Monash Parkville guys

[Toothpaste]

u use it pretty often in PHS classes... to make stuff in pracs (basically the apf is ur cook book) and to answer prac questions and u definately need it for the prac exam....

ive seen ppl use the ebook version of it... but i rkn its not as fast as flicking thru the book itself....plus its more convenient in a prac session coz u wudnt need to bring ur laptop

^Cook book, hells yeah.

Toothpaste, can we get away with using just the PDF of APF? Can you tell me what we use it for anyway? (If we even use it often in 1st year)

All the PHS type units from 1st year onwards will need the APF. You need the formulas in it for extemporaneous dispensing, which of course is in your PHS practical exam. The practical exam is open book so you can bring in the hardcopy APF or just use a laptop. I use my laptop in those exams (ctrl+F is handy) but bring in my copy anyway in case a zombie apocalypse occurs. There are copies in the lab but they're shared so it's annoying to shotgun.

It also works as a handy guide to which labels goes on what when you're not sure. You'll start using the counselling guides and physicochemical data in it down the track. In a pharmacy workplace I've only yet opened the APF to look at pregnancy info of drugs and some OTC guides. But yes, you'll be using it for sure.

The AMH is also very useful, but you can just log into the database through Monash. However, the 2011 version is a very pretty blue colour . Regardless of putting it off or not, you'll need to buy a brand new AMH during the year you're an intern (2015).

[kenhung123]

Hmm ok I guess I will buy both then. Btw the idea to use Ctrl+F in an exam sounds great (if time is an issue)

[kenhung123]

Stupid question: If you get 100% in 1st attemp for pre lab quiz (it has been submitted and can be seen in 'view submissions') do I need to complete another 2 more times to fully complete the quiz?

[jasoN-]

no lol
i got 75% first time then 100 XD

[24lover]

nah, the extra two times is if you need to pass that 75% mark ( i think)

get prepared for helen irving.....haha you'll love her

[kenhung123]

Can you past 1st year students give me some general advice on how to do well in assignments and exams?
Like as in how to study and when to start?
Especially for PHS, I mean do we just memorise all the key points given in the lecture?
Also are all exams open book? Are you pressed against time like in VCE?

[Toothpaste]

Can you past 1st year students give me some general advice on how to do well in assignments and exams?
Like as in how to study and when to start?
Especially for PHS, I mean do we just memorise all the key points given in the lecture?
Also are all exams open book? Are you pressed against time like in VCE?

Err I crammed all my exams and I'm pretty sure I've left most of my exams early. Any supposedly 'good' advice I give would be against what I've done in the past .

When to start study? .... if you want awesome marks, you could start now. If you want to just pass, chillax a few more weeks then freak out. Really though man, not a good question because it's each to their own. Just study how you did in VCE, you got into the course didn't you... means you're doing it right already. You'll probably do better that way rather than spontaneously mimicking someone else's way of studying.

Written exams are not open book. Some of your practical exams may be. It's all in your unit outlines, you should read it. There's more time than in the VCE - well that's what I think. Sometimes you might get a long paper, sometimes you won't. I think PHS had 100 MCQ and that actually took a while to do.

[jasoN-]

PHS is a drain, half the time im sitting there not soaking up any info given (i really dont know what to understand in that unit), there's really no active learning for the unit (at least for lectures anyway)

[Toothpaste]

PHS is a drain, half the time im sitting there not soaking up any info given (i really dont know what to understand in that unit), there's really no active learning for the unit (at least for lectures anyway)

There's a lot to memorise in that one, due to a wide range of topics they throw at you (and you wouldn't have come across them in high school). PHS II is much better if that gives you some future confidence - most of it is an introduction to psychology and it's structured in a way you'd be able to pick topics out and study them.

Do your "Medicines in Profile" and learn them. [Wait, do you have that still? ... I could actually give you mine if you need]. Know your basic latin short hand. Louis Roller's lecture notes are the worst (even though he's awesome), don't even bother studying from them - go get a textbook. I think you have simple calculations you have to learn. Know your labels, your prescriptions and how to read them/error spotting... Can't remember if you need to remember ancillary labels... I think they also introduce you to the professional ethics stuff, and pharmacy organisations. There was also the poisons' schedule (S2, S3, S8... etc) and you should know which are which; e.g. S3 is 'pharmacist only medicines' and you don't need a script but they can only be supplied by a pharmacy (e.g. Panadeine - paracetamol with codeine), S8 are controlled drugs such as Endone (generic name oxycodone) and they need to be carefully dispensed so that they're not abused (in a real life pharmacy you have to write them off in a special book). There should be overviews, learning objectives or aims near the start of each lecture. Consider going through those.

... and yeah I agree, most lectures are boring lol. Depends who you get really. D. Malone, Safeera, Mallanack ... they're some of the good ones.

[mystikal]

PHS is a drain, half the time im sitting there not soaking up any info given (i really dont know what to understand in that unit), there's really no active learning for the unit (at least for lectures anyway)

i rkn... for phs... u shud just wag the lectures and just study the notes... coz the lecturers dont add anything extra to the notes and basically all u need to know are in the lecture notes besides the meds in profile...

other subjects...is prob best u turn up coz like u cant see the guys point... especially for physiology

[jasoN-]

thanks for that, yeah our year still has MIPS, so far we've done paracetamol and amoxycillin

can u PM/send me ur MIPS toothpaste if its not a hassle? (i wont cheat, just to check over my one lolz)

and yea i skipped 1 lecture so far (it was organic chem) and i really regret it, cos we were learning molecular orbital hybridisation for the first time, so yeah i was pretty confused, but now i understand it.

oh btw atm we have david kong as our lecturer. hes pretty funny but his jokes get dry quick.

[kenhung123]

Thanks for the input guys!
So medicines in profile will actually be useful for the exam as they would ask specific questions related to the listed medicines?
And for other subjects do I need to study the textbook even if I understand the lecture notes, is it too excessive?
Yea, it would be awesome if you can upload yours toothpaste

[mystikal]

basically for MIPS, just learn everything besides dosage (as in the range... coz they dont ask you that)....

[kenhung123]

Anyways, for assignments are they lenient, giving full marks for a decent effort or it must be top notch to receive full marks?

[mystikal]

depends... they are willing to give full marks ... however u have to work for it... so correct referencing(using alot of references, pictures etc..) this is for physiology btw....

for phs = easier to score high no need for pictures just correct referencing and covering the main content well.