Make sure that you’ve registered for Orientation.

 Don’t forget to bring some cash on the day of the orientation for #pharmacy swag, if desired. Typically T-shirts are sold. More details will be released closer to orientation. Proceeds will go towards the Graduation Committee of 2021.

 If you haven’t done so already, join the Pharmacy Class of 2023 Facebook Group. The group is a great place to check for up-to-date information, meet your classmates online, and talk to APSA council members in-group if you have any questions.

 Become an APSA active member, if desired. Highly recommended!

Membership is highly recommended (across all four years of pharmacy, each class has between a 90% and 100% membership rate). For more information about APSA and the benefits of membership, please visit our About Us and Student Services pages. You pay a one-time cost of membership for your four years in pharmacy; we accept cheques or online payment via PayPal (an individual Paypal account is NOT required, Paypal helps us process credit card etc.). Cheques should be written for $, made payable to the Alberta Pharmacy Students’ Association, and not post-dated. To pay for membership online, visit our store here.

 Complete Faculty Requirements

As a first year student, you will be required to complete several requirements as outlined by the faculty website (e.g., registering with the Alberta College of Pharmacists, obtaining a criminal record check, etc.). Please visit the faculty’s information page here for a list of faculty requirements and deadlines and be sure to complete them before their respective deadlines.

 Consider textbook options

The cost of all your textbooks for the 4-year program is generally around $1300. Some students choose to buy all their textbooks in first year. However, students in the program would likely recommend that you wait and be selective in the textbooks you purchase. Most professors test largely on lecture materials and textbooks are only recommended to enhance your understanding of the coursework. Some books are available online through the library website for free, while some print books may be available for a discounted price from senior students. The list of required/recommended textbooks is available on the Faculty site. More information on textbooks will be available in September. There is no need to purchase any textbooks before school starts.

 If this is your first time attending the U of A, you can upload a photo of yourself for your ONEcard (University student ID card). This photo will also be used for your pharmacy student ID badge. 

See this page for more information: https://www.onecard.ualberta.ca/.

 Be sure to add the APSA calendar to your Google Calendars! You will be using faculty-shared Google Calendar all the time for checking your schedule and finding room locations, so you might as well add us too to receive the latest updates about APSA events! If you need any convincing, our calendar includes the times and locations of lunchtime seminars (“lunch-and-learns”) that usually include free food, and also all other APSA events you definitely don’t want to miss!

To add our calendar, visit our calendar page here and click the “+GoogleCalendar” button in the bottom right hand corner of the calendar.

 Make sure you “like” our Facebook page and follow our Instagram @APSAlutely to keep up to date with APSA! If you are logged in to Facebook, you can click the button below to like our page and receive pharmacy updates!

 Make sure you “like” the PQ+2 Facebook page to keep up to date with APSA’s magazine! Visit the Facebook page here to like the page!

 Sign up for a FREE RxA (Alberta Pharmacists’ Association) student membership on their website. Visit this page to view their website.

 Sign up for a FREE CPhA (Canadian Pharmacists’ Association) student membership on their website. Visit their website here. This membership entitles you to a 20% discount on your first time buying textbooks from their online store.