Weight Loss - Part 2

It's been a month, I think it's time for an update to my weight loss goal.  And as a quick reminder as what this has to do with pharmacy.  Preparing for pharmacy isn't just about making myself look good on paper.  It's also about being ready.  Getting back in shape will help my confidence, give me more energy, and simply make me feel better about myself.  With that comes better performance in all aspects of life, which likely includes better performance as I fix my grades, better impression as I interact with people who I end up asking for letters of recommendation, and doing better on interviews I go to.  Increased confidence, energy, and higher self-esteem is not something to be ignored.

Now for the numbers:

Starting Weight: 216.8
Week 1 Weight: 215.8
Week 2 Weight: 214.8
Week 3 Weight: 215.0
Week 4 Weight: 211.6
Total Weight Loss: 5.2
Pounds Still to Go: 26.8
Trendline Estimate: 202.7

- Week 1: Went to the gym every day of the week, only did cardio on an elliptical machine.

- Week 2: Went to the gym every day of the week, did cardio and began using the weight machines.

- Week 3: Only went to the gym 4 days this week, pushed myself hard with the weights.
- Week 4: Went to the gym 5 days during the week, took it easy with the cardio.

I've been drinking a lot of water to keep myself hydrated, and am vaguely keeping aware of my calorie intake.  During the third week, even though I gained 0.2 pounds, it most likely wasn't 0.2 pounds of fat.  I was sore like I hadn't been in years, in my chest, upper back, and hamstrings.  The increase in muscle weight definitely affected what result my scale was showing.

From the results this week, it looks like I may have started getting past that hurdle where muscle gain drastically affects the results of the graph.  It's very possible for me to make my target weight of 185 by the end of the year, but even if I don't, I'm pretty confident that I'll make it to 195 if not 190.  The end of the year is just an arbitrary date, and I can finish off the rest afterwards.  The most important thing is that I am losing weight, and that I'm not killing myself while doing it.  I'm not pushing myself to any extreme so I will make my goal at some point.

UCSF Pharmacy Day (Hosted by CSHSP)

Back to UCSF already. This time it was much easier to get there, and easy to find the HSW building. There were even some convenient signs pointing the way, even though I already pretty much knew how to get there.

-- Free Health Screenings (Diabetes, Cholesterol, and Hypertension)

The diabetes table was open, so I went there first. I was going to get tested for all of it, so it didn't matter which went first. I guessed I was currently at a low risk for diabetes even though my dad has diabetes, and after answering a series of questions, the student pharmacist confirmed my guess. After signing the consent form, my finger was pricked, and test confirmed it even more. Unfortunately I left the info sheet that my result was written on, so I no longer know the specific number.

Next was the Cholesterol test. Consent and finger number two was pricked. I was told that this test would require a bit more blood than the diabetes test... and then my finger stopped cooperating! Barely any blood came out, she tried to massage some blood out and it didn't help. I was then asked to stand up and that didn't work. So it was time to band-aid it up and prick finger number three with a bigger needle. It worked and my finger bled.

While we waited for the machine to spit out the results, the student pharmacist took my blood pressure. 131/80 came out. Right in the middle of the pre-hypertension range. Good to know. The accompanying info sheet suggests taking my blood pressure every month, and I may just do that. Then came the cholesterol results... 195! That's too close to the 200 border that keeps me in the desirable range. Last year when I donated blood with the Blood Centers of the Pacific, I was informed that my blood type was O positive, and that my cholesterol was 171. Even if eating breakfast brought up my results today, it's still probably higher than it was last year, and it's higher than I want regardless.

With the tests done, I went back out into the lobby where some food (muffins, croissants, juice, coffee, and water) were served, as well as some project posters. The most interesting fact from the men's health poster was pointed out to me by the student pharmacist in charge of the project. Testicular cancer most likely occurs in males between 15 and 34. That means me! On that table was a model scrotum to feel what a tumor would feel like. I picked up some pamphlets on Alzheimer’s disease at the mental disorders project. Possibly useful since my grandfather had it, my dad might get it, and I could get it as well. And there was a fun little Myth/Fact game at the anti-bacterial project. I got four of the five questions right and got a nice little bag of swag.

Viral Pak Contents: Info Pamphlet, Tissue,

Hand Sanitizer, Tylenol, Green Tea x2

-- Senator Leland Yee on Healthcare

The second half of the event was a speech and Q&A session from Senator Leland Yee of the California Senate on the subject of healthcare. I'd say it was a pretty good speech. Opened up with saying that coming to SF feels like coming home, and why healthcare is important. And how he votes the way he believes.

To summarize, there were three main concepts he felt were important to healthcare.

1) Preventative health care will greatly reduce costs and is very important. Sometimes it would be better if people couldn't refuse some treatments because their refusal causes further problems down the line for the patient and/or society. (Ex. Someone with a mental disorder refuses to take any medication, and may end up causing some sort of harm to other people and/or ends up with worse health problems because of that decision.)

