UCSF's Blackburn Receives Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

It was exciting to wake up this morning and find that UCSF's Elizabeth Blackburn was awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Although not directly "pharmacy-admissions-related", I think it speaks to the high caliber of research and people affiliated with UCSF.

Congratulations!

For a comprehensive story on Blackburn's award (along with profiles of other UCSF Nobel Laureate winners), visit the following website: http://www.ucsf.edu/nobel/2009/blackburn/

Molecular biologist Elizabeth H. Blackburn, PhD, 60, of the
University of California, San Francisco, today was named
to receive the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Blackburn shares the award with Carol W. Greider of Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine and Jack W. Szostak
of Harvard Medical School.

10 Characteristics of a Successful Applicant

We get LOTS of questions from prospective students and applicants to the effect of "What do you look for?" and "How can I make myself more competitive?" This summer JCB shared a document from ADEA (dental schools) that I thought summed up nicely a list of characteristics. I've adapted that original list to align more with UCSF's PharmD admissions process. Here goes...

10. Demonstrates a passion for the profession
Our most successful and competitive applicants are able to articulate their understanding of pharmacy and their reasons/passion for pursuing a PharmD degree.

9. Balances multiple priorities and responsibilities
We have a rigorous curriculum. But our current students are able to handle the coursework, along with holding leadership positions and volunteering in various settings. Some choose to work during the academic year as well. While it's not easy, they can balance all this. Applicants who have proven their ability to successfully balance multiple priorities/responsibilities can make make a good fit for our program.

8. Demonstrates strong ethical values and professionalism
As one of the most trusted health professions, we can expect this from our students and applicants. As a doctoral program, we expect our students to display a high degree of professionalism -- beginning with the admissions process.

7. Demonstrates leadership, initiative and motivation
Leadership, initiative and motivation are common threads amongst our students. It doesn't begin in pharmacy school, rather our students come to the program with a solid track-record of demonstrated experiences.

6. Submits a well-prepared, thought-provoking application
Our largest cut in the admissions process happens during the initial review of applications. We are limited in the number of interview spots available. An applicant that does not submit a well-prepared, thought-provoking application isn't likely to be advanced to the interview stage of the process. As I've said before: "This is a UC doctoral-level program, not summer camp. Your application should reflect this."

5. Submits strong letters of recommendation
For UCSF, letters of recommendation (LORs) are not "after thoughts". They are very much a part of an applicant's file and are taken very seriously. An amazing applicant/application with poor LORs does not make for a well-rounded applicant. Consider LORs as an extension of your application, not a simple requirement that completes your file. LORs provide at least three additional voices advocating for your admission into a PharmD program and your fit to be a pharmacist. Why would you take this lightly?

4. Is well-acquainted with the admissions process at the pharmacy schools being considered
Every school has different requirements. Every school has different policies. Some have different deadlines. Most have unique time-lines. The worst approach you can take to the admissions process is to assume that all schools operate the same way, at the same time. Be familiar with the process for all the schools you are applying to. Organize yourself in a way that allows you to keep track of all documents and correspondence. Make sure you are operating with the correct information, rather than snippets of information gathered from online forums -- which are full of "experts.”

3. Knows strengths and fit of institutions
Not every program is a good "fit" for every applicant. As a prospective student, it's your responsibility to know what every program offers and whether it's a good fit for you. Are you familiar with the strengths of each program? Are you familiar with each program's curriculum? Is this a good fit for you?

2. Demonstrates clear career goals
The PharmCAS essay specifically asks applicants to address this topic. Have you done that? Does your essay reflect convincing reasons why you chose pharmacy as a career? Have you articulated your goals?

1. Applies early and to more than one school
Let's face it -- it's competitive. Not just UCSF -- but all schools! It's smart advice to apply to multiple programs and to apply early. While UCSF does not have early admissions or rolling admissions, sending your application in early ensures there is enough time to make sure your application arrived. Applications submitted on the deadline date usually reflect the frantic nature of the applicant.

What do YOU think? Do these characteristics apply to you?

It's on!

The 2010 UCSF Supplemental Application has launched!

It's on!

http://pharmacy.ucsf.edu/pharmd/admissions

Early-early-early-early-Super-early-early bird.

