work experience not relevant??

[DrSal]

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Hi!!

i'm in the process of applying to pharmacy school this year. I graduated college in '05 with a biology degree, and am currently a teacher.

I am trying to write my personal statement...and i know my teaching has little to do with pharmacy.. do u think they might question my motivation for a career change?

Also, i was under the impression that p-schools are relatively easy to get into.. for example the school i was looking at u need a gpa of 2.5+ to get in.. how do you guys feel about this?

thanks!!

 

[i.<3.pharmacy]

pharm school is definitely not easy to get into. it's becoming more and more competitive every year.

 

[Rxbound]

Getting into pharmacy school is no picnic. They may state that the minimum GPA requirements are a 2.5, but if you look at the actual GPAs of those accepted, they tend to be closer to 3.5.

 

[DrSal]

i see... with all the pharmcist shortages... you'd think they would loosen things up a bit...

thanks for your input...i need to get my mind back into studious successful applicant mode..being out of school is a real joy, but i gotta get back to a former self..

 

[kvl1027]

Hi!!

i'm in the process of applying to pharmacy school this year. I graduated college in '05 with a biology degree, and am currently a teacher.

I am trying to write my personal statement...and i know my teaching has little to do with pharmacy.. do u think they might question my motivation for a career change?

Also, i was under the impression that p-schools are relatively easy to get into.. for example the school i was looking at u need a gpa of 2.5+ to get in.. how do you guys feel about this?

thanks!!

I think they tell people they are competitive with a 2.5 to get your application fee. If you look at the average GPA of those accepted to my school(UF), it was like around 3.5. I am pretty sure they wont really consider you unless your math and sciences are around that.

I think Pharm school are very difficult to get into, it has become very competive, due to the fact that pharmacists make such good money, and there is less B.S. than med-school.

I dont think you having been a teacher first is going to affect your chances at all, if anything it will help you. They will know that you area serious student, or at least I would like to think that a teacher would be a very serious student.

Good Luck, I hope everything works out!

 

[sdn1977]

Hi!!

i'm in the process of applying to pharmacy school this year. I graduated college in '05 with a biology degree, and am currently a teacher.

I am trying to write my personal statement...and i know my teaching has little to do with pharmacy.. do u think they might question my motivation for a career change?

Also, i was under the impression that p-schools are relatively easy to get into.. for example the school i was looking at u need a gpa of 2.5+ to get in.. how do you guys feel about this?

thanks!!

So...I think you've applied to medical school (at least taken the MCAT) & inquired about the DAT & now you want to know about pharmacy school.

I think the bigger question is - do you really know what you want to do? The fact that you have applied or been interested in all these other professions to the point of actually taking the admissions test(s)? will come out.

No...pharmacy school is not just about your gpa nor your pcat score. If you ultimately get an interview, you'll have to be convincing about why you really want to become a pharmacist. Going from medicine, to dentistry to pharmacy with 2 years makes it questionable for me.

 

[twester]

Hi!!
I am trying to write my personal statement...and i know my teaching has little to do with pharmacy.. do u think they might question my motivation for a career change?
[\QUOTE]

Yes indeed, schools will question you about your career change. Most of my two interviews consisted of my motivation for the change and my adjustment to the change. It's done in a nice way, so just be prepared to answer the questions and give a good explanation.

As a teacher you probably have some great stories to tell about helping people and caring for students. Your PS is probably a really good one if you've incorporated that into explaining your ambition to become a pharmacist.

Good luck!

 

[pharmwannebe2]

i see... with all the pharmcist shortages... you'd think they would loosen things up a bit...

thanks for your input...i need to get my mind back into studious successful applicant mode..being out of school is a real joy, but i gotta get back to a former self..

well there is a couple of pharmacy schools and everyone tries to get in them. so no it isn't easy.

 

[AnnaLIU2010]

Hey guys I have some answers to your questions. First of all...

1. Pharm School is Crazy competition. Six Figures out of school is a good offer.

2. Pharm schools say 2.5 or better to there highschool students who already got accepted fo year 1-6. This way they dont fail out and keep paying 20 a year, as opposed to transfers who saved money in state and comm colleges and want to attend.

3. Think of it this way. You are going to war. Do you have enough ammo?
The more you have the better. Make it shine.

 

[DrSal]

So...I think you've applied to medical school (at least taken the MCAT) & inquired about the DAT & now you want to know about pharmacy school.

I think the bigger question is - do you really know what you want to do? The fact that you have applied or been interested in all these other professions to the point of actually taking the admissions test(s)? will come out.

No...pharmacy school is not just about your gpa nor your pcat score. If you ultimately get an interview, you'll have to be convincing about why you really want to become a pharmacist. Going from medicine, to dentistry to pharmacy with 2 years makes it questionable for me.

looks like you've checked out my prior posting... you're right... here-in lies the question.

i did take the mcat and apply to medschool.. 1 school...and it didn't work out. That is where my true passion is... but for various financial/religious/personal reasons, this is not an option anymore...

so i thought i'd check out dentistry...but again, after i thought about it, it didn't seem like it would be the perfect fit.

then i thought about pharmacy... i would enjoy the subject matter as i really enjoy sciences...etc and there's flexibility in what i decide to do post-pharmacy school in terms of career options...

there's nothing wrong with researching different paths if i'm gonna commit 4+ years to it... pay money and not be making money during that time as well... i do admit though... i am suffering from a bout of confusion about what i want to do in life...

 

[DrSal]

As a teacher you probably have some great stories to tell about helping people and caring for students. Your PS is probably a really good one if you've incorporated that into explaining your ambition to become a pharmacist.

Good luck!

hmmmm... i should probably include that... but i remember once a friend who was a Dr. telling me that she was pretty straight forward when describing her reasons for becoming a doc to admissions officers. she said she told them she couldn't imagine sitting behind a desk or doing anything else that would be quite as fulfilling to her... and she's an internist now...

that's sort of where i wanted to take my PS... i wanted to talk about flexibility, lifestyle, what i can bring the field. less on how i want to care for people... plus in pharmacy it seems like it's more indirect the care and help you provide.. so citing those as reasons for why i want to pursue that career...maybe not where i wanna take my PS...

any thoughts?

 

[Utterdevotion]

hmmmm... i should probably include that... but i remember once a friend who was a Dr. telling me that she was pretty straight forward when describing her reasons for becoming a doc to admissions officers. she said she told them she couldn't imagine sitting behind a desk or doing anything else that would be quite as fulfilling to her... and she's an internist now...

that's sort of where i wanted to take my PS... i wanted to talk about flexibility, lifestyle, what i can bring the field. less on how i want to care for people... plus in pharmacy it seems like it's more indirect the care and help you provide.. so citing those as reasons for why i want to pursue that career...maybe not where i wanna take my PS...

any thoughts?

I would think that you should write your PS on how you feel; and if it's about flexibility, lifestytle and what you can bring to the field - that'd be great. I guess I didn't think about writing in that perspective. My PS on the otherhand, dealt a lot w/ caring for people. Even though we won't be doctors, we are much more interactive w/ our patients. If you are a community pharmacist, you are a constant health care professional instead of a doctor that you see only when you are sick. Your patients also depend on you for typical, daily ailments.

Other thoughts?