My Road to Becoming a Successful Pharmacist

I have always wanted to help people in my community have a good healthy lifestyle. In my opinion, health is the number one priority which enables us to have a long and prosperous life. I come from a family that has overcome a lot to be where we are today. Growing up in a single parent home has given me a certain insight. My mother works hard as a nurse to make sure that my younger brother, sister and I are always taken care of. Although she is the only breadwinner in the family, she is determined to give her children a chance at a promising future. She knows the importance of a proper education and thus instills this principle in us. Having her as a strong support system, has given me the courage to overcome all obstacles and pursue my goals.

Prior to the start of my undergraduate studies at York College in spring 2012, I critically thought about the academic field that I wanted to pursue. I had several options in mind but was conflicted of which path to choose. The advice that my teachers had given me was to select a field that I found thoroughly intriguing and will excel. During the summer before college, I worked as a cashier at an independent pharmacy a couple of blocks from my home. There I was inspired by the pharmacist in charge who would always go above and beyond to ensure his patients are always satisfied. During the couple of months that I had worked with him, I had realized that my passion was in helping people in a safe and effective way with the use of innovative pharmaceutical medications.

As a student in Pharmaceutical Science, I was able to gain all the necessary skills in Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics that are required to excel in pharmacy school. In addition, I was able to participate in research in the fields of Chemistry and Pharmacology where I had learned the importance of medications and their mechanisms of action in the human body. I also became a certified pharmacy technician, where I worked at both retail and hospital pharmacies. This gave me an in-depth look at what pharmacists do on a daily basis in retail and clinical settings. Through working, I gained self-confidence from interacting with patients especially in retail pharmacy. It also taught me the significance of being punctual and staying committing. Just from working alongside the pharmacists, I realized that they have a lot of responsibilities especially in the dispensing and compounding of medications while ensuring their patients’ safety. Although physicians may diagnose illnesses and prescribe medications, the preparation and production of these complex medicines require the specialized expertise of a pharmacist.

I want to become a Pharmacist who can contribute to making improvement in people’s health. I want to be able to work in research and clinical settings thereby contributing to medical advancement. Moreover as a Pharmacist, I want to be able to educate the future generations of the advantages of becoming a Pharmacist and what they can do to make a positive impact on society as a healthcare professional.

Through my unyielding perseverance and determination, I want to fulfill my mother’s dream and my career goal of which I have been working as hard as I can to make possible. The belief that I have that desired results are never easily attained in life is clearly exemplified by this famous quote by American poet Henry Wadworth Longefellow, “The heights by great men reached and kept, were not obtained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”

I belong to a society in which diverse cultures prosper; therefore I have learned to treat other people’s opinions with respect and harmony. The various experiences that I have gained thus far have shaped me to become an enthusiastic, self-motivated and hardworking individual. Therefore, I am confident that by admitting me to your reputable institution, I will relish the opportunity to study pharmacy as it would be the beginning of my road to becoming a successful pharmacist.