Admissions, Advice, Prospective Students

My Pre-Pharmacy Major: Karen Teng

We get a lot of questions about what to study prior to applying to the Entry-to-Practice program in order to set yourself up for success in pharmacy. You will need to complete the pre-requisite courses but outside of that, there’s no one right answer!

Photo credit: Don Erhardt, UBC Communications & Marketing

We’ll be sharing some of our student’s experiences with their previous majors in upcoming posts, and learning how they translate to success in pharmacy school. In today’s guest post, second-year pharmacy student Karen Teng is sharing her perspective as a psychology major:

Prior to entering the Entry-to-Practice PharmD program at UBC Pharm Sci, I majored in psychology at the Faculty of Science at UBC. (Other names used to refer to this major include biopsychology and behavioural neuroscience. Recently, the Faculty of Science officially changed the major to “behavioural neuroscience”, but the curriculum hasn’t changed.)

Studying psychology within the Faculty of Science differs significantly to the psychology curriculum in the Faculty of Arts. As the name “behavioural neuroscience” suggests, this major emphasizes the biological aspects of behaviour. We studied a combination of psychology and neuroscience in order to better understand human behaviour.

As a new UBC Science student, I was caught off guard to learn that we had to choose our major of specialization at the end of that first year. At the time, I honestly had no idea what to major in. I was pondering the list of science majors and psychology caught my attention. I was quite intrigued by the idea of studying the biological basis of behaviour and learning more about the nervous system and brain.

What made studying psychology in the Faculty of Science unique was our program size of 40 students. Quite a change after a year of being in classes with over 200 students! I had many opportunities to get to know my classmates over the next 3 years.

I really enjoyed how flexible the psychology major was. I took a wide variety of courses, exploring different topics and fields and aspects of biology. Courses ranged from studying the psychological aspects of human sexuality to sensory systems to drugs and behavioural neuroscience. It was fascinating and I learned that when you enjoy something, you’ll end up doing well in it!

My previous major in psychology has proved highly relevant to pharmacy school. It equipped me with a strong background in neurochemical systems and neuroanatomy as well as understanding things from a biopsychological, behavioural and psychosocial perspective.

One month into pharmacy school and we were diving straight into anatomy and physiology of sensory pathways and perception. It can be quite overwhelming to learn about the brain and nervous system, especially having to recall the cranial nerves from I to XII. I was lucky enough to have learned it in the past which made it much easier to follow. Also, learning about different hormones, neurotransmitters and receptors has greatly benefited in my understanding of how certain drugs work in the body.

We also learned about mental disorders in psychology, which will greatly support my learning during the psychiatry module in 3rd year. This is the module that I look forward to the most as I will have the opportunity to explore it from a pharmacist’s perspective.

Pharmacists and psychologists share many similarities in practice. You need to understand your patient without making assumptions, and help to support and optimize their health. For example, a patient may be non-adherent to their medication for many reasons. As a pharmacist, you need to understand the factors leading to their behaviour, and different aspects of their behaviour, as well as the cycle of change.

– Karen Teng, second-year Entry-to-Practice PharmD student

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Admissions, Prospective Students

Admissions Update: 2018 Application Deadline and Final Information Session

Happy New Year! If you are thinking about applying to the Entry-to-Practice PharmD program for the 2018 Winter Session, the deadline to apply is January 15, 2018. Here are some friendly reminders to help you get your application in order.

Image: AMS Student Nest. UBC Communications & Marketing.

Transcripts
Official transcripts from every post-secondary institution that you attended are required. After you apply for admission, the Undergraduate Admissions Office will review your application for completion and determine which documents are needed. You will then receive an acknowledgement email with your next steps. If you are currently studying at a post-secondary institution, it’s best to wait until your Fall term grades are available before you order your transcript. Our evaluators need to see the grades from your most recently completed coursework (up to December 2017).

You can also find this list on your Student Service Centre (SSC) in the “Application Status” page; this is also the best place to find out if your transcripts have been received. It will take time for postage and processing, so please be patient!

