University of Toronto Pharmacy Class of 2017

[apedicelli]

I stayed silent for a good 15 seconds or so... it was so awkward that I just decided to make conversation lol.. I'm hoping that they didnt deduct points for having that awkward 15 seconds

Haha they definitely don't take off marks for awkwardness. In a couple of my stations I had a solid 2 minutes of silence but most of the time the interviewers will chat. There's nothing wrong with sitting quietly though!

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[PhamViva]

Any Vietnamese student in the room?

 

[PockyDragon]

Any Vietnamese student in the room?

Well i'm Viet and hoping to be a student in student in Sept

 

[Epona]

Anyone know what the selection criteria is post-interview? It's not solely interview performance, right?

 

[Member5678]

T-minus 81 days!


@Epona: No, it isn't solely the interview! Under FAQ's you'll notice the following answer to your question

What criteria are used to determine who is admitted to the program, and what weight is applied to each?

Applicants will be assessed on their academic performance (i.e. successful completion of required subjects and cumulative university average), performance on the Pharmacy College Admission Test, and performance during the interview process.

The specific weights assigned to the various admissions criteria are not published.

Source: (http://www.pharmacy.utoronto.ca/bscphm/admissions/selection-process)​

 

[Kardashian]

good luck to everyone ! almost forgot I started this thread, school's been literally devouring my soul :'( [i'll be applying next year]

 

[NS04]

m

 

[member990]

yes please post the link! great idea

 

[Pharma44]

Hi guys! So I've spent the last hour or so reading this forum and it's been really helpful. I have an 80.5% average and I got an 86 comp on the PCAT. My grades last semester have been all over the place though (A,A,C,D,B), and it was definitely my worst semester so far (there were some personal issues I was dealing with at the time).

The C I got was in my Thermochem course, which is a prereq + a chem course, so I'm assuming that my application will be flagged for this. Does anyone know how detrimental that will be? I'm scared that it will reaaaally hurt my chances...

Also, I was wondering if anyone from the 1T6 class that checks this forum knows what the entering average was for their class was. On the site it says that the last few years have been in the A- range, but is it closer to an 80 or an 84? (seriously hoping it's not the later,eek)

 

[Member5678]

T-minus 72 days until notices are posted!


On a different note, has anyone applied to both Waterloo & Toronto. Both schools offer PharmD degrees so I'm torn between which one I would choose. Toronto is super expensive for tuition in it's 4 year program, whereas Waterloo is affordable for tuition and has a co-op built into it's 3.7 year program (44 months). Which school are you leaning towards?

 

[03748]

does any one know why the cut-off points for the PCAT scores are so low? is it realistic to assume that if you have a little above a 20 percentile composite score that you would get accepted into pharmacy school?

 

[azazello2012]

does any one know why the cut-off points for the PCAT scores are so low? is it realistic to assume that if you have a little above a 20 percentile composite score that you would get accepted into pharmacy school?

no its not , they have such low cut offs for GPA and PCAT just to have enough ppl for interviews. Realistically cut off marks are higher for acceptance.

 

[apedicelli]

does any one know why the cut-off points for the PCAT scores are so low? is it realistic to assume that if you have a little above a 20 percentile composite score that you would get accepted into pharmacy school?

Definitely not. They just use the low marks as a cut off to make the applicant pool smaller for interviews. They use the interview and your grades as the basis for acceptance. PCAT scores are considered as well, but to a lesser degree. The overall PCAT scores are much higher for accepted applicants.

 

[Pharma44]

On a different note, has anyone applied to both Waterloo & Toronto. Both schools offer PharmD degrees so I'm torn between which one I would choose. Toronto is super expensive for tuition in it's 4 year program, whereas Waterloo is affordable for tuition and has a co-op built into it's 3.7 year program (44 months). Which school are you leaning towards?

Initially I was leaning towards Toronto, mainly because of the new curriculum and expected PharmD. I actually didn't expect Waterloo to switch to a PharmD degree at the same time as Toronto. So now I think I'm slightly leaning towards Waterloo, since overall cost is a determining factor for me I'm just hoping that I'll have the opportunity to even make that decision in the future

 

[member990]

Has anyone heard from Waterloo about interviews yet? notifications are supposed to be out today :S

 

[Epona]

Has anyone heard from Waterloo about interviews yet? notifications are supposed to be out today :S

I just found out I got one. I am going to decline though, because I dropped out of the pre-requisite courses to soley focus on UT pharmacy.

