I still remember studying in the library during my undergrad years pondering what it would be like to be a pharmacy student. It was always intriguing to meet a medical student, dental student, or pharmacy student. I wanted to know how they ticked and compare myself to them. Back then it was about comparing how I stacked up against these intelligent minds. What made these individuals so special? I wanted to know what it was like to be in their shoes. I have grown to realize that you should not compare yourself with others but rather focus on yourself. Focus on continuous learning and improving. I will share my experience of a typical day in pharmacy school.
Typical Day in Pharmacy School
The typical day for a pharmacy student will vary significantly based on the students study habits, personality, how involved they are in the school, and which pharmacy school program they attend.
My typical day in pharmacy school involved attending anywhere from 3-5 classes per day. It depends on how many credits you take per quarter/semester. There are many extra electives you can add on. In between classes I would visit the library to do homework or study for exams. For extended periods between classes I went to the gym to work out or play some sort of sport with classmates. Some classes have labs associated with them. This may involve science course type labs, pharmacy-counseling labs, compounding labs, IV Compounding, and code simulator lab sessions are some examples.
I would also attend meetings for clubs and organizations I was involved in during that time. Sometimes I would meet up with classmates for group projects. After classes were over I generally would either go to the library and study, gym, or go with classmates to the library to study. Basically I spent a lot of time in the library studying.
Some of my classmates were involved with research with professors. They would do extra work on the side after class or between classes. This is a great way to get a letter of recommendation for pharmacy residencies. During my 3rd year of pharmacy school I decided to do a poster presentation at the ASHP Mid-Year Conference. It was held in New Orleans in December of 2011. It was a great experience to work with my professor on the project. My project topic was pharmacy informatics. The professor connected me to many people who were experts in the field that shared their knowledge with me. In the end I received a good letter of recommendation from this professor when I applied for residencies.
Many students also have pharmacy internships. Sometimes after class students would go work at their internships. I was one of those students who worked occasionally during the weekdays and worked every other weekend during the school year. In the summer I would work 40 hours a week. There are also required hours working out in the field in both community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy. At the time it was about 160 hours for each setting, which had to be completed in the 1st and 2nd year of pharmacy school. Your typical day in pharmacy school may involve working at one of these sites.
Lastly, there are events that may be setup for students by pharmacy organizations such as flu shot clinics, brown bag reviews, or just any sort of fundraiser for a specific cause. Overall, pharmacy school can be very busy and it is important to manage your time properly so you do not get overwhelmed. You are the one that decides how your typical day in pharmacy school will be. It can be the most simple thing as attending class and going home or all of the above.
What is or was your typical day in pharmacy school?
I hope the recommendations above will help guide, motivate, and inspire you to achieve your goals. Follow my blog for more tips and advice on finances and being a pharmacist. What are your experiences? Please comment below and share your thoughts.