Pharmacy Graduation Cords

[PharmacyKingNah]

Hi everyone,

I'm a PY4 and am realizing that unless I do something about it, I won't graduate with graduation cords. This seems petty, but my entire family is coming to my graduation next May and I want them to be extra proud of me!

Does anyone know of any clubs that will give you a cord even if you join in your fourth year? I plan to be an active participant (I've been meaning to join a club anyways).

Thanks in advance!

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[Sine Cura]

Kinda hard to be a very active participant if you doing APPEs + any outside paid employment

Amazon sells cords

 

[PharmacyKingNah]

Kinda hard to be a very active participant if you doing APPEs + any outside paid employment

Amazon sells cords! Don't pharmacy schools check your cords though?

Kinda hard to be a very active participant if you doing APPEs + any outside paid employment

Amazon sells cords

Hahaha! I'm doing my APPEs close to my school so I'm alright with going to campus for meetings. Plus there are lots of virtual options. I'm just trying to narrow down which orgs offer cords.

 

[WorthlessOxygen]

Seems like a silly reason to join something. Does anyone even pay attention to cords?

Join something if you want to participate, don't do the bare minimum to make it look like you did more.

 

[confettiflyer]

lol, I refused and had no cords at graduation. I was the only one in my group of friends, so in a weird way I stood out.

I think I out earn all of them (by a little) so…there’s that.

 

[confettiflyer]

And yeah just make up your own cord. Like, make it green because you worked and earned money instead of padding your CV.

 

[PharmacyKingNah]

Seems like a silly reason to join something. Does anyone even pay attention to cords?

Join something if you want to participate, don't do the bare minimum to make it look like you did more.

My family does— they were obsessed with cords when I was in undergrad

 

[confettiflyer]

My family does— they were obsessed with cords when I was in undergrad

There’s a joke about family, umbilical cords, and graduation cords somewhere….but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

 

[wazoodog]

If you didn't do anything to earn a cord until now, don't bother. Cords at graduation recognize what you did in the past. At this point, there are far more important things to focus your time on that will benefit your future (any cords you try to earn now will not benefit your future..it will be siphoning your time away from activities that could be). Who knows, it might be a good opportunity for you to manage your family's expectations for the future. If you're running around now and diverting away valuable time that could be better spent on getting ready for your future career just for the sake of checking the family expectation box, the cycle is likely to continue. Really, you're already probably checking off the bigger box in graduating, getting licensed, and getting a job.

In the long run, out of the many things you will do throughout your life that will make your family proud...I can almost guarantee cords will be probably be one of the least memorable for both them and you. Honestly, if you dont already call your parents every day, calling every day just to chat will likely end up being something they're even more proud of - and you'll be more proud of yourself for doing.

 

[confettiflyer]

I really think you should be super proud that you didn’t do s**t and are still managing to get employed at the end of all this instead of showing gold stars to mommy and daddy.

That was cool, in like, first grade. All about the benjamin’s now.

 

[mentos]

If they care that much then wear your undergrad ones. I guarantee no one else will care.

 

[ValeRx]

LOL

 

[wazoodog]

You can always buy your parents a Tesla a few years later. Trust me, they will like it better than cords and it will raise the family bragging rights game to another 2 levels.

 

[Xenophylia]

I thought the title of this post was pharmacy "cards". I stopped by to suggest "sympathy". My bad....

 

[PharmtoCS]

You can always buy your parents a Tesla a few years later. Trust me, they will like it better than cords and it will raise the family bragging rights game to another 2 levels.

Cords are much cheaper though. Buying a Tesla is risky when you’re $200k+ in debt and have little or no job security. That’s if the OP even finds a job.

 

[wazoodog]

Cords are much cheaper though. Buying a Tesla is risky when you’re $200k+ in debt and have little or no job security. That’s if the OP even finds a job.

The return on value of cords is so low. The OP has to spend hours doing whatever in their APPE year when there are more worthwhile ways to spend time. For what...maybe a bit more family pride for an hour?

I say go big or go home. In all seriousness, calling your parents every day is free and makes many parents far more proud than cords ever will.

