Why Pharmacy?

Through pharmacy, I will be able to help others and hopefully assist in improving their wellbeing. Pharmacy is an important part of the healthcare system and I want to be part of this meaningful profession.

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

I have a Bachelor of Science in Biology which provides me a solid foundation for my pharmacy career. I volunteered at an independent pharmacy for two years so that I have the opportunity to get acquainted with the pharmacy working routine and environment. In addition, I had numerous occasions to observe how pharmacists interacted with their patients and how they used their professional knowledge to help patients to improve their health. I made an extra step by obtaining a pharmacy technician license through examination.

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?

Pharmacy has been a passion of mine ever since I was a child. My father has been a pharmacist most of his life, so I had the opportunity to observe how pharmacists perform their daily work at a young age. I understood that a pharmacist is the gatekeeper to ensure that patients will obtain the optimal therapeutic outcome by providing quality pharmaceutical services to the patients.

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”?

When I was in college, there were a few classes like organic chemistry and cell and molecular biology that were difficult for me to understand the concept. However I continued to work hard and get help to comprehend the concepts. With my persistency, I overcame the obstacle and was able to get good grades in the subjects. More importantly, I have learned how to solve my problem by eliminating any fears on difficult classes.

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

I knew KGI SPHS was the right school for me after meeting with the administrative and faculty. They have the knowledge, enthusiasm and considerations for others. KGI SPHS and Mission Statement have the potential to develop students into competent and confident, practice ready pharmacists. I have compared the KGI curriculum with other pharmacy colleges, I found that KGI is more unique and comprehensive than other well-known pharmacy colleges.

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

I look forward to learning about medications in more detail so that I can efficiently apply what I learn from KGI to improve patient’s wellbeing. I also look forward to meeting my fellow classmates and working with them hand in hand to enhance our understanding of pharmaceutical mechanism. Through a good team work environment, I believe that we will be able to help each other to reach our goal as a good pharmacist.

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 do not have a set goal for a specific working setting at this time. I will pick any one of the specialties after I get through my clinical rotation.