Volunteer Profile: Julianne Worst

Posted on October 17, 2007
Filed Under Pharmacy (PharmD)

by Juliet Farmer
SDN Staff Writer

Julianne H. Worst, SDN user name Julianne, is a 32-year-old first-year student pharmacist and pharmacy intern. She is currently a member of the class of 2011 at Auburn University’s Harrison School of Pharmacy. Worst, who spent her childhood in both Savannah, Georgia, and Montgomery, Alabama, did her undergrad work at Bevill State Community College in Alabama. She has been married for almost 15 years and has one seven-year-old son.

Choosing pharmacy as a specialty was almost a fluke for Worst. “I actually stumbled on the profession after my son, Ezekiel, was born prematurely back in April of 2000. At that time, I was working about 50 or 60 hours a week (in retail management) and while I enjoyed the work, I could no longer adhere to that type of schedule. I resigned from the management position and spent the next 12 months caring for my son. When I returned from my leave of absence, I requested to come back on a part-time basis and I was assigned to working in the pharmacy as a technician. I quickly fell in love with the profession and decided to make it my career.”

Although Worst jokes that she may not know what an iPod is, she says there are some advantages to being an “older” student.

“I’m glad to be an older, ‘non-traditional’ student, because I feel that my maturity level and real-world experience serves me well in the high pressure environment that I’m in right now,” she observes. “Since I have so many responsibilities and connections outside of the realm of pharmacy school, I can see the big picture and visualize the end result of my hard work. To a younger person, four or five more years of school may seem like a very long time. I know from experience, though, that it will pass quickly, and that is one of the main things that keeps me motivated and focused on my goal.”

But the road isn’t always easy, especially juggling work, school and family.

“Everyone around me (including my son) has made sacrifices to see this thing through,” Worst notes. “Right now, Zeke is living with my mother and father in Montgomery while I’m in Auburn and my husband is in Birmingham. My in-laws, sisters, friends, and even the neighbors have stepped up to help whenever they are needed because they want to see me succeed. It has been a community effort from the beginning, and without the love and support of everyone around me, my journey towards becoming a pharmacist would have been over long before it even began!”

Worst says she’s striving toward better balance.

“During my undergrad years, I was able to juggle all of those things with relative ease; however, I’m finding very quickly that the same strategies I used back then just aren’t working as well for me now,” she explains. “I’m in the process of adjusting to my new situation and learning alternative ways of handling the many demands that are placed upon me these days. If nothing else, pharmacy school has taught me the value of time management and the importance of flexibility — attributes that are absolutely necessary for anyone considering applying to pharmacy school.”

When Worst is not busy attending classes and seminars, studying, or conducting weekly visits to patients as part of her Pharmacy Practice Curriculum, she is a moderator in SDN’s Pre-pharmacy and PCAT areas.

Worst, who found SDN through a search engine while looking for interview tips and suggestions, recalls of her first SDN experience, “SDN was such a great resource for me when I was applying to pharmacy school that I wanted to give back in some way to show my appreciation. I hope that I can help others who are just beginning their journey towards becoming pharmacists.”

“The interview feedback section was by far the most helpful to me at first,” she explains. “Reading the entries helped to answer many of the questions I had about the process itself, clarified my understanding of what I should do to prepare, and gave me a better idea of what to expect from each school that invited me for an interview.”

“Afterwards, the pre-pharmacy forum kept me sane while waiting for a decision by the schools that had invited me to interview. On that forum, I was able to commiserate with others in the same position, while gathering valuable advice/suggestions about what to do if I was rejected.”

Worst says she found value in SDN after acceptance as well.

“Once accepted to HSOP, I began to take a greater interest in the pharmacy forum because of the wealth of information it contains,” she explains. “I have found helpful suggestions on everything from study habits and time management skills, to balancing the demands of school with a successful family life. As I continue my pharmacy education, I look forward to communicating with and learning from other student pharmacists around the nation via SDN.”

