Morgan Carson-Marino, PharmD, MS, is the APhA member relations resident in Washington, DC.
In the final installment of our advice series, you’ll learn practical tips to help you reach your full potential from APhA staff members, association partners, and me. We hope the following advice can provide guidance for you as you move forward in pharmacy school and your career.
Paria Sanaty Zadeh, PharmD
APhA Associate Director, Practice and Science Programs
Be the architect of your career. Take ahold of every opportunity and leverage it to the fullest. Wondering how community-based and health-system residency differ? Arrange an informational interview to get your questions answered. Curious about what it’s like to work in a specific practice setting? Request to shadow a practitioner in the field for a day. Want to publish an article in a reputable journal? Find a research advisor and mentor to learn the process to get there. If you have a long-term goal, just take the first step.
If you anticipate or encounter barriers, stay calm and remember that everything can be figured out. Avoid self-rejection, and if you don’t land the opportunity or outcome you were hoping for, remember that it is simply a redirection. The world is an endless invitation full of opportunity, so beyond arming yourself with the tools and knowledge to take meaningful action, empower yourself to explore new routes and pave your own unique path. You never know when you might blaze a trail for those after you. As it is said: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
Jonathan Little, PharmD
APhA Foundation Director, Practice-Based Research
Find pharmacists that you want to be like. These are the people who you look up to and who could be your role models or mentors as you begin your career. When I was a student pharmacist, I had various interests but wasn’t fully sure where I wanted to take my career. That changed, however, when I found pharmacists that I genuinely looked up to while on one of my rotations. I met some pharmacists who seemed to be 5 to 10 years ahead of me, people whom I really admired and wanted to be like. They just seemed really relatable to me, and they were exactly the kind of pharmacists that I wanted to be. I saw an opportunity to use the rotation as a time of relationship-building, in hopes that it would lead to more opportunities down the road. In the end, this approach paid off for me, as I ended up getting a position with this organization and continue to work with those same pharmacists to this day.
I always advise students to try to “find your people.” Find the pharmacists you admire and want to be like. Try to build genuine relationships with these people, and even if a job doesn’t directly work out, it’s really valuable to have mentors and role models who can help guide you as you begin your career and become the pharmacist you want to be.
Alsean R. Bryant, PharmD, AAHIVP, HIV PCP
President, Washington, DC Pharmacy Association
Identify your why. What moves you? What gives you the drive to wake up every morning and put your best foot forward? What have been some of your life’s greatest challenges? What impact do you want to have on the world? I’d venture to say that your “why” can be found within the fabric of your answers. It’s the seed whose roots grow deep so that you can stand strong and tall, weather life’s storms, enjoy the fruit of your labor, and inspire others along the way. So take some time to discover your “why.” When in doubt, when discouraged, when overwhelmed, embrace your “why” and let it propel you forward.
An attitude of gratitude. Don’t take wins for granted—they’re blessings. And failures aren’t losses—they’re lessons. In this game of life, we either win or learn. There is no losing as long as we look at situations through the lens of growth. So pay attention, and don’t stop learning. Because what you don’t learn now, life has its way of bringing it back to you again.
Healthy boundaries are essential. As you grow both personally and professionally, you’ll learn that your time is your most coveted currency. Thus, how you spend it and with whom you spend it becomes increasingly important. Start investing in healthy boundaries, find balance and peace in saying “no,” and reap the reward that rests in the margin you’ve created for yourself.
Morgan Carson-Marino, PharmD, MS
APhA Executive Resident, Member Relations
Take time to celebrate your progress along the journey. As you progress in your career, it’s inevitable that you will encounter challenges. Embrace these obstacles on your journey and turn them into steppingstones to success. Celebrate your progress and your achievements. Recognize and appreciate these milestones no matter how small they may seem. Celebratory moments serve as evidence of your strong will and commitment. Your unwavering determination is demonstrated through these celebratory moments. Enjoy it!
Surround yourself with people who support and encourage you, and don’t be afraid to reach out to others for help or advice. Always be mindful of the things you allow into your life as they can have a significant impact on your thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Exercise caution in what you allow to affect your life through what you hear and put into practice. Surround yourself with positive people and influences. Critically evaluate the information and practices you engage in, and only allow those that align with your values and support your overall well-being. By doing this, you can ensure that the things you allow into your life contribute to your growth and happiness.
I will close by saying as an APhA member, you belong to a vibrant community of pharmacists. Take advantage of opportunities for personal and professional development, connect with fellow student pharmacists, and use the resources offered by APhA.
Represent the voice of pharmacy and continue to advance the profession. Inspire, innovate, and create a brighter future. I hope this advice can help you grow, improve, and develop new skills and perspective moving forward in your career path!
I’d also like to acknowledge Isaac B. Washington, the founder of Momentum News, who helped inspire this article.