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Advice

Student Services Update – Admissions Process

This week, Jennifer Chatterton, Director of UBC Pharm Sci’s Student Services, has an important update on admissions.

Visit the Official Blog regularly for updates from Student Services.

The admissions process continues! We would like to confirm that our interviews will be held over the weekend of May 3rd and 4th, 2014. At this time, the Admissions Office should have received all of your transcripts and we should have received all of your PCAT scores. We are expecting the list of admission averages from the Undergraduate Admissions Office sometime this week. This means that we will be shortlisting our interview candidates very soon.

Please make sure that you check your email frequently, as we will contact shortlisted candidates via email to invite them for an interview. If you have not heard from us, please also check your junk mail folder. If you are invited for an interview, we will let you know the date and time that we are requesting that you attend. If you have a conflict and cannot make this time, please notify us. Please note: all candidates will be notified of whether or not they are being invited to interview via email.

-Jennifer Chatterton, Director, Student Services

Remember – UBC Pharm Sci’s Official Blog is a platform for you to experience a transparent admissions process. If you have any general questions or concerns, please share them in the comments section!

-Raul Scorza, Communications & Marketing

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Jimmy Fallon, Walter White and Clinical Pharmacy – A Recap of Pharmacists Awareness Month 2014

Jimmy Fallon and Walter White walk into a hospital to speak with a clinical pharmacist…

If you thought that the above was the only way these three subjects could be related, think again. We agree – it sounds like the start of a terrible joke. In reality, however, all three are connected by Pharmacist Awareness Month (PAM) 2014.

The end of March brings Pharmacist Awareness Month to a close for the year.  At UBC Pharm Sci, the University’s Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns Chapter (CAPSI UBC) and the Pharmacy Undergraduate Society (PhUS) participated in raising awareness about the role of pharmacists in patient care.

UBC PAM’s Facebook page has been active since the start of the month and was well populated with facts and information about pharmacy. For example, did you know that the B.C.  Government will cover expenses on smoking cessation medication in order to help individuals to quit?

UBC Pharm Sci students and faculty also participated in Student Booths at the SUB. The Student Booths aimed to connect the larger UBC community with pharmacists and pharmacy students in order to learn more about the profession in a fun and engaging way. Performances at the SUB included Dr. Mary Ensom playing the electric violin, students playing the acoustic and electric guitar, and an impressive, artistic rendition of the Breaking Bad anti-hero completed in less than 8 minutes.

Still, March, and thus PAM, is not yet over. There is still time to attend the final event hosted by CAPSI UBC and PhUS on March 26: Avenues in Clinical Pharmacy, a conversation on career paths for pharmacists in a hospital setting. Previous events included visits to local high schools and a discussion on how pharmacists can market themselves most effectively.

All of these outstanding efforts were part of PAM celebrations across Canada. Fleming College in Ontario demonstrated how pharmacy technicians can help people with Alzheimer’s disease using colour coded-based reminders on pills and Memorial University students planned a Public Pill Drop. BC’s own Mill Bay Pharmasave shared in the fun by uploading their #creative and #informative take on Jimmy Fallon’s #Hashtag video!

What were your favourite PAM initiatives? What events would you like to see take place next year? Share with us in the comments!

-Raul Scorza, Communications & Marketing

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Drum-roll please…the first UBC Pharm Sci Student Talks is out!

This week, we are thrilled to release the first episode in our new series, titled UBC Pharm Sci Student Talks.

This ongoing video-interview series will share UBC Pharm Sci undergraduate student experiences and delve deeper into the student perspective on a variety of topics, including: how to get involved as a student, thoughts on future practice, and their fondest memories with UBC Pharm Sci.

Our first Student Talks features fourth-year BSc Pharm student Aaron Sihota. Aaron is former President of the Pharmacy Undergraduate Society (PhUS) and currently serves as a BCPhA Student Ambassador.

Here is Aaron’s story:

Stay tuned for our next episode of UBC Pharm Sci Student Talks. What interview questions would you like us to ask our students? Let us know in the comments section!

