Spoiler alert: I’m about to tell you the real side to being a recent graduate—the side that no one really talks about. This is my story, and my perspective. These are things that I have observed about myself and about my classmates, and what I did to help ease into this new chapter of my life.

The field of pharmacy is advancing and changing, with many new career paths and education for pharmacists beyond the traditional roles. As a PharmD graduate pursuing postgraduate education in the health outcomes field in preparation for a career in academia, I understand how challenging it can be for today’s student pharmacists to decide which career path is right for them.

I will share a bit about my experiences navigating the changing pharmacy landscape, including my journey to date, where I hope to go from here, and how to prepare for a similar career path.

Discussing how debilitating preventable diseases can be is sometimes an uncomfortable conversation to have with people. Plus, who likes being stuck by a needle? At the University of Montana Skaggs School of Pharmacy, our Operation Immunization team has the challenge and privilege of educating the local community on the benefits of vaccinating and staying up to date with their vaccination schedule.

But how to do that with materials not considered “fun” or interesting? The time was right for a new team of superheroes to save the day.