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My Pursuit of a Lifetime of Happiness My journey to pharmacy school was through a diverse, indirect pathway. I started my undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), majoring in Biology with a Physiology and Neurobiology Emphasis, and on the pre-medical route. After four years and a Bachelor of Science degree, I was awarded the Pre-doctoral Intramural Research Training Award from the National Institutes of Health. The fellowship centered on research in cellular immunology and the applicability of a mechanism of antigen-induced programmed cell death of T lymphocytes to the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Although I enjoyed the critical thinking and problem analysis of research, I knew I would not be happy living the life of a research scientist. I then continued my education at Ross University, School of Medicine in NY, and Dominica, W.I., where I successfully completed two years of Basic Sciences and several clinical rotations. There, I even met my wonderful husband, another medical student. Although the studies were academically fulfilling and my life was personally fulfilling, I was not too emotionally or psychologically satisfied with my career choice as a physician. My real-life experience of a career in medicine did not match my vision and expectations of a physician. A career as a physician is filled with sadness, illnesses and diseases. It is not a field of idealistic happy and healthy children, unless it is for a well-baby check-up to a pediatrician. I knew I would not be happy living the life of a physician. I again realized that the path I had chosen was not my forte. My husband also felt the same way with his career choice. My husband and I both made drastic changes in our lives by changing our careers to the fields of pharmacy and business. Currently we are pursuing the Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Business Administration Dual Degree Program at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and the University of Baltimore Merrick School of Businesss. We are both extremely happy and satisfied with our career decision. My professional career goal is to find a position in academia or pharmaceutical industry that utilizes and integrates my knowledge and expertise in pharmacy, business, medicine, and/or research. My decision to choose pharmacy came about due to many reasons. During my undergraduate education, I first volunteered at the UMCP Student Health Center as a Pharmacy Technician, and was later hired. I had enjoyed this experience of patient education and counseling. During medical school, I also enjoyed my pharmacology course. Although it was one of the most difficult courses, I took on the challenge and studied even more than my other courses, and realized that I enjoyed this subject because of my perseverance. Once I finally understood the material, I liked pharmacology. Furthermore, with the doctorate program in pharmacy, the opportunity for pharmacists has grown drastically, including academia, industry, and the field of clinical pharmacists. Also, this prestigious, respectful, and rewarding career choice, are all attractive attributes to the life of a pharmaceutical scientist. My decision to choose business was also due to many reasons. Although I did not have formal education in business during my undergraduate years, I had hands-on experience at a very young age due to my parent's dry cleaning businesses. I was also involved with consulting, recruiting, and sales at various jobs. Currently, I am working part-time as a Research Assistant in pharmacoeconomics in literature reviews and report writing and analysis. In addition, the Pharm.D./M.B.A. Dual Degree Program was a very attractive option because of its even greater opportunities in the field of academia and the pharmaceutical industry. I am also involved with "A Bridge to Academic Excellence", a program where I tutor underprivileged high school students who would like to pursue the field of pharmacy or a different health profession. This is an ideal way to excite young individuals about opportunities in the career of pharmacy. When students show their desire to learn, it is even more exciting to educate them. This helped my decision-making process to also choose academia to become an educator. I want to be the master of my life and my destiny. Otherwise, life is senseless. Although I cannot predict what will happen exactly in my future, I know I can use the experience I have gained in the past to guide me in the right directions. I spent six years after my undergraduate studies exploring different career options and started late in my pharmacy and business careers. However, I still consider my past six years of life not to be a waste of time, but a time of growth of knowledge and valuable life-learning experiences, which I could not have learned from books. If I had a chance to repeat my life and choose either the same indirect pathway or a new direct pathway, I would still choose the same indirect pathway because it was an invaluable experience that helped me to decide what I enjoyed and what I did not. I will now pursue a lifetime of happiness with my career choice as a pharmaceutical scientist and a businesswoman.