A quick reminder to those interviewing...

As per our interview instructions:
"Because our interview process includes several components (interview, on-site essay, prerequisite review, campus tour, etc.) you should expect to be on the UCSF campus approximately five hours beyond your scheduled time. Please plan your travel accordingly."

What this means:
Check in at your assigned time and expect to remain on campus for approximately 5 hours after that.

What this does not mean:
Check in 5 hours early! =) [Yep, I really can't make this stuff up -- even if I tried.]

Remember: Read your instructions (see previous post), pay attention to details (see previous post), and most of all -- get a good night's rest (see previous post!)

A Successful Interview Day: Expectation Meets Preparation

With UCSF Admission Interviews around the corner, I know (well, I hope) many of you are preparing for this phase of the process. [Or will you show up having given no thought or dedicated no preparation time to it? Hmmmm..... scary. I think back on past interview days and remember some applicants that were so unprepared for the day, I wonder if they ever were admitted to any pharmacy program. ]

To help you get started, I've created a list of what you can expect (Expectation) along with what YOU can do to prepare (Preparation)!

Here goes....

Expectation: We've assigned you a specific check-in time.
Preparation: You shouldn't plan on checking in earlier than the time indicated on your invitation letter. We have built in some extra time for you to relax a bit before the Welcome Session. Don't be the person who tries to check in two hours early, only to have to sit there for two hours waiting.... Use extra time to visit the campus, walk through the library, get a snack, etc.

Expectation: It will be a long day.
Preparation: Get a good night's sleep. You will have 364 other days of the year to stay up late. Make sure you are well rested.

Expectation: Your interview "day" should last about 7 hours (welcome session, essay, interview, chat room, financial aid session, tour).
Preparation: Make travel arrangements to accommodate the time frame you've been provided. Expect to be on campus for the entire period of time. Rushing in for your interview and rushing out says a lot about your desire to be a part of our community.

Expectation: Some applicants will be completely and totally nervous. Some will be so frazzled, they won't even be able to see straight.
Preparation: Get in your own zone -- so that that nerves and lack-of-preparation by others doesn't negatively impact your experience.

Expectation: San Francisco is a crazy place and the traffic is sometimes messy.
Preparation: Visit the campus the day before your interview and map out a plan to ensure you have plenty of time to get to campus on the day of your interview.

Expectation: This is a professional interview.
Preparation: Dress for success. You won't get a second chance to make a good first impression.

Expectation: Nothing has changed in the instructions you were provided in your interview invitation.
Preparation: Review those instructions again. In fact, print out and bring with you! (Just in case you need to refer to it.)

Expectation: There may be a last-minute change that will impact you.
Preparation: Be flexible -- it's an important characteristic in a pharmacist!

Expectation: We have assigned you a specific check-in time.
Preparation: Plan to check in at the designated time. If you are early, visit the library, or head to the food court and grab some coffee. Checking in earlier doesn't speed-up-your interview.

Expectation: You will be required to show proof-of-identity at check-in.
Preparation: Bring official photo ID with you (driver's license or passport!). Or will you be the person that forgets to bring it this year?

Expectation: The Admissions Staff will be on-site all day.
Preparation: Introduce yourself! We'd like to put a face to a name.

Expectation: You will be required to complete an on-site essay.
Preparation: Bring several writing tools (pens) that you are comfortable with.

Expectation: You might be asked questions about your experiences and background.
Preparation: Spend quality time thinking about potential questions and possible responses. Don't be rehearsed, be prepared.

Expectation: Although it's technically an "interview" -- we'd really like to consider it a "conversation" and an "experience."
Preparation: Be prepared to engage in a conversation and learn from the experience. That means asking questions, too!

Expectation: We will provide a light lunch.
Preparation: If you require a specific food item, it might be best to bring it with you. We will have a variety of snacks in the chat room in addition to a light lunch.

Expectation: You will be in various rooms throughout the day.
Preparation: Bring a small bottle of water to keep you hydrated as you move through the day, although we will have water available.

Expectation: You will have the opportunity to meet with current student pharmacists.
Preparation: Be prepared to ask them questions and get to know them. This is just as much a chance for you to get to know us as it is for us to get to know you!

