My Pharmacy Essay

The manner in which I've worked towards many of my goals has elicited from many people the question, "How do you do it?" Accomplishing any worth while goal usually requires some sacrifice, and I've always been willing to make such sacrifices to accomplish the goals I've set for myself. After a while, however, it doesn't feel like your sacrificing anything at all. While in the Marines I made a goal of becoming the best Marine I could be. I knew that not only did my life depend on it, but the lives of many others depended on it as well. Knowing that my preparations had helped keep those around me alive, the sacrifice of attaining that level of preparation didn't seem like such a sacrifice. I imagine that a career in pharmacy is similar in that my preparation as a pharmacist may decide lives. It's this that will motivate me to be the best pharmacist I can be. It's a challenge that I met as a Marine and a challenge that I look forward to as a pharmacist.

When I was a child my family lived in Los Angeles, California. My parents couldn't afford to buy a home in the area so we moved several hours away to a place that was more affordable. My dad, however, continued to live in LA during the week and would only come home on the weekends. That was his sacrifice for a home and to get our family into a better neighborhood. That's a sacrifice I never want to have to make. Among the many things that motivate me to succeed, my motivation to never have to sacrifice time with my family trumps all others. The family unit works much better when the father is present. When I have a family of my own I don't want to have to compromise my time with them for anything, and that's my greatest driving force.

I have often pursued avenues to distinguish myself and to attain a certain level of prestige. One such avenue led me to join the United States Marine Corps. I learned many invaluable lessons in the Marines, but none so much perhaps as the lesson of hard work. Among other things the Marines are well known for being proficient at their jobs, no matter the work environment. They're able to accomplish this by often requiring more out of you during training than would normally be required in a typical scenario. My time serving in Iraq was no cake walk, but in comparison to the difficulty of the training it was easy. I expect pharmacy school to be similar and very much look forward to the vast amounts of knowledge and skill I will be able to obtain there.

I decided just prior to the Fall of '06 semester to change my major from history education to biology to pursue a career in pharmacy. As much as I enjoy history I've always enjoyed the sciences more. I've always enjoyed how the human body functions and how pharmaceuticals play a part in continued and extended human function. When I have completed pharmacy school I would like to work in either research or in a hospital. I feel I would be able to help people in those settings more so than in other settings.

I work at an alcohol and drug rehabilitation center for youth, and have been there for nearly four years. I've seen the adverse effects of ill advised decisions, and I take a certain amount of pride in knowing that I've set a good example for four years worth of kids coming in and out of the program.

My two most sought after feelings are those that accompany a worthy accomplishment and helping someone in need. I believe pharmacy school will give me ample opportunities to enjoy both said feelings. My love for learning is only trumped by my love of helping others. I've experienced many successes in my otherwise short life: winning various athletic competitions, scoring high on difficult examinations, defeating an opposing army, etc. While such accomplishments create a measure of joy, it is nonetheless short lived. However, memories of helping those in need linger over a much longer span of time. I can remember the specifics of leaving the necessities of a Thanksgiving feast at a neighbor's doorstep some 15 years ago much more vividly than I can recall many of my personal accomplishments, even if those personal accomplishments have taken place much more recently. Again, I believe a career in pharmacy will prove to be a major accomplishment in my life, and will also put me in a position to help others who stand in need, and that is something worth pursuing!