2) A connection between health professionals and patients is important. (And of course he mentioned how pharmacists are ranked as the number one trusted health professional and we should keep that up.)

3) Money is a strong force in the healthcare industry and a public option is necessary to keep things honest.

Points two and three seem to make sense. Point one makes sense in a general sense, but of course when it comes to imposing on individual rights, there is always some concern. The details are important for all points of course.

The senator ended with saying that he believes that while heathcare will pass on the national level, there will be some important things left out because of how our system works, and the issue will then return to the state's to take the issue all the way. And he added that it is important that we all speak up and have our voices heard.

Then the Q&A Session (Short form):

Q: The public option may not pass on the national level. Is it a slam dunk for California?

A: Depends on the costs.

Q: What kind of stats are there?

A: About 25% of Californians don't have health insurance.

Q: Pre-existing conditions?

A: That's a complicated cost issue. Insurance is obviously opposed to it because it will no doubt cost them money. In the Doctor's PoV they need to be able to be treated.

Q: Speaking of preventative health care and fiscal responsibility, Will we be watching the overall health of the population?

A: That is a good question that hasn't been brought up. In short, no. We're only focusing on ways to finance healthcare, and that people who are sick have access to treatment. That is a good point that should be in our agendas.

Q: Have you considered a Kaiser type of public option?

A: Kaiser has been involved, but details such as who will control that particular system (solely the non-profit, or with government oversight) and other details must be considered. There are a lot of good points to that system, but some bad as well.

-- Conclusion

I thought the event was great.  Everyone was friendly, I got a lot of useful info.  I talked to several of them about how they're liking their classes so far, and everyone was encouraging about pursuing a career in pharmacy.  One of them even gave me her email in case I ever have any questions.  All in all, it was well worth it to attend.  Who knows, perhaps I'll be helping out at an event like this one day.

Miscellaneous Updates

H!N1 Vaccinations

I haven't been contacted yet.  And I probably won't.  Whatever happened with changing the event probably factored into it.  Perhaps shipments haven't arrived yet, perhaps the shipments were much smaller than originally hoped for, so less volunteers were needed.  Who knows.  Oh well, that would have been an interesting experience.

Pharmacy School Admissions Blog
Forum

The Pharmacy School Admissions Blog will no longer update.  As a blog.  I was enjoying the daily entries, but I understand the decision.

The reason for this change is that the one thing a blog does not easily permit is the fostering of a sense of community. It is our hope that this forum, however, will allow dialogue between the many future pharmacists who have frequented the blog.

You can read the full entry here, and of course don't forget to go directly to their forums to check it out.

Target Commercial - Pharmacy

Was watching Monk on Hulu and this commercial popped up.

Calendar Update

Here are some dates that I'm keeping in mind. (To share with others, and to conveniently store all the relevant information for myself, so I don't lose it.)

University of San Francisco Pharmacy Day Event:

 (Click to enlarge)

This is hosted by the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists. (UCSF, Diablo Valley, and Golden Gate chapters)

A free screening is nice.  Especially considering that I'm in the process of losing weight, and knowing my cholesterol level would be nice, and level of hypertension (Is that how it's described?  Hypertension isn't something I typically talk about.), and my family has a history of diabetes. 

A talk on healthcare reform will also be great.  I mentioned it's something I should be learning about, and here's an opportunity to do so.

University of Southern California Information Session

The webpage for USC info session dates can be found here.  I can't predict which one I'll be going to.  A lot can change between now and Jan-April.  But I do want to make sure I go to one of them.

Western University of Health Sciences Information Session

The webpage for WesternU info session dates can be found here.  I also don't know which date I'll be going, but I will be going if at all possible.  Registration costs $10.  It conveniently has an April date close to the USC date if I choose to take on both in the same week.  But I have both family and friends down there, so taking them on at the same time or separate is good either way.

"I Feel Fantastic" Music Video

 "I Feel Fantastic" Music Video

The JoCo Primer

My name is Jonathan Coulton and I’m a musician, a singer-songwriter and an internet superstar. This site is chock full of music, news and me-related merchandise

Lyrics, other videos to the song, and all kinds of stuff are on his website.  It was just something I stumbled across when looking up pharmacy stuff and it made me smile.  A nice song to listen to as I continue studying for the PTCE.

Videos about Pharmacy Technicians

The counterpart to yesterday's pharmacist videos.  Youtube is wonderful.

Pharmacy Technicians Job Description

Career Focus on Pharmacy Technicians

Pharmacy Technician Music Video - RESPECT

That's right, there was even a counterpart to the RESPECT video.  This one was made by the NPTA (National Pharmacy Technician Association).  Their website is pharmacytechnician.org.