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WHY I CHOOSE PHARMACY ? I chose to attend pharmacy school due to the results of a test. My decision wasn't due to a recruiter coming to my undergraduate university. Nor was my decision due to the excellent salary pharmacists' make. In fact, I did not realize the income potential until my Introduction to Pharmacy call. Nor was it due to a hard-earned A I receive in Organic Chemistry Class. My decision to attend pharmacy school was based on the results of a personality test I took after i had already graduated from college. I began my studies at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) in August 1993. My goal was to get a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. I initially did not know what I wanted to do after I graduated. There were a few recurring options I gravitated towards, namely teaching and/or research. Consequently, I decided to participate in as many research programs as possible to gain more exposure and more hands-on experience. During my freshman year, I obtained a job as a work-study student for the Chair of the Biology Department. One day, the Chair's secretary, Mrs. Holmes, gave me some information concerning a summer internship at the United States Department of Agriculture Forestry Service in the Research Triangle Park. She recommended that I apply for the position. To my delight, I was accepted into the program. This opportunity was merely the beginning of my exposure tot he research field. That experience opened the door for me. In the following years, I participated in research programs at UNC-Chapel Hill, the University of Iowa, Glaxo Wellcome, and two projects at NCCU. During my last year of school, I finally determined what I wanted to do: I would earn a Ph.D., majoring in Microbiology and Immunology and participated in research after graduation. However, my plans didn't turn out as I wanted them to. I found myself working after graduation instead of returning to school. At that time, as it is today, it was extremely difficult to get a permanent full-time job immediately after graduating. I was hired through a temp agency under contract. My first assignment was working on a clinical trial for Duke's cancer & Leukemia Group B. Even though I was enjoying that experience, I knew I was to be assigned to another site in January, since the project only lasted for 6 months. My next job was at Bayer Pharmaceutical in Raleigh, NC. There I was in contact with many people my age that had also recently graduated. In fact, three of them were former classmates from NCCU. Frequently the four of us along with other co-workers would discuss our future plans, dreams and goals. Many of them were planning to go to school in the upcoming fall. One was going to dental school. Another was planning to attend graduate school. A few others were going to medical school. So I began asking myself what I wanted to do with my life. I knew that I wanted to return to school soon; however I also knew that i no longer wanted to get a Ph.D. in Microbiology & Immunology. I could no longer envision myself immersed in a lab, like my former professors. I could no longer foresee myself writing grants or speaking before a hostile group of researchers about my findings. So, the question remained: "What do i want to do?" My goal was simple: to find a career that suited my personality. I thought of myself as an outgoing, sociable person, yet my love for science was incessant. I also knew that I had to do something that involved interacting with the community. I finally arrived at some solid conclusions: I wanted to be able to move between different settings, communicate with people, and wanted to use my scientific knowledge to benefit others. I then decided to take a personality test. I thought that even if it didn't supply me with concrete solutions that at least it would give me more direction and guidance in choosing a career path. I made an appointment to take a test, and with prayer, trusted that God had something suitable in store for me. After I finished the test and obtained the results. I was astonished at some of the professions my personality matched up with: social worker, elementary school teacher, occupational therapist, marketing executive, and farmer to name a few. However, chemist and pharmacist, were the top two matches generated. Naturally, I immediately ruled out chemist because its working environment would likely lead me back to being dissociated from the community. When I saw "PHARMACIST", I knew my search had ended. It was the perfect fit. It would fulfill my need to be independent, in touch with the community, and it would allow me to use my scientific knowledge for the benefit of others. And, yet, I felt so foolish because I remembered all of the times I had spoken to pre-pharmacy (chemistry) majors at school. It had never once crossed my mind that that field was right for me. There was no doubt in my mind about where my future would lead me. i then began my search for a school. So, as it were, the reason I chose pharmacy school was all due to a simple personality test. Moreover, I am still choosing pharmacy school even as I approach the end of my second year. I take great pride in participating in career day programs with the American Pharmaceutical Association Academy of Students of Pharmacy (APhA-ASP) and the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA). I always enjoy talking to high school or college students about pharmacy school and the career opportunities they have available to them after obtaining their Doctor of Pharmacy. In addition, I've served as a Mercer student ambassador. This experience has not only allowed me to participate in recruiting, but to actively participate in the selection process of incoming students. I just cannot imagine a better occupation to have than to be able to educate the community about their medications, and to be a direct part of their health care team. Interacting with patients and participating in health care decisions has the ultimate effect of improving the quality of life of others, giving them more time to spend with loved ones. This is why I choose pharmacy school.