Author Archives: sukhmanp

UBC Irving Learning Centre
Advice

Welcome Back Series, Part 3: Study Spaces

We are continuing our three part Welcome Back series – this week, we are going to focus the most important aspect of university, academics.

With classes in full swing, and midterms quickly approaching, many students are starting to get back into the academic mode.  This means finding a place to study on campus. While some people prefer their tried and tested study spots, other find it helpful to seek out new places to read over their lecture notes.

If you are looking for somewhere other than Koerner and Irving to study, here are a few options:

The Ridington RoomRidington Room UBC

The real “Harry Potter” room at UBC, not the often assumed Chapman Learning Commons, this is perfect for getting work done. Spanning levels 3 and 4 of the North wing of Irving Library, it is a silent study space.  The room is full of tall comfy chairs for if you just need to do some reading, or there are long wooden tables with warm glowing lamps that will inspire creative writing or problem solving. The outer wall is entirely glass, looking out onto the Arts students of Buchanan.

 

Basement of Woodward Library

While the main section of Woodward building is a popular study spot, especially during finals (as it is open 24/7), the basement of the actual Woodward Library is a underrated study spot. It maintains a relatively quiet noise level, but is not silent. My favourite part is that there are “study booths”, such as in a restaurant, making it easy and comfortable to study with a small group.

Forestry Building

If you are looking foForestry Science Buildingr a beautiful building to work in, this may be your winner. The Forestry building is appropriately a masterpiece of woodwork. The building is warm and inviting, with plenty of table space. Also, the building has its own Tim Horton’s, so there is easy access to study fuel. The only downside is that Forestry students can be quite protective of their building, so be respectful.

Honorable Mentions go to the Law Library, the Life Sciences Building, and the Xwi7xwa Library.

Booking a Study Room

While public study spaces can be great for getting work done, if you are working on a project or are holding a study group, you may want to book a study room. Irving, Koerner, and Woodward each have rooms that can be booked by students as a study space. Bookings tend to fill up during exams, with Irving always being the most popular, but you can usually find a space in Woodward Library. Some of the benefits of study rooms is that you can speak a little louder, there are often plenty of outlets, and there is usually a whiteboard (or chalkboard) for you to write down ideas/problem solve.

Another option is to book a space in the Pharmaceutical Sciences building. Most meeting spaces are exterior facing, giving you a beautiful view while your group studies. Plus, you can go straight from class to a meeting space, if you would like. The Pharm Sci Building Room and Space booking form can be found here.

Check out our previous blog posts offering great study tips here and here. What is your favourite place to study on campus? Tell us in the comments below!

– Sukhman Perhar, Communications and Marketing

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Advice

Welcome Back Series, Part 2: Well Being

Between classes, extra curricular societies, studying, and trying to have a social life, our well being can be easy to neglect. We all know that we should be working out, eating our vegetables and getting eight hours of sleep – but unless we make a concentrated effort to fulfill these health goals, they can be put on the back burner (alongside that third package of instant ramen noodles). Luckily, UBC is committed to the healthy well-being of its students so has plenty of options for easily (and affordably) maintaining your physical, mental and emotional health.

Physical

Exercise increases the creation of the protein “brain-derived neurotropic factor”, or BDNF, which promotes the health of nerve cells. Study after study has shown that an increased BDNF level contributes to better memory recall. So instead of using your study break to watch another episode (or season) of House, try getting out and getting some exercise.

UBC has great facilities for staying in shape during the school year. If you are looking for a well-equipped gym, with plenty of cardio machines and weightlifting, the BirdCoop is for you. Offering term-long memberships for only $30, which includes the climbing wall, it is an affordable way to stay in shape. If you are more strapped for cash, the UBC Aquatic Centre is free to all students with their student card – so you can do laps, or you can visit their smaller gym downstairs.