 

[ValeRx]

Nobody even knows or gives a crap about what those cords are/mean. Do they get you a job? No. Do they get you a higher wage? No.

 

[mentos]

Nobody even knows or gives a crap about what those cords are/mean. Do they get you a job? No. Do they get you a higher wage? No.

And just like a prom dress or wedding dress, they get worn once and then sit in a closet for the rest of your life.

 

[ValeRx]

And just like a prom dress or wedding dress, they get worn once and then sit in a closet for the rest of your life.

But mommy and daddy will be so proud wearing something that they don't even know what it means!

 

[Alexis_pharmD]

Nobody even knows or gives a crap about what those cords are/mean. Do they get you a job? No. Do they get you a higher wage? No.

you are correct. it means nothing in real life. But let me tell you, it means a lot to Asian parents though.

 

[Dred Pirate]

for undergrad I had three sets of cords and a honors medal - you know where those are now? (if so let me know because I don't - but seriously I think they are in a tote somewhere in my garage)
For pharm school we didn't have cords for anything - heck I graduated third in my class and didn't get any recognition (not that I wanted any). That being said, anyone who is worried about things like that needs to re-arrange their priorities. Don't worry about it - go get a job, make some $$ and move on to the next stage in life.
But I think it would be funny if you bought some from amazon and wore - I would give you props for that.

 

[ValeRx]

Use an old school phone cord and an extension cord. Problem solved and more useful.

 

[wazoodog]

you are correct. it means nothing in real life. But let me tell you, it means a lot to Asian parents though.

I totally get it - i have Asian parents too. There comes a point where you have to manage their expectations to who you really are. If you've been a part of something the past few years that deserves a cord, that's great. If you didn't (like me), thats who you are...and if that doesn't align with their expectations, its a good time to start managing that. That doesn't mean you won't be a high performer or high achiever a year or 10 years from now - its just a reflection of the past and present. Trying to meet family expectations has to have some boundaries, and shouldn't be at a detriment to the bigger picture. Meeting family expectations are habit forming and doesn't stop with graduation cords - it can extend to career, spouse credentials, number of kids, kids academic success...the earlier you bite the bullet the better. Yes it makes sense to strive to meet their expectations as their child, but at this point in your life its time to put aside their expectations on past school-related achievements for your own future - which you should be determining what's best. And as almost any pharmacist who graduated more than a month ago can attest to, putting in effort to get cords is not the mindset of a professional (which is is what the OP is now).

 

[Xenophylia]

OMG the mods pounced on my "what to do with your cords". The snowflakes never fail to be offended. LOL Sooooo predictable.

 

[watchfulwaiting1957]

I graduated from pharmacy school and I don't even know what cords are. I thought the entire graduation thing was way too prideful. I refused to tell any family members the date of it and I refused to go until the dean threaten me with withholding my diploma. So I went and dressed up in this ridiculous outfit. The entire event seems excessively prideful and unnecessary.

I get like a ceremony for a Purple Heart for valor in battle if someone lost both their legs in battle but making it through some schooling gets a ceremony? It seems like everyone needs a trophy these days. There was something called "white coat day" at my school which I skipped. It's getting obscene.

 

[ibnalkamil1990]

I graduated from pharmacy school and I don't even know what cords are. I thought the entire graduation thing was way too prideful. I refused to tell any family members the date of it and I refused to go until the dean threaten me with withholding my diploma. So I went and dressed up in this ridiculous outfit. The entire event seems excessively prideful and unnecessary.

I get like a ceremony for a Purple Heart for valor in battle if someone lost both their legs in battle but making it through some schooling gets a ceremony? It seems like everyone needs a trophy these days. There was something called "white coat day" at my school which I skipped. It's getting obscene.

everyone gets a trophy (white coat these days). Nursing, med, pharmacy, even some reps programs have white-coat ceremonies and everyone from the janitor to the doctors wear one. You can't tell who's who anymore.

