Introduce yourself to the group

Hi! My name is Jessica and I am a sixth-year pharmacy student at St. John’s University. My interest in pharmacy started in high school since I have a lot of family in the field. I’ve worked at Capsule and Walgreens in the past, and I’ve enjoyed my time working in retail pharmacy as I like talking to patients and educating them on their medications. I did my IPPE rotations at Walgreens and NUMC and they were good experiences. At NUMC I learned more about pharmacy operations in the hospital which was interesting. So far, I’ve done my APPE rotations at a Meds to Beds pharmacy, a specialty pharmacy, and spent 2 months rotating in the ICU. They have been such good experiences and I have been learning so much. I was raised in Long Island, but in 2020 my family moved to Georgia, so I will likely be moving back to be with my family once I graduate. After I graduate, I envision myself moving back to Georgia, studying for the NAPLEX and MPJE, taking some time off to travel a bit, and then working at a retail pharmacy, but I am open to other paths and opportunities as well!

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, playing the violin, traveling, and spending time in nature.

Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn!

www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-j-897831192

Hello everyone! My name is Faizah Sheikh and I am a current P4 student at St. John's University. I have been pursuing a career in pharmacy since my interest was piqued in high school. I have gained a lot of experience in different fields of pharmacy, including community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, and research. I currently work at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center as a student intern and this has allowed me to learn more about how a speciality hospital function and more about oncology medications. This job has also allowed me to learn more about different types of therapies and led me down the path of drug information and literacy.

I have developed an interest in researching different types of new medications and their place in our current treatment regimens. I hope to figure out my way in the different fields of drug information and even managed care pharmacy and understand how I can implement new therapies for patients while also optimizing their care and finances. I have participated in a couple of P&T competitions and found that I enjoy making monographs and researching therapies.

I hope to achieve a residency in managed care pharmacy and pursue my interest in continuously learning about new developments in the pharmacy world.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my sisters and doing different activities together. We enjoy watching all types of movies, painting, working out, biking, and climbing. We try to spend as much time together as possible since we are all busy pursuing careers in healthcare.

Hi everyone! My name is Sumaiya Gani and I am currently a P4 pharmacy student at St. John’s University in Queens, NY. I currently work at an independent pharmacy in Roslyn Heights, NY, where I have been working for about two years now. Prior to this, I worked at a CVS in East Hills, NY for about three years and then worked as a pharmacy intern at Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation for a few months as well. Unfortunately, the inpatient pharmacy at the institution was outsourced and so I no longer work there. I grew up in Queens, NY, specifically Woodside, but moved at the end of my first year at St. John’s and now live in Roslyn Heights. I am the oldest of four children and am a mother to three adorable cats. My current interests include psych and neuro. Throughout my work and APPE experiences so far, I have learned that I love being able to have direct communication with my patients and really appreciate the relationship and trust I am able to build with them through my services. I am excited to explore the socio esthetician's role in pharmacy during this rotation!

During my free time, I love exploring different types of cuisines with my friends, going to the gym, watching all sorts of competitive reality shows, and traveling. After graduation, I plan on taking a trip to London to visit my sister and then going to Greece with my family for a few days. Currently, my favorite cuisine is Korean food and I cannot get enough. 

Hi everyone! My name is Christina, a 6th year pharmacy student at St. John's University. Upon entering pharmacy school, I worked at an independent pharmacy, where I was able to begin my journey within pharmacy. I am a pharmacy intern at NewYork Presbyterian - Specialty Pharmacy in Queens where I have been for a little over 2 years now. During the summer, I work with a boutique development firm focused on real-estate developments. Within all my experiences, including my rotations, I was able to truly focus in on how pharmacy encompasses several different factors. My sister working at a dermatologist office for quite some time, has struck my interest in dermatology, and oncology has been an interest of mine for some time now, but I have not had much exposure within the field.

My post-graduate plan is to hopefully pursue a residency, but I always have an open mind as to where life will lead me. I hope to fit in some time for traveling within the next few months as I shockingly enough have been able to travel more during these rotations.

When time permits, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family just doing simple things. A long time interest of mine has been trying out new restaurants and truly getting to appreciate the full experience such as the service, food and ambiance. I have recently discovered I am a adrenal junkie and decided to go sky diving this summer, and I am sure I will find so much more to do! Looking forward to what is to come!

Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/christina-shenouda

Hi everyone, I’m Naasiha, a pharmacy student at St. John’s University! This is my first APPE rotation and I’m excited to spend it exploring my interests such as oncology, skincare, and the other interesting topics found on the website. I have been working as a pharmacy intern at Mount Sinai in the outpatient oncology infusion pharmacy for the last 2 years. I enjoy working there greatly as we interact with many other healthcare providers to provide comprehensive oncology care. I also get to learn a lot about new oncology drug launches and how hospital pharmacy conducts itself. Before Mount Sinai, I was an intern at CVS for 3 years and explored the retail side of pharmacy. Surprisingly, I enjoy both environments!

My post-graduate plans are hopefully to pursue a residency! I have an interest in ambulatory care and hospital administration. 

In my free time, I love spending quality time with my family and friends. I enjoy self-care such as getting my eyebrows done, doing a face mask, and getting a mani-pedi. I like making my coffee at home and learning new recipes! I try to go to Hot Yoga once in a while, but I’m hoping to make it a regular practice. I also enjoy eating out and discovering new cuisines. My favorite cuisine is Japanese!

Upon graduation, I hope to go back to my parents’ home country: Bangladesh, to visit my paternal grandma and family there! I know I want to see the family before life gets super real.

Feel free to connect with me on linkedin!

www.linkedin.com/in/naasiha-ahmed

Hi! My name is Maha and I am a 6th year pharmacy student from St. John's University. I am a pharmacy intern at Bellecare Pharmacy, an independent community pharmacy in Queens. While on my APPEs, I discovered my passion for clinical pharmacy and that I love the hospital work setting which led me to pursue a PGY1 residency. I am still in the application process, and hopefully I will become a resident after graduating! My current interests include ambulatory care and infectious disease, and I actually had an APPE in ambulatory care clerkship for oncology at Monter Cancer Center. I loved my interactions with patients and counseling them was fun. I also very much enjoyed my Medical Systems APPE at Nassau University Medical Center and my General Inpatient APPE at Plainview Hospital. I hope to learn more about dermatology and oncology during this rotation as well.

During my free time, I love to chat with my friends on FaceTime, cook, explore different cafes, go to the campus gym, watch Kdramas, and do my makeup. I plan on going traveling but not sure when, as studying for my boards and preparing for residency may take up most of my time this year! I definitely want to go to at least one place this year though. Please don't hesistate to connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/maha-sohail-73ab48240

Hi, I'm Mahir, currently in my sixth year of pharmacy school at St. John's University. I have been working as a pharmacy intern at Walgreens for nearly four years now. While retail can be stressful at times, I greatly enjoy interacting with patients. Recently, everyone has been coming in to get flu shots and I get a chance to really connect with patients while administering the vaccine and giving them the best quality of care I can. Personally, I would like to go into a job where I can use my clinical knowledge more. I've been considering going into managed care and building a career there.

In my free time, I like watching soccer matches, My favorite team is Manchester United but I also watch a lot of Real Madrid games. I don't get the chance to play soccer much due to my busy schedule but I still try to stay active and keep my body fit. I also bake simple things here and there. My favorite things to make are cake pops and tres leches cakes.

Upon graduating, I don't think I will be doing much traveling. I'd like to watch a Manchester United game in England one day but that's about it for now. I want to focus on repaying my loans first before I start spoiling myself.

Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn everyone! https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahir-hasin-29b10b148/

Hi! I am Dana Paolino, a 6th year pharmacy student from St. John's University. I am currently a pharmacy intern at an independent pharmacy in Manhasset, NY, where I have been working for over 2 years. I love working in community pharmacy as it allows me to build close relationships with the patients I serve; however, I do not know if I want to stay in community after graduation. I was hoping our APPEs would help me decide what to do post-graduation, but with only four left, I am still unsure. I have recently given more thought into pursuing residency or fellowship after graduation so I am remaining optimistic! No matter what I do after graduation, I know I want to travel abroad before starting to work. It has always been a dream of mine to visit Japan to see the beautiful scenery, enjoy the cuisine, and, of course, visit Tokyo.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, including my two cats. I have recently picked up crocheting which I hope to be better at with more time and practice. Besides that, I love simply walking around the neighborhood or in NYC, going to concerts, and playing video games.

I am very excited about all I will learn during this rotation. I have always been interested in oncology and dermatology so there are many topics I am interested in researching over this next month!

