Pharmacy Perspectives - Winter/Spring 2014 - (Page 7)
A LT ER EGOS
WINTER/SPRING 2014
A SPOONFUL OF
SUGAR MAKES THE
MEDICINE GO DOWN
F
rom a young age, fourthyear pharmacy student
Doug Clark loved to
cook. His passion was
baking. And for years he
flirted with being a pastry chef -
even pursuing an associate's degree
from Johnston & Wales in applied
sciences. But after graduating and
working for six months in New
Hampshire at Mount Washington
Hotel and Resort he found that the
sweet life really wasn't so sweet.
"The restaurant business is very
demanding. It's not all fun and
games like you see on Cake Boss. It's
grueling. The hours are long and the
stress high." After blindly jumping
into a profession that he thought he
would love, he wasn't going to do
that again.
This time he began investigating
career choices. He knew he loved
the sciences and education. He
started volunteering in a pharmacy
and for the next two and half years
shadowed a pharmacist, became
a SNPhA affiliate member and
attended Colorado Pharmacist
Society meetings - for fun!
"I explored all fields and learned
a lot about myself. I also learned
about the steps you need to take to
make an informed decision about
a career path. That's not something
they teach you in high school."
After fulfilling his prerequisites
at UC Denver he applied to
pharmacy school. He made a case
for acceptance by drawing on the
parallels of pharmacy and baking.
"You'd be surprised at the similarities. Both require precision, attention to detail, and thought. Both
require a fundamental knowledge
of chemistry and how compounds
combine. And both are driven by
the need to care for people."
OLYMPIC
DREAMS
I
magine being one of a few thousand athletes good enough to
qualify for the Olympic Games. Second-year pharmacy student
Mercedes Farhat doesn't have to imagine. In '08, Mercedes
marched in the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics and
swam the 100-meter breaststroke - winning her heat. She even met
her Olympic idol and role model Dara Torres.
Her journey to the Olympics began when she started swimming
at the age of seven. With her father, Kamal, by her side as her coach,
she swam her way into record books. By the time she was in her
teens she was "pretty good." While watching the '04 Olympics with
her father, he suggested she swim for his home country Libya. His
simple, somewhat outlandish, proposal became reality.
But first there was paperwork - lots of it. Mercedes applied
for dual citizenship - Libyan and American. A requirement
for citizenship is a Libyan first name. She was given the name
Asmahan, which she used to compete while representing Libya. Her
American name remains Mercedes. Then, hours of swimming and
training, and finally qualifying at the 2008 FINA World Swimming
Championships in Manchester, England.
Mercedes displays her "Most valuable athlete" Olympic medal
One of 11 members of the Libyan contingent, she marched in
the Opening Ceremony wearing an elaborate native costume. "It
literally was built on me. It took hours to create and was so heavy
and ornate that I was exhausted afterwards."
In addition to achieving her Olympic dream, Mercedes received an
extra honor. She was selected for the equivalent of the "most valuable
athlete" award. During the Olympics, each country receives a medal to
honor the most valuable member of their team. Libya chose Mercedes.
Not one to bask in her accomplishments, within days of
the Olympics, Mercedes
started undergrad at the
University of Florida, where
she swam for the Gators.
Today, Mercedes looks back
fondly on her Olympic past.
She has little time for the pool,
but does have a bucket list that
includes a triathlon.
www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy
7
http://www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pharmacy Perspectives - Winter/Spring 2014
In This Issue
Pharmacy Perspectives - Winter/Spring 2014
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2019winterspring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2018summerfall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2018graduation
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2018winterspring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2017summerfall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2017winterspring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2017graduation
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2016fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2016graduation
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2016winterspring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2015summerfall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2015graduation
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2015winterspring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2014summerfall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2014graduation
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2014winterspring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2013summerfall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2013graduation
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2012fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2012winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2011fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2011grad
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2010fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2010grad
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ucdenver/pharmperspectives_2010spring
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