 

[wazoodog]

I was curious and did a search of cords and found a school site that listed 7 types of cords at their graduation. Wow...7! At my graduation, there was only 1 or 2 types and many of us found out about cords for the first time upon arriving at the venue because our friend was wearing 1 for being part of the honor society. We were all asking what it was and it became a joke. The point is, if you did something to deserve a cord you'd already have one waiting for you. But cords don't make the professional. Case in point, the friend with the cords - she went on to med school afterwards and became a physician. Another friend of ours fought to graduate after repeating a failed rotation, remediating a class the previous year during one of the breaks, and barely staying above the minimum GPA throughout the program. He had no cords, and no residency or fellowship lined up...and passed the NAPLEX on the third attempt. He was a phenomenal communicator, charismatic, and had a boatload of resilience. After starting off in retail, he landed a entry-level job in the industry (I like to think I helped a little with interview prep) and manages MSL teams today. In the end, they each found their own paths to fulfilling careers and making their families and friends proud. A student mentality is thinking that cords define some kind of status or value in the present. A professional knows what their strengths are, and is comfortable with the fact that there simply isn't a graduation cord to acknowledge every skill out there. Of course having your family see some cords would be nice, but cords are a memento of the past. Pharmacy graduation is about celebrating the end of being a student and beginning your professional life.

 

[Xenophylia]

everyone gets a trophy (white coat these days). Nursing, med, pharmacy, even some reps programs have white-coat ceremonies and everyone from the janitor to the doctors wear one. You can't tell who's who anymore.

Everyone gets a "title" too. That's the corporate was of paying an employee less but making them feel important at the same time.

 

[confettiflyer]

Everyone gets a "title" too. That's the corporate was of paying an employee less but making them feel important at the same time.

There’s some low end financial firm that gives all their reps the title of “Vice President” or something, can’t remember which one.

It’s the one where if you’re too stupid to use the internet, your mom’s friend at the bingo hall’s son who barely passed 1yr of community college can be your financial advisor, lol

EDIT: nm it’s a thing

Your Charlotte bank VP title doesn’t really mean much

This is Charlotte, so if you’re not a banker yourself then you probably live next door to one. Chances are, they’re a vice president. Before you start to feel inadequate about your career, you should know this little poorly kept secret in our city’s corporate culture: Being a bank vice president...

charlotte.axios.com

 

[Hels2007]

At my graduation, there was only 1 or 2 types and many of us found out about cords for the first time upon arriving at the venue because our friend was wearing 1 for being part of the honor society.

This. We had two cords - one for academic achievement (Rho Chi) and one for leadership (PLS), whatever it was, 10% or 20% of the class? A few people had both, most had none. Don't think I knew about them in advance, though I did get to wear the leadership one (can't remember what happened to it, if we had to turn it back in with the goods and gown or not? no idea what happened to the cap either).

I think it's silly to look for them at the last minute just to have them... That's basically whoring yourself out for a trinket. It's one thing if you were doing something because you believed in it or had fun doing it and then got rewarded as a cherry on the top, it's totally different when it's only skin deep.

 

[confettiflyer]

This. We had two cords - one for academic achievement (Rho Chi) and one for leadership (PLS), whatever it was, 10% or 20% of the class? A few people had both, most had none. Don't think I knew about them in advance, though I did get to wear the leadership one (can't remember what happened to it, if we had to turn it back in with the goods and gown or not? no idea what happened to the cap either).

I think it's silly to look for them at the last minute just to have them... That's basically whoring yourself out for a trinket. It's one thing if you were doing something because you believed in it or had fun doing it and then got rewarded as a cherry on the top, it's totally different when it's only skin deep.

Yah but when nosy Asian parents flash around photos of graduation and get them printed in the local Vietnamese community paper, they really don’t give a flying fiddle about whether your involvement was skin deep.

They want all the cords, all the pieces of flair. Everything.

 

[mentos]

You need more flair!

 

[Hels2007]

Yah but when nosy Asian parents flash around photos of graduation and get them printed in the local Vietnamese community paper, they really don’t give a flying fiddle about whether your involvement was skin deep.

They want all the cords, all the pieces of flair. Everything.

OK, my parents aren't Asian and I am not sure they cared about any 'flair'. Though when I did my Masters a few years later (and I didn't even go to the graduation, they just mailed me my diploma) for some reason my Mom got super excited about the fact it was signed by an *archbishop* (it was a Jesuit school). We aren't even Catholic!

