We have reached the end of a month of celebration in the pharmacy community, as October marks American Pharmacist Month, Women’s Pharmacist Day, and Hispanic Heritage Month. The pharmacy community consists of countless unique voices from a variety of cultures and backgrounds; this convergence of events provided a wonderful opportunity to highlight the contributions and achievements of the pharmacists behind these voices. But we at Shields would like to extend our celebrations and recognitions beyond these observances—beyond October. To honor the hard work and dedication of the many voices constituting the pharmacy community year-round, we sat down with Meybel Morales, Shields Clinical Pharmacist to discuss her Shields experience as a Hispanic Female Pharmacist.
“What did your journey to becoming a pharmacist look like?”
Meybel: My journey has not been very typical. My family escaped war-torn El Salvador when I was 3. We received asylum in Boston. Back then or as a child, I did not think I would be here working as a pharmacist. As an immigrant, I knew that I had to work hard to ensure that the sacrifice my parents made to bring me and come to this country was not done in vain. I always knew I could make it to college; my goal was always to be a medical doctor. I watched my mom work hard with 2 jobs, being a full-time student, and caring for 3 kids. She inspired me to work hard for what we wanted—a life that felt worthwhile, where you enjoyed doing what you do, and waking up to try to leave the world a better place than the day before.
Life pushed me. I received a scholarship to go to university, which allowed me to get my BS in Biochemistry. While getting this degree, I started a family, married, and had 2 kids. I realized that I had two choices: I could either stop or continue with my dreams. I wanted to finish my undergrad studies. I found a fierce drive that pushed me to complete my studies on time. I had to put my MD dreams on hold after my 2nd child was born, but I always knew I could continue.
I resumed my studies after working in a pharmaceutical company, where I realized that I enjoyed being around people. I wanted to help people face-to-face. I decided to go to pharmacy school because PharmDs get to be home more often than MDs (or so I thought). I worked full time, went to school full time, and cared for my 2 kids—sounds like my mother’s legacy was at play. I refused to give up on my dreams and I understood what it meant to persevere if you want something. I wanted to work with people.
I graduated in 2012 from pharmacy school and was elated! I did not mind the long days in retail, I did not mind the basement of the hospitals, or the windowless rooms in research pharmacy! I have gained so much experience and have been around so many people from colleagues to patients, to administrators, and I have to say that I have welcomed each and every interaction.
“How has your heritage impacted or helped you in your role?”
Meybel: There is a special place in my sojourn where I have used my heritage and my language to connect with patients that are new to this country and new to this language. I have been able to understand their concerns, inform them about treatment, and intervene on their behalf to ensure their health came first. Spanish speaking people make up a great number of our population. To be able to listen, explain, and convey to their providers their concerns is so rewarding, also to empower and share with them the resources available, from ensuring they have interpreter services at each appointment, to making sure that they can reach me to ask questions about their medications, and also know that it is their right to be heard.
“What does representation mean to you as a Hispanic woman, both personally and in your career as a pharmacist?”
Meybel: When I started my journey in pharmacy school, I did not know anyone who spoke Spanish in my graduating class. Yet, I did know that our patients were diverse and many spoke mainly Spanish, especially in Boston, where I lived and studied. I knew that the field was represented by many women, and women of color at that! Yet, language in healthcare is of utmost importance. I am the firstborn, I was the translator for my family as soon as I learned how to speak English. I saw how my family would ask me to go to appointments and knew with my limited vocabulary that there is more to language. I would love to see more native speakers in healthcare, be it Spanish, French Creole, Mandarin, Russian, Cantonese, Arabic or whatever language. Communication is the most effective way to ensure our patients understand their health.
“Considering your perspective as a Hispanic woman in pharmacy, how has pharmacy changed since you first started? For example, this could include the industry itself and/or the culture surrounding it.”
Meybel: The fact that I work from home now is a great example of how pharmacy has changed dramatically. There are more options for types of work one can do, be it retail, hospital, research, corporate, specialty, and insurance to mention just a few. The ability to find a place of work where you can feel fulfilled and have a work/life balance is the way to go. I feel more fulfilled now that I can work from home, I have control of my own schedule, I meet the goals of my department, and I give the best I have to my patients. Places that strive to remain kind and take care of their employees and patients are the new norm, or at least I seem to see more and more.
“What does “community” mean to you? And how has having and participating in a community affected your career?”
Meybel: Community is to share, to be present, and to grow with people that you happen to live with or choose to live with. I think this is a very flexible term to me, I find that I belong to many different communities that I feel belonging to and that I can rely on. We are social creatures, and, in our communities, we get to socialize and share, as well as learn.
“How has being in LOVE affected your experience with Shields?”
Meybel: I love LOVE! It has been a space to see my language spoken in a Teams chat, to mix our cultures as children of immigrants, or immigrants ourselves, to learn about the different countries that make up the Hispanic community, and to be there to support one another in our meetings. It is a wonderful committee that we have in place.
Let’s remember to appreciate and celebrate the incredible diversity within the pharmacy profession. By recognizing and supporting the achievements of all pharmacists, we can continue to build a more inclusive and empowering healthcare community.