It can take new grads 3 to 6 months before landing their first job, so don’t feel bad if you don’t have a job lined up before you walk across the stage. Instead of rushing to the real world and adult-sized responsibilities, you can use the time after graduation to enjoy life and your freedom.

12 Ways to Productively Use Your Time After Graduation

1. Travel

Everyone always says that the best time to travel is during college or directly afterwards because your time and freedom is unlimited and unburden with adult responsibilities. While many college students are strapped for cash, don’t let that stop you from living out your Pinterest-inspired travel dreams. You can always go backpacking across Europe or hop into the car for an extended road trip around the states.  

In case you need some travel inspiration, here are a few travel guides that I’ve put together over the years:

• Miami, Florida Travel Guide
• Johannesburg, South Africa Travel Guide
• Richmond, Virginia Travel Guide
• Wilmington, North Carolina Travel Guide
• Asheville, North Carolina Travel Guide

2. Start therapy

If you are ready to change your life and grow as a person, then therapy is a perfect way to utilize your time after graduation. Many students find it hard to handle the harsh reality of losing a part of their identity as a college student. Add in not having a job that you love immediately after graduation can add an extra layer of difficulty. This can cause recent graduates to slide into a season of depression and anxiety that isn’t talked about enough.

The great part though is that this generation have turned therapy into a normal dinner table conversation, and therapy is less taboo than it used to be. I hope that you remember that this period is just another season of your life and it too shall pass.

3. Pick up a new hobby

Remember all of the time that you spent in college saying that you wished you had MORE time to learn a new skill or read more books? Well this gap period before you start your first job is the perfect time to start learning a new hobby or skill. There are endless number of options to choose from such as learning a new language or instrument. If you like learning things by video, then you’ll love the classes on Skillshare. The classes are quick to the point and are easy to follow along.

This past winter, I started taking pottery classes at a local studio, and it’s been really fun to utilize my brain in a different way than I’m used to. I will say that pottery is quite humbling, but I love the endless possibilities of learning and creating.

Some of my recent pieces that I’m obsessed with…

4. Spend time with family

Between school, work, and a social life, it is easy to let time pass you by and forget to spend quality time with your family outside of holidays. During this awkward time after graduation, take a road trip to visit your family members that may not live close to you or your immediate family. It doesn’t have to be a big deal or an elaborate trip. Enjoy the company and the peace while you wait for job offers to come rolling in. 

5. Learn how to manage your time

One thing that I’ve learned this past year is that time management isn’t about long to-do lists, taking no breaks, or pushing yourself to the max on a daily basis. Time management is more about learning how to prioritize your time to fit the goals that you have for yourself, and it’s an important skill to have in adulthood. Once you start your first job after graduation, time just seems to go by in a blink of an eye, and it can be hard to continue to find time to do the things that you enjoy.

Using a paper or digital planner has really helped me schedule out my days to make sure I accomplish everything that I want to that day, week, or month. Another great tip is to time how long it takes you to do certain tasks so that way you have a better idea of how much time you’ll actually need the next time around. If you need more help with learning how to improve your time management skills, then read this guide that I wrote outline all of my tips and tricks around time management.

6. Start a fitness routine

Fitness always takes a back burner when people get stressed out, but life doesn’t get any less stressed once you start your first job. Start a new habit after graduation and get serious about exercising, eating healthier, and loving yourself thoroughly. You’ll not only feel better but you’ll also feel more confident. Once you’re able to create a new habit of working out, it starts to feel less like a chore and more of a safe place to release all of that negative energy from the day. As a healthcare professional, it is super important to find a healthy outlet that you enjoy. Trust me, it’s a lot harder to take care of your patients if you’re not also taking care of yourself at home. 

7. Update your LinkedIn profile

Before you head off and start applying for every job you see online, you’ll want to take a step back and update your LinkedIn profile. The biggest mistake that people make when it comes to LinkedIn is simply not using it to its fullest potential. As the biggest professional networking platform, it’s an amazing tool to grow your network and connect with future employers outside of a job application.

Some things that your profile should have are: a clear image of yourself, a well thought out bio, and your employment history. A full LinkedIn guide is on the way, but for right now, this will give you a few ideas to get started with. 

8. Apply for jobs

Obviously the most common thing that people do once they graduate from college is start applying for jobs. But the key isn’t to just apply for any and every job that you see with the same basic resume. Before hitting submit on a job application, you should be tailoring and personalizing each resume to fit the description of the job posting. This is the easiest way to get past the computer system outside of directly messaging the hiring manager for the company (which by the way you totally should do!).

9. Invest in your passions

It’s easy to get overwhelmed in college and forget to actually enjoy life. Use the time after graduation to invest in your passions, whatever they may be. and truly put your heart into it. Have fun and be willing to try something new. I started this blog that you are currently reading while I was in pharmacy school. And while it was (still is!) a ton of work, I love being able to write new content and interact with every single reader. If you have no idea what you’re passionate about, don’t be afraid to try out new things and just see how things go. You might very well land on something that you love to do.

10. Take on a seasonal (part time) job

While many new pharmacists think that they have to go right into a pharmacist position, that isn’t necessarily true. Before your career truly begins, you can always use the summer after graduation to take on a seasonal or part time job. You might want to be an au pair for the summer, star as an extra in a movie, or become a social media manager for some extra money during the summer months. Even though these jobs aren’t necessarily in your field, you can still learn valuables skills that you can then use in your next role. 

11. Learn a new skill with online courses

Learning doesn’t have to stop once you graduate from college, and it doesn’t have to be from a boring textbook either. Nowadays there are plenty of online classes where you can learn everything from coding to crocheting to marketing right from the comforts of your own bed. Personally, I’ve used SkillShare to learn more about marketing, LinkedIn, and even how to build a resume (one that landed me multiple interviews from a variety of companies).

Whatever you choose to learn, make sure that it either 1) fulfills a passion of yours or 2) can help you in your career. You’d be surprised what skills can translate to more money at your future job or how a unique skill can help you break into a unique field.

12. Study for the pharmacy licensure exams

After you graduate from pharmacy school, the next logical step in your pharmacy career is to study for the NAPLEX and the MPJE exams. To practice as a pharmacist in the United States, students are required to pass both exams within a certain time period of each other. While these exams are difficult, they are not impossible with proper preparation and a good study plan. You can read more about my study tips on how to pass the NAPLEX and the MPJE here.

You may also like:  How to Land Your First Pharmacist Job, 11 Study Tips to Help You Pass the NAPLEX Exam, and Varsity Tutors Review: My Experience with the NAPLEX Exam

The post 12 Ways to Productively Use Your Time After Graduation appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

Every few years the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (or better known as NABP) publishes the cumulative pass rate from all of the pharmacy school in the United States. In 2022, the average pass rate for first time test takers was 80%. That means that more 2,500 students did not pass the NAPLEX on their first try.

Failure is a hard pill to swallow, but I promise that you are not alone. There are hundreds of students going through the same thing right now, and things do get better. Instead of hibernating in your bed and crying yourself to sleep, here are 9 ways to move forward and learn from your past mistakes.

