Observation 8

PCAT Investigation

For my 8th Observation, I thought it would be beneficial to look into the details of taking my PCAT exam or Pharmacy College Admissions Test. This test could determine whether or not I am accepted into the College of Pharmacy. If I do not pass this test, I will may be able to get into graduate school and as a result, will not be able to earn my degree. I researched the courses that I would need to take before I was able to take the test, as well as what would be on the actual test. I will have to study long and hard for this exam. It will be one of the most important tests I will ever have to take.

In order to be able to take the PCAT exam, I will have to complete 6 semester hours of Anatomy and Physiology, 4 semester hours of Biochemistry, 3 semester hours of Microbiology, and additional hours of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutics/Pharmacokinetics. The PCAT is a 240 multiple choice question and 2 writing topic exam. Candidates are given 4 hours to complete the test but are usually allowed a break halfway through. The PCAT is known for being a very difficult test.

What is interesting about this exam, is that students are not penalized for wrong answers. Scores are calculated by adding up all of the correct answers. The questions that are incorrect do not count against the student and are simply not added into the student's score. There is no "passing score" for this test. Each section of multiple choice is scaled from 200-600 and each writing section is scored from 1(weak)-5(superior). PCAT scores along with undergraduate gpa and professor recommendations will all play significant roles in whether or not a student is accepted into a College of Pharmacy.

After obtaining this new information, I have decided to create a study plan for my PCAT exam. I have not completed all of the required courses yet, but I believe it would be wise to save all of my tests, notes, and papers from these classes when I take them. I should start studying for this test in the near future. The PCAT will definitely not be a test that I can cram for. I will need to be very prepared for this test and I plan on getting to work as soon as possible.

Observation 7

Graduate Professor Interview

For my seventh observation, I thought it would be interesting to talk to a Professor as opposed to an actual Pharmacist. My room mate's aunt is a Pharmacology Professor. Dr. Thomas teaches at St. Johns University in Jamaica, New York. I interviewed her over the phone and talked to her about what I can expect to study when I get to graduate school.

Dr. Thomas explained that she teaches a class of about 20 students at a time. Because she teaches at a private school, similar to Nova, there are small class sizes. Her course covers Systems Pharmacology or organ-related Pharmacology. Some of the topics from her syllabus include drug disposition, pharmacokinetics, autonomic pharmacology, central nervous system pharmacology, the pharmacology of inflation, allergy and platelet function, cardiovascular, endocrine, renal and gastric pharmacology.

Undergraduate education is much different from Graduate level education courses. In graduate school, students are required to complete papers, practicals, and will have large-scale exams that they must pass in order to succeed in a class. They do not have the busy work or regular quizzes or test they may have seen in their undergraduate classes. Additionally, Dr. Thomas explained that undergraduate education, especially in Pre-Pharmacy majors, require a lot of difficult Chemistry courses that act as a sort of "weeding-out" process. Graduate school is more of a hands-on education where training to be an actual Pharmacist occurs. However, many students struggle through the undergraduate courses and change majors before they ever make it to graduate school.

Interviewing Dr. Thomas was possibly my most helpful observation so far. The other observations I have conducted have given me a lot of valuable information. However, Dr. Thomas gave me a new perspective on my future graduate education. I knew that I had numerous chemistry courses in my future. However, now that I know that they are supposed to be hard to weed out the students who can't "hack" the hard work, it gives me more incentive to stick it out and succeed.

Observation 7



"A Day in the Life of a Pharm Student"




For my seventh observation, I spent a day with a Pharmaceutical grad student, here at Nova, who chooses to remain anonymous on a public internet blogging sight. She was into her third year and doing amazing. She maintains a 3.6 gpa, but I will never know how she does it. She is the busiest student I think I have every met. Not only is she in grad school, but she has a part time job at the local Ruby Tuesday's here in Davie, Florida. When she walked me through her typical day, I was fascinated. I did not know how it was possible for one person to complete all that she does in a single day.
When she fist wakes up, this Pharmacy student goes to the gym for about an hour and a half beginning at about 8 o'clock. Next she showers and gets ready for work. She only has about five minutes to eat, so she grabs a pop tart on the way out. She works for about 5 hours a day, then returns home to get ready for class. After about 3-4 back to back classes, she goes back to her room and begins studying. She studies for every subject a little bit every night. She suggested to me, that if I can find the time, studying a little bit every night will greatly increase my rate of learning the material. After she has studied for about 3 hours, she decides to have a quick bite to eat and then she goes to bed. The next day, she gets up, and does it all over again. This is her schedule for about 5 nights out of her week. She does get Sundays off, which she confessed she spends studying and eating junk food.
I greatly enjoyed this shadowing observation because I got to physically see what my future could very possibly look like in the next couple of years. It was very hectic, but looks manageable. I cannot wait to get started!

Observation 6

Comparing/Contrasting Interviews

Over the course of this research project, I have conducted interviews with two different pharmacists. The first, Suzi, was a family friend who works at her local CVS in Indiana. The second and most recent, Luis Rodas, is the night pharmacist in the Davie, Florida Walgreen's. After interviewing both, I came to discover that they are very different Pharmacists as well as people.

Suzie, who attended school for only 8 years, received her undergraduate education as well as her degree from a College of Pharmacy, did not get her masters degree in order to become the Pharmacist she is today. She works about forty hours a week beginning in the mornings and ending at around 5pm. She truly loves her job. With years of experience behind her, she is completely comfortable in her career and how to handle any strenuous situation that is thrown her way.

Luis Rodas attended a total of 10 years studying for the profession he maintains today. He, unlike Suzy, did obtain a Masters degree in biochemistry. His work schedule, includes about 60-72 labor hours a week fallowed by an entire week off of work. His work night starts at 10pm and ends around the time that Suzie's work day starts. Because Luis has only been a Pharmacist for about 2 years, he described his job as less satisfactory overall than Suzie. However, he has much less experience in the actual Field of work and may learn to love it just as much as she does as he gains more experience.