 

[03748]

has anyone taken the kaplan on-site classroom prep course or is planning to? do you think it's useful and worth the money?

 

[apedicelli]

has anyone taken the kaplan on-site classroom prep course or is planning to? do you think it's useful and worth the money?

I took the Kaplan prep course and I highly recommend it. It's a little expensive but definitely worth it. They give you tons of good material and practice exams and they outline exactly how to take the test. They also give you a lot of good time management strategies and stuff like that. It definitely helped me out. Also, having to attend class forces you to stay up to date with your studying so it makes getting through the material a whole lot easier. I liked the courses so much that I'm actually working for Kaplan as an instructor this summer.

 

[hepatictox]

Initially I was leaning towards Toronto, mainly because of the new curriculum and expected PharmD. I actually didn't expect Waterloo to switch to a PharmD degree at the same time as Toronto. So now I think I'm slightly leaning towards Waterloo, since overall cost is a determining factor for me I'm just hoping that I'll have the opportunity to even make that decision in the future

Agreed, I'm more or less in the same boat. Living in Toronto the past 4 years has been pretty draining economically. Waterloo co-op+cheaper living expenses could definitely help. Also less pharmacy students (100 compared to 200) will probably be a better learning environment.

 

[NS04]

m

 

[Kimura]

Initially I was leaning towards Toronto, mainly because of the new curriculum and expected PharmD. I actually didn't expect Waterloo to switch to a PharmD degree at the same time as Toronto. So now I think I'm slightly leaning towards Waterloo, since overall cost is a determining factor for me I'm just hoping that I'll have the opportunity to even make that decision in the future

I guess I'm your opposite. Despite the cost, I'm leaning towards Toronto simply because of the lifestyle. I have friends and family in Toronto, and there are simply more things to do. The way I see it, I'm going to have a mountain of debt regardless. Why not at least live in an enjoyable city while I'm still in school. A bit naive, I know

 

[Pharma44]

Agreed, I'm more or less in the same boat. Living in Toronto the past 4 years has been pretty draining economically. Waterloo co-op+cheaper living expenses could definitely help. Also less pharmacy students (100 compared to 200) will probably be a better learning environment.

Hopefully we'll both get in! Best of luck on the interview

I guess I'm your opposite. Despite the cost, I'm leaning towards Toronto simply because of the lifestyle. I have friends and family in Toronto, and there are simply more things to do. The way I see it, I'm going to have a mountain of debt regardless. Why not at least live in an enjoyable city while I'm still in school. A bit naive, I know

Haha, well both schools have great Pharmacy programs, so it's all a matter of personal preference

 

[03748]

i have kind of a stupid question, will the pharmacy degree given by UofT allow you to practice anywhere in Canada (not just in Ontario)?

 

[apedicelli]

i have kind of a stupid question, will the pharmacy degree given by UofT allow you to practice anywhere in Canada (not just in Ontario)?

Yeah the new PharmD at U of T will allow you to practice everywhere in Canada and potentially anywhere in North America, depending on specific province/state requirements.

 

[azazello2012]

i have kind of a stupid question, will the pharmacy degree given by UofT allow you to practice anywhere in Canada (not just in Ontario)?

This degree only allows you to work in Scarborough....sorry to ruin your dreams

 

[Kimura]

I'm a little uninformed about this, but how about a B.Pharm degree? Does that allow you to practice everywhere in Canada as well?

 

[Pharma44]

http://www.pharmacists.ca/index.cfm/pharmacy-in-canada/pharmacists-in-canada/

"In order to become a licensed pharmacist in Canada, you need:

A bachelor's or doctor of pharmacy degree from one of ten Canadian universities

To complete a national board examination through the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) (with the exception of Québec)

Practical experience through an apprenticeship/internship program

Fluency in English or French"

So yeah, you'd be fine with a B.Pharm degree as well. I believe most Pharmacy schools in Canada offer a B.Pharm degree, rather than a PharmD.

 

[apedicelli]

I'm a little uninformed about this, but how about a B.Pharm degree? Does that allow you to practice everywhere in Canada as well?

BSc. Gives you the ability to practice anywhere. In Quebec though, all new graduates get a PharmD. so it's more competitive to have that degree as opposed to a BSc.

 

[member990]

Does anyone know how badly one bad mark hurts your chnces of getting into U of T? My PCAT composite was 94, gpa 3.6, but I'm fairly certain I just bombed a genetics exam.

