MCQ Quiz: Career Panel

A career panel is a cornerstone of professional development, offering student pharmacists a unique opportunity to gain direct insights from experienced practitioners across a wide array of pharmacy settings. As an integral part of the Personal and Professional Development (PPD) curriculum, these active learning sessions are designed to help you explore diverse career paths, understand the skills required for success, and begin building your professional network. Attending a career panel is more than just listening; it involves active preparation, thoughtful engagement, and strategic follow-up. This quiz will test your knowledge on how to effectively prepare for, participate in, and learn from a pharmacy career panel to help shape your future career.

1. According to the PPD syllabi, a Career Panel is classified as what type of educational activity?

• a) A final exam
• b) An Active Learning Session
• c) An optional social event
• d) An introductory lecture

Answer: b) An Active Learning Session

2. What is the primary purpose of attending a career panel as a student pharmacist?

• a) To get a day off from other classes.
• b) To explore different pharmacy career paths and gain insights from practicing professionals.
• c) To receive a grade for the PPD course.
• d) To fulfill a requirement for a sterile compounding lab.

Answer: b) To explore different pharmacy career paths and gain insights from practicing professionals.

3. What is a crucial step a student should take before attending a career panel?

• a) Research the panelists’ backgrounds and their respective companies or practice areas.
• b) Memorize the top 200 drugs.
• c) Prepare a list of complaints about the curriculum.
• d) Finalize their APPE rotation schedule.

Answer: a) Research the panelists’ backgrounds and their respective companies or practice areas.

4. Preparing thoughtful questions before a career panel demonstrates which key professional attribute?

• a) Apathy
• b) Procrastination
• c) Initiative and preparation
• d) Inattentiveness

Answer: c) Initiative and preparation

5. During a Q&A session with panelists, which of the following is an example of an effective, open-ended question?

• a) “Do you like your job?”
• b) “What is a typical day like in your role?”
• c) “What is the most significant challenge you face in your practice area, and what skills have been most valuable in overcoming it?”
• d) “How much money do you make?”

Answer: c) “What is the most significant challenge you face in your practice area, and what skills have been most valuable in overcoming it?”

6. The information gathered from a career panel is directly intended to help students with which other PPD activity?

• a) Their career planning and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) assignments.
• b) Their weekly pre-lab quizzes.
• c) Their journal club presentations.
• d) Their final exam in medicinal chemistry.

Answer: a) Their career planning and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) assignments.

7. Professional etiquette during a career panel includes:

• a) Checking social media on your phone throughout the event.
• b) Arriving late and leaving early.
• c) Dressing professionally and giving the panelists your full attention.
• d) Interrupting panelists while they are speaking.

Answer: c) Dressing professionally and giving the panelists your full attention.

8. What is an appropriate action to take immediately after a career panel concludes?

• a) Leave the room as quickly as possible.
• b) Approach panelists to introduce yourself, ask a brief follow-up question, and thank them for their time.
• c) Ask a panelist to review your entire CV on the spot.
• d) Complain to your friends about the speakers.

Answer: b) Approach panelists to introduce yourself, ask a brief follow-up question, and thank them for their time.

9. What is the recommended professional follow-up after making a connection with a panelist?

• a) Sending a friend request on personal social media.
• b) Sending a personalized thank-you email or a connection request on LinkedIn.
• c) Calling the panelist at their place of work the next day.
• d) No follow-up is necessary.

Answer: b) Sending a personalized thank-you email or a connection request on LinkedIn.

10. A career panel often features pharmacists from various fields. An example of a non-traditional pharmacy career path that might be represented is:

• a) Community retail pharmacy
• b) Inpatient hospital pharmacy
• c) Medical Science Liaison (MSL) in the pharmaceutical industry
• d) Ambulatory care pharmacy

Answer: c) Medical Science Liaison (MSL) in the pharmaceutical industry

11. The PPD course series emphasizes the development of a Curriculum Vitae (CV). How can a career panel help with this?

• a) It helps you understand the types of experiences and skills that are valued in different career paths, which you can then seek out to build your CV.
• b) Panelists will hand out pre-written CV templates.
• c) It has no connection to CV development.
• d) You can list “attended career panel” as a major accomplishment on your CV.

