Why I am so glad I chose PCSP!

My name is Lindsey, and I am a P2 at PCSP.  Even though it is not the easiest thing I have ever done, PCSP is one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.  It is a great school with good morals, innovative ideas, professors, and a family atmosphere.  We have great access to the professors here as opposed to other schools where you have to watch them through a television or computer.  The professors try to get to know each of us and welcome the students to their office anytime to help the students.  They create an open environment where we can all become a family.  Even within the students, we have created a family.  We play intramural sports, go to dinners, support each other, and make the most out of our time here in pharmacy school.

In the amount of time I have been here, I have learned so much about the career of pharmacy and where it will take me.  I never realized all of the different paths and options available to me.  PCSP really helps the students out with this.  I have already begun to learn about the different fields of pharmacy during rotations.  Doing rotations during the semester may seem like a lot, but it is worth it.  We are able to see what we are learning in class be applied to the real world of pharmacy.  I can go to Measuring Therapeutic Parameters or Pharmacokinetics one day and then the next I am in the hospital seeing what we just learned put in action. It all works together so well.

I am still able to work at my retail pharmacy job on the weekends and have time to relax and spend time with family and friends.  I volunteer with the animal shelters, school, and other organizations throughout the year.  Pharmacy school is a ton of studying and learning, but it also so much more than that.  PCSP is not only preparing me to be a better pharmacist, but a better person all around.  I am so glad I chose PCSP and have never regretted it.  I have done so much in a year and a half, I cannot wait to see what else is coming!

Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) Educational Conference

Hi everyone!  My name is Rachel, and I am a P2 here at PCSP.  

At the beginning of October, I had the opportunity to attend the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) Educational Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.  AMCP is a pharmacy organization that focuses on providing the best possible care to patients through drug monitoring programs and reducing patient cost.  AMCP is a new organization to PCSP, and we had 2 faculty members and 6 students attend this meeting!  We were able to attend a session the first day, where we focused on presentation skills.  This session was very informative and helped me focus on areas that I can improve.  We also attended sessions on Medicare Fraud, special topics in oncology, and pharmacogenomics.  We even had special attendance from Billy Bradley, former congressional representative and NBA star, and the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals mascots!  

The most important session that I attended was the Residency Showcase.  I mingled with professionals from all over the country to discuss career options in the realm of managed care, as well as discuss residency options after graduation.  If you decide to attend pharmacy school, I encourage you attend these professional meetings.  These meetings help you network with people from all over the country, increase awareness within the profession, and give you an opportunity to interact with your classmates and professors outside of the classroom.  I had a wonderful time in Cincinnati and look forward to attending my next meeting!

SCSHP (South Carolina Society of Health-System Pharmacists)

Hi!  I’m Courtney, and I’m currently a P3 here at PCSP.  As a PCSP student, we are required to attend at least one local, state, or national pharmacy professional meeting or continuing education program each year.  Therefore, I wanted to share with you about the South Carolina Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SCSHP) Fall Meeting many of our students attended in Columbia, SC last month.

The student track for the SCSHP Fall Meeting started off by allowing students to get information from a variety of drug companies as well as network with health-system pharmacists and other SC pharmacy students.  Next, students were given the opportunity to learn about tips when applying for residency programs and were educated on different pharmacy topics that are important in today’s society.  After that, some PCSP students competed against other SC pharmacy students in a Clinical Skills Competition, where students were given a clinical scenario and developed a care plan based on their knowledge and the use of drug information resources.

The meeting ended with a residency showcase, where students were able to meet with residency program directors and get information from the different programs.  The following hospitals participated in the showcase: Charles George VA Medical Center, GA Health Sciences/UGA College of Pharmacy, Greenville Hospital System, McLeod Regional Medical Center, Palmetto Health Richland, SC College of Pharmacy, Spartanburg Regional, St Joseph’s/Candler Hospital, UT Medical Center, and WJB Dorn VA Medical Center.

I hope you will consider joining our PCSP family and come enjoy the many benefits that meetings like the SCSHP Fall Meeting have to offer to our students.  I wish you the best of luck in your future pharmacy career. =) 

Many Doors of Opportunity

My name is Mary-Murk, and I am a 3rd year pharmacy student.  When I began my first year of pharmacy school, I automatically related pharmacy to a retail store because that is where I had worked for numerous years.  My mindset quickly changed as I became exposed to a wide variety of opportunities throughout the pharmacy profession as pharmacy school progressed.  During the second semester of my first year of pharmacy school we began IPPEs, Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences.  The community setting of pharmacy was where we began our IPPEs.  Rotation sites ranged from chain pharmacies to independent pharmacies.  We spent about 4 hours per week for 5 consecutive weeks at a community pharmacy site, and rotated to a different facility for another 5 weeks.  Our second year IPPEs were set up the same way, but we went out to various institutional settings instead of a community pharmacy.  

Our current rotations are a bit different from the previous two years because we are at our site for a full 8 hours one day a week for 6 weeks.  The types of IPPE sites we get to experience during our 3rd year range from hospitals, dialysis clinics, long-term care facilities and many more.  Being exposed to the many different types of opportunities that are offered to pharmacists has really opened my eyes and shown me the different career paths available to me after graduation.  

The IPPEs have really prepared all of us for what is to come in the months ahead as we embark on the next chapter of our pharmacy careers.  Presbyterian College has definitely opened many doors of opportunity for their students.  PCSP continuously strives for excellence by equipping us with the necessary building blocks to be the most well-rounded and respected pharmacist we can possibly be.  