Don’t let this failure define you

Remember that failure is a normal part of life and that it’s an opportunity to learn from your past mistakes. You are not the first person to fail the NAPLEX nor will you be the last. From Oprah Winfrey to Walt Disney to Einstein, every amazing person that goes through life deals with ups and downs, struggles, and disappointments. The difference between them and you is deciding whether or not you’re going to get back up and keep trying. Once you’ve come to terms with you failing the NAPLEX exam, you can then start planning your next move. 

Take a break

Failing the NAPLEX can evoke some strong emotions of feeling devastated, mentally drained, and that your life is over. Remind yourself that these feelings are temporary by taking a break and doing something that brings you happiness. Life goes on after a failure, and you have more attempts to try again. It’s not the end of the world even if it may feel like it in the moment. Take a few minutes to read, walk your dog, bake your favorite dessert, or journal to take your mind off things and to reset your mood. Shoot – take a few days or even a week if you need to. The textbooks will be there when you’re mentally and physically ready. 

In case you need some ideas on how to reset your mind and take care of self during this time:

• Start a new hobby like pottery or hiking
• Try out the 30 Day Self Care Challenge
• Get some ideas from this self care routine guide
• Grab my favorite daily gratitude journal

Get the help that you need

Once you accept that you can’t change the past, you can then focus on how to move forward. This includes asking for help if you need it! Reach out to professors, mentors, and anyone that you could think could help you re-strategize and provide some emotional support as well. I also recommend getting a NAPLEX tutor if you need help in specific areas or a study accountability partner.

While getting a NAPLEX tutor isn’t the cheapest route by far, it was the best investment for me personally as I was able to get the help that I needed. But just like all things, tutoring is just one piece of the puzzle, and it is by no means a quick fix. If you are dedicated to passing the NAPLEX, you’ll still need to invest your time into studying and incorporate the other NAPLEX study tips into your routine. 

Dissect what went wrong

Before you jump back into studying, take some time to sit down and figure out what might’ve gone wrong during your first attempt. Once you write down a few things that you noticed retrospectively, you can then form a new plan that focuses on improving your weak areas and solidifying your strengths. Calculations, infectious diseases, HIV, and oncology are just a few areas that are notorious for tripping people up during the exam. Another big one is not finishing the exam on time. If this is something that you struggle with, you’ll want to spend some time working on your speed and time management. 

Make a new plan

Once you figure out your weaknesses and strengths, you can then come up with a new NAPLEX study plan. Since studying for the NAPLEX can feel like a ginormous task, it’s best to reverse engineer your goals. This just means that you break down your big goals into smaller bite-sized goals that are easier to accomplish. This could look like practicing an hour of calculations each day or finishing one chapter of your NAPLEX prep book every single day.

Whatever your plan of attack is, make sure that you’re studying daily and answering practice questions just as often as you are reading from a textbook. You’ll also want to practice speed and stamina because the NAPLEX is a 6 hour exam, which is a lot mentally and physically.

Simplify your calendar/work load to improve your focus

From graduation, moving, starting a new job or residency, there may be a lot going on in your life right now. Even though you may think that you can do it all, you don’t have too nor should you. Simplify your calendar and workload so you can focus on what truly matters right now, which is passing your licensure exams. If you can, try only working a day or two a week so you have some money coming in but enough time to focus on studying. Remember to ask your community for help and support during this stressful time. 

Sweat out your emotions

Lace up your sneakers, put on some comfy clothes, and go sweat out your emotions. There are so many benefits of regular exercise for your health, but the most important is the fact that it releases cortisol and endorphins. Both of which will make you feel like less stressed and leave you feeling rejuvenated. 

Find a study group

Sometimes studying alone isn’t the most exciting or the most productive. If you like studying with others, then go online and find yourself a study group to join. You may be able to find one already put together at your own university or organization. Study groups can be an effective study tool because they help each member to learn the material in a clearer way and create a positive environment to work in. Plus you can exchange notes, study guides, and other tools that may help you learn a difficult subject faster than without the additional assistance. 

Take your time

Many residencies and jobs require you to be licensed within a certain time frame, which may lead you to feeling rushed and unprepared prior to your first attempt. This may also be the reason why you failed in the first place beyond other reasons. For the next round, make sure to take your time when studying for the NAPLEX to make sure you feel properly prepared.

The NAPLEX isn’t an exam that you can pass by cramming at the last minute. It takes weeks and even months to feel adequately prepared. After you failed the NAPLEX the first time, you have to wait 45 days before you can re-apply to take it again. I would suggest studying for at least 6 weeks, maybe even more depending on how you’re feeling. You can check out my NAPLEX study schedule if you need some advice on how to tweak your own study schedule.

Best of luck on your next attempt! You got this!

The post What to Do If You Failed the NAPLEX Exam appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

Take a deep breath and relax

No seriously – Preparing for the NAPLEX is very stressful, and you may not even realize how you’ve let your health fall to the waist side because of it. You’ve been training for this very exam for 3 or 4 years, and you have everything that it takes to pass the NAPLEX exam. So take a few deep breaths, do a few yoga poses, and get yourself to relax as best as you can.

I know that that’s easier said than done, but here are some self care resources to help you build a self care routine and to incorporate self care into your daily routine:

• How to Kickstart Your Self Care Routine
• 30 Day Self Care Challenge to Decrease Anxiety
• 11 Ways to Invest in Yourself this Year

Read the NAPLEX Candidate Registration Bulletin

Just like any other major test, the NAPLEX has its own special website that shares more information about the exam, such as the types of questions you’ll see, a list of topics that you’ll be tested on, and the skills that you’re expected to demonstrate. While it may be an exam to test your minimum skills as a pharmacist, you’ll still want to take a look at the bulletin, so you can be more familiar with the exam beforehand.

Make the final decision on whether you need a tutor or not

If you type in “NAPLEX preparation”, you’ll find plenty of links to study test materials and maybe even a few for a NAPLEX tutor. Before your test date creeps up on you, you’ll need to decide whether or not you want to invest in a NAPLEX tutor. Not everyone needs a tutor, but it can be a useful tool for those that need the additional help and motivation. I’ve already talked about my experience using Varsity Tutors, and I stand by my opinion – I highly recommend them if you’re ready to take the leap.

For those that haven’t ever heard of a NAPLEX tutor, here are a few things that my tutor helped me with when I was studying for the board exams:

• Boosted my confidence and brighten up my day
• Provided me extra support and resources for topics that I wasn’t comfortable in
• Become my accountability partner to make sure I go through all of the chapters before the big day
• Gave me plenty of practice problems and worked through them with me

Block out 2 weeks before your exam to go over the heavy hitters or weak spots

It’s easy to waste away the two weeks leading up to your exam. You may be rushing to finish the dense study textbook, or you might be hyper fixating on the topics that you already know pretty well. Use the last two weeks before your exam to go over the heavy hitters or any subjects that you may not be the most confident in. Trust me, the extra time spent on specific topics are going to make a world of a difference on the big day.

You’ll not only feel more confident with your skills, but it’ll help you feel more relaxed when it’s time to take the exam. Now the big chapters will always change from year to year, but I remember when I was studying for the exam in 2020 that the chapters for HIV, Diabetes, Infectious Disease, Compounding, and Oncology were pretty thick chapters.

