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How hard is Pharmacy?

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Reply 20
I'm only in first year so I'm kind of slacking with the course a bit while a can.. but when it comes down to it, it's a very demanding subject - even just in first year my workload has way exceeded what I thought it would, and it wasn't exactly like I was expecting it to be a walk in the park! However, as people have already said, it's definitely demanding rather than difficult. There's some aspects of the course I'll struggle to get my head round initially (mostly the chemistry), but once you've got it all understood it's working to balance your time well that seems to be key to being successful with pharmacy.
hang on a minute! essays and presentations... i'm out!
Reply 22
Original post by tehsponge
The pharmacology in Pharmacology is much more detailed though.


i had experience of the first year of a pharmacy degree and at that particular uni Mpharmers used to share lectures with the pharmacology students. From what i remember, the hardcore science for 1st year was identical and then MPharm had 3/4 more units as opposed to BSc pharmacology. Looking at the course modules in detail, year 2 Mpharm and year 3 Mpharm had the same pharmacology units as Bsc pharmacology and again had more practice based pharmacy/health promotion/placement units. 3rd year pharmacology did stuff on analytical techniques/research methods that are then covered in year 4 mpharm so i don't think the pharmacology is much more detailed on the BSc because pharmacology underpins pharmacy and without it pharmacists wouldn't know what a drug does/whether it is right for the patient etc. MPharm have to know rang and dale inside out by the end of their degree but yes, i agree with everyone on here in tha tMPharm is a very demanding degree and some things are conceptually difficult but once you get your head round are ok.
Reply 23
the pharmacology is the easiest part of pharmacy...for me!
at the end of 4th year you are expected to know how every drug on this plant works!
hello,

EASY is the answer !! I am a pharmacist and the degree is fairly straight forward. I'm not a genius and got average a-levels (C,C,C) but i found it fine and got a 2,1 whilst also partying hard!
The science degrees are much harder, ie Biomedical Science etc because they tend to have similar content to Medicince in the 1st 2 years. Feel sorry for them as they don't get paid anything near to what pharmacists do and their degree is actually quite hard.
Anyway im not complaining. Become a pharmacist and be happy and you will never regret it!

The job itself can get boring but pays £££££ for an easy job. £25 an hour to locum is madness for what we actually do !!

Remember you can work as a pharmacist even if you get a 3rd in your degree from wolves uni
Original post by Work&Die
hello,

EASY is the answer !! I am a pharmacist and the degree is fairly straight forward. I'm not a genius and got average a-levels (C,C,C) but i found it fine and got a 2,1 whilst also partying hard!
The science degrees are much harder, ie Biomedical Science etc because they tend to have similar content to Medicince in the 1st 2 years. Feel sorry for them as they don't get paid anything near to what pharmacists do and their degree is actually quite hard.
Anyway im not complaining. Become a pharmacist and be happy and you will never regret it!

The job itself can get boring but pays £££££ for an easy job. £25 an hour to locum is madness for what we actually do !!

Remember you can work as a pharmacist even if you get a 3rd in your degree from wolves uni


Excuse me but do you mind me asking how much pharmacists actually get paid per year? And do you know how much doctors get paid? I'm considering becoming a pharmacist but I've read there's a lot of essays and presentations? And I hate English in school...
Reply 26
Original post by Work&Die
hello,

EASY is the answer !! I am a pharmacist and the degree is fairly straight forward. I'm not a genius and got average a-levels (C,C,C) but i found it fine and got a 2,1 whilst also partying hard!
The science degrees are much harder, ie Biomedical Science etc because they tend to have similar content to Medicince in the 1st 2 years. Feel sorry for them as they don't get paid anything near to what pharmacists do and their degree is actually quite hard.
Anyway im not complaining. Become a pharmacist and be happy and you will never regret it!

The job itself can get boring but pays £££££ for an easy job. £25 an hour to locum is madness for what we actually do !!

