New PharmD Students! How was your first semester?

[VCUSoP12Guinea]

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The new curriculum at VCU is nearly intolerable. I am disappointed with the academic coursework, as most of it is overly introductory and largely irrelevant to most students. The program is poorly administered and our supposed 'practice experience' has been a complete joke with an absolute breakdown in communication.

Even now as I write this I am sitting in class DOING NOTHING and feeling that my time--not to mention copious amounts of money--are being wasted. The only reason I can figure for the high cost of this school is the excessive amount of paper that is being wasted on unreadable PowerPoint slide handouts which will never be read by most students.

If you are considering pharmacy school I would advise you to look elsewhere. I made a huge mistake by waiting to enter pharmacy school at VCU until this year. I regret coming here and have seriously considered finding a way to transfer to another program.

 

[BravoKilo]

overly introductory is the point when you have incoming students from a variety of academic backgrounds. Most of my class at least had their B.S., but there are some who have no degree at all. First semester is to get everyone on the same base, then the following term/year is when they bend you over. Stop complaining and enjoy it while you still can.

 

[mustang sally]

Hey, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your first semester. Maybe next semester/next year will be better? I'm at U of Iowa and I felt like I kind of got off to a rocky start, but I am enjoying it now. Hopefully I can fit in some kind of research next semester.

Just think, if nothing else you're at least one semester close to graduation!

 

[confettiflyer]

Yup, welcome to P-1....glorified 5th year undergrad!

Granted, I have clinic and other things, but the bulk of the unit work is review.

 

[VCU09]

I am a P4 at VCU and I do not appreciate you talking smack about the school. VCU is a great school, has been around for many years, and routinely is ranked among the highest pharmacy school in the nation.

I agree with the other posts stating that the first semester is pretty much like undergrad work. They do this to get everyone on the same page. I guarantee that you will be wishing to be back in your first semester when P2 year comes around.

You need to stop complaining and just enjoy this semester. Maybe you will get something out of class if you actually paid attention instead of playing on SDN while in class. I would prefer you transfer to another school if you are going to have this type of attitude. I would not want to have you as a fellow alumni or fellow pharmacist.

 

[VCU2011]

I am a P4 at VCU and I do not appreciate you talking smack about the school. VCU is a great school, has been around for many years, and routinely is ranked among the highest pharmacy school in the nation.

I agree with the other posts stating that the first semester is pretty much like undergrad work. They do this to get everyone on the same page. I guarantee that you will be wishing to be back in your first semester when P2 year comes around.

You need to stop complaining and just enjoy this semester. Maybe you will get something out of class if you actually paid attention instead of playing on SDN while in class. I would prefer you transfer to another school if you are going to have this type of attitude. I would not want to have you as a fellow alumni or fellow pharmacist.

agreed.

Also, I am sure that most P1's feel the same way as you do- so if you did end up transferring, you'd transfer into the same thing. Wait till P2 year- you'll feel so bogged down with therapy, medchem, and pharmacology that you'll be praying for a "communications" class. Think of it this way- you have to learn all that crap eventually anyway, so you might as well get it all out of the way P1 year instead of having it spread out over all 4 years.

suck it up, play on SDN all you want as long as you still get good grades, and just make it through P1 year..it gets better.

 

[Prepharm1214]

I think everywhere you will experience P1 year being largely pre-pharmacy-ish. The curriculum of pharmacy schools are fairly similar across the board though, so it wouldn't be different elsewhere. You will still have the immunology, biochemistry, and interprofessional healthcare type classes which don't directly relate to your vision of pharmacy.

 

[Sparda29]

Pretty much the complete opposite here at Touro NY. We were pretty much thrown into the fire from the start, which is a good thing since it works like a shock and awe campaign.

I don't think there are going to be any 4.0s.

 

[deleted205891]

Can definitely see that they're treating us like "professional pharmacy students" here at USP...my grades are going to go down. At least one test almost every week. So far I've gotten the worst grades I've ever gotten in a semester.

Yeah no one has a clue what to do with the intro. practice experience. Does everyone else have 1 every semester P1-P3? I find it strange that ACPE required so many.

 

[monsterbrain]

Pretty much the complete opposite here at Touro NY. We were pretty much thrown into the fire from the start, which is a good thing since it works like a shock and awe campaign.

