Recommendation Letter from a Pharmacist

[eleanor_rigby]

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It seems from skimming through a few posts, that there are quite a handful of people who have been accepted to pharmacy school without having any experience related to the field whatsoever. From the looks of it, lots of schools require at least one recommendation letter from a pharmacist, so my question is: how did you get a recommendation letter from one, if you've never stepped behind the counter prior to applying to pharm school? (with the exclusion of those who applied to schools where a pharmacist recommendation was not compulsory)

 

[imprecious]

It seems from skimming through a few posts, that there are quite a handful of people who have been accepted to pharmacy school without having any experience related to the field whatsoever. From the looks of it, lots of schools require at least one recommendation letter from a pharmacist, so my question is: how did you get a recommendation letter from one, if you've never stepped behind the counter prior to applying to pharm school? (with the exclusion of those who applied to schools where a pharmacist recommendation was not compulsory)

For UOP specifically, there is an option to have a pharmacist interview you on your interest in this profession. It is not as strong a letter as it would be from a pharmacist employer, but it would suffice for UOP. Check with the school you are interested in and see what they say. 🙂

 

[RachGator]

I applied to several schools that prefer a pharmacist letter but they let me apply without one and I stil got interviewed (mostly). Otherwise, maybe you can shadow or vounteer to get a letter. Instead working in a pharmacy, I worked with a drug study team at a local doctor's office. If you show community/science related experience, perhaps that will help. Best of luck !

 

[smallkitty00]

I applied to several schools that prefer a pharmacist letter but they let me apply without one and I stil got interviewed (mostly). Otherwise, maybe you can shadow or vounteer to get a letter. Instead working in a pharmacy, I worked with a drug study team at a local doctor's office. If you show community/science related experience, perhaps that will help. Best of luck !

I will apply this summer and have a couple questions about LORs:

1. What is a good LOR be like? I've been volunteering for 1.5 years in a hospital, but the pharmacist there is a Chinese and his English is not quite fluent. Does it affect my LOR if I ask him to write one? Should I write the letter and have him sign it?

2. Can someone give an example of a good LOR?

3. Do you get to read your LOR beforehand?

Thanks alot.

 

[eleanor_rigby]

I will apply this summer and have a couple questions about LORs:

1. What is a good LOR be like? I've been volunteering for 1.5 years in a hospital, but the pharmacist there is a Chinese and his English is not quite fluent. Does it affect my LOR if I ask him to write one? Should I write the letter and have him sign it?

2. Can someone give an example of a good LOR?

3. Do you get to read your LOR beforehand?

Thanks alot.

1) His fluency in English will not make a difference because the LORs are in more of a survey layout, where he rates your level of competency in certain areas, behavior attributes, overall performance or something similar on a 1-10 scale or some such thing. He can put in a comment or two if he chooses to at the end and as long as it's something in the lines of "From the opportunities that I've had to be acquainted with _____________, I'd highly recommend him/her as I see them as a qualified candidate for pharm school".

2) Read above.

3) You can opt to on PharmCAS or waive it.

 

[sdn1977]

I will apply this summer and have a couple questions about LORs:

1. What is a good LOR be like? I've been volunteering for 1.5 years in a hospital, but the pharmacist there is a Chinese and his English is not quite fluent. Does it affect my LOR if I ask him to write one? Should I write the letter and have him sign it?

2. Can someone give an example of a good LOR?

3. Do you get to read your LOR beforehand?

Thanks alot.

Since you work in a hospital, are there other pharmacists you have any relationship with? Perhaps the director would write you a letter. I've written many LOR for both pharmacy school admittance & residencies. I do believe written fluency is a factor since a reader's discrimination might inadvertantly be assigned to you. However, sometimes, written fluency is better than spoken, so you might ask this individual how comfortable he/she is with the task.

IMO - a good LOR for someone trying to be admitted to pharmacy school would cover degree of interest in the field, ability to get along with others in the dept & the hospital as a whole, willingness to do any task, your reliability with regard to your assigned days, shifts, etc. I've never been asked to assign a number ranking & wouldn't know how to do that. When I've written them for residencies, I speak to more actual knowledge and ability, rather than general employee behaviors.

When I have sent the LOR, it has been directly from me to the school/committee. It often is asked to be on business letterhead with business franking rather than stamps, but not always. I've been asked once to affix an official "seal" which was provided for me. From the etiquette standpoint, no, you should not ask the letter writer to read it first. If he/she offers then it is up to you.

 

[smallkitty00]

Thank you for answering my questions thoroughly. It's true that some people write better than they speak, especially if it's their second language.

Cheers,

Katie

Since you work in a hospital, are there other pharmacists you have any relationship with? Perhaps the director would write you a letter. I've written many LOR for both pharmacy school admittance & residencies. I do believe written fluency is a factor since a reader's discrimination might inadvertantly be assigned to you. However, sometimes, written fluency is better than spoken, so you might ask this individual how comfortable he/she is with the task.

IMO - a good LOR for someone trying to be admitted to pharmacy school would cover degree of interest in the field, ability to get along with others in the dept & the hospital as a whole, willingness to do any task, your reliability with regard to your assigned days, shifts, etc. I've never been asked to assign a number ranking & wouldn't know how to do that. When I've written them for residencies, I speak to more actual knowledge and ability, rather than general employee behaviors.

When I have sent the LOR, it has been directly from me to the school/committee. It often is asked to be on business letterhead with business franking rather than stamps, but not always. I've been asked once to affix an official "seal" which was provided for me. From the etiquette standpoint, no, you should not ask the letter writer to read it first. If he/she offers then it is up to you.