After moving states to be with family, I decided to take a break from university to gain real-world experience in my field of study. I was originally studying to become a pharmacist, but I had begun losing faith with the uncertain path. I found that the closest way I can get some real experience behind the counter was to become a pharmacy technician. I enrolled in ECPI’s technician’s program and began researching all I could about being a pharmacy technician. After the program, I immediately took the PTCB exam and passed. I remember being nervous to find a pharmacy job, not knowing the reality of being back there. I just knew I wanted to be sure of what I wanted to do with my future. 

One of the first things my manager told me during the hiring process was to forget everything I knew from the program. It was shocking, considering how much time I had invested into it, but after working behind the counter for a few years, I realized real experience beats textbook knowledge. Nothing in those books could have prepared me for the reality that is retail healthcare. In such a fast-paced environment, it took teamwork, resilience, willingness to learn, and communication skills to get me this far. Although I decided to ultimately switch majors, I was still motivated to continue because I knew it was preparing me for something. I could not imagine getting the same skills anywhere else, and I would not be who I am today.