The Birdcoop at UBC Rec

The Birdcoop at UBC Rec

UBC Rec offers many different classes and boot-camps for student to join, for a fee, in order to stay in shape. With classes from martial arts, to burlesque dancing, to fitness training, it is almost guaranteed that there is a class that will pique your interest. Check out what classes are being offered, here. There are also sports leagues, intramural events, running training, and fun events such as Day of the Longboat and Storm the Wall.

Emotional

University can be tough – more than just deadlines and exams, these years can be the most emotionally straining. New friends, losing friends, breakups, family issues, homesickness, stress, and much more can play a part on your happiness. The UBC Speakeasy is a program that can help when you need someone to talk to. It is a student support service offering peer crisis support, information, and referrals to the UBC community. The Speakeasy is a great resource for maintaining your emotional health.

Mental

Mental health is possibly one of the most important aspects of overall health and happiness. The above suggestions will all play an aspect in mental health, from the release of endorphins when you work out, to the burden lifting off your shoulders when you finally speak to someone about what has been bothering you.

As we are in Vancouver, it should be pointed out that Yoga is a spectacular way to maintain your mental health. Combining exercise and meditation, many students find that Yoga classes are the perfect way to start their day, or to unwind after a particularly stressful one. Yoga classes and memberships are not hard to find, with UBC REC offering classes, the UBC Yoga Club, or at Hot Box Yoga which is found in Wesbrook Village. If you are willing to venture out to Kits or beyond, there are plenty more options.

The most important thing to remember is to take time for yourself – whether that is to work out, to talk to someone, or to try and meditate or reflect on your day. Maintaining a healthy and happy lifestyle is an integral part to your success at university.

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Advice

Welcome Back Blog #1: Extracurricular Organizations

With school just around the corner, we are kicking off our 4-Part Welcome Back Blog Series! Each week we will provide you with information to better different parts of UBC student life, from academics to health and wellness.

It is time to get back into the swing of things, so we are starting our series off with different ways you can become involved with the Faculty. Being an active member of the pharmacy community can help enrich your time in the Faculty of Pharm Sci. It provides an opportunity to connect with students outside of the classroom, improve your resume, and gain valuable event planning skills. This week, we asked two of the most prominent pharmacy societies to tell us a little about themselves, and what they have planned for the upcoming year.

Rho Chi Society

UBC Rho Chi

2013 Rho Chi Initiation Dinner

“The Rho Chi Society, founded in 1922, is an Academic Honor Society of Pharmacy with over 100 chapters across Canada and the United States. The Delta Gamma Chapter of UBC’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences was established in 2009, and is currently the only existing Canadian Chapter.

Last year, as a part of our Sexual Health Awareness initiative, we collaborated with Nurses on Campus to educate UBC students about sexual health and safe contraceptive use, as well as with OPT Vancouver to inform Pharmacy students about how to communicate appropriately with patients regarding sexual health. Through our Community Presentation initiative (in collaboration with LKS), students had the opportunity to share their pharmaceutical knowledge with members of the community.

We received an incredible amount of support for our fundraising events, Pi Week, Pi Week Encore, and Trivia Night, from which we were able to donate $1,000 to BC Children’s Hospital!

With the Fall semester underway, Rho Chi is very excited to carry these initiatives forward and continue to provide students with opportunities to get involved, as well as enrich their experience in the Program, both academically and professionally. Stay-tuned in September to hear more details – we look forward to seeing you!”

–Renee Dagenais, President of the Rho Chi Honour Society

Make sure you have liked Rho Chi on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter to keep up with the awesome work they are doing.

PhUS

UBC PHUS

“The Pharmacy Undergraduate Society represents, liaises and advocates for the students of the Faculty, and UBC at large, along with organizing a collection of education and social events for students. Since our students are the future of BC Pharmacy, our goal is to foster optimal educational environment and contribute to overall integrity of the pharmacy profession through sponsorship, promotion, and coordination of academic and social activities. Our council organization is composed of elected students serving as executives, year representatives, general councillors, and representatives from all the clubs in UBC Pharmacy. A glimpse of some of our plans for the busy year include:

  • First-Year Orientation Day – Formerly known as Phrosh Day, this inaugural event is organized and dedicated to first-year pharmacy students.
  • Shoppers Drug Mart Welcome Back BBQ – A traditional BBQ lunch for first-year students during the first week back in September.
  • Clubs Night – An evening session highlighting information about each club within the Faculty and opportunities for involvement.
  • Sports Tournaments – Friendly student competitions between pharmacy teams including dodgeball, soccer, and basketball.
  • Careers Avenue – In collaboration with the Pharmacy Alumni group, various companies and organizations spend an evening with students to network and share opportunities for beyond graduation.
  • GALA – The most anticipated event of the fall season, students and faculty members dress to impress for a night of fine dining and dance at the Sheraton Hotel.
  • Skits Night – Famous in the Faculty, Skits night is where students from each year spend weeks preparing to compete with each other for pride through hilarious, clever skits.

Other events such as BCPhA Speaker Series and lunch-time talks are held every month to educate pharmacy students with different aspects of pharmacy including industry, community, and hospital.”

— Yoshi Ito, President of PhUS

Many graduating students mentioned the memories that were made at Skit Nights as their favourite moments with the Faculty:

“My favourite memory is planning and acting in skits night. In third year we worked so hard to put on a great skit and we won! Skits night has brought the members of our class together and created many lasting memories.” – France Carriere

“My favorite memory with UBC Pharmacy would have to be skits night; it is incredible what the various years can come up with and the faculty performance is always a highlight. I’m sure very few students can say they have seen their profs doing a revamp of Glee or coming in on a wrecking ball. It is definitely a night to remember.” – Megan Tromposhe

To find out more about PhUS, check out their Facebook page and blog!

Many students say that joining extracurricular activities was one of the best decisions they could have made, as the friendships forged go far beyond the classroom. Make sure to also check out Main Mall during Imagine Day to see all of the non-pharmacy related clubs you can join!

What clubs are you a part of? Or what has been your favourite moment during Skits Night? Tell us in the comments below or tweet us at @UBCPharmacy

–Sukhman Perhar, Communications and Marketing

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Back to School Apps
Advice

Doing better in school? There’s an app for that.

With school just around the corner (two weeks, eek!), it is about the time of the year where we start making back to school resolutions. On the top of almost every student’s list is doing better in school – being a little more organized, studying more effectively, or spending less time on Facebook.

We could all use a little help in keeping our back-to-school resolutions, so I have surfed the web, and the app store, for the apps that I think will help you do better in school this year. Enjoy!

Online Notes

Ever had the moment of panic when you think you lost your paper or all your notes for a class because your computer decides to give out? I know I have. Here are two apps to help ease that fear.

Dropbox: Dropbox is a cloud based storage software which allows you to access your saved work on any device with an internet connection. You can now work on your paper from your phone on the bus, from your tablet at the library, and from your PC at home. Dropbox acts like another storage drive on your device, so it makes it super simple to save files to it. Dropbox is an absolute student essential.

Evernote: This cross-platform app is great for organizing your notes, especially if you supplement your written notes with pictures or lecture recordings. Evernote can also organize different aspects of your life – it has many additional downloadable features, such as Peek (specifically for students with iPads), Food (for visual recipe creation), Clearly (for distraction free reading), and Hello (which allows for more effective networking).

Milanote: Milanote is a tool for organizing creative projects into beautiful visual boards. By design, it feels a lot like working on the wall in a creative studio – visual, tactile and sometimes a bit messy.

Key features include:
– Write notes & to-do lists, upload images & files and save things you find on the web
– Organize visually using the flexible drag and drop interface.
– Boards by default are a private place to think, but with a single click you can create a shared workspace for collaboration with your team
– Milanote is filled with hundreds of built-in templates to help you get started with a variety of different projects, from creating a mood board to writing that perfect creative brief.

Social Media Blockers:

Mindlessly clicking through Facebook albums, celebrity tweets, or tumblr cats during class? A lot of students, myself included, find themselves easily distracted during lectures – here are a few different apps or downloadable features that block out social media distractions.