Videos about Pharmacists

After exploring the blogosphere for a bit when it comes to pharmacy, I thought I'd check what the ever popular youtube had to offer.  The most eye catching title was a nice and simple:

Best Careers 2009: Pharmacist Job Description

Here's the accompanying article by U.S. News & World Report.  All pretty basic stuff.  (The "custom designing drugs to work with an individual's genome" sounds really cool.)

The video title that caught my eye next was titled:

Pharmacist Career Information: Pharmacist Pros & Cons

I thought it was kind of funny how she's saying a pro for being a pharmacist is that you don't have to be a pharmacist full time.  =P  Not really the greatest way to sell the profession.  I'm sure she didn't mean it to sound that way, but you can bet that I'll be sure to not word my personal statement that way.  

And last I'll close with the number one video when I typed in "pharmacy".

Pharmacy Respect

Haha.  I love it!

Healthcare Moves Forward

What does this mean?  All I really know is that it's a step closer to being passed than where it had been, but it's not there yet.  Here is a Yahoo News article explaining more about it.  How will that bill will look when it's passed?  Who knows.  What I do know is that I know very little about what's going on with the issue.  It's something that I've only been vaguely kept aware of, and something that I should be paying closer attention to (And will start doing so).  This issue will certainly affect myself and the profession of pharmacy no matter what shape it's in at the end.

California Pharm Tech Registration

So I was talking with my mom the other day, and she sounded concerned.  She is a nurse at a hospital and was talking to the pharmacist there (about me I'm guessing), and he told her that the only way to become a pharmacy technician is to take a course.  Passing an exam means nothing, and it's the license that's important.

I have no idea what the pharmacist told her, but I'm sure something was lost in translation.  Her concern made me concerned, but only for a few seconds.  Then I realized that simply did not make sense.  That completely contradicts what other people have told me, and there was nothing about that in the in books I've been studying.

I needed to set my mom's fears to rest, and so a quick and simple check online took me to the California Department of Consumer Affairs Board of Pharmacy website.  I printed out the official registration form and showed her that what she was saying wasn't exactly right.  (Direct link to the.pdf here.)

Under the "Qualifications of Substantiation" section, there are three methods to qualify:

A) Proof of completing or graduation from some official course.

B) Proof of training from one of the armed forces

C) Proof of certification by the PTCB (*ding! ding!* This is me.)

What she was right about, is that acquiring the license is important.  Besides passing the exam, I'll have to pay $50, fill out the form, attach proof of certification, get fingerprinted and attach proof (the form says that costs an additional $5 to $20) and, answer the yes/no questions, and understand that I'll become a "mandated reporter" for child or elderly abuse or neglect (Did not know that.  Interesting.)   While this specifically applies to California, I'm sure other states do something similar.

The.pdf conveniently has pre-filled out forms for the Live Scan finger printing, so you don't need to fill out their address and info at all, you just need to write your own.  And the .pdf also has a convenient link to find locations for the Live Scan service.  (A quick scan of my county shows plenty of locations to choose from, with costs actually ranging from $18 to $43)

While my mom wasn't exactly right with what she was telling me, looking up this information early certainly doesn't hurt.

The State of California's State Colleges

My friend sent me this link today from Yahoo News titled "College cutbacks make it harder to earn degrees."

It isn't just tuition increases that are driving up the cost of college. Around the country, deep budget cuts are forcing colleges to lay off instructors and eliminate some classes, making it harder for students to get into the courses they need to earn their degree.

The news isn't news to me. While I haven't graduated in large part due to my priorities shifting in the wrong direction for a time, once I regained my determination this issue has certainly contributed to holding me back. It is the reason that I needed to still get once specific class to graduate, rather than having already completed it. And it is part of the reason that I'm not currently in school now.

Redoglia unsuccessfully crashed 26 different classes, hoping to find space that would move him closer to a hospitality management degree.

I know that many majors are impacted, but even with going to school at San Francisco State, that is a surprising number. That really makes me sad. It's not the school's fault specifically. There's just no money. The budget got cut.

As an example of what the school system is doing to try to keep teachers and classes, the school has instituted "furlough days" into the school semester. There are, I believe, two additional extra long weekends that students get off this semester. Besides Thanksgiving break, there are two extra Friday/Mondays off, where the school is completely shut down, and all the lights turned off. The school saves on electricity and there are unofficial pay cut across the board for all instructors, and probably all campus employees.

I know what the counter argument said at the end of the article, but education should have a higher priority in the state's budget than it does.

The schools are in a tough spot and so are we.

Checklist

I've thrown out bits and pieces of what I'm doing, but I think it's time I write out what the full plan is:

- Graduate with a degree

- Continue doing community service

- Study for the PTCE

- Take the PTCE

- Apply for my pharm tech license

- Work as a pharm tech

- Study for the GRE

- Take the GRE

- Attend Info/Preview Days in CA

- Retake important classes

- Research Out of State Schools

- Rearch the field of pharmacy

- Lose weight

- Study for the PCAT

- Take the PCAT

- Write my Personal Statement

- Acquire references

- Apply to schools

- Prepare for Interviews

- Choose a school!