I don't think there are going to be any 4.0s.

Yep, I feel the same way at my school. The only REMOTELY review material is maybe some of biochem. I've got medicinal chemistry and biopharmaceutics (which is kicking my butt by the way). Even my "easy" classes aren't so easy. I have to do a journal club for stats and lit on Friday and have had projects/presentations in health care systems. I'd rather it be this way than review of material I've already learned.

 

[jiaguy]

Here at Wayne State they have us playing doctor. Opthalamascopes, otoscopes, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, reflex hammers, tuning forks and the works. In the future they are supposed to bust out EKGs and other interesting stuff.

Not a bad school itself, very practical and the college is great. But the overarching university administration sucks BAD. I wish I had gone to UMich instead- I got in everywhere I applied except Florida (I appiled to the top schools & Wayne only). But wayne had me interviewed, accepted and had my deposit in their bank accounts before anyone else finished application processes

 

[JamesL1585]

Can definitely see that they're treating us like "professional pharmacy students" here at USP...my grades are going to go down. At least one test almost every week. So far I've gotten the worst grades I've ever gotten in a semester.

Yeah no one has a clue what to do with the intro. practice experience. Does everyone else have 1 every semester P1-P3? I find it strange that ACPE required so many.

Wow... Although I completely disagree with the OP's comments about his/her university and think its extremely unprofessional to talk down on the school you represent publicly without having experience of another curriculum, I must say this thread will definitely make me have a better attitude at my school.

So from what it sounds like, my school Chicago State is pretty much just as bad if not worse than as every other schools curriculum... We stay in class on AVERAGE from 9-4 EVERYDAY with no break between classes (except lunch 12-1)... have at least 1 exam every week, 3-4 quizzes every week, papers due, presentations... you name it EVERY WEEK blah blah blah!

But so how has my first semester been? wow good question.. as a former college athlete and someone who is obsessive when it comes to staying in shape Ive gained 15 lbs, my eye twitched for a month straight, I am failing biochem... and I dont have time to relieve my stress EVER... But yep, sounds about average to everyone else on this thread... just a very depressing time for all of us.

 

[monsterbrain]

But so how has my first semester been? wow good question.. as a former college athlete and someone who is obsessive when it comes to staying in shape Ive gained 15 lbs, my eye twitched for a month straight, I am failing biochem... and I dont have time to relieve my stress EVER... But yep, sounds about average to everyone else on this thread... just a very depressing time for all of us.

That's great! I feel exactly the same way! Oh oh, but wait...I hear it is just going to be worse next year so enjoy this year, while you can. LOL.

 

[SoccerCoach10]

I'm loving my P1 year at Minnesota. Everything is pretty much review with some introductory pharmacy practice courses sprinkled in there. The only thing is that there's so much at one time, you really have to know how to time manage. I'm just enjoying the ride until the dreaded P2 year because I know it will definitely get worse.

 

[naseuy]

Here's the break down. We have an exam every week. The first two exams kicked my butt, but I did better after those exams. I'm quite fatigued from it. I'm not sleeping regularly and when I show up to my early classes, I just end up drifting off. I end up having to just learn the material by myself when I am at home, which leads to late nights, and sleepy mornings. I'm still hanging in there at above a C+ average, but definitely lower than an A average.

 

[Allure]

Just hang in there. I feel the same way about my school. I guess every school has its flaws, but I didn't think there would be so many for my school. I didn't enjoy my P1 year at all, but as I am getting closer to being done, I can finally see the light (very dimly), but it's there..lol...

 

[Knipps]

I don't have tests every week like some of you here, there are 2 weeks off between tests and then the professors try to have all their tests in the span of the same week. Take a breath and repeat.

 

[dougwell]

Is it possible to have a job?

 

[esrodems]

You guys that have it easy 1st year enjoy it because it'll get harder. First Year is tough at my school, but then again I'm in accelerated program so I guess it's supposed to be. I consider it a good week when I only have 1 test. It's not uncommon for us to have 3 in a week plus all the other stuff we have to do like quizzes and presentations.
To answer the question about working. I would see how you handle school first before deciding to work. I currently work every other weekend Sat and Sun (12 hrs) as well as 4 hrs on Thurs. I'm managing to do that and keep decent grades, but I certainly don't have very much free time and don't get to go out and have fun with my classmates too much b/c I have to study or work.
I will say that the experience that I am gaining from working retail has been invaluable. It makes it a lot easier for me to learn about drugs in pharmacy school when I can see how they are used when I go to work. It's also a great way to see where you want to work and where you don't want to work. Hope this helps!!

