Learn the art....

"Learn the art of patience. Apply discipline to your thoughts when they become anxious over the outcome of a goal. Impatience breeds anxiety, fear, discouragement and failure. Patience creates confidence, decisiveness, and a rational outlook, which eventually leads to success."

-Brian Adams

Crossing The Finish Line!

Wow! What a long (and great) day! 

Our final admissions committee meeting just ended -- a perfect way to wrap up a short week. We're all out of here to enjoy the long three-day weekend!

(Now to focus on March Madness!) 

Happy Rumor-Free New Year!

Happy New Year! I can’t believe it’s 2010. It just seemed like a few days ago it was 2009…. oh, wait… haha!

It was a good winter break. We had a crazy few months of reviewing files in preparation for notification letters going out before the holidays. Hopefully, we’ve had a chance to catch our breath in preparation for the frenzy of the new year. The “down time” has enabled me to catch up on some internet reading that I just don’t have time to do when reading files takes priority. When I do have some free time, I like to pop into a few online forums and I’m always shocked and humored at what I read. I often wonder how I would digest this information if I were a pre-pharmacy student or an applicant. While I can’t respond to every post (and certainly can’t do this on a regular basis), I thought it would be helpful to clarify a few items for the benefit of prospective students and future applicants.

It’s a totally mixed bag of stuff. Things. (How do you like that for categorizing?)

For some items, I’ve rephrased them into a question/statement so that I could provide a direct answer. For other items, I’ve included a quote and responded. I’ve reworded, too, just to make it easier to read.
Enjoy!

“It seems like UCSF accepts a disproportionate number of women to the pharmacy program than men. Is this because pharmacy is more of a female type of a job or because fewer men want to do pharmacy or because men aren't wanted? Can someone give me an explanation? I'm bummed out because I'm a guy and UCSF is my dream pharmacy school.”
There’s no preference. We receive more applications from females than men, so naturally more females would be admitted than males. It’s the same for almost every other demographic category. By percentage, our admitted student body reflects the applicant pool we select from.

“The statistics are so because that year they had more applicants that they liked who happened to be women.”
Not true. We had more female applicants that year overall.

“If UCSF is your dream pharmacy school, good luck. You'll need to have some major things to get in. One being a state resident, second having a bachelors degree, etc.”
Not true. The majority of our applicants are from California. The vast majority of our applicants will have a bachelor’s degree prior to starting a PharmD program. It’s not fair to imply we have a preference when we are simply selecting from those who apply.

“Remember that programs in California, like UCSF and USC, require bachelor degrees in order to apply. Except USC is the only one that explicitly states this on their website.”
I can’t speak for USC, but it explicitly states on our website that a bachelor’s degree is not required.

“I went on UCSF's website and looked up the percentage of admitted students without a bachelor’s degree. GEEZ I didn't know it was that low accepting of non-degree people.”
Interesting observation. People make it sound like we receive HUNDREDS of applications from non-degree individuals and only admit one or two. In reality, we receive VERY FEW applications from students without a degree. So naturally, our admitted students will reflect this. Again, we select from those that apply.

“Are onsite essays important?”
YES! YES! YES!

“Could some of you post your stats?”
This always fascinates me. Really, it does. I guess people think we narrow an applicant down to a set of stats (GPA, pre-pharm GPA, length of time working in a pharmacy, number of extracurricular activities, etc.) Gosh! I wish it were THAT easy. Then we could just plug the info into a database, print a report, and admit students based on the report! I hope the complexity/length/depth of our supplemental application supports the argument that we look for well-rounded applicants who make the best fit for our program. A stellar set of stats means nothing if an applicant can’t articulate their ideas, display strong communications skills or distinguish themselves as a good fit for UCSF.

“This might be a dumb question, but has anyone gotten into UCSF with a C- in a prerequisite course without retaking it?”
Yes.

“They HAD to send them (notification letters) out around Christmas.”
I hate the timing of our notification. But we want to let applicants know as soon as possible so we tried to get most of them out before our own winter break.