Most of these things overlap, so it's hard to rank them in a specific order. A lot of these can also be chunked into groups. And so here they are:

- Graduate with a degree

This is one of the more immediate steps. While it's not required to have a degree to apply to most/all schools, it is beneficial. It also may be beneficial to state I have a degree when I apply for a job as a pharmacy technician. But mostly, I'm doing it for me. I've been in school for a long time, and I want a degree.

- Participate in My Organization/Do Community Service

I'm going to continue to participate in an organization that I'm in, because I like what they do, as well as continue to do community service. That part of my application is pretty much covered, but as long as I have the time for it, I will continue to contribute. And that's the key, doing it as time allows, and not letting things become unbalanced.

- Become a Pharmacy Technician

Becoming a pharmacy technician is a multi-step goal with multiple purposes in mind. I need to continue studying, take the PTCB, and then apply for my pharmacy tech license. Afterwards apply where I can, so I can gain experience in a pharmacy, get to know one or more pharmacists, and hopefully find someone who can write me a letter of recommendation.

- Take the GRE

I'm not sure how many schools require it for admission. I don't really hear people asking about it when it comes to pharmacy school, but I know that at least UoP requires it, so I'm guessing more schools require it.

- Research Schools

I need to do this for both in state schools, and out of state schools. For the California schools, not only can I go to their websites, but I can also attend the various preview/information days that the different schools hold, as well as other events they may be having.

Out of state schools will be mostly online, unless they show up to graduate fairs that I may attend in the future. When it comes close to applying to schools, then perhaps a couple visits if possible before making a final decision.

- Take the PCAT

One of the things I need to research for out of state schools is more information on the PCAT. I faltered a bit in school, and applying to out of state schools, where they accept PCAT scores only makes sense. I need to research which schools I want to get into, but I also need to be flexible in where I decide to apply.

- Prove I Can Handle the Academic Load

I need to retake important classes. I screwed up because I was unfocused, did not prioritize right, and was simply a bad student. But that doesn't mean I'm not a capable student. I'm certainly more than capable. But I need to prove it. So I need to retake classes.

And at this point, I need to be able to do it while working. I think this is going to be one of the hardest goals to meet. I just can't predict how the schedulig is going to work. I don't have enough information yet.

But I also hope to take at least one semester with a full load, to demonstrate I can handle pharmacy school, as well as make a good connection with a teacher who can write me a letter of reccommendation.

- Research the Field of Pharmacy

This will be through working, researching online, and participating in events at pharmacy schools, and participating in events with the Pre-Pharmacy Association. I need to be able to know what I'm getting into, and to be able to demonstrate that I know it when it comes time to go through the application/interview process

- Prepare for and Apply to Pharmacy Schools

I'm going to periodically think about and work on my Personal Statement, as well as takea look at several Supplemental Applications, and take a look at PharmCAS. And learn about the interview process and practice for it.

- Lose Weight

A personal goal, but one that will benefit me through this whole process. An increase in self-confidence, health, and mental ability isn't something to ignore.

- Choose a School!

I'm imagining that I'll apply to, and be accepted by, several schools, and the last step will be in deciding which one I want to go to.

Reports from the Pharm... and even more links

It's going to take a while to check out all the links in the list of 50 pharmacist blogs (and the links that those pages suggest), but I've scanned a couple, and added more direct links to them on the right right.  Jim Plagakis and The Pharmacy Chick both seem to be good blogs that are still frequently updated.  (Not all of the blogs on that list are.)  I've also added the new section for Pharmacy News & Info Blogs, putting up Pharmacist Daily, PRIME - Pharmacist Cast Studies, and Bioethics.net

All of those blogs seem helpful in getting better insight into what a career in pharmacy will be like.  (A little frightening that a lot of the titles of those blogs on the list deal with a lot of anger and frustration, but I think that tends to be the nature of blogging.  Angry blogging can be entertaining blogging.  I'm sure there are plenty of happy pharmacists out there.)  Jim Plagakis and The Pharmacy Chick don't seem to be all that bad, upon initial scan, which is why they made my list.  For now I'll just stick to having one angry pharmacist, and try to keep my reading more balanced.

As for another blog that deals with more immediate concerns for myself, Reports from the Pharm is written by Joel Gonzalez, Admissions Director of UCSF.  He mentioned his blog during the UCSF Preview Day, and that mention is what got me to start looking up other pharmacy blogs. (Yeah I know, you'd think that actually writing a blog would have gotten me to look up other blogs.  *shrugs*)

While not nearly as frequently updated as Pharmacy School Admissions, there is still a lot of great info within the few posts that it does have.  Tips for a successful applicant, tips to prepare for their interview process, and the importance of their supplemental application as well as some other insights.  The blog is funny and useful, and it's easy to get through every entry.  Definitely worth checking out.

