Hi there.

A question from an a levels student really interested in doing pharmacy...

I have no interest in doing industrial work or etc., since I like the idea of using my knowledge to assist others while working with people.

But I'm more of an analytical person than a person who can memorize things really well.

So my question is: For a hospital/retail pharmacist, what do you all think about the ratio of memory work to analytical skills required?


50:50?

Also, I suck horribly at memorizing formulas for trigonometric functions and how to integrate them etc. (B/c I barely understand trigo), but I am good in grasping stuff related to biology (especially stuff like evolution and natural selection where a bigger picture is involved). Do I need trigo skills when doing pharmacy?

Thanks (sorry if some of the questions are rather stupid ): )

Thanks everyone.

I hope I'm fit for it then, memorizing bio seems to be fine for me. Chemistry calculations are so far so good I guess, but I'd prefer memorizing over calculating lol.

@Farmer_C

Do you mind if I ask you what the organic compound you have as your dp is called?


Anyway, anyone doing MPharm at Taylor's here? Twinning to Cardiff sounds impressive. UNMC still my current choice though

This post has been edited by Decky: Mar 14 2013, 06:09 PM

I'm only an A level student lol.


All I know about adenosine is that adenosine triphosphate = ATP = energy!!

Organic chem be my favorite so far lol. Inorganic chem is boring as hell.


Anyway, do you have any idea if the news that Monash malaysia is now offering a twinning course for BPharm?

Got shortlisted for MPharm interview. Any ideas of how I should prepare?

The interview is smack in the middle of my finals. Not the best of timings but since my syllabus covers organic nitrogen compounds, arenes, some drugs, and since I'm a bio student I "should" know quite abit about amino acids and protein synthesis as well.

Anything I should read up on other than academic stuff?

So I just got news that my interview offer from Notts was an error as they had too many applicants so I had to be rejected despite good forecast results.

If I don't want to take a gap year, should I opt for IMU or Monash or Taylors?

If I go to Taylors or IMU I plan to take the 2+2 program.

I'm pretty sure I can meet their entry requirements, just that I'm rather bummed that my first choice is off the list if I don't plan to take a gap year now.

Will it make a difference in terms of job opportunities depending on which Uni I choose? Let's say I get a degree from Strathclyde via my twinning program. Will an employer prefer a Nottingham degree over mine? Does it work that way?

Taylors -> Cardiff seems like a decent option since Cardiff is quite consistently high ranked. But I'm worried about the 2 years in Taylors. I've heard nothing about people taking Pharmacy there!

This post has been edited by Decky: May 14 2013, 07:16 PM

What does your Strathclyde twinning friends have to say about the overall course?


I read in an old thread in LYN that IMU's MPharm 2+2 is merely a moneybag. Strathclyde's name is used to attract students while the teaching quality in IMU apparently is really bad and when students reach Strathclyde, they suffer. :/

IS it true that you have to wear formal wear to class every single day?



lol.


I'm in a terrible dilemma to choose between Taylors MPharm or IMU's Mpharm.


After trying hard to reach some people via mutual friends, the Taylor's students apparently think their lecturers to be good.

I'd prefer Cardiff over Strathclyde, but IMU is more established.

I'm only afraid that Taylor's program might shut down half way and I waste alot of money and time. Can that even happen?

I applied as well. I think we got rejected not because of our grades, but (I emailed the person in charge requesting for some "feedback"), apparently they're VERY VERY full.

My friend applied a little earlier than me. She got into the waiting list.

So it's either her personal statement was amazing or she applied just in the nick of time. (I applied really late btw)


The lecturers response to my email was that the course is really full so they really couldn't take in anyone. So I highly doubt that it's because of your results!

What on earth?!

I applied in I think late May? My friend applied around the same time too.

We have probably the same A levels forecast results (either 4A's or 3A 1B. College wont reveal)

No no, our actual results are only out in august this year.

So we were supposed to apply with forecast earlier to get our conditional offers.


I'm shocked because I think pianogirl used her actual results to apply and even then she was rejected.

Notts requirement is at most AAB. for AAA to be rejected...

I'm starting to think that personal statement plays a big role now lol

But that's rather unfair to the students doing A levels with the traditional route isn't it?

We get our results in august and expect to enter uni in september. If they don't accept forecast results, that would mean we have to take a gap year which is not good for some of us!


Anyway I met another person at dinner yesterday from Taylor's MPharm. She was like "Oh you wanna do MPharm at Taylors? Taylors suck though. IMU too"


EMOOO

But mainly their complaints are about their dean who imposes her Islamic beliefs on the whole course people apparently

But considering how we're doing pharmacy, a gap year would mean we come out and work when we're 26/27?


True though, it's business and security. I kinda regret taking A levels if I wasn't trying to go UK straight. But it's prepared well.

Well my only worry is that with the pay we're getting here, if we decide to work as a hospital/community pharmacist, we'd probably be only able to afford a house at like 31 32 ish? And get married at 33ish..

Have kids at 35?

haha maybe I overthinking

I actually want to get married earlier, so have to get a house earlier too!


Not exactly big bucks lah, just "enough" to buy a cheap apartment or cheap condo that I can survive in. But then again, one year doesn't seem like much.

I was actually advised against a gap year primarily because in one year I might lose alot of the knowledge I've gained from A levels and suffer in the first year of uni. Of course, that can be prevented if I self study and do internships at pharmacies etc.

No wei, I chose pharmacy because it's the best of both worlds for me in getting money and doing what I have a passion for.


Both my parents are accountants. Can't imagine myself being one!

Guy of course.

Well even without prescription rights, I hear that the pay is still not "bad" (not as bad as a high school teachers salary).

Of course I considered medicine, but since it's super overpopulated and nearly everyone wants to specialize, it's risky. Especially since I come from a middle-class (or slightly above avg) family that will probably suffer to finance me studying overseas for it since they have to support my sibling as well! Plus, I really don't think I'm the type of person who can perform a surgery without feeling weird or anything!

A friend of mine actually got to intern at a local hospital in the middle of his a levels and he was talking about how he got to help out at the E&E department of the hospital and actually had people he was working on die on him. He didn't show any emotion and was all smiles. I don't think I would've been very excited about that fact lol.

Exactly haha.

I think one perk about planning to do pharmacy is that when people ask me what I want to do in the future, I'd say "I'm gonna be a drug dealer!"

Edit: woops uhh, calculation error.


They are both priced around the same price!


Anyhow, why does IMU's 2+2 program start only in January?

This post has been edited by Decky: Jul 26 2013, 04:20 PM