 

[Momus]

Is this real or are you trolling us right now? I can't tell.

 

[AONLINE]

I graduated from pharmacy school and I don't even know what cords are. I thought the entire graduation thing was way too prideful. I refused to tell any family members the date of it and I refused to go until the dean threaten me with withholding my diploma. So I went and dressed up in this ridiculous outfit. The entire event seems excessively prideful and unnecessary.

I get like a ceremony for a Purple Heart for valor in battle if someone lost both their legs in battle but making it through some schooling gets a ceremony? It seems like everyone needs a trophy these days. There was something called "white coat day" at my school which I skipped. It's getting obscene.

People I know that just graduated from pharm school made a really big deal out of it. Many of them posted their graduation pictures on social media with the caption "Dr. XXX, PharmD" so their friends and family can comment "Congrats doctor" on the post. They also changed their Instagram handle to Dr. XXX. Heck, these pharm students have been calling themselves "future Dr. XXX" on social media since their white coat ceremony during first year lol.

 

[Deja]

no one asked the important question... does OP have a job lined up yet?

 

[wazoodog]

Soon after i graduated, there was just one time I made a restaurant or flight reservation under "Dr. XXXXX". Once I arrived, it didn't take me long to realize that I hoped a medical emergency wouldn't occur while I was present - they'd call for help, then ask if there's a doctor in the house and notice my reservation name...and id have to explain I'm actually a PharmD (dont think I even took the boards yet). Needless to say, I've never initiated the use of Dr. again. The ver occasional times when someone else just initiates use of it i usually just let it be since its usuallt from pharmacy students or my school.

 

[Hels2007]

Needless to say, I've never initiated the use of Dr. again.

If filling out forms that ask for titles, I use Dr. instead of Ms. - after all, I worked for my degree, why shouldn't I use the appropriate title? But the only times I have introduced myself as Dr. Lastname was when teaching, when presenting at medical conferences, and yes, on my graduation day - when I called my uncle who holds a PhD to tell him that there is now another Dr. Lastname in the family. He laughed at me and said that he never uses Dr. Lastname.

 

[watchfulwaiting1957]

If filling out forms that ask for titles, I use Dr. instead of Ms. - after all, I worked for my degree, why shouldn't I use the appropriate title? But the only times I have introduced myself as Dr. Lastname was when teaching, when presenting at medical conferences, and yes, on my graduation day - when I called my uncle who holds a PhD to tell him that there is now another Dr. Lastname in the family. He laughed at me and said that he never uses Dr. Lastname.

I have some family members that are lawyers and I have never heard them call themselves Dr.X even though Juris doctor is a doctorate degree.

 

[mentos]

People I know that just graduated from pharm school made a really big deal out of it. Many of them posted their graduation pictures on social media with the caption "Dr. XXX, PharmD" so their friends and family can comment "Congrats doctor" on the post. They also changed their Instagram handle to Dr. XXX. Heck, these pharm students have been calling themselves "future Dr. XXX" on social media since their white coat ceremony during first year lol.

-In flight emergency, is there a doctor on board?
-New grad Rph raises his hand.
-Passenger feels lightheaded.
-"I will write you a SOAP note and begin an MTM. What over the counter medications and herbals are you taking?"
-Passenger passes out.
-"This is beyond my scope. I will have to refer you to a real doctor."

 

[BidingMyTime]

Really, no one will notice or care.
When I read your question, I couldn't even remember if I had cords or not, and had to check an old picture to see. I did have cords. I guarantee I never thought about that again after the graduation ceremony. I doubt I even thought about it much that day. I do remember being super impressed with our valedictorian's high GPA. My school only had cords for Rho Chi (I think? I don't remember for sure now....)

If you really think you need a cord, talk to your school counselor and find out your options to get a cord. Which I would imagine are pretty limited (if they even exist) at this point.

 

[Hels2007]

talk to your school counselor and find out your options to get a cord

If someone who came asking me for a cord to wear around their neck, I would hand them a sturdy rope... and thrown in a bar of soap absolutely free. Pardon my cynicism.

 

[wazoodog]

There should be SDN cords.