 

[Pharma44]

All it will do is bring down your cumulative average slightly (since they look at %avg, not GPA). Genetics isn't a prereq or chem course, so you're fine

(Especially considering you have a 94 PCAT comp haha)

 

[Kardashian]

just wondering, what are the usual admission averages for the program.. the website says high 70s low 80s, but idk if I should trust those numbers
i just did my cell bio final and i'm pretty sure I got raped hard (the class average for this class is like a 43%, the exam material is nothing relevant to the course)... >__>, and i had an exam (for my elective) 2 hours after that which I bs'd LOL

 

[rslj]

Does anyone know how badly one bad mark hurts your chnces of getting into U of T? My PCAT composite was 94, gpa 3.6, but I'm fairly certain I just bombed a genetics exam.

McMaster? I wrote that exam as well haha

 

[03748]

i want to be a pharmacist but I'm really worried that I won't get a job since i heard that the job market is so saturated. does anyone know anyone who has a pharmacy degree but can't get a job? is unemployment common among pharmacy graduates these days?

 

[01love]

has anyone taken the kaplan on-site classroom prep course or is planning to? do you think it's useful and worth the money?

If you know you won't get through the material by yourself, then a prep course could help you to be more efficient. You don't need it though. The material for PCAT isn't so complex that you'll need an instructor for clarifications. I found that self-studying with Dr. Collins prep package & completing the Kaplan PCAT book was more than enough to prepare for PCAT - and it turned out that the majority of my friends did the same.

 

[apedicelli]

i want to be a pharmacist but I'm really worried that I won't get a job since i heard that the job market is so saturated. does anyone know anyone who has a pharmacy degree but can't get a job? is unemployment common among pharmacy graduates these days?

People make the job market seem a lot worse than it actually is. While there is a slight saturation in community pharmacy jobs in big Canadian cities like Toronto and Vancouver, there are still tons of opportunities for pharmacists outside of the community pharmacies. All of the recent pharm grads that I know all have jobs and the majority of them aren't in community pharmacies. They work in the pharm industry, research, hospital patient care and various home care organizations. I really wouldn't worry too much about finding a job, the PharmD goes a long way and opens up tons of opportunities in the field.

 

[01love]

i want to be a pharmacist but I'm really worried that I won't get a job since i heard that the job market is so saturated. does anyone know anyone who has a pharmacy degree but can't get a job? is unemployment common among pharmacy graduates these days?

I personally don't know anyone who is unemployed. A 1T2 that I spoke to said it was difficult to find a job (mind you, she only considered Toronto as her option), but her group of friends all managed to find full-time employment in Toronto when they graduated last year. The situation seems to change every year though, so I'm waiting to hear what the 1T3s have to say. I'm not too worried though; I'm hopeful that the situation will lighten up a bit when it's time for us to graduate.

+ the job market just plain sucks overall right now, not just pharmacy. It's not like studying something else will immediately land you an amazing future, so you might as well study what you love, no?

 

[apedicelli]

T-minus 2 months guys !

 

[Kimura]

T-minus 2 months guys !

As we get closer and closer to judgement day, I become less and less productive. I hope I'm not the only one

 

[jennyfish]

Hi guys, I have a 89th composite percentile on my PCAT and a 3.7 GPA, my interview is on May 11th at 3:45PM. If everything goes smoothly, is it likely I'll be accepted?

 

[azazello2012]

Hi guys, I have a 89th composite percentile on my PCAT and a 3.7 GPA, my interview is on May 11th at 3:45PM. If everything goes smoothly, is it likely I'll be accepted?

nope, no chances....in fact you shouldn't even show up for interview

but really, your stats are good...above average

 

[jennyfish]

Haha thanks, *sigh of relief*. It's weird because I applied to a small pharmacy school in the US and got rejected without even an interview!

 

[apedicelli]

Hi guys, I have a 89th composite percentile on my PCAT and a 3.7 GPA, my interview is on May 11th at 3:45PM. If everything goes smoothly, is it likely I'll be accepted?

All depends on the strength of the applying class but your stats are pretty high up there. I would likely say yes as long as your MMI goes well. Good luck !