 

[chibipinkbunny]

This thread makes me feel a little better. I'm in my second year, and we're on the quarter system so finals are next week. Second year is harder than first year, but I think undergrad was probably worse. . . I commute home on the weekends (5-6 hours round trip) to teach ballet with my mom, and I tutor a little girl on Tuesdays. Anyway, five finals in five days. I'm a mixture of scared, not scared enough, depressed, and tired. On the upside my grades have been really good, but I think they might take a turn for the worst after finals. Working definately does make things harder, but it makes me feel better about my life. Boo to exams, and finals! 😡

 

[117296]

Not half bad. Everyone here is great except for one professor who I don't care for. The material isn't tough, just a lot of it.

Working is great, probably the best part of being in school so far. Lots of interesting things going on in pharmacy.

P1 spring semester looks pretty easy on paper for me, but I don't know till I get into it.

 

[suprachica79]

My first semester has been pretty bad. For one, I think my school is horrible, the teachers are a joke, and I'm basically paying 30k a year to teach myselfbecause I havent learned much of anything from my teachers. Also, I cant seem to find a way to motivate myself to study like I should, and due to my laziness and lack of motivation, Im failing Biochem and will most likely have to take biochem 1 and 2 over the summer, which I'm incredibly upset about. Any advice as to how to get my butt in gear and start studying everyday?

 

[meister]

Isn't VCU pharmacy ranked by US News (I know...) to be in the top 10 of pharmacy programs in the entire country? I find it hard to believe it is that bad, unless you're matriculating with a lot of experience with the introductory material. If that's the case it'll probably get a lot better at some point.

 

[Pharmacy Kid]

Isn't VCU pharmacy ranked by US News (I know...) to be in the top 10 of pharmacy programs in the entire country? I find it hard to believe it is that bad, unless you're matriculating with a lot of experience with the introductory material. If that's the case it'll probably get a lot better at some point.

I heard VCU revamped it's curriculum for the P1's so they're probably going through growing pains. It sucks to be the guinea pig class, trust me, I know. The best advice I can give is to pad your GPA. Do as well as possible in your easy classes because you won't get them in P2. With therapy and pharmacology, you'll wish you had a couple easy classes.

 

[Rumplestiltazepam]

My first semester has been pretty bad. For one, I think my school is horrible, the teachers are a joke, and I'm basically paying 30k a year to teach myselfbecause I havent learned much of anything from my teachers. Also, I cant seem to find a way to motivate myself to study like I should, and due to my laziness and lack of motivation, Im failing Biochem and will most likely have to take biochem 1 and 2 over the summer, which I'm incredibly upset about. Any advice as to how to get my butt in gear and start studying everyday?

You would think the mere fact that you are paying 30k/yr to take these classes would be motivation enough...it will just cost more money if you have to retake classes.

For some people having a study partner(s) helps, people to motivate you/guilt trip you into meeting to study.

You could always just quit if you are that lazy, it's an option. **** or get off the pot! I just think it's funny that people are in professional school and still do not know how to kick themselves in gear and get the work done. Everyoen is going to struggle but failing classes because of laziness while paying 30k is pretty lame...

 

[2012PharmDmiss]

I cannot believe the semester is over with! We do have some undergraduate classes like biochem and physio that people can get waived out of and take other pharmacy electives or do a research project, but overall they keep us quite busy. I cannot remember the last time I do not have a test to study for. Our tests range from 1-4 a week.

I was expecting a bit more from my Pharm Care class, but all they offer us so far are introductory (basic disease state info, therapy, and a huge drug list to know) to HTN, DM, and Dyslipidemia this semester. We had group presentation on different diseases, had counseling exercises, compounded capsules and ointment, learn to take blood pressure, and take our own glucose reading. Overall I enjoyed it! As for IPPEs, it was a pain getting them but my favorite ones are Roswell Cancer Institute, Buffalo General Hospital, and the wellness clinic I did at Kenmore Mercy.

