University of Utah Visit

Hey Everyone!

We had a great trip last week up to the University of Utah campus where we got to hear from many different current pharmacy students and get some great tips! Here are my notes from the meeting:

• P1 Students
• How to prepare for application
• Take the right classes and get the good grades!
• PCAT or Bachelor's Degree
• Leadership Experience
• Can be varied 
• Volunteer/Community Service
• Looking for who you've become and not just what you've done 
• Bring up these experiences during your interviews 
• Instructors care and want you to do well
• Interviews -- don't worry about getting the right answer, just relax and be yourself. Don't act prideful or like you think you are going to get it. Don't act like you already know about pharmacy 
• There is a website that gives samples questions that were used previously at the U
• Interviews
• Very important
• Be careful of the stories you tell 
• Be careful about talking about cultural differences
• Don't talk forever -- they will let you talk until you are done
• Be aware of current events in pharmacy 
• Their focus is to evaluate your critical thinking skills 
• It's fine to ask to repeat the question 
• Pause before you start answering, take a breath to think about your answer 
• Munger -- loves PharmD/PhD 
• difficult to find research opportunities, need to take initiative 
• Personal Statement
• 1st Year
• Busy, need to be organized, often do internship hours and need to know your schedule front to back 
• P2
• TTh -- busy days, three two hour classes, no class on Fridays unless test and other days are a lot light
• coursework is same load, project, presentations, 
• Spring P2 hardest semester
• P3
• TTh -- testing day no classes
• MW -- class all day (8-3)
• friday 2 hour class
• Still can work about 20 hours a week
• Lots of exams but not in class a lot 
• P4
• Summers all years are on rotation anyway
• For license, you need to have 600 paid/volunteer hours 
• Rotation 8 hrs a day/5 days a week, work after that
• physically exhausting because you need to be on your game all the time
• Once you get accepted, try to get an internship as soon as you can 
• Every year is going to graduate and leave positions
• Can get intern license in May 
• Admissions/Classes Questions
• denise.brenes@pharm.utah.edu
• madison.hatch@pharm.utah.edu
• jon.magness@pharm.utah.edu
• halee.namanny@pharm.utah.edu

Free Kaplan Events

You can find locations at this website! Let me know if you have any questions!

Roseman Pharmacy Student Experience

Here are some notes from our meeting where we had Jaimee, Carlos and Chris from Roseman University in South Jordan come and tell us what it's like to be a pharmacy student!

• On every other Friday, you are tested on the material you have learned during the block. If you pass with a 90% or better, then you get Monday off
• If not, then you get to go on Monday and have remediation. 
• If you don't pass on Monday, then you have to do summer remediation 
• You get six weeks off for the summer, which you have to do your summer remediation. If you don't have to do any summer remediation, then you get the full break!
• Classes are normally 8 to 3, but depends on the professor -- hour lunch break 
• Study time varies, depending on your skills and ability to memorize
• Take biochemistry before applying! Very helpful!
• Material is not tricky, just the pressure of getting 90% 
• There isn't any competition because it is just pass/fail
• Lends itself to collaboration 
• It's only three years, so you have to be committed because of the pace. But you are done in three years! 
• No books! 
• Need to rely on powerpoint presentations and your class notes
• Major thing to get you an interview -- your science GPA
• If you are reapplying, change things about your application! 
• When preparing for the interview, look at things that are specific to the school 
• Specific programs, emphases, other positive characteristics about the school 
• Lots of teamwork involved at this school
• Free printing! 
• Tests could be a compilation of different teaching styles
• Attendance is not required, you can learn based on your own learning style
• You do have presentations and papers!
• Many student organizations involved on campus
• Drug Abuse Awareness Team - community events teaching kids about drugs, take back old medications 
• Student Alliance
• MBA Program also involved as well
• You start this July before pharmacy school -- total of 12 classes
• Cost $1900, takes six months
• Three courses before P1, three courses after P1. Six classes during third year
• Much easier program than the pharmacy portion
• Scholarships available for individuals involved in clubs
• Also other scholarships, including Air Force
• Wednesdays, Institute teacher comes and gives a spiritual message