Expectation: You may want to jot down some notes or important information throughout the day.
Preparation: We will provide you with a folder and some materials. You will be able to take this home with you. You do not need to bring a folder or portfolio with you.

That's all I can think of now. If something else comes to mind, I'll add to the list.

My new favorite saying...

"The best way to become a competitive applicant is to follow directions."

Can also be re-phrased to:

"To become a competitive applicant, you must first follow directions."

Or:

"Following directions is your first step to being a competitive applicant."

And:

"Being a competitive applicant requires that you follow directions."

Also:

"Competitive applicants will have followed directions."

Key phrases:

• competitive applicant
• follow directions

We've made a list and we've checked it twice...

We did it!

We've made a list and we've checked it twice!

With the exception of (about) five pending files, we have made our final decisions on which applicants we would like to interview. ("Is this your final answer?" -- "Yes, final answer!")

Our initial goal was to notify applicants by late-December/early-January regarding their admission status. We are right on track.

I'll admit, this is a bittersweet time of year. There will be many excited applicants who will receive interview invitation letters in the coming weeks. (Please please please accept our invitation! Please!). But there will be many more whose journey in the UCSF 2009 application cycle will come to an end. In an ideal world, we would interview EVERYONE who applied in order to see who will make the best "fit" for our program. Unfortunately, we don't have the resources to make that happen. So we were forced to select a limited number of applicants from a huge applicant pool and ultimately invited those we think have the potential to be great partners with UCSF.

Now that says absolutely nothing about those who weren't invited to interview with our program -- except that we believed it wasn't a good match this year. We believe that 99.9990% (there's always a few exceptions) of all applicants will someday become outstanding pharmacists -- somewhere! But in considering our program, curriculum, values, mission and culture -- and considering each applicant -- not everyone who applied is a good match for UCSF. That's our goal in the admissions process -- finding students with the best fit who will partner with us to move the profession forward. We always encourage applicants to cast their net wide in applying to pharmacy schools. The admissions process for every school is extremely competitive and it simply isn't smart to place all your eggs in one basket. We certainly aren't the be-all-end-all in PharmD programs. Finding the right fit is the most important aspect in ensuring you will thrive as a pharmacy student.

So what am I really saying? Well, in a nutshell, every PharmD program is different. Each has a unique culture that may be a better fit for applicants who bring different experiences and qualities to the table. We believe we have invited those applicants who match best with UCSF's program.

Below are a few questions related to our notification process:

When are you sending out notification letters?
Letters started going out this past week -- as fast as we could print them and package them. We will be sending out more this coming Monday and Tuesday. We hope to have all letters sent out by Tuesday, December 23rd.

What strategy do you use to send out notification letters?
No strategy. We are feverishly stuffing envelopes and getting them to the mailroom as soon as humanly possible. Theories ("they send out denial letters first and then acceptance letters"; "they send out CA letters first and then out-of-state"; "they wait until the day before Christmas to send out denial letters") are super-super fun to read, but they don't hold up. Even re-applicants aren't privy to our process -- despite having applied previously. (At last count, there were only about 3 -- maybe 4 -- experts at our admissions process.)

Where do you send the letters? To my current address or permanent address?
We send them to the "preferred" address you indicated on your PharmCAS application. We are honoring YOUR wishes to have correspondence sent to the address YOU preferred - whether that be "current" or "permanent".

Are the Interview letters in big envelopes and Denied letters in small envelopes?
One size fits all. Really.

If I contact you now, can you let me know what my letter says and what my admissions status is?
No.

What if I don't receive a letter?
Be patient. The mail system takes time. Be patient. We will not field "what's my status" inquiries until January 12th. Be patient. If you have not received a letter by January 12th, please contact our office. Be patient.

***

As for those five pending files -- odds are that none of them have YOUR name on it. But if it's any comfort, they are a priority for Monday morning. =)

[I can't go without mentioning the true "awesome-ness" of our office staff. We are a small unit so everyone pitched in -- in some way, at some point -- to help us get through this Initial Review period. Whether it was fielding phone calls, stuffing envelopes, or makin' copies -- everyone stepped up to the plate when we needed it. Big Ups to all of you -- SE, EV, LP, FF, CW, CBW, ED! Let the interviews begin!]