Hello again! I thought it would help to include all the questions I was asked during my PPS interviews at ASHP Midyear. Make sure to draft your answers beforehand and rehearse in front of a mirror - I went over my interview etiquette in a previous post and all the same rules apply - check it out here. I rehearsed my answers to the questions below so many times that I could say it forward and backward in my sleep. This isn't an all inclusive list and it varies from program and company but I do hope this helps you with your preparation! I know this is easier said than done but you'll soon notice that there's really no time to be nervous during your PPS interviews. I had 21 interviews and so many back-to-back's that I became numb to the process. Once you're in the hot seat, that adrenaline rush kicks in and your confidence takes over. I got so accustomed to it that I could predict what they were going to ask! You'll see what I mean once you're there! Best of luck! 😁 UPDATE: PSA - MIDYEAR 2020 IS NOW ENTIRELY VIRTUAL.
Here are my interview prep recommendations:
Between working on my journal club presentation, doing literature searches and helping out with studies, I've been a bit MIA from my blog but I do try to post daily Instagram stories so follow along @adriennenguyenn. I will now be staying up to finish projects whereas I used to stay up to study for exams. It's a big change but this adventure is illuminating and I know it's going to be a wild ride. I find that I have more time for leisure on the weekends but it'll soon be occupied with researching programs/schools offering fellowships and preparing for interviews.
As for this post, it was taken earlier this year at Balboa Park in San Diego. This is a typical outfit I'd wear on vacation but it was such a beautiful, sunny day that it was warranted. The day started at Caroline's near UCSD where lunch was quick and the views were breath-taking. Even though I've been a resident of San Diego for the past three years, there's just so much more for me to see. I opt for walking around new spots whenever it's feasible and safe since it's easier to take in the culture and of course, snap a few pictures. Anyways, if you've been following me on Instagram, you know that I took a brief vacation in San Francisco. I'm still sorting through all my SF pictures but that post will be up before the end of August! Until next time!
Happy New Year, everyone!
When I began pharmacy school, I came in with the mentality that I would later pursue a career in industry. I never considered any other path but if my first year has taught me anything, it's that people change paths very often. I actually changed majors as an undergrad from Biomedical Engineering to Biological Sciences. Not much of a leap however, I took fewer Math and Chemistry classes! I digress... People often say that you should have a plan in life. To know what you're supposed to do early on but wouldn't that be boring? Besides, life is complicated.
Hey guys! I'm finally back! I just took my last final and I'm officially done with my first year of pharmacy school! I was planning on adding videos I shot while at school however, the quality wasn't up to my standards so I'll be sharing my thoughts with words and a few pictures.
For those who haven't been following my blog, I am a first year student pharmacist at UCSD Skagg's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. I was debating on how to go about documenting what an average week (during my last quarter of my P1 year) looks like; it was difficult since each day and week varies. Not to mention that my life for the past month revolved around studying for exams, working on projects, presenting said projects and participating in extracurriculars. Anyways, for the remainder of this post, I will condense everything that occurred this past month to give you guys better insight to my academic life.
I only have 3 weeks left of school before finals - then I'll be done with my first year of pharmacy school! I cannot fathom how quickly this year, especially my last two quarters, has passed. If you think about it, we only have approximately 6 more months until 2018. My first quarter was pretty slow since I was required to do a lot of busy work and I still didn't know my classmates well. As the year progressed, I realized how good I had it at UCSD. The small class size allows me to become acquainted with everyone and the P/NP grading is a blessing in disguise since the courses are so rigorous. I can't imagine what it'll be like next year since I'll be taking courses alongside medical students.
Anyways, this week was pretty packed! There were deadlines, homework, the annual banquet and BBQ. I documented daily shenanigans in my Instagram Stories and as promised, I will upload my peak in a life of a pharmacy student post very soon! I wish I lived closer to school so I could attend more school functions and be more socially active but I'll have to make do with what I have. There's still so much work left before the quarter ends and the projects are piling on fast! I can only keep sane because I write every little detail down in my agenda! Anyways, this outfit was taken in Newport Beach when I still lived in Orange County. Dusk happens to be one of my favorite times in the day but I still have yet to watch the sunset on the beach in San Diego. I really must take advantage of this city when I'm on break! I hope you guys are enjoying the warm weather in California! Until next time!
(Picture Taken at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Downtown SD - Check out more of my photography at my VSCO)
Hey guys! As promised, this post will only contain pharmacy related material! I received a bunch of requests about what you guys would like to see on my blog! Practically all of you want to know what a typical day in the life of a student pharmacist entails however, each day is different. To address this, I will document what a typical WEEK looks like as a first year pharmacy student, P1, in Spring Quarter. I decided to wait until after midterms because if I did this beforehand, I would simply write about how much I procrastinate and cram before exams and how I take really, REALLY long naps. I will begin documenting this next week and I'll have everything up before June! For those of you who really want to know what goes in my life, follow along on my Instagram @adriennenguyenn. I upload Instagram Stories every day!