Self-Control (Mac Only): Self Control allows you to block your won access to distracting websites, mail services, or anything else on the Internet. You just set the period of time you want to be blocked out, and the sites you want to blacklist, and start. This site really does become your self-control, as once the timer starts there is pretty much nothing you can do to go on a blacklisted site (including deleting the application).

Cold Turkey: Very similar to Self-Control, Cold Turkey is also available for PCs. What is great about this site is that you can schedule your blocks, meaning you could set the program to block social media sites for lecture times. It is another program that is hard to get around, keeping you on track.

Stay Focused: Stay Focused is a Chrome Extension and uses the opposite ideology as Self-Control and Cold Turkey. Rather than blocking out sites, Stay Focused gives you a limited amount of time to use on blacklisted sites. You can set your timer to only allow one hour of Facebooking a day, as an example. Warning – this tool is easier to bypass, so if you lack self-restraint, I would suggest the other options.

 

Study Tools:

Sometimes we just need a little help studying for that midterm or writing a paper. Here are a few apps that can boost your organization and make studying more effective.

Simple Pomodoro:  This app is based on the Pomodoro Technique for productivity where you decide on a task, work on it for 25 minutes, and then take a 3-5 minute break. After a few sessions, you can take a longer break. This technique prevents fatigue and allows your brain to stay more refreshed, especially if your tasks require looking at a screen. This app will remind you when your break is up, and has a very clean looking interface.

MyHomework: So many of us buy those cute planners at the beginning of the year, with the promise of being more organized this year, but find them under our bed in a couple of weeks. This app functions as a cross-platform planner – grab this app, and in the first week of school schedule all your assignments and readings into it, then check your homework from your phone, tablet, or laptop. You will never be caught off-guard by an assignment again.

Study Blue: Study Blue is predominantly a flashcard app, but it is probably one of the better (free) ones out there. It allows you to create your own flashcards, with text, images and audio, and access them on multiple devices (currently it is iOS, Andriod, and Web compatible). There are also millions of notes and flashcards already uploaded,  which is great for learning new content. It also shows you your study statistics, letting you gauge your knowledge and focus your energy on information you are less comfortable with. You can also collaborate with others on your flashcards – easy group studying!

Alma Mater Society of UBC – Last week, the AMS released its own app available on Andriod and on Apple. The app has many different functions – you can find out about events, campus services, groups and clubs, access exclusive discounts, organize your classes (and share your timetable with your friends), tour the uni, and communicate with fellow students. Make sure to give it a try!

What do you think? Have you used these apps before? What apps do you use to do better in school? Tell us in the comments or tweet us at @ubcpharmacy!

– Sukhman Perhar, Communications and Marketing

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Story of Medicine
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The Story of Medicines

A day at UBC can be spent a million different ways. You can take a stroll through Nitobe, brave the stairs and sunbathe at Wreck Beach, or browse through the extensive galleries at the Museum of Anthropology.

The Story of Medicines exhibit is one of UBC’s newest attractions. It is one of the most exciting features of the new Pharmaceutical Sciences Building, highlighting pharmacy’s essential contribution to human health. The elegance and educational value of the project has recently earned international recognition – the Story of Medicines exhibit was a Silver winner in the 2014 Summit Creative Award competition, under the category of Education Institution Interactive Media.

Here are a few of the highlights of the Story of Medicines exhibit.

The Origins and Evolutions of Pharmacy – This section was developed with the assistance of alumnus and pharmacy historian Steve Dove, and traces the history of pharmacy from ancient times to the modern world. It houses artifacts from the collections of the Faculty.

The Role of Pharmacy – This section exhibits the many career paths in Pharmaceutical sciences, such as community pharmacists, government, industry, and academia.

Six Drugs that Changed the World – There are six drugs that had a major impact in human history: anesthetics, antibiotics, birth control pills, vaccines, analgesics, and insulin.   This display takes you through the creation and societal impact of these six drugs.

