The different types of career paths in the pharmacy field

When I first applied to pharmacy school, I only knew about two main types of pharmacy career paths: retail and hospital pharmacy. This is a normal perception for most people coming into the program! I had no idea about the hundreds of other career paths that pharmacist could go into, which really limited my mindset. It’s hard to learn about new different career paths and to tailor your resume for those opportunities if you don’t know that they are out there.

Thankfully, my school did a great job in making sure we had plenty of opportunity to expand our horizons. We would have monthly talks from different pharmacists in unique jobs, took classes to expand our horizons, and got weekly emails with opportunities to get involved. If you’re interested in pharmacy, take the time to dig into Google and read up on all of the career paths that you can have as a pharmacist, such as forensics, research, informatics, management, etc. The world is bright for pharmacists!

The amount of time I had to spend studying

Now I knew that pharmacy school was going to be more difficult than undergraduate, but I honestly had no idea how much time I would spend studying on a regular basis. My first year in pharmacy school, I probably studied anywhere from 6-8 hours a day. If you think it gets better over time, it really doesn’t. You’re just studying different material and you probably don’t care as much as you used to about your grades.

I wish before I started pharmacy school that I had enjoyed my time and freedom in my undergrad years. You don’t realize how much that you miss when you can’t do it anymore like hanging out with friends, partying, and going to every event on campus. Basically enjoy your freedom!

The sheer diversity of your fellow classmates

Coming into pharmacy school, I thought everyone would be very similar in personality, values, education level, nationalities, and competency, but alas they weren’t. Everyone was so different from each other, which is a great thing. I just wasn’t expecting it when I walked into the first day of class. Some of my classmates have degrees (yep, more than one), some have children, some are older, and some are out-of-state.

Diversity in healthcare is so important for patients and for the healthcare culture. I’m thankful that my classmates are all so diverse and that I can learn from each and every one of them.  It also opens up a little light at the end of the tunnel that no matter who you are, you have a chance of getting into pharmacy school even if you are different and unique. Just work hard and be yourself because you’re magical.

The time commitment

When I first started pharmacy school, I had only completed two years of undergrad and was set to complete six years of college total. You don’t realize how those extra two years of schooling can affect you emotionally and physically. After two years of pharmacy school, all of my friends moved off, got their first full-time job, and some are even getting married and having babies right now.

It was difficult to say the least to see everyone moving on with their lives and you’re stuck in college. It hit even harder when I would have to study all day and couldn’t take time off to travel the world like I wish could. And even if I did take time off, I was still a broke college student because I couldn’t work a full-time gig, like my friends who had already graduated. Before starting pharmacy school, make sure you’re ready financially and emotionally for the time commitment that it takes to complete the program.

All of the organizations that you can be involved in

Typically within the first week of school, there’s an organizational fair that is held with all of the different organizations that you can be part of during your time in pharmacy school. From my experience, the fair is super overwhelming, and every club sounds amazing, which of course makes it hard to pick a few that you want to join.

Instead of waiting to get involved once you’ve started the program, if you can get involved when you’re just a pre-pharmacy student. There is a lot of opportunities from doing that such as networking, beefing up your resume, and get a real feel of what each organization is like when it doesn’t matter as much. You can take the time to find out what you enjoy or dislike about a club before you’re in pharmacy school, which is something that I wish I would’ve done for myself.

The importance of networking

You might’ve heard it before, but if not here it is again: networking is super important in the world of pharmacy. Pharmacy is such a small close-knit community that who know is sometimes more important than your PCAT score and your GPA. Now I’m not saying that those things aren’t important, but I am saying personal connections are even more important.

As a future pharmacist, your patients want to connect with you on a personal level and feel like they can trust your opinions. The same goes with your future fellow colleagues. My advice on getting started is to job shadow, work in a pharmacy, go to pharmacy organizational meetings, and just get involved with the profession in any way that you can. You never know…those connections may help you land your first pharmacy job or put in a good word into your potential pharmacy school program.

P4 year is not a walk in the park

I’ve always imagined that once you reach P4 year that it would be a walk in the park and that they would be super fun! Now don’t get me wrong, some rotations are fun, but others literally suck the life out of you. Some rotations are going to have you work ten-hour shifts, have loads of projects due daily, and require a lot of effort from you while others are going to work you as if you’re a tech.

Rotations are really all about preceptors, institution, and what you can take away from the experience. Which for me coming into the program, I didn’t realize how different each rotation would be from each other. P4 year really teaches you a lot about yourself, what you like and dislike, and what you can tolerate in terms of responsibility and manager style.