Another common request I got through emails and the mentor-mentee form involves the question,
What do you wish you knew before starting pharmacy school?
The easiest way for me to lay out everything is by a list so scroll down to see what I recommend - these are in no particular order and they involve everything from classes, experiences and things to purchase.
I've been constantly telling myself to wear more dresses in addition to honing in with clashing prints -one of my favorite past-time activities. But with midterms rapidly piling up, it's becoming that much more difficult to dress up. I find myself migrating towards easy and simpler choices such as shorts and a top - just check out my Instagram, @adriennenguyenn, and you'll know what I mean. Pictured here is a simple "running errands" look for the weekend. Since I've moved to San Diego, I've been fortunate enough snag A TON of great clothing deals. However, my closet is beyond capacity and I do need to manage it all. I plan on updating my Poshmark account towards the end of the quarter so be on the lookout!
To all my potential or current pharmacy students, I promise my next post will be related to pharmacy and school life. I took my first midterm of the quarter this past Friday and it was longer than I expected. What was supposed to be a 3 hour exam (8AM-11AM) turned out 4-4.5 hour exam... obviously the attendance rate for our 11AM class was extremely poor. I have four more midterms to power through and then I have a bit of a break before finals... Even though I'm researching this summer, I won't have to study! Just a few more weeks! Until next time!
Hello my fellow Pharm.D. candidates!
It's been a while since I've specifically addressed pharmacy. By now, all the candidates are done with interviews and are awaiting acceptances or (hopefully) already placed a deposit to one or more schools. Many applicants applying this cycle asked me, in person or via email, why UCSD? I was bombarded with a ton of other questions that I plan to answer in this and future pharmacy related posts. Hopefully this particular post will help you understand my mentality in school selection and help you make an informed decision about your future!
1. Why UCSD?
I believe this applies to all the pharmacy schools in California but I hate being in a single classroom all day. The only time we have a change of scenery is for Histology or our exams (which are often taken in larger lecture halls).
If you guys read my fashion related posts, you know that I hate the parking situation at UCSD. If you guys went to UCI and parked in the are in front of PSLH, it's a million times worse at UCSD. Even if I have class later on in the day, I have to come in before 8:30AM to snatch a parking spot. I can't complain that much since undergraduates have to park off campus and take a shuttle to class!
3. How is the curriculum?
RIGOROUS! We all procrastinate... there's just no way to avoid it but make sure you're smart about the classes you're choosing to flake on. Just like undergrad, there are one or two classes you can still get honors (≥ 90%) by studying 5 weeks of material, 12 hours before the exam. However, once you're actually a student pharmacist, you'll realize how difficult a majority of the courses are compared to the ones you previously took during undergrad. I'm finishing up my second quarter of my first year in pharmacy school and the most difficult class I've ever taken is Histology. There's just so much to understand and know - you actually have to put time into this class to do well - you CANNOT wing it! I'd be more than happy to give you guys a breakdown of all the classes I'm taking and what I think about the course! Just let me know!
We run on a quarter system (Fall, Winter and Spring) however, come our second year, we will be switching to block schedules. Why? Pharmacy students at UCSD actually take courses with medical students. Our curriculums coincide which allows future pharmacists to collaborate with future physicians. Pharmacists are typically viewed as being lower on the totem pole than physicians however, this integration allows medical students to understand what and how student pharmacists can contribute to the health care field (What do we want? Equality! When do we want it? NOW!).
4. How is the Pass / No Pass grading?
It's a blessing in disguise! I was a bit hesitant about attending UCSD due to the P/NP grading criteria but little did I know that it would be the best decision I made! All the schools I've previously attended scored performance based on the traditional A, B, C, D, and F scale with an associated GPA. I preferred this since I could show off my GPA to people (wink wink). Anyways, with the amount of classes I'm taking now as a student pharmacist, there's a lot to balance. I have to decide where to allocate my time. There are certain classes where I aim for honors (H >90% overall) however, for other classes that actually require reading the textbook, memorizing terms, I'll settle for a regular Pass. Although I have a dense schedule (7 courses), I feel as if I have more time to actually enjoy life. I've traveled back and forth from Orange County to San Diego numerous times this school year and I've also spent time exploring the city as well as eating my heart out! This P/NP gives you some breathing room - if there's an event you want to attend and all you want to do is pass (even though we should all aim for honors), it's okay!
Many of you asked if it'll be more difficult to land a good residency or fellowship if you have no GPA to show. The short answer? NO. There are so many UCSD graduates who go on to work in pharma, hospital, and so many other settings. There really is no limit to what we can do. It's all about your resume. Build it up with extracurriculars and experiences that mean something to you - show commitment and leadership abilities. It's all based on your interviewing skills too!