Journey of a Drug through the Body – This is my favourite exhibit in the Story of Medicines, as it demonstrates pharmacokinetics, or how medications are metabolized throughout the body. It includes customizable options for body type, type of drug, and method of administration. After specifying your options, you are taken through the step-by-step process of drug metabolism.

Interactive Alumni Yearbook – Look through decades of UBC pharmacy alumni, including the CP3, Bsc (Pharm), MSc, PHD, and PharmD grads. Compare hairstyles, class composition, and see what some of the grads are up to today.

The Story of Medicines is located on the main and mezzanine levels of the Pharmaceutical Sciences building. It is open to the public from 8 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday.

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TED Talk Tuesday: Amy Cuddy – Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are

As a society, we are obsessed with body language – it allows us to analyze someone partially subconscious thought process. We want to pick up on peoples non-verbal cues, as it is a perceived indicator of what they are really thinking. However, we almost always see body language as something external from ourselves.

Body language is also a powerful manipulator of how people receive you, but it also has a powerful effect on how you perceive yourself. This month’s TED Talk, “Your body language shapes who you are” by Amy Cuddy explores the science of personal body language perception.

One of the most important lessons I have learned from this TED Talk is the importance of Power posing. Power posing, interestingly enough, is when you stand in powerful poses for roughly two minutes. Typical power poses require you to spread out as much as possible – stand with your legs squared to your shoulders and your hand on your hips our outreached or place your hands flat on a table while standing. If you need inspiration, think of the poses you see from powerful CEO-types in the media.

Power Posing

Power posing, for two minutes, can help increase your testosterone and lower your cortisol, which has the overall effect of making you seem more commanding or positively increasing your presence. You come across as a more confident,

Power posing is a technique I have personally tried before, especially before interviews. I can personally attest to feeling more confident, and having a more communicative interview after power posing – especially compared to interviews where I have gone in after low-power posing (such as hunching my shoulders or glancing at my phone). I feel as if my responses to questions were more coherent, and my ability to react to questions was quicker. I have found that power posing forces a confidence boost, which makes me feel like I am more qualified for the interview (reducing that “I’m-not-supposed-to-be-here” feeling, which sucks).

Power posing, and more general awareness of body language can be used in many more situation than just interviews – it may help you feel more confident when walking into a seminar, or help you understand group dynamic better while working on a project. Being more aware of how your body language is being perceived is an important skill to hone, as it can often give away more information about you than your words.

Try taking power posing into the upcoming school year, it may just change how people perceive you – but more importantly, how you perceive yourself.

Have you used power posing before, or something similar? What did you think? Tell us in the comments, or tweet us at @ubcpharmacy.

–Sukhman Perhar, Communications and Marketing

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Scholarships: Where to look, and how to get them.

Let’s face it, university can be expensive. More than just tuition, expenses include textbooks, lab equipment, tutors, transportation, housing, and food – that is before you have factored in a social life. Scholarships and bursaries can make the financial burden of school more manageable, so we have compiled a short list of resources you can use to look for and win scholarships.

Scholarship Websites:

One great way to look for scholarships is to sign up for a website that does the searching for you. Scholarships Canada and Student Awards are the two biggest names in the field of scholarship hunting. Many Canadian students may have had accounts such as these when they were in high school, so it is only a means of updating information. If you did not go to a Canadian high school, you will have to set up a new profile, which only takes about 15 minutes per site. After you hit submit, it comes up with dozens of different bursaries and scholarship opportunities. What is great about using sites like these is that it only provides you with information about scholarships that are still available, so you don’t have to worry about already having missed the deadline.

The trick to websites such as these is to spend time filling out your profile – include all your interests, career aspirations, university goals, parents work information, sports interests, ect. The more information you give the website, the more it can tailor the scholarships it presents you.

Family Affiliations:

Many scholarships can come from your parents work affiliations or volunteer organizations that your family contributes too. Organizations such as rotary, unions, scouting, churches, cultural groups and many more offer scholarships for children of their members – make sure to check out the websites of any organizations your family is affiliated with. Smaller organizations may not know to put their scholarships up online, so check the community boards to ensure you are not missing out!

