SamTheMoose101 asked
Hello! I'm an aspiring pre-pharmacy student currently in a course that is encouraging us to get in contact with pharmacists to understand more about the course we are on. Answering these interview questions would help me out so much and would likely help out many other students or people just curious about the field. Thank you so much for considering, the help would be greatly appreciated!
Answer
Where did you attend pharmacy school and what would you say was the biggest challenge you faced there?
Nova Southeastern University. I had two children while in pharmacy school, which was my biggest challenge. Staying up very late hours to study while also making sure my children were taken care of was difficult. The course load is not easy at all and takes a lot of time to earn good grades.
What are some tips you would give an aspiring student hoping to one day attend pharmacy school?
Pharmacy school is no-joke. Plenty of students either dropped out or were kicked out due to bad grades. It's also very expensive, so don't mess around. Your career while in school is your studies.
What is one thing that you love the most about your career?
I enjoy the patient interaction and meeting grateful patients that I help.
What is one thing that you dislike the most about your career?
Not enough help in the retail setting. Many pharmacies have cut technician hours so we (pharmacists) are doing the job of 5 people during a day.
Does your pharmacy allow job shadowing and would anything be needed in order to do that?
Once you are in pharmacy school, you will be sent out to do different on-site internships. Some pharmacies do allow prospective students (i.e. students not yet in pharmacy school) to shadow but it varies from store to store. Reach out to individual stores and see if opportunities are available.
Where and/or what would you suggest for getting the pharmacy experience needed to apply to pharmacy school?
Find an independent pharmacy that would allow you to volunteer, to see what it is like on a daily basis. In addition, it may be beneficial to look for a pharmacy technician job as it will give you a good look at the job functions of a pharmacist.