Good luck on finals everyone! This is my form of procrastinating

on another note..I'm not a fan of pharm calc >.<

 

[NYPharm99]

This is one of my teachers favorite quote,"pharmacy school is like trying to unload a freight train that is still moving". I am going to celebrate when it is over. I seem to study nonstop. I survived this semester but need a better strategy for next semester.

 

[monsterbrain]

I'm not sure that I will make it. My grades just keep getting worse and worse. I am extremely sad and discouraged.

 

[suprachica79]

You would think the mere fact that you are paying 30k/yr to take these classes would be motivation enough...it will just cost more money if you have to retake classes.

For some people having a study partner(s) helps, people to motivate you/guilt trip you into meeting to study.

You could always just quit if you are that lazy, it's an option. **** or get off the pot! I just think it's funny that people are in professional school and still do not know how to kick themselves in gear and get the work done. Everyoen is going to struggle but failing classes because of laziness while paying 30k is pretty lame...

Its not enough. I always need instant gratification. So the paying 30k a year for me is basically out of sight, out of mind. I dont get anything immediate from getting good grades, not to mention my medical struggles that I've had this year, which you know absolutely nothing about. And no, quitting isnt an option. I want this, my a.d.d is just getting the best of me. I asked for any advice, not an ass hole to tell me what Im doing wrong, I beat myself up about it everyday. But thanks anyway. O by the way, Ive never smoked pot and I think its pretty lame to start yelling at someone you dont even know.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Its not enough. I always need instant gratification. So the paying 30k a year for me is basically out of sight, out of mind. I dont get anything immediate from getting good grades, not to mention my medical struggles that I've had this year, which you know absolutely nothing about. And no, quitting isnt an option. I want this, my a.d.d is just getting the best of me. I asked for any advice, not an ass hole to tell me what Im doing wrong, I beat myself up about it everyday. But thanks anyway. O by the way, Ive never smoked pot and I think its pretty lame to start yelling at someone you dont even know.

Pot was a reference to a toilet - not the mary-jane variety. Remember, this is an open forum - members are likely to post their opinions. Try not to be so sensitive.

I feel like quitting and enlisting in the Marine Corps again once a month - Life was freakin awesome when I was in - and now it blows on a regular basis. This isn't easy - but you will pull through.

Feel free to post up - just remember to do so with some thick skin 😎

~above~

 

[suprachica79]

I'm on many forums so most things dont get to me, but when it comes to my performance in school, I get aggitated. Mainly because I know I'm messing up and don't know how to stop myself from doing it. And since my partial thyroidectomy, my energy level has been horrible and I can't stay awake or focus long enough to get anything accomplished. Now that I have some levothy, my energy level is a little better, and I'm studying more, mainly out of desperation that if I get an 85 on my biochem final, I probably wont fail the class. I just hate the school Im at and the area, so it makes me not want to do anything here.

 

[aboveliquidice]

I'm on many forums so most things dont get to me, but when it comes to my performance in school, I get aggitated. Mainly because I know I'm messing up and don't know how to stop myself from doing it. And since my partial thyroidectomy, my energy level has been horrible and I can't stay awake or focus long enough to get anything accomplished. Now that I have some levothy, my energy level is a little better, and I'm studying more, mainly out of desperation that if I get an 85 on my biochem final, I probably wont fail the class. I just hate the school Im at and the area, so it makes me not want to do anything here.

That would make school life an uphill battle - good luck on your Biochem final - Take it to the max - and you will be just fine. Remember, what doesn't outright destroy you - will make you stronger.

Good

~above~

 

[VCU07]

The new curriculum at VCU is nearly intolerable. I am disappointed with the academic coursework, as most of it is overly introductory and largely irrelevant to most students. The program is poorly administered and our supposed 'practice experience' has been a complete joke with an absolute breakdown in communication.

Even now as I write this I am sitting in class DOING NOTHING and feeling that my time--not to mention copious amounts of money--are being wasted. The only reason I can figure for the high cost of this school is the excessive amount of paper that is being wasted on unreadable PowerPoint slide handouts which will never be read by most students.

If you are considering pharmacy school I would advise you to look elsewhere. I made a huge mistake by waiting to enter pharmacy school at VCU until this year. I regret coming here and have seriously considered finding a way to transfer to another program.

