Pharmacy Perspectives - Graduation 2011 - 4

g r a d u at i o n 2 0 1 1

Opposites attract
You like the movies and I like TV. I take things serious and you take ‘em light. I go to bed early and you party all night.

he classic 1990s Paula Abdul hit, Opposites Attract sums up the story of Candido Chacon and Anh Tu Than.

He’s laid back. She’s a worrier. He’s from a small family; she has five siblings. He’s of Latino descent with a Colorado heritage dating back to the early 1800s. Her family emigrated from Vietnam in 1993. She has known since childhood that she wanted to pursue pharmacy; Candido decided after he graduated from CU Boulder with a degree in molecular biology and was working in vaccine and diabetes research for Kaiser Permanente that pharmacy was the path for him. Despite these differences, one thing brought these opposites together – a passion for pharmacy.

In 2006, Candido and Anh Tu were both competing for a coveted berth in CU’s doctor of pharmacy program. They both were rejected, but invited to enroll in the summer enrichment/honors program. “It was an opportunity to increase the likelihood of selection the following year. So, I jumped at the chance,” says Candido. Anh Tu also decided that earning valuable skills and “face time” with faculty could enhance her prospects the following year. And they were right. For two months, they worked next to each other, learned valuable skills and got to know the faculty and each other. “The year we applied for pharmacy school there were 1,636 applicants. The following year there were even more. So, I think the honors program showed how passionate we were about pursuing a degree in pharmacy,” says Candido. After the summer program, both applied and were accepted into the School of Pharmacy. Since 2007, they have learned together and grown together and during their fourth year they were on two rotations together – a rural rotation in Alamosa, Colo., and an elective in Vietnam, where they worked in a local pharmacy in Saigon. “The experience was amazing,” says Anh Tu. “It was great to work together especially in a setting where only one of us knew the language. We worked as a team and got to experience how pharmacy is practiced elsewhere – all while showing off my heritage.” While their passion for pharmacy has flourished, so too has their love for each other. Candido is the yin to Anh Tu’s yang. And immediately following graduation, the two will add another title to their names – Mr. & Mrs. Chacon.

Candido and Anh Tu see the sites while on rotation in Vietnam

Pay it forward
If you’re interested in helping students attend the Summer Enrichment/Honors program, contact Cindy Cohagen at cindy.cohagen@cufund.org

UC School of Pharmacy

Pharmacy Perspectives - Graduation 2011

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