Meeting: Touro COP Connect Mentorship Program
Date: March 5, 2014
Time: 7:10 – 7:52 PM
Location: LSA 1022
Speakers: Mike Wong, Crystal Diep
Officers Present: Erin, Jessa May, Shirley, Alyssa, Kelcie
Announcements
 Once Upon a Pre-Pharmacy Time (R&E Presentation)
o Thursday, March 6th
o 7PM, LSA 1022
 Chow Night
o Thursday, March 6th
o Thursday, March 13th
th
 8 Annual Northern California Pre-Pharmacy Symposium (hosted by Berkeley PILLS)
o Saturday, April 5th
o 8:45AM – 4:30PM, UC Berkeley
o Deadline to register is Sunday, March 9th
 Admission is $16
 Officer Applications for 2014-2015
o Application is on the website
o Deadline: Saturday, March 29th, 11:59PM
 Graduation Stole Survey
o On website
o Please fill out if you are interested in receiving a Pre-Pharmacy Club graduation
stole for Spring 2014
Touro COP Connect Mentorship Program
 Speakers
o Mike Wong
 P2
 Undergraduate degree at UC Davis, majored in Nutrition Science
 Worked with Admissions and faculty to pioneer COP Connect
Mentorship Program
o Crystal Diep
 P1
 Undergraduate at UC Berkeley
 Who are we?
o Touro University of California
o College of Pharmacy
 Offers PharmD and Masters of Science in Medical Health Science
 Doctor of Pharmacy
 Prerequisites: Inorganic Chem (+ lab), Organic Chem (+ lab),
Physiology (+ lab), Microbiology (+ lab), Anatomy, Calclulus
 Admissions Process:
 PharmCAS
 3 letters of recommendation (1 from biological/physical science
professor, 2 from your choice)
 Supplemental Application by invitation
 Interview by invitation
o Group interview with 3-4 others
 2+2 Program

2 years didactic, 2 years rotations
o Extra year of rotations provides advantage of additional
rotation experience (16 rotations) compared to other
California pharmacy schools
 2013 NAPLEX Pass Rate: 98.8%
 2013 CPJE Pass Rate: 93.5%
 2013 Residency Matching: 20% of Touro graduates matched with PGY1
residencies/fellowships
 Class of 2017
 Avg GPA: 3.26
 Avg Science GPA: 3.2
 40% male, 60% female
 Ages: 20 - 43
 Undergraduate Majors
 A variety of majors are accepted
o Master of Science in Medical Health Sciences (emphasis in Pharmaceutical
Chemistry) – MS-MHS Degree
 1 year, intensive-research program: August 1 – May 31 (10 months)
 Work closely with the College of Pharmacy
 Write a thesis, look forward to a publication
 Admissions requirement: BS or BA degree
 What does this program offer?
 Work closely with faculty member from College of Pharmacy
o PharmCAS assistance and mock interviews with Touro
faculty and pharmacy students
o Research experience and publications
 MS-MHS students with minimum GPA of 3.0 are guaranteed an
interview
 Attend pharmacy classes (P1/P2) when time permits
o Mentorships with the P1/P2 students
o Sit in on seminars/workshops alongside the pharmacy
class
 Develop presentation skills
 COP Connect
o Goal: establish a long lasting “connection” between pre-pharmacy students and
current pharmacy students
 Pair with P1-P4 Touro Pharmacy student who can answer any questions
you have
o Questions we can answer:
 School selection, admissions, PharmCAS, applications, personal
statements, interviews, life, etc.
o Mock Interview
 To give first hand experience with a GROUP interview that replicates
Touro’s model
 2 faculty and 1 student (P3/P4) will be on interview panel
o Contact:
 tuc.copconnect@tu.edu
 admit@tu.edu (admissions)
 Q&A
o If not interested in clinical pharmacy, how would one benefit from going to Touro?
 Touro is not restricting students to clinical pharmacy, although the school
is known for clinical pharmacy
 Offer 4 tracks:
 Biological Sciences
 Pharmaceutical Sciences
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o
o
o
o
o
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 Law
 Clinical
Typical day in pharmacy school?
 Crystal
 Class 9-12, lunch 12-1, class 12-4
 It is important to keep up with classwork and studying
 Mike
 6-week block periods
 Class and naps!
Masters program along with PharmD program?
 Dual degrees are offered (Public Health-MPH and PharmD degree)
 Pharmacy classes throughout year, MPH classes during
summers
o Will complete MPH degree after 2 years
How many people get into the Masters program?
 10-11 people per class
 Enhance student-faculty interaction
 4 pillars of success for pharmacy school:
 Good grades
 Research experience
 Leadership experience
 Volunteer/Community outreach experience
Involved in research during pharmacy school?
 Not a lot of time to do research
 It is possible to do research during 1st and 2nd year
 Options: research rotations, research through organizations
What is your favorite aspect of Touro compared to other pharmacy schools?
 Crystal: Touro faculty are amazing and open to assisting students
 Mike: Liked the clinical emphasis at Touro, enjoyed learning about
disease states more than core science classes
4-5 mile zone for rotations?
 You can go anywhere for rotations
 IPPE’s (Introduction to Pharmacy Practice Experience) is limited to within
a 4-5 mile radius
 Can put in special requests to work in further areas
 All 1st year IPPE’s are community
 2nd year IPPE’s are hospital
Do you do vaccinations?
 You learn within the first 2 months of school
 Touro hosts immunization days for pharmacy students to give
vaccinations