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Washington State University
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Student Perspectives

Real talk on the future of pharmacy jobs and pay

By Elina Schmauch, class of 2025 student pharmacist

I think every pharmacy student has asked themselves, “What the heck am I doing?”

If we aren’t fighting imposter syndrome or the fear of entering the field, we stop and think about what we want to do when we graduate pharmacy school and how it will be a reflection of the 4 years of the Doctor of Pharmacy program that we just underwent.

I am only in my second year (PY2), but I am looking ahead always—asking pharmacist how much they are making per hour at my local community pharmacy or looking into residencies and their time … » More …

Tips and Tricks for Funding Pharmacy School

By Elina Schmauch, class of 2025 student pharmacists

In my two years of pharmacy school I have learned a lot outside of the pharmacy program. A few things of note are that I learned how to set up utilities, Wi-Fi, and how to drive a U-Haul truck (not very well, I’ll admit). Most importantly, I learned how to budget and find ways to extend my student budget as far as I can. You are welcome to take my advice, modify it, or leave it, as I have no formal financial training and my lowest undergraduate grade was in Econ 101. While maybe not financially literate, … » More …

PharmD students’ top 10 things to do in Spokane —winter edition

By Elina Schmauch, class of 2025

When I first moved to Spokane, I had no idea how to spend my free time. In my opinion, Spokane is best tackled in seasons since winter and summer are two varying degrees of intensity. For this winter I narrowed down a long list of fun winter activities from WSU student pharmacists to these 10:

1. Skiing at Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area

Did you know that Lookout has a discounted student pass for $159 dollars for the ENTIRE season? Whether you ski, snowboard, or are just starting out on the bunny hills, Lookout Pass has become … » More …

Student Perspective: Introducing Elina Schmauch

Hello CougRx Family! My name is Elina Schmauch and I am in my second year of the WSU doctor of pharmacy program (fondly referred to as a PY2) at WSU Spokane. This spring semester of 2023 I challenged myself to take on a project that not only peaks my interests as a pharmacy student, but also involves content creation and community outreach. I am hoping to not only entertain our community with silly videos and fun blog posts, but also highlight what it means to be a pharmacy student in Spokane and what being a student pharmacist means to us as students. To start, I thought it would be insightful to share a few things about myself and what it means to me to be in the pharmacy program at WSU. I was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington and I loved it so much that I stayed to get my undergraduate degree just 15 minutes from where I grew up at the University of Puget Sound. There, I received my bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology, with a minor in Spanish. I also adopted my dog, Goose, who is my biggest supporter through pharmacy school! My family moved to Washington from Puerto Rico in the 80s, and I was a first-generation college student. Receiving my bachelor’s degree was an accomplishment all on its own, and I never thought I would actually continue in higher education. » More ...