“From what I remember the last 2 years, if you dodged this round of rejections, you can start booking a roundtrip flight to SF.”
Not true. We sent out invite and denial letters in December. We sent out invite and denial letters in January. There is no meaning to when they were sent out. We simply ran out of time in December.

“Yeah, it appears that the letters are sent out in batches.”
Not true. Well, actually letters do get sent out in batches. But only because we have a small staff and we can only fold letters and stuff envelopes so fast. The mail picks up twice a day. But there is no method to the batches, if that is the implication. (Sorry to disappoint the conspiracy theorists!)

“I haven't heard anything from UCSF yet, but I have an interview invite from UCSD. I'm wondering if it's a good or a bad sign. Since from reading previous years' threads, it seems like some people get in either at UCSF or UCSD. Still hoping.”
We do not collaborate with UCSD in regards to the admissions/interview selection process. Some applicants may be invited by both to interview; some may not be invited to either; and some may be invited to one and not the other. We may admit someone who didn’t even get interview at UCSD, and vice-versa. We are different schools with different programs.

“I haven't heard from UCSD, but got an invite to UCSF. I read that a few people got invites to both schools last year, but it seems most got rejected by one but an invite from another. Who knows. All speculation.”
Yes, all speculation. We simply don’t compare notes with UCSD during the admissions selection process.

“I saw many dates. Any conflict with UCSD interview dates?”
If there are conflicts, lets work it out! Such a simple solution. =)

“As for people with the interviews, I would start reading the interview feedback section and re-read it a few times. I'd also read the last year and the one before that (threads.) You want to have a general idea of the process, so that there aren't any surprises - remember, fortune favors the prepared mind.”
Eeeks! Be careful. There’s a fine line between being prepared and being rehearsed. Everyone has a different experience and being so overly prepared may mask the authenticity that we look for during the interview. Just saying…

“Actually, they don't release interview dates to anyone but the interviewees (as in, they won't tell you if you call them, nor will they post it on the website). Interview dates get released to current students later, so that we may come out and meet the interviewees. Good luck!”
Not true. (Well, except the fact that we don’t put the interview dates on the web.) We aren’t trying to be sneaky, but why post the dates on the web? Everyone involved in the process (interviewees, interviewers, chat room participants, etc.) are informed of the dates. I think that’s enough, no? If someone were to call, we’d let them know the dates. But interviewees don’t get to choose dates so I’m not sure how that information could help them.

“For those who received interview invites, have you done research? It seems like this is a research based school and will only accept you if you did research or have some highly unique characteristic. I did not do research and was not invited to interview.”
First, your statement is what is considered a fallacy. Second, some applicants do bring research experience to the table. Some do not. Some with a research background make good fits for UCSF. Others do not. Sometimes having research experience can make an applicant more interesting and competitive. Other times it may not even matter. Some people are interested in research. Some people aren’t. Some people LOVE research so it’s natural that they conduct research prior to being pharmacy school applicants. Other applicants LOVE sports so they join intramural sports teams. Both could potentially be admitted to UCSF.

“I'm declining my interview, so good luck to whomever gets it!”
A declined interview spot does not make space for someone else.

“Are you out-of-state resident for UCSF? Do you know if they favor CA residents over out of state residents? You must have good stats since I think it is really difficult for out of states to get interviews/acceptance from UCSF. Anyone out there know how many out of state UCSF accepts each year?”
The number of out-of-state students we accept varies from year-to-year. Every year is a new year with a fresh and unique applicant pool. The majority of our applicants are from California. So it’s natural that the majority of our admitted students are Californians. Also, out-of-state tuition is not cheap. So many pre-pharmacy students opt to study in their home state. (This is not a UCSF thing, though. Look at ANY college – undergraduate or graduate.)

