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Why I Chose Pharmacy School

Essay by S. S.

02/16/2004

It is the year 2020. S. S. has just been promoted to a Walgreens District Manager, and she has been voted employee of the year by Walgreens. The CEO. of Walgreens and S. are on a first-name basis. All of her customers give her a five-star rating and stop by, even when they don't have to pick up a prescription, just to say hello. There is a plaque with her photo that hangs in the Walgreens store where she works: S. S., Registered Pharmacist, Graduate of Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL. She is a nationally acclaimed pharmacist due to her breakthrough findings in antimetabolite drugs, which has led the nation one step closer to a cure for cancer. She enjoys teaching a class as a pharmacology professor at her alma mater-Midwestern University. Her students excel in her class and outside. She enjoys telling others about her life in two parts-Before Pharmacy School (B.P.) and After Pharmacy School (A.P.).

B.P., she was born in South Bend, Indiana, and in her preteen years, she moved to Mumbai, India. From there in her teens, she moved back to the United States to Elmhurst, Illinois, and then to Schaumburg, Illinois. She attended a pharmacy presentation at a career fair in 7th grade at the Davea Career Center in Addison, Illinois, and was instantly hooked on the career path to become a pharmacist. She made sure all of her classes in high school would gear her towards becoming a pharmacist, and in her senior year, she took seven Advanced Placement (AP) courses to become accustomed to a rigorous college workload. She became fluent in five different languages, to be able to help more people in her profession (English, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, and Spanish). At the same time, she volunteered at a nursing home to become accustomed to working in geriatrics and understanding their patient needs. In college, she was incredibly anxious to get started in professional school, in a Doctor of Pharmacy program, so she completed her pre-pharmacy course work in a year including summers. While in pre-pharmacy, she joined many clubs to understand and appreciate diversity, and she stayed active in her religion to never lose faith in her work. She also attended a leadership program to aid her in her future profession and to work up the ladder to a pharmacist. Then came the big deadline of her application to pharmacy school. She said a few prayers and crossed her fingers while dropping the envelope in the mailbox. A few months later, after an interview with the friendly admissions staff on a beautiful, lush campus, she received a letter in the mail-"Congratulations, S. S., you have been accepted to the Chicago College Of Pharmacy in Downers Grove, IL. Welcome to Midwestern University."

A.P. is her favorite part of her career tale. She gushed on and on about Midwestern U. and is their biggest fan. Whenever she drives by 31st Street, she makes a point of cruising through the campus and traveling down all her favorite paths. She reminisces about the friends that she has made there for life. She donates 15% of her annual income to the school each year- for maintenance of the school and some more money for a scholarship fund for students interested in the profession. Her own children are already looking into the many degrees offered by Midwestern U., so they can experience and appreciate their Mom's adoration for such a noteworthy college. Walgreens admires her perseverance and therefore is the first company to attack Midwestern's Pharm D. program graduates each year with job offers. She admits, "Pharmacy school is my second home. I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for them.

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