-Raul Scorza, Communications & Marketing

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How you can help raise awareness of Pharmacists Awareness Month

Last week, we shared a rundown of events that CAPSI UBC and the Pharmacy Undergraduate Society (PhUS) are hosting in celebration of Pharmacists Awareness Month (PAM). As a UBC Pharm Sci student, you’re in a great position to educate your non-pharmacy peers about the crucial role pharmacists play in patient care. We’ve compiled some ideas to help you do just that:

Three cheers for our student booth PAM volunteers!

Image Credit: Caely-Ann McNabb, UBC Pharm Sci Alumni Relations Manager

Share PAM-related news releases and interviews uploaded by the BCPhA

The British Columbia Pharmacy Association (BCPhA) has joined the national and provincial PAM campaign. The Association intends to raise awareness about the benefits pharmacists bring as health care providers to the province’s health care system. To do so, the BCPhA will periodically distribute news releases and ask members to participate in interviews with local media outlets. Keep an eye out for these news releases and interviews and share with your friends – just this past week, a BCPhA member appeared on Breakfast Television Vancouver!

Create posters with the official CPhA Pam 2014 logo

Maybe you lean more towards the ‘digital artist/pharmacist’ profession. The Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) has got your back if you wish to promote PAM through your digital skills. The CPhA has made the official campaign logo available in English and French here. Why not use it to create posters that you can post online or in print to celebrate PAM?

Start a conversation about the scope of your practice (in BC) with this chart

One of the goals of PAM is to share with patients what services you, as a future pharmacist, will be able to provide. The range of these services varies from province to province. Did you know that in British Columbia, pharmacists are qualified to provide vaccinations, renewals and adaptations, asthma and diabetes consultations, along with expert medication advice? Use this chart prepared by the CPhA to review the services Pharmacists in BC can provide.

Forward PAM word games to your peers

Keep your friends entertained on the long commute while promoting PAM at the same time! CPhA has prepared word games like this crossword puzzle and word search to showcase in a fun and engaging manner how pharmacists contribute to patient care.

Share on Facebook and Twitter

Where could you share all of the above ideas? Take to Twitter and Facebook to connect with UBC Pharm Sci’s PAM organizers and let them know you are working to raise awareness of the practice of pharmacy. Tweet @UBC_PAM and visit UBC PAM’s official Facebook page. You can also view PhUS and CAPSI UBC’s event videos and photos on Facebook.

PAM volunteers at the SUB helped spread the word about the practice of pharmacy at the SUB

Image Credit: Caely-Ann McNabb, UBC Pharm Sci Alumni Relations Manager

How have you raised awareness for PAM? Share in the comments section.

-Raul Scorza, Communications & Marketing

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Get excited, get involved – CAPSI UBC and PhUS are hosting Pharmacist Awareness Month events

March is a great month. Whether you’re preparing to cheer for your favorite college basketball team during March Madness or are simply ecstatic to start the only month that is also a verb (we were surprised about this too!), March has something for everyone. March is also the Canadian Pharmacists Association Pharmacist Awareness Month (PAM), an annual campaign to raise awareness about the crucial role of pharmacists in patient care.

To promote PAM, CAPSI UBC, the University’s Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns chapter; along with PhUS, the Pharmacy Undergraduate Society, have prepared a variety of events to take place throughout March:

CAPSI UBC and PhUS have prepared a host of events for you to learn about the pharmacy practice

March 3 to 7: SUB Demonstrations

This week pharmacy students are hosting a booth in the SUB to promote the profession of pharmacy among their peers. Poster presentations will be showcased on topics including asthma, COPD, diabetes, the importance of re-hydration and skin-care. On Monday and Friday, students will also demonstrate some of the tasks pharmacists undertake in their practice.

March 3 and March 6: High School Outreach

UBC Pharm Sci students will visit local high schools to inform a younger audience of some of the exciting opportunities the profession of pharmacy offers, as well as the application process to the BSc program. Pharm Sci volunteers will also highlight the importance of having a variety of healthcare professionals available within a community.

On March 3, UBC Pharm Sci visited Churchill Secondary and will visit John Oliver Secondary on March 6th.

March 13, 6-8 pm: Annual Pharmacy Information Evening (PIE)

The evening of March 13 represents a chance for prospective pharmacy students to learn more about the admissions process and student life. These insights are courtesy of students already enrolled in the program together with Barbara Gobis, who will also introduce the new Pharmacists Clinic.

