Blogs Fresh into her second year, pharmacy student Thorrun Govind offers her five top tips for students wanting to get into pharmacy
With the lack of summer sunshine (until last week) I was delighted to hear the news that a close friend has been accepted to LJMU to study pharmacy.
I thought in this, my first blog of my second year, I would give my top tips for applying to study pharmacy. I hope this will provoke some discussion as to your bright ideas for the potential pharmacists of the future.
At this time, many applicants will be starting the UCAS process which involves writing a personal statement and sending predicted grades to five universities. All this in the hope of course, that one will offer you a place, subject to you achieving set grades.
Here are my 5 top tips:
Be organised. Those applying for Oxbridge, medicine and a few other courses have an earlier deadline than everyone else. Why not apply in their timescale and show your dedication!
Work/volunteer in a pharmacy. You'd be surprised how many wannabe medics put pharmacy as their 5th course choice option but have never set foot in a pharmacy. Also there are some common drugs you might remember and can talk about in the interview process if you have taken an authorised amble behind the counter.
Have a life! Do sports, make films, do work experience in other professions - show you have considered other options and therefore are dedicated to the course and career. Above all, do something different. Shine!
Do it for you. Whatever course you decide, don't apply if you are doing it purely to please someone else. I recently heard of a medic who quit three years into their six year course. In my opinion with the wide variety of courses on offer there is no point applying if your heart isn't in it. Your passion will definitely come across in the personal statement if it's for a course you really want.
Talk the talk. More than likely you will be interviewed. Have a mock interview from a pharmacist. Find out how best you should react if a person suffering from complaint X comes into the pharmacy. A few scenarios in the back of your head will always ease pre-interview nerves.
Well I hope this helps if you are put on the spot and asked for any tips when applying for pharmacy.
Maybe you have some tips of your own: tweet me @thorrungovind.