Pharmacy School Admissions - The Truth... and other links

As you can see on the right, I've added a bunch of links to various blogs and websites.  There's a nice list of all the California pharmacy school websites, as a well as a link for the rankings of all the pharmacy schools in the US.  (I believe it's all of them at least.  I haven't checked the whole list.)

There's a link that least to a list of (potentially) interesting blogs to read that are written by pharmacists.  It's long list and I've only checked out the number one blog on that list, The Angry Pharmacist.

And for more advice and insight into the process of getting into pharmacy schools, I have a section for admissions blogs and sites.  The one that I just finished reading through is Pharmacy School Admissions - The Truth

Although I'm not quite clear as to who the exact person writing most of the entries is, it is someone who has experience as an admissions officer, and it is an extremely helpful blog.  It began at the end of April, and there are updates pretty much every day, answering a question that was emailed in, or pointing out something of interest.

For me, personally, the most interesting aspect of it were all the entries dealing with the PCAT.  I live in California, and the California schools don't accept the PCAT, so I have very little exposure with anything dealing with the PCAT.  Back when I just believed I was going to go to pharmacy school, but didn't do any research on the admissions process, I figured that I'd just apply to all the California schools.

But if I'm to be realistic, since I have a low GPA that I still need to fix, researching and applying to out of state schools is something I have to do, on top of looking into the California schools.  With those schools (and assuming I do excellent on the PCAT, which I know I'm capable of doing if I apply myself), I have that secondary academic measurement on my application that can balance out my GPA.

All the advice on personal statements is also excellent, with several entries dedicated to showing snippets of specific examples with what should be changed and why.  And coming up soon will be many questions geared towards the interview process.

I will certainly be checking out that blog regularly.

Community Service - SF Dept of Public Heatlh H1N1 Vaccinations

[Edit: I spoke too soon:

If you previously submitted a volunteer registration form for the now-canceled mass H1N1 swine flu clinics, we may still need your help. You will be contacted directly when we begin receiving vaccine.You do not need to submit a new registration form.

The registration form has changed, and specific shifts with date/time/location no longer appear on the form.  It seems they changed it between the time I sent in an application and before I made this post.  I copied the description without noticing the change, until I double checked if my links were working.

The event is still on, just the precise date and time is now more up in the air.  Volunteering is still possible.] 

-----

I have no idea how many people read/will read this blog in time to sign up, but information on this event (from Monday, October 26th to Saturday, October 31st.) has come my way. From their website:

The San Francisco Department of Public Health needs your help. Within 48 hours of vaccine arrival, we will conduct several overflow clinics throughout the city for people at high risk for disease or transmission. To make these clinics a success, we will need a large number of volunteers.

You can be sure that I have already signed up to volunteer.  While I don't have any kind of health license at the moment, nor do I speak a second language, being part of the event should be interesting regardless of what task I get assigned to.  And since I'm available for every day that week, perhaps that'll get me assigned to a somewhat substantial role.

What do I plan to take from this experience?

First of all, the experience itself should be enjoyable.  Second, if there are any pharmacists working there, perhaps I can talk with him or her.  And third, I'll have a recent volunteering experience that is relevant when it comes time to apply for jobs as a pharmacy technician.  My resume is pretty empty, and filling it out will be very beneficial.

Pre-Pharmacy Association

I should probably mention how I learned about this.  Well, it was pretty simple.  A couple years ago I help to found the Pre-Pharmacy Association at San Francisco State University.  I was the founding vice president.  As my hope for making it to pharmacy waned, I stopped participating as an active member, but I never asked them to take myself off the mailing list.

I wanted to once again join as a full member this semester, had I gotten the classes I needed, but school for the Fall wasn't to be.  However, after complimenting the current officers about how well the organization seems to be doing, I was given an open invitation to still participate in their events.  I may just take them up on their offer.

UCSF Preview Day - Part 5 - Campus and Conclusion

After the official presentation was over, we were given a campus tour.  Here are just a couple pics:

A portion of the map that was emailed to me,

for reference. (Click to enlarge)

 

The School of Nursing where the presentation took place.

Health Sciences West where most classes will take place.

Parnasus runs right through the campus.  In front is the

bookstore/cafeteria/gym.  The library is on this side as well.

A small glimpse at one of the classrooms.

Here is a side shot of that same classroom
from the center aisle for a better idea of its size.

The prettiest shot. The courtyard between the

School of Nursing and Health Sciences West

We also saw the computer lab, but it was filled with a bunch of student pharmacists in the middle of studying, and I didn't want to take a picture of them without permission, and I did not want to disturb them, more than we already were.  The room was big and spacious however.

