Rho Chi this, Rho Chi that. Next year, I wanna be in Rho Chi so my schlong will go another six inches and/or my breasts will increase a cup size. I really hope someone doesn't answer 'and' to that question.
Ok, so maybe I made that last part up, but it's rather annoying.
So, to continue my trend of... well bucking the trend, I shall make the following proclamation.
I, Phathead, being of somewhat sound mind, body and judgment hereby declare that during my tenure in pharmacy school I will not, under any circumstance, strive for a GPA of 4.0 ~~~ Signed, Phathead - September 15th, 2010Sure, there are some of you going "What in the hell is he smoking?" or "Dumbass."
I am a firm believer that grades, on the whole, don't matter. Fifteen years down the road, you're employer won't care if you earned a 4.0 or 3.9 or shit monkeys out of your ass on Sundays. Granted, GPA is one of the deciding factors on who gets what residency, but in case some of you have not gathered, I have no desire to go the residency route.
In one of my interviews, I was asked a question similar to this. My response was that, in the end what does it really matter? Do I want to subject my mind to even more stress and fatigue to gain an extra 0.1 GPA point? Do I want to devote time to an endeavor which ultimately is not worth it for myself?
I would rather be a well-rounded, well-learned individual who is able to think rationally, and quickly, when required.
I'm not saying that I will slack off over the next four years. What I'm saying is that if I earn a B on a test instead of an A, it's not the end of the world. I have my own personal standards that I will maintain, but needing to earn all A's is not one of them.
Some people like to set challenges for themselves, and earning a 4.0 is certainly a challenge. It simply is not a challenge I am interested in. I feel I can better spend that exertion elsewhere.
Plus I will help cease the proliferation of gray hairs that were started by my pre-pharmacy stress levels. At least that's what I'll continue to tell myself...
5 comments:
Gee Phat, I am re-living pharmacy school. In the bottom of a drawer somewhere I have a Rho Chi pin... don't know how I ended up with it cause I sure as heck wasn't a 4.0. All I remember is after I "joined" they wouldn't leave me the hell alone. Like you, I already had a degree when I started pharmacy school and wasn't really into the rah-rah stuff. Sometimes I felt kind of guilty, but ultimately it was irrelevant.
That's a good attitude to have. Though not aiming for it doesn't mean you won't get it... they let me in Rho Chi last year with a 2.7 in medchem. Just sayin', your classmates aren't gods, and probably won't be getting those 4.0s they crave so badly.
3rd yr
hey Phathead, I am in a compressed pharD program. There is no way in hell I a getting a 4.0 because its pass/fail or honors....Ill just be glad to get my pharmD.
I am sure that I was on the Dean's List once while juggling 3 part-time jobs (one in pharmacy work-study), caring for my child occasionally, taking the full load, no loan nor scholarship, etc. That to me was an achievement, because I was so well-organized that year I was like a studying machine--really focused. I was at the mercy of whatever misfortune or fortune that happened and rolled with the punches--no undue stresses about how something was going to get done, there was simply no time to worry, just go to work, study in the library, go to class, take care of my child, prepare supper, go back to study, go to bed, repeat. I couldn't have kept it up because automaton is not my nature, but if there were no significant others, I could see where Rho Chi could be doable if one was either terribly retentive or spot-on focused every single second. Pharmacists, generally, need a well-rounded personality.
Seriously, its not about getting good grades... I'm Rho Chi and I couldn't care less about my grades.... If you learn the material in a way that is more than basic competency... you should automatically should be getting A's (or high B's). Your grades are a refection of your ability to master the material. Tell me why you wouldn't want to learn as much as possible while you have the chance? Be a more knowledgable pharmacist when you are done? When you know the material back and forth its a lot easier to know the answer on the exmas... Maybe you should challenge yourself to that, and as a side benefit I bet your grades will improve...
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