Tips for incoming pharmacy students
My name is Jasmin Kaur Parmar and I am an incoming 4th-year Pharmacy student at the University of Kent. I am also a Healthcare Partner at Lloyds Pharmacy and a NICE student champion. I am a highly motivated and hardworking individual who always aims to achieve any task at the highest possible standard. With over 5 years of experience in customer service, I have developed skills such as community, team-work, problem-solving, and taking initiative.
I am currently working with Dr. Sukvinder Bhamra (Principle investigator from Medway School of Pharmacy, Kent) and Prof. Michael Heinrich (UCL School of Pharmacy) on a research project looking at the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the personal wellbeing and professional practice of community pharmacy teams in the UK.
Jasmin Kaur Parmar
Firstly, congratulations on receiving an offer to study Pharmacy, especially during this unprecedented time. It is a very fascinating course allowing a lifetime of learning and development of skills. I recently had a few students contacting me for my key advice on how to tackle the course, which inspired me to write this blog.
Work smarter rather than harder.
This is a commonly used phrase but works like a charm. Pharmacy is a very “content-heavy” course and does require one to remain consistent throughout the year. This becomes particularly important in your second and third years, however its best to get into good habits from day one. With long contact hours alongside labs and workshops, it is normal to feel exhausted at the end of the day and to not have the motivation to revise. The best way to avoid this is to take “mental breaks”. For me, personally, the Pomodoro technique has been very effective. This is a technique I implemented in my daily routine in year 1 and have not looked back since. If you have not heard of this technique before, it is a time management tool that allows you to break down your time into “chunks”. I usually use an app on my phone called ‘Focus keeper’ where I set a study timer for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break, and after repeating this 12 times, I am allowed a 30 minutes break. This not only motivates me to stay completely focused for the 25 minutes, but it helps me to resist the temptation to check Instagram (a major distraction for me).
Engage in extended learning.
Your university will most likely encourage you to do this. This does not necessarily mean you should read every book in the library on pharmacology (although that would be very impressive). I cannot recommend pharmacy placements enough. Nothing will prepare you better for the practice than experiencing it first-hand. I personally work a few hours every week in a community pharmacy during term-time. The major benefits were OTC skills, recognizing drug names, and their indications. So even if you do not think you will succeed in the interview stages, just apply. You will receive excellent interview skills from simply attending one - you have absolutely nothing to lose.
Do not miss contact hours.
This is probably the best advice I can give you -do not miss your lectures, seminars, workshops, and other contact hours. Ultimately, your lecturer is the one writing your exam questions and therefore they will focus on the material that they expect you to know for the exam. Simply reading over powerpoints and books will not give you the additional depth and knowledge that you require to do have a good understanding of the topic. My biggest drive for attending lectures is that I want to ultimately be the best pharmacist I can possibly be; therefore I should not be skimming/skipping any lecture material that is taught to me.
Join the pharmacy society on campus.
This is an excellent way of meeting students from other years that can provide insights based on their experiences (and mistakes!). Your peers can share excellent tips as they are in the same boat as you. During society meetings and events, students from older years tend to be very helpful. Share any concerns that you may have about your course with them, they will most likely help you overcome your challenges. You can also find out more about important events at the university. It is a great way to socialize with likeminded individuals.
Do your best and your success will follow.
Pharmacy is an incredible course. You will learn something completely new and fascinating with every module. Do not let yourself get overwhelmed by the quantity of the course, instead enjoy the modules and engage as much as possible in your learning. If you are at a university studying pharmacy, you are highly capable of studying this course. Trust the process and believe in yourself - you are doing great!
