Natalie Jones is a third-year PharmD candidate at South College School of Pharmacy.
I never imagined that just 1 week could change the trajectory of my life, but that is exactly what happened when I recently traveled to Arusha, Tanzania. As a student pharmacist, I have learned about global health disparities from textbooks and lectures, yet no amount of studying could have prepared me for what I experienced while serving the Meru and Maasai communities.
Our small medical team set out with open hearts and donated supplies, hoping to make a difference. By the end of our time there, we had provided care to more than 1,000 patients and gained a deeper understanding of what it truly means to serve.
Meeting patients where they are
Our clinic sites often consisted of schoolrooms or open spaces under the sun. Families walked miles to see us. Children clung to their parents with wide eyes full of curiosity and hope. Many patients had never had their blood pressure checked or seen a pharmacist before. Some arrived with chronic conditions that had gone unnoticed for years.
I will always remember the moment we took a patient’s blood pressure, and the reading was above 300 systolic. He had no idea his life was at risk because hypertension had never been explained to him. Encounters like these opened my eyes to how something as simple as a routine screening can protect someone’s future, yet access remains out of reach for so many.
Connected beyond medicine
The most joyful part of each day was interacting with the children. We brought stickers, small toys, and bracelets to share with them. Their faces lit up with excitement over items that might seem insignificant back home. Laughter filled the air as we played, colored, and exchanged tiny gifts. These moments reminded me that connection is at the heart of patient care. It builds trust long before a medication bottle ever appears.
I still stay in contact with several people I met during this trip, including local health care partners who continue serving these communities tirelessly. Even now, thousands of miles apart, those relationships motivate me to keep learning and growing as a future pharmacist who understands global needs.
A new perspective on the profession
This experience shifted the way I view pharmacy. It is not just about dispensing medication or reviewing a chart. It is about compassion, advocacy, and recognizing health care as a universal right. Seeing how greatly people can suffer without access to basic care inspired me to pursue more opportunities in global health and encourage others to do the same.
Tanzania is the reason I want to pursue global pharmacy throughout my career. It showed me that pharmacists are not limited by borders. We can serve anywhere people need care, education, and hope. This passion was ignited in Arusha, and I plan to carry it forward wherever this profession takes me.
Serving the Meru and Maasai communities taught me that one conversation, one screening, or one simple gift can make an unforgettable difference. I returned home with a deeper purpose and a heart determined to keep showing up for people in need, wherever in the world they may be.