During my freshman year in high school, my science teacher assigned us to interview people in the community about how they use science in their careers. Although I don’t remember most of the people I spoke with, I can tell you that I spent meaningful time with a local community pharmacist who changed my life.
What I saw was a man who loved his career and truly cared for his patients. In an instant, I knew that I wanted to become a pharmacist, and I never wavered from that goal throughout high school.
Knowing what you want to be when you grow up at age 14 is unusual, but it is very liberating. I simply had to work backwards to figure out how to achieve my goal of becoming a pharmacist.
After high school, I chose to attend Ohio Northern University (ONU) because it had a unique pharmacy program. Rather than attending college for 2 years and then applying to the pharmacy program, ONU students were admitted to the College of Pharmacy from day one.
Although it was expensive, being in pharmacy school from day one and avoiding the risk of rejection made it worthwhile for me.
In college, I spent a lot of time in the library. Although the classwork was difficult, I did well with one exception: organic chemistry.
I did fail organic chemistry—a notorious “weed out” course—but I successfully retook the class over the summer and graduated on time with the rest of my classmates. Failing a course is a difficult stumbling block, but I stood strong and persevered.
Today, I’m thankful for the wonderful pharmacy profession for so many reasons.
First, I’m thankful that community pharmacists are the health care professionals most accessible to the public. If my local pharmacist wasn’t accessible to me, then I likely would have taken a different career path.
Second, I’m proud of the work we pharmacists do, the diversity of our career options, and the relationships we share with our patients and fellow health care providers.
Pharmacy is a profession that makes a real difference in people’s lives. It certainly has made all the difference in mine.
(I used to work at a drug store. From time to time, the pharmacy portion of the store wouldn’t open because there wasn’t a pharmacist to do so. A customer reads the closed sign…)
Customer: “What’s the meaning of this?!”
Me: “I’m sorry, sir. The pharmacy is closed today because we don’t have a pharmacist.”
Customer: “People are SICK! They need their MEDICATION!”
Me: “I wish there was something I could do, sir, but–”
Customer: “You know what this is? Do you?! Two words! TWO WORDS! UN-ACCEPTABLE!”
(A forty-something year old woman comes to the counter with her purchases. Amongst them is a box of condoms, which have security stickers on them. Before I scan the item, I swipe it a few times over the scanner to deactivate it.)
Customer: “Is it not scanning?”
Me: “No, I’m just deactivating the security sticker. I don’t want you to set off the alarm on the way out. Especially over condoms!”
Customer: “Oh I’m not embarrassed! They’re not for me, they’re for my son. I can’t even get an erection!”
(A customer comes in with a prescription for a narcotic pain reliever. He says that he was at the hospital with his wife and the hospital stole his pills, which is why he needs to get this prescription filled, even though his last prescription was just filled a few days ago.)
Me: “OK, sir, I talked to your doctor and he says I can fill your prescription.”
Customer: “Great, can I wait? I have no pills left and I really need it.”
Me: “It’ll be about 10 minutes.”
(10 minutes later.)
Me: “OK sir, your prescription is ready.”
Customer: “Hey, are those pills the same as this?” *holds up pill*
Me: “I thought you didn’t have any pills left, sir.”
Customer: “Well…I bought this off the street, to be honest with you.”
(While waiting in line, I overhear a conversation between a teenager and a police officer, both of whom are also waiting. The boy has red plastic cups and ping pong balls in hand.)
Officer: “Can I ask what those are for?”
Teenage customer: “No, no questions.”
Officer: “Where’s the party?”
Teenage customer: “No parties.”
(The kid checks out, and as he’s walking out the door yells “SODA PONG!” and flicks his wrist.)
Officer, to me: “Yeah, I’ll get the call in a couple hours.”
(A customer comes in with a prescription for a narcotic pain reliever. He says that he was at the hospital with his wife and the hospital stole his pills, which is why he needs to get this prescription filled, even though his last prescription was just filled a few days ago.)
Me: “OK, sir, I talked to your doctor and he says I can fill your prescription.”
Customer: “Great, can I wait? I have no pills left and I really need it.”
Me: “It’ll be about 10 minutes.”
(10 minutes later.)
Me: “OK sir, your prescription is ready.”
Customer: “Hey, are those pills the same as this?” *holds up pill*
Me: “I thought you didn’t have any pills left, sir.”
Customer: “Well…I bought this off the street, to be honest with you.”
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