Sometimes I feel that I should have went straight into pharmacy school without taking any gaps however, I was able to catch up on much needed sleep and enjoy life. Too bad I didn't travel as much as I wanted to! This coming summer will be occupied with a new research project I'm taking on. What's the topic? Opioids! It's completely different from my background but I'll broaden my knowledge about the rapidly growing epidemic in the US. My summer of 2018 will be taken up with mandatory rotations so my actual summer break will be very short. The things students have to do...
I plan on incorporating things I learn from class into my posts - especially things I learn from my Pharmacy Practice. What does this exactly mean? I'll be speaking about pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for common conditions ranging from the common cold to acne. Everything I post on these topics will come directly from lecture (either through lecture slides of from speakers who are licensed pharmacists). I believe adding a new "health and lifestyle" area in my blog allows me to actually review my material and it can possibly shed some light to common questions you might have!
It's been a while since I've specifically addressed pharmacy. By now, all the candidates are done with interviews and are awaiting acceptances or (hopefully) already placed a deposit to one or more schools. Many applicants applying this cycle asked me, in person or via email, why UCSD? I was bombarded with a ton of other questions that I plan to answer in this and future pharmacy related posts. Hopefully this particular post will help you understand my mentality in school selection and help you make an informed decision about your future!
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| UCSD Class of 2020 * All pictures, minus the one above, are my own * |
What was the leading factor that made it easy for me to choose UCSD over schools like UCSF and USC? COST. I had other personal reasons I had to consider but cost was the main component influencing my decision to attend UCSD. Honestly speaking, UCSF is a dream school for all health care professionals. The cost of tuition is comparable to UCSD since they are both within the public UC system however, living in San Francisco, especially the Bay Area is outrageous. I've heard absurd stories of students sharing a small room in a home for $1,200 per month. I don't know how you guys feel about that but I definitely need my own space along with a large closet... obviously this wasn't a feasible option for me. Sure you can live in Oakland but having to wake up early to catch the subway into the heart of the city seems like it'd become burden really fast.
What else drew me to UCSD? The small class size - my class, the Class of 2020, only has 56 students (we had one student drop out). You gradually learn everyone's name and develop "cliques." I honestly wished I live closer to school so I could attend more functions but I do love the area I live in - oh, I decided to rent out a house in San Diego instead of a condo/apartment in La Jolla! I was thrilled since I got it last minute. For those of you who plan on renting a house, make sure to set aside some extra moolah since it'll definitely cost a pretty penny (note that there are fees for both applications and background checks).
Another factor that drew me into UCSD? It's heavily research based. I did research pretty much all throughout my undergraduate education and gap years. The data mining portion of research can get extremely tedious however, I love discovering something new, reaffirming something that's already established, disproving a theory, seeing how my study compares to others, and presenting at conferences!
2. What do I like/dislike about the school and area?
For the almost two quarters I've been at UCSD, it's generally been really cold and gloomy. You should take into consideration that it has been raining a lot in Southern California this past year. Yay to no longer being in a drought but boo to the numerous amount of pot holes. Moving to San Diego was definitely a big change. I was born and bred in Orange County and 99% of the roads are linear at a 180 degree angle. Right when I popped over to San Diego, I was faced with lots of altitude changes and way too many hills. My house is in the mountains so it's extremely cold and foggy every morning - people actually have to scrape ice off their windshield in December! Anyways, La Jolla is an affluent area but nothing compares to Newport Beach/Venice/Laguna Beach or any of the beaches in Orange County and LA!
I don't like the malls here - even though Fashion Valley carries a variety of stores, if not more brands than South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island, I still prefer my OC malls over the ones in San Diego. Also, all these are outdoor malls so it makes hanging out at the mall that much more difficult when it rains.
What are some pros? Balboa Park is beautiful! If you love hiking, there are lots of trails and lakes! Jonathan and I drove to a lake but it was way too cold to get out of the car! I'm hoping to explore more nature once it starts warming up in San Diego (I hear there's a hidden waterfall in the heart of San Diego)! I also heard that the weather in San Diego is much better than Orange County - hopefully it doesn't get too hot during the summer. I've been to Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego but it was a week away from closing for renovations so the artwork wasn't on par. However, I do want to explore a ton of museums during spring break!
For the almost two quarters I've been at UCSD, it's generally been really cold and gloomy. You should take into consideration that it has been raining a lot in Southern California this past year. Yay to no longer being in a drought but boo to the numerous amount of pot holes. Moving to San Diego was definitely a big change. I was born and bred in Orange County and 99% of the roads are linear at a 180 degree angle. Right when I popped over to San Diego, I was faced with lots of altitude changes and way too many hills. My house is in the mountains so it's extremely cold and foggy every morning - people actually have to scrape ice off their windshield in December! Anyways, La Jolla is an affluent area but nothing compares to Newport Beach/Venice/Laguna Beach or any of the beaches in Orange County and LA!
