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Since i have received quite a few PMs about USN. So, I'd like to answer to all of you in this thread. I'll borrow the questions from someone that PM me to post the answers here.
I'm a USN applicant this year. I was wondering if you could answer some questions for me?
Sure i can.
The first is I heard that the summer between P1 and P2 you go through 6 weeks of rotations and then you have a two month break...is this accurate?
Yes and Maybe. Yes because you have to do a community pharmacy rotation for 6 weeks during summer between P1 and P2. "Maybe" because you would have 1 and 1/2 month off if you don't have summer school. Some people have summer schools (because they failed during the school year), so they have NO break literally😱 .
Is every other weekend a 3-day weekend? When does your first year begin/end? When do you graduate?
First year begins in the end of August and ends at May. Graduation is always in June. Like me, i started in August 2004, so i will be grad in June 2007.
When do you have vacations?
Vacation is like NOW. XMAS, thanksgiving, new year's day, and maybe the weekend of the exam (if you don't fail...)If you don't pass an exam, can you retake it until you pass?
Yes, exams are given every other Friday and if you don't pass, you'll have a second chance on the following Monday. But keep in mind that the exam on Monday won't be the same as the one on friday (if it is, then who will study anymore rite?). And the monday exam is usually a bit harder than the one on Friday. For both exams, you need 90% to be passing. On hard exams, they can be curved (usually very rare because facultys always try to stick with their 90% rate). Some exams, everyone passes. But in some exams, almost 50% of the class fails.
How difficult are the exams?
See above comment.
Can you do your rotations wherever you want?
Yes, but it also can be NO. Generally, some sites already "contracted" with school thru years, so if you pick those sites, it would be easier. Other sites must be approved by the school coordinators. So if things don't work out between the site and the coordinator, then it's too bad. It also depends on the "lottery" draw at the end of your second year. If you are lucky, you will get what you want. Or else, it could be 50/50, or 60/40, etc..
Which of the didactic years are more difficult?
Second year is harder. But i personally liked 2nd year because it's more interesting. Like in first year, you learn about pharmacology drug A...work here...metabolized by X, excreted renally, etc...but have no clue why you're doing that. In second year (therapeutic year), you learn each disease state management, such as cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, infectious disease, COPD. And in each disease state, you learn drug A, B, C working like this and that...and you will have a bigger overall picture.
Test-taking wise, second year is also different from first year. Second year is more of clinical, case-by-case presented...and you have to apply what you learn into the case studies. And yeah, it can be really challenging because a) the case is long to read b) You have to use your reasoning, knowledge to figure out the best answer c) All answers can be reasonable if you don't know what you're doing d)Too much information in a short period of time.
What is your daily schedule like?
8AM-12:00 straight, then 1 hour lunch...and then 13:00 to 15:00.
Class ends at 15:00
Do I have a chance with an overall and pre-req GPA of 3.6, biology degree, 82 PCAT, 1 and 1/2 years of pharmacy experience?
Yes, that seems to be competitive. And to me, everyone deserves a chance...😍
I'm a USN applicant this year. I was wondering if you could answer some questions for me?
Sure i can.
The first is I heard that the summer between P1 and P2 you go through 6 weeks of rotations and then you have a two month break...is this accurate?
Yes and Maybe. Yes because you have to do a community pharmacy rotation for 6 weeks during summer between P1 and P2. "Maybe" because you would have 1 and 1/2 month off if you don't have summer school. Some people have summer schools (because they failed during the school year), so they have NO break literally😱 .
Is every other weekend a 3-day weekend? When does your first year begin/end? When do you graduate?
First year begins in the end of August and ends at May. Graduation is always in June. Like me, i started in August 2004, so i will be grad in June 2007.
When do you have vacations?
Vacation is like NOW. XMAS, thanksgiving, new year's day, and maybe the weekend of the exam (if you don't fail...)If you don't pass an exam, can you retake it until you pass?
Yes, exams are given every other Friday and if you don't pass, you'll have a second chance on the following Monday. But keep in mind that the exam on Monday won't be the same as the one on friday (if it is, then who will study anymore rite?). And the monday exam is usually a bit harder than the one on Friday. For both exams, you need 90% to be passing. On hard exams, they can be curved (usually very rare because facultys always try to stick with their 90% rate). Some exams, everyone passes. But in some exams, almost 50% of the class fails.
How difficult are the exams?
See above comment.
Can you do your rotations wherever you want?
Yes, but it also can be NO. Generally, some sites already "contracted" with school thru years, so if you pick those sites, it would be easier. Other sites must be approved by the school coordinators. So if things don't work out between the site and the coordinator, then it's too bad. It also depends on the "lottery" draw at the end of your second year. If you are lucky, you will get what you want. Or else, it could be 50/50, or 60/40, etc..
Which of the didactic years are more difficult?
Second year is harder. But i personally liked 2nd year because it's more interesting. Like in first year, you learn about pharmacology drug A...work here...metabolized by X, excreted renally, etc...but have no clue why you're doing that. In second year (therapeutic year), you learn each disease state management, such as cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, infectious disease, COPD. And in each disease state, you learn drug A, B, C working like this and that...and you will have a bigger overall picture.
Test-taking wise, second year is also different from first year. Second year is more of clinical, case-by-case presented...and you have to apply what you learn into the case studies. And yeah, it can be really challenging because a) the case is long to read b) You have to use your reasoning, knowledge to figure out the best answer c) All answers can be reasonable if you don't know what you're doing d)Too much information in a short period of time.
What is your daily schedule like?
8AM-12:00 straight, then 1 hour lunch...and then 13:00 to 15:00.
Class ends at 15:00
Do I have a chance with an overall and pre-req GPA of 3.6, biology degree, 82 PCAT, 1 and 1/2 years of pharmacy experience?
Yes, that seems to be competitive. And to me, everyone deserves a chance...😍
) so I am glad you took the time.
