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!