HELP with Applying for Pharmacy 2022 (MPharm)!

(edited 11 months ago)

Hi - I applied for medicine for 2020 entry, but I'm now doing pharmacy. Unlike medicine, you don't really need work experience for pharmacy - my interviewer asked me if I did have any experience but he reassured me and said it wasn't a requirement (I did my work experience in year 10 in a pharmacy so I used that). You could talk about pharmacy from a patient/customer perspective (I did during my interview, as everything I did for UCAS was for medicine and not pharmacy, so it was a bit difficult). As you've made a decision right now (and not as a result of rejections like me), you still have lots of time to try and get some work experience in a pharmacy. I literally only applied for pharmacy as it was an alternative course that was offered when I was rejected for medicine at Nottingham (my 5th choice wasn't pharmacy either - I really didn't want to do it), but now I'm really enjoying the course! I hope this helps a little, and if you've got more questions, feel free to ask me and I'll try my best to answer them. Good luck!

Reply 2

0895

Original post by muhammadkumail

Recently made a switch from wanting to apply for medicine to now wanting to study Pharmacy...anyways here's what I've done so far in 1st year at sixth form:
attended a medicine virtual WE, where I listened to a GP in her final year of training she also talked about how GPs provide primary care and the challenges they face. listened to a junior doctor too and about his daily roles, learnt about medical ethics, went in a virtual emergency room where we had to assess patients status and give him the right drugs.

that's pretty much it...as you can see not much relating to Pharmacy but if there is something from what I listed in there that I could put on my PS then do tell me...even if if relates to Pharmacy a teeny bit!!!
I am going to look around for more work experience opportunities like working / shadowing a GP in my local area.
Also, what are some good books regarding this subject as I want to read about it? What was your reason for wanting to study Pharmacy?

Thanks.

Oh and if you're wondering I'm interested to applying to LMJ & University of Manchester so far.

Please don't think me rude Muhammad, but you really need to look into pharmacy as a career much more. (I am a community pharmacist who encounters pharmacy students every summer!).

You could start by going down your local High Street and speaking to real life community pharmacists and asking them if they would recommend a career in pharmacy. Around 65% of pharmacy graduates go into retail pharmacy. So basically working in a shop. You will be a healthcare professional in a retail environment, managed by non-pharmacists.

You can read my past history of posts of why you should be cautious in doing a pharmacy degree, as the profession is going to go through big changes in the 2020s. (I have been in community pharmacy over 25 yrs).
Also read the 'stickies' at the top of the page on 'Is it worth it?' and 'poor career prospects?'.

I am curious as to why you are going to look to work shadow a GP? Are you still kind of thinking of medicine? You would be strongly advised to get a few days of work experience in a community pharmacy, especially if you have never done retail work and/or have no experience of the general public!

Also you need to think of the reason of why you want to study pharmacy and be a pharmacist? Do you actually want to be a pharmacist?!? You seem to be asking the question to get ideas of what to say at interview/put on your PS. I would be interested to know why you have decided not to apply for medicine as you have done so much research into it, and also why you chose pharmacy, instead of say, nursing or optometry, for example?

I always advise to have a big think about a pharmacy degree these days, as there is no one more unhappy on the course than the person who really, really wanted to be a Dr/Dentist/Vet, etc. Please don't do pharmacy "just to do something" !
I recently worked alongside a Saturday boy for a few weeks who was a pharmacy student, and he really didn't like pharmacy, but on closer questioning it turned out he missed out on a place to do dentistry by one grade. "So just did pharmacy through clearing".

Another poster on here, Ecolier, will certainly advise you NOT to do pharmacy and use it as a way to do Graduate entry medicine. This is a very long and expensive route to becoming a Dr. It is possible, and some have done it, but it's a long hard slog.

Finally I always point out there is nothing wrong with the degree itself, it is the job that comes at the end of it. And beware universities offering you a 'bright clinical future' or like one did recently, a post on here listing all the jobs you could do with a pharmacy degree like go into teaching or into finance! And when they tell you that "you can go into industry", ask them for the figures of how many actually do!

I don't want to put you off if you are generally interested in the career, but before you spend £37k, make sure you want to do a pharmacy degree and be a pharmacist. Universities are actively recruiting these day, in medicine you get selected, in pharmacy you are recruited. I'm sorry if this isn't the kind of reply you were hoping for. Do PM me or reply if you want to. Good luck.

Reply 3

username5683114

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Reply 4

username5683114

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Reply 5

username5683114

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Reply 6

amber0321

Hi! I didn’t apply for pharmacy myself, but one of my close friends did :smile:

They got experience working in pharmacy originally by shadowing a local pharmacist, but was then able to get a part-time job in the same community pharmacy on Saturdays and just helped out customers there. They spoke about that experience quite a lot in their personal statement, but then had a few other experiences working with the public (previous part time job, volunteering at a charity shop etc.)

If you were able to get something similar to this, or even just shadowing a pharmacist, I think it would be great experience!

Good luck with your application :smile:

Reply 7

username5683114

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Reply 8

amber0321

Original post by muhammadkumail

How long was their work experience at this Pharmacy?
This part time job they did, did they do this whilst studying Pharmacy or were they still at college / sixth form? (because I wish to have a part time job at a pharmacy when I get to study it)
Thanks for this reply...all of them are helping a lot :smile:

Hi! We live up in Scotland so slightly different but she started just after she turned 16 and has been working there a little under 2 years now alongside her studies :smile:

Reply 9

username5683114

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Reply 10

chibichibi_xx

Original post by muhammadkumail

That's reassuring to hear, especially in these current times where work experience is hard to get (imma still try as I have time). Also, its good to hear that your ACTUALLY enjoying the course! did they ask about medical ethics in the interview or about news relating to pharmacy, like new drugs etc? in your 1st year did you enjoy the typical day and why?...bc I heard there's a lot of getting used to.
thanks :smile:

I was asked about current affairs, and had to apply medical ethics in scenarios (although it wasn't as obvious as applying it in my medicine interviews) - my interview focused more on the 9 standards compared to ethics though. I do enjoy the typical day - each week is different, and we were lucky to have in person classes (although there weren't very many). What I liked most about this year was the labs, and professional practice classes (I was able to get feedback on consultations and learn from my mistakes and improve my confidence as I'm a shy person). We are promised more in person teaching and labs next year (depending on how the third wave hits us at the start of the year), so that is something I'm looking forward to, as most of us are just tired of having to do lectures from our rooms and having little social contact. It does take some getting used to because university is different to A levels - you're having to do full time education and learning how to adult at the same time which can be a shock to the system, but you get used to it quickly.

Reply 11

carolle

I will apply to Pharmacy for 2022 entry. I see there are 2 possibilities MPharm (4 years) and MPharm with an integrated pre-registration scheme (5 years). I suppose the second option is best as following the first option one needs to do a one year foundation training before registration as a Pharmacist, while after graduation the second option gives you the right to register immediately as a Pharmacist. All advice welcome!

Reply 12

chibichibi_xx

Original post by carolle

The 5 year course (which is what I’m doing) still has the training in it, but depending on the uni, may be split up over y4 and y5.

Reply 13

Adam_9081

Original post by chibichibi_xx

Was there any additional tests you needed to take and how was the interview?

Reply 14

chibichibi_xx

Original post by Adam_9081

Was there any additional tests you needed to take and how was the interview?

For some universities like UCL there are, I think Nottingham also had one at the interview but as mine was online I didn’t have that. The interview is a lot less nerve-wracking as the medicine ones were. It’s very uni-specific, it’s not like the UCAT which you absolutely need (so basically there’s no standardised test for pharmacy).