PILLS 7 th General Meeting Application Workshop

1. PILLS 7th General MeetingApplication Workshop Thursday, February 28, 2013 From 7:00-8:30pm at 101 morgan Email: pills.prepharmacy@gmail.com Website: www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~pills

2. American Heart Month • Each year 600,000 people in the United State die because of heart disease. • 40 states allow pharmacists to provide expanded patient care • ~275 million people visit a pharmacy PER WEEK • Free blood pressure screenings • Educate patients on risk factors/prevention • Savings on aspirin/vitamins/blood pressure monitors • Distributing guides on heart health • APhA launched the Pharmacy Blood Pressure Challenge • Pharmacists can log their progress online to track their contribution

3. PILLS Volunteer

4. Upcoming Volunteer Event • Berkeley Project Month, 3/9, 8-4pm • Register at: http://www.berkeleyproject.org/, and http://www.wejoinin.com/sheets/nmcqx • Group to volunteer with: PILLS; date to volunteer: March 9th; preferred site leader: blank • Easter Pancake Breakfast, 3/31, 9-1pm • Oakland Chinatown at Lincoln Rec Center • 15 PILLS volunteers • RSVP 1 week from general meeting

5. Paid clerk position at Abbotts Compounding Pharmacy • Applications due on Friday, 3/15 at 4:00pm • Located at 2320 Woolsey Street (at Telegraph Ave.) • 1-2 shifts per week, M-F,1 -5:30pm • Tasks: general customer service (helping patients, answering phone calls), packaging prescriptions for delivery, assisting pharmacist/pharmacy technicians • Email cover letter and resume to abbotts@pacbell.net • Format: “LAST NAME_FIRST NAME_Resume” and “LAST NAME_FIRST NAME_Cover_Letter” • Interviews during week of 3/18 • Questions? Email rachelleroxas@berkeley.edu

6. Social • InterHealth Social • Friday, March 8th, 6:30-8PM • Come meet other members from different clubs: PAHC, ForeSight,PDS, etc. • Fulfill your Social Requirement to be an Active Members in PILLS

7. PhREND & SIBLING Updates!

8. NCPPS Northern california pre-pharmacy symposium

9. 7th Annual Northern California Pre-Pharmacy Symposium (NCPPS) • When: Saturday, April 6th, 2013 8:45AM-4:30PM • Where: VLSB • Registration: $16 public, $13 PILLS members • How: http://pillsncpps2013.eventbrite.com

10. Application Checklist • Primary Application – PharmCAS • Transcripts • Personal Statement • Letters of Recommendations (LORs) • Secondary Applications • Completion of Coursework • Pharmacy Experience • Extra-curricular & Leadership Experience • Interview Preparation

11. PharmCAS Checklist

12. PharmCAS • What you need to complete: (http://www.pharmcas.org/docs/CHECKLIST%201213.pdf) • Basic biographic information • Send in PCAT scores if applicable • Send in ALL college transcripts (including community colleges) • http://www.pharmcas.org/applicants/transcripts.htm • Send in letters of recommendation • Personal Statement • Prompt: Your Personal Essay should address why you selected pharmacy as a career and how the Doctor of Pharmacy degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals. Describe how your personal, educational, and professional background will help you achieve your goals. (4500 characters) • Payment ($150 for the 1st school, $50 for the subsequent schools) • Processing time AFTER submission is around 3-4 weeks, so plan accordingly! • Example: UCSF’s application is due on November 1, so you can submit your PharmCAS application on November 1, but PharmCAS will not finish processing all your material and send it to UCSF until mid-November

13. Home Page 1st section: Applicant Information 2nd section: Academic History 3rd section: Additional Information 4th section: Essay 5th section: Privacy Statement 6th section: References 7th section: Schools to Submit to Read the FAQs!

14. PCAT

15. College Information

16. Transcripts

17. Coursework

18. Extracurriculars Example - Active PILLS Member Name of Organization: Pre-Pharmacy Informational Learning Society City: Berkeley Is the activity related to pharmacy or health care?: Yes Related Healthcare Profession: Pharmacy Total Number of hours: 17 (If active member for 1 year) Average Weekly Hours: 0.5 Activity Date: September 2012-Present