Hello, my name is Eshmal Mukhtar and I am a 6th year pharmacy student at St. John’s University. I currently work as a pharmacy intern at CVS for over a year. Working in a community pharmacy and gaining experiences during rotations taught me many valuable skills to become a talented pharmacist. I am still unsure if I want to pursue post-graduate training in residency or do a fellowship. I hope I will find my interest in a specialty in this rotation and be fulfilled with my decision. I am intrigued to learn about various skin conditions and holistic approaches during my time with the Socioethestician rotation.

When I have free time, I like to hang out with my family, exercise, and explore new places around my city. So far, I’ve enjoyed going to cafés and concerts. After graduation, I plan to take the NAPLEX and MPJE exams and then will travel. I want to visit my parent’s home country, Pakistan, and explore Europe before I start working. I haven’t traveled abroad in over 10 years and that makes the summer 2024 trip even more exciting!

Hi! My name is Anisah Rozan and I'm a 6th year Pharm D. student from St. John's University. I currently work as a pharmacy intern at an independent pharmacy, which is where I've been for the past 3 years. Working in an independent pharmacy has helped me gain perspective as to how much it takes to run your own pharmacy. Opening my own pharmacy has always been a dream of mine, but after graduating I would like to start working in either a hospital pharmacy setting or industry. I love travelling, watching UFC and trying new restaurants. I also play the piano and I love to cook and bake. I have a little brother Zack (12) and a little sister Zoyah (9). After I graduate, I'm planning a trip to either Europe or Bermuda with my mom before I start working.

Hello, my name is Roquia Ali. I am a 6th year pharmacy student at St. John's University. Currently, i am working as a pharmacy intern at Rite Aid pharmacy. I"m still not set on what i want to do after i graduate. All i do know is that i want to take a break after graduation. After having rotations throughout the summer the this year and the previous, I am excited to have some time. This is currently my fourth rotation, making me almost halfway done with the 6th year. During my free time, I hike and try to enjoy the outdoors as much as i can. When the weather doesnt allow that, i like to stay home and bake.

Hello, my name is Nashfa Zaman and I am currently in my 6th year at St. John’s University. I have been working at a Walgreens for the past 4 years and recently got a 2nd job at Northwell. I also help out at my dad’s pharmacy when I can (he’s not a pharmacist but thinks he knows as much as one). This is my second APPE rotation and I’m excited to see what this rotation is like and how it will shape my career path. As of right now, I’m not too sure what I want to do long term, and I’m hoping rotations help me get a better idea of what I do enjoy. In my free time, I like to do more arts and crafts projects. I’ve recently been learning to crochet and sew. During COVID I started with embroidery.

As for plans after graduation, I’m not sure what I want to do. I want to take a mini trip for myself, but the thought of student loans is daunting. My first plan after graduation is to just start paying that off. I’m the type of person that can’t fully relax until something like a debt is paid off. My sister (27) is a lawyer and has not been touching her student loans due to the pause and is now getting married. Seeing the stress of how much a wedding costs (south Asian weddings are a multi-day event) and loans on top of that has scared me into trying to pay them off as early as possible. So as much as I would love to relax after having 6 years straight of school, I’m putting myself in the mindset that if I can do it for a little while longer, I will really be able to fully enjoy my life. I’ve been fortunate enough to have travelled a lot during high school, going to most of Europe with my family. I’ve seen most of the major countries and will survive waiting to see the rest of them for a few years.

Hello, my name is Trisha Khong, and I am a 6th year pharmacy student at St. John's University. My homestate is in Orange County, Southern California, and I currently am a pharmacy intern at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. I completed my introductory rotations at Elmhurst hospital and CVS last summer. These sites helped me gain a better insight on what I want to pursue upon graduation. During my time at Elmhurst hospital, I was fortunate to shadow a narcotic pharmacist and learn how to perform narcotic audits, which really peaked my interest. Participating in rounds with my preceptor was first-hand insight on the significance of pharmacists’ roles as medication experts crucial to maintain therapeutic efficacy and patient safety. At CVS, I performed patient counseling, tailoring each session to ensure safe and correct medication administration and adherence needed to maintain patient health. I also provided medical information to doctors and nurses and developed interprofessional communication skills essential to the smooth flow of patient care. As of now, I am interested in the path of residency and hope to continue my post-graduate learning in California; however, it is subject to change; I am open to whatever opportunity that arises, and I hope these rotations will give me a better picture of the many paths of pharmacy available.