Answer: a) It helps you understand the types of experiences and skills that are valued in different career paths, which you can then seek out to build your CV.

12. Active listening during a career panel means:

• a) Planning what you are going to say next instead of hearing what the speaker is saying.
• b) Focusing on the speaker’s message, processing the information, and thinking of relevant follow-up questions.
• c) Doodling in your notebook to pass the time.
• d) Silently judging the panelists’ choice of attire.

Answer: b) Focusing on the speaker’s message, processing the information, and thinking of relevant follow-up questions.

13. A question like, “What advice would you give your student-pharmacist self?” is valuable because it can provide insight into:

• a) The panelist’s biggest career regrets.
• b) Important lessons learned and paths to success.
• c) The panelist’s starting salary.
• d) The easiest path through pharmacy school.

Answer: b) Important lessons learned and paths to success.

14. The Career Coach program, a key part of the PPD curriculum, is complemented by the career panel because the panel:

• a) Replaces the need for a career coach.
• b) Provides real-world examples and perspectives that can be discussed and explored further with a career coach.
• c) Is where students are assigned their career coach.
• d) Is organized by the career coaches themselves.

Answer: b) Provides real-world examples and perspectives that can be discussed and explored further with a career coach.

15. If a student is interested in a pharmacy residency, what would be a good question for a panelist who is a residency program director?

• a) “Is residency really necessary?”
• b) “What qualities and experiences do you look for in a competitive residency candidate?”
• c) “How many vacation days do residents get?”
• d) “Can you guarantee me a spot in your program?”

Answer: b) “What qualities and experiences do you look for in a competitive residency candidate?”

16. The career panel is an opportunity to practice which key professional skill?

• a) Networking
• b) Sterile compounding
• c) Patient counseling
• d) Therapeutic drug monitoring

Answer: a) Networking

17. If multiple students want to speak to a panelist after the event, the most professional approach is to:

• a) Push your way to the front of the line.
• b) Wait patiently for your turn and be mindful of the panelist’s and other students’ time.
• c) Yell your question from across the room.
• d) Interrupt the conversation already in progress.

Answer: b) Wait patiently for your turn and be mindful of the panelist’s and other students’ time.

18. The overall purpose of professional development activities like the career panel is to help students:

• a) Fulfill a graduation requirement with minimal effort.
• b) Make informed decisions about their future careers.
• c) Complain about the difficulty of pharmacy school.
• d) Avoid studying for exams.

Answer: b) Make informed decisions about their future careers.

19. A student should have an updated “elevator pitch” ready before a career panel. This is a:

• a) A long, five-minute speech about their entire life story.
• b) A sales pitch for a new drug.
• c) A brief, 30-60 second introduction of who they are, their interests, and their career goals.
• d) A request for financial assistance.

Answer: c) A brief, 30-60 second introduction of who they are, their interests, and their career goals.

20. Reflecting after a career panel on which career paths seemed most interesting aligns with which step of the CPD cycle?

• a) Act
• b) Evaluate
• c) Reflect & Plan
• d) This is not part of the CPD cycle.

Answer: c) Reflect & Plan

21. A panelist describes their work in managed care pharmacy. This role likely involves:

• a) Compounding medications for individual patients.
• b) Working on formulary management, medication use evaluations, and population health initiatives for an insurance plan.
• c) Rounding with a medical team in a hospital.
• d) Administering vaccines in a community pharmacy.

Answer: b) Working on formulary management, medication use evaluations, and population health initiatives for an insurance plan.

22. Asking a panelist about the importance of board certification (e.g., BCPS, BCOP) in their field provides information about:

• a) The starting salary for that field.
• b) The daily tasks of the job.
• c) The pathways for advanced practice and specialization.
• d) The difficulty of the NAPLEX.

Answer: c) The pathways for advanced practice and specialization.

23. Taking notes during a career panel is important for:

• a) Remembering key insights and advice.
• b) Recalling the names of panelists for follow-up.
• c) Capturing questions you want to ask later.
• d) All of the above.

Answer: d) All of the above.

24. The PPD syllabi list “Leadership” as a key pharmacist attribute. A career panel can help develop this by:

• a) Showing examples of pharmacists who are leaders in their respective fields.
• b) Providing a list of leadership theories.
• c) Offering a position as a panel moderator.
• d) It does not help develop leadership skills.

