Few Weeks to Examinations, Part 1 Pharmacy Students Caught Off Guard by Late PHY 103 Requirement

Ifeoluwa Lambe

With examinations just weeks away, Part 1 Pharmacy students were met with an unexpected development. PHY 103 has been confirmed as a compulsory course they must register for or risk carrying it over to Part 2.

The announcement, made few weeks ago, came as a surprise to many students who had not been attending the class throughout the semester, believing it was not part of their confirmed course list.

"I only found out that PHY 103 is compulsory a few days ago when I was about to register," one student said. "It came as a shock because I wasn't expecting it, and I haven't attended any of the previous classes."

Another student confirmed that clarity on the course's status only emerged recently. "We were able to confirm just a few days ago that it is compulsory, and no, we haven't been attending the class before now," the student said.

The late confirmation has forced many students to quickly restructure academic plans already tailored around core Pharmacy courses. With limited time before exams, students say they are now scrambling to catch up.

Since the announcement, members of the class have turned to peers in other departments for lecture materials while relying heavily on tutorials organized by both the class academic committee and the faculty academic committee.

"I've been trying my best to gather notes from students who attended the lectures, and I'm also attending the tutorials organized by the faculty," another student explained.

While some students expressed understanding toward the faculty, others admitted the adjustment has been disruptive.

"It has affected my reading plan and disrupted my schedule," a student said. "I've had to reschedule everything and focus mainly on PHY 103 for now, which makes it difficult to give attention to my other courses."

Some students acknowledged that they had earlier been advised to attend all science-related lectures pending confirmation of their full course list. However, they argued that such an approach would have been financially and logistically challenging.

"It's not easy to attend all science classes when you don't even know the full list of courses you're offering," one student said. "We would have had to buy manuals for each course, and those are quite expensive."

Beyond logistics, the development has increased anxiety among some members of the class, who must now prepare for an examination in a course for which they did not receive structured instruction during much of the semester.

Still, not all reactions have been critical. A member of the class suggested the inclusion of PHY 103 may be academically necessary for progression within the Pharm. D. program, expressing confidence that faculty authorities acted in the students' best interest.

In a message shared with the class, the Dean apologized on behalf of the faculty for the mix-up and assured students that arrangements would be made regarding the missed test. Further clarification on the assessment structure is expected.

For now, Part 1 Pharmacy students find themselves navigating an unusual academic situation, balancing last-minute preparation for a newly confirmed compulsory course while keeping pace with already demanding coursework.

As examinations draw closer, many say they are watching for clearer communication on how they will be assessed and whether the promised adjustments will ease mounting pressure.