Episode 10 - Meet our Student Pharmacists from Puerto Rico

Bienvenidos al White Coat Radio! a podcast from East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, in Johnson City, Tennessee. In this episode, Dan and Michele talk with Gatton student pharmacists from the beautiful island of Puerto Rico to learn more about why they chose Gatton.  Transcript: Dan Vanzant Bienvenidos al White Coat Radio podcast from East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy in Johnson City, Tennessee. Each episode, we cover a wide range of topics about the pharmacy school experience, from study tips to deep dives with faculty and student pharmacists. I'm one of your hosts, Dan Vanzant. Michele Williams And I'm Doctor Michele Williams. And today we'll be talking with Gatton student pharmacists Gilary Cortes Oliveras, Yareliz Pellot Soto, and Janer Torres Ramirez, and all of them come from sunny and beautiful Puerto Rico. So welcome, everybody. Hillary Thank you. Yareliz Thank you. Janer Thank you for having us. Dan Vanzant All right. So let's get started by each of you just telling us a little something about yourself. Janer Well, as was said, my name is Luis Janer, pharmacy student, as you know. But I come from a rural area in Puerto Rico, in the mountains—private farm, privately owned farm. And so even though I feel like I'm pretty extroverted, I was raised in an introverted environment, I guess. But I like to do other stuff. I like drawing, I like to work on cars, and to play the guitar—a lot of instruments. I used to be in a musical group when I was back in my college in Puerto Rico, at the University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras campus. And that taught me a lot, not only in the area of music but in discipline. And so, yeah—that's part of why I'm here too. But that's a long story. Michele Williams Well, thank you. Yareliz Well, that's hard to follow. Dan Vanzant laughs Yareliz So I'm Yareliz. I'm from the west coast of Puerto Rico. I love the beach. I am shy, but I love—I'm a people person. I really enjoy talking to everyone. Janer You're also with all the organizations, right? Yareliz Yeah. I love to be in all the organizations—well, most of them. I'm in a fraternity, part of the leadership committee. I belong to SNAPhA, to CPFI—that’s the Christian organization—the fraternity PDC, and I'm part of the directive committee. Michele Williams Nice. Yareliz It's me. Dan Vanzant And if you wouldn't mind—what year is each of you in the program? Are you all in the same year? Janer Well, I'm P1. Yareliz I'm in my second year. Gilary Hi. My name is Gilary. I'm the last one. I'm P2. I'm also from Puerto Rico. Of course. I was born and raised in Manatí. I have almost all my family there, so that's kind of hard for me. Normally I am introverted, but I always put myself out there even if it's uncomfortable for me. And I love to talk with people, so probably you'll see me normally quiet, but when you know me, I cannot stop talking. I'm also, like, the realest—I’m in most of the organizations. And I'm part of Phi Delta Chi too. I love to spend time with my family, friends, and read. I love to read as many books as I can, but I don't have a lot of time now. Michele Williams I was gonna ask—if you've been doing a lot of reading for pleasure lately. Gilary Like, yeah—now we read papers. Dan Vanzant And we do. Yareliz And we love traveling. Gilary Oh yeah, that is probably the most important thing. I love to travel. I met Yari one year ago—one year and a half—and I have traveled with her more than I’ve traveled with any other person, so I'm happy with that. Michele Williams That's nice. Well, thanks so much for those introductions. And let's talk a little bit about pharmacy school and what has been your favorite course so far in pharmacy school. And Gilary, we'll start with you—tell us what you enjoy about it. Gilary Okay. So when I was thinking about this—because this is like a normal question that people ask and I'm always struggling, like, what will it be? But I say like the first one… and the one that made me choose Gatton probably. Or one of the reasons that I chose Gatton was for the interprofessional careers that we have here. I really enjoy meeting people from other— disciplines. Michele Williams Disciplines. Gilary Disciplines—like med school, nursing, or even I have, personally, my small group that is speech therapy. So it's very good for me to learn about these other disciplines and now know how to work with them. So I really liked that. And I will say that is my favorite. Michele Williams How about you, Yareliz? Yareliz Well, this is hard for me because I found so many classes so interesting. I loved all the interprofessional classes we have. But like—one of the reasons I chose pharmacy school was because you're an accessible health care provider. So one of the classes that I enjoyed the most was the OTC class. I was able to learn—for example, everyone takes Tylenol, everyone takes Advil, but you never