Career Options in Pharmacy

My name is Angela, and I am a P3 at PCSP.  

PCSP allows students many opportunities to search for the right path in pharmacy to take.  Many students will choose to work in a retail setting once they graduate.  Many will want to work in a hospital setting.  Some will choose a residency and specialize in a particular area of pharmacy (critical care, oncology, pediatrics, etc.).  Some students will even choose to go the route of research and possibly work for a pharmaceutical company or even the FDA.  The paths I listed are only a few options for a pharmacist as a career.  This to me is very exciting.  I came from a small town in Nebraska, and I thought my only options in pharmacy were retail or hospital.

The faculty at PCSP is great at providing us with the information and the tools needed to pursue our area of interest.  Some of the faculty is currently working at retail and hospital settings so they let us “shadow” them at their sites to see where our interest lies.  Some of the faculty is in active research in various health-related projects.  The students are able to work on this research in collaboration with the faculty member.  The research findings can be presented at organizational meetings and even nationally. 

As you can see, PCSP allows you to find your place in the pharmacy world!  The faculty and staff are there for support and guidance.  You are not a number at PCSP, you are part of the community and the family!

A Typical Wednesday

Greetings!   

My name is Tramaine, and I am a PharmD Candidate for the Class of 2015.  I am a PCSP Student Ambassador, PCSP representative to the SCPhA (South Carolina Pharmacy Association), and a member of SSHP (Student Societies of Health-System Pharmacy).  I wanted to take some time to tell you about my day. 

Wednesday, I started the morning with leading Bible Study for CPFI (Christian Fellowship International).  I continued the day with a class schedule of Medicinal Chemistry at 8:30 am, Pharmacokinetics at 10:00 am, Pharmacogenomics at 11:05 am, and a lunch break from 12pm-2:45pm.  This Wednesday concluded my Institutional lab schedule.  We started at 2:45pm and had three guest speakers who discussed their roles within a healthcare setting.  

Normally, I would take a nap.  However, this Wednesday concluded the regular season for intramural flag football.  I am proud to be the captain of a team that concluded the regular season with a 6-0 record.  I hope we continue this winning streak and win the championship.  

That was a fun day.  

Next week, we will have Thanksgiving break.  I will enjoy this break!  It will be nice to spend time with my family in North Carolina and prepare for FINALS.  Well, I want to thank you for taking your time to read my post.  I look forward to welcoming you to the PCSP FAMILY! 

"Diabetic" for the Day

Hi!  I’m Jenny, and I am a P1 student.  First off, let me tell you how much I LOVE Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy.  The faculty are the best I have ever seen, the facilities are up to date and beautiful and the people are super friendly.  Now that I have gotten my plug in for the best pharmacy school (really!), I will delve into the topic that I would like to share today.

We have two labs that we take our first semester P1 year.  One is a community lab and one is a biotech lab, and today I want to talk to you about one of my experiences in our biotech lab.  For this particular lab, our instructor said that we needed some volunteers.  Being the science nerd that I am, I immediately raised my hand and my name was written on the board.  I wasn’t really sure what I was signing up for, so after lab the group of us (4 students in all) met with our professor to discuss our mission.  Basically we were going to be “diabetics” for two days, and each subgroup had different roles.  One group of two students were supposed to drink a sugary beverage (like coke) early in the morning and then take their glucose levels with a glucometer.  The next subgroup (and the one that I was in) had a slightly different task - one night we had to  eat a meal, measure our blood glucose levels  15 minutes later, and then an hour later (of being sedentary) we had to check it again.  The second night we were to take our glucose level and then go exercise for an hour, and then come back and measure the glucose level again.

Easy, right?  Well, first off, I have no diabetics in my immediate family, and I have never been a big one to inflict unnecessary pain on myself.  With this assignment, I was going to be sticking myself with a needle four times in order to get a droplet of blood to check my glucose levels.  Luckily, my friend Monica, another P1 student, taught me how to do all of these things because her dad is a diabetic.  So, off I go to take my glucose for the first time, and it went better than I expected.  Then, I took it again after eating (a carbohydrate rich pasta) and was SHOCKED at how high my levels were!  I was completely convinced that I had at least pre-diabetes.  After my sedentary hour (of studying, might I add) I took my levels again, and they had decreased slightly, but were still pretty high.

The next night, my dad and I went jogging / walking for an hour after I took my initial blood glucose reading, and I was amazed at how much lower it dropped than when I was just sedentary.  Exercise definitely does make a difference in the treatment of diabetes!  This was a great learning experience for me in several ways - one, I learned how to actually use a glucose meter and would feel comfortable counseling my patients on how to take their blood glucose levels now.  Two, I really saw how much of a difference diet and exercise made on myself, which I can in turn use as an example to encourage my patients, especially those with diabetes who could see drastic results.  Finally, I am much more empathetic to what it is like to be a diabetic - it was not easy to prick myself with that needle those four times, and that was only for a period of two days!  I feel much more prepared to be a good pharmacist after this exercise, and I love that PC provides its students with these hands-on learning opportunities that will really stick with us in the long term.  Thanks for reading!