Take the Pre-NAPLEX Exam

Some pharmacy schools require students to take the Pre-NAPLEX before you graduate. If you are one of the lucky ones that doesn’t have to do that, then you’ll be blessed with two attempts to take the Pre-NAPLEX. The Pre-NAPLEX exam is the official NAPLEX practice exam that gives you a realistic idea of what the exam is actually like. I 100% recommend taking the Pre-NAPLEX exam about a week before your real test date.

On the practice exam, you’ll get a chance to answer 100 exam questions from previous exams in a 140 minute time limit. Once completed, you receive a total scaled score that is pretty accurate to what you’ll score on the real thing. While the NABP doesn’t say that, I’ve heard that many students, including myself, had similar NAPLEX scores compared to the Pre-NAPLEX. So I wouldn’t blow it off. Definitely try your best and feel free to push back your exam date if the score isn’t passing.

Prepare for the day of your exam in advance

Trust me that you do not want to be searching around looking for the right clothes, documents, and necessities the day of your exam. You’re probably going to be a little scatterbrained, anxious, and probably a little forgetful in terms of things unrelated to the exam. To avoid forgetting something important and to give yourself the best chance possible to do well, here are some pointers:

• Arrive to the testing area early – If you’re driving a long distance to your exam site, plan to arrive to your accommodations the day (or even days) before. This way your chances of getting into a car crash, having a flat tire, or even getting stuck in traffic are decreased.  I also recommend staying at a hotel super close to the testing site, so you don’t have very far to go to get there the morning of.
• Go to bed early – You’re going to be nervous or anxious the day before the exam, and you’ll want to get a full night’s sleep. Go to bed earlier than you normally do to give your mind enough time to shut off completely. Bring your favorite pajamas or comfort tool to help you fully relax.
• Eat a good breakfast and bring snacks – The NAPLEX is a 6 hour exam, and you’re going to eventually get pretty hungry while you’re at the testing site. Before you head on over, stop and eat a good breakfast full of protein and leafy greens. I also recommend throwing a sandwich and snacks in your bag as you’ll get a few breaks in between the long sessions where you can stuff your face quickly.
• Don’t study the night before – I know it’ll be tempting to study the night before, but I promise that nothing you review the night before will stick. Study for the NAPLEX is a long term game and cramming for it just won’t work. Instead of trying to memorize another math equation, take the day before to relax and to enjoy the day.

Do something relaxing the week before the exam

Being stress and anxious obviously makes you pretty tense, especially when you know an important date is looming in the distance. The week before the NAPLEX exam, do something that makes you feel relaxed such as a massage, facial, or a long soak in the hot tub. While it may not be much, you’ll feel so much better and ready to take on the day. Plus you deserve it. You’ve finally at the big finale that you’ve been working so hard for, and you deserve every ounce of happiness. Grab it and hold on to it as tightly as you can!

The post NAPLEX Prep: What to Do Before the Exam appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

Outside of video content, podcasts have quickly grown to be a huge platform for both entertainment and informational purposes. Even in the healthcare sector, you’ll find plenty of pharmacy-related shows for just about any topic that you’d want. Whether you’re looking for insight on non-traditional roles, financial advice, or even a fun interview with industry leaders, here are 12 pharmacist-led podcasts that you don’t want to miss out on.

Brown Skin Stories: Representing Women Pharmacists 

Dr. Ijeoma Ekeocha, PharmD started her pharmacy journey in 2003 and quickly started her exceptional pharmacy career. From being the first and only non-traditional pharmacy resident at John Hopkins to becoming the lead pharmacist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, you can easily see how much there is to learn from her. Her podcast, Brown Skin Stories, highlights up and coming black women pharmacists.

Their experiences and stories provide value for all pharmacists, especially those thinking about a career change or recent graduates. Brown Skin Stories explores various career paths, transitioning into entrepreneurship, moving up the leadership ladder, and creating one-of-a-kind positions for themselves.

Your Financial Pharmacist

If you’re ready to transform the way you view and handle your personal finances, then you need to bookmark this pharmacy podcast. Created by Tim Ulbrich, PharmD, Tim Church, PharmD, BCACP and Tim Baker, CFP, YFP focuses on empowering and providing pharmacy professionals the tools necessary to take control of their finances in a way that is easy to follow. You’ll find insights on paying off debt, side hustles, student loans, investing, and so much more. YFP is probably one of my favorite healthcare podcasts to listen too plus I love that it’s from a pharmacist’s perspective.

The Burnout Doctor Podcast 

Hosted by Dr. Jessica Louie, PharmD, APh, BCCCP, The Burnout Doctor Podcast focuses on helping pharmacists and other healthcare professionals reset their lives after burnout and get rid of the clutter in their lives. If you struggle with feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, and filled with constant stress, then this is the podcast for you. You can find new episodes each week, and you’re sure to walk away with something useful to transform your life.

As a critical care pharmacist, Dr. Louie is no stranger to burnout and working in a high stress environment. In her podcast, she shares her story of transforming her life into one that is simplified and decluttered after learning about the KonMari Method, which she discusses further on the podcast.

The Public Health Pharmacist 

Created by Dr. Christina Madison, the Public Health Pharmacist is a pharmacist-led podcast dedicated to discussing timely issues on public health and keeps the audience informed of any recent events. Many pharmacists have an opportunity to make a difference, and Dr. Madison shows you exactly how important it is to have pharmacists in the public health sector. This podcast is particularly good if you’re interested in making a difference in the community. 

RxRounds 

If you have an interested in learning more about healthcare outside of the US, then the RxRounds may be a great resource for you. Dr. Alandra Mitchell, a Trinidadian pharmacist, started her podcast and website to be a healthcare resource for the Caribbean community. You’ll find that RxRounds provides evidence-based information on overall wellness hoping to inspire and empower West Indians to be a more actively involved in their own healthcare.

The Pharmacist’s Voice

As a weekly, journey-style podcast, the Pharmacist’s Voice is a unique podcast that focuses on sharing Dr. Kim Newlove’s career change to a voice actor as well as highlights other unique pharmacist’s stories. If you’re looking to hear stories from a variety of people, such as entrepreneurs, medical writers, career coaches, and even pharmacists in the military, then you’ll want to add The Pharmacist’s Voice to your listening rotation.

Pharmacy Podcast Network

The Pharmacy Podcast Network was started in March 2009 by Todd Eury, and over the years, the network was grown to encompass over 30+ shows and over 40 different co-hosts. From public health, compounding, law, and so many other options on the PPN website. As the largest network of podcasts dedicated to the pharmacy world, you’re sure to find a podcast that you enjoy and stay up to date on its specific subject matter.

RxRadio

You might have heard about the RxRadio podcasts from their hilarious memes commonly seen on their Instagram account under the same name. Hosted by Dr. Richard Waithe, PharmD, the RxRadio podcasts hopes to inspire pharmacy professionals to take a more innovative approach to healthcare while also getting a good belly laugh in between.

