Jaden Greco and Emily Peleschak are second-year PharmD candidates at Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy.
Prior to pharmacy school, we were under the impression that the medicinal knowledge taught in the classroom was the only component needed to become a good pharmacist. However, after interacting with real patients and taking on leadership and mentor positions, we quickly embraced how far from the truth this was.
Throughout our first year at Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, we had the opportunity to begin shaping ourselves into well-rounded student pharmacists by working with student organizations to provide community education and patient care opportunities. By using the knowledge and skills we learned in the classroom, we have embraced our passions and worked with the community to raise awareness of health care topics that we believe are important.
One of the best pieces of advice we received during this time was to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Out of our comfort zone
We embraced this idea that in order to grow into the best versions of our professional and personal selves, we had to experience events that may not be inside our comfort zone. One growth experience we had was attending the 2023 APhA Institute on Substance Use Disorders, in Salt Lake City. While at this conference, we not only interacted and built relationships with other pharmacists and student pharmacists, but we departed with a lifetime of gratitude for those individuals. This gratitude resulted in the motivation to bring change and awareness to health care issues that are prevalent in every community.
Our desire to increase naloxone access within the local community is one major example. We are in the planning stages of this project and we look forward to reaching out to our state representatives to apply for a grant.
Our experience at the conference also sparked our desire to advocate for those who do not have the resources to advocate for themselves. Advocating for others truly showcases who we are as individuals and as student pharmacists. By being authentic to our values, we are able to fight against the stereotypes, stigmas, and biases surrounding substance use disorder, further educate the community, and move toward positive change.
For example, this past year we gave a presentation to an adolescent population at a local high school demonstrating how to use naloxone. Many individuals have been personally affected by the disease of addiction, and it is within our core values to be a part of the change that is recovery and prevention. Our experiences with addiction and the growing opioid epidemic made it important to us to interact firsthand with a vulnerable group of individuals who can take action early in their lives by using the information we provided.
Believe in Yourself
Over the last year, we have learned that the difference between becoming a good pharmacist and a great health care professional is using resources inside and outside of the classroom that will optimize patient outcomes while spreading awareness and education to the community. As our careers in pharmacy expand, we are determined to be a part of the greater change in the profession through our continuous dedication to bettering ourselves, helping our patients, and expanding our learning.
As mentioned, a large part of our devotion to this topic stemmed from the experiences and individuals we encountered at the APhA Institute. Meeting APhA–ASP National President Victoria Lyle at the conference is something we will cherish and a turning point in how we view APhA as an organization. Victoria to us, at first, was a person to lean on and a hand to hold during the intense conversations surrounding substance use disorder. She grew into a role model for us after seeing and hearing all of the innovation and dedication Victoria brings to APhA–ASP.
This turning point led us to live out her presidential theme of “Believe in Yourself.” Within this theme we have proven we can embrace the void we all dare to enter—that is uncomfortableness. We are able to do this with our dedication to staying true to ourselves and believing that change is possible. Through our remaining years in pharmacy school, we strive to channel Victoria’s theme by carrying out our dreams of becoming great pharmacists.