Side note: For all those that were wondering, I did not really have diabetes - false alarm.  However, I am more mindful now of how many carbohydrates I put together in one meal - that pasta will definitely get you :) 

Interview Tips

It’s that time of year to start getting your applications in and preparing for your interviews!  I am Lindsey, a P1 here at PCSP, so the interview process is still pretty fresh in my mind.  The application process can be long and tedious, but remember your main goal and all the hard work you put into it will be worth it.  Many of you have already submitted your application and have started receiving calls to set up your interview time.  Congratulations!  

If you haven’t already submitted your application you still have time so don’t panic!  Make sure you continuously work on it and try to get it in as soon as possible.  After the staff reviews the applications, they select candidates for an interview.  I am well aware that after all the excitement has settled, the nerves start to sink in and can be very overwhelming, but don’t worry!  You received an invitation to an interview for a reason; you obviously have qualities that make you shine, so remember those as you are answering the questions.  The individual interview consists of a two-person panel, one a faculty member and the other a health care practitioner.  Often students wonder why we do not provide interview questions and the reason for that is you don’t need to have an answer already prepared.  The goal of the interview is for the faculty at PCSP to get to know you as an individual.  There is no perfect answer to any interview question asked; the answer is to determine who you are as a person and how you can perform as a healthcare professional.  

A group interview is a portion of the process as well.  As pharmacists, you will work in a team with other pharmacists, technicians, doctors, nurses, businessmen, etc. therefore the need to measure your teamwork qualities is essential.  On this day you will also get the opportunity to tour our amazing facility and meet some of our faculty.  During the tour make sure you ask any questions you have on your mind.  The tour guides are the student ambassadors of PCSP, and they more than happy to assist you during this process, answering any of your questions.  

From my personal experience when I came to interview at Presbyterian College of Pharmacy, automatically I could sense how much the students love this school and how much the professors care. The staff is by far the best I have ever experienced at any other school.  Within the first week of classes almost all of my teachers knew me by name, and they continually check on us to see how things are going.  This aspect makes PCSP really stand out from other schools, and it was a quality that definitely drew me here.  

Last minute tips you want to make sure not to forget are attire and punctuality.  Remember, this is an interview so dress in professional attire and give yourself an ample amount of time to arrive early.  For more specific information, visit the prospective student tab at pharmacy.presby.edu.  

Hope to see many of you soon here at PCSP!  Good luck on your interviews and most importantly remember:  stay calm and be yourself.     

We're half-way there!

Hi!  I’m Allie, a P1 student, and I am twelve weeks into my first year at Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy.  Thankfully, my head is still above water.  However, if you should find yourself struggling, there are opportunities available from peer-tutoring, 24 hour access to the Pharmacy building, and the writing center on main campus to aid in your survival.  At mid-term, if you have less than a C in a class, you are notified confidentially that you are on academic probation.  This is set up to make sure that all is being done to ensure your success in the course.  An appointment with your advisor is arranged and the two of you will work out a plan on how you will get yourself to a passing grade.  If you do not manage to accomplish this, PCSP allows for you to retake that course in the summer for a second chance to pass.

These past twelve weeks of pharmacy school have been an amazing experience.  I’m living in an apartment for the first time, which compared to living in a dorm room for undergrad is heaven.  My apartment also allows for a lovely 5 minute walk to class every day.  Everyone within the school, as well as, the Clinton community is warm and welcoming, so do not be surprised when they know you’re name!

We are coming off our fall break which was a good breather to get away for a while.  For me, this consisted of going back home to Kentucky and spending time with my family on our farm.  After I am finished composing this blog I shall make the six hour trip back to Clinton and reality.  But just as quick as these last weeks have gone by, it will soon be time for FINALS and a well deserved Christmas break!  Until then, the studying and stress shall continue.

Good luck in your pursuits!  Hope to see you next fall!

Enjoy Every Moment

Hi.  My name is Shanna, and I am currently a P1 student here at PCSP.  I cannot believe we are halfway through our first semester!  It seems just like yesterday I was sitting in orientation here at the school.  Time sure does fly!  Since the beginning of school, I have become a member of the Academy of Student Pharmacists, Kappa Epsilon Professional Pharmacy Fraternity/Sorority, Student Society of Health Systems Pharmacists, and a PCSP Ambassador.  I even joined the P1 softball team!  I have not played softball in ten years, but it has been a blast!  The faculty, fellow students, and the community have made school such an enjoyable place.  I absolutely love being a part of the PCSP family!  

I have had so many special moments in the two and half months we have been here at PCSP.  During orientation we had a service day and my heart was touched by being able to help deliver food to a local community.  Secondly, our white coat ceremony was a very special day for me.  I was so thankful that my family was able to be a part of this journey that I have embarked upon.  My family is just as excited about PCSP as I am!  And finally my most memorable day here at PCSP was my first PC football game!  I was able to enjoy our first open house by giving a tour and attending the tailgate party with delicious food from Fatz!  Free food and free football tickets equal a perfect day!

PCSP has met all of expectations and then some!  Being a student here gives me a great sense of accomplishment and happiness.  I look forward to my next three years here at PCSP.  Make sure you enjoy each moment and do your very best everyday because it will be over before we know it.          






   

Clinton, SC

When I was offered a seat at PCSP, I was ecstatic. I knew that I had a lot of big changes to look forward to.  First of all, I have never lived on my own.  Once you are accepted to PCSP, you are invited to join a housing group.  The housing group lists local houses and apartments for students to rent.  It was very helpful, and I was able to find a reasonable 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom house.  Most of the listings are in Clinton, but there are some listed in Laurens and the surrounding area.  The group also lists students looking for roommates.  

