Lynn P. Brewer, RPh Memorial Scholarship

Of the many cries for help in the world today, I find the opioid epidemic to be the most tragic and one I hope to help alleviate with a degree in nursing from a reputable college. One night, during freshman year of high school, I went downstairs to say goodnight to my parents and saw them watching the show Dopesick. The show examined the start of the opioid crisis with the introduction of the drug OxyContin to the medical community. The drug, produced by the pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma, was intended to safely and effectively alleviate pain. I was intrigued. After a glimpse of the show, I asked my dad what was wrong with OxyContin. He explained to me that the drug maker made false claims about its addictive nature and that pharmaceutical sales representatives got paid a lot of money to sell it to doctors, emphasizing its non-addictive quality, without a clear understanding of what OxyContin could do and the implications it could have. The topic continued to fascinate me and at our next family gathering, I asked my uncle, a pharmaceutical sales rep, about his experience with the opioid epidemic. While he did not work in pain management, he witnessed first-hand the perks reps could get with that big sale. He recalled the days of “wining and dining” doctors just to make the sale, regardless of the drug's efficacy. This year, in my AP Gov class, I had to take a stance on a government policy in the United States. The opioid crisis continued to fascinate me, so I chose that as my topic. Through my research, I learned just how much damage opioids could do to society and how opioids kill 69,000 people each year. This research led me to pursue a degree in nursing. I learned of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who deal with patient overdoses. These professionals are on the frontline of this epidemic and can make a difference. While I have never experienced someone close to me struggle with opioids or other addictive prescription medicines, I hope to help people with addiction on a personal level. I plan to use my college education to help patients overcome addiction while reducing the number of fatal deaths each year. I am confident a degree in nursing can provide me with skills that will help save lives in the future. Through empathy, compassion, humility, and dedication I feel like I would be a great candidate to carry on the legacy of Lynn P. Brewer in the healthcare field.