“Veronica,” congratulations on starting your final year of pharmacy school and embarking on a new journey of rotation life! This is an exciting year for you to learn from both your preceptors and fellow student pharmacists.
I am glad to hear that you enjoyed your ambulatory care rotation. Like you, I was super excited to manage patients’ chronic disease states while I was on rotations even though I did not really know what it was either. You are right, ambulatory care is different and something that most student pharmacists do not experience until they immerse themselves in an ambulatory care setting.
Have an open mind
When I first started rotations, plain and simple, I was terrified. I was no longer in a classroom and I could not rely on the Internet or class notes. Rotation life is so different than going to class; patients depend on you to give them the best care possible. I know that before most student pharmacists go on rotations, they have the tendency to ask their peers “What rotation should I take?” “What rotation should I avoid?” Which preceptor should I watch out for?” It’s no secret that it is helpful to have a “heads up” before starting a new experience.
There is no crime in asking previous student pharmacists about preceptors and rotations, but this should serve only as a guide. How your rotation goes is really up to you. You need to create your own experience and go in there with an open mind. I have to commend you for taking the initiative to win your preceptor over and put all of the comments and forewarnings aside. Because of this, I believe you were able to embrace the rotation and spend your time treating your patients, rather than spending too much time worrying about your
preceptor.
My advice to student pharmacists is to not judge their rotation (or preceptor) without first-hand experience. How can you give your rotation a fair chance with preconceived notions?
Make the most of it
Rotations are an unforgettable experience and I encourage you to absorb as much as you can. There will definitely be harder rotations and rotations that are not as challenging. To better prepare yourself for the real world, I suggest using your “easy” rotations to learn more.
If you find that you have too much free time during an easy rotation, you can always ask your preceptor to do projects on disease states that you want to learn more about or shadow other health care professionals.
I know that board exams are still far away in the distance for you, but it is never too early to start studying (RxPrep was my best friend on rotations). Studying early may relieve the stress of having to go through an entire prep book after you graduate. I know that having an easy rotation may be nice, and it allows you to have a break, but you have to think, what is the real reason for being on rotations? Rotations provide you with an opportunity to be more hands-on and do tasks that you cannot do anywhere else.
The best part of rotations is that you have a mentor to walk you through the entire process. Your preceptor is there to answer questions, guide you, and make your rotation a great learning experience. Why not make the most of it?
It’s all about the patient
During your rotations, ask yourself again, “Why pharmacy?” Most people entered the profession of pharmacy to help patients on their path to better health. Sometimes in the midst of all the craziness of rotations and work, you have to ask yourself this question to remind you why you are there. I know how difficult rotations can be, but just remember, good preceptors will challenge you to be better so you can provide the best care to your patients. Without the preceptors I had during my rotations, I would not be where I am today, and I think that goes for all of us who have had caring, genuine, and knowledgeable preceptors.
“Veronica,” I wish you the best of luck on your rotations and I hope you take it all in. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn and grow!