Remember you can work as a pharmacist even if you get a 3rd in your degree from wolves uni


This makes me even more confused lol. I was considering biomedical science as I thought it was supposed to be easier, as well as being something that interests me.
Does anyone else think that biomedical is harder?
It's not difficult (obviously you'll find some areas easier than others) but I wouldn't exactly describe it as a cakewalk; whereas most courses expect 3-4 modules a year, this one wants around 10-11. That means while friends on other courses may have timetables with huge gaps,you'll be pretty busy from the get go and, if I'm being honest, at times it can feel a bit overwhelming (like at the end of a 9 to 5 day). But I guess it all boils down to the old saying 'you'll only ever get out as much as you're willing to put in' :smile:
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by FallenPetal
It's not difficult (obviously you'll find some areas easier than others) but I wouldn't exactly describe it as a cakewalk; whereas most courses expect 3-4 modules a year, this one wants around 10-11. That means while friends on other courses may have timetables with huge gaps,you'll be pretty busy from the get go and, if I'm being honest, at times it can feel a bit overwhelming (like at the end of a 9 to 5 day). But I guess it all boils down to the old saying 'you'll only ever get out as much as you're willing to put in' :smile:


Is the course like chemistry at alevel? And do you do lots f practicals? If so what sort
Original post by thelooby94
Is the course like chemistry at alevel? And do you do lots f practicals? If so what sort


Yeah, a lot of the time you'll see things which you vaguely remember from A-level. In the past they've taken people in who have acheived a C in chemistry and they've coped fine, so with a sound B-level knowledge you should manage (though I would recommend recapping all of the major reactions/principles just before you start if you're worried about it at all). At times it does go a bit beyond A-level with the chemistry, but theres not really anything especially new/mind boggling.

Practical wise, for the first year you are expected to do around 6-7 practicals in a 12 week semester, each being given a 3 hour slot (not including any retakes). I can't say much about the second year, but I've heard that this number increases.
Original post by FallenPetal
Yeah, a lot of the time you'll see things which you vaguely remember from A-level. In the past they've taken people in who have acheived a C in chemistry and they've coped fine, so with a sound B-level knowledge you should manage (though I would recommend recapping all of the major reactions/principles just before you start if you're worried about it at all). At times it does go a bit beyond A-level with the chemistry, but theres not really anything especially new/mind boggling.

Practical wise, for the first year you are expected to do around 6-7 practicals in a 12 week semester, each being given a 3 hour slot (not including any retakes). I can't say much about the second year, but I've heard that this number increases.


Thanks a lot for the detailed reply :smile: I find chemistry a bit boring at the moment (Chem 2) and this is so childish but I'm so scared when doing practicals! Your probably thinking now why on earth would she want to do pharmacy? Well I have no idea what I wantto do! And my sister wants to do pharmacy too so we could go to the same uni lol! Sorry for blabbing on!
Original post by thelooby94
Thanks a lot for the detailed reply :smile: I find chemistry a bit boring at the moment (Chem 2) and this is so childish but I'm so scared when doing practicals! Your probably thinking now why on earth would she want to do pharmacy? Well I have no idea what I wantto do! And my sister wants to do pharmacy too so we could go to the same uni lol! Sorry for blabbing on!


If I'm being perfectly frank, I still feel scared when I do practicals :smile:

Do you have any idea which schools you want to apply for? (I can remember my school had me straight on it as soon as I finished my AS exams - so naturally, I didn't start my UCAS until mid November ^^)
Original post by FallenPetal
If I'm being perfectly frank, I still feel scared when I do practicals :smile:

Do you have any idea which schools you want to apply for? (I can remember my school had me straight on it as soon as I finished my AS exams - so naturally, I didn't start my UCAS until mid November ^^)


I honestly have no idea where I want to reply

Ive thought w out Nottingham but my mum said it's rough area lol I had no idea! But I heard it's good for pharmacy, to be honest I would prefer if there was a nice quiet uni in the middle of nowhere lol I wouldn't fit in at these crowded ones haha where are you at? Know any quiet unis? :smile:
And I am dreading having to write a personal statement! I don't do any extra curricular things and I havE no work experience!
Predictive text on iPod sucks!
Original post by thelooby94
I honestly have no idea where I want to reply

Ive thought w out Nottingham but my mum said it's rough area lol I had no idea! But I heard it's good for pharmacy, to be honest I would prefer if there was a nice quiet uni in the middle of nowhere lol I wouldn't fit in at these crowded ones haha where are you at? Know any quiet unis? :smile:
And I am dreading having to write a personal statement! I don't do any extra curricular things and I havE no work experience!