Once I was moved in, I was a little hesitant to see what Clinton offered.  Most people talked about going to Greenville or Columbia if you wanted to do fun things, but they are missing out!  Downtown Clinton has so much to offer.  I have tried two restaurants so far and they are delicious.  At Steamers, I recommend the chicken salad sandwich or the crab cake sandwich!  If you go next door to Jitter’s Café, you have to try the BLT croissant with a strawberry smoothie!  If you’re in the mood for shopping, definitely stop by the Sunshine City boutique.  The best part is they have a lot of PC gear to purchase.  If you need to pick up an up-scale gift for your dad, boyfriend, or uncle you should go to Adair’s Men Shop.  They carry Southern Tide and have Carolina and Clemson gear.  

Although the shops and restaurants are great, the people of Clinton are what really make it special.  They love meeting pharmacy students!  They will ask about your classes, where you are from, and they always share tips on where to get the best sweet tea or random fun facts about the town.  I love living here.  There is always a festival or parade happening in the town square or a PC game to attend.  Although going to Greenville or other big cities are fine, I suggest trying out Clinton and all the wonderful things it has to offer.

Alex, P1 student 

A Typical Monday in Pharmacy School

Hello! My name is Lauren, and I am currently in my second year of pharmacy school at PCSP.  I wanted to give you guys reading this post a little run down of what my typical day looks like and how I handle all these busy days and the required work.

My Monday class schedule consists of Medicinal Chemistry at 8:30 am, Pharmacokinetics at 10:00 am, Pharmacogenomics at 11:05 am, lunch break from 12-1:30, and then a 2 hour lab which ends at 3:30pm.  The day does not end there!  I try to make a goal to study between the hours of 3:30-6, but usually I end up taking a break from school and run a few errands or socialize with friends.  At 6, I , along with other fellow students, tutor the P1s on immunology until 7:00 pm.

Okay, let’s start from the beginning:

Honestly, I probably don’t wake up until around 7:45 am, frantically get ready for school, drive over, and immediately print out the lecture for Medchem.  I have found that actually writing the notes in this class helps me pay attention and helps with my studying because I can specifically circle or star important concepts.  Medchem lasts until 9:45, where at this point , the 15 minutes between classes fly by because I am responding to emails or getting organized for the next class.

Next up:  Kinetics
Kinetics literally makes class go by so fast!  I’ll glance up at the clock , and we’ll only have 5 minutes left of lecture.  It is a good pick me up between classes because I have just finished listening to a long lecture.  Kinetics gets me reenergized and ready to listen to genetics.  During kinetics, I am trying to write down everything our teacher says, especially when it comes to conceptual aspects because that part isn’t usually included in the notes, but can potentially be a big factor come test time.

Third class:  Pharmacogenomics
Lately, we have had a few guest lecturers come in and talk about pharmacoeconomics and infectious disease.  They relate these topics back to genetics, and I have found both the lectures to be really interesting.  I switch back and forth between taking notes on computer and hand-written notes in this class because sometimes my hand can’t write as fast as the professor teaches the class.

Lunch time:

I try to bring my lunch to school so that I can have as much time to review for a quiz, when I know there will be an in-class quiz.  If not , my friends and I like to go to the local restaurants in town (our personal favorite is Steamer’s Café) to catch a quick bite to eat and a break from school.

After lunch, I have lab for 2-3 hours where we work on our SOAP notes or we either learn about pharmacy in a hospital setting.  Either way, lab can be hectic at times because of the amount of work we complete during the time frame, but ultimately it goes by , and we can apply what we learn to our rotations sites.

Last up:  Supplemental Instruction

On Mondays, I am one of the supplemental instructors for immunology.  Students come from 6-7pm and ask any questions about topics they have covered in the class.  We usually have about 5-7 students come the week before the exam, and 2-4 students who come regularly to the sessions.  Helping the other students out is fun and rewarding!

Needless to say, my day is always full of things to do, but I wouldn’t  want it any other way.  Having a set schedule keeps me in line and on top of all my work that I have to complete.  The day that I have described is not the only aspect to the pharmacy school, and not every day is as packed as Monday.  PCSP is a wonderful school with the very best teachers, students, and resources.  Thanks for taking the time to read my post!

Pharmacy Practice Experiences

PCSP is unique in many ways, and one of those is how we schedule our experiential education hours.  Our rotations are integrated into our curriculum making our summers free.  So as a P3 I spent the past 6 Thursdays at the Free Clinic in Greenwood.  Our objectives were to learn the practice of pharmacy from our preceptors at a practice site. 

At United Ministries Free Clinic of Greenwood, I worked alongside many wonderful volunteers who taught me what it really means to give back.  I worked extensively with the pharmacist in charge at the free clinic, and organized donations and filled prescriptions.  I also worked with one of my professors who volunteers at the clinic and got great experience educating patients.

The free clinic runs on donations from the community.  Community members donate unwanted medications and medical equipment, yet only some of these donations can be used.  It was important to ensure the products were sealed, in date, and something the pharmacy will actually use.  Local physician offices also donate professional samples.  Again, I had to screen the donations to ensure they would be used, and they were in date.  The clinic also orders a few generic medications that are paid for with monetary donations, and I shelved those as they arrived.  Patient assistance programs from drug companies are also used to obtain medications for patients and those had to be inventoried as they arrived.   