We were also shown a break room, which I was told almost no one ever uses, except for the mail boxes, fax machine, etc.

Overall, the campus feels very San Francisco.  The building themselves are somewhat maze like and will take some getting used to.  However, if you don't like the food the school offers, which I was told was pretty good, their are tons of food places the next street over on Irving.

As for my impressions about the whole presentation.  I left with a sense of hope.  It's going to take work before I can get into any pharmacy school, but the reassurance that grades are only one aspect of many that the admissions officers consider was great to hear.  The program itself sounded great, the health policy and management pathway caught my eye.  UCSF is definitely a school that I would want to attend.

UCSF Preview Day - Part 4 - Student Panel

So the student panel consisted of three students, a 1st year, 2nd year, and 3rd year student.  All of them had been working in the real world before applying and becoming accepted by UCSF.  We were told, however, that they do not fully represent what their classes look like as a whole, as many student are recent graduates.  All three of them were dressed in every day clothes, and not in dress clothes like the student panel at UoP.  I don't know if that was because this wasn't the full day experience, or because that's just the culture/environment here.  I suspect the later.  I'll know when I go back to see the full presentation in the spring.

The admissions director Joel Gonzales asked most of the questions of himself to get the Q&A session going.  The students alternated who went first when answering the questions.  All the answers are going to be paraphrased of course.  I didn't record it, I just listened and typed.

1) What attracted you to pharmacy?

Student #3 - Family was all pharmacists, she tried teaching and found it didn't fit her personality.  She tried working for her sister and found she enjoyed working with the elderly population.

Student #2 - Was working in industry, drug discovery research.  He didn't have any direct pharmacy experience, but he wanted to go into clinical research, and UCSF was a good program for that.

Student #1 - He liked the uniqueness of the pathways that UCSF offers.  (As we find out in question 2, he only applied to one school.)  He was working in finance for the last 9 years, but wanted a change.  He graduated with a biochem degree so already had a science background.  Took a pharm tech course at City College of San Francisco, then when he was ready applied.

2) What was the application process like?

#1 - The time commitment was the greatest challenge.  The PharmCAS and the Supplemental Application are very robust so the school can get a holistic view of you.  You have an opportunity to address every issue you like.  Don't BS on it.  I only applied to one school, but I probably should have applied to more.

#2 - I applied to everywhere, and the this [UCSF] application takes longer than everyone else's.  I did about 20 revisions.  It's so hard because of the word limit and you want to make sure you get the most out of every word.

#3 - The essay writing was really challenging.  What makes you unique is a hard question to answer.  I did a lot of revising.  The Supplemental Application workshop [that UCSF offers] is great.  I flew in for it.  Afterwards I went home and revised my statement of purpose.

3) Did you do anything to make yourself a better applicant?  Why do you think you were chosen?

#1 - I left my job to go to school full time for a year, and to get some experience and something to talk about.  Among there class there are a lot of common traits.  A lot of community service and leadership.  It's an exceptional group.

#2 - Concrete things?  I volunteered at a hospital pharmacy for a year and took refresher courses because I had been out of school for a long time.  I was a bit nervous about fitting it at first because I was older, but even though there is a lot of diversity in the class, there are similarities.  This group was very different from a lot of the other places I interviewed at.  I think I was admitted because of my essays.  Some people still tell me they remember my essay.

#3 - I agree about the essay part.  They remember it.  As for what I did?  I have teaching experience, and a lot of experience traveling to other countries.  I also worked at my sister's pharmacy for a year and a half.  I also researched all the different fields of pharmacy and went to all the school's websites.

4) What don't you like?  What do you like?

#3 - The school part.  There is a lot to memorize.  I enjoy interacting with all the people and participating in the different organizations.

#2 - The stress about taking exams.  The classes get really exciting in the 2nd year.  Some of the leadership stuff is exciting.  People notice leadership qualities.  I wouldn't have expected to become class president.  I'm quiet.

#1 - [He's only been a student at UCSF for two weeks] After just eight days of class, midterms are already next week.  Good time management skills and organization are important.  I look forward to groups, and I signed up for the homeless clinic.

5) Did you work while in school?

#2 - No because of the economy.

#3 - Not during the school year, but I do work with my sister in the summer.

#1 - I have an internship at the VA hospital

6) Where did you take your undergrad?  And how does that level of work compare to here?

#1 - University of Colorado at Boulder.  It's the number 2 party school.  Here the classes are fast paced.  They're not exactly harder, but there is a lot more to it.  You need to keep things balanced.

#2 - UCSC and two years at a community college.  The work here is definitely harder.  There's just a lot of material.  It's all time-management.

#3 - UC Irvine.  Got a bachelor's in psychology.  I got by with cramming.  I later went back and took classes at a community college.  That was harder.  The workload is about the same as those science courses but there is a lot more information.

7) Final question.  What piece of advice do you have?