Answer: a) Showing examples of pharmacists who are leaders in their respective fields.

25. If a panelist says something you strongly disagree with, the professional way to respond during a Q&A is to:

• a) Announce that they are wrong.
• b) Ask a respectful, clarifying question to better understand their perspective.
• c) Roll your eyes and disengage from the discussion.
• d) Post about it on social media during the event.

Answer: b) Ask a respectful, clarifying question to better understand their perspective.

26. A panelist who works in the pharmaceutical industry might discuss roles related to:

• a) Clinical trial management and drug development.
• b) Medical information and drug safety.
• c) Marketing and sales support.
• d) All of the above.

Answer: d) All of the above.

27. What is a key difference between a career panel and a job fair?

• a) There is no difference.
• b) A job fair is focused on recruitment for specific open positions, while a career panel is focused on broader career exploration and advice.
• c) A career panel is only for first-year students.
• d) A job fair does not allow for networking.

Answer: b) A job fair is focused on recruitment for specific open positions, while a career panel is focused on broader career exploration and advice.

28. After a career panel, a student updates their five-year plan in their CPD portfolio. This is a direct application of:

• a) The information learned during the panel to their personal career development.
• b) A requirement for passing their therapeutics course.
• c) A request from a panelist.
• d) An unnecessary task.

Answer: a) The information learned during the panel to their personal career development.

29. The PPD course series requires students to attend multiple career panels throughout the curriculum. This is because:

• a) The same panelists speak every year.
• b) A student’s career interests and understanding will evolve, making the information relevant in new ways at different stages.
• c) The college is unable to find other activities for students.
• d) The first panel is the only one that counts.

Answer: b) A student’s career interests and understanding will evolve, making the information relevant in new ways at different stages.

30. The “CV Workshop” activity in the PPD courses is strategically scheduled near the career panel to:

• a) Provide a break from difficult topics.
• b) Allow students to apply insights from the panel to immediately improve their CVs.
• c) Fulfill an accreditation standard.
• d) These events are not related.

Answer: b) Allow students to apply insights from the panel to immediately improve their CVs.

31. A student who is shy or introverted can still benefit from a career panel by:

• a) Not attending.
• b) Preparing one well-thought-out question in advance and focusing on active listening.
• c) Forcing themselves to ask ten questions.
• d) Sitting in the back and not paying attention.

Answer: b) Preparing one well-thought-out question in advance and focusing on active listening.

32. A panelist emphasizes the importance of “soft skills.” This refers to:

• a) The ability to compound ointments and creams.
• b) Interpersonal skills like communication, teamwork, and leadership.
• c) Knowledge of pharmacology.
• d) The ability to lift heavy boxes.

Answer: b) Interpersonal skills like communication, teamwork, and leadership.

33. What is the most likely reason a career panel is designated an “Active Learning Session”?

• a) Because students are expected to actively engage through questioning and reflection, not just passively listen.
• b) Because the session involves physical activity.
• c) Because the room is kept at a warm temperature.
• d) It is a misnomer; the session is a passive lecture.

Answer: a) Because students are expected to actively engage through questioning and reflection, not just passively listen.

34. Asking about the role of automation and technology in a panelist’s field can provide insight into:

• a) The history of pharmacy.
• b) The future direction and evolution of that practice area.
• c) The panelist’s personal investment portfolio.
• d) The best brand of dispensing robot to buy.

Answer: b) The future direction and evolution of that practice area.

35. A student realizes from the career panel that they are very interested in ambulatory care. A good next step would be to:

• a) Change their major.
• b) Seek out an ambulatory care pharmacist for an informational interview or shadowing opportunity.
• c) Decide that community pharmacy is no longer a viable career.
• d) Immediately apply for ambulatory care jobs.

Answer: b) Seek out an ambulatory care pharmacist for an informational interview or shadowing opportunity.

36. A panelist discussing a career in informatics pharmacy would likely talk about:

• a) Managing electronic health records, clinical decision support, and data analytics.
• b) Counseling patients on over-the-counter products.
• c) Working in a sterile clean room.
• d) Lobbying for new pharmacy laws.

Answer: a) Managing electronic health records, clinical decision support, and data analytics.