I don't like the malls here - even though Fashion Valley carries a variety of stores, if not more brands than South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island, I still prefer my OC malls over the ones in San Diego. Also, all these are outdoor malls so it makes hanging out at the mall that much more difficult when it rains.
What are some pros? Balboa Park is beautiful! If you love hiking, there are lots of trails and lakes! Jonathan and I drove to a lake but it was way too cold to get out of the car! I'm hoping to explore more nature once it starts warming up in San Diego (I hear there's a hidden waterfall in the heart of San Diego)! I also heard that the weather in San Diego is much better than Orange County - hopefully it doesn't get too hot during the summer. I've been to Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego but it was a week away from closing for renovations so the artwork wasn't on par. However, I do want to explore a ton of museums during spring break!
I believe this applies to all the pharmacy schools in California but I hate being in a single classroom all day. The only time we have a change of scenery is for Histology or our exams (which are often taken in larger lecture halls).
If you guys read my fashion related posts, you know that I hate the parking situation at UCSD. If you guys went to UCI and parked in the are in front of PSLH, it's a million times worse at UCSD. Even if I have class later on in the day, I have to come in before 8:30AM to snatch a parking spot. I can't complain that much since undergraduates have to park off campus and take a shuttle to class!
3. How is the curriculum?
RIGOROUS! We all procrastinate... there's just no way to avoid it but make sure you're smart about the classes you're choosing to flake on. Just like undergrad, there are one or two classes you can still get honors (≥ 90%) by studying 5 weeks of material, 12 hours before the exam. However, once you're actually a student pharmacist, you'll realize how difficult a majority of the courses are compared to the ones you previously took during undergrad. I'm finishing up my second quarter of my first year in pharmacy school and the most difficult class I've ever taken is Histology. There's just so much to understand and know - you actually have to put time into this class to do well - you CANNOT wing it! I'd be more than happy to give you guys a breakdown of all the classes I'm taking and what I think about the course! Just let me know!
We run on a quarter system (Fall, Winter and Spring) however, come our second year, we will be switching to block schedules. Why? Pharmacy students at UCSD actually take courses with medical students. Our curriculums coincide which allows future pharmacists to collaborate with future physicians. Pharmacists are typically viewed as being lower on the totem pole than physicians however, this integration allows medical students to understand what and how student pharmacists can contribute to the health care field (What do we want? Equality! When do we want it? NOW!).
4. How is the Pass / No Pass grading?
It's a blessing in disguise! I was a bit hesitant about attending UCSD due to the P/NP grading criteria but little did I know that it would be the best decision I made! All the schools I've previously attended scored performance based on the traditional A, B, C, D, and F scale with an associated GPA. I preferred this since I could show off my GPA to people (wink wink). Anyways, with the amount of classes I'm taking now as a student pharmacist, there's a lot to balance. I have to decide where to allocate my time. There are certain classes where I aim for honors (H >90% overall) however, for other classes that actually require reading the textbook, memorizing terms, I'll settle for a regular Pass. Although I have a dense schedule (7 courses), I feel as if I have more time to actually enjoy life. I've traveled back and forth from Orange County to San Diego numerous times this school year and I've also spent time exploring the city as well as eating my heart out! This P/NP gives you some breathing room - if there's an event you want to attend and all you want to do is pass (even though we should all aim for honors), it's okay!
Many of you asked if it'll be more difficult to land a good residency or fellowship if you have no GPA to show. The short answer? NO. There are so many UCSD graduates who go on to work in pharma, hospital, and so many other settings. There really is no limit to what we can do. It's all about your resume. Build it up with extracurriculars and experiences that mean something to you - show commitment and leadership abilities. It's all based on your interviewing skills too!
Sometimes I feel that I should have went straight into pharmacy school without taking any gaps however, I was able to catch up on much needed sleep and enjoy life. Too bad I didn't travel as much as I wanted to! This coming summer will be occupied with a new research project I'm taking on. What's the topic? Opioids! It's completely different from my background but I'll broaden my knowledge about the rapidly growing epidemic in the US. My summer of 2018 will be taken up with mandatory rotations so my actual summer break will be very short. The things students have to do...
I plan on incorporating things I learn from class into my posts - especially things I learn from my Pharmacy Practice. What does this exactly mean? I'll be speaking about pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for common conditions ranging from the common cold to acne. Everything I post on these topics will come directly from lecture (either through lecture slides of from speakers who are licensed pharmacists). I believe adding a new "health and lifestyle" area in my blog allows me to actually review my material and it can possibly shed some light to common questions you might have!
XO,
Adrienne