Dear Pharmachemist,
From what I know, the chance of getting into Cleveland depends on the year. Some year, the school get 100+ applicants from both campuses and only 10 are selected and some year they get like 20 and 10 are selected. It depends on the year and how people want to do their 3rd year.
It is not hard to get in but the decision depends on whether or not what is your goal by going to Cleveland Clinic. Let me break down the pro and con from my perspective and I will let you decide for yourself.
Pro:
It is a big DEAL, you get to work with the foremost top cardiovascular hospitals in the country
It is very nice since you do all 7 rotations in a set of hospitals that are nearby which mean you will get to see some familiar face all over the year
You will be able to network better since the pharmacist will know you for a year instead of 6 weeks rotation
You will have a better chance of landing a residency interview
Con:
It is FAR from Roseman, the moving will cost quite some money. My friend who got in paid around $1000 something to move stuff around. If you drive, it will take at least 2 days to travel so take that into consideration also.
It is very COMPETITIVE, you will not be the only pharmacy students there. There will be 3 or more at any rotation and everyone is fighting for a chance to shine. It is quite a stressful environment to be in unless you enjoy competition.
It is very BUSY work, my friends who went there said she has a full schedule each day with topic discussions and presentation. This place is not a place to learn slowly, it is like a pre-residency work. If you feel very comfortable with P1 and P2 with no summer class then you can definitely apply.
It is not very beneficial if you plan to move back to the WEST Coast. Normally when you apply for residency or even a retail job, they want a letter of recommendations or referrals from your preceptor. If your preceptors are from the East, then you apply in the West, then it is harder for the hiring company to hire you due to the preceptor unknown credibility.
FACT: Getting into Clevaland does not guarantee residency. From previous graduates that I know of, they all do retail after Cleveland rotations since they said it is quite a lot of work.
Hope it help
let me know if you need anything else.