In regards to my hobbies, I practice yoga avidly, and have committed hundreds of hours through private classes! One of my goals is to be certified as a yoga instructor one day. In addition, I enjoy baking in my free time, and would say I'm quite a decent baker. I used to participate in bake sales in my community to help raise money for non-profit organizations. Further, I enjoy traveling, and I travel very often especially since my family resides both in CA and NY.

The Socio Esthetician is my first rotation site. I am glad to be given this opportunity to apply my academic interest in skin disorders and its association with aesthetic medicine by utilizing the SocioEsthetician platform not only as an outlet to digitize my passion, but also be able to connect and participate in a community of colleagues who share the same interest as me. This rotation is a great chance for me to share my knowledge and learn new material from others!

Hello, my name is Kristen Ursick. I am a 6th year pharmacy student at St. John's University and I am a pharmacy intern at CVS. In the past, I worked at an independent pharmacy that also was a compounding lab. I have learned alot at my experiences at different pharmacy settings. This is my first APPE rotation. I am excited to begin this journey where I can grow as a student and future pharmacist. I hope that each of my rotations can help push me in the direction of making the final decision for my career. Currently, I believe I’d like to work in a hospital setting or possibly do a residency, but I am open to change as I gain more experience in each setting. I am excited to gain experience in an ambulatory care setting because that seems interesting and I have not had much experience in that type of pharmacy setting. This rotation was interesting to me because I have always been interested in cancer and skincare. I took an oncology elective in my last semester where we learned about melanoma and I hope to research that topic even further. From kindergarten to my senior year of high school, I was a competitive dancer and I loved to paint and draw. I have always had an interest in art and being creative. I also took an advertising and design three year elective in high school. For a while I thought that was what I was going to go into as a career before I decided to go into pharmacy school. I am hoping to switch one of my elective rotations to one that involves medical communications and marketing. I think I would find this interesting as it combines my past interests with my pharmacy career. That is another large area of pharmacy that I was not aware of when I began this program. I’ve spent the last few years very focused on my classes and studying and now it will be great to gain on the job experience in a variety of settings. I hope to travel for a little while after graduation if I have the time. It will be much needed after this last year of school. I have traveled to many states in the USA and to islands in the caribbean. I’d love to travel to Europe and different countries soon. In my free time I love to hangout with my friends and family, exercising, and reading which I hope to have more time for eventually. I have spent the last few years in Queens for St. John’s, but I am glad to be back on Staten Island all in one place and beginning rotations.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenursick/

Hello, my name is Aleksandra Agranovich, but I like to go by my nickname “Sasha”. I am currently a 6th year pharmacy student at St. John’s University. I work as a pharmacy intern for Walgreens but hope to broaden my pharmacy experience in other settings within the near future. I currently reside in New York and want to remain and work here because New York City is the best city in the world. Throughout my time at St. John’s, I was able to overcome many challenges and obstacles that have helped to shape me into the person and pharmacy intern that I am today. Upon graduation in the coming months, I hope to get a job in the hospital and possibly complete a pharmacy residency. I am very interested in the subject and therapeutics of diabetes, although I would also love to learn more about dermatology. If I am able to, I would like to become a clinical pharmacist and focus specifically on diabetes education.

In terms of hobbies, I love reading books. I also really enjoy writing, riding my bike, and cooking/baking. I really hope that I get a chance to travel right before starting my career as a pharmacist. There are still many places that I haven’t been to and would like to explore. In addition to hobbies, I have a cat named Tulip and she is really cute. She tends to follow me all around the house. I am very excited to start writing journal entries for this rotation. At St. John’s, we never really learned much about dermatology so I’m hoping that this month will keep me updated on the most current dermatological medications and conditions.

LinedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-agranovich 😊

Hi everyone! My name is Alicia and I am a 6th year pharmacy student currently on my 8th rotation at the SocioEsthetician. I chose this rotation because I saw a great opportunity to dive deeper into topics that we do not have the time to completely cover in pharmacy school. My pharmacy work experience began at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. I began working at an independent community pharmacy during 2020 and I fell in love with it. I enjoy the interactions that I am able to have with patients in the independent community setting. I plan on working there as a pharmacist post-graduation. Even though I have decided on my plans after graduation, I am still eager to learn about other areas of pharmacy so that I am aware of all future possibilities. In addition to working in independent community pharmacy, I also work as a lifeguard and swim instructor, teaching children and adults how to be safe and confident in the water. In my free time I enjoy going on walks or bike rides through the trails near my house. I also took up golf as a hobby last summer. I am looking forward to warmer weather so I can continue to practice.

