Could you tell us a little bit about your early educational background?

I believe that the field of pharmacy provides prospective healthcare professionals with a wide spectrum of opportunities for career growth and development. It is an exciting time to study pharmaceutical sciences, because of the emergence of innovative fields such as pharmacogenomics and the integration of information technologies into the healthcare delivery/development workflow.

What first got you interested in the healthcare field as a career choice? There are a lot of career options in the field – nursing, physician assistant, etc., what made you decide that pharmacy was the right practice area/career choice for you?

During final several years of my educational career, I have had the distinct pleasure to join a biotechnology company and work alongside Dr. Daniel Darvish, who is my mentor and the most intelligent and professional individual I have ever met during the course of my professional career. My early experience in the pharmaceutical industry demonstrated the tremendous potential that the pharmaceutical industry possesses at each level, such as retail, hospital, industry and information technologies. One of the most attractive aspects of pharmacy is its broad patient outreach potential, which appeals to my goal of developing and providing treatment solutions to substantial patient populations at one time.

What type of obstacles have you had to overcome on the road to getting your education and in particular in pursuing your PharmD degree? Was there any one thing that led you to decide, “this is definitely the right move for me”?

I observe every challenge as a potential growth opportunity and never shy away from exploring new avenues for development. Dealing with some challenges simply requires a more time and effort than others. One of the most time consuming challenges thought my educational career was a significant financial burden, which needed to be overcome by maintaining a full-time job at a highly competitive retail environment at a nationwide telecommunication company. I am grateful for that experience, as it inspired me to successfully complete my degree in biology, promote to managerial positions and accelerate my professional development.

Once you decided to pursue a PharmD degree, how did you know that KGI SPHS was the right school for you?

One of many exciting aspects of KGI SPHS program curriculum is its strong emphasis at developing leaders in the pharmaceutical industry. Upon getting acquainted with KGI SPHS representatives during my interview and beyond, I have reaffirmed that in comparison to others, KGi offers the most challenging and most forward-looking PharmD program. I am grateful to join the KGI family and looking forward to fulfilling my ambition of developing excellent professional skills in the field of pharmacy.

What are you most looking forward to about beginning your PharmD studies at KGI?

I am looking forward to efficiently learning all aspects of effective healthcare delivery, which will allow me to show a high level of proficiency during our industry/clinical rotations.

What setting do you see yourself working in eventually -in industry, community pharmacy, clinical, government agency, etc.? Why does that area of practice appeal to you?

I am committed to a pharmacy career in the industry. The vast majority of my healthcare experience prior to joining KGI lied in biotechnology. I would like to dedicate my career in pharmacy to the development of accessible pharmaceutical treatment options for orphan diseases. I believe that work the industry will allow me to realize my ambitions and provide positive healthcare outcomes to a wide spectrum of individuals in need.