Ok grades, 99 PCAT, but no verifiable/usable pharm experience?

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takeanother

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I'm graduating in spring 2018 and would like to apply to pharmacy school this fall. I have an okay GPA (around 3.4-3.5 overall and science) and I took the PCAT earlier this month and got a 99, but I don't really have any verifiable pharmacy or healthcare experience at all. I did spend about 2 years working as a cashier in a small pharmacy several years ago and loved it, but the pharmacist that I worked with has since passed away so obviously I can't mention that job in applications.

I am wondering if anyone has any ideas of what could possibly improve my application over the next couple months. I think there is at least one hospital in my area where I can try to shadow a pharmacist for a day or two but other than that I'm not sure what to do. Should I just try to volunteer at a hospital pharmacy or look for a tech job? I'm really not sure what would be best since it's so close to application deadlines. Any ideas would be helpful!

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Try to get more experience in the pharmacy to determine if pharmacy is the profession for you. Both volunteering and pharmacy tech jobs are good experiences, but I think being a pharmacy tech is better than volunteering. Personally, I volunteered at a hospital pharmacy for a year and I enjoyed that experience.
You can also talk about your experiences as a cashier at the small pharmacy in your personal statement/interviews. You can talk about what you learned and how it sparked your interest in pharmacy during your time there.
Good luck!
 
My friend who goes to a pharmacy school somewhere in Virginia has told me there are students there that never worked or volunteered at a pharmacy. So who knows, you might be good to go. But getting experience would improve your application.
 
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Don't apply without having worked in a pharmacy tech-wise, and I'd go further and say work in a big chain retail. Trust me, it is almost nothing like you think it is. There are so many RPHs who end up hating pharmacy because they had an unrealistic view of what they would actually be doing. There are a few RPHs in the Pharmacy forum that hate retail and want to work in a hospital, but can't since hospitals pay less and only want RPHs experienced in hospital or residency. Plus getting a hospital job is extremely competitive since there are only a few spots compared to retail.

You could definitely get in somewhere without experience, since it's not a requirement. But don't put yourself in 100k+ debt and realize too late that it's not what you imagined. You don't even have to work much, just a few hours on the weekend up until you start pharmacy school. Not only would you really have a feel for it, you would also have a good relationship with a company and get a headstart interning once you start school.
 
I did spend about 2 years working as a cashier in a small pharmacy several years ago and loved it, but the pharmacist that I worked with has since passed away so obviously I can't mention that job in applications.

You absolutely can and SHOULD add this to your application. No part of the application said everything has to be verifiable. Just include the pharmacy's phone number and your supervisors name (living or dead). If your supervisor is deceased write that in the comments.
 
You absolutely can and SHOULD add this to your application. No part of the application said everything has to be verifiable. Just include the pharmacy's phone number and your supervisors name (living or dead). If your supervisor is deceased write that in the comments.
Thanks! I will do that along with trying to get a tech job.
 
I'm graduating in spring 2018 and would like to apply to pharmacy school this fall. I have an okay GPA (around 3.4-3.5 overall and science) and I took the PCAT earlier this month and got a 99, but I don't really have any verifiable pharmacy or healthcare experience at all. I did spend about 2 years working as a cashier in a small pharmacy several years ago and loved it, but the pharmacist that I worked with has since passed away so obviously I can't mention that job in applications.

I am wondering if anyone has any ideas of what could possibly improve my application over the next couple months. I think there is at least one hospital in my area where I can try to shadow a pharmacist for a day or two but other than that I'm not sure what to do. Should I just try to volunteer at a hospital pharmacy or look for a tech job? I'm really not sure what would be best since it's so close to application deadlines. Any ideas would be helpful!

As another poster mentioned, you can and should list that experience. Also your GPA is good.
 
I think you'll be fine. A lot of my classmates have never worked in a pharmacy and they're all doing fine. I would try to shadow a hospital pharmacist especially since it's so close to application time


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