Congratulations on completing your PharmCAS (the online application process for pharmacy school admissions throughout the nation) and getting your admission interview(s) scheduled! That was a big step forward already. What now?
Interviewing for pharmacy school can feel like one of the biggest barriers between you and your dreams of getting into pharmacy school. You will get through it though and hopefully get into the school of your choice.
Below will be steps on how to approach your admissions interview day, with one of the most important part being how to prepare for the possible interview questions. (*See below for a FREE PDF download of 16 Common Pharmacy School Admissions Interview Questions.) You will also learn more about how the interview day might go down, what to wear, and what to bring.
1). Preparation for Possible Interview Questions
Figure out WHAT type of questions you might be asked during your interview. You can do this by searching online for common questions other prospective students have come across at the specific university you’re interested in (i.e. Student Doctor Network). There’s always a chance it can be asked during your interview.
You can also talk to current pharmacy students or alumni. If you don’t personally know any that you can speak with, there may be Facebook groups/pages available to join where you can voice your questions/concerns.
Then, you can strategize HOW you might answer certain types of questions. Most questions might be reflective in nature, meaning you’ll have to recall certain situations you may have been in and explain how you got through it. These types of questions are best answered in a structured story-telling manner that makes it both concise and memorable.
To help organize your thoughts during these types of questions, follow the framework of the “STAR” method:
| Situation | What’s the background on the challenge you were faced with? |
| Task | What were you responsible for? |
| Action | What did you do to overcome the challenge? What was your thought process for taking those actions? |
| Result | What was the end result of figuring out your challenge? What did you learn from the situation? |
2). Review my 16 Common Pharmacy School Admissions Interview Questions PDF (optional)
Below is a download button for the PDF for 16 Common Pharmacy School Admissions Interview Questions to anticipate and prepare for. It will also differentiate between questions asked in an open file versus closed file interview.
3). Figure Out What to Wear to your Pharmacy School Admissions Interview
“Professional judgement” will be a phrase you’ll be hearing from this moment forward and into your career as a pharmacist. With that being said, it is an important interview, so business professional attire may be best.
| Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|
| Tops | -Ironed button-up -Tie -With or without blazer/suit jacket | -Ironed button-up -Blouse (no cleavage) -Knee-length dresses -With or without blazer/suit jacket |
| Bottoms | -Ironed dress pants | -Ironed dress pants -Knee-length pencil skirts |
| Shoes | -Dress shoes | -Dressy closed-toe shoes -Dressy flats |
| Other | -Minimal tattoos and piercings shown -Hair is groomed and clean -Outfit colors should be more neutral than flashy | -Minimal/simple jewelry -Minimal tattoos and piercings shown -Hair is neat and brushed -Outfit colors should be more neutral than flashy |
Keep in mind to wear comfortable but professional shoes as a campus tour is often scheduled into the interview. Depending on the campus size, there could be a lot of walking involved.
What’s the Pharmacy School Admissions Interview Day Like?
Pharmacy school interviews are not like your average “job” interviews. It will usually take several hours to complete the interview DAY because you will likely be scheduled a writing session, campus tour, luncheon, actual interview with a panel of interviewers, and have question-and-answer sessions with current pharmacy students so that you can see how the pharmacy life is.
To keep your energy up and to prepare for this day, make sure to get enough rest the night before and to eat at least a light breakfast the morning of.
Please plan to arrive at least 20 minutes early to the site. If you’re traveling from out of state/area, plan for extra travel time due to possible unforeseen traffic since you won’t be familiar with the traffic patterns in the area.
What to Bring to your Interview?
- Pen(s)
- Water
- Professional Binder
- Resume (the interviewers may or may not already have this)
Best of luck with your pharmacy school interviews!
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