On Thursdays, a physician and medical resident are available to see patients.  If the physician prescribes medications for the patients, then the pharmacy fills those prescriptions.  This process is very similar to other community pharmacies.  The physician brings the order to the pharmacy; the right product is pulled from the shelf, counted, labeled, and checked by the pharmacist.  The patient is then called back to the pharmacy and is educated on the prescription.

One day I got to observe Dr. Johnson, a PCSP professor, provide a diabetes education program to patients newly diagnosed or needing help controlling their diabetes.  This was geared towards dietary modifications and how the patients can integrate modifications into their busy lives. 

I truly enjoyed this experience; there are several truly fantastic people who choose to volunteer at United Ministries Free Clinic in Greenwood.  Not only did I learn new pharmacy skills, I was also able to hone my existing pharmacy skills on this rotation.  I also learned how important it is to give back to the larger community. 

Written by Molly, P3 Student 

Professors & Students Who Care: Building Community

Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy School was by far my best choice when considering which pharmacy school to attend.  The thing I love most about Presbyterian is the community within the school.  The professors here are beyond amazing.  Every professor that I have encountered will go out of their way to answer any questions that you have and help you all that they can so that you will succeed in pharmacy school.  Not only are the professors amazing, but so are the students.  Students at Presbyterian will also do all that they can to help you succeed in pharmacy school. 

Presbyterian is also very serious when it comes to community service.  I really love this about Presbyterian.  We have been given countless of opportunities to go out and serve our community in a variety of different ways.  For example, during orientation week we were assigned to volunteer, whether it was with the equestrian center, a local church, or the soup kitchen.  Each and every location where we volunteered was very appreciative of our service.  Being a pharmacist is more than standing behind a counter, but it is about serving your community.  The opportunities we are given here at Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy offer great experience as we continue our career in pharmacy.

Written by Lynne, P1 Student 

What Makes PCSP Special to Me...

Hello, my name is Chris and I’m a P3 here at PCSP.  I just wanted to take a second and tell you a little bit about the school as a whole.  PCSP is unlike any other college I’ve attended.  The faculty here is second to none.  Each faculty member genuinely cares about every one of their students and will take every avenue possible to help.  Our professors bring multiple backgrounds to the school ranging from toxicologist to pharmacist (of course) to researchers.  

The technology is great and really brings the curriculum to life, putting us in real situations through the use of our simulation lab.  We also have a great IT staff to help with any technology issues you may encounter.  The labs and IPPEs (introductory pharmacy practice experiences) go hand-in-hand, and it seems like every time we covered something in lab, I saw it that week out on my IPPE.  

The environment here is amazing.  I’ve never attended a college that I was comfortable enough to leave my bags lying around school until I came here.  The honor code here at PCSP really creates an environment of trust and safety.  The school is available to students 24 hours a day with key card access which makes it great for after hours study groups.  I really can’t list all the positives the school has to offer, but I can tell you that if you get the chance to visit you should definitely come experience it for yourself!

Caring for the Community

I am Sunanda, and I am a 2^nd year pharmacy student.  Being a part of Presbyterian College, we are taught to deliver quality care to our community.  I chose pharmacy over other professions in order to fulfill my long term goal to serve my community with the knowledge I earn from school.  My first year at PCSP has taught me a lot, and the next three years will help me achieve my goal of serving the community with compassion.  Different organizations at school sanction pharmacy related and non pharmacy related services to help educate our community.  I was involved in some of these events including immunizations, operation diabetes education, the health fair, etc.  In September, I volunteered for the health and fitness fair at Clinton High School.  It was a huge success because we were able to educate many people about diabetes and its risk factors, treatments, and life style changes.  We also encouraged people to get immunized for vaccine preventable diseases. 

During the immunization event, we gave vaccines to people and also educated them about the importance of annual vaccination. Thus, it is a learning experience about spreading awareness of disease prevention while attending pharmacy school.  We also had a medication take back day in which we collected all unused medications from the community to dispose of them safely.  It was fun because we got an opportunity to interact with the community in addition to our faculty and classmates.

I think community service is a great way to see life from a variety of angles, and it is an opportunity to give something to others without expecting anything in return.  PCSP has given us tremendous opportunities where we can find a way to not just make a difference in our lives, but also in other people’s lives. 

Getting the Sense You Belong, and This is Home

Everyone longs for that one moment when every ounce of worry and hesitation about which school to choose disappears.  I've been lucky enough to have that exact moment, twice actually.  When I headed back towards home from my interview two years ago at PCSP, I couldn't help but reminisce on the familiar feeling that I felt prior to undergrad.  This feeling is the feeling of knowing where you belong and excitement of beginning the journey.

I am Ginnie, a P2 at Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy.  I am from just up the road in Asheville, North Carolina.  Although it doesn't feel as if nearly two years have passed since I felt this feeling, I am still, if not more, confident in my gut feeling from PC!  I’m sure that you have heard similar statements from other PC students, but there is no better way to express the feeling that everyone at PC gave me after my interview.  Compared to other interviews, other interactions with faculty, staff, as well as students, no one seemed as compassionate and genuine as everyone at PC.