read the instructions because it's something everyone takes. But then you can instruct people: “Oh, you shouldn’t take more than this,” or “If you have this, you should not take it.” I thought it was very interesting in applying and helping others. Michele Williams So it sounds like you learn a lot about everyday products that people take for granted, but there's a lot more to it. Exactly right. We might need to talk later. Dan Vanzant Yeah, yeah. Michele Williams How about you, Janer? Janer Well, in my limited experience here in Gatton—only being in one semester and half of the spring semester—I can safely say that my favorite class by far has been anatomy. I just love understanding how the body works and all the systems, how they work together to form this working body. To me, that's very interesting, very amazing. Before coming here, I knew I loved anatomy. And I've been told by some doctors I know that I should have gone to be a physician. Yes. So I really like anatomy. But I also kind of like the physical pharmacy class, or what they call DDS. But that was probably mainly because it was Dr. Digavalli doing the class, and I found it absolutely wonderful—the way he taught, the tutoring he did. It was just wonderful. And I really enjoyed that class as well. And obviously, like I said, I like anatomy—but then Dr. Pond… you combine anatomy with Dr. Pond and she’s going to make a great class. And I really enjoyed that one. That’s my favorite. Michele Williams Yeah, it does sound great. Makes me want to sit in on those classes more. Dan Vanzant Yeah, yeah. See what Dr. Digavalli is doing in the class. Michele Williams Yeah. Dan Vanzant So you all have mentioned inside the class what your favorite classes are. What's been a good experience you've had outside of the classroom? Yareliz For me, I haven't been able to do a lot because we don't have a lot of free time. But all the hiking trails nearby—I’ve been able to do, I think, three. A professor recommended a whole list of trails and things I should know about Johnson City or nearby. So it's definitely not the same as Puerto Rico, but Johnson City has its own thing. And it's been nice—at least the trails. Gilary I will say the same, because we are like a package. When I see Yari, I'm behind. Yareliz So yesterday, a professor told us, “Oh, it's funny because when I see one, I see the other.” Dan Vanzant Really? laughs Gilary So I will say the same. But also—I love to cook. So every time we have an exam or something, I go to Yari’s house and I cook for them. That is something good to do outside the classroom without any stress—or at least having a break from the stress. I just like to be here. I find Johnson City very close to my home in Puerto Rico. I live in a place called Monte Bello, which translates to “beautiful mountains,” and in Johnson City we have a lot. So I feel like home on that side. Janer Especially in the summer. Summer looks a lot like Puerto Rico. Gilary Oh yeah. Janer Well, in my case, I've done so many things, I can't even start to list them here. But just to name a few—we actually went outdoor laser tagging with the girls and the fraternity. We did mini golf. I've gone to the trampoline park. I've done axe throwing. I went to Gatlinburg and saw WonderWorks, and went through… what was that? Gilary Anakeesta? Janer Anakeesta! I went to Anakeesta—I love it. Yareliz You didn't see bears. Janer I didn't see bears, but I wish I had. It's just very fun to go there. And the area around Johnson City— the reason I picked Johnson City intentionally before coming here is because of the access to all the things it has. It's big enough to have everything you want, but small enough for people to be kind and for there not to be high crime rates or anything. I really, really like the city. And who knows—maybe I’ll end up staying here after I finish the degree. So yeah—I actually really like it here. Michele Williams Nice. So as all of you know, Gatton has the PEER‑E2 program funded by the Tennessee Board of Regents. PEER‑E2 stands for Promoting Engagement, Excellence and Retention for students whose first or best language is not English. Funds from the program have allowed us to travel to Puerto Rico to recruit students. And Gilary and Yareliz have been members of the recruitment team, and Janer is one of the students we had the good fortune to recruit. So let's start with the students who have traveled to Puerto Rico as part of the recruitment team. Tell us what that has been like. Gilary For me, it has been a very beautiful and excellent experience. I've been to Puerto Rico with the recruitment trip twice, and every time is a different experience. The first time we went with Rochelly—she’s a P4—and we had an amazing experience. We had the opportunity to visit not only schools but also specialty pharmacies in Puerto Rico. And that was a very cool experience. Before going on that first trip, I didn’t know we had so many specialty pharmacies close to San Juan. That changed