The College of Pharmacy and Nutrition Test of Critical Skills and the Personal Profile must be completed by each applicant in the year for which the application is made. Applicants are required to attain a minimum level of achievement on the Test of Critical Skills to be considered for admission, regardless of the performance on other criteria. Applicants who fail to write the Test of Critical Skills and the Personal Profile at the scheduled location and time will be ineligible for admission consideration.
For the 2012 admission cycle, the Test of Critical Skills and the Personal Profile will be completed at testing centres on SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 2012. The start time is 10:00 AM (or at the time scheduled by the Test site in your area). Candidates will be given one hour to complete the Test of Critical Skills. There will then be a break (approximately 10-15 minutes) after which one hour will be allocated to complete the Personal Profile.
Applicants will be asked to choose a city from the list provided on the online application form where they would like to write the Test and Profile.
The choices are as follows: Saskatoon, Regina, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto or Halifax. Unlimited testing sites are no longer available. If a candidate cannot write at one of the designated sites, written documentation explaining why an alternate test site is required must be provided to the Associate Dean, Academic, Dr. Yvonne Shevchuk at yvonne.shevchuk@usask.ca – prior to the February 15, 2012 application deadline.
Any additional costs for Test administration at sites outside of Saskatoon or Regina must be paid by the applicant.
For candidates whose religious convictions prohibit their testing on a Saturday, or who are unable to write on Saturday due to other documented commitments, individual testing arrangements will be made for an alternate date (Monday, March 26th, 2012). To request such a special administration each candidate must provide written documentation specifying that an alternate administration date is needed, and include supporting evidence in support of the request (e.g., a letter on letterhead from a rabbi, pastor, or religious leader) and send it to Dr. Yvonne Shevchuk at yvonne.shevchuk@usask.ca.
Candidates who are registered with Disability Services for Students should discuss their situation and possible requirements for writing the Test of Critical Skills and Personal Profile with Dr. Yvonne Shevchuk before the application deadline of February 15, 2012. Additional documentation may be required.
Notices confirming registration at the chosen test centre will be emailed to all applicants whose completed and paid applications have been received by the College by the February 15, 2012 deadline. NO OTHER INDIVIDUALS WILL BE ADMITTED TO THE TESTING CENTRES. Each applicant should receive the registration/test centre confirmation notice no later than March 16th. If you do not receive the required information by March 19, 2011, you must contact our office at (306) 966-6368 as soon as possible to obtain your registration.
Please consider carefully the testing centre for which you register, since changes may not be possible after your application has been processed. Choose the centre closest to where you will be residing on March 24, 2012. Anyone appearing at a centre for which they are not registered will be denied entry and will be ineligible for admission consideration.
Please remember to take your registration confirmation notice (as proof of registration for the test) and an extra pen with you to the writing centre. Arrive at least 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled testing time at the designated test site. All candidates must be registered and seated in the exam room 5 minutes before the Test begins. Latecomers may not be admitted. Testing will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. (or at the time scheduled by the Test site in your area) and will end at approximately 12:30 p.m.
You must present positive photo identification such as a driver's licence, school identification card or valid passport when you check in at the testing centre. Your identification must include a recognizable photograph and signature. Items such as photo ID credit cards are NOT acceptable. No aids such as dictionaries, books, notes, or electronic devices will be allowed.
[The following section is adapted from materials provided by Dr. Cleo Boyd, the University of Toronto.]
The Test of Critical Skills is in essay format. Candidates are asked to write a formal, persuasive academic essay, of at least 300 words (maximum 500 words), in response to a proposition drawn from a short reading. The topic of this essay will not be directly related to pharmacy or nutrition. Applicants are required to attain a minimum level of achievement on the Test of Critical Skills to gain consideration in the final selection (regardless of the performance in other criteria).
To prepare for the Test of Critical Skills, the College recommends that applicants complete a course which emphasizes critical thinking (an example would be PHIL 140.3 [Critical Thinking] at the U of S), or other appropriate course(s), which may help develop, or further develop, the ability to read, think, and write on a critical level. Essays are assessed on three main criteria:
Candidates should think of the Personal Profile as a written interview. To prepare for the Personal Profile, the College encourages all applicants to investigate the profession(s) of Pharmacy and/or Nutrition/Dietetics. Although the specific focus of the individual Profile questions may shift from year to year, candidates should be prepared to discuss why they have chosen the health care profession they want to enter and how they perceive the role of the pharmacist or dietitian. Direct pharmacy or nutrition/dietetics experience is not a specific admission requirement, but those who have gained such exposure may be better prepared to respond to at least one of the questions in the Profile. If you are unable to gain work or volunteer experience directly related to the profession you should explore other options which would help enhance your knowledge of the profession. You should also reflect upon your previous life/work experiences and how ‘transferable’ they are to those attributes expected of a student in a health care profession.
Samples of Tests (PDF)
Critical Skills and How to Improve Them slides (PDF)
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