As a current student, I think that PC continues to impress me with everything from the faculty dedication to the school wide motto of “while we live we serve”.  At PC, we are continuously working towards doing our best to help various organizations within the community.  Just to name a few, we have worked on a week long fund raising event to raise money for heart health month that ended in a red heart gala in support of heart heath, educated the community on antibiotic usage, and are in the process of planning a week long event to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House with everything from a corn hole tournament, chili cook-off, to a yard sale.

I believe that the conglomeration of stellar faculty, an excellent approach to teaching us pharmaceutical skills, a common goal of giving back to the community, and spreading our knowledge help to create the complete PC environment.  I am proud to be able to continue to represent PC as a student and embrace the culture.  I cannot imagine finding a school that made me feel as welcome as PC, and I continue to feel that warmth day by day. 

Admissions: HELP!

My name is Courtney, and I am a first year (P1) student at PCSP.  This means that I just recently went through the crazy and stressful process that is applying to pharmacy school.  Let me tell you a little about my experience and my advice to avoid the hassle that can easily occur with admissions.

To begin with, I didn't even know that I had to consider submitting my application information at such an early date.  I almost missed the deadline and probably would have if someone wouldn't have told me about this.  My advice is to get a head start on admissions as soon as possible.  This is especially important when it comes to getting your transcripts sent from your undergrad school.  I had a terribly long and expensive mistake with this process.  PharmCAS is the program that PCSP uses in the admissions process to help decrease paper waste and promote going green.  Do not send your any of your application information directly to the school, because it will be recycled and considered incomplete.  This sounded kind of harsh to me at first because I didn't realize the importance of being a green school.  All you have to do is make sure that you send all of your paperwork to PharmCAS, and they will pass this information along to PCSP.  PharmCAS will be your best friend at times, and it will also be your worst enemy if you don’t complete things appropriately and in a timely manner.  Make yourself very familiar with this program ahead of time so that you won’t miss anything that could be essential to getting into a pharmacy school.  There are many different steps that have to be completed and some are very time consuming.  The step that I had the most problems with was getting my transcripts from all of the undergrad institutions and high school AP courses I completed to PharmCAS before the deadline. Make sure that you get a different transcript from each school that you attended for your prerequisite courses!  This includes AP courses in high school that were completed through a community college.  I cannot stress enough the importance of starting everything VERY early on to make sure that you don’t miss the deadlines.  It does take PharmCAS a good bit of time to check everything and communicate to the school because they have so many students’ applications to sort through.

Another important tip is to make sure that, once you’re accepted, you complete all of the outstanding requirements by their deadlines as well.  Do not make the mistake of thinking that you have all the time in world just because it’s summer time.  This is especially important with transcripts again and immunizations.  Make sure to schedule appointments for your missing immunizations plenty of time ahead, because there can always be complications with this process.  My problem was getting the TB skin test on the Friday before a holiday weekend so the test was almost not able to be read at 8 AM Tuesday morning.  Also, I thought that I was immune to the chicken pox because I had them as a kid.  As it turns out, my case was not strong enough to produce full immunity and my titer came back negative.  I had to rush to start my vaccine before I was past the deadline.

My experience was less than pleasant, but I hope this will help you avoid the mistakes that I made.  Most of my mistakes were procrastination on my part and unforeseen complications.  I wish everyone the best of luck with your admissions process!  We have a great staff here at PCSP that would love to answer any questions that you may have during this stressful time.  I look forward to meeting everyone next year, and I thank you for your interest in our school.

Why I came to PCSP...

My name is Katie, and I am a third year pharmacy student. If you are considering applying to pharmacy school, I would highly recommend ours. It has so many great things to offer that you cannot find at every pharmacy school. One thing that makes our school different is that all of our classes are live and you don’t have to listen to lecture on a video. This aspect is very beneficial to most students, and it is one of the things that influenced my decision about where I wanted to attend. I would highly recommend you to take a tour of our school and find out all these great things that our school has to offer.

Another great reason I love this school is the town that it is in. Granted, it is a small town but that is what makes it great. Because it is in a small town, that leaves a lot of time for you to study and focus on educational things like projects, tests, etc. On the other hand, because of the size, it allows you to really get close to the people in the town and create lasting friendships. On that note, our class size is around 80 students per class which allows you to know everyone and start up great friendships and relationships with classmates.

While you are studying hard and focusing on school, it is very important to remember that you should always find time for yourself. Go out to dinner, hang out with friends, take time to travel, etc. You will greatly thank yourself if you get out of the books every now and then and find time to relax and take a break from school. You can always find something to do and the major cities are not that far away from Clinton.  So remember, prioritize your time wisely but have fun and enjoy your four years of pharmacy school!

Student Trip to D.C. for Advocacy

Last year I was given the opportunity to serve as the president of the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) at PCSP. With the great responsibility that accompanies any leadership role, there are numerous opportunities to have fun and enjoy what you are doing. 

Each year APhA hosts a summer leadership institute in Washington D.C. and students are selected based on their leadership role within their local organization. I was fortunate enough to be one of those attendees along with two other students from PCSP (Fairlynn and Jeannie). There was one student from USC who went, and she stayed with us throughout the trip. 

D.C. is an amazing city, but what made this trip special was the simple fact that I, along with my colleagues, were going to the nation’s capitol to advocate for our future profession. APhA offers Capitol Hill visits where you go and advocate important legislation that affects the profession of pharmacy. I was eager to get involved and jumped at the chance to participate in a visit. 

