I want to be a drug dealer. As bizarre as that sounds, it’s true. One of the main reasons why is because I’ve never met my grandfather. He died before I was born from kidney disease. One of my uncles passed away when I was six from kidney failure. The only memories I have are of him attached to a breathing machine, and I’ve never been able to get that image of him out of my mind. My maternal grandmother had heart problems and diabetes so severe that her right leg had to be amputated. She died when I was thirteen. I was very close to her and deeply affected by her death. As a child, I noticed a pattern of health issues in my family and was devastated that I couldn’t do more to help. I realized that I wouldn’t be able to cure them, but I could ease their suffering in other ways by pursuing a career in the medical field. Losing them made me determined to find my place in a field that allowed me to alleviate the physical pain and suffering of others. Then on July 2, 2021 my life forever changed. My mom was involved in a fatal car accident that resulted in her having two broken femurs that were repaired with metal rods and pins. There was internal bleeding which required ten inches of her colon to be removed, and she had seven hernias which required a complicated surgery. Mommy was in the hospital for almost one month, so I had plenty of time to determine how her accident and my relatives’ poor health would impact me. I googled “jobs in the medical field” and realized I didn’t want to be a physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse because I’m too squeamish and don’t want to work around blood. Becoming a surgeon was definitely out of the question for the same reasons. My aunt, a pharmacy technician , told me that pharmacists rarely see bodily fluids from patients and don’t have to attend school as long as doctors. Their main task is to distribute prescriptions, using a combination of scientific and mathematical knowledge. I’ve always loved science and had a good grasp on math. As a child, I was curious and used to mix random substances together to determine the outcome, like hand soap and salt. My mom would yell at me for “slopping” with household items and using them improperly. However, I didn’t care because I was a scientist making new discoveries. I conducted further research about pharmacists, their workplace, the requirements, and their daily tasks and knew that was exactly what I wanted to be. I want to help people, especially the elderly and people suffering from health conditions like my uncle and grandparents and nursing injuries like my mom. I want to build relationships with patients and put smiles on their faces when they may not feel their best. Lastly, becoming a pharmacist would inspire other young Black and minority girls like me to enter the field and prove that they can do it too. Less than eight percent of pharmacists are Black. I want to change that statistic. Research proves that representation matters. I know this from experience. I was the only African American student in my high school. Discussing subjects about equality and race made me feel alone and awkward. Everyone should feel like they belong, and I’m going to make sure I become the change I want to see by becoming a pharmacist in an urban community hospital or low-income area and making everyone feel comfortable and welcome.

I want to be a drug dealer because they’re entrepreneurs. I know I’ll be successful because everyone will need at least one of my drugs at some point in their lives. As bizarre as that sounds, it’s because I’ve never met my grandfather. He died before I was born from heart disease. One of my uncles also passed away when I was six from kidney failure. The only memories I have are of him attached to a breathing machine. My maternal grandmother had heart problems and diabetes so severe that her right leg had to be amputated. She died when I was thirteen. I was very close to her and deeply affected by her death. As a child, I noticed a pattern of health issues in my family and was devastated that I couldn’t help. I realized that I wouldn’t be able to cure them, but I could ease their suffering in other ways in the medical field. By losing them, I discovered my life’s purpose. I Googled “jobs in the medical field” and realized I didn’t want to be a physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse because I’m too squeamish and don’t want to work around blood or vomit. Becoming a surgeon was definitely out of the question for the same reasons. My aunt, a pharmacist, told me that pharmacists rarely see bodily fluids from patients, and they don’t have to attend school as long as doctors. Their main task is to distribute prescriptions, using scientific and mathematical knowledge. She knows that I’ve always loved science and have a good grasp on math. As a child, I was curious and used to mix random substances together to determine the outcome, like hand soap and salt. My mom would yell at me for “slopping around” with household items and using them improperly. However, I didn’t care because I was a scientist making new discoveries. I conducted further research about pharmacists, their workplace, the requirements, and their daily tasks and knew that was exactly what I wanted to be. I wanted to take my career to a different level of pharmacy and open my own pharmacy. I want to help people, especially the elderly, that are suffering from health conditions like my uncle and grandparents. I could stay open later to help people working odd shifts and have home delivery services. Each month, I could have a different health theme like “Dancing with Diabetes” to teach nutrition and exercise. As a small business owner, I can build relationships with patients and put smiles on their faces while practicing my favorite subject every day. Lastly, becoming a pharmacist would inspire other young Black girls like me to enter the field and prove that they can do anything they choose no matter what their race. Less than seven percent of pharmacists are Black. The number of Black-owned pharmacies is even lower. I want to change that statistic. Diversity, inclusion, and equal representation are important in a multicultural and multiracial nation like the United States. Research proves representation matters. I know this from experience. I was the only African American student in my high school. Discussing subjects about equality and race sometimes made me feel alone and awkward. My classmates have never experienced being the “only one”. Everyone should feel like they belong, and I’m going to make sure I become the change I want to see by earning my Doctor of Pharmacy degree. After obtaining my degree and open my own pharmacy in an urban community.