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Career Center (CC): What drew you to the field of pharmacy? Why do you want to be a Pharmacist?

Son Nguyen (SN): I knew I wanted a career that would fit my personality, bring me happiness, and provide the opportunity to help people. I knew there were ways to help people in the health field other than pharmacy, but I liked chemistry so pharmacy made sense. What really attracted me was how it fit my personality so well. I don't like being around too many people. A doctor, for example, has too many people to interact with all the time. As a pharmacist, you get alone time to do your individual work. However, you can have interaction with employees and customers too; it is a nice mix. I also like the idea that people put their trust in you.

CC: What type of experience do you have related to pharmacy?

SN: I worked at Elephant Pharmacy for a semester and a summer. It can be hard to get a volunteer position in a pharmacy. At Elephant, they let you act as a clerk: I answered phones, took prescription refill information, etc. There you are representing the community and I like that. In general, as a pharmacist, you are the last one on the line; it is all on you. The patient has already seen a doctor, been diagnosed, and given a treatment plan. It's up to the pharmacist to fulfill the last and important step of getting the patient the medicine they need. I like the trust and responsibility that entails. As for other experience, I worked in a research lab on campus (plant bio lab). In that position, I was given a lot of independence.

Currently I work at Tera BioTech Corporation as a lab technician. They care about my education and support my pursuit of a PharmD.

CC: What was the most difficult part about applying to Pharmacy school? What was the process like overall?

SN: Getting started was the hardest part for me…just getting the courage to go for it. Because of this, I didn't even turn in my application until November 1st, which is late in the cycle. However, fortunately I had a high GPA and ultimately was still ranked as high candidate.

Even though I had the high GPA, I just assumed I wasn't good enough. But, I finally got to the point where I realized I just had to try. So, I would tell others not to procrastinate; just try it and see what happens. If you don't try, you will never know if you would have made it or not.

Last summer, after I spoke with a Career Center counselor, everything started falling into place. I realized that applying out of state as a back up plan wasn't necessary for me. I figured out who to ask to write me letters of recommendation as well.

I received interviews from UCSD, USC, UCSF and UOP. I have a friend who is a current PharmD student at UCSD and she gave me insights prior to my interview. During my UCSD interview, I showed them who I was as a person, not just a potential pharmacist.

I got into USC and UOP. Until recently, I had planned on going to USC, but everything changed when I got off the waitlist from UCSD (my #1 choice). I had called the UCSD Admissions office earlier in the summer and been told that my chances of getting off the waitlist were slim. But, I never gave up hope.

In the meantime, the researcher I currently work with (who's wife is my family doctor and also a UCSD faculty member) offered to write me an additional letter to submit to UCSD, and he wrote a letter to the dean of the school.

In the end, I was accepted and I am very excited to be attending UCSD this fall!

CC: What resources did you use to help you apply for Pharmacy School?

SN: For one, I had mentors. These were two friends who attend USC's School of Pharmacy. One of them used to be the head of volunteers at Elephant Pharmacy.

I also used the Career Center; the resources were excellent. I used many online resources. Of course, the best resource is always the school (of Pharmacy) itself…just call them. It can be intimidating to call, but it is just part of process.

I also spoke with the Pharmacy Manager at Elephant Pharmacy; she was a great resource. I asked her questions every time I was there and kept a notebook of what I learned. Everyday I wrote reflections on my experiences there to see what my real feelings about the pharmacy profession were.

CC: What advice do you have for current students who are applying to pharmacy school or are considering doing so in the future?

SN: Make sure you want to go into pharmacy before you apply. While being a pharmacist might not be the job for the rest of your life, pursuing your PharmD is a big commitment. It is best to find out if it suits you for now.

Keep in mind that anytime more school is required, it's going to be competitive to get in. Don't psych yourself out. Be organized and prepared for the process. I had folders on my computer for each school I wanted to apply to; each folder contained all the pre-reqs for that particular school and I would check off classes as I took them. Organization is key so you don't miss deadlines.

Also, get experience. Some of my friends experienced difficult interviews because they lacked pharmacy-related experience. As far as I'm concerned, there's no reason to apply unless you have experience in the field. Be flexible. There are a number of options you can pursue with your PharmD. Just try out at least one aspect of the field as a volunteer or paid, part time intern/employee before you apply. You have to take it seriously going into the field because people are going to count on you for their health.

Additional Resources

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