Happy National Pharmacy Week!

How did I get interested in pharmacy? I didn't know I was going to be a pharmacist until I attended a college fair in Chinatown and went to the first booth listed alphabetically. There, a tall, friendly Dean and an Asian upperclassman (who actually finished pharmacy school and went to medical school) told me fascinating things about the profession of pharmacy. I applied to Albany College of Pharmacy right away and got accepted within weeks during rolling admissions. Yes, I applied to 5 other colleges, too, including Buffalo for the pharmacy program. Before I heard from them, I decided 3 hours from home was far enough and I accepted. Senior year flew by and then I was off to college, excited to learn more science and math. Seventeen years later, I am still glad fate took me down that route. Here is a description of a pediatric pharmacist.

Oftentimes I get asked, why pediatric pharmacy, it's so sad? Kids have always been naturally drawn to me. I have been called the "baby whisperer." I wanted to use this "ability" to help sick kids feel better. The most memorable question I got asked, though, popped up during a residency interview, "Did you ever watch a child die?" I was stunned and speechless for a few long seconds, and I answered, "No." Thankfully, to this day, I still haven't. I have helped take care of two sets of Siamese twins, watched an autopsy on an adult who had widespread aspergillosis, taught multiple families about asthma, excited many students and residents about pediatric pharmacy, advocated for many parents, shared experiences with my colleagues, and now I have my own kids to keep healthy and safe from medication errors.

It's the tail end of National Pharmacy Week 2009. Normally, I would rally up the students and set up a table in the lobby of the hospital to talk about the services pharmacists can offer. Brown bag sessions at the senior centers and pediatric asthma clinics were also on the schedule. Although I'm taking a hiatus from the daily grind of a pediatric pharmacist in a health-system, I am remaining active in the profession through blogging, tweeting, and contributing to the Pediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group, my beloved association. With a daughter in preschool, you can bet that I'll be giving some talks in the near future.