In the weeks leading up to the institute, I contacted the office of Senator Lindsey Graham (SC) to reserve a meeting time in order to advocate for two pieces of legislation. I was ecstatic once the meeting time had been arranged because this was a big step in my professional career. APhA offered conference calls and learning sessions before our Capitol Hill visit to help prepare us for what we could expect to transpire. Unfortunately, Senator Graham was busy that day and unable to meet with us, but one of his top aides met with the four of us to discuss two pieces of legislation: Loan Forgiveness and a MTM bill. I was pretty nervous heading into the meeting, but once we started talking my passion for the profession took over, and it resulted in a productive meeting. Our job as pharmacy students was to educate his aide on the issues important to us so that she can then relay the information to Senator Graham. The most rewarding thing from this experience was that when I contacted his office weeks after the institute, Senator Graham had been briefed on the information we presented and was considering support for the legislation. 

One day several months after the institute I signed onto Facebook, and it was with great surprise and elation that I saw on the APhA page that the Loan Forgiveness bill had passed. It is great to know that students advocating for the profession can make an impact! 

Written by: Matthew, P3 student

Camp Porcupine

Each summer Self Regional sponsors a summer day-camp for children with diabetes.  This summer, seven students and one faculty member from PCSP volunteered to help out with the camp.  We were able to work with Rebecca Wise (the camp director), Self Regional nurses, Piedmont Tech nursing students, and an activities coordinator from Self Regional.  The camp welcomes children ages 6-18 with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.  This summer there were a total of 23 campers.  Majority of the children have Type 1 diabetes and require insulin injections.  Two of the campers had Type 2 diabetes allowing them to control their blood glucose with either insulin or oral medications depending on the severity.  Regardless of their personal diabetes story, at Camp Porcupine, they are able to interact with other children dealing with the same condition while also being educated on managing this condition.

Each day we met up at Self Regional to load up on the bus with other volunteers and the campers.  Camp is held at Hickory Knob State Resort Park in McCormick, South Carolina.  On the first two days of camp, the campers participated in carb-counting activities and outside games like kick-ball until lunch.  Right before lunch, we helped each camper check their blood glucose level to make sure it was within normal range.  After finishing lunch, the nurses recorded each camper’s carb intake and calculated how much insulin was needed to be injected based on their carb intake.  The children were then allowed to play inside games like pool or Candy Land while their food digested.  Once the life guard arrived and each camper applied sunscreen, they were able to go swimming.  We rechecked their blood glucose levels after an hour of swimming to make sure there were not any low levels.  After swimming, the children changed into dry clothes and gathered all of their belongings from the cabin before boarding the bus back to Greenwood.

The last day of camp was a short but special day.  The campers participated in trivia and inside games until noon.  At lunch time, the campers’ family members showed up along with several guest speakers.  One speaker brought his dog, which he trained to alert people of high and low blood glucose levels.  Another speaker informed us about research that Self Regional is currently doing for the family members of diabetic patients.  They also offered blood testing for interested family members in hopes of identifying which of them could also be in danger of having diabetes.  After the speakers finished and Ms. Rebecca thanked the volunteers, all of the campers and volunteers posed for a picture in our camp T-shirts.

Camp Porcupine is something that the campers look forward to all year long.  Every day these children have to deal with a condition that their friends have only heard about. So while at camp, they are able to interact with other children dealing with the same condition.  There was only one new camper this summer, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes a few weeks prior to camp.  He really enjoyed interacting with other kids dealing with diabetes.  They were able to answer questions for him and assure him that he could still participate in sports and other activities he enjoyed.  All of the children live such happy, normal lives despite living with this scary condition.  They are true inspirations, and we were all able to learn so much from them.

 Written By: McCall, P3 Student

Finding Time for FUN!

I’m not going to lie to you, pharmacy school is hard.  Not all the time, not even every day, but at its core, pharmacy school is definitely hard.   The coursework is more difficult, the pace is faster, and the stress level is higher.  At this point, you may be wondering why I’m saying this to you.  I don’t do it to scare you, and I don’t want it to discourage you; however, I want to make you aware.   At some level you probably already know that going to pharmacy school is going to be hard, but you really have no idea what’s in store for you until you’re there. 

Everyone’s experience in pharmacy school is different.  For some, it will be the hardest thing they will do, and for others, it will be a little more difficult than their undergraduate experience.  Some will have more of a life outside of school while other’s whole life for 4 years will be only pharmacy school.  What your experience will be like is up to you.  My current class schedule has me taking almost a test a week, but that doesn’t mean that all I do is study (even though it sometimes feels like that).  I’m involved in several organizations, and I find time to do fun things through them and with my friends.  For me it’s important to not always be dwelling on school work.  Clinton is in a great location for driving to other locations like Greenville, Spartanburg, and Columbia which are full of fun things to get into.  You can start working on making time for fun now so that when you get to pharmacy school you’ll know how important it is to you.  To me making time for fun can sometimes be just as important as studying (don’t tell my professors)!  Oh by the way, my name is Cortney, and I’m a P3.

FUN things to do:  The Zoo (both Columbia and Greenville have one), Greenville Drive Games, Downtown Greenville/Columbia, Shopping, Antiquing, Musgrove Mill State Park (this is in Clinton!), Falls Park, Movies (Laurens has a cute little theater downtown), Concerts, BMW Plant (on Fridays you can schedule a tour to see how they make their cars!), Clinton Parades (trust me on this one), BLUE HOSE sports events, and so much more!

