My Journey to Pharmacy by Beverly

My Journey to Pharmacy by Beverly - November 2023 Scholarship Essay

My name is Beverly Appouh, and I am a freshman chemistry major from Manassas, VA attending Howard University. In my junior year of high school, I entered a program called Governor’s School which allows students to take college classes at George Mason University. Before entering this program, a student must choose their strand which is their main science class. The strand options were chemistry, biology, physics, and engineering. I chose chemistry because I love how detail-oriented it is. There was never a dull moment and it captivated my interest for the next two years. Naturally, I decided to major in chemistry. Even though I loved chemistry I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do when I graduated. One day, as I was researching different careers for a chemistry major, I stumbled upon the idea of being a pharmacist. The idea was a little daunting because of the amount of post-secondary education needed, but once I learned about what pharmacists did and how they impacted the world, I fell in love with the career.

Personally, I want to be a clinical pharmacist and work in a hospital. Clinical pharmacists collaborate closely with doctors, other medical specialists, and patients to make sure that the medication that is prescribed helps the patient achieve the best possible health results. Clinical pharmacists work in medical environments where they regularly and often interact with doctors and other healthcare providers, improving care coordination. Once a drug is prescribed, it is a clinical pharmacists job to make sure that the drug will positively impact the patient and also make sure the drug is in the correct dosage. While reviewing drug prescriptions, they often catch mistakes that doctors or medical specialists might make. By noticing the mistake and correcting it, the pharmacist can help save the patient's life. Even though I won’t be working directly with the patient, I can still positively affect their life and potentially save lives. This aspect was one of the main reasons why I chose pharmacy.

My grandfather passed away almost two years ago when he went to the hospital with constipation. He lived in Kumasi, Ghana, and went to the nearest hospital due to pain from the constipation. Within one day he died. No one knows exactly what happened, or who was at fault, but either way my grandfather's life was the price that was paid. As a clinical pharmacist, I may have been able to prevent his death by noticing a mistake that was made within the doctor’s prescription or by other means. I can’t go back in time, but I can move forward by doing my best to help those who can’t help themselves. I intend to finish my Bachelor’s in Chemistry at Howard University and finish my Pharm. D at the College of Pharmacy at Howard University. Once I graduate, I will complete one year of residency and be able to work as a clinical pharmacist. Having found a career path that makes me excited to finish school and be able to help people, has given me a new sense of purpose and energy to do the best I can for the next seven years, and maybe one day I will be able to teach the next generation of pharmacists and continue to positively impact the world. Attending college is the only way I can make my dream come true. In the next seven years, I will work hard to succeed academically and gain financial support so that I can continue my matriculation though college and one day become a pharmacist so I can help those who can't help themselves.