StumbleUpon

I recently downloaded a toolbar for Mozilla Firefox called StumbleUpon (http://www.stumbleupon.com/). Basically, you choose from a list of topics that interest you and every time you click the stumble button on the toolbar, you are brought to a different website that relates to your interests. The reason I am mentioning this toolbar is because some of the topics that are available to choose from apply directly to pharmacy. One category of topics is health, which includes anatomy and medical science, and another category of topics is science and technology, which includes biotechnology, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, and many more related to those subjects. They also have several other topics available to be chosen from if you are interested. I would highly recommend downloading the toolbar because all the information I stumble upon, I would never know otherwise.

Also, Nathan Dorn has been helping me out with my application process and my blog by giving me advice and words of encouragement. He'll be starting the 4 year PharmD program at the School of Pharmacy at the University of Colorado Denver in the Fall of 2009. I have been thinking about applying to the University of Colorado Denver even though it's further west then I've ever been. He also has a blog similar to mine (http://buffalopharmer.blogspot.com/), but his is about every week of his life leading up to his first day of class since he has been accepted to a pharmacy school already.

Rx For Success

At the beginning of the week I ordered KAPLAN Get Into Pharmacy School: Rx for Success! from Amazon.com. Amazon.com was selling the book for $13.60, so I thought that it was well worth purchasing if any of the information could help me get 1 step closer to being accepted into pharmacy school (http://www.amazon.com/Get-Into-Pharmacy-School-Success/dp/1427795975/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243039732&sr=8-1). I got back to my apartment late in the afternoon yesterday, after a long day of exams and classes, to see that a package was placed right next to my front door. I immediately ripped the box open and felt a wave of disappointment fall over me. From the initial appearance of the book, it was not what I expected at all; however, after flipping through the book for a few minutes I became pleased with my purchase. Even though the book was smaller than I expected, the pages were packed with every piece of information that I have been researching for weeks. The authors went into detail about what a pharmacist does, information about the PCAT, what the PharmCAS application is, how to ask for letters of recommendation, and so much more. There is also information about each pharmacy school in the back pages of the book. The information about each school includes the school's acceptance rate, average accepted GPA, cost of tuition, prerequisites for the PharmD program, and several other details. The book was published in 2007, so newer schools, like Thomas Jefferson University and University of New England, are not included in the back section.

My suggestion is if you have any question about the application process, or even about the career, to pick up this book today or as soon as you can. Get Into Pharmacy School: Rx for Success! has cleared up a lot of my confusion and answered several questions by me only flipping through a few sections. I will hopefully be able to use the pages of information in this book that I have purchased to not only increase my chances of acceptance into pharmacy school, but also to increase my knowledge of pharmacy to help myself give better advice to others in their own process towards acceptance into pharmacy school.

PCAT Preparation

The Pharmacy College Admission Test, also known as the PCAT, is exactly 1 month away for everyone who plans to take the test in June. Your dreams of becoming a pharmacist rely heavily on your performance on the PCAT (with the exception of those applying to pharmacy schools in California). You have 4 hours to answer 240 multiple-choice questions and 2 writing topics. The multiple-choice questions are taken from the following courses: Biology (Human Anatomy and Physiology, Introduction to Biology, and Microbiology), Chemistry (General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry), English (Reading and Vocabulary) and Mathematics (Algebra, Calculus, and Statistics). I have researched what the topics are for the 2 writing topics, but haven’t found an answer. If anyone has any information about this section please contact me.

I have asked several other students, who have received a 90+ composite score on the PCAT, what books they used in preparation for the PCAT. I have compiled the following list of books that were most used by those students: KAPLAN 2008-2009: Pharmacy College Admission Test (2010-2011 edition will be released on June 2nd), Cliff’s Quick Review Biology, Cliff’s Quick Review Chemistry, Baron’s Essential Words for the GRE, and The Wall Street Journal (newspaper). Using your original textbooks, notes, and previous exams from the courses was also highly recommended as studying material.

I wanted to start studying for the PCAT today, but still haven’t had the time. I am still in the middle of taking Human Anatomy and Physiology 2, Introduction to Biology 2, and Microbiology. I plan on starting to study on the 5th or 6th of June for a few hours a day. I have a few textbooks and notes piled up on my desk already in preparation to begin studying for the June 20th test date. It is a lot of material. I still have yet to purchase Cliff’s Quick Review Biology and Cliff’s Quick Review Chemistry, but I plan on purchasing them this weekend.



Good luck to everyone in their last month of studying.

Introduction

My name is Thomas Vaeth. I am about to enter my 4th year, but not final year, of undergraduate study at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. The degree that I am pursuing is a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Biotechnology; however, I have decided to apply to pharmacy school before earning my degree. I am currently enrolled in Human Anatomy and Physiology 2, Introduction to Biology 2, and Microbiology. These classes are the last of my prerequisites for the majority of pharmacy schools I plan to apply to. Some people have told me to continue my education as an undergraduate, while others have told me to apply to pharmacy school if that is truly what I want to do as a career. I truly want to earn my Doctorate of Pharmacy.

The purpose of this blog is to share my experience of the entire process as I try to become enrolled into a pharmacy school. The blog will end the day I walk into my first class at a pharmacy school. I will post everything I can think of throughout the process. The updates to this blog will be posted as the events will happen. I will tell you my stories about everything, which include: starting my PharmCAS application, taking the PCAT, getting my offical transcript, sending my application to the schools of my choice, traveling the country for interviews, the rejection letters, and the acceptance letters. I will be providing all of this information through blog posts, pictures, and videos. All of the information I post will be the entire truth. I do not intend to trick anyone about anything. I will also be answering any questions that anyone has and be willing to follow any advice anyone has. This blog isn't just for me, but for everyone that plans to apply to pharmacy school for years to come and is in need of advice and direction.