#3 - Make sure you know this is what you want to do.  Get some experience in it.  Don't just do it for the money.  Develop good study habits.

#2 - I enjoyed applying all around the country because it made me feel better about my choice.  I chose this in part because of the pathways.  I also saw a difference in the interview.  I was also considering UNC and UT.

#3 - Really do some exploration within yourself.  Know what you're going to do.  Reach out and talk to people.

Certainly a lot of good information here.  I think I'm on the right track.  It will definitely be good to take a look and print out the supplemental application.  It sounds intense.  And even though I'm years away from applying, starting early means I have more time to make revisions.

UCSF Preview Day - Part 3 - Admissions

Time to get into what it takes to become a pharmacy student (or as they refer to themselves, student pharmacists) at UCSF.

First, some fast facts:

- UCSF admitted precisely 122 students for the last term.

- 6 of those students came from the waitlist. (One of those students was driving on his way to a school in a different state when he got the call, and turned around.)

- The deadline for the application is November 2nd, eastern standard time. (But San Francisco is in the PST time zone? Weird. I know.)

- PCAT will not help you whatsoever. The admissions director claimed that he doesn't even know the meaning of the numbers as presented on the PharmCAS.

- Minimum GPA required as calculated by PharmCAS: 2.8

- The GPA of the previous class ranged from 2.96-3.97. Many 4.00 students applied, but they did not have the characteristics that they were looking for.

- You must complete and submit the PharmCAS and the Supplemental Application. Unlike some other schools, you are not supposed to wait for an invitation to turn in the Supplemental Application. You turn in both at before the deadline.

Some info specifically related to the Supplemental Application:

- It is available mid-July

- $$60 fee for domestic students, $80 for international students.

- No preference for submitting it early.

- It is suggested to take your time to make it as good as possible, but at the same time turn it in early enough so that if there is something wrong with it, it can be sent back and fixed to be resubmitted.

- If a student has to be denied, they would prefer the denial be based off of the application, and not a technicality, and will do their best to make sure that doesn't happen.

- Suggested date to turn in an application is October 1st.

More fast facts:

- Over 1,600 applicants this past cycle.

- About 200 more applicants apply every year.

- 275 were invited to an interview (17.2%)

- Once again, 122 accepted. (44.4% of those interviewed)

- 99% had a bachelor's degree

- 3.55 average GPA

- 3.47 average GPA

Admissions Timeline:

- June 1 - PharmCAS available

- Mid-July - Supplemental Application Available

- Nov 2 - Application Deadline

- Nov/Dec - Initial review

- Dec/Jan - notify 95% of potential students to be interviewed

- End of Jan - Interviews begin

- Jan/Feb - Interviews conducted in SF

- Feb/March - Admission Committee review

- April - Decisions mailed

Admissions Beyond the Numbers

- UCSF wants to prepare students be become leaders in pharmacy

- GPA is only one factor (This is something that was repeated in various forms multiple times throughout the presentation.)

- Other important factors include: Communication skills, Leadership potential, Community service, and Health Care experience

- Mission Statement

USCF is looking for:

- Strong and detailed letters of recommendation

- Detailed biographical information

- Well written and thought provoking statements

- A confident interview and good interview essay

- Demonstration of personal motivation through: Community service and volunteer work, a knowledge of pharmacy and health care, and excellent communication skills.

Discussion points:

1) Preparation begins now

2) Select individuals to write letters of recommendation

3) Take time to prepare your essay

4) Be able to communication what you will be able to add to the class and to the program

5) Make sure your application looks professional. Double check for spelling and grammar. Mistakes demonstrate a lack of attention to detail.

6) Know how to answer the question "Why pharmacy?"

7) Q: What if my GPA is below average? A: If you take one thing from this presentation remember that GPA is only one thing we look at. Focus on the things that you have control over.

8) Q: Do I have to be a biology, chemistry, or biochemistry major? A: No.

9) Q: What about extenuating circumstances? A: The application is very detailed. We take a holistic view of the application.

10) Have some experience in pharmacy or health care.

11) If invited, prepare for interviews!

You can read the admissions blog at pharmdadmission.ucsf.edu. It contains helpful hints, funny stories, and an insider's view.

Back to the GPA issue

I can't stress enough how many times it was said that GPA is only one factor, our admission process just doesn't work that way, we take a holistic view of the application, etc. It was mentioned, in various ways, ten or so times over the course of the one hour and twenty minutes before the student panel began.

He really wanted to make sure that it was understood that GPA alone does not make a good candidate. There is much more to a student than just that. Coming away from the presentation, I definitely left with more hope about being able to get into pharmacy school.

UCSF Preview Day - Part 2 - School & Program

There was a lot of information thrown out at us during the presentation, and it started off talking about some nice bullet points about the school.

- UCSF is unique among the other UC's in that it is only a graduate school, and is devoted solely to the health professions.