37. True or False: It is appropriate to ask a panelist to be your personal mentor during the Q&A session in front of the entire audience.

• a) True
• b) False

Answer: b) False

38. Information learned at a career panel can help a student tailor their ______ for different job or residency applications.

• a) Transcript
• b) Letter of intent or cover letter
• c) Social media profile
• d) Student loan application

Answer: b) Letter of intent or cover letter

39. If a panelist provides their business card, it is an invitation to:

• a) Call them at home during dinner.
• b) Add them to a marketing email list.
• c) Connect for professional purposes in a respectful manner.
• d) Ignore it.

Answer: c) Connect for professional purposes in a respectful manner.

40. A panelist mentions the importance of finding a “good mentor.” This aligns with which PPD program?

• a) The Career Coach program.
• b) The Top 200 Drug Exam.
• c) The Skills Lab.
• d) The final therapeutics exam.

Answer: a) The Career Coach program.

41. The diversity of roles presented at a career panel highlights that a Pharm.D. degree:

• a) Limits graduates to only one type of job.
• b) Is not a valuable degree.
• c) Prepares graduates for a wide variety of career opportunities.
• d) Is only useful for becoming a community pharmacist.

Answer: c) Prepares graduates for a wide variety of career opportunities.

42. A question about work-life balance in a particular field is:

• a) An inappropriate and unprofessional question.
• b) A valid and important question to help students understand the demands and lifestyle associated with a career path.
• c) Only relevant to female pharmacists.
• d) A question that has a single correct answer.

Answer: b) A valid and important question to help students understand the demands and lifestyle associated with a career path.

43. A student leaves a career panel feeling inspired and motivated about their future. This contributes to which aspect of professional development?

• a) Reducing burnout and reaffirming career choice.
• b) Clinical skill development.
• c) Exam preparation.
• d) Patient assessment.

Answer: a) Reducing burnout and reaffirming career choice.

44. The skills of “self-awareness” and “leadership” are listed as key attributes in the PPD syllabi. A career panel helps develop self-awareness by:

• a) Allowing students to compare themselves to the panelists.
• b) Helping students identify which career paths align with their personal strengths, values, and interests.
• c) Providing a list of all possible careers.
• d) Forcing students to speak in public.

Answer: b) Helping students identify which career paths align with their personal strengths, values, and interests.

45. A follow-up email to a panelist should be:

• a) Several pages long, detailing your life story.
• b) Brief, professional, and specific, referencing a point they made that you found valuable.
• c) Sent from a personal email address with an unprofessional name.
• d) A request for a letter of recommendation.

Answer: b) Brief, professional, and specific, referencing a point they made that you found valuable.

46. If a student is unsure what to ask, a safe and effective question for any panelist is:

• a) “What is one thing you wish you had known when you were in my position as a student?”
• b) “Are you hiring?”
• c) “Do you think pharmacy school is too hard?”
• d) “What was your GPA in pharmacy school?”

Answer: a) “What is one thing you wish you had known when you were in my position as a student?”

47. A student who actively seeks out panelists from different practice areas is demonstrating:

• a) Indecisiveness.
• b) A proactive approach to career exploration.
• c) A lack of focus.
• d) That they are trying to waste time.

Answer: b) A proactive approach to career exploration.

48. The insights from a career panel can be particularly useful when preparing for:

• a) The NAPLEX.
• b) Interviews for internships, jobs, or residencies.
• c) A compounding lab practical.
• d) A therapeutics exam.

Answer: b) Interviews for internships, jobs, or residencies.

49. Hearing about a panelist’s non-linear career path can be valuable for a student because it shows that:

• a) The panelist made poor career choices.
• b) There is only one correct way to build a career.
• c) Careers can evolve in unexpected ways, and it is important to be open to new opportunities.
• d) The panelist was not successful.

Answer: c) Careers can evolve in unexpected ways, and it is important to be open to new opportunities.

50. The PPD curriculum’s inclusion of career panels underscores the college’s commitment to:

• a) Ensuring every student gets a residency.
• b) Preparing students not just for their first job, but for a long and successful professional career.
• c) Increasing the difficulty of the program.
• d) Fulfilling a single accreditation standard.

Answer: b) Preparing students not just for their first job, but for a long and successful professional career.