Pharmacy School Questions.. (I'm having doubts)

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TrishaPoo

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Hi! I'm new to the forum and I read through some of topics and they were so helpful! Today I was having doubts about becoming a pharmacist. I'm currently a freshman at a UC school (University of California) and hoping to be a pharmd student after I receive my bachelors. I'm planning to become a International Studies major and enter pharm school after I graduate. As of now, I received a C (I forgot if it was a C+ or just regular C) in my first quarter of general chemistry. Also thsi quarter, I think I'm doing C work. I know chemistry is a huge part of pharmacy and I'm having doubts if I'll even make it far enough as in being accepted to pharm school. I know I need to work harder. So I was wondering if any of you who were accepted to USC or UCSD pharm schools had some trouble in undergraduate work? Like were you all straight A's and B's student or did you have some C's in your course work? Also, if you guys know about Western Pharm School (in Pomona), is it a bad school? I know their requirements are a little bit lower than the other pharm schools in California. So sorry for the long post, but I'm having doubts about my future and it's making me sad. :(

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Firstly, cool down. Alot of students have hard time in chemistry. The chemisty taught in pharmacy school is very different and so don't worry about you not been good in chemistry. Yes, there are tons of student with C's in chemistry who have been accepted to both pharmacy and medical schools. So, you still have an EXCELLENT shot in gaining acceptance. Plus, it is your freshman year and no big deal is made out of it. Change your study habbits and improve on your weak points. By the way, a C in chemistry is good.




Read the below threads(i posted techniques about getting an A in chemistry)...they maybe helpful

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=65574&highlight=chemistry


http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=70123&highlight=organic+chemistry
 
Originally posted by TrishaPoo
Hi! I'm new to the forum and I read through some of topics and they were so helpful! Today I was having doubts about becoming a pharmacist. I'm currently a freshman at a UC school (University of California) and hoping to be a pharmd student after I receive my bachelors. I'm planning to become a International Studies major and enter pharm school after I graduate. As of now, I received a C (I forgot if it was a C+ or just regular C) in my first quarter of general chemistry. Also thsi quarter, I think I'm doing C work. I know chemistry is a huge part of pharmacy and I'm having doubts if I'll even make it far enough as in being accepted to pharm school. I know I need to work harder. So I was wondering if any of you who were accepted to USC or UCSD pharm schools had some trouble in undergraduate work? Like were you all straight A's and B's student or did you have some C's in your course work? Also, if you guys know about Western Pharm School (in Pomona), is it a bad school? I know their requirements are a little bit lower than the other pharm schools in California. So sorry for the long post, but I'm having doubts about my future and it's making me sad. :(

MY freshman year of college, first semester, I had a 0.54 GPA! My freshman year, second semester, I had a 3.6 GPA with 17 credits. Since then I have maintained pretty good grades and just finshed this semester with a 3.5. I was accepted to 2 of 3 pharmacy schools so far, getting waitlisted (deep) at the 3rd and with LECOM losing my app or something (like I care). California schools are much more competitive, but they are also looking for the total package. I always had A's in biology and all labs, plus most humanaties and some higher level chem courses (to make up for my C in the lower lever courses). I also had a 96th percentile composite score on the PCAT, but California schools couldn't care less. To make it short, no, you are not doomed. The adcoms look at grades, but they are looking for improvement, and you have several years to prove that you're dedicated, improving, smart, etc. Looks like you just enjoyed college a little too much (as I did my 1st semester). Start forming some good relationships with your profs to get good rec letters, and maybe look into some part time pharmacy work to gain experience. I had 3 years, and I think that helped my apps too. Also, if you're really interested in pharmacy school, you don't need a degree, so you might even consider applying after your 2nd year or so. Once you go PharmD, your undergrad is not worth too much, although it's nice to have another degree. :D

Jd
 
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To tell you the truth, I got my one-time, lowest grade, a C+, while taking freshman chemistry at UCD. Yeah, I thought college was going to be a breeze, so I loaded up on the courses, 20 units worth, and did miserably during that fall quarter. Don't worry too much if you did not do well during your fall quarter, but that does not mean that you can slack off until your junior or senior year and expect to increase your GPA. By then, it might be too late. Like someone mentioned earlier, the admission committee is looking for improvement. Remember, GPA is only one component they are looking at when they consider your application. As long as you have at least a 3.0-3.6 GPA in your pre-pharmacy prequisites, you should be a competitive applicant.
 
Originally posted by TrishaPoo
I'm planning to become a International Studies major and enter pharm school after I graduate. As of now, I received a C (I forgot if it was a C+ or just regular C) in my first quarter of general chemistry. Also thsi quarter, I think I'm doing C work.


