Hi
@L.a0925! I'll try to help you with your questions.
1. What types of writing have you done for pharmacy school?
There's quite a bit of writing in pharmacy school. When presented a case, we had to write a SOAP (subjective, objective, assessment, plan) note and executive summary. Those are generally limited to 1-2 pages however it takes quite a bit of time to finish. Everything had to be referenced in AMA format. Some classes also require a formal paper to be written whether it's on a novel drug or medication therapy technique. The extent of how much you write also depends on what elective course you choose. For example, I was in a research focused class that had us writing a manuscript. This took over 2 years to write.
2. How have previous college courses prepared you for writing in your major?
I wouldn't say that previous courses prepared for writing in pharmacy directly. However, you can imagine that previous courses such as English taken in college has had an indirect effect. Proper spelling or grammatical structure is still necessary in pharmacy school.
3. Have there been any unexpected writing tasks or difficulties so far?
Several of my classmates struggled with writing a SOAP note that fits within the criteria graders wanted to see. Some graders wanted to see concise write-ups while others preferred lengthy write-ups.
4. What advice would you have for someone working on the personal statement for pharmacy school?
Make the personal statement something meaningful to you. If it is meaning for you, then the statement will be powerful. It doesn't have to relate to pharmacy. It can relate to an innate quality such as the drive to improve or the ability to overcome adversity.