If there is a scholarship, express your interest in person (if possible, such as at a meeting or by talking to the scholarship organizer) as it helps put a face to the name, allowing you to stand out in the selection process. Tailor your scholarship application to the particular organization you are applying through – highlight your work with children if you are applying through a youth center, or your work in the community if you are applying through a humanitarian organization.

The University:

The University itself tries to provide you with opportunities for scholarships and the resources to ensure that your scholarship application is strong. Visit Brock Hall and speak to an Enrollment Services Professional if you have any questions regarding University scholarships. Many scholarships, especially for current university students, require a resume and/or cover letter – Career Services, which is also located in Brock Hall, offers advising appointments for resumes, cover letters, and CVs. This can be especially helpful if you are not familiar with Canadian resume customs.

The University offers many scholarships for continuing students, you can check out the information on their scholarship website – pay close attention to the deadlines, if you know that school is going to be very busy for you in the fall, make sure to apply to the scholarships now.

These resources and opportunities are available year-round, so even if you have missed a deadline for a scholarship this past year, you can ready yourself for the next.

Where do you look for scholarships? Have any great tips for creating a stellar scholarship application? Share them for other students in the comments section below!

– Sukhman Perhar, Communications and Marketing

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UBC Summer Campus Gems

Without a doubt, UBC is at its most stunning in the summer months. Beautiful clear skies create a sparkle in the water, outdoor patios boast friends catching up, and late sunsets at Wreck Beach mean plenty of time to work on a tan. While everyone may know that Nitobe is stunning this time or year, or to Instagram the Rose Garden, there are a couple of more low key spots on campus to enjoy during the summer. I asked around the office, and here are a few of our summer campus gems.

 “This university has no shortage of beautiful spaces around campus, but one of my absolute favorite gems at UBC has to be the Museum of Anthropology (MoA). Architecturally, the MoA is stunning. Designed by Arthur Erikson, the towering concrete pillars and floor to ceiling glass make it one of the most visually appealing structures on campus. Not only is the museum itself magnificent, but tucked between the park’s trees, the MoA sits on the edge of campus, giving it a beautiful view of the ocean and a perfect spot to watch the sun set over the water. The area surrounding the museum features a serene reflecting pool and is accompanied by a series of First Nation’s totem poles. The large green space and hills outside of the MoA make it an ideal place to sit, take in the beautiful scenery and unwind after a long day. I find the museum and all that surrounds it to be one of the most peaceful and quiet places on campus and try to venture out to it as much as I can.”

MOA

– Brandon Lal, Communications & Marketing Assistant

 “One of my family’s favorite places on campus is the community garden, located just down Main Mall towards the Stadium. We’ve had a plot there for the past 3 years and every summer my kids would run/bike to the garden after dinner to water it, and to of course pick and eat peas, carrots, strawberries, lettuce, etc.  I grew up in Los Angeles not knowing a thing about growing my own vegetables and fruits, and while I still don’t have a clue (thanks to my husband who does all the gardening), I absolutely LOVE watching the joy and excitement in my kids when picking and eating stuff out of our own garden!   Not only that, the garden becomes a very popular socializing spot in the summer where all of our friends gather around and catch up.”

UBC Community Garden

– Grace Wood, Manager, Office of the Associate Dean, Practice Innovation

 

As for me – if you are looking for a quick thrill without leaving campus, the Greenheart Canopy Walk is definitely for you. You can find it in the heart of UBC Botanical Garden, making it much closer than a comparable adventure in Capilano (plus, I honestly believe the UBC one is better). Designed by Greenheart, a Vancouver company that has eco-centric projects all over the world, the Canopy Walk allows you to take a beautiful stroll in the trees. The platform at the highest peak (20 meters) allows you to see the forest in a whole new light – peering at the tops of 100 year old trees, rather than looking up from below. It leaves you with a sense of awe and reverence for nature. While I may be 65 feet in the air, suddenly I always feel more grounded than ever before. The actual canopy walk is a little wobbly, but never nauseatingly so, making it a great place to take your family when they visit.