 

[ryanco64]

lol, we're halfway through finals right now and it's been pretty brutal.

you guys are probably finishing up/done. enjoy your summers and good luck to the May 11 interviewees!

don't forget your final transcripts as soon as you get all your marks back

 

[Pharma44]

Hey guys

So I'm looking for a bit of advice. I have an deferred exam sometime in mid-May, the week after the UofT interview, and I was just wondering how much time should be invested in preparing for the interview. If possible, I'd like to focus as much time on preparing for my exam (since the deferred exam for this course is known to be ridiculously brutal, lol). But at the same time, the interview is obviously really important... so I was thinking of setting aside like 4-5 whole days for interview preparation.

For people that had March interviews (or interviews in previous years), how'd you prepare for it? And for those of my fellow May 11th interviewee's, how are you planning to prepare for it?

 

[ryanco64]

are you used to interviews and thinking on the spot? you can't really prepare for it but reading some practice scenarios online might give you an idea of what kind of questions you may encounter if anything.

good luck on that exam, as well as your interview

 

[RedPharmer]

You can definitely prepare for MMIs. Some people in this thread have already indicated so. I read some comments saying how it didnt help them much at the interview. But I can testify, that when you're on the spot and actually confronting the scenarios and topics, we can tell who is a strong candidate or not.

Source: I was one of the actors at some stations.

 

[Pharma44]

are you used to interviews and thinking on the spot? you can't really prepare for it but reading some practice scenarios online might give you an idea of what kind of questions you may encounter if anything.

good luck on that exam, as well as your interview

Oh god, definitely not used to formal interviews I do think I'm pretty good at thinking on the spot though. I'll definitely do just that. And thanks! I'll need it

You can definitely prepare for MMIs. Some people in this thread have already indicated so. I read some comments saying how it didnt help them much at the interview. But I can testify, that when you're on the spot and actually confronting the scenarios and topics, we can tell who is a strong candidate or not.

Source: I was one of the actors at some stations.

Thanks for the input! If I were to screw up badly at any one station, I'm fairly sure it would be the acting station, so I'll have to really prepare for that one somehow.

In general, what major characteristics defined the strong vs weak candidates (e.g., level of confidence, articulation)?

 

[ryanco64]

Just don't be wishy-washy I'd say, and make sure you're confident with your points and stances when faced with the question. Oh, and try not to go around in circles trying to answer a question as much as possible.

I guess me and RedPharmer define preparation differently, but just be yourself and don't break down and you should be fine. (Easier said than done har har har) As I mentioned before, look up some sample scenarios online if you want a taste of what's coming.

 

[apedicelli]

I interviewed in march and I put a fair deal of prep work into it. Going through practice scenarios is key because it gives you the opportunity to practice organizing your thoughts and presenting them in an organized and articulate manner. The best advice I could give is to be confident in your responses and make sure you approach the scenarios in a critical way. Start off by explaining the situation and the individuals involved. Talk about the different manners in which the situation can be approached (like taking different points of view). After that, take a stand and support your decision appropriately. The interviewers are looking for you to express your thought process and not just your own opinion on the manner so it's really important to think of the situation critically and bring up points in different points of view. Strong candidates are considered to be very organized in their thought process, confident, articulate and able to think critically so these are the things you should focus on. Also, try to read up on current topics in health care and the changes that are affecting the field right now (for example, in Ontario pharmacists are now allowed to administer flu shots, prescribe renewals for non-narco drugs as well as prescribe smoking cessation aids). Finally, get a basic understanding of health care ethics and use this as a guide for all of your answers.

In the end, just go into the interview confident in your own abilities and try to make your best personality traits evident in all of your answers. Good luck !!

 

[RedPharmer]

Oh god, definitely not used to formal interviews I do think I'm pretty good at thinking on the spot though. I'll definitely do just that. And thanks! I'll need it



Thanks for the input! If I were to screw up badly at any one station, I'm fairly sure it would be the acting station, so I'll have to really prepare for that one somehow.

In general, what major characteristics defined the strong vs weak candidates (e.g., level of confidence, articulation)?

It depends on the scenario at hand. apecdicelli gave excellent advice on what you could be doing to prepare for the MMI. Be confident, manners, critical thinking, ethics, etc. Each scenario is designed to illicit specific qualities from the candidate; whether you actually possess these qualities is mutually exclusive.

Practicing is key to preparing for MMI. Its most unfortunate when a strong candidate fails to recognize what we are looking for in the scenario and fails to show that they possess the specific qualities.

Don't be too worried if you didnt perform well in 1 or 2 stations. MMI is designed to gather as much information about the candidate.