Varied Cultural Experiences Help Inform Pharmacists

Many students wish to travel the world, and I was no different. I envisioned my pharmacy school career to be as globally informed as possible, and I knew that the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy would be the right fit. The school of pharmacy was teeming with international opportunities, and I pursued as many as possible. My story consists of 6 countries, 4 school years, and 1 student pharmacist, reflecting a world class PharmD education.

I hit the ground running on an interprofessional Global Medical Brigade to Sartenejas, Honduras, and I was very intimidated by the upperclassmen's ability to hop right into setting up a running health clinic. Having only completed 1 semester, I knew very little clinical information, I had little pharmacy experience, and I did not know how to interact with kids.

I was not the only one who embarked on a mission trip for the first time, but I felt that I had to urgently brush up on my clinical and communication skills if I were to make a substantial difference. I also wished I had reviewed more common medical Spanish terms.

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