First Year of Pharmacy School

Hi, everyone.  My name is Caleb, and I am a rising P2 at PCSP.  Our first year of pharmacy school is officially finished, and it went by more quickly than I thought it would!  It was a wonderful year, and though I am ready for a break this summer, I am excited to return in the fall and continue on this great journey.  

I remember that I was a little anxious about starting pharmacy school this time last year.  I didn’t know if there was something I should do over the summer to prepare, if I should try to find a job as soon as I got to school, how much studying I would be doing every day once school started, etc.  For the most part, all of the answers to these questions will vary based on the individual, but I did want to offer my perspective on them.

In retrospect, I honestly don’t feel as though there was anything I could have done over the summer to prepare for pharmacy school.  You will build on the prerequisite courses which you have already taken and learn how those concepts apply to pharmacy.  One thing that I think could be mastered over the summer to help lighten the load of your first semester would be to learn the trade and generic names for the top 200 drugs.  If you get this knowledge down over the summer, it will free up some of your study time for your tougher conceptual classes like biochemistry or immunology.  

With regards to working, I did not have a job during my first semester of pharmacy school.  I wanted to be free to devote myself to studying as much as I needed to be successful as I adjusted to the rigors of pharmacy school, and it worked for me.  I finished the semester quite successfully and had a grasp on how I needed to study.  So, I took an internship position with Walgreen’s during the second semester when I knew that I would be able to handle it on top of school.  The pharmacists at work are always considerate of my schedule and willing to work with me so that I can work when I have the time available, which is typically weekends and school breaks. 

With regards to studying, the best strategy is to study a little bit each day.  I typically spent two hours going over notes every day after class.  While this may seem like a big time investment initially, it really pays off when exam time comes around because I didn’t have to try to cram for tests, which is stressful and inefficient. 

I hope these tips help you as you prepare to start your first year of pharmacy school! 

Finding the Perfect Study Buddy

Everyone has a different way of learning.  Hopefully you’ve figured out what works for you by now, but if not there’s still time.  One of the most important aspects of studying is your study buddy and it may or may not be an actual person.  Some people need complete silence and a white erase board, others a small group where they can discuss, and others still may need a coffee shop and their favorite Pandora station to be their study buddy.  Whatever works for you, stick with it.  For me I always study best in a familiar place with some background noise.  That perfect study combination got a makeover when I came to pharmacy school, and it wasn’t just the adjustment to a new school, new apartment, and new friends.  I got a dog during the spring semester of my P1 year!  Her name is Molly, and she has become the perfect study buddy.  She cuddles quietly in my lap or in her bed for the most part, but she also forces me to take study breaks to play with her or take her outside.  She also ensures that I get up early in the morning to take her out and feed her and as a result my day gets going sooner.  While a dog may not be an ideal study buddy for everyone, there is someone or something out there who will be.  At the end of the day your study buddy will be a very big part of your time in pharmacy school because most of those 4 years will be spent studying.  

Written by Cortney, P3 student