As a VCU alum, I completely disagree with your take on the school's cirriculum. Trust me, VCU has more than prepared me for being a pharmacist. While first year may seem like a waste of time, it def. will be worth it to you in future years. Having a solid foundation of physiology, anatomy, etc....is going to help you when taking classes such as therapy. I don't know where you went to undergrad., but my undergrad classes rank no no where in comparsion to the detail of material covered in pharmacy school. I was out of state, so I see where your coming from on tuition, but that's all schools, esp. with today's economy. Anyway, trust me, you will see it pay off. Hang in there

 

[VCU2011]

As a VCU alum, I completely disagree with your take on the school's cirriculum. Trust me, VCU has more than prepared me for being a pharmacist. While first year may seem like a waste of time, it def. will be worth it to you in future years. Having a solid foundation of physiology, anatomy, etc....is going to help you when taking classes such as therapy. I don't know where you went to undergrad., but my undergrad classes rank no no where in comparsion to the detail of material covered in pharmacy school. I was out of state, so I see where your coming from on tuition, but that's all schools, esp. with today's economy. Anyway, trust me, you will see it pay off. Hang in there

While I do agree with you that VCU has a great curriculum, I dont know if you have seen the new one for the class of 2012. I do sympathize with the OP, it sucks. For some reason (which I think was a huuuuge mistake) they got rid of anatomy, physiology, ect. because they have made them pre-req's. Unfortunately, they filled them with fluff classes, so believe me, I sympathize. On the other hand, if you think you're going to get a better education at another school because VCU is inferior, you're dead wrong. Cherrish it until 2nd year starts!

 

[meister]

What the hell? They don't require you guys to do anatomy or physiology? That is pretty insane. What else did they take out?

I was wondering why you guys never come by the anatomy lab. Now I know why!

 

[Pharmacy Kid]

What the hell? They don't require you guys to do anatomy or physiology? That is pretty insane. What else did they take out?

I was wondering why you guys never come by the anatomy lab. Now I know why!

This is what it used to be. Now this is what it is.

 

[girllein]

This is what it used to be. Now this is what it is.

Pharmacognosy? They still have that class? What are they teaching you? How to identify bark and leaf specimen?

 

[VCU2011]

What the hell? They don't require you guys to do anatomy or physiology? That is pretty insane. What else did they take out?

I was wondering why you guys never come by the anatomy lab. Now I know why!

Yeah like I said- I think this was a huge mistake. Personally I had a MUCH better anatomy experience in my undergrad than in rx school but we had a very well funded anatomy department and no medical campus. On the other hand, i think its going to really hurt students that there will be no standardization for these classes. I know of plenty of undergrad schools where the students were handed a few cross sections and Netter's atlas and that was it for anatomy.

Anatomy, phys, and microbiology are the big classes they took out. They added some classes which i think will be an asset to the P1's in the future, but I still dont think it was a good idea to get rid of stuch big classes like anat and phys. They are going to have one hell of a learning curve when they get to Sympathomimetics and such in therapy and pharmacology when they haven't had phys for 3,5, or even 10 years...

 

[sanrevelle]

is gross anatomy really necessary for pharmacy? i know that usc took out anatomy from their curriculum... and it is a very good school with great pharmacists graduating from it.

 

[VCU2011]

is gross anatomy really necessary for pharmacy? i know that usc took out anatomy from their curriculum... and it is a very good school with great pharmacists graduating from it.

I think that every healthcare professional should have gross anatomy. Not only does not having it mean that you have to learn it peacemeal as you go through the systems, which makes it very difficult to grasp the whole picture, but therapy professors dont have time to explain the anatomy of the gut to you when teaching you about PPI and H2RA's.

 

[meister]

Is anatomy even necessary?! Are you kidding me? And I'm still utterly dumbfounded they thought it was a good idea to take out physiology. I mean, really? Understanding how the body works is like half of what pharmacy is! Unbelievable. And I didn't know they took anatomy out of USC's curriculum as well. I'll have to see what my USC graduate friends think about that. It's just shocking to think that a pharmacy student rounding with the med students and residents will have no idea what the isthmus of the thyroid gland is, or the caudate lobe of the liver. Or tons of little things like that that I'm not sure you can pick up casually.

