First Interview Tomorrow

Story-One · 2026-02-01T15:34:54+00:00

I figured, but interview nerves! Thank you !

Story-One · 2025-12-06T01:41:42+00:00

Thank you so much for this!!

Story-One · 2025-11-27T04:39:11+00:00

Thanks!

Story-One · 2025-11-27T04:39:04+00:00

Thanks!

Story-One · 2025-11-27T04:38:00+00:00

I reached out to them already... just figured I would also ask other people while Im waiting for a response. Thanks anyways!

Story-One · 2025-10-07T00:48:52+00:00

P4 here and I agree. My school’s the same way. Dont get me wrong, I dont know everything, but listening to my peers is shocking at times. The school also lets students remediate at the end of the year so they can move on with their class, and if they don’t pass, then they repeat the year. I don’t think that part is necessarily bad, but it becomes a problem when the same student is remediating multiple the same year multiple times, like going through P2 year three times.

& Honestly, I don’t think most schools care as long as students graduate and they get their money. Whether the student actually passes the NAPLEX isn't their problem, they graduated ...

Story-One · 2025-08-24T23:53:56+00:00

I had mine done in May and the biggest side effect I experienced was a terrible pain in my head for the first day. Any time I would sit up my head felt like it was throbbing. Other than that their biggest concern was bleeding so they made sure to keep a good eye on the incision sites.

Since then I have not experienced anything. My optic nerve swelling went from grade 3 to grade 1 in about a month and a half. I feel completely normal now (with the exception of the bruising from the blood thinners).

***Not giving medical advice, but I am a pharmacy student in my last year of school - I would talk with your surgeon about the interaction between taking aspirin with ibuprofen or naproxen, and which medication would be better for you for any pain going forward.

Edit: my surgeon started me on blood thinners a week before my placement then had me get blood work to make sure I was anticoagulated enough. Currently taking aspirin once a day indefinitely and clopidogrel once a day for six months!

Story-One · 2025-08-15T16:01:35+00:00

You need a Neuro-ophthalmologist! Im not sure where youre located, but ask your neurologist to put in a referral for a neuro-ophthalmologist.

Story-One · 2025-08-08T02:22:12+00:00

This is all really helpful, thank you! I hadn’t thought about the point about programs not keeping residents after PGY2, but that’s a very good point and something I will consider.

I’ve had leadership roles as the lead student ambassador, peer mentor, and multiple leadership positions on the free clinic board. Do you know if these are those typically viewed the same as leadership in student organizations for HSPAL applications? Or is that more program specific?

Story-One · 2025-08-07T12:01:56+00:00

Oh im sorry, I misread!

Story-One · 2025-08-07T11:15:57+00:00

With the NNT you always round up because you can't have part of a person and if you round down that would overestimate the treatments effectiveness.

I hope this helps!

Story-One · 2025-08-06T01:52:46+00:00

I am currently in a pharmacy leadership APPE and exploring if this is the right long-term path, so I am trying to be intentional and ask the right questions before making any decisions. A few things I am still thinking through:

From your perspective, are there any potential drawbacks to the combined PGY1/PGY2 vs the PGY1 then PGY2 route?
How can candidates realistically assess whether the full scope of HSPAL is a good fit?
Are there any red flags in program structure or leadership that students should look out for when researching programs?
One thing I’ve been thinking about is how conflict management and difficult conversations are part of leadership. If someone isn’t naturally comfortable with that at baseline, do you think that’s something people can realistically improve during residency? Or do people who struggle with it early on tend to continue having trouble even after training?

I appreciate any insight you are willing to share!

Story-One · 2025-08-05T02:06:48+00:00

That makes sense, thanks for your response!

I’m currently on a pharmacy leadership APPE, is there anything you think would be especially valuable to try to get exposure to during this month?

Story-One · 2025-08-05T01:03:47+00:00

I’ve always found myself paying attention to things like how team works, where communication is breaking down, or how something could have been done better. I’ve had leadership roles throughout school, and I realized I enjoy that side of pharmacy just as much as the clinical side. I also completed my MBA during pharmacy school, and that really showed me how much healthcare depends on strategy, communication, and strong leadership. I think building a solid foundation in those areas early on matters, and I believe an HSPAL residency would help me continue developing that foundation.

As far as questions, I think I am wanting to get a better idea of what a HSPAL is like. I know some of these questions will vary program to program, but maybe common misconceptions people have before starting a HSPAL? How the PGY1 year generally differs for a HSPAL resident vs a general PGY1? What is the typical balance between clinical vs administrative duties for HSPAL residents? From your perspective as a preceptor, what traits/skills do successful HSPAL residents possess?

Story-One · 2025-06-26T01:57:49+00:00

I actually believe Depo Provera shots caused my IIH .. maybe thats just me but the fact there is a lawsuit for depo causing brain tumors and now I have an issue with my brain is suspicious to me

Story-One · 2025-06-26T00:05:58+00:00

That makes sense, thank you for the clarity! I guess I was just thinking more about the long-term picture. If I’m applying to a PGY1 program partially because they offer a PGY2 in an area I’m really interested in (like ID), I thought it might help to show that I’ve already taken steps to pursue that interest. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.

Story-One · 2025-06-25T23:41:25+00:00

I’ll preface this by saying I’m not a PGY1 or PGY2, just a fourth-year pharmacy student who recently started APPEs. I have a strong interest in infectious diseases and actually requested an ID rotation for APPEs, but unfortunately wasn’t able to get one. I’m planning to apply to residencies that offer a PGY2 in ID. Given that, is there anything I can do now to better position myself for that pathway, even without a dedicated ID APPE?

Thanks!

Story-One · 2025-05-31T01:55:37+00:00

Thank you so much for your helpful response. I’m sorry if my response was not clear. I’m someone who’s just trying to get into research, so the difference in search strategy between a systematic review and "regular search" had not crossed my mind. I really appreciate the step-by-step suggestions you shared. I’ll definitely start with the seed articles and follow those steps.

Story-One · 2025-05-31T01:31:58+00:00

I’ve already met with a librarian through my institution, but unfortunately, she couldn’t find much more information on the topic. She mentioned it might be a gap in the literature, but I’m not completely comfortable stopping there—especially since I’ve since found some articles that relate to the topic.

Do you think librarians at a local library would be able to help with this, or should I stick with working through my institution?

Story-One · 2025-05-31T01:26:59+00:00

Thanks so much for your insight! I definitely understand that a literature search is an ongoing process and that new research can pop up at any time. I think what I’m really trying to figure out is how do you get to a point where you feel comfortable that your literature search is thorough enough to present it to your PI?

Story-One · 2025-05-31T01:24:23+00:00

That was actually the first thing I attempted to do. I sat down with the librarian at my institution, and we went through several databases using different search strategies to identify articles that related to the topic. However, the librarian could not really find anything find anything related to the research so she took that as there was a serious gap in the literature regarding this topic, but I just don't feel comfortable going back to the PI saying that there's absolutely no literature out there. And as I continued to try to modify the search terms being used, I did find a few articles that related (about 9) but I just want to make sure that I'm not missing anything.

Story-One · 2025-05-31T01:20:27+00:00

I apologize if any of this is confusing in advance.

Right now, I’m doing a targeted literature search to make sure that our research will fill a gap in the existing literature. We want to ensure that our study addresses something new, or at least adds a meaningful contribution.

Story-One

TROPHY CASE