It can be hard to juggle APPEs, life, and job-hunting in your final year of pharmacy school. For me, it felt like I was in a pressure cooker for about a year. There is so much pressure, both internally and externally, to do well in APPEs, network with pharmacists, and find time to figure out your career.

My entry into the world of pharmacy was not standard. My interest started in high school, when I attended a pharmacy open house at the University of Minnesota. I had planned to go to a 0- to 6-year PharmD program but ended up attending a 4-year college in my home state. Four years later, I graduated with a triple major in chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology, and sociology/anthropology, and most of my pharmacy prerequisites. While I thought pharmacy was interesting and I wanted to help people, I was a bit grossed out by bodily fluids and hospitals. So, I took a detour and joined Teach For America.

Preparing for the NAPLEX and MPJE is a daunting task given the importance of passing those exams and the difficulty of studying while on rotations, working full-time, and/or preparing for postgraduate life. As I was in your shoes not too long ago, I want to share some advice for when it’s your time to take the big exams.

As a student pharmacist or a first-year pharmacy resident, it is challenging to assess the postgraduate path needed to achieve one’s career goals. Determining if additional training beyond the first residency year is the next best step can be one of the most challenging decisions that pharmacy residents face. 

“Just be yourself.” How many times have you heard this interviewing tip?