Real Life Pharmacology

Once you graduate from pharmacy school, it gets harder with time to remember every drug detail that you learned in school. The great part about the Real Life Pharmacology, hosted by Dr. Eric Christianson, is that you can get quick refreshers on your way to work if you want too. In 15 minutes or less, you can learn about a drug’s mechanism of action, side effects, drug interactions, and how all of that can affect a patient in real life. I wish I would’ve known about this resource before I took the NAPLEX last year as this would’ve been a great resource to use as a review.

The Elective Rotation

Published every Monday and Thursday morning, Dr. Joseph Muench is the host of the number 1 ranked Hospital Pharmacy podcast titled The Elective Rotation. His podcast provides unbiased, fact-based critical care and hospital pharmacy content. If you’re a pharmacist or pharmacy student looking to expand your knowledge in the critical care or intensive care, then you’ll want to stay updated on the Elective Rotation. Each episode is only a few minutes long, so you’ll only need a few minutes to learn something new from Dr. Muench, a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist.

The Business of Pharmacy 

For those interested in learning more about the business of pharmacy, then this healthcare podcast is the perfect option. The host, Dr. Mike Koelzer, owns his own independent pharmacy in Michigan and shares a very entertaining weekly discussing the behind the scenes of pharmacy. You’ll find episodes covering things such as DEA audits, legislation changes, artificial intelligence use in pharmacies, and so many other topics that most people don’t see.

Life On the Pharm Podcast 

The final pharmacy podcast on this list is one created by Dr. Mehr Virk, a PGY1 acute care pharmacy resident at UC Davis Health. She started this podcast at the beginning of her P4 year as a way to document her life and journey to becoming a clinical pharmacist. This podcast is great for anyone interested in pursuing residency and want more of an insider look of what life is like during residency. While the podcast doesn’t have a set schedule right now (due to I’m sure the demands of the program), it’s definitely one to bookmark!

What’s your favorite healthcare podcast to listen to?

You may also like: Seminar Presentation Advice You Need to Hear, How to Use LinkedIn Effectively as a Pharmacist, and How to Kickstart Your Self Care Routine

The post 12 Pharmacist-Run Podcasts that You Aren’t Listening too (But Should Be) appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

While there’s plenty of complex hacks and tricks online, I’ve learned from personal experience that the best way to stay organized is to keep things simple and efficient. You’ll want to find a method that works for your lifestyle and easy for you to implement, which will most likely look a little different from your fellow pharmacy classmates. If you’re ready to learn how to stay organized in pharmacy school, then let’s dive right into the organizational tips.

Use a planner

The easiest way to stay organized in school is to keep a planner, either a paper or electronic version. It’s pretty difficult, no matter how good your memory may be, to remember everything that has to be done in your personal life and for school. Throw in a part-time job, and it’s nearly impossible to keep everything straight in your mind.

This is where keeping a planner comes in to clear out the clutter and help you stay organized. In your planner, write down all of your future exams, assignment due dates, work schedule, and any other events you don’t want to forget about. My favorite planner right now that I’ve been using the last few years is this customizable one from Cloth & Paper. It’s pretty luxe (aka pricey) for a college student, but I’m obsessed. If you need a more budget friendly planner, then check out the Recollections planner from Michaels. It’s a complete dupe for the Erin Condren planners for half of the price.

Keep your class schedule visible

With a constantly changing schedule, it’s pretty easy to forget when and where you have class each day. At the beginning of the semester, place your class schedule in a visible location for easy access and help keep yourself organized during a busy morning. I always used to keep a copy of my schedule in the back of my agenda, where I could easily flip to it before I headed off to campus for the day.

Plan your days

At the beginning of each week, sit down and look at what you already have written down in your agenda for the week and make sure to update it with anything new. Once you have an overview of how your week is going to look, you can start to plan out your individual days. Lately, I’ve been using this method called the Top 3 Method, where you write down the top 3 most important tasks that need to be done for the day.

The goal for the day is to get those three tasks done, and if you have time or energy later, then you can work on the other items on your list. With the Top 3 Method, it helps declutter your mind and helps you focus on the tasks that actually matter, instead of wasting time on items that won’t make a difference. Use this idea whenever you feel like you’re getting overwhelmed and just need to cut through the mind clutter.

Break down long-term projects

It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed or stress when you have a complex project or a task that is due months down the road. Instead of letting procrastination to get the best of you, try breaking up your big project into smaller, more manageable tasks. Posters, manuscripts, and seminar presentations are all examples of large projects that usually take a few weeks to complete and can be quite stressful.

By breaking up your long-term project into bite-size tasks, it tricks your mind into thinking that the project is less intimating, and it’s easier for your mind to stay focus on the task at hand. Depending on what the project is, you may be able to break down the task based on categories, due dates, or some other method that works best.  

Use the right tools

Having the right tools and equipment in your arsenal is an easy way to stay organized in college plus it’s easy to keep up with.

• Zebra Pen G-450 – These are my favorite pens right now. The ink that Zebra Pen uses is super quick drying and doesn’t smudge, which makes it perfect for note taking.
• Highlighters – Highlighters are a must for your school supplies. I went through so many of these during pharmacy school. I use them to highlight any important details in my notes, so they stand out when I’m studying.
• To Do List – I always keep a running to do list, either on paper or in my phone. If I don’t write it down, then it most definitely won’t get done as I can be quite forgetful. I love any lined notepad, but this one on Etsy is especially cute.
• Binders – These are self-explanatory, but I used to keep my notes in one binder during pharmacy school.
• Binder Dividers – You’ll need these to divide up your binder and make it easier to keep your classes separate from each other.

Complete one task before moving on to the next

Yep, you heard me right. If you want to learn how to stay organized in pharmacy school, then the first step is to learn how to complete one task before moving on to the next. Distractions can happen so easily, especially when you allow your mind to wander from the task at hand and lose focus. When you’re constantly hopping from one task to the next, you may find at the end of the day that you haven’t gotten much done on your to-do list and have left a huge mess in your workspace. Instead of jumping up right away when your mind wanders, write a quick note to remind yourself to do it later.

Don’t be afraid to declutter

My favorite hobby is the art of decluttering. Whenever I feel like I have nothing to wear or my space is getting extra messy, then I know it’s because I simply have too much stuff. When you’re in college, it’s so easy to feel overwhelmed with the amount of stuff that you have in your small dorm room or off-campus apartment.

From the free stuff that everyone gives you to the stuff you brought from home, it can all add up and make you feel even more anxious than you already are. Organizing your life doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task nor does it have to be a long process. Whenever I’m about to start to declutter, I always pick one thing to declutter at a time, such as my closet or kitchen, to break it up.  

Use your wait time

When you have a full schedule, it’s imperative that you use your time wisely including your wait time. This may look a little different for everyone depending on where you are and what you need to get done throughout the day. One example of how to use your wait time is to wash some dishes or clean up the kitchen while you’re cooking or waiting for your food to warm up. You’d be surprised about how much you can get done or learn with those few extra minutes throughout the day.

Clean up before bed

Right before bed, take a few minutes before you go to bed to clean up your space. Trust me that your future self will thank you later and you’ll feel so much lighter. Seriously you’d be surprised by how much better you’ll start to feel when you start doing this right before bed. It doesn’t have to be a deep clean or anything either. Take 5 or 10 minutes to pick up your clothes, wipe down your counters, and a few other things to get ready for the following day. 