Your GPA isn’t everything, your character is

Let me be clear, your character is the most important thing that you have in life. I’m not saying that grades and academics aren’t important because they definitely are, but I am saying that nobody is going to remember your GPA at your grave. I wish I had known before starting pharmacy school how important it is to develop yourself in terms of how you want others to remember you and how you want others to perceive you.

Now take this advice with a grain of salt because you don’t need to set out to make sure everyone in class loves you, but it’s just to remind you about what’s important. Develop your leadership, be honest, and strive for success before, after, and during pharmacy school.

The post What I Wish I Knew Before Starting Pharmacy School appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

And as the years have truly flown by, I’ve been able to thankfully still enjoy my field and can’t wait to get out into the world as a brand-new pharmacist. In this blog post, we’re going to be talking about how to stay motivated while in pharmacy school and the realization that everyone is going to need a pick-me-up sooner or later.

Tip #1: Remember your purpose

Being in the healthcare field, I’m drawn to helping others and I strive to inspire my community to achieve greatness. Whenever I’m feeling down or that I’m not good enough, I remember why I’m doing this, what my purpose is, and that I’m here in this position for a reason. This really helps me center myself and helps me get back on the beaten path. I highly recommend writing down your purpose and/or goals in your phone or in your journal, somewhere where you’ll see it on a regular basis.

Tip #2: Get involved with campus life

The best part about pharmacy school is the community and union that is built in the program with your fellow students. I guess it’s because you all are going through the same struggles and hardships but regardless, they are some of your best allies when it comes to finding your mojo back. I love being a part of my student organizations on campus, even the non-pharmacy related ones, because they give me an outlet to relieve some of my built-up stress.

I’m currently involved with SNPhA (Student National Pharmaceutical Sciences) and ACCP (American College of Clinical Pharmacy) at my school, both of which allow me to interact with the community and my fellow classmates. Something that I truly value and enjoy.

Tip #3: Learn a new hobby or take an adventure every once in awhile

Growing up as a military child definitely left me feeling a little bit of wanderlust, which basically means that I yearn to travel the world and set out on new adventures. But unfortunately, my college budget and time restrictions don’t allow me much time to travel the way that I want to. No worries though because Titi and I have a few ideas and trips planned for this year that I am super pumped about and Ava, our pit rescue, might be tagging along for some of them.

Back in 2017, I started this blog as a creative outlet and as a new hobby that I wanted to master. This blog has been a great stress-reliever for me and allows me to take a break from my normal packed study days to just simply create and write. Now you may not want to start a blog or travel the world like me, but you can still step out of your comfort zone and take on a new challenge. You could learn a new language, take a boxing class, or take a road trip to see a city nearby. Find something that you enjoy and that allows you to step away from the textbooks and live in the moment. Because that’s what life is about living in the moment and living your best life every single day.

Tip #4: Find your support group that lifts you up

For me, my biggest supporters are my family (aka my mom and dad-shout out to you guys for being the best!) and my boyfriend. Whenever I’m going through a rough time in school or just need some inspiration to keep pushing forward, I can always call them or have a chat with them. They each push me to the best that I can be while giving me the inspirational words and stories that keep me going.

Going through pharmacy school, you need a support group whether that be your parents, your loved ones, or your best friends from high school. Keep the most important people in your life in your corner, close enough to touch, so that you never forget why you’re in pharmacy school and what your purpose is.

Tip #5: Remember this chapter will eventually end.

As anything in life, this chapter (aka your time in pharmacy school) will end. I know that this sounds crazy because it seems like time slows down when you’re in school, but I promise it’ll be over in a blink of an eye.  I love setting a countdown on my phone to remind me that I’m almost to the finish line and that I just have to keep pushing. Trust me, I know pharmacy school is hard and it’s not a lot of fun, but it’s a just chapter in your storybook. Are you ready for the next one?

Even though I wish I could tell you that I’m motivated every single day to study for hours and to work on group projects, it’s really not my reality. I have those weeks where life just really sucks, and I’ve had to learn over the years about how to pick myself back up from those. It’s not about where you begin, but where you end? Am I right?

You may also like: The Subtle Art of Acing Your Pharmacy Rotations From the First Day, What to Do if You Fail a Class in Pharmacy School, and 5 Lessons I Learned in My Third Year in Pharmacy School 

The post 5 Tips to Help You Stay Motivated While in Pharmacy School appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

Learn how to do your taxes correctly 

Doing your taxes correctly is super important because if you do them wrong, you can put yourself in a bad place. When you’re in college and working a part-time job, you have a higher chance of actually getting all of the money back that was taken out for taxes. So it’s basically like an extra pay-day for you! But once you graduate and get a big boy or big girl job, you’ll end up having to pay into the system, instead of getting cash back.

