Starting over again

[drjmariesegars]

After being sick (again with a kidney infection) I finally have the go ahead to go back to school.
*sigh* I feel like giving up on pharmacy because I have so many gaps in my education due to being ill and partially to being lazy and fight through a depression (my sister died).
I'm wondering if I have what it takes to do this at all-looking at the statistics and the classes that I need to have straight A's in, I don't think I can do this.
Is this a normal feeling when considering something incredibly daunting? Would it make more sense to complete a degree then attend pharmacy school?
I'm just feeling overwhelmed and all I can say is HELP! lol

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[pearljam5a1]

It's always good to have a backup plan. I usually tell people to start by working on your prereqs in undergrad with the end goal of a BS/BA. If you get accepted before you complete your degree then , if not then keep working on your degree so that you at least have something to show for it.

 

[TexasHeat]

I'm so sorry for your loss and poor health, but believing thath you can achieve is a big part of attending pharmacy school. Getting accepted to pharmacy school, and being able to keep up with the curriculum can seem impossible, but it isn't. You need to take things one step at a time. There is no minimum requirements to complete you prerequisites. Plus, pharmacy school applications ask about any hardships that you may have faced, and schools take that into consideration. That said, it is important to understand that having straight A's isnt everything. Pharmacy schools want a well rounded student who is able to keep his/her grades up, and participate in his/her school and community. Having good grades are not enough, letters of recommendations, pcat scores, and community involvement are all important. If you're lacking in one, you can use the other to compensate. I decided to get my degree in Biology first so that I could concentrate on my courses without worrying about rushing to complete prerequisites in two years. I was accepted this fall and my gpa wasnt exactly perfect (3.4) overall GPA, but I was involved in the community, school clubs, worked in a pharmacy, and had pretty good letters of recommendation. If I could give you any advice, it would be to try to keep your grades up as much as possible, study you ass off for the pcat, get to know your teachers so they can write you good letters, get involved in school clubs, try to get some observation hours in a pharmacy, apply to schools early, and lastly......if pharmacy is what you want do.....dont give up !

 

[RxGrL]

When I read your post, it reminded me of what I went through back then and the feelings that I experienced. I too went through depression for the longest time, suffered from kidney infections, hospitalized twice, and just partied way too much during my first 3 years in college. I thought I had screwed up big time and I really did. I questioned myself if it was worth TRYING to get into pharm school because of my poor grades. I lacked the confidence and was extremely overwhelmed. However, I found my motivation to improve and do better so I decided to move out of state. I graduated 3.5 years later with a BS in biology with a minor in chemistry. I received mostly A's and some B's within those years. I continued to repeat some old courses and take some new science courses and liberal arts courses to bring up my gpa after graduation. My postgrad gpa is a 4.0. Don't let your past hinder your chances of getting into pharm school. If you have the passion, drive, motivation, and determination for pharmacy, you will eventually get accepted. I've learned that if you really want it, then you have to work really hard for it, especially if your grades weren't so good in the past. Don't give up and keep trying. GL!

 

[drjmariesegars]

Thank you all so much for your words of encouragement-I truly do appreciate it. I have the summer off so I'm looking into what are my options as far as my education goes. I do know that I am interested in nursing which does satisfy all of my pre-pharmacy requirements. Decisions decisions. Thank you all again for listening to me complain about being discouraged. My question is how did you who had set backs over come them and make pharmacy your goal? How did you get yourself organized to figure this all out??? I find it difficult to sort out how exactly to go about this especially since I'm not one of those super motivated high school graduate...Any reading material? Any suggestions would be great
I work at CVS, have for a year in August and honestly (while I'm grateful for my job) I can't stand retail...lol
But what can one do in hard economic times.

 

[docss26]

After being sick (again with a kidney infection) I finally have the go ahead to go back to school.
*sigh* I feel like giving up on pharmacy because I have so many gaps in my education due to being ill and partially to being lazy and fight through a depression (my sister died).
I'm wondering if I have what it takes to do this at all-looking at the statistics and the classes that I need to have straight A's in, I don't think I can do this.
Is this a normal feeling when considering something incredibly daunting? Would it make more sense to complete a degree then attend pharmacy school?
I'm just feeling overwhelmed and all I can say is HELP! lol

If there is anything that I realized, it's that SDN is a great place to find encouragement. Keep your head up and stay optimistic. Read through the forums and other peoples' success stories. I hope it will keep you motivated in your pursuit towards a career in pharmacy. Good luck to you!