Listen to your body and sleep!

Pharmacy students are notorious for not getting enough sleep, but I promise that nothing is more important than sleep, your mental health, and your physical well-being. There are so many studies that show how important sleep is for happiness, memory, and so many other things. While I won’t dive into the science behind it, you should be shooting for 7 to 9 hours a sleep a day to stay alert and happy throughout the day.

What is your favorite organization tip that has helped you in pharmacy school?

The post 10 Easy Ways to Stay Organized in Pharmacy School appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

Send them encouraging messages

Sometimes just a simple, “You got this!” can make a world of a difference in someone’s day. When being stressed out and studying for hours in a day, a text is a nice reminder that there are people out there that care about you and are thinking about you. Unless you are studying for the same exam, I wouldn’t ask how the study is going as that can be anxiety producing for some people. Feel free to ask how they are feeling overall or send a funny TikTok for them to laugh the stress away. 

Cook them food or send them a meal via delivery

You know what they say – the fastest way to someone heart is through their stomach. And it can’t be truer especially during times of stress and long study sessions. When you’re feeling anxious or stressed, it’s can be easy to fall into a habit of not eating regular meals. To show your support to your friend taking the NAPLEX exam, drop off a homemade cooked meal at their house. Or if you can’t cook, send their favorite meal via a food delivery app like DoorDash (sign up using my link to get $30 off your first three orders).

Give them a call to let them know you’re thinking of them

While phone calls are definitely not as popular as they used to be, it can still be a nice change of pace from the constant notifications of social media and text messages. It’s also a great alternative if you don’t live close to your pharmacist friend and still want to chat. Sometimes just hearing a familiar voice can lift your spirits and get you in a better mood. Don’t worry if they don’t answer. Leave them a sweet voicemail letting them know you were thinking of them and wishing them the best of luck.

Provide resources for them

If you’re also studying for the NAPLEX exam, don’t be shy with sharing any and all resources that you think your friend could use as well. The NAPLEX textbooks are pretty dense, and anything that can help your friend understand the material will not go to waste. Only send over resources if they ask for them or if you see they are struggle with a particular topic. Does your friend need more help than you can give? Send them this post about my experience with a NAPLEX tutor because it may be something that they need to pass.

Ask if they need anything

When studying for a big exam, it’s easy to forget to do the simple things in life like eating, exercising, and interacting with the people that you love. An easy way to check in on your pharmacy friends is to see if you can help them with anything. It can be as simple as doing a joint study session or grabbing some groceries for them while you’re at the store. I promise that it’ll mean so much and ease their mind just little bit with one less task to do.

Surprise them with a massage or something self care related

Before a big exam, it’s so important to be in a positive mindset that is relaxing and calm. For some people, including myself, they need an outside force to help them reach a calm and relaxed state. Gift your pharmacist friend a massage or another self care activity, such as a pedicure or facial, to help them relax. I wouldn’t recommend doing anything new right before a big exam so make sure they schedule the activity two days or more before the actual test date.

Give them some slack in domestic duties

Studying for a major exam like the NAPLEX is tough enough, and it can be challenging to balance daily life with hours of studying. If it makes sense in your relationship, allow your friend to slack some in the domestic duties. Taking a chore off their to do list is something that is easy to do and so helpful for the person who’s studying.

Let them vent or explain something to you

Let’s be clear: the NAPLEX exam is not an easy exam to pass. Screw anyone that says otherwise. It takes a lot to memorize and understand the material enough to pass it. So when things get tough, the best way to be a supportive friend is to allow your pharmacist friend to vent to you or even let them explain a study point to you. Sometimes you just need a listening ear to vent to or to let out some frustration. Be a listening ear and let them know that you are there for them regardless of what they need. 

Make sure they get exercise and fresh air

For most people, big exams = little to no exercise, rest, or fun activities. While it’s definitely not the healthiest way to go, it’s a pretty common occurrence among students studying for a career changing exam like the NAPLEX. Create a set routine with your partner or friend that gets them outside in the fresh air doing an easy, chill activity such as walking around the lake or take a yoga class. Ask their opinion and figure out a way to make it a pleasant part of their day that they look forward to.

Send them a care package

For friends that are a little farther away, think about sending them a care package with their favorite snacks, movies, and some other nit knacks that will make them feel loved and cared for. There’s really no limit on what you include in a care package or how you decorate the box. Have fun with it and make it extra special for your friend. Make sure to not forget the good luck card to add a little encouragement to their day as well.

Before you leave, leave a comment down below your favorite way to show your friends that you support them, and don’t forget to share this post among your inner circle to give them some directions in how you want to be supported during this tiring season. 

You may also like: How to Study for the MPJE, 11 Study Tips to Help You Pass the NAPLEX exam, and How to Kickstart Your Self Care Routine for Burnt Out Pharmacists

The post 10 Ways to Support Your Friends Who Are Taking the NAPLEX Exam appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

What is the NAPLEX?

For those that are new or are just getting started in the pharmacy world, the NAPLEX exam is the North America Pharmacist Licensure exam. For pharmacy students based in the United States, this is the licensure exam that allows you to practice as a pharmacist. You’ll also have to study and pass a law exam (also called the MPJE exam), which is different for each state that you want to practice in.

How long should you study for the NAPLEX exam?

Let’s first start off by saying that everyone is going to need a little bit of a different timeline based on your life circumstances and study routine. I personally recommend studying for anywhere from 6 weeks to 8 weeks as I found that to be a sweet spot for most test takers. When I was creating my NAPLEX study schedule, I studied for 6 weeks and used 2 weeks to review over any material that I wasn’t confident in. In my study plan, I was studying 2-3 chapters a day with an hour of math practice each day except for Sunday, which was my rest day.

What study materials should I use?

When I was studying for the NAPLEX exam, I used the RxPrep textbook and added on the quiz bank. I found that the RxPrep study materials overprepare you for the exam, which is personally never a bad thing in my opinion. I also used the McGraw-Hill’s NAPLEX Review Guide by Dr. Scott Sutton for more practice questions. You can buy this book online or you may have access to it through your university.

How to Make A NAPLEX Study Schedule

The first thing before you dive into studying for the NAPLEX is to come up with a plan that not only works for your schedule but is effective. It can be easy to follow someone else’s study plan or even the RxPrep study schedule, but if it doesn’t work for you, then simply don’t use it.

Here are some tips on how to make your own NAPLEX study schedule before I share mine with you:

1. Figure out how long you want to study for and schedule the NAPLEX exam 

Many people, including myself, work better under a deadline. If you’re the same way, then go ahead and schedule your exam as soon as you’re allowed too. Test dates and locations can book up fairly quickly especially during the summer months when loads of other professions are also taking exams. Like I mentioned earlier, I would recommend scheduling your exam in a way that allows you to study for at least 6 weeks.

Some students may have to be licensed by a certain date for residency or a job, so you may want to take that into account when you’re scheduling as well. But at the same time, don’t feel pressure to rush to take the NAPLEX exam if you aren’t ready too. It’s too expensive to just be taking the exam all willy nilly.