- 38.000 students in dentistry, nursing, medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and a graduate division.

- UCSF medical center is ranked in the top 10 of teaching hospitals in the US.

- The Pharmacy school is ranked #1 in the nation. (Although he did mention that number one in the nation doesn't mean number one for every single individual, and understands that some people may choose differently according to their own needs.)

- First PharmD was given in 1958

- Clinical Pharmacy was born here in 1966

- 65% of student pursue a residency program (Other schools tend to have a much smaller percentage)

A cool fact: When people call the California Poison Control System to get advice about someone ingesting one poison or another, the calls are taken by pharmacists at UCSF, because they are the ones that run the program.

The program is labeled as s four year program... sort of. I am only familiar with semester schools systems, but what was said was that for the people who are familiar with quarter school systems, the program ends with the winter quarter of the fourth year, so the program is actually more like three and a half years.

The current curriculum was introduced in 1998, which means fairly recent, and on top of that they are constantly updating the program based on the advice and feedback from the students.

Now for the curriculum for itself:

- Flexibility to pursue career interests via pathways

- Peer and collaborative learning

- Emphasis on communication and presentation skills (As an aside: It was said that they denied more people based off of communication issues rather than below average GPAs)

- Early exposure to practical issues

- Integration of basic science and clinical application (case-based problem solving)

- Capstone project required of all students (Not even close to a doctoral dissertation or a senior thesis, but it is required.)

About the Pathways

- It is somewhat like a minor

- In your first year everyone takes a class that is an introduction to the pathways

- The pathways are: Pharmaceutical Care, Pharmaceutical Health Policy and Management, and Pharmaceutical Sciences

- Pharmaceutical Care is the more traditional route. Most people choose this.

- Pharmaceutical Health Policy and Management is more population based and not individual based. The emphasis is on health policy, phamacoeconomics, outcomes research (did I type that right?), and application of management techniques

- Pharmaceutical Science is designed to develop skills required for clinical and basic sciences research. There is an emphasis on clinical and pre-clinical research, regulatory affairs, and research administration.

- For more information on the pathways, go here.

About Rotations:

- Rotations are centered around 6 different areas. San Francisco, the South Bay, the North Bay, Davis, Fresno, and the LA/Orange County area.

- Students are placed in one area and do all their rotations there.

- The place you go to is chosen by a lottery. Students rank the areas they want to go to. Students usually get their first or second choice.

- If there is a unique rotation in an area that the student isn't in that they really want to take, arrangements will be made.

- Some students may get exemptions as decided by the student leadership.

That's about it for the quick breakdown of the school and program. More information can of course be found at their website pharmacy.ucsf.edu.

UCSF Preview Day - Part 1 - Overview

My first blog post about my trip to UoP wasn’t thorough enough to really break down all the information. This time I’m going to break down my experience going to the University of California, San Francisco into several parts, starting with a quick overview.

The first thing of note is that this was a short two hour presentation. UCSF has about one a month. The longer, full day experience is held in SF, LA, and Fresno, but only in the Spring. When May 22, 2010 comes around, I’ll be there to check out the full length experience. (For info on all three Information Days, go here.)

Getting there wasn’t too much trouble. I received an email a few days ago reminding me about the event, including telling me the time and building to go to, as well as including a PDF of the campus map with a big red arrow pointing to where I was supposed to be. I left later than intended, but since I intended to get there more than half an hour early, I still arrived with plenty of time to find the place, and I even lucked out and found good street parking and didn’t need to use the garage.

The campus itself is a bit maze-like, and it did take some effort to figure out how to get to the Nursing Building where the presentation was to take place, because the entrance to that particular building wasn’t along the main road. (The road Parnasus cuts right through the campus with a lot of the buildings facing that street.) Once I found the building, the room itself was no problem to find.

When I took my seat, I was approached by someone who asked for my name, and after confirming that I signed up for the event, handed me a folder filled with all sorts of useful information:

- Program & Admission Facts Sheet

- Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum Sheet

- PharmCAS Index Card

- UCSF School of Pharmacy Brochure

- UCSF’s Pharmacy, Nursing, and Medicine Rank web printout

- Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook web printout

- “Bill of Health” – Pharmacist Shortage webprint out

- A Pharmacy Today pharmacist profile web printout from pharmacytoday.org (March 2009, pg 32)

The presentation started on time and was broken down into two parts. The first part was headed by the Admissions Director, Joel Gonzalez (I hope I spelled his name right.) and he covered a whole range of topics including what makes UCSF so special, the uniqueness of their curriculum, and admissions information. The second part was a Q&A session with three students. A 1st year, 2nd year, and 3rd year.

After the two hour presentation, some people left, and those that stayed broke down into three smaller groups and we had a small tour of the important areas of the campus.

And that was it. At about 5:30 the tour was over and I left. Part 2 will delve a bit more into the details of what went on.