Hello! My name is Xunpeng Li, a 6th year pharmacy student who will be graduating in September 2021. This rotation is my last rotation and I really feel excited to finish all 9 rotations. I am currently working in an independent pharmacy in Flushing, NY. Majority of the patients are from China and some Asian countries. Most patients are nice to us and are willing to stay with us. We speak Mandarin and many dialects to explain details regarding medications in daily basis. Ever since the beginning of my job in Flushing 5 years ago, I knew that a great pharmacist would need to have great relationships with patients. Despite the fact that not every patient would be your buddy, I still value the keys of a good relationship. I really like photography as a personal habit. Even though, I am not a professional photographer. My friends enjoyed going out with me because I took great photos for them. I also like to drive to different places and breath the fresh air. Lastly, I enjoyed watching movies. As being a future pharmacist, I understood the professional career path would be long and meaningful. I think an entertainment or habits contribute to a healthy career path. Movies usually demonstrate philosophy in an entertaining way, so I laughed and could learn some words of wisdom while watching. Please feel free to reach me on https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommy-li-a8936314a/.

Hi! My name is Donna and I am currently on rotations for my sixth year in the Pharm. D. program at St. John’s University. I took an interest in pharmacy after volunteering at an independent one in my neighborhood and enjoying the work environment around me. In my second year of pharmacy school, I began to join clubs and learn more about different opportunities out there for pharmacists so since then I have been interested in pursuing the pharmaceutical industry path. I like this career path because there are so many different roles in industry for pharmacists to be a part of whether it be using your clinical knowledge or trying out the business side of things. Outside of pharmacy, I really value spending time with my friends and hanging around in NYC. I absolutely love traveling which is why I jumped at the chance to study abroad my second year in pharmacy when it was offered. This was the best decision I made because I made new friends through this experience. Every day I miss the experiences I had abroad but after graduation, I’m hoping for a road trip with my friends from the program to celebrate our graduation! I am looking forward to the rest of this rotation; skincare is always going to be an important popular topic (I'm always trying to find the best morning and nighttime skin routines). Skin was the first drugs and diseases course we had in our third year so it’ll be great to refresh my memory and learn about even the biggest beauty misconceptions that weren’t discussed in class. Feel free to always reach out on: http://www.linkedin.com/in/donnasalib

Hello, my name is Natalie Eshaghian and I am a 6th year pharmacy student at St. John’s University. I am a 1st generation Jewish Iranian American, being one of the first in my family to gain a doctorate degree. Throughout my time in pharmacy school, I have been involved in many different organizations, both pharmacy and non-pharmacy related. I was a part of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP) organization, as well as the Jewish Student’s Association, where I held 2 leadership positions, one as secretary and the other as president. I loved my time at SJU learning about the different fields of pharmacy, however, I enjoy APPEs because it really delves deeper into the different routes of the pharmacy profession. My favorite course throughout pharmacy school was my leadership and alternative medicine electives, where I learned about how to be an effective leader in the pharmacy profession as well as the various regular day items that most people use but treatment options for others. I feel that with this rotation I can educate myself more on the topic of alternative medicine, since many patients use alternative routes of treatment.

I am interested in various sports, such as football and soccer. I also love gymnastics and used to be a part of the gymnastics team in high school! I also have a creative side, and try to draw on my free time. Lastly, I am into health and fitness, and even have my own instagram page to motivate me to stay on track. Feel free to follow: @Bffitness18 https://www.instagram.com/bffitness18/

I hope to travel once I graduate to different areas of the world, such as Thailand, Maldives, Israel, Italy, London, and so much more. I hope I can gain a career in pharmacy upon graduating, but I have a feeling that once that happens I would have to limit my desires of traveling. However, I hope I can acquire a pharmacy career that will be flexible to allow me to enjoy my time and travel the world! I am looking forward to this next rotation at the SocioEsthetitian!

If you would like to connect on LinkedIn, here is my profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-eshaghian-bb692720b/