or can I forgo it this year and be sure to go next. The recommendations I have heard tell me, it is to my advantage to get the lay of the land and make some connections. However, this will be an ordeal to get profs to change exam dates not to mention the stresssss issue. So, please veterans of the process please pipe in. Thanks

 

[Priapism321]

Okay, help you who have gone the way before me..... My final exams for fall semester fall the week of midyear meeting. So, do I really need to go this year as a P3 knowing I truly want a residency or can I forgo it this year and be sure to go next. The recommendations I have heard tell me, it is to my advantage to get the lay of the land and make some connections. However, this will be an ordeal to get profs to change exam dates not to mention the stresssss issue. So, please veterans of the process please pipe in. Thanks

You will be fine missing the meeting this year, don't worry about it. In my opinion, most people you meet at midyear as a fourth year student won't even remember you by the time you interview. It is honestly a good medium for you to interview the residency program in order to see if it fits your expectations rather than making connections. A few of the bigger programs I talked to involved strictly interacting with current residents and no contact with program directors.

 

[Old Timer]

I also think you need to speak to your school. There is no way they should schedule exams during a conference where their students are required to go if they want to further their education. They won't change this years exams, but they should be aware for the balance of your education.

 

[TCB]

Im in the same situation, however at my school if you decide to go and don't sit for your exam, your final will count twice.

I am not going

 

[njac]

for us mid-year falls during the last week before finals. when we have 2 exams. and it is made clear to us that it isn't an excused absence.

lame, I know, and I wonder what they'll do if a non-4th year wins the clinical skills competition but I imagine they'll excuse that one...

my understanding is that it's really not necessary to go until your 4th year, if you go earlier it will make things less overwhelming when you're there "for real" but you may justbe overwhelmed and not get much out of it.

 

[Epic]

If ASHP wants more student involvement, then they need to time the convention better. That's for sure.

ASHP summer meeting is a total waste.

APhA seems more friendly towards students. Nothing wrong with that but I would like to see ASHP grow.

 

[Caverject]

I also think you need to speak to your school. There is no way they should schedule exams during a conference where their students are required to go if they want to further their education. They won't change this years exams, but they should be aware for the balance of your education.

Most schools schedule exams towards late november early december. Its the end of the semester at most places...ASHP should plan their conventions better in my opinion but schools should also try to make every last reasonable effort to let students attend. I have seen professors proctor exams at the convention

 

[Epic]

Most schools schedule exams towards late november early december. Its the end of the semester at most places...ASHP should plan their conventions better in my opinion but schools should also try to make every last reasonable effort to let students attend. I have seen professors proctor exams at the convention

Shut up...you don't know.

 

[Hels2007]

I don't see the significant value in attending ASHP as a P3. It's good to get the feel for the process and the place, but it doesn't give you anything else. If you think you can really make yourself familiar to some program directors - well, I am a rookie interviewer, but I can tell you that after a hundred or so people have stopped by to talk to you, it all gets blurry and you only remember those who really impressed you for some reason - and if you kept their card AND made some notes on it. Even that is gone after a couple months (which is why applications are due within that couple months 😀). If you think someone will remember you a year+ down the road, you have to be extraordinary.

 

[genesis09]

If ASHP wants more student involvement, then they need to time the convention better. That's for sure.

ASHP summer meeting is a total waste.

APhA seems more friendly towards students. Nothing wrong with that but I would like to see ASHP grow.

That seems true. My school sends about 50 students a year to APhA national, but when it comes to ASHP midyear, only P-4s go. Before they redid our schedules, midyear used to fall during finals, and now, they fall the week before. The P-4s during ASHP midyear have that time off. They have most of December off.

 

[Epic]

I don't see the significant value in attending ASHP as a P3. It's good to get the feel for the process and the place, but it doesn't give you anything else. If you think you can really make yourself familiar to some program directors - well, I am a rookie interviewer, but I can tell you that after a hundred or so people have stopped by to talk to you, it all gets blurry and you only remember those who really impressed you for some reason - and if you kept their card AND made some notes on it. Even that is gone after a couple months (which is why applications are due within that couple months 😀). If you think someone will remember you a year+ down the road, you have to be extraordinary.

