The Respectability and Prestige of Profession of the Pharmacist

Growing up in Vietnam, my parents always brewed Chinese herbs whenever I was sick. I remembered that it gave off an undesirable taste and an unpleasant smell with a hint of decay. I had to pinch my nose and took a big gulp while wondering how this herbal tea was going to help me feel better. It was then when I discovered the world of capsule, liquid, and tablet medications. I was amazed with how medicines can interact with human body in different ways. During my high school years, I grew great interest in chemistry and was eager to learn more about physical and chemical compositions of drugs that cure illness and diseases. With the aspiration to help others by improving their life, I have committed my career aspiration to become a pharmacist and to graduate with the doctor of pharmacy degree.

Being a pharmacist is an incredibly rewarding and respected career with many opportunities in different fields such as patient care and medical research. My passion to build effective relationship and strong patient trust in pharmaceutical profession motivates me to develop personally and professionally. Although I have not yet gained any work experience in this field, I have observed that pharmacists are devoted to this same mission. After my interaction with local pharmacists at the retail store, I admired the generosity and professionalism that they provide to ensure that the medications prescribed for patients contribute to the best possible health outcomes. Recognized as one of the most trusted profession, pharmacists give patients a sense of reassurance beyond just providing their medications. I decide to pursue this career because I want to be part of this professional expert group, who is willing to put patients’ need first and doing all that they can to enhance their health and well being.

Obtaining a Doctor of Pharmacy degree is my intermediate goal that I plan to achieve by focusing on studying as hard as I can. Even though the classes are more difficult, my desire to become a competent and well rounded pharmacist will keep my passion up high and help me to survive these tough classes. As for my long term goal, I am committed to improve healthcare outcomes, establish patient-friendly environment, and enhance the quality of life for patients with different medical problems and conditions. I want to develop the therapeutic relationship with patients by encouraging them to ask questions about alternative treatment options for the best medication outcomes with affordable cost.

The last three years as pre-pharmacy undergraduate have prepared me on the path to earning a doctoral degree in pharmacy by providing a solid base in science and math. The pre-pharmacy program enables me to develop strong teamwork skills with others to share our ideas and to solve more complex problems. Teamwork skill is critical for the pharmacists to collaborate with other health professions in order to provide the best quality patient care possible. Through my employment experiences at the nail salon, I have also developed excellent communication skill that I will utilize as a pharmacist by handling clients’ concerns and questions professionally and courteously. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential in healthcare professions to ensure patients receive the accurate information they require for their effective treatment. These skills I have acquired in my education and employment will ultimately help me to achieve my intermediate as well as long term goal.