March 18, 5-6:30 pm: Marketing Yourself Speaker Series

On March 18, CAPSI and PhUS will address the topic of “How to Best Market Yourself in Pharmacy” by hosting a speaker series in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Building’s Main Lecture Hall.

March 26, 5-7 pm: Hospital Pharmacy Speaker Series

CAPSI and PhUS have invited representatives from the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists to join in a conversation about the active role hospital pharmacists play in patient care. Representatives will also advise on the potential paths students can pursue within a hospital setting.

Which of the above events will you participate in? Which activities are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments section!

– Raul Scorza, Communications & Marketing Assistant 

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Update from Student Services – Incoming PCAT scores and request for transcripts

Jennifer Chatterton, Director of Student Services for the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, shares an update on PCAT scores and transcripts for admissions. 

The Undergraduate Admissions Office is working towards inputting your PCAT scores and transcripts in your application.

Many of you have emailed asking whether or not we have received your PCAT scores, especially if you wrote or re-wrote your exam in January 2014. Today we received a large shipment of PCAT scores. This means that, over the next few days, we will be updating your scores on the Pharmacy application. If your PCAT score is not updated right away, please don’t worry. We have a lot of scores to update and this will take some time. Also, we will contact you if we do not have your score.

The Undergraduate Admissions Office is currently working on calculating your admission averages. If you haven’t already done so, please make sure that you send them your transcripts. You can check your Applicant Status on the SSC to see if any documents are missing from your application.

Jennifer Chatterton, Director, Student Services

Do not forget to post any questions regarding PCAT scores, admission averages and transcripts on the comments section! 

Raul Scorza, Communications & Marketing

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Update from Student Services – 2014 BSc in Pharmacy applications are closed

The UBC Pharm Sci Blog is a place where you can learn more about student experiences at the Faculty, as well as an informal space where you can ask questions and gain insight into the student admissions process. Jennifer Chatterton, Director of Student Services, will be joining us from time to time to keep you up to date with the latest admissions developments and answer any questions you may have about the process.

The UBC Pharm Sci Official Blog will keep you up to date on the admissions process

The application for the 2014 Winter intake for the Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy program has officially closed and now, we are moving on to the evaluation stage.  We will, at times, be using this space to update you on the admissions process and to let you know when we are sending out invitations for interviews. We also encourage you to use this blog to ask us questions about admissions as we are interested in knowing how we can help. We will monitor the blog weekly to look for and answer your questions.

-Jennifer Chatterton, Director, Student Services

Rather than responding to individual e-mails, applicants and the student services team will benefit from reading the questions and corresponding responses of others. Check the blog regularly for updates – and do not forget to post your general questions relating to admissions in the comments section! *Stay tuned for a dedicated page on the blog to post questions and receive answers.

-Raul Scorza, Communications & Marketing

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Making the Most of your UBC Pharm Sci Experience: Insider Advice

Over the last three weeks, Ivan, Julia and I have shared different ways you can make the most of your time at UBC Pharm Sci. To conclude this series, we have asked several of our students and faculty members to share their responses to the following question:

What one piece of advice would you give students to maximize their learning and professional experience during their Pharmacy studies?

What's your advice on making the most of your time at UBC Pharm Sci?

Here’s what they had to say:

“Explore all of your options and find your niche.  Figure out which clubs and associations do what, and take opportunities to really discover what area you would find satisfaction in practicing in the future. Be honest with yourself about what you want and go after it. It’s much easier to make connections and refine the skills you will use in your career if you start specializing yourself early on. No one expects you to be good at everything, but make sure that future employers can see your goals and intentions through the experiences you chose in school.”

 – Andrea Silver, Third year BSc(Pharm) student

“My one piece of advice to students is to leverage your student status as much as possible.  Introduce yourself to influential people in the profession (and other health care stakeholders) and ask their opinions and advice.  People are willing to give students a surprising amount of time in the spirit of supporting someone’s learning process.   This also gives you practice building a network of people and you will be surprised how important your network of people will be in practice.”

– Barbara Gobis, Director, UBC Pharmacists Clinic

“An important piece of advice I would give current and new students is to learn from your mistakes and accept criticism in a healthy way. This may be a cliché, but this is a world-class program and is designed to help you learn and improve your skills. Although it may be hard to accept sometimes, learning from your mistakes leads to improvement and development – a very important trait to have as a future pharmacist.”