ubc canopy walk

 

What is your favourite hidden campus gem during the summer? Comment below, or tweet it to us at @ubcpharmacy, or hashtag a picture with #ubcCampusGems

–          Sukhman Perhar, Communications and Marketing Assistant

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TED Talk Tuesday: “Why truly innovative science demands a leap into the unknown” by Uri Alon

“Why truly innovative science demands a leap into the unknown” by Uri Alon is this month’s featured TED Talk, as it highlights to combination of science and creativity to truly create the most innovative science advancements.  Many Pharmacy students intend to use their training in Pharmaceutical Sciences to pursue a career in research.

Uri Alon has created the concept of the cloud – a metaphysical space for researchers who are confused about the direction of their work. The creation of the concept, and its proliferation in the scientific community, has allowed a dialogue to be opened about the process of knowledge creation.

An inspirational talk for anyone, not those just going into research, highlights the importance of embracing failure and transforming it to a point of creativity. By continuing to pursue options after an initial failure, and by allowing yourself to use the subjective and emotional side of your brain, researchers can push beyond the boundaries of the known into innovative unknown solutions.

 

By combining science and the lessons learned in improv acting, the cloud that Uri Alon has created allows researchers to persevere through their intellectual doubts and stalls, emerging from the cloud with innovative new solutions to their original problem.

What do you think? How do you combine creativity and science?

– Sukhman Perhar, Communications and Marketing

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The Office for Experiential Education Staff!
Advice

Experiential Learning in Pharm Sci

The summer, with its long days and salty breeze, is the perfect time to reflect on the journey of an undergraduate education. While we attend a fantastic institute of education, many students attest to massive amounts of career training that happens outside of a classroom. While interviewing graduating students for our most recent issue of Discover, a consistent theme emerged through the advice section – explore as many pharmacy options as possible.

When giving advice to students who are still in the Faculty, grads wrote:

 “One piece of advice I would like to give to students still studying in the pharmacy program is to explore different aspects of pharmacy whether you have an interest or not. Sometimes, when you experience something you realize you enjoy it when you may not have thought you would have. Ways to do this would be to visit smaller communities on OEE rotations, and trying to get hospital exposure before 4th year. By the time your 4th year hospital rotation comes, it is too late to apply for a residency.”

– Trevor Choo

“Our Faculty is committed towards providing us with the education and training needed to address the issues and challenges of our ever changing healthcare system. Use the next few years to explore your interests and challenge yourself.”

– Aaron Sihota

 “This is a great time to explore what you want to do with this degree. I think it’s so important to expand your vision and try something you have never tried before.” 

– Tian Zhang

This is where the Faculty of Pharmacy Office of Experiential Education (OEE) comes into action. The OEE is responsible for coordinating the structured practical experiential programs that students are required to complete for their BSc (Pharm). Facilitating over 1000 placements around BC per year, the OEE are superstars for helping provide students with this crucial out-of-classroom learning.

The Experiential Education Courses are an opportunity for students to apply knowledge learnt in school, in a real-world, practical environment. Given the opportunity to learn in a practical setting, many students commented on finding passions and interests that traditional in-class leaning would not have provided them. Furthermore, experiential education also lets you test-drive potential career paths, helping you decide what if certain careers are compatible with your lifestyle and your pharmaceutical interests.

Angela Kim Sing, Director of the Office of Experiential Education, maintains that experiential education is amongst the most valuable:

“While we can provide students with case based learning and practice lab simulations on campus, but there is simply no substitute for working with real patients in the community.”

UBC as a whole is committed to developing well-rounded students who have had positive in and out-of-classroom experiences. Recently, UBC has committed to supporting two “enriched educational experiences” per student during their time at university. This includes community service learning, research and co-op experiences, internships and mentorships, international opportunities, and participation in a rewarding campus life.

Has experiential learning left a lasting impact on you? Tell us in the comments!

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