19. Personal Statement

20. Letters of Recommendation

21. Fees and Waivers • On PharmCAS, the fee depends on the number of schools that you want to receive your application. Your application will not be considered until payment is received. • Fees are non-refundable (this includes withdrawals and missed deadlines) • $150 for one school and $50 for each additional school for the 2012-2013 cycle • Available for those in financial need, but you must apply by the deadline! First come, first serve basis. • This is based on your income, your parent’s income and whether you are claimed as a dependent according to the most recent Federal Income Tax Return. • If you are given a fee waiver, you can apply to one school for free • Must use within 45 business days or you will lose it! • Do not e-submit until your request for fee waiver has been approved or denied • If approved, must pay by money order

22. Letters of Recommendation (LOR)

23. Letters of Recommendation – Why? • Letters of rec are part of what the schools use to assess your application. • They can often make or break an application • Allows for someone else to vouch for your abilities

24. Letters of Recommendation – How? • PharmCAS allows for up to 4 letters to be submitted • Submission can be electronic or by mail. Electronic submission is preferred • See here for detailed instructions • PharmCAS provides a list of questions to the person writing your letter. Detailed instructions and questions available here • Keep in mind that schools have different LOR requirements. Review the specific requirements for each school you’re applying for! This school-specific information can be found both on the school websites and on PharmCAS • USC requires 2, with at least 1 being from a faculty member • USC accepts 4, requires 3.

25. Letters of Recommendation – How? • Who should you ask? • Again, can depend on the school, but in general they should be from people who: • Know you well (not just someone with a reputation) • Can speak for your academic ability • Can vouch for skills (communication, leadership, critical thinking, teamwork, motivation, etc.) • Someone who can articulate all of the above (basically someone who can write a good letter Examples: Pharmacist Professor Boss/supervisor Post-doc

26. Letters of Recommendation • How to ask for one • Ask in person, then follow up with an email • Give your letter writer plenty of time. Ask at least 2-3 months in advance, and make sure you follow up with them • Clarify deadlines, requirements • Provide your letter writer with whatever they require (Cover letter, personal statement, resume, transcript) • Be prepared to articulate your interest in the program you’re applying to. • Other tips: • Confidential letters are preferred • Check the career center and school websites for more specific information

27. Questions about primary application?

28. Supplemental Applications and Interviews

29. Supplemental Application • In addition to the PharmCAS application, many schools also require a secondary “supplemental application” • Basic biographical questions • Coursework information (again) • Additional essay questions specific to the school • Resume • Both applications (primary and secondary) are due by school specified deadlines • TIPS: • CHECK DEADLINES! • May be different from PharmCAS application deadline, and different between schools • START EARLY • Some questions require more thought than others • Keep a journal of pharmacy and write down ideas as you go

30. Interviews • After submitting applications, schools may start contacting you for interviews • You are responsible for arranging your own transportation and lodging • Dress in business attire • TIPS: • Research the style and format of interview • Research potential interview questions (studentdoctor.net) • Know yourself, why pharmacy, and why that particular school

31. UCSFSupplemental Application

32. Background • Founded in 1872, fist pharmacy school in the West • Located in San Francisco, CA on the UCSF Parnassus Campus. No undergraduate program. • UCSF mascot is presumably a bear, though it does not have any athletics, thus no official mascot • were voting on possible a bank of fog, or bacteria • In 2012, US News and World Report ranked UCSF School of Pharmacy number one. Also first in NIH research funding among pharmacy schools. • Innovators of 3-pathway PharmD (Pharmaceutical Care, Pharmaceutical Science, and Health Services and Policy Research) • Admissions Coordinator Joel Gonzales’ Blog: http://pharmdadmissions.ucsf.edu/

33. UCSF Application Overview • Cost: in state ~$35K/academic year • Primary Application: PharmCAS • Secondary Application: 4 required essays, and 1 optional • $60 Application fee, $80 for international students • Letter of Recommendation: 3 or 4 (additional ones will be discarded). • At least 1 from a person who knows you through college-level academic work • Interview: Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) & Essay • New interview process for Fall 2013 candidates • 6 minute rotations of independent assessments • Meant to get aggregate score of soft skills like professionalism, ethical/moral judgment, interpersonal skills • Acceptance: Interview offers around Christmas, admission decisions before April 1st, not rolling admission

34. University of the Pacific THOMAS J. LONG SCHOOL OF PHARMACY AND HEALTH SCIENCES

35. Background • Location: Stockton, CA. approximately 1.5hr drive from Berkeley, 1hr south of Sacramento • Pharmacy school is not on main campus • 3 year accelerated program: 3 week summer break, class from 8-5 almost 5 days a week • Dual degree program offered: PharmD/MBA, PharmD/PhD • Produces most number of pharmacists in California • For more information: http://schoolpages.pharmcas.org/publishedsurvey/490

