Preparing for the class of 2011

[dimsum1]

Does anyone worry about new life at pharmacy school? I thought I would be stress free after I received any acceptance notice. But, I am so worried. Can I handle all the difficult coursework? How can I compete with so many smart people? ...etc. I finally decided to go to University of Maryland but I heard this school is so hard.

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[foroneaudience]

I know exactly how you feel!

 

[Tez]

I feel you but I learned instead of competing with your classmates, make them your study partner or join their study group. It'll be worth the while !!!

 

[patmcd]

Once your in pharmacy school its not as competative. Everyone is in the boat as you and you all are trying to graduate.

 

[Dr.Biassi]

Does anyone worry about new life at pharmacy school? I thought I would be stress free after I received any acceptance notice. But, I am so worried. Can I handle all the difficult coursework? How can I compete with so many smart people? ...etc. I finally decided to go to University of Maryland but I heard this school is so hard.

I feel you. I'm not worrying about the classes cause as much as we study we can make it through. I'm more worrying about relocation and how to start with the whole money thing and planning. For once in life my stress level is high!!!!!

 

[lostplato]

They sent you an acceptance letter already? I just interviewed there this past Monday and I was told that they would send out letters during the first couple of weeks in March at the earliest. It is my top choice as well but Im nervouse about whether or not I got in. There seemed to be a lot of competition. So did you already get your letter?

 

[Dr.Biassi]

No they call me after the meeting of the comittee and she told me I will receive it next week. Well I suppose I'm in already!!!!

 

[lostplato]

My post was in regards to Dimsum and the University of Maryland, not LLU.

 

[DOPharmMD]

Does anyone worry about new life at pharmacy school? I thought I would be stress free after I received any acceptance notice. But, I am so worried. Can I handle all the difficult coursework? How can I compete with so many smart people? ...etc. I finally decided to go to University of Maryland but I heard this school is so hard.

When I readied myself for biology, gen chem and physics in one semester (with labs), I was told that I was asking for trouble. I saw their logic, however, I felt that if I had good study habits and was motivated, I could do it. I did just fine. Same thing happened when I took Calculus, anatomy & physio... and other tough courses. I did just fine. Same thing will happen in pharmacy school; the courses will be much tougher, but you and I, and the rest of the motivated students will be just fine! (when I get admitted next year, of course )

 

[comet81]

Does anyone worry about new life at pharmacy school? I thought I would be stress free after I received any acceptance notice. But, I am so worried. Can I handle all the difficult coursework? How can I compete with so many smart people? ...etc. I finally decided to go to University of Maryland but I heard this school is so hard.

As someone mentioned, I would more worry about relocation. That is what I am scared the most. I am so used with everything in the State of Maryland but suddenly I have to move to Illinois. Also, I am not that good at direction so I am worried about driving for rotation. I heard that Midwestern require students to start rotation from the first year.
But, at the same time, I am so excited just about the fact that I am accepted to this school.
Dimsum1,,,There will be so many people who feel exactly like you once you get there.

 

[KARM12]

As someone mentioned, I would more worry about relocation. That is what I am scared the most. I am so used with everything in the State of Maryland but suddenly I have to move to Illinois. Also, I am not that good at direction so I am worried about driving for rotation. I heard that Midwestern require students to start rotation from the first year.
But, at the same time, I am so excited just about the fact that I am accepted to this school.
Dimsum1,,,There will be so many people who feel exactly like you once you get there.

Midwestern does not have you start rotations as a first year. You do introductory "visits." It is nothing like a rotation. I am sure this is pretty standard with most schools.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Does anyone worry about new life at pharmacy school?

I did. But it was mostly the whole leaving home for the first time thing. Going somewhere I wouldn't know a soul, etc, etc.

I thought I would be stress free after I received any acceptance notice. But, I am so worried.

The part you have to worry the most about is over. You can get Cs now. Lots of them, to boot. Take a deep breath and put yourself into cruise control. It's going to be summer soon, and when it comes around - just chill. Trust me, enjoy every last second of it. It will be the last summer you'll have to just veg out.

Can I handle all the difficult coursework?