“I talked to someone at the office, and they told me they do not favor in-state students over out-of-state students. When they review the applications, they actually do not see the location of the applicant. The reason for the skew towards CA applicants is because there are that many CA people who want to stay in their sunny CA - or so the office told me.”
Partially true. We get a lot of applicants from California, so we admit a lot of applicants from California. We do see where applicants are from (otherwise it would make it difficult to see a lot of things – like academic background, any school/state references in their essays or reference letters, etc.) but it doesn’t dictate whether and applicant is interviewed or admitted. An outstanding applicant is an outstanding applicant – regardless if they are from California or Tennessee!

“For those who got interview letters (is it via snail mail or email, btw?)”
Always by snail mail. We fear those scenarios where thousands of e-mails go out to the wrong people.

“There are some people who will decline their interview dates so be patient as interview spots will open up! Good luck to you.”
Not true. As I said above, a declined interview doesn’t open a spot for another. Applicants are either invited to interview or not. One’s interview invitation is not dependent on whether another declines or accepts.

“Is there an opportunity for the prospective students to meet other prospective students before/during/after the interview day?”
Yes! We have a full-schedule of activities as part of the interview day – including meeting with other prospective students as well as current students. We get criticized for having a long day (there will be moaners, complainers and whiners) but we think it’s important for prospective students to really get a sense of our students (both future and current) and to thoroughly explore our program. Could someone technically just come and go for the required elements of the interview day? Yes. But that is not the type of student that makes a good fit for UCSF.

I hope that helps clarify and shed light on some of those postings.

I feel like MythBusters!

Did you get it?

As the application deadline approaches (and passes), we're bound to get lots of questions like:

"Can you tell me whether or not you've received my Supplemental Application?"

"Am I missing anything?"

"I'm worried that my application didn't make it to your office. Can you confirm if it arrived?"

"Did you get it? DID you get it? DID YOU get it? DID YOU GET it? DID YOU GET IT? DID YOU GET IT?"

(I picture someone sitting next to a phone, completely stressed out, because they've submitted their application yesterday and still haven't been notified whether it's been received or not. Oh, my scenario takes place on a Sunday -- with the application being submitted on Saturday morning.)

So I thought I'd take this opportunity to explain the notification process a bit.

Let me see... where do I start...hmm....

There are two parts to our application:

1. PharmCAS Application
2. Supplemental Application

We have one database. (But it's a big one!) The database content is supplied by PharmCAS. We receive electronic data/applications from PharmCAS.

We do not send notifications out until we've received a PharmCAS application AND a Supplemental Application.

Keep in mind:

1. Every university admissions process is unique. Because you receive immediate notification from one school does not mean you'll receive immediate notification from another school. It just depends on their process and system.
2. We do not manually enter data into our database. We wait to receive information electronically from PharmCAS -- this allows us to send electronic mail (email!) to applicants, notifying them that we've received an application (and indicating whether any items are missing.)
   
3. If we receive a Supplemental Application BEFORE we receive your PharmCAS application, we do nothing except file that Supplemental Application away. We wait to receive your PharmCAS application and then retrieve your Supplemental Application (from the file) and process your application -- including sending you an email.
   
4. If you turned in your Supplemental Application a LONG TIME AGO but just now completed your PharmCAS, we wait to receive your PharmCAS application and then retrieve your Supplemental Application (from the file) and process your application.
5. Just because you submitted your PharmCAS application yesterday, it does not mean they will deliver it to us today. It takes them several weeks to verify your grades once they have received your transcripts. We receive electronic mailings from PharmCAS on a weekly basis -- so if your application is finally completed and verified by PharmCAS on a Tuesday (for instance), it may have to wait until the following Monday to be sent to us. Nothing in admissions is instantaneous.
6. The closer it is to the deadline (November 2) -- before AND after -- the longer it takes us to process applications -- because of the shear volume of mail. Your application is not the only application that we are processing. =)
   

In short:
We send an email notification confirming we have received your Supplemental Application only after we've received your PharmCAS application. (But remember, just because you've submitted your PharmCAS application, it doesn't mean that PharmCAS has submitted it to us.)

(Another reason it's stress-relieving to get your application in early!)

Article: Student Leaders Share Insights into Rewards and Challenges of UCSF Education

From UCSF Today (news service)....