36. Personal Tips • Rolling admission: APPLY EARLY! No PCAT required • Essay prompts: Describe a challenge that you have overcome; Why University of the Pacific • Resume required for supplemental application, format it well • Required rec letter: one professor, one pharmacist • Open filed interview, one student one professor, 20 mins each • Relaxing interview, friendly staff • Notified within 2 weeks of interview about acceptance • Deposit expensive, $750. • Deposit paid within 2 weeks of acceptance to secure spot

37. University of California, San Diego Skaggs school of pharmacy

38. Background & Environment • Located in La Jolla, CA • Established in 2000, first graduating class of pharmacy was in 2002 • Four-year program closely associated with UCSD School of Medicine • Numerous research and development companies surrounding the campus • Close proximity to the beach • Marine pharmacology or sea medicine

39. Application Process • Website: http://pharmacy.ucsd.edu/prospective/admissions-process.shtml • In-State: ~$50K/year (detailed breakdown http://meded.ucsd.edu/assets/25/File/Student%20Budgets%202012-13_PHARM%281%29.pdf) • Out of State: ~62K/year • Primary application through PharmCAS • Secondary application: $80 application fee (must be postmarked by due date) • Letters of Recommendation: three (see PharmCAS) • Interviews: Conducted January/February • Emphasis placed on oral and written communication skills • Seek personal & emotional characteristics necessary to become an effective pharmacy practitioner

40. School of PHarmacy

41. Background • Located on USC’s Health Campus in Los Angeles, California across from the LAC+USC Medical Center off the I-10/I-5 Freeway • Neighbors with Keck School of Medicine, Norris Cancer Center, Doheny Eye Institute • Founded in 1905 and established nation’s first clinical pharmacy program • Dense in API and Hispanic population • Top 5 non-English languages in LA/OC area are Spanish, Cantonese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Korean • 730 PharmD students, 86 faculty members • Strong in Dual/Joint Degrees (+1-2 years)

42. Application Process • Preliminary Application (Part I) through PharmCASby early to mid-November. • Supplementary (Part II) material due at the same time. • Part I – General process, 2 Letter of Recommendations, price depends on # of school applied • Part II – Resume, no longer application fee for supplementary • 2 parts to Interview Process: oral interview and written interview • Will be notified 2-3 weeks before interview, • Oral (20+ minutes): main questions (why pharmacy, why USC, strengths/weaknesses), don’t be around the bush, be sincere (no BS-ing), stay calm (no caffeinated drinks in morning) • For Class of 2016: 1,065 applied, 450 interviewed, 282 admitted (26%), 185 seated • Average age: 24, Average GPA: 3.59 • Highly consider GPA, but also extracurricular • If unaccepted, some get put on active consideration for following year.

43. Touro University California College of pharmacy

44. Background • Located on Mare Island, in Vallejo, CA, at a National Historic Landmark of what once was a U.S. Navy base. • Established in 1997, first graduating class of pharmacy was in 2009 • Distinguished 2+2 program • Offers 7 required rotations, 4 elective rotations • Local, has many affiliation with Berkeley clinics, pharmacies & UC Berkeley clubs

45. Application Process • Website: http://admissions.tu.edu/cop/process.html ; Admission questions contact admit@tu.edu • Cost: $40K/academic year • Primary Application: PharmCAS (3 to 6 weeks processing period) • Secondary Application: $50 Application fee • Letter of Recommendation: Requires THREE ( 1 biological/physical sciences faculty member, remaining two up to applicant), but you may send more • Interview: Group setting (3 panelist, 5-6 interviewees) • Gauges verbal, non-verbal, and written communication skills • Acceptance: Discussed every other week and decisions are sent out immediately afterwards

46. Questions about secondary applications?

47. Out of State & PCAT Schools outside of California.

48. Why Out of State? • Many top pharmacy schools are out of state. • Many different programs out there: • Dual Degrees, 3 year programs, etc. • Many require PCAT, some do not. • New experiences. • Better job market in other states.

49. PCAT Overview • PCAT Costs: $199 • Will only reimburse half of payment if test is cancelled. Avoid the late fee. • Score is based on percentile rank: 1 to 99th percentile. (99th percentile is highest score) • May improve application if you have a low GPA. • Standardized test = able to evaluate across schools. • Test is taken on a computer and is timed by section. • No points deducted for wrong answers. • One of writing subtest experimental. • 48 questions each section (40 scored, 8 experimental) • Will have to choose which schools to send score to when registering.

50. PCAT Test Structure