Research v. Teaching School need Advice

[srock]

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My wife is deciding between Palm Beach Atlantic, Shenandoah, Maryland, and Virginia Commonwealth. She has already been accepted at the first two. We are trying to figure out the advantages of attending a large highly ranked research institution (Maryland) versus a small intimate school who's primary aim is to teach its pharmd students (PBA, Shenandoah).

Her boss, a pharmacist working at CVS, says if you get into Maryland you have to go. But I am not convinced the education is necessarily better. Obviously the preference is up the student as to which environment better suits their needs, but the question is, does it really matter?

Do pharmd students from Maryland make more then those from a smaller, newer program?

Do they learn more?

Are there more opportunities to advance past a pharmd if you have a Maryland diploma as opposed to one from PBA?

Please help us figure out how to weigh these options.

 

[MuraRX]

It depends where she wants to take her pharmacy career. Is she interested in research or governmental work? Than Maryland might be the way to go. Is she more interested in community/retail? In that case, research opportunities will not weigh as heavily. However, if she is unsure, I believe that the more research opportunities or the more well-known a school is, the more doors that will be open to her no matter what she decides to do.

 

[srock]

She has no interest in research whatsoever. But, she is only 24 years old so things could change meaning we don't want to close any doors at this time.

 

[KARM12]

My wife is deciding between Palm Beach Atlantic, Shenandoah, Maryland, and Virginia Commonwealth. She has already been accepted at the first two. We are trying to figure out the advantages of attending a large highly ranked research institution (Maryland) versus a small intimate school who's primary aim is to teach its pharmd students (PBA, Shenandoah).

Her boss, a pharmacist working at CVS, says if you get into Maryland you have to go. But I am not convinced the education is necessarily better. Obviously the preference is up the student as to which environment better suits their needs, but the question is, does it really matter?

Do pharmd students from Maryland make more then those from a smaller, newer program?

Do they learn more?

Are there more opportunities to advance past a pharmd if you have a Maryland diploma as opposed to one from PBA?

Please help us figure out how to weigh these options.

She should go to the program where she sees herself fit the best. Maryland is necessarily better because it is "ranked"....she will get a good education from either school. All schools teach the same things and will end up earning the same salary for the similair jobs. Students from both schools will end up with opportunities for residency programs and fellowships. Just because a school isn't focused heavily on research does not mean those opportunities do not exist. My school is a smaller private institution and I have had every opportunity I've wanted to get out of pharmacy school, including research.

I was in a similar situation...I got into both Midwestern Chicago and Univ of IL Chicago. I chose Midwestern over UIC. It was a personal choice because I felt more at home at Midwestern and enjoyed the focus on the student they have here. Do I regret the choice? Not at all..I still have all the same opportunites. I will still get into a good residency program. I've still had opportunities to have rotations at some of Chicago's best hospitals (Northwestern, Loyola, and Rush).

Just pick the school that fits best for a variety of reasons...location, finances, program, and basically where she feels comfortable. If the school is has their accreditation, you're set.

 

[srock]

She should go to the program where she sees herself fit the best. Maryland is necessarily better because it is "ranked"....she will get a good education from either school. All schools teach the same things and will end up earning the same salary for the similair jobs. Students from both schools will end up with opportunities for residency programs and fellowships. Just because a school isn't focused heavily on research does not mean those opportunities do not exist. My school is a smaller private institution and I have had every opportunity I've wanted to get out of pharmacy school, including research.

I was in a similar situation...I got into both Midwestern Chicago and Univ of IL Chicago. I chose Midwestern over UIC. It was a personal choice because I felt more at home at Midwestern and enjoyed the focus on the student they have here. Do I regret the choice? Not at all..I still have all the same opportunites. I will still get into a good residency program. I've still had opportunities to have rotations at some of Chicago's best hospitals (Northwestern, Loyola, and Rush).

Just pick the school that fits best for a variety of reasons...location, finances, program, and basically where she feels comfortable. If the school is has their accreditation, you're set.

Thank you very much. This is the feel I got from the interviews, but I wanted to here from someone NOT chosen as the schools student interviewer. 👍

 

[AnonFaculty]

I don't think the schools you picked are that highly research intensive. The practice departments are not well funded at any of the schools mentioned in the inital post. Residency and Fellowship program acceptance has a lot to do with what the student did during their program (pharmacy associations,publciations, posters, work experience). All that is essentially equal in the top applicants. Thus, the school chosen does have an advanatge.

My alma mater was PCP in Philadelphia. They at one time had a good research reputation. However, it has declined precipitously over the years (mainly because a non-research practice Dean was in place for the last 15-20 years). Thus, my evaluation of the program as a component of the residency candidate is based upon the opinion of graduates about the culture and quality of education at the school. It is also based on the percentage of graduates who complete residency training and what the school considers its most successful graduates. If all of that is low in my mind, then applicants from that particular school could have their application influenced. Some of the students from smaller and newer schools may have a problem with my outlook because I think the database is NOT the same from all schools and the degree of input I have to make to get someone up to a baseline to function as a new resident will be much more difficult if the database isn't there.

 

[srock]

Thanks for the reply. Much of this went way over my head.

It is also based on the percentage of graduates who complete residency training and what the school considers its most successful graduates.

Do you know of any source where this information is published? I would like to compare the numbers.

Are NAPLEX scores a good way to compare schools? For instance, a Dean at PBA claimed their first graduating class scored, on the average, as well as the students graduating from the Top 5 programs. I don't know who she considered to be top 5. It would be cool to find a source listing average NAPLEX scores by school.

Some of the students from smaller and newer schools may have a problem with my outlook because I think the database is NOT the same from all schools and the degree of input I have to make to get someone up to a baseline to function as a new resident will be much more difficult if the database isn't there.

Are you saying that in your experience with recent graduates, those from smaller and newer schools are not as prepared for residency work as those from a larger, more established program?

 

[KARM12]

I don't think the schools you picked are that highly research intensive. The practice departments are not well funded at any of the schools mentioned in the inital post. Residency and Fellowship program acceptance has a lot to do with what the student did during their program (pharmacy associations,publciations, posters, work experience). All that is essentially equal in the top applicants. Thus, the school chosen does have an advanatge.

My alma mater was PCP in Philadelphia. They at one time had a good research reputation. However, it has declined precipitously over the years (mainly because a non-research practice Dean was in place for the last 15-20 years). Thus, my evaluation of the program as a component of the residency candidate is based upon the opinion of graduates about the culture and quality of education at the school. It is also based on the percentage of graduates who complete residency training and what the school considers its most successful graduates. If all of that is low in my mind, then applicants from that particular school could have their application influenced. Some of the students from smaller and newer schools may have a problem with my outlook because I think the database is NOT the same from all schools and the degree of input I have to make to get someone up to a baseline to function as a new resident will be much more difficult if the database isn't there.

Where do you work? I'll be sure not to apply for a residency there then.

 

[DrSal]

very interesting question! I am also in the same situation, and would love to hear what othe people have to say.