All transcripts must be sent directly from your institution to the Undergraduate Admissions Office, and not the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Transcripts can be addressed to:

The University of British Columbia
Undergraduate Admissions Office
2016-1874 East Mall
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z1

If you attended, or are attending, UBC or UBCO, you do not have to order your UBC transcripts.

Upcoming Applicant Q&A Session
If you are applying this year and have last minute questions about the program, admission requirements, and the application process, join us for an online Q&A session on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at 12 p.m. Pacific Time.

Register for the session here. Registration is required to receive login information.

Good luck!

— Carol Kuang, Manager, Recruitment and Admissions

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Admissions, Prospective Students

Entry-to-Practice PharmD Applications Are Now Open!

The UBC undergraduate application for Winter 2018/19 is now available online.

UBC Imagine Day, 2013. Image: UBC Communications & Marketing

UBC Imagine Day, 2013. Image: UBC Communications & Marketing

Here’s how to apply:

Applicants from outside UBC can access the UBC application online at: https://account.you.ubc.ca/ubc/apply/apply_now.ezc.

Current UBC students can access the Change of Program application online, via the Student Service Centre (SSC): https://ssc.adm.ubc.ca/sscportal/servlets/SRVSSCFramework. The Change of Program form is located under the Registration tab.

Former UBC students can apply online to be readmitted via the Student Service Centre (SSC): https://ssc.adm.ubc.ca/sscportal/servlets/SRVSSCFramework. The Readmission form is located under the Admissions tab.

Current UBC students who are planning to graduate at the end of this Winter session should still apply through the Change of Program application in the SSC.

If you would like to attend an information session, we will be hosting Information Evenings which are delivered in person but can also be viewed online through a webcast.

The upcoming sessions are:

  • Thursday, September 14, 2017 6:00 PM-7:30 PM
  • Thursday, October 12, 2017 6:00 PM-7:30 PM
  • Thursday, November 23, 2017 6:00 PM-7:30 PM

Registration is strongly recommended. Please RSVP on our events page.

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Admissions, Prospective Students

Getting started with pharmacy prerequisites

‘Tis the season for course registration! Trying to figure out which courses you need to take to to prepare for your pharmacy application can be daunting, especially if you’re entering your first year of university.

UBC in the fall. Hover Collective.

We are hosting an Information Evening on Wednesday, June 14th for anyone who is interested in learning more about our Entry-to-Practice PharmD program and what you need to meet our admission requirements.

Date: Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Time: 5.00-6.30 p.m.
Location: Room 1101
Pharmaceutical Sciences Building
2405 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC

To learn more and RSVP, click here.

— Carol Kuang, Recruitment and Admissions Officer

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Admissions, Advice, Prospective Students

Update for Entry-to-Practice PharmD Applicants: 2017 Reminders

As we are approaching the New Year, we are also coming up on some very important admission deadlines. The Entry-to-Practice PharmD application deadline is January 15, 2017, which is only a few weeks away! Here are a few things to be aware of as we get into the busiest part of the admissions process.

Transcripts
Official transcripts from every post-secondary institution that you attended are required. After you apply for admission, the Undergraduate Admissions Office will review your application for completion and determine which documents are needed. You should receive an email listing the status of your documents within a few business days. However, January is a very busy time for admissions so you can expect delays processing your application and transcripts. This is why it is in your best interest to submit your application early so that you will find out which documents are needed well before the application deadline. You can also find this list on your Student Service Centre (SSC) in the “Application Status” page; this is also the best place to find out if your transcripts have been received.

For students currently studying at a post-secondary institution, your transcript needs to include final grades for courses that are completed up to December 2016. We suggest waiting to order your transcript until these grades are available.

All transcripts must be sent directly from your institution to the Undergraduate Admissions Office, and not the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Transcripts can be addressed to:

The University of British Columbia
Undergraduate Admissions Office
2016-1874 East Mall
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z1

If you attended, or are attending, UBC or UBCO, you do not have to order your UBC transcripts.