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Student Leaders Share Insights into Rewards and Challenges of UCSF Education

By Robin Hindery

Joseph Castro, right, vice provost of Student Academic Affairs, talks to UCSF students, from left, Marnie Noel, Daniel Hardy, Julie Hunkapiller, Hugo Torres, and Alyssa Abraham about their personal experiences and challenges as aspiring scientists and health professionals.

Five of UCSF’s most accomplished student leaders gathered at Mission Bay recently to discuss what drew them to the University, the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, and how they are coping with rising tuition and looming debt.

The Oct. 13 event, “Developing the Next Generation of Leaders in the Health Professions,” was hosted by the UCSF Alumni Association and sponsored by the Office of Gift and Endowment Planning. The theme alluded to a key objective of the UCSF Strategic Plan: fostering “the world’s future leaders in health care delivery, research and education.”

The panelists represented each of UCSF’s four professional schools and the Graduate Division, and the discussion was led by Joseph Castro, PhD, vice provost of Student Academic Affairs.
All of the students said UCSF’s reputation as a world-class academic institution played a role in their decision to apply, but many other factors contributed as well.

“UCSF is a really rare combination of an excellent, highly regarded school with a real commitment to serving the underserved,” said third-year medical student Hugo Torres, who hopes to return to his native Los Angeles after graduation to practice primary care and work to improve public health.

Julie Hunkapiller, a fifth-year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, said she was both “surprised and impressed” by the UCSF faculty’s willingness to mentor students and the amount of one-on-one attention that is available.

Second-year pharmacy student Marnie Noel was introduced to UCSF not as a prospective student, but as the daughter of a patient. Her mother received treatment for Parkinson’s disease at UCSF in 2005 and Noel recalls being “completely blown away” by the care her mother received and the expertise of the team of health professionals, which included clinical pharmacists.

“I had never seen pharmacists in a clinical setting before,” said Noel, who studied psychology in college and only started considering pharmacy as a career a couple of years ago. “UCSF seemed like this impossible dream. I put it on a pedestal.”

Now that the dream has become reality for Noel and the four other student panelists, they have all worked hard to improve both the campus environment and the surrounding community. Many of those efforts have involved students from multiple schools. The panelists said they hoped to see inter-professional collaboration become an increasingly routine part of the UCSF experience.

“We’re all used to our own way of doing things and looking at things, so it’s really interesting and helpful to hear other perspectives,” said Alyssa Abraham, who is pursuing her PhD in the School of Nursing’s Department of Family Health Care Nursing.

Challenging Financial Times

In addition to eye-opening experiences and a top-quality education, UCSF has also served up its share of challenges to the students — most notably in the form of steadily increasing professional student fees and debt.

For the first time in the University’s history, the 2009 graduates of the School of Medicine incurred a higher average educational loan debt than Stanford University’s 2009 School of Medicine graduates, according to the Office of Student Academic Affairs. Loan indebtedness among UCSF graduates has nearly doubled in the schools of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy between 2001 and 2009.

“I will graduate with a huge, huge amount of debt,” said Torres, whose tuition is being paid for through a combination of scholarship support and loans.

What’s more, Torres noted, his preferred field, primary care, pays significantly less than most other specialties — a reality that has led to a nationwide shortage in primary care physicians.

Not only has the debt crisis in medical education harmed current students and recent graduates, but it threatens to exclude promising future students from entering the health professions, said Daniel Hardy, a third-year dental student who relies on loans, a small scholarship and his wife’s salary to cover his education.

“In order to attract the best to UC, we really need to provide some sort of compensation for them,” he said.

UCSF has received some good news lately on the financial front, Castro said. In August, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that UCSF would receive $159,000 in federal economic stimulus funds for student financial aid in the 2009-2010 academic year. The scholarships were divided among incoming students in the schools of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy.

In addition, in July the Graduate Division received nearly $300,000 in stimulus funds for an existing fellowship program that provides intensive research and teaching experience to postdoctoral scholars from underrepresented backgrounds.

Photos by Noah Berger

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?