Preparing for Pre-Pharm?

[PA_dud3]

Hello everyone,

I may be thinking a bit far ahead, but is there anything I should purchase/do in order to prepare to do well in my two years of undergraduate study before Pharmacy school? I'm ordering a planner and calendar for my own personal sanity and to keep myself organized with assignments and whatnot. I'll be buying a new laptop soon for school. What helped you all succeed in your undergraduate studies? Any general advice prior to beginning classes?

Thanks for any help you folks can provide!

Dd3

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[FinallyOnTrack]

For organization - I use(d) the Readdle Calendar App to help me plan and organize my class schedule (for due dates and test dates) / work schedule - I synced it with my gmail account so it was on my google calendar as well..

For studying - I use(d) quizlet and note cards.

Start looking at the schools that YOU want to attend - look at their prerequisites - focus on taking those prereqs and don't worry about the other "filler" classes that your school may require for the Pre-Pharmacy AA (if they offer one).. Plan to take the PCAT after you finish Organic 1 - and I would definitely apply for Early Decision to your #1 school - you'll interview in August / September and if you don't get accepted - you still have PLENTY of time to apply to other schools.. (SAVE YOURSELF SOME MONEY!)

I'm assuming you're a technician already - if not, then I suggest you talk to someone in the pharmacy about it first so you can get an idea of what it's like. You are looking at roughly 5 to 6 years before you even become a licensed pharmacist -- DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH on the job market / outlook.. Are you prepared to have $200,000+ in student loans? That's a lot of money to find out that you really don't like working in the pharmacy in a few short years after graduation..

 

[NextStepTutor_4]

Great idea on thinking ahead of pharmacy school. Here are some tips I have utilized that has helped me both to and during pharmacy school:

1. Using an Microsoft Outlook calendar has helped quite a bit in terms of organization especially since it syncs up with Gmail and my school's calendar. My school would send event invitations through Outlook and accepted events would automatically populate into my calendar. If you're more old school, you can also use a simple planner to write everything down. Regardless, having an effective way to organize your events will keep you on track of deadlines.
2. Begin volunteering or working at various pharmacy settings such as community, hospital, or independent pharmacies. This will likely broaden your exposure to the world of medicine and give you a head start on which avenue to pursue in the future.
3. Maintain a good work/life balance. In this case, make sure you still have some time for yourself and try not to overwhelm yourself with school, work, and volunteering.

I hope this provides a bit more insight on how I went through undergrad and pharmacy school! Good luck!