Plant yourself where your passion lies

I have been heavily involved in serving my community since I was a kid, and my experiences have opened my eyes to the many adversities people face. You will never know the hardships your community faces until you meet someone who is willing to share their story with you. My strong passion for serving my local community has driven me to seek as many opportunities as possible to help the underserved.

When I considered places to do my residency, a key consideration was the patient population I would serve. I wanted to be at a place where I could maximize my opportunities to serve my community in the best way possible. Out of all the residency programs on my list, Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center stood out because it would allow me to serve the local East Multnomah County community in which I grew up. Legacy Mount Hood is special to me because it serves a diverse patient population, such as rural communities, that often face multiple barriers to care. Being here has presented a unique opportunity to capitalize on my passion to serve the underserved. I have planted myself where my passion lies.

During my first quarter at Legacy Health, I was exposed to many instances where patients faced significant barriers to care in the inpatient and primary care settings. Many of these barriers were related to cost, transportation, health literacy and continuity of care. In each of these instances, I saw how impactful pharmacists could be in addressing these barriers so that patients received the quality care they deserve. My experiences have increased my awareness of the types of barriers that patients face, and I strive to find ways to be involved where I can. Being at Legacy Mount Hood has allowed me to embrace my passion because I can have meaningful interactions with my patients.

For example, I have had the opportunity to provide medication and device education to patients with lower health literacy to help them feel confident in managing their newly diagnosed diabetes. I have provided extensive discharge counselling to a patient prescribed with multiple new medications for heart failure so they can feel comfortable transitioning from the hospital to their home. I have also made alternative medication therapy recommendations to ensure that my patients are on effective regimens even if they are experiencing barriers to cost. These are the types of opportunities that give me purpose and remind me why I have chosen to become a pharmacist.

It will be important to keep my passion for serving others at the forefront of my residency training moving forward. Everything that I do is with the intention of serving the best interests of my patients. I hope that my passion for serving my community inspires learners, future residents and pharmacists to always see their patients as the unique individuals that they are and to do whatever they can to give them the best care possible.