2. Plan out your schedule based on your other obligations and responsibilities

Between residency obligations or working a pharmacy grad job, your schedule each day may look a little different. Make sure that when you are creating your NAPLEX study schedule to take into account any events and obligations that you may have during your study period. I recommend typing up your study schedule into a digital calendar, which gives you more flexibility in case you need to shift things around. It also makes it easy to cross things off when you’ve completed a chapter.

3. Make sure to add in rest days and give yourself grace when you need it

While some students go into hermit mode and spend all day studying, I don’t recommend this approach as you can leave yourself burnt out and depressed. Schedule in time to have fun, to relax, and to enjoy your free time to spend time with loves ones. A good habit to start is to create a healthy routine with your friends or family that gives you something to do every day that isn’t sitting in the house reading a textbook all day. It could be walking the dog around the lake, going on a coffee date, or even learning a new skill like knitting or embroidery.

4. Include time to do practice questions and to review any material

One of my previous professors gave me this advice that really helped me when I was studying for the NAPLEX, and it was to “practice like you’ll be tested”. The NAPLEX exam is a multiple-choice exam except for the math questions which are fill-in-the-blank. When you’re studying for the exam, pencil in time to practice answering practice questions and learning how to pull out pieces of information to guide you to the right answer.

Once you start doing this repeatedly, you’ll start to notice trends and pick up the small details that matter when answering questions. You’ll also want to make sure that you are leaving time to go back and review the topics that you aren’t the most confident in. When I was studying for the exam, I left open two weeks for review and to continue answering practice questions until I could sit still for hours at a time.

5. Don’t forget about the math section!

Math may be your strongest subject in pharmacy school, but I promise that you don’t want to leave the math sections to the last minute. On almost every exam, you can expect to have a version heavy with math. Some may be simple math while others may be a multiple step question. Personally, I think every student should practice math every day, but if you are good in math, then do it at least once a week for a few hours.

My NAPLEX Study Schedule

When I was creating my study plan, I wanted to give myself breaks between the more dense or difficult topics. As you review the study plan below, you may notice that some days on the plan are harder than others while the other days are on the lighter end. By doing this, it also gave me more time in between subjects if I needed to go over them again or needed to complete more practice questions in that specific subject. Every day that I was studying, I tried to schedule in an hour of math just to make sure I wouldn’t forget how to do anything on the actual exam.

You’d be surprised about how much you forget when you’re sitting in the exam room filled with anxiety and nervousness. Sometimes it feels like the simplest things go right out the window. The best advice that I’ve ever been given when it comes to studying for the NAPLEX is to practice math and other concepts until it becomes muscle memory. This way you don’t have to worry about forgetting the simple things on the actual test.

You may also like: Varsity Tutors Review: My Experience Using Them for the NAPLEX, 11 Study Tips to Help You Pass the NAPLEX, and 10 Tips to Survive Your First 12 Hour Shift

The post My NAPLEX Study Schedule (+ How to Make Your Own!) appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

Why You Need a Job in Pharmacy School

Pharmacy school does a great job of teaching you the pharmacology knowledge and they give you a chance to get real life experience with your rotations. But let’s be real nothing beats real life experiences working in a pharmacy that you aren’t being graded for. You not only get to learn the drugs that are being used regularly, but you get the chance to learn about insurance, interact with patients, network with different pharmacists, and learn about what your job may be like in the future. This obviously differs depending on if you work in retail, hospital, or any other unique setting. By working now while you’re in college, you’ll have an easier transition going from pharmacy student to pharmacist.

Now before you go out there and take the first job that you are offered, be honest with yourself and your future employer about your limitations and work schedule. Unless you are working to pay the bills, you should only be taking the hours that you can reasonably manage with your studies. Pharmacy school comes first, first and foremost.

How to Land a Pharmacy Intern Role

Just like any job, many hospitals and retail pharmacies post online when they are hiring pharmacy intern roles and what year (P1, P2, or P3) that they are looking for. If you see a company that you want to work for and don’t see an open position, don’t be shy! Reach out to them and see if they hire pharmacy interns. Some companies will only hire pharmacy interns by word of mouth or when their current students graduate, but don’t let that stop you from making the effort.

To work as a pharmacy intern in the US, you do have to register with your state’s Board of Pharmacy, and you have to obviously be in pharmacy school. You can start working as a pharmacy intern usually the summer before your P1 year, but this varies between companies when they allow pharmacy interns to start working. Some companies will wait until you have at least 1 year of pharmacy school under your belt while others don’t care.

Before reaching out to potential employers, you’ll want to make sure that your CV or resume looks amazing and highlights all of your strong points. If you don’t currently have a CV, I highly recommend checking out the CV Template that I have for sale online. It’s a simple, but professional template that is easy to plug in your information and use right away.

Pharmacy Intern Responsibilities and Pay

As a pharmacy intern your role is a blend of a pharmacy technician and a pharmacist’s job. You can do everything that a technician can and almost everything that a pharmacist can do as long you’re being supervised by a pharmacist on duty. The key is that everything that you do has to be checked off and verified by a pharmacist, including giving vaccinations, providing counseling, making IV solutions, giving recommendations, etc.

Pay varies from company to company. Generally, first year pharmacy students start off at a base rate, which increases every year that you complete in your program. Don’t forget that pharmacy intern licenses are good for 5 years (make sure to double check that with your individual state!).

Tips On Balancing a Part Time Job and School

1. Prioritize your life, health, and schoolwork

Prioritizing your life, health, and schoolwork is the easiest way to learn how to balance a part time job and school. The reason for this is because you learn how to make your time more meaningful and how much time you need for each task on your to-do list.

When I used to work two jobs in pharmacy school, I knew what classes needed more of my time and which ones I didn’t need to put as much effort in. This definitely allowed me to utilize my time more effectively, and I made sure to always prioritize my health over my studies. If I felt like I was at the point in my studying where nothing else was going in, I took a break to do something else. I relaxed, watched a movie, called a friend, etc. It’s just as important to take care of yourself in college, physically and mentally.

2. Be honest with yourself

Honesty is the key to a successful college experience, especially if you are juggling a part time job and pharmacy school. Juggling two different responsibilities can be tough and exhausting – let’s not sugarcoat that simple fact. Before you take on the responsibility of a pharmacy intern job, be honest with yourself about what you can handle. If you aren’t sure what your limits are, start off slow by taking on 5 or 10 hours of work per week.

After working for a few weeks, take note of your grades, your mental health, and how you feel physically. Do you feel overwhelmed, exhausted, tired? At this point, you should be able to tell if this is something that you can handle or not.

3. Communication

Part of balancing a part time job and school is clear communication between yourself and your employer. Before starting your new job, make it clear your expectations, course load, and priorities. Normally a boss that is aware of your upcoming school responsibilities (such as tests, school events, etc) is more likely to be accommodating and flexible with your work schedule. Be honest, plan ahead, and be reliable when you are at work. You’ll want to make a good impression at your job. You never know who may be recommending (or not) for a future pharmacist role.