Application Q&A Session
We will be hosting an online Applicant Q&A Session on January 11, 2017 at 12:00 PM Pacific Time. This is an online discussion forum for applicants to ask us your last minute questions before the application closes. You will be able to post questions and have them answered in real time, and see what others are asking.

Registration is required before January 10, 2017.

Office Closures
The Office of Student Services will be closed from December 24, 2016 through January 2, 2017. To find out how this closure will impact our admissions advising services, please visit our website.

We wish everyone a warm and safe holiday season! See you in the New Year!

— Carol Kuang, Recruitment and Admissions Officer

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Admissions, Advice, Prospective Students

Your Pharmacy Application: On Volunteering, Extra-Curriculars, and Work Experience

 We often receive questions on how to improve your pharmacy application. One suggestion would be to work on achieving competitive grades, but being “book smart” is not the only attribute that will make you a great candidate for our program.

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To be a pharmacist is to be committed to patient care and improving health care outcomes. Thinking about the pharmacy profession in this framework should give you a better understanding of the skills and qualities you need to be a good pharmacist and a strong applicant to the PharmD program.

If you have already started the online application, you’ll notice that we ask our applicants to complete a personal profile. The personal profile is an opportunity for you to tell us about your experiences, achievements and learnings, in or outside of the classroom, that cannot be demonstrated through your academic transcript. While we do not ask for a minimum number of volunteer hours or work experience, or give preference to those with a long list of extra-curricular activities, it is important to take some time to reflect on what you’ve learned from these types of experiences.

In summary, the personal profile is your opportunity to tell us about yourself and the achievements we can’t learn about from your transcript alone. This is one of the important ways that we assess the qualitative attributes that are so important in your journey to becoming a pharmacist.

— Carol Kuang, Recruitment and Admissions Officer

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Admissions, Prospective Students

Admissions Update: Applications for Winter 2017 are now open

The Winter 2017 undergraduate application is now available online! This means that you can now begin filling out your application for the Entry-to-Practice PharmD program.

There are a few ways to access this application, and it depends on your current student status:

Applicants from outside UBC can access the UBC application online at: https://account.you.ubc.ca/ubc/apply/apply_now.ezc.

Current UBC students can access the Change of Program application online, via the Student Service Centre (SSC): https://ssc.adm.ubc.ca/sscportal/servlets/SRVSSCFramework. The Change of Program form is located under the Registration tab.

Former UBC students can apply online to be readmitted via the Student Service Centre (SSC): https://ssc.adm.ubc.ca/sscportal/servlets/SRVSSCFramework. The Readmission form is located under the Admissions tab.

Current UBC students who are planning to graduate at the end of this Winter session should still apply through the Change of Program application in the SSC.

We encourage everyone to apply early rather than waiting till the deadline to submit your application. There are several sections of the application that may require some time to prepare such as the Personal Profile section. These questions require some thought, so it is best to give yourself some time. Also, you will be required to provide the contact information for two referees who can speak to and verify some of the activities that you plan to write about, but they will not be expected to write reference letters.

 

Finally, it is important to stay on top of application and transcript deadlines once you apply. Be sure to check your emails regularly for updates from our Faculty and from the Undergraduate Admissions Office. More information on admissions deadlines and how to apply can be found here.

If you would like to attend an information session, we will be hosting Information Evenings where you can have your questions answered, meet Faculty, staff, and students, and see our learning spaces. The dates for this year are as follows:

  • Wednesday, September 28, 2016 5:30 PM-8:00 PM RSVP
  • Wednesday, October 26, 2016 5:30 PM-8:00 PM RSVP
  • Wednesday, November 23, 2016 5:30 PM-8:00 PM RSVP

Registering is strongly recommended.

Good luck, and we are looking forward to meeting our next pool of pharmacy applicants!