I mean this is supposedly a professional degree, and it's a doctorate of all things. I think they are really doing their students a huge disservice. I think BSPharms had to take anatomy and now you tell me PharmDs don't have to? Totally backwards.

"Yeah meister, but they took it in undergrad!" Yeah well, I took neuro and physio in undergrad about three years ago and I remember jack ****. Maybe I'm the exception but I don't think so...

 

[GatorRomp]

Is anatomy even necessary?! Are you kidding me? And I'm still utterly dumbfounded they thought it was a good idea to take out physiology. I mean, really? Understanding how the body works is like half of what pharmacy is!

I mean this is supposedly a professional degree, and it's a doctorate of all things.

"Yeah meister, but they took it in undergrad!" Yeah well, I took neuro and physio in undergrad about three years ago and I remember jack ****.

After four years, I trust that you will have remembered the minutiae anatomy. You couldn't remember neuro and physio.

Pharmacists are experts in medication and have a firm understanding about the physiological basis of disease. Physicians should know about every little things anatomy because your job is to find the problem related to glandular malfunction. The physiological basis of disease that disrupts homeostasis, however, are understood by pharmacists cold. I can understand the adrenal medulla and the hormones (physiology) related to it without needing to know whether it is superficial or caudal to whatever gland. I can know about the thyroid gland and know the role the parathyroid play (again physiology) without knowing the glandular minutiae that a pharmacist don't really care about. We seek to apply medication therapy to the physiology of the ailing individuals. Besides, when learning the physiology, we need only know about the organ in question and how it can affect other organs. We leave all the medical jargon (you as a doctor will most likely forget) by the time you do a residency.

Hello in Sunny Florida! A tropical paradise, indeed!

You've bee dissected!

 

[meister]

After four years, I trust that you will have remembered the minutiae anatomy. You couldn't remember neuro and physio.

I never used what I learned. I doubt pre-pharms who took physio 2+ years ago used what they learned either, so how can they be expected to remember the important things?

Pharmacists are experts in medication and have a firm understanding about the physiological basis of disease. Physicians should know about every little things anatomy because your job is to find the problem related to glandular malfunction. The physiological basis of disease that disrupts homeostasis, however, are understood by pharmacists cold. I can understand the adrenal medulla and the hormones (physiology) related to it without needing to know whether it is superficial or caudal to whatever gland. I can know about the thyroid gland and know the role the parathyroid play (again physiology) without knowing the glandular minutiae that a pharmacist don't really care about. We seek to apply medication therapy to the physiology of the ailing individuals. Besides, when learning the physiology, we need only know about the organ in question and how it can affect other organs. We leave all the medical jargon (you as a doctor will most likely forget) by the time you do a residency.

Ok, your entire post is a straw man. Where did I say anything about needing to know every nook and cranny of the body in order to know about medication therapy? I'll admit that anatomy is only really peripherally related to the real practice of pharmacy, but physiology? That is what I said was of utmost importance to a pharmacist.

But go ahead and attack me for being a med student, as if that has anything to do with the discussion at hand. You may convince me that anatomy isn't really necessary (although I'll never admit that pharmacists shouldn't have any anatomy at all), but you will never convince me that PharmD programs should take out their physiology courses.

 

[GatorRomp]

Ok, your entire post is a straw man. Where did I say anything about needing to know every nook and cranny of the body in order to know about medication therapy? I'll admit that anatomy is only really peripherally related to the real practice of pharmacy, but physiology? That is what I said was of utmost importance to a pharmacist.

You asked me to show proof where you might have alluded that a lack of anatomy might somehow be a disservice to Professional Healthcare student. Look below in your own words!

Proof 1)

What the hell? They don't require you guys to do anatomy or physiology? That is pretty insane. What else did they take out?

I was wondering why you guys never come by the anatomy lab. Now I know why!

Proof 2)

Unbelievable. And I didn't know they took anatomy out of USC's curriculum as well. I'll have to see what my USC graduate friends think about that. It's just shocking to think that a pharmacy student rounding with the med students and residents will have no idea what the isthmus of the thyroid gland is, or the caudate lobe of the liver. Or tons of little things like that that I'm not sure you can pick up casually.

I mean this is supposedly a professional degree, and it's a doctorate of all things. I think BSPharms had to take anatomy and now you tell me PharmDs don't have to? Totally backwards.

