Jesse Madore is currently a P3 (5th year) student pharmacist at MCPHS University, Boston. Jesse is the 2nd place winner of the 2021 APhA-ASP Student Pharmacist Writing Contest at MCPHS University Boston chapter.
What was your inspiration for applying to pharmacy school? How has your vision changed since you first started pharmacy school?
I hate the feeling of not being able to help. Ever since I was a little girl, my mom struggled with uncontrolled hypothyroidism. She was always so tired, weak, and fatigued. She would visit the endocrinologist every month, only for her Levothyroxine dose to get changed again, and more unwanted side effects to take over her body. She would pick me up from school with a premade dinner as she drove me to dance practice. She never stopped being the best mom I could ever ask for. But for her, every day was a struggle to stay awake, to gain enough energy to get out of bed in the morning, and to live her life normally. I hated seeing the most important person in my life struggle, but I felt so useless. I wanted to know why this was happening to her… what was this medication doing to her body? Ever since then, my passion for wanting to go into the pharmacy field only grew stronger. Ever since I first started pharmacy school, I have been so hungry for information; especially when it comes to hypothyroidism. I wanted to know more, learn more, and be able to share everything with my mom.
What was something you learned during pharmacy school that has altered your perspective about the pharmacy field? How would you utilize this knowledge and help the public better understand the role of pharmacists in healthcare?
Before being a pharmacy student, I never realized how important the pharmacist’s role was in the collaboration of patient care. Over the years, the pharmacist profession has shifted from being drug-focused to being patient-focused. Before attending pharmacy school, the pharmacy was more of a corner store in my mind: the place where I would pick up a prescription, but also grab a pint of ice cream because the grocery store was too far across town. Now, as a pharmacy intern, I see that it is so much more than a check-out line. I see the time and effort that goes into filling a prescription. Not only is the pharmacist in constant contact with the members of an individual’s medical team, but they are also face-to-face with the patient, answering all of their questions when it's time for them to pick up their medication. They are always making calls and reaching out to other members of the healthcare team in an effort to ensure patient safety. The pharmacy is not just a convenience store, it is a safe space for patients to ask questions, learn about their health and medication, and feel informed. The pharmacist is the last face that the patient sees before heading home, and I have learned how important it is to make that final interaction a good one. I have learned how important it is to radiate empathy, optimism, and altruism in every patient interaction. I use this information that I have learned every day at the pharmacy, to show patients that the pharmacy is more than just the last stop on their way home.
If you were a freshman again, what advice would you give to yourself and why?
If I was a freshman again, I would tell myself how important it is to find a mentor. When I say mentor, I don’t mean the stranger they assign you in the Mentor-Mentee program. I mean someone that inspires you, advises you through your personal and professional development, and is a shoulder to cry on when you fail your first exam in your Therapeutics lecture. I am a pharmacy intern at CVS, and ever since I got the job, my pharmacy manager has been my mentor. He taught me everything - from the best way to study for my exams to how to (correctly) use a credit card. He motivated me to get involved in clubs at school and told me what classic movies to watch when I needed a break from studying. He would start every shift with a theoretical “would-you-rather” question, and end every shift wishing me luck on my next exam. His advice helped me through the toughest aspects of pharmacy school and inspired me to never stop working hard. Matt, if you’re reading this, thank you for everything!
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