Pharmacist

What do you like the most about your job?

I like the variety, weekly education sessions to keep us up to date in any changes in guidelines, and ability to take part in innovative, quality assurance projects. Additionally, I enjoy working with a complex patient population, and to aid in effectively treating patients while subsequently managing co-morbid conditions. It is a role that requires a lifelong commitment to learning and I believe that my passion would empower me to work at the top of my license.

What's your normal day like?

• Reviewing patient profile for appropriateness, duplication, drug/drug and drug/food interactions, incompatibilities, or other drug related problems, and either makes appropriate changes to patient's medications or recommends change to the patients’ provider.

• Serving as drug information resource to oncology/hematology providers.

• Designing, developing, and participating in programs to evaluate and improve the quality of hematology/oncology services.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

My mom

How was your path becoming a pharmacist?

After a pharmacy school representative visited my AP chemistry class during my senior year of high school, I applied to the pharmacy school program once eligible. A few years into school, I decided I wanted to pursue a career within a hospital and applied for an inpatient pharmacy technician position. Then, I became highly active within the SNPhA organization which helped me network and provide care to low-income or minority patients in town. Finally, I completed a PGY-1 residency and then started to work a full-time job as a hem/onc pharmacist.

Did you face any struggles being a Muslim woman in this field?

Personally, I did not face any obvious struggles in the field aA.

What’s your favorite thing about being Muslim?

Knowing that the true medicine and answer to everything is the Qur’an.

If somebody wants to be a pharmacist when they grow up, what should they do?

• Shadow a pharmacists in their day to day work in various fields.

• Reach out to pharmacy professors for research project opportunities.

• Be an active member of at least one pharmacy organization.

• Network at pharmacy events or conferences, especially because pharmacy is a very small world.

• Half-way through pharmacy school, apply for pharmacy technician position in your desired setting of work.

• Maintain decent grades, but you don’t need to get all A’s in pharmacy school.

• Complete at least one year of residency.

If you can give any advice to young Muslim girls/teens, what would you tell them?

Talk to and shadow as many different pharmacists as you can until you know exactly what will make you happy. In the end, pray salat-al-istikhara so Allah can help guide you to the right path.