The career of a pharmacist entails a great deal of knowledge, passion, and above all commitment. In order to clearly describe my desire to become a pharmacist, I think it is best to describe the events leading up to that major decision in my life. Upon graduating from Lake Forest College in 2005 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education and Biology, I enrolled in the Masters Program in Biology at Northeastern Illinois University. I maintained my part-time position as a pharmacy technician with Walgreen Co., where I had been working since 2000. In 2006, I was promoted to a corporate position with Walgreens Health Services (WHS) as the Immunization Clinical Program Coördinator. In 2009, I joined the Medication Therapy Management (MTM) Team as a Clinical Call Center Technician. I am confident that my background in education and work experience in the field of pharmacy have adequately prepared me for the commitment I will make on my journey to becoming a pharmacist.

As a pharmacy technician my perspective was somewhat limited, which led me to believe that working in a community pharmacy was the only path for a pharmacist. It was not until I started working closely with a variety of clinical pharmacists at WHS that it opened my eyes to a whole new realm of pharmacy practice. With a number of diverse and exciting opportunities available to clinical pharmacists I have been motivated to pursue such a rewarding career.

The pharmacy profession continues to grow, and in the past three years I have witnessed the demand for well-mannered, educated and empowered pharmacists. As one of healthcare’s most accessible practitioners, community pharmacists are uniquely positioned to impact their patients utilizing their extensive knowledge of important public health initiatives such as MTM and immunizations.

In the field of pharmacy, professionalism and experience coincide to a degree of innumerable lengths, and I feel during my nine years with Walgreen Co. I have witnessed this in every sense. I was closely involved with the development of the seasonal flu program, which expanded from a small pilot into a nation-wide effort. Throughout the development phase I coördinated the certification of approximately 8,000 pharmacists.

Participating in these groundbreaking clinical programs has been the most stimulating aspect of my career with Walgreen Co. I am excited to become more personally involved in expanding the pharmacy healthcare repertoire, and servicing those who need it most: the patients.

My strength as a candidate for the Doctor of Pharmacy degree lies mostly in the objectives that I plan to fulfill upon becoming a pharmacist. These objective are: to provide excellence in comprehensive patient care using my acquired skills as both a competent professional and a compassionate human being, to show reverence for patients by giving excellent care, and to expand my knowledge through experience, continuing education and research. I believe my academic background, as well as my clinical experiences, ensures with utmost confidence that I will fulfill my duties as a dedicated pharmacist in the near future.