If you’re uncomfortable doing your taxes the first time around, I highly recommend you pay someone to help you or doing them yourself online with the help of an online guide. I’ve used TurboTax in the past, which is super easy to use, and there’s even an app so you can do your taxes right from your phone. They explain everything step by step with examples and pictures, so you know exactly what numbers to put where.

Learn how to make your own appointments 

Once you become 18 years old, it’s really important for you to take your health into your own hands and start making your own medical appointments. I promise you that receptionists and any other healthcare professional will not judge you or make fun of you for any problems that you are having. Your health should be your number one priority. You only have one body for the rest of your life so it’s important to take care of it. Plus I know for me I’m trying to live until I’m in the upper 90s so I can be a sassy grandma one day.

Learn how to do your laundry  

Regardless of who you are, you’re going to have to wash your own clothes at some point in your life. Your parents aren’t going to be washing your clothes forever so it’s definitely a necessity to go ahead and learn how to do it while in college.

You might even want to switch things up and find laundry detergent that best fits your needs. I’m not too picky about laundry detergent but if you do have sensitive skin or a sensitive nose, then there are brands out there that can accommodate your needs.

Learn how to use your credit card responsibly 

Last month, I talked about how to build credit as a college student and the importance of using your credit card responsibly. But just in case you haven’t read that post yet (which you totally should), your credit card can either benefit you or destroy you. If you have a crappy credit score, you’re going to end up having a hard time finding an apartment to rent to you or even purchasing your dream home in a few years.

One of my tips to build a great credit score, that way you’re not in that predicament after graduation, is to use your credit card responsibility and only for monthly bills. That means that every month you pay off the balance on the card by the due date. By paying off your credit card consistently, you’ll show future lenders how responsible you are and that they don’t have to worry about you repaying your debts.

Learn how to create a resume

Regardless of what you want to do in your career, you’ll undoubtedly have to create a resume at some point. It needs to be chic and appropriate for the job that you are applying for, so be mindful of that when you are creating one.

The best advice that I can give is to have one resume that is a work-in progress where you can write down everything that you’ve done, including volunteer work, and one that you can change up depending on the job you are applying for. That way you keep your original resume that has your entire history on it and edit the second one to fit the job that you are applying for. 

Learn how to write a cover letter

This one goes hand-in-hand with creating a resume because creating a captivating cover letter is just as important as your resume. Not all jobs will require a cover letter, but it’s always in good measure to send one over right along with your resume. Because it’s not something that every applicant will do, it’ll make you stand out in a crowd full of applications, especially if it’s your first job after graduation.

A cover letter is a letter that highlights why you would be a good fit for the company and what you bring to the table as well as your knowledge about the company that you are applying. Most cover letters are brief and to the point. If you have a good cover letter, I promise you the interviewer will take a chance on you and look through your resume, even if you aren’t the best applicant out of the bunch.

Learn how to manage time effectively 

Time management is such a useful skill to master because it’s something that you’ll have to do in your future career and for your personal life. College is filled with an endless list of distractions, from college parties to club meetings to social media, but you have to be able to say “no” to somethings. The best way to overcome any residual procrastination from college is to plan your day ahead of time.

I love using my Erin Condren planner to help me stay organize while also allowing me to plan out my week so that I can get everything done on my to-do list. Another great idea is to simply turn your phone off or on silent so that when you’re writing an essay or doing an assignment, you’ll be able to stay focus on the task at hand.

Learn how to speak in front of a crowd 

For some people public speaking can be their greatest nightmare, but it’s a valuable skill to have, if you want to grow in your career. I won’t lie I used to be terrified of public speaking but by practicing and putting myself into positions that require me to speak publicly, my speaking has gotten so much better. I’m no means a professional, but I’ve slowly built up my confidence to not be terrified of presenting a project or speaking in front of a classroom.

Most jobs require that you interact with other professionals so learning in college about how to communicate your ideas and to collaborate with others is important for your professional and personal life. Don’t forget that your outfit can really portrays who you are and wearing an outfit that makes you feel confident will leak into your presentation, making you feel just as confident in front of an audience.

Photos by Brailey Johnson Photography

Learn how to network and build relationships

College is literally all about networking and building relationships with people that you wouldn’t normally meet anywhere else. So utilize the opportunity to really branch out of your comfort zone and stay connected with those people throughout your college career. When I was a freshman in college, I meet a lot of people through Instagram, which a lot of them I’ve stayed connected with over the years. But you can use whatever platform that you use the most to start building your network.