But go ahead and attack me for being a med student, as if that has anything to do with the discussion at hand. You may convince me that anatomy isn't really necessary (although I'll never admit that pharmacists shouldn't have any anatomy at all), but you will never convince me that PharmD programs should take out their physiology courses.

Lol! Attack? Whoa! A bit on the defensive there. Show me a trace of insinuation in my last post that suggests such. Also, there was no insinuation that physiology should be removed. Au contraire, I was defending having it on the curriculum even in the absence of a rigid anatomy course.

Talking about attack! Seems to me you have a superiority complex because you are in medical school. I took the same prerequisites courses as a medical student and after weighing the pros & cons, I decided that pharmacy had many career paths and I still could do patient care ( I can switch anytime from clinical to retail). Yet, you feel I'm attacking you because you are a so called "med student." I respect what physicians do. In your own words I just proved to you that could not accept the same for Pharmacists. Again, while anatomy is important to know ( I know the anatomy of the heart, liver, kidney, lungs, brain (but I don't know the minutiae that physicians are asked to memorize), physiology is absolutely essential for pharmacy school but not anatomy. Obviously, one must know the basics about anatomical organs to understand its physiology. That's a given.

By the way, no physiology texts explain the physiology without explaining a bit how the organ in questiong works. Cheers! Merry Christmas.

You've been dissected again!

 

[meister]

You asked me to show proof where you might have alluded that a lack of anatomy might somehow be a disservice to Professional Healthcare student. Look below in your own words!

You deny that a lack of anatomy is a disservice? I mean they still require it as a prerequisite, so clearly it is useful to VCU pharm students, right? Anyway my initial impression that it was crazy that they remove an anatomy course was a bit of an exaggeration, and clearly pharmacists don't need to know it to the extent that physicians do. I don't really consider parts of the liver or thyroid to be "every nook and cranny," but opinions on that may differ. I was more talking about nerve, artery and vein branching among other things. But more to the point, if VCU offered a combined physio/anatomy course then that would seem to fit the bill. But removing both? Seems like a huge disservice to me, and I know that if I was spending $30k+/annum to attend a four year professional school I would want the opportunity to take those courses.

Lol! Attack? Whoa! A bit on the defensive there. Show me a trace of insinuation in my last post that suggests such.

"You've bee dissected" at the end of the post is a sign of endearment!

Also, there was no insinuation that physiology should be removed. Au contraire, I was defending having it on the curriculum even in the absence of a rigid anatomy course.

Any reasonable person would agree with this.

Talking about attack! Seems to me you have a superiority complex because you are in medical school. I took the same prerequisites courses as a medical student and after weighing the pros & cons, I decided that pharmacy had many career paths and I still could do patient care ( I can switch anytime from clinical to retail). Yet, you feel I'm attacking you because you are a so called "med student." I respect what physicians do. In your own words I just proved to you that could not accept the same for Pharmacists. Again, while anatomy is important to know ( I know the anatomy of the heart, liver, kidney, lungs, brain (but I don't know the minutiae that physicians are asked to memorize), physiology is absolutely essential for pharmacy school but not anatomy. Obviously, one must know the basics about anatomical organs to understand its physiology. That's a given.

This is wholly irrelevant, and I don't really care what you think about me personally. Go ahead and think I'm an arrogant med student with no respect for pharmacists. You have no idea what you're talking about.

You've been dissected again!

The only thing more annoying than this is when people sign their posts with their name.

edit: hahahahaha are you even a pharm student yet? It is simply precious that a P1 with ZERO pharmacy experience is trying to teach me about the proper role of the pharmacist.

 

[GatorRomp]

edit: hahahahaha are you even a pharm student yet? It is simply precious that a P1 with ZERO pharmacy experience is trying to teach me about the proper role of the pharmacist.

For the purpose of the thread (anatomy), I decided to add the 'dissected' part. That must have annoyed you. I removed it for your sake. Done. LOL

What does Zero pharmacy experience have to do with contributing to this thread in a constructive way? When you decided to go into medical school, what experience did you have? At best, you probably volunteered in a hospital passing candies to embellish your application... beyond that, what kind of policy experience did YOU have?

