UBC Pharmacy Applications 2019/2020 - Class of 2024

[Forever_Regrets]

5 hours ago, johnjohn22 said:

Anyone know what is better job outlook? Nursing or pharmacy?

Nursing hands down but the job is tough and its not for everyone. 

[concrete_pinata]

What's interesting about nursing is that (in BC as far as I know) there's been a lot of advocacy and barganing work done by the nurses' union. I wonder if a similar organization would be helpful for community and hospital pharmacists (separate organizations for each) to mitigate the current trends with wage reduction/poor job growth/harsh work in BC, Ontario, and other affected provinces. I realise that in order to be successful there would effectively need to be unanimity amongst pharmacists, that's an important discussion on its own. There's also some who hold the opinion that unions promote laziness and "protect the weak". However I am struggling to think of other measures that can be used to protect the pharmacy profession from the trends I just mentioned. It's also possible that this a problem that cannot be addressed through unionization. I've only done preliminary research at this point (based off what some American states have done), but I'm wondering if anyone has any knowledge they'd want to chip in on this idea. I hope this made sense, sorry if anything's unclear.

[Axon2020]

3 hours ago, concrete_pinata said:

What's interesting about nursing is that (in BC as far as I know) there's been a lot of advocacy and barganing work done by the nurses' union. I wonder if a similar organization would be helpful for community and hospital pharmacists (separate organizations for each) to mitigate the current trends with wage reduction/poor job growth/harsh work in BC, Ontario, and other affected provinces. I realise that in order to be successful there would effectively need to be unanimity amongst pharmacists, that's an important discussion on its own. There's also some who hold the opinion that unions promote laziness and "protect the weak". However I am struggling to think of other measures that can be used to protect the pharmacy profession from the trends I just mentioned. It's also possible that this a problem that cannot be addressed through unionization. I've only done preliminary research at this point (based off what some American states have done), but I'm wondering if anyone has any knowledge they'd want to chip in on this idea. I hope this made sense, sorry if anything's unclear.

We have something like a union called BC Pharmacist Association, but not all pharmacists are members. They have been advocating for us to get prescription rights and stuff, and more important issues. However, it does not have the power of the BC nursing union.

[lunacaptain]

5 hours ago, concrete_pinata said:

What's interesting about nursing is that (in BC as far as I know) there's been a lot of advocacy and barganing work done by the nurses' union. I wonder if a similar organization would be helpful for community and hospital pharmacists (separate organizations for each) to mitigate the current trends with wage reduction/poor job growth/harsh work in BC, Ontario, and other affected provinces. I realise that in order to be successful there would effectively need to be unanimity amongst pharmacists, that's an important discussion on its own. There's also some who hold the opinion that unions promote laziness and "protect the weak". However I am struggling to think of other measures that can be used to protect the pharmacy profession from the trends I just mentioned. It's also possible that this a problem that cannot be addressed through unionization. I've only done preliminary research at this point (based off what some American states have done), but I'm wondering if anyone has any knowledge they'd want to chip in on this idea. I hope this made sense, sorry if anything's unclear.

The thing is, the OPA, the BC Pharmacy Association and all the other provincial associations (not the Colleges, which regulate the profession) that ostensibly lobby for pharmacists' interests are fairly powerless against nation-wide corporations like SDM, Loblaws, Safeway, etc. In the end it's about the bottom-line. The employer will want to maximize profits and cutting costs is the easiest way. That's just capitalism unfortunately.

Nurses and teachers don't work for corporations usually so they have some of the strongest unions and bargaining associations. 

For hospital pharmacists however, it's a different story. They are under the HEU (in BC that is), and are therefore mostly immune against poor working conditions, wage cuts ect. 

[Kingassault]

14 hours ago, lunacaptain said:

The thing is, the OPA, the BC Pharmacy Association and all the other provincial associations (not the Colleges, which regulate the profession) that ostensibly lobby for pharmacists' interests are fairly powerless against nation-wide corporations like SDM, Loblaws, Safeway, etc. In the end it's about the bottom-line. The employer will want to maximize profits and cutting costs is the easiest way. That's just capitalism unfortunately.

Nurses and teachers don't work for corporations usually so they have some of the strongest unions and bargaining associations. 

For hospital pharmacists however, it's a different story. They are under the HEU (in BC that is), and are therefore mostly immune against poor working conditions, wage cuts ect. 

Exactly. Many times, the pharmacists are the first ones that are affected with things like wages and hours cut. Pharmacists work so hard already. Go to your local pharmacy and watch the pharmacist run around from customer to customer while answering phone calls and doing reccomendations and 50 other things. It isn't fair which isn't really UBC Pharmacy's problem or fault - they do their best to provide you an excellent education. In my opinion, the people that think pharmacists just count pills will realize how valuable they are when they've finally cut them down to their last limbs and personally I think that's when you'll start seeing a lot of drug related errors.