That is the exact fundamental issue I have with ASHP. Why shouldn't students p-1 from p-3 benefit from the world's foremost Health Systems Pharmacy conference? The fact that some feel it's not necessary to attend ASHP midyear as a P3 troubles me. It's an opportunity to get involved with an association that is the center of our professional focus.

 

[Hels2007]

That is the exact fundamental issue I have with ASHP. Why shouldn't students p-1 from p-3 benefit from the world's foremost Health Systems Pharmacy conference? The fact that some feel it's not necessary to attend ASHP midyear as a P3 troubles me. It's an opportunity to get involved with an association that is the center of our professional focus.

Let me guess, you are a hospital pharmacist? Unlearn to speak for everyone. 😀 (c)

On a more serious note, APhA has much broader representation both among students and pharmacists. I am encouraging anyone who has time and money to attend as many conferences as they can, but finals rank way higher than ASHP Midyear in my book. Most students only go there for the residency showcase, clinical skills competition and freebies at the expo. They have been noticeably absent from the educational sessions... and the only students I have seen in the poster section were presenters and (rarely) their friends.

 

[Epic]

Let me guess, you are a hospital pharmacist? Unlearn to speak for everyone. 😀 (c)

No dear...I'm not a hospital pharmacist.. and the world revolves around me...

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

Let me guess, you are a hospital pharmacist? Unlearn to speak for everyone. 😀 (c)

On a more serious note, APhA has much broader representation both among students and pharmacists. I am encouraging anyone who has time and money to attend as many conferences as they can, but finals rank way higher than ASHP Midyear in my book. Most students only go there for the residency showcase, clinical skills competition and freebies at the expo. They have been noticeably absent from the educational sessions... and the only students I have seen in the poster section were presenters and (rarely) their friends.

Hmmm...I may not be in the norm, but as a student my favorite part of the meetings were definitely the educational sessions, poster sessions and speaking to future colleagues.

And as far as student attendance, I definitely think it has to do with scheduling. During my P3 year, the meeting was immediately following our finals week and about half the class flew across the country to go. This compared to the following year when finals/midyear coincided and only a handful or less of the P3's went.

In my opinion, if you're a student...do well throughout the semester so that you don't have that added pressure during finals week...and try to make midyear.

 

[Epic]

Hmmm...I may not be in the norm, but as a student my favorite part of the meetings were definitely the educational sessions, poster sessions and speaking to future colleagues.

And as far as student attendance, I definitely think it has to do with scheduling. During my P3 year, the meeting was immediately following our finals week and about half the class flew across the country to go. This compared to the following year when finals/midyear coincided and only a handful or less of the P3's went.

In my opinion, if you're a student...do well throughout the semester so that you don't have that added pressure during finals week...and try to make midyear.

Geek...

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

Geek...

And proud of it!

 

[Priapism321]

I had no problems going as a third year student, all of my exams were excused and I was able to take them at a later date. However, I didn't make any connections with residency programs this far in advance. I was there being "super geek" and competing in the national clinical skills competition.

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

I had no problems going as a third year student, all of my exams were excused and I was able to take them at a later date. However, I didn't make any connections with residency programs this far in advance. I was there being "super geek" and competing in the national clinical skills competition.

Very nice! 👍 😉

 

[PharmDstudent]

I had no problems going as a third year student, all of my exams were excused and I was able to take them at a later date. However, I didn't make any connections with residency programs this far in advance. I was there being "super geek" and competing in the national clinical skills competition.

It sounds geeky! It's like a spelling bee knock-off. There's no way I'd be doing that, even if I was there as a P4.
Do you win any prizes? A prize could be very persuasive .

 

[Priapism321]

It sounds geeky! It's like a spelling bee knock-off. There's no way I'd be doing that, even if I was there as a P4.
Do you win any prizes? A prize could be very persuasive .

In fact, I liked it so much, I went back as a fourth year as well. There are prizes involved for finishing in the top ten in the nation (approximately 90 colleges of pharmacy compete each year). And for representing my school, my registration fee, airfare, and hotel were paid for both years, which was enough incentive for me.