Samira Yasmeen has known she wanted to be a pharmacist ever since she saw her mom have an adverse reaction to a medication that required an emergency room visit. Since then, Samira has been steadfast in her pursuit of her Pharm.D. and her interest in how to prevent adverse reactions while providing optimal patient care.
Read on to learn more about Samira's time in pharmacy school and how NEOMED has supported her along the way.
1. What initially got you interested in pharmacy?
I am from Dublin, Ohio and I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Science from the Ohio State University. During my undergraduate years, I worked as certified pharmacy technician first at Walmart Pharmacy and later at Riverside Methodist Hospital Pharmacy. While working as a pharmacy technician, I not only enjoyed helping patients but also came to know about adverse reactions from medications. We usually know that prescription drugs are used to treat or prevent diseases but some of those drugs may also cause adverse reactions in some patients. I decided to become a pharmacist to prevent such adverse reactions and provide optimal patient care.
2. Did you encounter any hesitations, obstacles or fears about pursuing a Pharm.D.?
After seeing my mom getting admitted to ER due to an adverse reaction from one of her prescribed medications, I was determined to pursue Pharm.D. My desire to learn about medications and how they can be beneficial or harmful to patients always encourage me to pursue this degree.
3. Why did you choose the pharmacy program at NEOMED? Now that you've experienced the program, what's your favorite part about it?
I had my first pharmacy school interview at NEOMED. During the interview, I met the wonderful faculty members and came to know about the Wasson Center, where we get to apply our clinical skills to standardized patients. I was also interested to learn about various research programs available for students.
4. What resources do you feel set NEOMED apart from other Pharm.D. programs?
Resources like internship, research programs and extraordinary faculty members set NEOMED apart from other Pharm.D programs for me.
5. What achievement, project, or experience are you most proud of from your years in pharmacy school?
From my years in pharmacy school, I have achieved the co-curricular recognition in the category of Personal & Professional Development for the 2020-21 academic year.
6. What are your career dreams or plans? How has the Pharm.D. program at NEOMED helped prepare you for your future?
I am planning to work in a hospital setting as a pharmacist. The Pharm.D. program allowed me to visit various hospital settings during my IPPE rotations. During those rotations I learned how medications are being used to treat patients with COVID-19 and other illnesses.
7. Is there anything else you'd like to add? Any advice or wisdom you would pass along to a prospective student?
The Pharm.D. program can become a little overwhelming sometimes, but we should not forget the reason that inspired us to choose Pharmacy. We should also not forget what we can do to help our patients as pharmacists.
Fulfill Your Desire to Provide Optimal Care at NEOMED
Pharmacy school isn't for everyone. It takes confidence, passion and ingenuity to succeed on the path to earning a Pharm.D. If, like Samira, you're driven by a passion to help others through pharmacy, NEOMED can not only help you discover strengths and abilities you never knew you had. Take Samira's advice and keep the reason that inspired you to choose pharmacy top of mind. Ready to get started? Schedule an admissions information session with us. Contact the the College of Pharmacy at kjeroski@neomed.edu or schedule a meeting.
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"Begin Your Future in Pharmacy at NEOMED" to learn more about what it takes to become a pharmacist.