It’s especially important to meet people in your industry or career field that you are interested in. You never know who might be deciding your fate in an interview one day so stay connected and play nice with everyone you meet. You can even add your professors to your LinkedIn account if you were able to talk with them on a regular basis.

If you have recently graduated college, what are some tips or skillsets do you wish you had mastered before you graduated? Or if you are currently in college, what skills are you planning to master this year that’s going to help you in your personal or professional life? Let’s have a chat in the comments below!

You may also like: How to Build Credit As A College Student, How to Decorate Your First Apartment On a Budget, and the Millennial’s Guide to Time Management 

The post 9 Skills Every College Student Should Master Before Graduation appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.

Identify what caused you to fail

One of the first things you need to do after failing a class is recognize the problems or situations that lead you to failing. Was it because you weren’t studying enough or not studying correctly for the type of test that you needed to pass? Or are you having a hard time focusing in class or during the test due to health issues? Are you dealing with something completely different outside of school? Once you identified what was the problem, it’s time to fix it. Truly break it down and fix the problem.

If the problem is that you’re not studying enough or not spending enough time on the material, well you gotta make time to do so. For me personally, I do so much better on exams when I read over the material multiple times in different formats, such as with study groups, watching educational videos, rewatching the class over again, or just reading the notes over and over again. But if it’s other problems, definitely speak to a counselor on campus or a medical professional that you trust and can confine in so that you can get the help that you need. Your health is the most important part of your entire life, and you need to take care of yourself first before anything else.

Make a plan about how you’re going to do better

Now it’s time to make a change. You can’t expect to not fail another class if you don’t make a change to fix the problem that caused you to fail the first one. Take the time to sit down and write down on paper what you want to do different in the upcoming semester. When I failed my first class, I had to sit myself down and figure out what I was doing wrong. You know what mine was? Time management. I was adding things to my plate without taking anything off my plate to balance it all out. I had to set back from a lot of things that I was involved in just so that I could focus on school, which is my main priority is my education so that I can one day walk away from school with my doctorate degree.

Write down everything that you have on your plate and list of habits that you noticed throughout the semester that might’ve been a problem, such as working too many hours at your job, partying every weekend with friends, or not sleeping enough the night before an exam. Once you’ve written down your issues, you can then create a plan that’s going to work with you and allow you to be successful. Don’t be afraid to say “no” to things because you can’t do everything. You have to pick and choose what you want to focus on and what’s really worth your time and energy. Trust me, your time is priceless, especially in pharmacy school. There’s just so much to get done and not enough time in the world. Prioritize, Prioritize, and prioritize some more!

Learn how to study more effectively

Once you figured out the problem that might be causing you to fail, it’s also time to readjust and relearn how to study, because obviously what you were previously doing isn’t working anymore. Pharmacy school studying vs undergrad studying is two different types of beasts. I didn’t have to study that much in undergrad to get good grades. Just read the notes a few times and I was good. But now I can’t just read the notes. I have to rewatch the class recordings, watching Youtube videos on the topic, study in groups, etc. So find out what works for you and what allows the material to stick in your brain. While you’re studying though, don’t forget that you’ll actually need to know this information later on. So don’t just memorize it for the test and then lose it as soon as you walk out of the classroom.

Some studying tips that have worked for me during my time in pharmacy school are:

• study in 20 minute increments with a 10 minute break in-between
• rewatch the lecture recordings (if your school has them)
• study in a group
• create a practice exam for yourself to take of the most important points
• use Quizlet as electronic flashcard or practice quiz
• or hand make flash cards

Relax and take a breath

Make sure that you take some time to relax, breathe a little, and get your mind back focused before jumping back into school. Winter break, Thanksgiving break, or spring break are perfect times to take a breather and get revengize for the upcoming or the remainder of the semester. Do a spa day or do a weekend getaway just to relax and have fun with friends and family. I promise you won’t do better if you’re super stressed out and not living your best life (of course, in moderation).

My favorite ways to relax are: shopping, walking my dog Ava, watching my favorite shows on Hulu or Netflix, or having a fun date night with my boyfriend Titi. Do something that you enjoy and something that you can easily do to help you chillax some, especially before something stressful like an exam.

Listen, I’ve been in your same shoes, but you can get back on track by doing a few simple tasks such as letting go, refocusing, and taking charge of your new action plan. It’s not the end of the world if you fail a class. It’s about the next step moving forward. Good luck and I’ll keep you in my wishes!

You may also like: 5 Lessons I’ve Learned in My Third Year of Pharmacy School, 5 Tips to Stay Motivated in Pharmacy School, and The Subtle Art of Acing Your Pharmacy Rotations on the First Day 

The post What to Do If You Fail A Class in Pharmacy School appeared first on Uniquely Mickie.