Also, understand that being a pharmacist is intense pressure, with 100s of scripts going out per day and you checking those scripts, most people would make one or two errors and its something that can seriously harm patients. For the government, as far as I know, it makes sense because why cut from anywhere else when you can cut from a profession that has a surplus of people (both international and new grads) that are willing (and forced after incurring tons of debt) to work for less and less. So they can cut the fees down, and the pharmacys reactionarily cut down pharmacist and pharmacy staff wages/hours. On that note, the amount of work some assistants do for minimum wage or just above minimum wage is also mindblowing.

This is how I understand the system, maybe I am wrong and someone else can correct me. Pharmacists need to show the world how much they really do, how that is possible..i don't know... Any new pharmacy students reading this.. don't be too offput by this, there are different career avenues to explore. Clinical and industry pharmacy have a really good work life balance and in my opinion are some of the best jobs in healthcare. It's just that these spots are limited. If you are from those areas, like up north for northern health, the island for island health, etc..those health authorities will be likely to take you for clinical residency (that's been my experience).  This is not a knock on the profesion itself at all but rather the climate that you will be working in. Pharmacists are very very important but no one seems to get it!

 

If anyone has any questions at all feel free to message me 

[pharmdapplicant32]

Have those who have accepted their offer of admission received a mailed admission letter yet? Will we even be getting one?

[lunacaptain]

1 hour ago, pharmdapplicant32 said:

Have those who have accepted their offer of admission received a mailed admission letter yet? Will we even be getting one?

There isn't a physical mailed admission letter, only 2 emailed admission letters: one from the faculty of pharmaceutical sciences and one from the undergraduate admissions office. You can also download the one from the admissions office on the SSC.

[Premed129]

For those who are admitted and are registering courses, does anyone know what are the differences between each standard time table?

[pharmdapplicant32]

36 minutes ago, Premed129 said:

For those who are admitted and are registering courses, does anyone know what the differences between each standard time table?

I think only the lab sections are different, the rest are the same. Not sure if we will even have labs in Term 1 though?

[kenzieg]

Are most people going to stay where they are currently living or move to Vancouver ? 

[lunacaptain]

1 hour ago, kenzieg said:

Are most people going to stay where they are currently living or move to Vancouver ? 

I'm staying in my hometown. Vancouver rent and car insurance is pretty expensive so I'll save some money by staying at home.

[Axon2020]

Has any rejection letters been sent out yet? If not, why?

[Bluegleam]

39 minutes ago, Axon2020 said:

Has any rejection letters been sent out yet? If not, why?

People are still getting offers every 11 days or so. Seems like a lot of the initial offers have been declined. 

[pharm9901]

So no one has been rejected yet...? Confused.

[Pixiedust]

2 minutes ago, pharm9901 said:

So no one has been rejected yet...? Confused.

I think more offers might come out soon! It's been a couple of days that course registration has started, and there are still some sections available for registration!

[Forever_Regrets]

Are there people still waiting for offers? 

[karen9898]

On 7/17/2020 at 10:29 AM, pharmdapplicant32 said:

I think only the lab sections are different, the rest are the same. Not sure if we will even have labs in Term 1 though?

Thats correct! you wont know what time your labs are until you get access to and are able to download the Google calendar, it is usually 2/3 spots on your timetable and the other slot is allocated for studying or sleeping... there were weeks however where we had lab for all three times on your timetable (rare but still happened). The labs will take place online for first term but they wont be very hands on.

[karen9898]

I think about 2 years ago there was someone who got into the program a day before classes started so dont lose hope  

[karen9898]

I highly recommend joining the facebook group as well as joining the upper year ones as we have posted stuff like notes that may be helpful for you. And to sign up for GPA, its a great way to make fiends and get connected with the upper years.. i made a lot of my friends in first year first term and its sad to say but its going to be harder on you guys to do the same because of everything going on. Pharmacy school was a slap in the face for me and you guys will need each others support and help to get through it so make those connections when you can!! 

[pharm9901]

Anyone else still waiting? :(

[058947]

20 hours ago, pharm9901 said:

Anyone else still waiting?

Yeah... Did you get any email recently?

[pharm9901]

4 hours ago, 058947 said:

Yeah... Did you get any email recently?

No... did u?

[058947]

2 hours ago, pharm9901 said:

No... did u?

I did. They said we can’t offer you admission at this time but you have been placed on a waitlist.

[pharm9901]

18 hours ago, 058947 said:

I did. They said we can’t offer you admission at this time but you have been placed on a waitlist.

May I ask when did you receive that e-mail?

[058947]

7 hours ago, pharm9901 said:

May I ask when did you receive that e-mail?

A few days ago