4. Make a schedule and keep to it

When you have a full course load and a part time job, it’s easy to forget things that come up in your schedule. Between schedule changes and new assignments, you don’t want to rely on your memory to remember everything. And you sure as heck don’t want to do things on a whim. Write down everything that needs to be accomplished this week and make a schedule that will allow you to complete them all (or if not most). Use a digital or paper planner to schedule out your week. As you progress in your studies, you’ll get a better understanding of how long it takes you to do things and can make a better schedule based on it.  

5. Don’t procrastinate

You may have heard this before, but procrastination is the thief of joy. To be more productive within your busy day, you have to plan ahead and be able to recognize when you’re procrastinating. It’s incredible how much time can go by when you’re watching Netflix or hanging out with friends. When you feel like you need a mental break from studying, take it. Set a timer for 10-15 minutes to go do something that you enjoy. When the timer dings, immediately get back to work and knock out of the rest of your assignment. Taking breaks will help you feel less stressed and allow you to get more work done.

6. Get enough sleep

Trust me, I’ve been there before – pulling all-nighters and even sleeping in the study room in my pharmacy program. It’s 100% not worth it! Not getting sleep actually makes you do worst on the exam than you may realize. Let me explain your brain uses the time that you’re sleeping to store memories into short term and long term. When you don’t sleep the night before an exam, you likely won’t remember much of what you studied in the wee hours of the night. You’ll also have a hard time recalling the information and concentrating on the exam. Since the material taught in pharmacy school can save lives, it’s crucial for you to learn it. As a guideline, you should be shooting for 6-8 hours a sleep per night.

7. Set aside “Me Time”

When you’re overwhelmed with a packed schedule, it’s easy to forget to care of the one thing that is important:  yourself. It starts off slowly but it can quickly lead to burnout, depression, and health issues. The easiest way to set aside personal time is to schedule it in your agenda. Short on time, take a few minutes to write down what you’re grateful for or do mediation to recenter your mind. Having “me time” can look different for each of us, but the concept is the same. Spend time with yourself to do something that you enjoy, whether that be spending time with your partner, reading a book, or going to the gym.

8. Keep your goals in mind

As you get overwhelmed and struggle to find a balance, it can be easy to forget why you’re doing this. During the times when you may be struggling, keep your goals in mind and the reasons that got you to this point in life. For me I always like to put things into perspective and remember how a few years ago I was praying to be in the position that I am in today. Nothing like a mindset shift to change entire mood!

The post 8 Tangible Tips to Balancing a Pharmacy Intern Job and Pharmacy School appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

What is Varsity Tutors?

Varsity Tutors is an online platform that offers private and group tutoring for thousands of subjects at different education levels. It can be used for the kiddos in kindergarten up to professional licensure exams. I obviously choose it because it offered tutoring for the NAPLEX exam, but you can even use it for the NCLEX, PANCE, MCAT, and etc.  The cool part about the platform is that it connects you with tutors that specialize in whatever topic that you need. You don’t have to worry about not having an amazing tutor that doesn’t understand where you are in your studies.

Why You May Need a Tutor for the NAPLEX

Tutoring has such a negative connotation around it, but let’s clear the air: if you need a tutor, it does not mean that you are not equipped, smart, or qualified enough to be a pharmacist. Even if you think that you’re learning enough with studying on your own, there’s always room for improvement and a tutor can give you that extra boost that you need to make sure you pass the NAPLEX. Here are 3 reasons why you may need a tutor:

1. You aren’t confident in your knowledge base

You could be the smartest student in your pharmacy class, but if you don’t have confidence in yourself, then the world will never know. While that may sound a little cliché, it really is true. Confidence in your knowledge base allows you to focus, concentrate, and recall the information necessary to answer questions correctly on the exam. It also reduces your anxiety because you’re confident in your abilities. As you start to study for the NAPLEX, I implore you to practice building confidence in yourself.

2. You feel like you’re spending so much time studying and not retaining enough

Are you the student that studies for 8 to 12 hours a day and still feels like it’s not enough? I understand your pain and frustration because I’ve been there. Just because you study more and for longer doesn’t mean that it’s a good quality study session. Your tutor can help you focus on what’s important and give you the encouragement that you need to take a break. Go enjoy a few relaxing days in between your study sessions.

3. Your studying materials don’t match your learning style

I’ve mentioned this before, but everyone has a different learning style, which may not be compatible with the study materials that are out there. You may not be the student that learns from reading a textbook or watching a long video. Whatever your learning style is, your tutor can work with you to find a study method that’ll help you retain and understand the material required to pass the NAPLEX.

Common Questions about Varsity Tutors

It wouldn’t be a complete Varsity Tutors review if I didn’t share the most asked questions that I’ve gotten since I posted that reel. I wanted to do this review mainly to give my honest experience using the platform because when I was reaching about it last year, there were barely any reviews from a student’s perspective out there. Hopefully this Varsity Tutors review can shed some light on it and answer your questions. If I didn’t answer your question in this blog post, feel free to email or DM me!

Who are the tutors on Varsity Tutors?

Depending on what course or exam you’re studying for, your tutors are people like you who have already been through the exam itself or has a lot of experience in the subject matter. For the NAPLEX, the tutors are licensed pharmacists who have passed the NAPLEX exam themselves. This is such an amazing bonus to the tutors on Varsity Tutors because you get to have someone who understands exactly what you are going through.

How does the platform work?

After you pay for your sessions, you take a mini quiz so that Varsity Tutors can match you with a tutor that best fits your needs. Once you’re on the website and matched with a tutor, you can schedule your sessions, based on the availability of your tutor. The online platform is pretty easy to use, and they give you a tour of it so you can learn more about it. I love the fact that you can add documents or take pictures to update to your virtual worksheet that you and your tutor can see. It makes it super easy to go over practice problems or concepts that you need help on.

What if I don’t like my tutor?

After a session or two, you can always switch tutors if the tutor you were originally matched with doesn’t fit what you need. I didn’t have to use this option since my tutor was amazing and was always willing to do whatever I needed to learn. 

How much does it cost?

The way that Varsity Tutors works is that you buy your tutoring sessions in packages. They are different packages depending on how many lessons that you want and your time frame. The packages are as follows:

I personally did the 12 hour package, and I spaced out my sessions over a six week time period, which ending up being one lesson a week typically.

How often are the sessions?

The number of sessions that you have are determined on your package as well as your time frame. It’s honestly up to you how you want to space them out. You could do two sessions a week for three weeks if you only have three to four weeks before your exam. Or you can easily schedule them like myself and do one session a week up to your exam. Think hard about how much tutoring that you need and what you want to focus on in your sessions.

What happens if I don’t pass the NAPLEX after using Varsity Tutors?

What I love about Varsity Tutors is their guarantee pass policy. This basically means that if you fail the exam after using their tutoring services and being active in your studying, then you’ll get a full refund! Having that guarantee policy to fall back on made me feel so much better about spending that kind of money on tutoring. Which by the way if it isn’t clear already, I highly recommend getting a NAPLEX tutor.