-points to sig-

Norwich (where UEA is) is a quaint little city in the middle of nowhere (there is literally fields for miles surrounding it). Still, I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who's looking to move somewhere lively! I can't say much for other unis, but I recommend going to visit them on open days (I thought I really wanted to go to Brighton untill I actually got to Eastbourne (where the podiatry school was located)).

Also, I think UEA put their grades up this year from ABB-BBB to AAB-ABB, making it one of the harder schools to get into to (apparently they also expect predicted grades of at least BBB now - I was predicted ACCC when I applied ^^).
Original post by FallenPetal
-points to sig-

Norwich (where UEA is) is a quaint little city in the middle of nowhere (there is literally fields for miles surrounding it). Still, I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who's looking to move somewhere lively! I can't say much for other unis, but I recommend going to visit them on open days (I thought I really wanted to go to Brighton untill I actually got to Eastbourne (where the podiatry school was located)).

Also, I think UEA put their grades up this year from ABB-BBB to AAB-ABB, making it one of the harder schools to get into to (apparently they also expect predicted grades of at least BBB now - I was predicted ACCC when I applied ^^).


oh that sounds quite good then. in the middle of nowhere suits me lol! I'm hoping to get As so that should be fine but do they rely much on the interview to decide? i will be sitting there all red. not saying a thing!
Original post by thelooby94
oh that sounds quite good then. in the middle of nowhere suits me lol! I'm hoping to get As so that should be fine but do they rely much on the interview to decide? i will be sitting there all red. not saying a thing!


Well I was amazed when they gave me an offer - I was predicted a C in chemistry, but if you'd have asked my chemistry teacher at the time, he would have said that I was heading straight for a D at best ^^

I honestly can't say - we were given offers of ABB, interviewed and then that was lowered to BBB if they liked us (most people got lowered :tongue:). I think they may have changed it though, not sure. But, from what I remember, the interview I had was really nice, more like an informal chat - they don't suddenly spring a load of questions about drugs at you like some institutes *coughs*Manchester*coughs*.

...so to answer, no, I don't think they put a huge amount of weight on the interviews, and no, I don't think they set them out to be taxing.
Original post by FallenPetal
Well I was amazed when they gave me an offer - I was predicted a C in chemistry, but if you'd have asked my chemistry teacher at the time, he would have said that I was heading straight for a D at best ^^

I honestly can't say - we were given offers of ABB, interviewed and then that was lowered to BBB if they liked us (most people got lowered :tongue:). I think they may have changed it though, not sure. But, from what I remember, the interview I had was really nice, more like an informal chat - they don't suddenly spring a load of questions about drugs at you like some institutes *coughs*Manchester*coughs*.

...so to answer, no, I don't think they put a huge amount of weight on the interviews, and no, I don't think they set them out to be taxing.


ok i was gonna apply there so thanks for the heads up!

they will probably make the offer for me A*A*A* because hte interview will be so bad hahaha
Reply 38
It seems that if I'm lucky I will only get to start Pharmacy in autumn 2012, that's bad because I've already taken a year out and done nothing with my time.
Biomedical Science is only available at a uni far away, and I really don't wanna move away from home again.
I've been accepted into my local uni's school of Biology, but it seems these courses require 'clinical scientist' training afterward, which I can't do locally and are supposed to be very difficult to get onto.
*sigh*
Original post by thelooby94
ok i was gonna apply there so thanks for the heads up!

they will probably make the offer for me A*A*A* because hte interview will be so bad hahaha


Ahh, glad to help :smile: Always ready to gently guide prospective Pharmacy students this way and all that ^^

Trust me, UEA - and most Pharmacy courses for that matter - are nowhere near as scary as they look. The UEA open day is definitely worth going to at least ^^

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