Morgan Carson-Marino, PharmD, MS, is the APhA member relations resident in Washington, DC.
Navigating the job market and finding your path can be a challenging yet rewarding journey. Whether you are just starting out as a student pharmacist or advancing into your rotations, it is important to have a solid understanding of the opportunities and resources available to you.
In this 4-part advice series, you’ll find practical tips to help you reach your full potential. We’ll highlight advice from student pharmacists, new practitioners, members of the APhA Executive Postgraduate Training Program, APhA staff, and APhA partners.
We hope the following advice can provide guidance for you as you move forward in pharmacy school and your career. Today we hear from student pharmacists.
Victoria Lyle (pictured)
Third-year PharmD candidate, 2022-2023 APhA-ASP National
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
2022–2023APhA–ASP National President-elect
It’s never too late to start writing a new chapter in life. It took me several years of personal and professional growth to believe I could obtain a PharmD degree. If you want to pursue something, then go for it! If that something is scary, be brave enough to try. Once I started pursuing my dreams, I became fascinated by my accomplishments and what happens if I don’t give up … so never give up!
Michael Nome
Third-year PharmD candidate
University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy
Don’t be afraid to join a pharmacy community. This approach has helped me find a family, a community, and an inner purpose in my personal career journey. I’m a strong believer in serving a purpose that is bigger than myself, and joining student pharmacy communities has provided me a platform to improve patient care.
Sabrina Zhang
Third-year PharmD candidate
MCPHS University School of Pharmacy, Boston
Empower yourself to reach your aspirations by relying on self-determination. Challenges will always arise, but believe in your power to overcome anything. Set goals, be determined, and stay focused. Don’t allow external factors to dictate your results. After witnessing the inequality in health care access in different settings, I knew that my ultimate desire is to pursue a degree in pharmacy so I can help alleviate widespread illnesses through medicine and improve access to health care. Becoming a pharmacist will allow me to apply my knowledge of medicine to positively impact patients in need.
Andre Zibner
Second-year PharmD candidate
University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville
Find the fuel to your fire. It is without a doubt that throughout your journey to become a pharmacist, there will be times when it feels like the weight of the world rests on your shoulders. Whether it be schoolwork, internships, research, leadership positions, or even a combination of these, it may seem like it is impossible to do it all. In those moments of doubt, never forget your roots—all the people in your life who believe in you, all the amazing family and friends who want to see you succeed. But most of all, always remember that this is your journey and that you can accomplish absolutely anything you put your mind to. Find the fuel that ignites your fire. You can do it!
Nikki Chen
Third-year PharmD candidate
University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy
You don’t have to find your passion—you can create it. It’s daunting to try and decide what you want to do for the rest of your life, but that’s why I chose pharmacy. The “pharmily” you find through school and through organizations reinforces the fact that everything is going to work out as long as you’re putting in the drive and the passion. There are so many careers to pursue through a PharmD degree, and our scope of practice will continue to grow. We often narrow ourselves down to learning about the different pharmacy careers to see if we are passionate about them, but you can instead understand your values and try new things to create what you are passionate about beyond the pre-set molds. Forge your own passion; don’t just search for it.
William Tondre
Third-year PharmD candidate
University of the Incarnate Word Feik School of Pharmacy
It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Do not burn out too quickly. Avoid burnout by taking things slowly and steadily. Take each day one at a time and pace yourself. Break down your goals into manageable daily tasks. Set a pace that works for you. While it’s important to challenge yourself, make sure to do so in a sustainable way. However, don’t be afraid to push beyond your comfort zone. Maximum growth often occurs outside of one’s comfort zone.