Well, if you've been accepted by January, I'd say you're probably going to be good to go.

How can I compete with so many smart people?

Nobody cares anymore. I don't even know what my GPA is. I know it's above 2.5 or I'd be on probation....but that's as specific as I can get.

I finally decided to go to University of Maryland but I heard this school is so hard.

They are all hard. Maryland is a good school, though.

 

[pharmacistUH]

I personally am excited about the challenges that we will have to face. From what I know about the college of pharmacy at UH, it is more like a family than it is anything else. I'm getting sick and tired of people in pre-pharmacy trying to tell me how hard it is to try and scare me out of it (happens all the time, doesn't work on me).

 

[rxlynn]

Does anyone worry about new life at pharmacy school? I thought I would be stress free after I received any acceptance notice. But, I am so worried. Can I handle all the difficult coursework? How can I compete with so many smart people? ...etc. I finally decided to go to University of Maryland but I heard this school is so hard.

Well - you won't be stress free, for sure! I guess it depends on the school, but I certainly don't have the feeling that I am competing with anybody now. For the most part, I have found my classmates to be much more interested in helping others to get through this next 4 years together. I am also really enjoying being surrounded by people who are interested in and knowledgeable about a lot of the same things - it's nice to not have to put up with the "Oh, you must be really smart" type comments when I say that I was a chemistry major.

As far as the coursework goes, I have found some of it to be quite challenging (mostly so far because of the amount of information covered in a short period of time) and other parts of it to be exactly as WVU says - a big waste of time and quite easy. So, my advice about classes for the OP is to make sure you don't get behind in studying, and if you have problems in a class, get with the professor, your friends, a tutor, whatever EARLY in the semester while you still have time to improve. On the other hand, try not to waste time on things that don't require as much studying or time. Remember, the school you will be attending saw something (probably many things) in you that made them think you would be a successful pharmacist, so they want to help you learn.

Also, pick your friends carefully. I have found that (just like high school) students tend to form cliques very early. And, this is much more obvious and pervasive than it was in undergrad because you are generally taking all the same classes at the same time as the other 100 or so students in your pharmacy class. Now, the person you sit down by at orientation might be a really nice guy and good to party with (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that) but if it turns out that he wants to party 5 nights a week and coast through school with C's and you don't want that for yourself, then you might get a lot of pressure to not study when you need to. So, take at least a few weeks, survey the scene, and get a bit of an idea of what your fellow classmates are like before you start committing yourself too heavily to certain people.

 

[GreyFox2002]

Nervous? Not at all! I'm incredibly excited, and can't wait for August to get here. I took a year off after getting my B.S., and worked at Office Max full time while I took the PCAT, applied, interviewed, etc. Trust me, a year of working 40 hours a week in retail hell (Office Max is the pinnacle of retail ineptitude) was more than enough to make me excited, not scared, of pharmacy school. Yes, the course work will be very tough, but I took some very difficult upper level chem/bio courses for my degree at Michigan: so I have the scientific background, and the study habits, to be ready for the coursework.

Of course, the biggest change will be financial changes. Instead of working 40 hours a week, I'll be working maybe 2 nights, and hoping student loans and grants will cover the rest of my external expenses. My parents are putting their home up for sale in the spring, so if they sell, I move out. Luckily, I have their help if I room with other people, and have that avenue.

What I'm most looking forward to is this spring/summer. You should too, so make plans to travel and get your head clear as you prepare for school. I have lots of plans; a trip "up north" for a week at my buddy's cottage (upper Michigan is called "up north"), a 4 day golf outing "up north," a trip to Boston to see my Tigers play the Red Sox at Fenway park during a weekend. I might even fly out to Denver to visit my sister and her boyfriend.

So relax. Enjoy yourself this summer. Remember that you've reached the pinnacle of educational achievement; acceptance to a Doctoral program. Don't be afraid to tell people, when they ask, that your in the "Doctor of Pharmacy" program at "XXX University. Its not a matter of gloating, its a matter of the fact that you deserve some recognition for your efforts and accomplishments. Most people don't know the educational background behind pharmacy.

Anyways, I'm rambling as usual. Hope this helps! Good luck!