Both Pharmacists agree that the job definitely has its triumphs and tribulations, and that it can get very stressful. They also agree that the schooling required to have a job in the Pharmaceutical practice is very intense and very time consuming. However, they both also say that it definitely pays off in the end. I have determined that it will take time to really love the job that I intend to work so hard for, but I am willing to put in the work. Hopefully, like Suzie, Rodas and myself will eventually learn to love the career of Pharmacy.

About my Interview:

I interviewed Luis Rodas, a doctor of Pharmacy in the local Walgreen's here in Davie, Florida.

I introduced myself as a hopeful future-pharmacist and told him where I attended school and what the interview was for. I found out a lot of interesting information about both the Pharmaceutical practice as well as Dr. Rodas personally. Probably the most interesting thing that I discovered during my interview, was the crazy work hours that some pharmacists deal with. For instance, Dr. Rodas works 7 days out of the week but then gets the fallowing 7 days off. He works the night shift Monday through Friday from 10p.m. to 8a.m. On Saturday and Sunday he works 11 hour shifts. All together this comes to around 70 hours a week.

Interestingly enough, as I was waiting to interview Dr. Rodas, a Nova Southeaster Pharmacy student got in line to fill a prescription. I was lucky enough to be able to ask her a few questions as she waited in line. I found out that she is currently in her 11th and final year of school. When I heard this, I panicked. I thought that pharmacy was a 6year program give or take. However, depending on which degrees you get, and whether or not you go for your Bachelors, school can take a very long time. This admittedly made me question my commitment for a second, but as of now I am willing to do what it takes.

My interview was a very eye opening and exciting experience. It further concluded that this is defiantly going to be a difficult journey in a difficult major. However, seeing the bright future that Dr. Rodas has gives me a lot of determination and drive to work as hard as I can to get my education. Overall, I believe the interview went extremely well.

Observation 5

Being a patient with ADD, I am prescribed Aderol monthly. Therefore, for my fifth observation, I thought it would be a good idea to keep a detailed journal of the process I, as well as many others, go through in order to get my prescription medication. I wanted it to be sort of an inside look at the every-day prescription pharmaceutical process.

Because I am an out of state student, I had to switch health care providers when I came down to Florida for school. I decided, for convenience purposes, to make my main health care provider the sports medicine doctor at the U.C. In order to fill my prescription, I had to set up an appointment with Dr. McCarthy to make sure that the prescription I am currently on, is right for me.

When I went in for my appointment, the doctor asked me a series of questions about being on my medication. Common symptoms of being on Aderol, she explained, were loss of appetite, inability to sleep, feelings of depression and sometimes even suicide. She asked me if I had experienced any of these feelings. When I told her no, she then proceeded to ask me if I think the dosage that I am currently on is right for me. I told her that from time to time it gets harder and harder for me to focus, so I will occasionally double-up on my medication in the morning. She said that it was acceptable, but in the future I may have to increase my mg.

After my appointment, prescription in hand, I proceeded to the nearest Walgreen's. I had to bring all of my insurance information with me, because I am from out of state and being prescribed medicine from a new doctor. After the pharmacy technician entered all of my information into their data base, she told me there was a twenty-five dollar co-pay for my prescription, and that it would be ready in a couple hours.

The reason that people have to drop off a prescription and come pick it up later, is because the pharmacists as well as the technicians have to concentrate on giving you the exact amount of the correct prescription. The have to measure out exact mg and dosages. Pharmacists have to approve the dosages and make sure the technicians are filling prescriptions properly.

A few hours later, I returned to pick up my prescription. I received it in a very clearly marked bag. Inside was the medication bottle, also clearly marking my name, my doctor, the pharmacy I went to, the date, and the mg dosage I received. It made me relieved to know how thorough my pharmacist as well as my new doctor was. The world of prescription medication is one of extreme accuracy. One day I hope to be able to help patients the way my new doctor and pharmacist helped me.

Observation 3

Florida's Pharmaceutical Distribution Dissimilation

For my third observation, I thought it would be interesting to research and compare Florida's pharmaceutical distribution laws in comparison to the rest of the country's. I had previously heard something about Florida's prescription drug distribution laws being different than every other state's, so I decided to investigate.

In 2003, The Prescription Drug Protection Act unintentionally isolated the state from the nation's pharmaceutical distribution network. This was unfortunately the cause of enormous amounts of prescription drug abuse. Patients would get prescriptions filled at two or three pharmacies in one day. These consequences could have been crucial in the event of an emergency or a drug shortage. Something had to be done!

Mckesson, the largest pharmaceutical distributor in America. who had sales of 101.7 billion in 2008, is a company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high quality health care by reducing costs, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. ("Mkesson Empowering Health Care 2006") Their primary focus is to keep the nations drug supply safe and to make sure lifesaving drugs get where they are needed, when they are needed.

Jeb Bush, the Governor of Florida recently took action to rectify this issue. He signed into law Florida House Bill 371. This bill enhances the security of the distribution network without compromising the safe, cost-effective, and rapid delivery of medicines to Florida health care providers and their patients. Mckesson is fully supportive of this legislature for obvious reasons.

It was very interesting to learn about how pharmaceutical laws can vary from state to state. When I first discovered what I had heard to be true, it shocked me. Honestly, I felt somewhat intimidated because I now reside in Florida. However, when I found out that Jeb Bush signed the the new bill into law, I was very relieved. I would still like to find out more about the variations of pharmacy distribution laws within the country as well as outside of it. This was a very educational observation and definitely my favorite one yet. I can't wait to learn more next week!