What makes your career path unique?
My career path is unique because I get to work and collaborate with many different healthcare professionals, including substance abuse counselors, recreation therapists, counselors, and others.
My career area is also different because mental illnesses are treated using many modalities—not just medications. This has provided me with a unique appreciation for all treatment methods.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
During a typical morning at work, I meet with the entire healthcare team to discuss patients for about an hour. After that, I provide medication education to patients on the inpatient psychiatric unit. Additionally, I collaborate with the healthcare team to make sure that each patient is on the best medication regimen possible for them.
Describe the most rewarding day of your career.
One of the most rewarding days of my career occurred when I worked with a patient to identify why it was important to him to continue taking his medications.
He explained that when he took his medications, his mood and behavior would stabilize. This helped him accomplish his daily tasks as a landscaper.
This was exciting because it meant that I was doing my job well and helping to improve the life of my patient.
Describe the most challenging day of your career.
The most challenging days of my career occur when I have competing responsibilities and can’t spend as much time as I would like with my patients.
What most attracted you to pharmacy over other healthcare professions?
The thing I found most attractive about a career in pharmacy is how accessible pharmacists are to their patients when compared to other healthcare professions.
What steps did you take to enter into this career path?
When I was in high school, I completed many community service hours at a community pharmacy. This experience helped me to determine that this specific career path was the right one for me.
What advice would you give to a student entering pharmacy school?
My advice to students entering pharmacy school would be to take steps to make sure that they know how to organize their time before pharmacy school begins.
Additionally, I’d advise them to ask their professors all of their questions right when they come up instead of relying only on their classmates to address and answer questions.