D. Degree Application Essay

During my childhood I remember asking my grandma, why did she have so many and colorful pills by the night table? And she answered, “Because I am sick and dying my little girl and the doctor told me that I need to take them, so I can feel better”. I also remember hearing my aunt telling her that too many pills will not do any good for her health. Since, I was always wondering how could something that helps you get better can also be, at the same time, bad for your health. This confusion ignited my curiosity to learn more about how pills really work in a human body. After finishing high school, I decided to go to a vocational school and begun my first experience as a medical office assistant. My first job experience was at a clinical laboratory in Puerto Rico where I was exposed for the first time to the interaction with patients providing information they needed for their treatments and helping them to fill up forms for any clinical treatment. It fascinated me to see how laboratory technicians were able to perform analysis and how they communicate their findings. From this moment on I knew that I really wanted to go to college and choose a career in a human health related area of study, where I could contribute to the wellbeing of patients. I feel confident that my college background as well as past and current work experiences has prepared me to pursue a pharmacy degree. While being an undergraduate I participated in four intern positions, two at the University of Puerto Rico- Aguadilla Campus, one at The University of Iowa and my latest one at The Ohio State University. While in Aguadilla under the supervision of Dr. De Jesus I exposed myself to my first research project, in which our main goal focused on the screening of phenolic compounds from a plant called Alpinia zerumbet. These are potent pharmaceutical candidates for future drug development that could treat different human complications such as high blood pressure and even cancer. My second research experience was at The University of Iowa in the Pharmacology Department and worked under the guidance of Dr. Chen, this new experience provided me with the necessary tools to be able to conduct a research more oriented to pharmacy. The project followed a similar trend than my previous one, however it focused more on molecular and pharmacokinetics in which drugs, not currently used for breast cancer treatment, were tested in vitro at different concentrations in order to determine yield and effectiveness for tumor cell death. After completion of this intern, I decided to apply to the SIGue post-baccalaureate program in the Wexner Medical Center at the Ohio State University; here I wanted to explore new areas …show more content…
degree because it will allow me to have a better understanding of the mechanism and action of drugs and its effects in the human system. It will also complement and solidify all knowledge I have acquired from all my previous and ongoing research experiences. After successfully completing all degree requirement and earn a degree in Pharm D, I would like to work on and help develop drugs efficiency in human health. Most importantly I will be able to share my knowledge with others and have the opportunity to find new ways to improve doctor- patient interactions, thus I can contribute to patient awareness to better use medications and drugs that can help improve their health and overcome