The level of my threads and post suggest that I tend to resist the temptation to get into a tit for tat with arrogant people like yourself. I have zero experience in pharmacy and thus I have nothing else to contribute. Coming from a med student, now that is surprising. I think you just about showed your true colors.

You have a lot to learn my friend. No hard feelings.

 

[RxWildcat]

Jeez, everybody chill.

 

[meister]

What does Zero pharmacy experience have to do with contributing to this thread in a constructive way? When you decided to go into medical school, what experience did you have? At best, you probably volunteered in a hospital passing candies to embellish your application... beyond that, what kind of policy experience did YOU have?

The level of my threads and post suggest that I tend to resist the temptation to get into a tit for tat with arrogant people like yourself. I have zero experience in pharmacy and thus I have nothing else to contribute. Coming from a med student, now that is surprising. I think you just about showed your true colors.

You have a lot to learn my friend. No hard feelings.

Whatever, I never said you had a superiority complex or got uppity with the hilarious phrases. I really don't care what your background is as obviously anyone can have an opinion on something and we should discuss it on its merits alone. I only pointed out who you were because of how condescending you were being as if these issues are black and white and the answer is obvious.

The bottom line to this train-wreck of a thread is that while removing anatomy might be questionable, removing physiology is a pretty obvious misstep.

Jeez, everybody chill.

Right-o.

 

[RNtoPharmD]

I feel that same way. I feel like my money is being wasted also. Probably much more than you because this is a private school. Those introductory pharmacy courses wasted our time. I should have gone to 3 years school. I think pharm schools can be all condensed to 3 year program if these unnecessary courses are eliminated or shortened.

I think I got all As (unofficial) but my knowledge about pharmacy is very little.

 

[slick cat]

I think everywhere you will experience P1 year being largely pre-pharmacy-ish. The curriculum of pharmacy schools are fairly similar across the board though, so it wouldn't be different elsewhere. You will still have the immunology, biochemistry, and interprofessional healthcare type classes which don't directly relate to your vision of pharmacy.

Immunology, biochemistry, micro, A&P, biostats in P1 year? if i had to repeat those classes i'll probably be complaining too.

You don't have to wait for the proverbial smackdown at UT. Oh no you get that first semester w/ pharmacology, medicinal chem., and pharmaceutics. But I guess it works just fine for the school to have it this way in order to give us 3 semesters worth of rotations. Come P3.5 we will no longer be in the classroom. 😀

However, our test are 1 month a part from the last, but then you get pharmacology on friday, pharmaceutics on monday, and med.chem. on tuesday. and for mid term, basic skills on thurs., pharmacology on friday, pharmaceutics on monday, and med.chem. on tuesday. repeat and wash for finals. Talk about stressful but totally doable.

People are already complaining but I just smile and tell them 'if they can't survive the easiest sem. then wait until next yr, it's going to be a b*tch'. lol

Oh and who ever said that they don't know what to do with IPPE is sooo correct. Our IPPE consist of us visiting 2 hospitals or other healthcare settings (this is new and for just this semester), doing a PSA (also new and just for 1st semester), and going to health fairs to take bp, blood glucose, or educate the public about some issue. by the end of the yr., each class has to have a certain number of hrs that they must have completed to pass. So for the P1s we have 10hrs by May which must be done and the hrs increases for P2 and I think it decreases for P3 b/c they start rotations in the spring semester. hmmm I think I like the sound of some of you guys IPPE over ours.😉

Don't know if we had to write about our experiences during the health fairs in our black notebook b/c I didn't do it. In fact, I didn't write about a lot of stuff that was required, b/c I was lazy and didn't look in our little white notebook to see what was required for our little black notebook. Oh well, I still got an A.

Also new was that we had to do a video consultation on a random drug to a patient for basic skills. Talk about disorganization. Did my video at the end of sept. and got my video back after the last day of class, while others behind me got their tapes before me even if they went after me. WTH?

1st semester easy, 2nd semester will not be! But I did enjoy it and I am thankful that they did not curve b/c that would have created an uproar w/ the people who are ranked at the top of our class. And this is professional school and they are not here to baby us (JMO of course). We had enough uproars this semester to last a life time. lol

And we have HOMEWORK over our winter break, that we must complete and take the test to b/f school starts. 😎 Why? Why would they want to ruin such a beautiful vacation?