Do not let that C get you down. You can still get into pharmacy school!!!!!

My advice to you, would be to really think about why you want to do I/S and then pharmacy. Is your pharm dream taking a backseat to your desire for an I/S degree? This is just a guess, but perhaps your chem grade is a reflection of your confusion and unfocused academic goals. From my own experience, I know that grades can really slide when you don't really know what to pursue. Without a goal, it is difficult to be motivated to really excel. In my early undergrad years, I dabbled in all sorts of artsy-fartsy courses like film, psychoanalysis, and anthropology and slacked-off in everthing (especially my science courses). When I finally felt inspired by the medical sciences and pharmacy later on, my science grades were top-notch. With my goal in pharmacy finally realized, I had a reason to prioritize my pre-pharm grades with a level of intensity that shocked many people, especially myself. If you decide that you really really want pharmacy, you will get in. It's all about direction and focus. I hope that I'm not getting too preachy or anything, but I really think that you get into pharmacy. You just have to want it really badly.
 
ChunkyB is 100% correct. If you want to go to pharmacy school, especially either to UCSF or UCSD, you have to work for it. You might have tripped during the beginning but you have at least three more years to compensate for this mishap.
Once I realized UCSF was my dream school, after talking to the students and seeing the amazing campus, I set off to work getting a competitive application together by volunteering at their in-patient pharmacy, by improving my communication skills, and by trying to really understand the profession through interviews with pharmacists and residents and reading professional journals. Heck, I practiced so much for the interview that I nearly lost my voice the night before the big date. All in all, I say it was worth every ounce of effort I poured into it because my dream, one of them anyway, came true.
 
The reason why I'm an Internation Studies major is because I'm interested in the business field. I'm also interested in pharmacy and since you don't necessarily need a B.S., I'm getting a degree in I.S. and still pursuing pharmacy. Also I heard you can use some business skills in pharmacy.
 
Hey buddy
I got straight C's in OChem and Physics. I got in somewhere.

kevin
 
TrishaPoo,

If International Studies is your passion, pursue the degree with everything you got but remember that you need to do well in your prepharmacy requirements, especially the science courses, as well. Hey, if you want to do business administration after you get your PharmD degree, more power to you. If you like trotting the gobe, I'm sure you can find a role for yourself in some big pharma marketing their drugs world-wide or overseeing clinical trials overseas, but that's only one option available to a PharmD, and there are many more that you'll have to find out for yourself.
 
After a year of mostly Cs in general chemistry and biology, I started to doubt my ability to succeed as a bio major. I knew I had to make a change. I spent some time evaluating my situation and more importantly, my seemingly inabillity to do well in chemistry and biology classes. After much contemptation, I realized that I was not learning the concepts, instead I was merely memorizing them. This frank realization changed the way I studied. I started to place heavy emphasis on understanding the concepts, as well as the lectures. I prepared for every lecture, went to office hours, and most importantly, I concentrated on the important concepts. As I did this, my grades did not only slowly but steadily improved, but I was also spending less time studying for my classes. I didn't study harder than before, instead I studied smarter. For the last 3 years, I had a 3.68 GPA while averaging 20 units per quarter. I was granted interview to UCSD, UOP, Western, USC and UCSF. I withdrew from UOP, was accepted to Western, USC and UCSD, but was eventally rejected to UCSF +pissed+. During my UCSF interview, the interviewer even told me it is perfectly understandable that some students struggled during their first year.

Take this opportunity to evaluate your situation and more importantly, learn why you didnt do well. Improvement indicates commitment, determination, and persistance; all qualities that the admissions committee look for in a candidate.
 
Incredibly well said BMB. You sound like an ad com person.

I got a 'D' in an anatomy class and got into ucsf, so don't freak out. I honestly think it says more about you when you struggle initially and succeed later on. It shows you have the capabilities to evaluate your weaknesses and address them. I would argue that's the most important skill to have.

I did do this though: I looked for course offerings that would demonstrate I was ready for a career in health sciences. I took a pharmacology course, pathology, research. I wanted the ad coms to look at my transrcipt and think: he was directed towards pharmacy as an undergrad. Take a course on alternative meds, or med ethics, or a business course related to pharmacy. Don't just go down the list of pre-reqs. 1) Your transcript will look like everyone elses 2) It's not as much fun

Don't wreck your GPA at all hazards. At the same time, if you can take a histo course or endocrinology even as credit/no credit take it.
 
You've got a great chance Trish. Get organized and do it!!
 
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