Choosing a pharmacy school is a pivotal step in shaping a career. For Pharm.D. student Lauren Isaacs, a small class size, interprofessional opportunities, and the vibrant city of Philadelphia led her to Jefferson University College of Pharmacy. Through unexpected academic experiences and inspiring mentors, she discovered a passion for blending chemistry with patient care. 

How did you choose your pharmacy school?    

When I was applying to pharmacy schools, I knew I wanted to attend a program that had a small class size. I was attracted to Jefferson because its smaller class size allows students to closely interface with everyone in their class as well as professors. I also was interested in attending pharmacy school in a large city, and Philadelphia certainly helped check off that box. Another reason why I chose Jefferson was because of its extensive opportunities to engage in interprofessional education with peers from other allied health fields.

Why did you decide to pursue your career?    

I entered college as an English Literature major with no intention of pursuing a career in science. Allegheny College, my alma mater, is a liberal arts school that makes all students fulfill distribution requirements in each of the different subject areas. I signed up for an introductory chemistry course in 2018 in order to fulfill a science distribution requirement earlier rather than later. Little did I know, the course I signed up for would later turn into a chemistry minor and eventually help land me a seat in pharmacy school. I ended up loving the introductory chemistry course, and I serendipitously found pharmacy through a chemical kinetics homework question that involved a pharmacist. I spent my winter break checking out websites describing the roles of a pharmacist and all the different career options pharmacists are able to pursue. After my Pharm4Me research, I quickly realized that pharmacy would help merge together my passions for chemistry and patient care, and it ultimately helped solidify my newfound dream of becoming a future pharmacist.

Who has helped you as you explored possible career paths?    

My former manager, Dr. Alexis Hart from Allegheny College, helped spark my initial interest in academia while I was working as a writing and grammar consultant as an undergraduate. Dr. Cynthia Sanoski, my lifelong mentor now at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, inspired me to pursue a career in pharmacy academia and helped me reach acceptance into this year’s cohort of the AACP Aspiring Academics Program. Dr. Elena Umland, my mentor from my home institution, has helped me explore a lot of different career paths within pharmacy academia. Meanwhile, my pharmacy colleagues at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania have helped me discover different areas of inpatient pharmacy that I am interested in pursuing.

What is your favorite part of pharmacy school?    

My favorite part about pharmacy school is being able to connect with people from pharmacy and other allied health fields. I enjoy being a part of the close-knit community within the Jefferson College of Pharmacy, and I have met a ton of incredible and inspiring people during my time at Jefferson. I have also had the opportunity to connect with peers through the Jefferson Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education. It feels special to be able to work on various interprofessional teams because I am able to collaborate with peers from other allied health fields; I find it interesting to learn from others about their roles and responsibilities in their respective areas. Ultimately, it feels incredibly fulfilling to team up together as one unit to have a meaningful impact on patients in the Philadelphia community!

What do you find most challenging about pharmacy or graduate school?    

To me, the most challenging part about pharmacy school is balancing the classroom and out of classroom experiences. This includes school, extracurriculars, work, family, and social time. I keep a calendar so I can be on top of all my commitments, and it helps me stay organized.

What advice would you give to students interested in attending pharmacy or graduate school?    

The biggest piece of advice I would give to prospective students is to never write yourself out of something that you haven’t tried. You are in control of your own narrative, and take full advantage of any new opportunities that come your way. Be bold, embrace challenges, and stay ambitious.

What do you wish you had known before applying to pharmacy or graduate school?    

Prior to pharmacy school, I had no community pharmacy experience. I felt nervous coming into pharmacy school because I thought it would hinder me from grasping course content. In retrospect, I wish I would have been reassured that you do not necessarily need community pharmacy experience in order to be successful in pharmacy school. Although it may help to have some background experience, pharmacy programs like Jefferson are able to reach students from all academic backgrounds, get them up to speed with the curriculum, and help them work towards different competencies needed to become successful future pharmacists.
 

Although I left the world of humanities for a career in science, I still use transferable skills I was able to develop as an English major on a daily basis. Some of these skills include composing a summary of patient encounters, analyzing charts, conceptualizing course content, brainstorming ideas with a team, and communicating with peers.

Being able to contribute to Pharm4Me feels like a full circle moment because I used its resources back in 2018 when I was trying to learn more about the pharmacy profession.

We thank Lauren for sharing her story. For those interested in a similarly fulfilling career in pharmacy, check out the Pharm4Me website for valuable information on becoming a pharmacist, and read more inspirational stories on the Pharm4Me Blog.

Are you a current student or pharmacy professional and want to be featured on our blog? Fill out this form for the opportunity to inspire prospective students!