Welcome to the Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy blog!

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Back from Winter Break


While breaks are nice, getting back can be just as nice. The winter break allows just enough time to recover from a hard semester, and an even harder finals week. In the short time out for break, I was able to make many new memories with friends and family, get lots of rest, and work (practice some of what I have learned). All of which was wonderful and way too short, but during that time I missed my PC family! I was excited to get back to my life here—seeing classmates, intermural fun, MTMs and learning new stuff, GHS rotation. After being re-energized, getting back into the swing of things was easy. Now, I just stay focused and work hard ….until Spring Break!

Kathryn
P2 - Class of 2017

Monday, January 26, 2015

Midyear


Every year, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacist holds a national convention called Midyear.  Pharmacist, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, residents, and residency directors from all over the United States gather together at this conference to further our education and enhance the profession as a whole.  It is very important for students to attend these national meetings because it is a great opportunity to network within the profession.  One of the main attractions for pharmacy students at Midyear is the Residency Showcase.  Most residency programs in the United States will come and set up a booth at the showcase, allowing students to come by and learn more about the program.  This is especially helpful for students who are looking into programs that may be in various states.  Students also have the opportunity to present research posters or organizational society posters at this convention.

I attended Midyear in Anaheim, CA for the first time this past year as a third year pharmacy student.  As P3s, we attended conferences that taught us helpful tips for attending the showcase as a P4 student trying to pursue a residency, as well as, workshops to create a CV (resume) that will stand out.  Overall, this was a great, rewarding experience, not to mention we had a blast!  I’m very thankful for the opportunities that Presbyterian College of Pharmacy offers to us as students.  I’m looking forward to attending Midyear this December in New Orleans, LA!

Lindsey
P3 - Class of 2016

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Getting Back into the Groove


Getting back into the groove immediately is a key factor to doing well. I know that it is sometimes a little hard to get back into your studying routine after a long holiday but it is something that you have to do. I found that finding a group of friends to study with and to motivate each other makes it a little easier to get back into the school mode immediately. My group of friends that I study with definitely helps me to stay motivated because we all study together. It makes studying more fun and less stressful. In addition, it is important to get organized and have the necessary material for each new class to help transition back into the school environment.  I found that self-motivation and the strive for success also pushes me to get back into the school groove quickly. Getting off to a good start for the school year makes it less stressful later on in the semester. Overall, be prepared for a great semester and let’s get groovy with it.

Le
P2 - Class of 2017

Monday, January 19, 2015

Reuniting with Family


As students here at PCSP prepared for Finals Week, we also prepared for reunions!  After 14 weeks of lectures, exams, and projects the semester finally came to an end and we were ready to see our families.  Students were thrilled to be welcomed home by moms, dads, and siblings. Although we were eager to relax and relish in holiday traditions, we realized that we were also temporarily leaving our “Pharm Family”. Now you may ask, what is a Pharm Family? How does it differ from the families that we were returning home to? Our Pharm Family is us; PCSP students who love one another, who have each other’s’ backs and are the people who understand exactly what your life has been like since August. As we worked through those 2 exam weeks, we were sad to say goodbye to friends, but overjoyed to return to our loving families all over the United States.  Although Christmas break has sadly come to an end, we will now be reunited with our second family, our Pharm Family.

Jessica
P2 - Class of 2017

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Being an Ambassador

Hey, my name is Rima, a P1.  In the fall of 2014 as a first year pharmacy student, I was given the opportunity to become an ambassador. It was a great experience for me because I was able to communicate with other prospective students.  One of the events I did was open house.  I had a great time because I met a variety of students who had the same ambition as me.  As an ambassador, I talked to students and their parents and I was able to answer their questions and give them information about anything they needed to know from admission to other topics. I was glad I could share my experience at PC and tell them why I picked this program.  It is the best choice I have made so far.  Being an ambassador is a great opportunity because you can improve your communication skills while telling prospective students about your school.  I am looking forward to my first tour with prospective students this spring.

Rima
P1 - Class of 2018

Monday, January 12, 2015

IPPEs


In the pharmacy school world, IPPE is a common phrase that stands for Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience. While that’s the technical term, it’s most often referred to as “rotations”. Each school will do their rotation schedules differently, but at PC you will start rotations the spring semester of your P1 (first) year. Each semester forward you’ll have 2 rotations a semester broken up in to periods of six weeks each. You’ll go once a week for a certain period of time and see how pharmacy is done in a variety of settings. One of the great things about IPPEs is that it gets your out into the pharmacy. I can look back and see where things I have learned in the classroom have helped me on an IPPE, and vice versa where things I have learned on IPPE have helped me in the classroom. As a P2, I have been in retail, community, and hospital pharmacies and have learned so many valuable things and met so many incredible people! They are a great way to network as well. You will meet many different pharmacists on your IPPEs, and what great opportunities you have to build relationships in your time there! We are always told to treat our IPPEs as if they were potential job interviews because IPPEs can open (or close) many doors of opportunity for you!

Aurezu
P2 - Class of 2017

Friday, January 9, 2015

Volunteerism


Coming from a background with many different opportunities for humanitarianism, starting school here at PCSP was a natural transition. It is important as we bring in the new year to realize our place in the community, as well as our ability as pharmacists and pharmacy students to make a difference in other people's lives.  We have an excellent opportunity with our knowledge and our resources to give of ourselves to others that are in need.  The impact we can make is tremendous and is something that can embolden a community. Our desire to become pharmacists stemmed from wanting to improve other people's lives and have a firsthand approach to that, getting involved with the community around you is just that! Extending yourself for others is one of the most fulfilling acts anyone can do and I look forward to the many more opportunities to continue that trend here at PCSP.

Michael
P1 - Class of 2018

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

What New Years Means to Me


I take the New Year as a fresh look to my constant goal. I start by looking back to see how many goals I set for myself, how many were actually carried out and realizing that life can throw curve balls at me and my life’s direction can change. I start planning to see what I can do in the upcoming year and what I would like to see get accomplished. I always plan to see what my career goals are and what I can do to get closer to that while I’m in school. I also always plan vacations for myself because not every plan I make has to be business-oriented. The New Year is definitely an important time for me, where I make decisions about where I want to see myself later on!

Jackie
Class of 2018 - P1