New Pharmacy student...help!!

[pink16]

Im im starting my second semester of pre pharmacy school. I work in a pharmacy full time and i was wondering if it is best if i invest in a PDA with pharmacy programs to help learn all those details. Or is it too soon? I obviously have lots of time in front of me, I just want to learn as much as I can. What should I do!!!

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[DesiRX]

hey there. i dont think you'd need to invest in a pda just yet...i mean surely it is a great tool to have but i'd start with looking at what pharmacy schools you want to apply to...are you attending a university that already has a pharmacy program or are you going to be transfering elsewhere after your initial two years of prepharm?

 

[aboveliquidice]

You - by no means - require a PDA to acquire drug knowledge. I would take some time and learn your top 200 brand - generic drugs. I would also learn the associated drug classes. Making note cards will get you way more bang for your buck.

Those programs - such as epocrates or micromedex - will help you fill in gaps of your education. However, such gaps will not need filling until you are knee deep in your pharmacy education (as in year 2 or 3).

Save that money now - because there will most certainly be cheaper / better devices available when it is finally your time to purchase one.

~above~

 

[IrishRxMan]

You - by no means - require a PDA to acquire drug knowledge. I would take some time and learn your top 200 brand - generic drugs. I would also learn the associated drug classes. Making note cards will get you way more bang for your buck.

Those programs - such as epocrates or micromedex - will help you fill in gaps of your education. However, such gaps will not need filling until you are knee deep in your pharmacy education (as in year 2 or 3).

Save that money now - because there will most certainly be cheaper / better devices available when it is finally your time to purchase one.

~above~

Ditto

 

[Farcus]

ehh from the sound of it you're not a pharmacy student you're pre-pharmacy so why do you need a PDA to learn all the drug names? You should be studying for the pcat lol.

 

[mrblah]

By the time she gets into pharmacy school, the pda she bought in undergrad will be obsolete. At least thats my own reasoning for why I don't have one, although I love gadgets.

IPHONE HAS EPOCRATES..............FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ExpressMaiL]

If you work at a pharmacy full time, that's all you need to procure drug knowledge. I would refrain from purchasing a PDA; as someone mentioned the key word- obsolete.

Note cards are great; just be sure not to memorize by pattern recognition (alphabetical order or mechanism of treatment, per se) or else you'll have problems going from generic to brand, classification to generic, etc.

 

[pink16]

Thanks for the inputs everyone. For the ones who mentioned note cards, I'm right there with you. I have about 150 top drugs and always have those handy. As far as studying for the pcat, im trying. Ive spent most of the summer studying for that while not in class. I figured it was too soon, but I just wanted to make sure! Thanks!

 

[IrishRxMan]

There's also an electronic version of note cards that will help you with other activities besides just note cards. I think it's called study stack or something like that. A classmate of mine has set it up for us to study the top 200 drugs and it does help seeing them in different activities plus it randomizes them.

 

[Sparda29]

Why would you buy one? I thought that pharmacy schools give those out to the students for free.

 

[IrishRxMan]

I don't know of any pharmacy school that gives out something as expensive as PDAs for free.

 

[Tygacil]

Nothing in life is free, especially when it comes to education. I agree with all that has been said above, you won't need it until your rotations. You'd just be overwhelmed with all the information now.

 

[mrblah]

If a pharmacy school gives you anything for free, it means you already paid for it with your tuition money. Nothing is free.