Why I want to become a Pharmacist
This is a copy of my personal statement for Pharmacy School
My interest in the Pharmacy profession has been an unfading childhood dream, an image, and a burning passion which knows no boundary. It comes as no surprise that the challenges and daily struggles of my family have summed up to create a certain aspiration in my life. Over the years, I have come to recognize these challenges as motivational stepping stones.
At age eight, an infection with roundworm left me very emasculated. Concerned with my health, my grandmother took me to the only hospital in our dusty town of Mekelle in Northern Ethiopia. After two hours of walking, we reached the hospital. At the hospital, the site of a helpless mother holding her infant child-screaming and crying in anguish-was too familiar to the people. As I sat in the waiting room, the face of the sick people surrounding me was overwhelming. When the doctor finally called my name, I felt a mixture of relief and nervousness. Inside the room, my grandmother explained my symptoms to the doctor. The doctor then took out his instruments and listened to my heart beat and checked my temperature. He seemed content and scribbled a note on a piece of paper. Handing the note to my grandmother, he instructed her to take it to the only pharmacy across town. I was happy when we left the hospital to go to the pharmacy. At the pharmacy, the Pharmacist introduced himself as Mr. Hailu (in my native language of Tigrinya means a “person with the power to heal”). My grandmother explained the symptoms and presented him the doctor's note. He sympathized with me, yet the smile on his face was reassuring. He then brought a cup of water and gave me the tablet to swallow. I trusted him when he told me that it will taste just like candy and will take away my pain. Just as he promised, my health improved after few weeks. Healthy again, I was truly convinced that Mr Hailu was indeed a man with the power to heal. After that, I developed a pure love and respect towards him. That very moment became a defining point in my young life as I made a secret vow to follow in his foot step.
After sixteen years, I am in awe as I am about to embark on a journey towards my dream of becoming a Pharmacist. My experience with Dr. Hailu was merely an introduction to the world of Pharmacy. Over the years, I have learned that with a doctor of pharmacy degree, I can have an impact on others in so many ways. I am excited by the thought of helping patients individually the way that Dr Hailu helped me; but I am also interested in pursuing research and discovering how I can impact populations on a larger scale through drug research. I am particularly interested in studying drug resistance. For example, Plasmodium falciparum resistance to commonly used anti-malarial drugs is becoming a major public health threat as malaria has become the leading cause of mortality in the world. As an immigrant from a country profoundly affected by malaria, I am committed to helping with the effort towards eradicating malaria.
In addition to clinical pharmacy and research, I hope to attain a Masters in Public Health. A PharmD with MPH will provide me a special expertise in public health as related to pharmacotherapy and health promotion, disease prevention, and medication safety. By integrating my knowledge and skills in the delivery of pharmaceutical care with public health principles, I will be prepared to contribute to the health care of the diverse communities in America. In the future, I believe the health care system of our nation will need to respond to the needs of growing immigrant communities. As a future member of the health profession, I will bring an international perspective to health issues that affect these communities. For instance, the rapid growing Ethiopian and Eritrean communities in America bring numerous challenges to the health profession. Due to language and cultural barriers, many of them receive little health services. With my diverse cultural and language background, I will concentrate on bridging the gaps in health services for the newcomers. I believe my service will be a golden opportunity for them.
Finally, it was Paulo Coelho who stated that, "If you believe yourself worthy of the thing you fought so hard to get, then you become an instrument of God, you help the soul of the World, and you understand why you are here." I strongly believe that every one of my experiences has become concrete foundations for my destiny and vision of helping the hopeless souls of the world.
This is a copy of my personal statement for Pharmacy School
My interest in the Pharmacy profession has been an unfading childhood dream, an image, and a burning passion which knows no boundary. It comes as no surprise that the challenges and daily struggles of my family have summed up to create a certain aspiration in my life. Over the years, I have come to recognize these challenges as motivational stepping stones.
At age eight, an infection with roundworm left me very emasculated. Concerned with my health, my grandmother took me to the only hospital in our dusty town of Mekelle in Northern Ethiopia. After two hours of walking, we reached the hospital. At the hospital, the site of a helpless mother holding her infant child-screaming and crying in anguish-was too familiar to the people. As I sat in the waiting room, the face of the sick people surrounding me was overwhelming. When the doctor finally called my name, I felt a mixture of relief and nervousness. Inside the room, my grandmother explained my symptoms to the doctor. The doctor then took out his instruments and listened to my heart beat and checked my temperature. He seemed content and scribbled a note on a piece of paper. Handing the note to my grandmother, he instructed her to take it to the only pharmacy across town. I was happy when we left the hospital to go to the pharmacy. At the pharmacy, the Pharmacist introduced himself as Mr. Hailu (in my native language of Tigrinya means a “person with the power to heal”). My grandmother explained the symptoms and presented him the doctor's note. He sympathized with me, yet the smile on his face was reassuring. He then brought a cup of water and gave me the tablet to swallow. I trusted him when he told me that it will taste just like candy and will take away my pain. Just as he promised, my health improved after few weeks. Healthy again, I was truly convinced that Mr Hailu was indeed a man with the power to heal. After that, I developed a pure love and respect towards him. That very moment became a defining point in my young life as I made a secret vow to follow in his foot step.
After sixteen years, I am in awe as I am about to embark on a journey towards my dream of becoming a Pharmacist. My experience with Dr. Hailu was merely an introduction to the world of Pharmacy. Over the years, I have learned that with a doctor of pharmacy degree, I can have an impact on others in so many ways. I am excited by the thought of helping patients individually the way that Dr Hailu helped me; but I am also interested in pursuing research and discovering how I can impact populations on a larger scale through drug research. I am particularly interested in studying drug resistance. For example, Plasmodium falciparum resistance to commonly used anti-malarial drugs is becoming a major public health threat as malaria has become the leading cause of mortality in the world. As an immigrant from a country profoundly affected by malaria, I am committed to helping with the effort towards eradicating malaria.
In addition to clinical pharmacy and research, I hope to attain a Masters in Public Health. A PharmD with MPH will provide me a special expertise in public health as related to pharmacotherapy and health promotion, disease prevention, and medication safety. By integrating my knowledge and skills in the delivery of pharmaceutical care with public health principles, I will be prepared to contribute to the health care of the diverse communities in America. In the future, I believe the health care system of our nation will need to respond to the needs of growing immigrant communities. As a future member of the health profession, I will bring an international perspective to health issues that affect these communities. For instance, the rapid growing Ethiopian and Eritrean communities in America bring numerous challenges to the health profession. Due to language and cultural barriers, many of them receive little health services. With my diverse cultural and language background, I will concentrate on bridging the gaps in health services for the newcomers. I believe my service will be a golden opportunity for them.
Finally, it was Paulo Coelho who stated that, "If you believe yourself worthy of the thing you fought so hard to get, then you become an instrument of God, you help the soul of the World, and you understand why you are here." I strongly believe that every one of my experiences has become concrete foundations for my destiny and vision of helping the hopeless souls of the world.
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