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.