– Carol Kuang, Recruitment and Admissions Officer

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Admissions, Advice, Prospective Students

Multiple Mini Interviews: Five Things to Remember

It’s hard to believe that it’s the middle of April and the Multiple-Mini Interviews are less than 3 weeks away! Congratulations to those who are advancing to the next stage of the admission process!

iStock_000071625181_XXXLarge 2

While it’s difficult to give advice on how to prepare for interviews, we’d like to share some important things to remember when preparing for your interviews:

  1. Prepare yourself as if it is a job interview. We won’t ask you to solve math equations, but we will expect you to respond to questions and scenarios. Make sure you come dressed appropriately, do not wear strong scents or colognes, and be your best self!
  1. Be punctual. It’s very important that you arrive on time (as indicated on your confirmation email) to go through check-in procedures. If you arrive late, you might not be allowed to interview. For those coming for an interview on May 1st, please review the BMO Marathon Road Closure information provided to you in your emails, and leave plenty of time for travel.
  1. You’ll be meeting with multiple interviewers, so if you stumbled on one response, you’ll have the opportunity to recover with the next interviewer.
  1. There will be two break stations. The interviews can be intense for some, so take this time to relax and recharge.
  1. Bring a bottle of water. This will be the only item you can bring with you into the interview, and trust me, you’ll want it. All other personal belongings will be held in the check-out room for you to pick up when you leave.

We are looking forward to meeting everyone who is coming in for an interview. If you can no longer attend the interview, please email me at undergrad.pharm@ubc.ca to let me know as soon as possible.

See you in a few weeks!

Carol Kuang, Recruitment and Admissions Officer


Questions? Leave a comment, or contact Carol directly.

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Admissions, Prospective Students

An Update on the Admissions Process

As you know, applications for Winter 2016 are now closed and you’re probably wondering when you’ll hear from us.

Students in UBC Pharm Sci atrium

By now, you should have already submitted your required transcripts and the Undergraduate Admissions Office is working diligently to match your documents with your application. Please be patient with us as we are entering final stretch of our application reviews. Keep in mind, you can check your application status by logging onto the Student Service Centre.

Our interviews will take place on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1 this year. Due to the format of the Multi Mini Interviews, we will not be able to accommodate alternate interview dates, so please save the date.

Shortlisted candidates who are selected for interviews will be contacted in early April via email. It is important to ensure that the email address you provided is correct, and do not forget to check your junk folders.

That’s all for now. I will be back in April with more updates for you!

— Carol Kuang, Recruitment and Admissions Officer


Questions? Leave a comment, or contact Carol directly.

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Admissions, Prospective Students

Don’t Forget to Apply for Winter 2016!

Students in Lecture Theatre

Happy New Year to everyone! It’s that time of year where most of you are finalizing your applications and experiencing the thrill – or nerves – of pressing that “submit” button. Before you close your browser, it’s important to double-check that you have done all that you needed to by the application deadline. Here are a few important tips and reminders:

1. Remember that the application deadline is January 31st at 11:59pm PST.

2. Ensure that your application was submitted successfully and that your application fee was paid. Without a fee payment, your application is not complete.

3. Submit your official transcripts. Official transcripts are to be sent directly to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. The mailing address is as follows:

The University of British Columbia
Undergraduate Admissions
2016 – 1874 East Mall
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z1

Important information about the online application, deadlines, how to submit transcripts, and much more can be found here: http://you.ubc.ca/admissions/how-to-apply/

4. Check your email inbox and junk mail folders. Information regarding your application will be communicated through email so it is important that you provide the correct email address and that you check your junk folders as well!

From February through March, we will be busy reviewing applications so your patience is appreciated during this time. We will be inviting selected applicants for interviews in early April. This year, the interviews will take place on April 30th and May 1st. Check our blog in the coming weeks for more information about the MMIs!

For those who are still contemplating Pharmacy as a career choice, or want to meet us in person before the application deadline, we will be hosting our last Information Evening on January 21, 2016 from 6-8 p.m. PST! This session will be streamed online as a live webcast for those who live outside of the Lower Mainland. Click here to RSVP.

Lastly, do not hesitate to call (604) 822-0344 or email undergrad.pharm@ubc.ca with your admissions questions. We wish you all the best with your application!

Carol Kuang
Recruitment and Admissions Officer
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of British Columbia

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