– Jason Alessio, Second year BSc(Pharm) student

“I strongly encourage each student to get involved while in the program. There are several clubs, sports teams, student societies, or professional pharmacy associations that students may join, as well as opportunities for students to take part in both clinical and laboratory research with leaders in the field! Getting involved not only provides you with the chance to build relationships with individuals in the Faculty and pharmacy community, but it also provides balance to your life and enriches your learning experience. As well, it allows you to discover your niche in pharmacy and decide where you would like to go with your career.”

– Renée Dagenais, Third year BSc(Pharm) student

I hope this series has equipped you with some ideas on how to enhance your learning, development and experience here at UBC Pharm Sci.

What would you recommend to future students? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

– Raul Scorza, Communications & Marketing Assistant 

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Making the Most of your UBC Pharm Sci Experience: Four ways Pharmacy students can give back to their community

Our ongoing series of tips and advice will help you to make the most of your time at UBC Pharm Sci. Pharmacists play an essential role in creating healthy and thriving communities. This week, I’ll share some ideas of how you, as a UBC Pharm Sci student, can become involved in and give back to your community.

UBC Pharm Sci students have ample opportunities to support their community

Become involved in the UBC United Way campaign

You can help foster an inclusive community by following in the footsteps of two Pharmacy students: Joyce Chang and Teresa Lee. Lee and Chang were appointed Vice-Chairs of the first ever United Way Student Campaign group, focused on adding a student voice to the community building experience. Through initiatives like advisor auctions at on-campus residences and a letter-writing program for students to reach out to their seniors, our Pharmacy students raised funds and awareness to help end bullying, child poverty and senior isolation.

The student group will start recruiting for new Vice-Chairs and coordinators in the spring, and you can express your interest in joining by emailing united.way@ubc.ca. You can also help by indicating your interest in volunteering at events hosted on campus or special projects like the Day of Caring.  Keep an eye on the United Way website for opportunities as they are posted.

Attend one of the Rho Chi Society’s Community Outreach presentations

The Rho Chi Honour Society hosts community outreach presentations across the Lower Mainland to share how pharmacists can help patients manage various medical conditions. Previous outreach events included:

-A presentation at the West 7th Avenue Parish designed to educate adults on Type 2 Diabetes risk-reduction strategies and therapeutic management.

-A discussion at the Marpole-Oakridge Community Centre on the safety and effectiveness of over-the-counter medication.

Attending these presentations is a great opportunity to engage with the local community and learn more about how, as a future pharmacist, you can be of service. You can  request and explore topics with Rho Chi by emailing ubc.rhochi@gmail.com. Keep an eye on the Society’s Facebook page for future ways to get involved.

Volunteer for the upcoming Suicide Awareness Day

Your participation as a Suicide Awareness Day volunteer will help ensure the success of this annual campaign. Student volunteers can host an outreach booth or join a series of street teams. Both opportunities will allow you to share vital information on detecting warning signs and using the excellent support resources that are available to our campus community.

To participate, you must attend one of the following volunteer training sessions at the Main Boardroom in Brock Hall:

– Wednesday, January 15, 12  – 1 p.m, or

– Wednesday, January 22, 3 – 4 p.m.

You can then volunteer for one or two hours between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 29. Look for the posting on UBC’s CareersOnline to find out more!

Take advantage of the AMS and CSI tools for volunteering

Do you want to volunteer with a specific organization or area? UBC offers a great set of online tools to help you identify volunteer opportunities with the causes and organizations you’re passionate about.

The Centre for Student Involvement & Careers website provides an excellent volunteer search engine. There are many options within the health care and medical sectors including research positions with St. Paul’s Hospital, helping the Canadian Cancer Society with event planning or becoming an ambassador for the UBC Mental Health Network.

What if you want to help, but are unsure of the contributions you could bring to the table? The AMS Volunteer Connect program will aid you in matching your specific skills and goals with particular organizations that would benefit from your qualities – including those you’ve developed as a Pharm Sci student. Be sure to participate in the 1-on-1 consultation service (which is completely free of charge) and the Volunteer Opportunities Fair. Drop by their office at the SUB in room 249C or email volunteers@ams.ubc.ca for more info.

How do you give back to your community? Share your experiences in the comments!

-Raul Scorza, Communications & Marketing

 

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