Worst has some advice for students who may have just stumbled onto SDN. “Take advantage of all of the wonderful information and services available on the site, but do not rely solely on those things to make your decisions for you. Feel free to ask questions, but please search for an answer first. You would be surprised just how much relevant information is already out there if you take the time to look for it!”

With that said, Worst does recommend cutting SDN newbies some slack as well.

“Be patient with the newcomers to the site,” she advises.

“Remember what it was like to be in their shoes (overwhelmed and anxious) and try always to be helpful. If you have ideas for making the community better, more efficient, etc., please share. It is the suggestions and collective ingenuity of the SDN members that keep the site going strong.”

Well, that, and volunteers like Worst.

Comments

13 Responses to “Volunteer Profile: Julianne Worst”

  1. sarah on October 17th, 2007 7:59 pm

    Hi JuJu! I’m so proud of what you’ve accomplished. Being a mom in pharmacy school isn’t easy. Hang in there!

  2. Elaine on October 18th, 2007 2:19 am

    Hey, you’re famous! Nice interview. ;)

  3. Heather on October 18th, 2007 12:43 pm

    As a mother of two and wife AND a P-1 as well, I can relate! It was nice to read your story….I am a PHARMD candidate Campbell SOP Class of 2011! Good luck to you!

  4. Patrick on October 22nd, 2007 6:54 pm

    Hey, War Eagle to an Auburn student being featured (I’m an AU student myself).

  5. lacy on October 22nd, 2007 8:19 pm

    I’m a 32 year old pre-pharm student wondering what pharmacy school will be like while juggling a family (2 small children). I’m “hoping” that I will be in school while the kids are in school for the most part. I imagine me coming home at 5, spending time with the family until 8:30, study until 11:30. Is that realistic? What does a “typical” day look like for you? ………i’m very new to this site, so I don’t even know if this is the correct place to put questions.

  6. sarah on October 23rd, 2007 4:02 pm

    Lacy - I only have one child but I have some experience with what you are asking. I’m usually out of class by 5 p.m. or earlier. I don’t need to study three hours a day, but on weekends when I have exams I study all the time - no time for family then. The trade off is I have more time for husband and child in non-exam periods.

    I’d recommend checking out the pharmacy forums for more information and feedback. There are a ton of non-trads like us on there and many people who would be happy to discuss this with you.

    http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=121

  7. kamarah on October 24th, 2007 4:27 pm

    your story is really inspiring i was just wondering… could you go to a school that doesnt have “pre-pharmacy” and still get into pharmacy school

  8. Paula on October 29th, 2007 11:24 am

    Hey honey - As always, I am very, very proud of you and your accomplishments. I applaud your committment and recognize your sacrifices firsthand. Those who love you will be bursting with pride when you have that diploma in hand, a career, job security, and can return to some semblance of normalcy in your personal life. God Bless You and know that you are loved.

  9. cynt on October 29th, 2007 8:07 pm

    you have inspired me God bless you.

  10. Julianne on October 31st, 2007 7:09 pm

    Thanks, everyone!! I may not be posting very much right now but I wanted you all to know how much your encouragement means to me!!

  11. Laura on November 3rd, 2007 6:04 pm

    Julianne,
    Your interview is very inspiring. I am a non traditional student as well and it’s nice to hear that you can draw on your life experience to help you!
    Keep it up! I have no doubt that you will succeed!

  12. David on November 5th, 2007 7:46 pm

    Found this site while surfing the Internet seeking financial aid resources for my soon-to-graduate-from-high-school daughter who plans a career as a pharmacist. If anyone here has tips for how to make the money part of 2 years of undergrad and 4 years of pharmacy school happen–and ways we shouldn’t try to make it happen!–please advise.

    And, God bless in your academic and career endeavors. What you do and plan to do: it’s important!

  13. Anonymous on December 3rd, 2007 10:20 pm

    It was nice to read your story

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