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+-- Forum: Applying to university (https://www.studentdiscussion.co.uk/forum-24.html)
+--- Forum: UCAS Forms & Personal Statements (https://www.studentdiscussion.co.uk/forum-2.html)
+--- Thread: doing a Pharmacy personal statement?? ...some tips! (/thread-1957.html)
doing a Pharmacy personal statement?? ...some tips! - Guest - 19/11/2006
hi i've just been reading some of your posts and i notice some of you can do with some help..(well im sure you ALL can do with some help but sorry, i can only help with pharmacy personal statements..
i'm currently a final year pharmacy student in one of uk's best pharmacy school. and it seems like yesterday that i too was struggling with my personal statement... time does fly..4yrs flew by..
anyways i don't even know why im writing this and actually this is the first time i've been to this website ...(didn't this site exist when i was doing my ucas!!)
firstly the most important thing for getting into pharmacy are your subjects i would say..(and your PS will Count a lot as many people will have the SAME subjects and the SAME grades (or better)
i did biology, chemisty and history ( History!! i hear u say..i know!.. back then 2 scientific subjects were enough, but now i think they expect either maths or physics to be the 3rd subject..
CHEMISTRY n BIOLOGY are usually a MUST (but check with ur school of pharmacy)
In your PS, what they're basically looking for is why do you wanna do pharmacy? your skills? etc..
really think about it, wat is the main reason your applying for pharmacy?? if you could TELL the tutor,your desire to do pharmacy and your interest in pharmacy practise it will help..
so firstly do some research into pharmacy, many schools of pharmcay interview people and they look for basic understanding of "Pharmacy world" i still remember my interview questions and if i wasn't genuinely interested in pharmacy and therefore knew about basic drugs (asiprin, paracetamol etc) pharmacy magazines and the pharmacy soceity i wouldn't have got any of them right..
in the PS, talk about your interest in health/ medicine/drugs. and how they're use for the benefit of people's health, link your interest with some experience of working in a pharmacy if you have some. e.g My work experience in ....gave me a greater understanding of the use of medicine in improving health...
talk about your subjects e.g chemistry esp the practical aspects and how you enjoy the experimental/analytical side of your subjects..(loads of practicals in pharmacy) experimental skills??...(i still brake the pipette unfortunatly). planning, evaluating skills.
mention the commercial side of pharmacy, importance of communication skills for pharmacists, the huge responsibilty pharmacists have in ensuring drugs are used appropriatley and advising members of the public safely. (VERY responsible people Pharmacist!)
pharmacy articles you can mention or read are..The Pharmaceutical Journal (PJ), Published by the RPSGB, (Tomorrows pharmacist...the student mag) loads of online ones too..pharmline? go to you local pharmacy and ask for an old copy of PJ if you want, plenty of copies laying around most pharmacies..
say what you learned from article/journal if you mention it. e.g reading the PJ had broaden my understand of pharmacy practise/ different drugs and their actions or uses etc.
say how you enjoy working for the people, (public) satisfaction of working for the community etc.. pharmacy is the front line of primary healthcare and if you really can't stand working with the public and its not a career for you..(unless you want to go into industry or hospital pharmacy afterwards.)
and finally make sure you talk about interest/hobbies/sports/your personal skills, (teamwork,leadership etc)
this last section is just as important because univeristies are not just looking for academic skills, they want to know what else you do and good at. so even if you say, you look after my lil brother/sister neighbour's children etc.. it shows responsibiliy
good luck to all of you future pharmacy students, it is very rewarding career and i'm really glad that i chose pharmacy, even though i've always wanted to do pharmacy, im glad i stuck at it..even when it wasnt easy..
for interviews... know the basics. as soon as you send of your ucas, do the research..esp of the schools of pharmacy you've applied for. go to there website, find out about them,
know basic things about pharmacy in britain. after all your applying to enter the pharmacy profession..
who regulates pharmacy in the uk?? (RPSGB...they got lots of power) dont need to know everything about them, just that they exist...go to their website)
simple things about common drugs..painkillers, wat they do, how they work etc..
i remember one of my questions..Tell me what does Aspirin do??
(try google!)
favourite question.. different routes drugs are administered/applied to body,,(not just capsules and tablets...patches, inhalers, cream/gels, implants/injections (i/v, i/m ) eye drops, nasal sprays/drops. chewing gums( Nicotine!)
GOOD LUCK,,hope this helps you...
RE: doing a Pharmacy personal statement?? ...some tips! - ijakings - 21/11/2006
Hey great post - thanks for all your advice
I'm sure fellow phramacists will find it useful. Why not register with student discussion and share any other tips you have? Also it would be great if you were interested in donating your personal statement to our selection at Studential.com - PM or email me (support@studential.com) if you're interested.
RE: doing a Pharmacy personal statement?? ...some tips! - Guest - 07/12/2006
Im really stuck with writing my personal statement, Im not sure what the universites are looking for?
RE: doing a Pharmacy personal statement?? ...some tips! - Guest - 16/12/2006
OMG thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou. This has been sooo useful - seriously. I'm only applying now and so having to rush things and i had no idea where to start with my Personal Statement, but this has put me on track and given me ideas. Thankyou so much!!
RE: doing a Pharmacy personal statement?? ...some tips! - Guest - 12/01/2007
chanellaw2005@yahoo.co.uk