My name is Carrie. I am a Student Ambassador for Campbell University College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences and I have just completed my first year of pharmacy school. In the summer after the first year of pharmacy classes, pharmacy students are required to spend one month learning about jobs in a retail pharmacy. Campbell does a great job in allowing students to be flexible in where they choose to go for this rotation. Personally, I have had previous experience in North Carolina retail pharmacies and really wanted to take advantage of my opportunity to learn as much as I could.
I chose to go to New York City for one month to learn about pharmacy in a different state!! I worked at Duane Reade Pharmacy; a new sector of Walgreens. During my time in the city, Duane Reade was in the process of being switched over from its old prescription computer system to Walgreen’s system. It was very interesting to see just exactly how the technology works and everything that is involved in the corporate pharmacy buyout process.
New York State has fairly strict pharmacy laws, especially with controlled substances. One of the most interesting laws is that each prescription must have a serial number on its own piece of prescription paper. Along with learning pharmacy laws, I was able to be exposed to a very diverse patient population, different then those in North Carolina. Every day foreign customers, tourists, and business people ask the pharmacist all kinds of questions. A day in the pharmacy always proved to be interesting.
After work each day, I made it a point to explore New York City and experience the culture in addition to what I was learning in the pharmacy. I was able to see several Broadway shows, a few famous people, the Statue of Liberty, SoHo, Chelsea, Times Square, Central Park, and much more! I am so thankful that I was able to fulfill my dream of living in New York City while still learning more about my chosen field. I was given so many opportunities while on this rotation that I hope other Campbell students will be able to take advantage of in the future!
