Get to Know Us: Part 1

So, this series of posts called "Get to Know Us" are intended to introduce the current members of the OSPAP Student Society of Aston. Before we start talking about pharmacy practice, we feel it is important to introduce ourselves. As such, we'll have a series of brief interviews will all our members so you can know who is who.

First, we'll start with an example using my information.


1) Name: 

                Natasha Deen (Founder and Historian)


2) Which country did you move here from?

               The United States. Specifically Florida.


3) Why did you choose to study pharmacy?

               I liked the idea of learning about the complex interactions between the medicines and the human body. When I was a kid, I had thought it was "cool" how you could take a pill, and you would get better from whatever you had gotten sick with. As I got older, I realized that the situation with medicines was much more complicated than that simple child-like view, but instead of being discouraged, I became fascinated. It was only a matter of time before I became a pharmacist.



4) Which pharmacy practice areas have you previously worked in?

              I worked mainly in retail or community pharmacy for two years after graduation. My job was to fill prescriptions for patients and counsel patients about their medications.



5) How long have you practiced pharmacy outside the U.K.?

             Two years. I graduated with my PharmD from Nova Southeastern University in south Florida back in 2011. I was licensed to practice the same year.



6) What is pharmacy practice like in your country?

         Retail dominates the pharmacy practice setting by far, but in the U.S. the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists are continuously evolving. At first, pharmacists were pretty much only responsible for dispensing medications. As time went by, however, we became responsible for counseling the patient on the use of their medications. Recently, we even became able to immunize patients against the flu.

        Pharmacists participate in hospital practice as well, usually as part of an interdisciplinary team that conducts rounds on admitted patients and reviews medication usage. Hospital pharmacists can also be responsible for reviewing medication orders, enforcing formulary adherence and participating in formulary committees which decide which medications each individual hospital will use.

        The biggest difference I've found between U.S. and U.K. pharmacy practice is the presence of individualized medication formularies. Every insurance company and hospital has a varying list of medications that they will cover. This results in a great variation in the way a patient is evaluated and treated because it changes the treatment options realistically and financially available to the patients.

7) What made you want to move to the U.K.?

        My parents. They both trained and worked here for nearly thirty years. They always spoke well of their time in England so, when I got the chance, I decided to move here to experience life in England for myself.

8) How long have you been in the U.K.?

       Two months so far. I arrived during the middle of a heat wave, so adjusting to the weather has been nice and gradual so far. I've never seen snow before though, so I'm not sure how I'll manage in winter.

9) Once you qualify, which area of pharmacy practice would you like to enter?

       While I find clinical pharmacy fascinating from a knowledge-based perspective, I actually would like to work in medical writing for the drug companies. My background as an English major at the University of Florida has given me experience in how to

put together and present complex ideas in writing. I would be very happy to work in an area that utilizes my writing and English language skills as well.

10) Do you have any particular opinions or insights into pharmacy practice that you'd like to share?

       I remember when I first graduated from Pharmacy school, I felt as though the only job I could get into was retail.  So much of the focus in school had been on hospital practice, but in reality the majority of graduates ended up practicing in retail. 

       Now, retail isn't a bad field or anything. I'm just saying that sometimes, graduates may not realize just how many other options they actually have.

11) What are your hobbies?

    I enjoy writing for both academic and personal purposes. I also enjoy learning new computer software as well as learning languages.

12) In relation to pharmacy practice, what would you consider to be your greatest strength or area of expertise?

    My abilities to learn, process, understand and explain complicated medication information in a way that is easy for a patient or lay person to understand means I can provide the information and guidance that is necessary for patients to receive the full benefit of any medications they may be taking while helping minimize any side effects they may experience from the therapy.


13) Is there an area of pharmacy practice that you would like to learn more about during your time at Aston?

      I've never had much experience with pharmaceutics. I'd like to learn more about the medication manufacturing processes. I believe that doing so would help me understand even more about the way medications affect the human body.