The Real Meaning of Community

My name is Patrick, and I am currently a P2 here at PCSP.  One of the major things that I have discovered here in Clinton, SC is just what a small town community feels like.  This town is very proud of Presbyterian College, and the School of Pharmacy is no exception.  Many of the local businesses and restaurants offer us discounts just for being a student at the school.  I know that personally I had my reserves about living in a small town, as I had only ever lived the suburbs or the city, but honestly, I have found Clinton to be both a welcoming and positive town to go to school in.  As I’ve become closer to the community and my classmates, I’ve found a number of things to do around town in our free time.  Whether it’s simply going to one of the restaurants around town for a bite to eat, or getting a group of people together to play some intramural sports, there’s always a way to fit a little fun into your schedule.  The school offers access to the main campus student center, which includes a gym complete with weight room, treadmills, stationary bikes, as well as a full court to play basketball.  There are also several intramural fields which are open to play sports, from football to Frisbee.  

Many of our organizations put on events as well.  There was recently a joint effort put forth by all of the pharmaceutical organization towards the beginning of the semester that aimed to both increase interest in the organizations here at the pharmacy school as well as provide a venue for all of the classes to meet and mingle.  It was a fun and relaxed environment where pizza and drinks were catered, and students could relax and get to know one another.  Many events like this occur throughout the year, which really attributes to the comradery between our classmates and the City of Clinton. 

Although the population and size of the town may not be what I am used to, I find that the close knit feeling of a small town has been helpful both to my social and professional goals.  I’m originally from Ohio, so moving this far from home was honestly very intimidating.  I was both relieved and impressed with how easy it is to get comfortable here.  There is most definitely a family feeling that springs from the faculty, staff, and students that sprouts within the walls of PCSP, and it extends into the community of Clinton.  I have enjoyed my time here so far, and look forward to the time to come.

Get Involved - Time Management Skills are a Must!

Hey y’all! I’m Amber, and I’m originally from Swannanoa NC.  I have my BS in Anthropology from Western Carolina University, and I’m a P1 here at PCSP!  At this point I’m about a month into my first year here at PCSP and things are going great!  The start of the school year was a little rough; as it is every year, but now that we are into the swing of things, everything is getting easier.  

I did a lot in my undergraduate career at WCU.  I was in a ton of different organizations such as: Alpha Chi Omega sorority, Pi Gamma Mu, Order of Omega, Pre-Professional Health Club, Dance Marathon Core Committee, and even a few others.  While all of these made my undergrad career more fun, they have also helped me in ways I would have never expected.  

One of the main things I learned out of being a member in all these was the fact that time management is the key to being successful, and that plays a huge role in the lives of every pharmacy school student, not just me.  You have to be able to prioritize and determine what needs to be done when and exactly how it needs to be done.  Another thing they taught me was organization.  With all the different classes and labs we have, organization is a must - I’m lost without my day planner.

 Another big thing that all of these organizations helped me with was my passion for serving others. Here at PC, our motto is “While we live, we serve”, and I am so blessed that I have been given the opportunity to not only attend pharmacy school but also to serve my community while doing so.  All of these different organizations and activities I participated in as an undergrad taught me things about myself and about how to become the person and pharmacist I want to be.

Orientation Week Leading to the White Coat Ceremony

It’s finally here, the start of pharmacy school.  That long anticipated wait after achieving acceptance into the school of one’s dreams.  As I walk into the doors of the school, dressed in business casual attire, I notice the familiarity of a few of the other students at the registration booth.  We all gather in the lecture hall and while waiting for the first session to start are able to begin to make new friendships that will last a lifetime through simple conversation.  Dr. Fox walks in and welcomes us and then allows Dean Stull to introduce the faculty and welcome us to school.  Once the welcomes are over, we begin the orientation sessions that are geared towards helping us through pharmacy school early on. 

The sessions that we took part in throughout the five day orientation week were on topics such as learning what type of person you are and how others may perceive you through the MBTI, learning the ins and outs of the Honor Code which will be signed on the day of the White Coat Ceremony, introductions to student organizations, how to properly dress, how to be professional, etc. 

During the course of the week, we were able to not only sit in these sessions in the lecture hall but also be able to work on activities as a group in both our study groups and in our advising groups.  These activities gave us the opportunity to work with our peers in order to make decisions and reflect on what others may view in a given situation. 

On Monday, we were given a list for a scavenger hunt on the main campus.  This scavenger hunt was completed through taking pictures with our group members and was intended to familiarize everyone with the locations of different aspects that may be useful for us during school.  We also received our laptops and our clickers on Monday and were given instruction on how to properly use them. 

On Wednesday, after our sessions were over, we took a trip to Spartanburg to tour Smith Drug and QS1.  The tours of both of these facilities were amazing and everyone was highly impressed at how all of this comes together on the other end of a computer for many independent pharmacies.  After the tours were over, we were able to sit with some of the employees from these companies and fellow students and talk over a catered dinner. 

On Friday, we spent the majority of the evening at the community service sites that we signed up for earlier in the week.  Some people went to help move furniture for a prospective kindergarten program in town, some went to deliver food door to door, others went to help at the Bailey Manor, a group went to help at the Trinity Equestrian Center, and there were several other sites as well all with the intended purpose of serving our community. 

All of these events, sessions, and activities led up to the White Coat Ceremony which happened on the following Saturday once completing orientation.    - Written by Michael, P1 student