Training Tomorrow’s Pharmacy Leaders

“This incoming class is distinguished not only by their academic excellence but also their rich life experiences and commitment to serving their communities, which are exactly the kind of pharmacists our profession needs,” says Brookie Best, Pharm.D., M.A.S., dean of Skaggs School of Pharmacy. “I can’t wait to see how their talent, compassion and curiosity will shape the future of pharmacy.”

Read on to meet three incoming students and learn what drew them to pharmacy, why they chose Skaggs School of Pharmacy for their training and more.

From Patient to Pharmacist

Growing up with chronic health conditions, LaRyel Waldon quickly became familiar with hospitals—learning nurses by name and keeping doctors on speed dial. This experience sparked her interest in health sciences, which was furthered while working at hospitals and research labs at the University of Georgia. Then, while working as a clinical research manager at a biotech company she realized pharmacy was her true passion.

“As a clinical research manager, I often teamed up with pharmacists, and that's when I knew pharmacy was the route for me,” explains Waldon. “I would always go to the pharmacist for clarification when a patient was experiencing an adverse event and ask, ‘What are my next steps? What should I be asking from the patients?’ Knowing the important role pharmacists played in patient safety was very impactful and made me start looking into pharmacy schools.”

In addition to Skaggs School of Pharmacy’s impressive rankings, Waldon was drawn to UC San Diego’s strong connections to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries—San Diego is consistently ranked the third largest biotech hub in the nation—and focus on community engagement. As an undergraduate student she served as president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, leading initiatives that brought mobile food pantries and mobile vaccine deliveries to the community, so she knew she wanted to continue giving back. With an eye towards one day working in industry pharmacy, she also valued opportunities to build connections with local biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

“When I was choosing a pharmacy school, I wanted to make sure I could still be a leader in community service and philanthropic roles, and I loved that UC San Diego already had a framework that would allow me to do so,” says Waldon. “What also really stood out to me was the Industry Pharmacist Association student group, which holds networking lunches with different pharmaceutical and biotech companies. I know being in those spaces is a privilege and difficult to access, so I loved that there was university support to forge those connections.”

In her first year of pharmacy school, Waldon is looking forward to building friendships with her fellow pharmacy students and exploring our school’s many student organizations, particularly the pharmaceutical fraternity Kappa Psi. She’s also looking forward to connecting with our professors, particularly those with a focus on stem cells or regenerative medicine, with an eye toward completing her long-term research project.

Pharmacy Technician Pursues Dream Career

At just age 18, Dylan Sunday obtained his pharmacy technician license through a unique program offered by his public high school. Then, graduating in 2020, he became part of the first wave of COVID-19 vaccinators in Oregon, traveling to nursing homes and long-term care facilities to vaccinate those first eligible for the vaccine. This experience solidified his love for pharmacy, however, when he discovered in-patient hospital care he knew he had found his true home.

“The work that pharmacists do in the hospital setting is amazing. They are the go-to expert,” says Sunday. “Everybody, from doctors, nurses or other pharmacy techs are constantly looking for the pharmacist’s advice. You also get to do a lot of hands-on work, from the emergency room to drug dosing. That's when I knew I wanted to be a pharmacist.”

When choosing a pharmacy program, Sunday carefully weighed various factors, including pass rates for licensure tests, residency match rates and location. UC San Diego stood out for its impressive metrics, including a high residency match rate and North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence Examination (CPJE) pass rates, making it the top choice for him. Being located in San Diego was also a major draw.

“Living in San Diego is amazing. You can plan on the weather always being the same. It’s always going to be a great day,” says Sunday. “And I love my neighborhood, Hillcrest. I can walk everywhere, and there are so many markets and festivals. I’m right next to all the nightlife, the cafes, everything. It’s perfect.”

As he enters pharmacy school, Sunday is looking forward to connecting his on-the-job training with his studies and meeting all of the students in his cohort. Thanks to a student-led effort, he’s already been able to start exploring San Diego with his incoming class as they arrive to start the school year.  

Seven-Year Student Accelerates her Path to Pharmacy

Inspired by her parents, both nurses, Xyrille Dela Cruz has always known she wanted to work in health care and make a positive impact on people’s lives. From an early age she was also fascinated by medications and their effects on the human body, leading her to choose pharmacy as her career path.

“I've always thought it was so intriguing how a small pill could have such a large impact on your body, or how a liquid that tastes like grape juice could help my cold as a kid,” says Dela Cruz. “I knew I wanted to know more about how these medicines worked, not only to educate myself but to educate others.”

As a student in UC San Diego’s unique B.S./Pharm.D. program that allows undergraduate students to earn both degrees in only seven years, she had the opportunity to work closely with our faculty, volunteer with UC San Diego’s Student-Run Free Clinic Project and work as an undergraduate research assistant in the Carlo Ballatore lab. These experiences were all major factors in her decision to apply to our school, in addition to our strong test scores and high residency match rates.

“I've been able to meet so many amazing faculty at Skaggs School of Pharmacy who showed me the incredible impact pharmacists have on our communities, helped me gain meaningful research experience and more,” says Dela Cruz. “They've always been so welcoming and encouraging and I knew I would love to have them as mentors or people I could reach out to in the future in my journey to becoming a pharmacist.”

In the year ahead Dela Cruz is most looking forward to meeting her classmates, forging new friendships and gaining new experiences in pharmacy. She’s particularly interested in learning more about pediatric oncology, an area she envisions pursuing based on her love of working with children.