My Varsity Tutors Review

How My Tutor Helped Me Pass the NAPLEX Exam

The main reason why I got a NAPLEX tutor is because I quickly realized that I was spending a lot of time studying, but it felt like I was barely retaining anything. No matter how long I made myself stay focused and glued to the textbook, I couldn’t remember as much as I had hoped afterwards. So I decided that I would invest in a tutor to help me with the more difficult subjects and to hopefully help me improve my study techniques. While I went into tutoring with an idea of what I wanted and needed, my tutor went above and beyond and really pushed me to use my time more strategically.

Work with me on the topics that I found difficult

If you are currently studying for the NAPLEX, then you can probably already pinpoint the topics that you find more difficult than others. Mine was always oncology, infectious diseases, and HIV because those chapters are pretty dense and can be quite difficult to memorize everything that is necessary. In my tutoring sessions, we focused on the chapters that I knew were difficult for me as well as ones that I just generally wanted to cover.  

Gave me plenty of practice problems and worked through them with me

One of the study techniques that works for me is by answering practice problems. My tutor would either find practice questions from her materials or she would make her own for me to use. Both options were really helpful on dialing in on areas I needed to focus as well as what information was the most important to memorize from each chapter. We would also work through them so that I could understand why the answer was correct and the other options were incorrect. 

Gave me the confidence that I needed

Confidence is a big component when it comes to taking a test, standardized or not. Feeling anxious comes from feeling like you’re unprepared and that you aren’t confident in your own abilities. My tutor inspired me and gave me my confidence back that I had lost when I got overwhelmed by the whole process.

Provided study and memorization tricks

You can never have enough study tips and memorization tricks, especially when it comes to a mentally and physically draining exam like the NAPLEX. During our sessions, my tutor made sure to give me memorization tricks on the different topics that we covered. These tips were so good and easy that I was able to recall them on the exam a month later.

Was my accountability partner

Since I had a session each week, I always wanted to make sure that I was covering the topics that we would be going over in our sessions. She kept me accountable and made sure that I stayed on track with my study plan. She would also keep up to see what chapters I had covered, which made me want to make sure I was keeping up.

My Final Thoughts – Varsity Tutors Review

While the Varsity Tutors isn’t a cheap endeavor, retaking the NAPLEX exam and delaying your first post grad job or residency is also expensive. Getting a tutor with Varsity Tutors was the best decision that I could’ve made when it came to studying for the NAPLEX exam. I can’t recommend it enough! It not only provided me the tools to master the difficult subjects, but it also gave me back my confidence that I needed to push through.

After reading this Varsity Tutors review, are you considering adding a tutor to your study plan? 

The post Varsity Tutors Review: A Student’s Real Experience With The NAPLEX appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

It’s a presentation where you share in great details about either a new drug or treatment plan or a new indication for a drug. There are usually a ton of different options that students can choose from or discuss. Mine was on a new drug that was recently released called voxelotor for sickle cell disease. But the kicker about this seminar presentation is that you can’t graduate from pharmacy school until you pass this presentation (at least at most pharmacy programs). So as you can imagine this presentation can be very stressful for pharmacy students and it can be a pretty big deal.

Which is why in today’s post, I’m going to be sharing my tips and tricks on how to make an amazing seminar presentation and how to pass with flying colors!

Prepare ahead of time

As cliché as it sounds, starting a few months before your deadline is the best way to make sure you pass your pharmacy school presentation. From finding the perfect articles to back up your idea/theory to finding people to review your presentation, it can be a lot, especially if you wait until the last minute. Please do not do this! Go ahead and start working on it a few months prior to your due date. What I liked to do is work on my seminar presentation a little bit by little bit to make it feel less daunting of a task.

Diversify your PowerPoint slides

While most of your classmates won’t be playing your presentation any attention, your graders definitely will be. Add a little spice to your presentation by switching up your slides constantly throughout your presentation and by using SmartArt to create some unique slides. I like to do a mix of all text slides, title slides, 1 picture slide, and half & half text and pictures.

This way it keeps your audience engaged with the material while also giving you a break to go deeper into a specific topic, such as a slide with just a graph on it. If you want to be extra spicy, add in a short video or questions throughout your presentation. Just remember that most of these presentations have a time limit, so you’ll want to make sure you stay within that guideline even if you have technological difficulties.

Review your presentation over and over again

I can’t count the number of typos and little mistakes that I found on my presentation when I would go through my slides every week. Because you are stressed out and trying to do your work for your P4 rotations, those smaller details can get skipped over and forgotten. Before the big day, I highly recommend you going over your slides constantly checking for errors. I had even found errors in a table that I had made one night for my presentation, which thankfully I caught a few days prior to my presentation day.

Have multiple people review your presentation prior to the big day

By starting early enough, you’ll leave yourself with enough time to have a few people that you trust to review your presentation. For seminar presentation, you’re usually assigned a professor that specializes in your topic or who is very knowledge in the area to mentor you through the process. But the more the merrier honestly, so ask a few other professors that aren’t mentoring students for their feedback.

The best way to ask for feedback is to just ask nicely and make sure that you give them enough time to send their feedback back to you without rushing them. I would say send out requests 2-3 weeks before your deadline, so you have plenty time to make changes based on the feedback that you get.

Anticipate questions

Just like any presentation, you’ll want to anticipate the questions that you may get. The easiest way to do that is go slide by slide and generate your own questions based on your material. Some questions will come naturally because they are a given, but others you may have to dig deep to think of some good ones. Some of the common questions that people will ask during your seminar presentation are:

• What is the number needed to treat or number needed to harm in your studies?
• Would you recommend the use of this drug? Why if no or yes?
• How does this new therapy compare to other drugs already on the market or being used?
• What are the other indications for this drug already?

Make your presentation strategically

A really important tip that is really perfect for any presentation that you may have is to create your presentation strategically. What I mean by this is you want to leave some slides vague enough so that you can go into more details in your presentation or so your graders will ask you questions about it later. This way you can kind of control the kind of questions that you may have at the end of it. Because the way that you answered those questions will also affect your final grade.

Don’t worry about your fellow classmates

Like I said earlier, most of your classmates are not going to be playing you any attention. They’ll either be on their phone, watching the clock, or lowkey falling asleep. At my school, they didn’t allow for computers or phones to be out so that it wasn’t disrespectful for the student presenting. But the nice thing is that you may only have to present to a small group of students depending on how your school does their seminar presentation. Either way, focus on what you can control and don’t worry about the rest!

Practice, Practice, and Practice some more

The best way to get more comfortable with public speaking and your material is by practicing and practicing it some more until you’ve got that thing memorized. For me when I get nervous, I tend to talk faster and lower, so I had to practice slowing down my breathing and projecting my voice. In my presentation, one of my friends actually sat it on my presentation and gave me clues when I was going too fast, which was really helpful. Whatever your habits are, make note of them during your practice session, so that way you can try to curve them before your presentation day.

If you don’t know the answer, say this instead of ‘I don’t know”

If you do not know the answer to a question from a grader, make sure to say that you are not entirely positive on the answer, but you will gladly look up the information and get back to your grader later on the answer. Then actually go look it up and do what you said. The biggest reason is because your graders do keep track of this information, and you don’t want it to affect your grade later on.

You may also like: 5 Tips to Creating an Amazing Topic Discussion, A Student’s Guide to Getting Involved in Research, and 5 Lessons I Learned in My Third Year in Pharmacy School

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