me—I’m now looking at that pathway, maybe when I finish my PharmD. The second time was amazing too. We visited more schools. You have a unique opportunity to talk about your experiences to other students who maybe only think about Puerto Rico and don’t think about the other opportunities we have in the States. It’s very cool to talk with them and see the interest in their eyes. Yareliz For me, it was my first time going this year, and the experience was awesome. Going back to my alma mater and talking with undergrads—and remembering when I was there too. Even though I hate the spotlight and it’s way out of my comfort zone, it felt so good talking about the school and my experience. Michele Williams And remind us again—what is your alma mater? Yareliz Inter American University of Puerto Rico. Michele Williams Okay. Yareliz Tigers! Dan Vanzant Yeah! Yareliz The students were so engaged. They asked so many questions. They wanted to know much more. Because in Puerto Rico we only have two options for pharmacy school, and they’re both in the capital area. So you don’t really consider going outside of Puerto Rico. We're very family‑oriented, and being far from family is scary. We don’t consider outside, mostly. But they wanted to know more— “How have you been doing?” “What did you do to get here?” Because usually you think graduate school is so hard it’s impossible. Then they realize it’s not impossible. And they can relate to us. Janer She said a lot of things I wanted to say. Even though I've never been on a recruitment trip, I’ve had experience recruiting. I have two friends—one still applying, one recently accepted and already doing the paperwork to get here next year. Gatton made it easier because the things this college offers are so different from my experience—so different from other colleges I applied to—it’s easy to convince people to come here. Not just because of the college, but the area and the staff. Everyone here is so wonderful and welcoming. In Puerto Rico, we think entering pharmacy school is extremely hard because there are only two schools, and both are in the top ten hardest to enter in the U.S. So we think that’s what pharmacy school is everywhere. And since we're family‑oriented, we don’t want to leave. But once I tell them how possible it is—and how accepting the staff is—they’re blown away. They try it for themselves and end up liking it. I hope one day I can make the trip too. That would be awesome. Michele Williams Yeah, that would be awesome. So tell us a little bit about what your P1 year has been like. It's coming to an end before you know it. Janer Well… the P1 year has been—and I don't want anyone to misinterpret this—way easier than I expected. And the reason is that when I was at the University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras campus—the biggest campus—I actually had a harder time getting through my bachelor’s. Not because the classes were hard, but because of everything going on. Puerto Rico was going through riots, earthquakes, hurricanes Irma and Maria… the governor was thrown out. There was always something happening. And I still had to study on top of that. One thing I wanted when picking schools was a place that would limit distractions. And that alone made it so much easier to focus on what I needed to focus on—studying. That’s why it’s been easier in my P1 year. Michele Williams That makes so much sense. A lot of students don’t realize that studying and class rigor is just the beginning—life is still happening. You still have things to manage while you're in pharmacy school. So that’s a very interesting perspective. Thank you for sharing that. Janer That's why I feel like most Puerto Ricans are probably prepared to deal with the things they have to deal with here. We've already gone through so much, and we still had to study on top of it—and keep up with homework and grades. A lot of them—if they've done a science degree—they're probably prepared to deal with a pharmacy degree. Michele Williams Are there any other things you'd like to share about your experience at Gatton? So I talked a little bit with Kwaku before this—he’s our graduate assistant—and he gave me some good advice about questions to ask. He said to ask you all: What information do you need to know coming to pharmacy school, and what information is just good to know? Gilary I will probably say one of the most important things—at least for me, and I’m still working on that—is finding the best way to study. That made me struggle. I'm still learning what the best way to study is, because not all classes are going to be the same way. And you have to adjust that for each class. So probably if you find the best way to study the first year, the first semester, that will be great. Michele Williams Great. Thank you. I can help with that too. Yareliz Yeah. So absolutely—I'm still struggling on how to study because every professor is different. In one class, we can have multiple professors, and one study way is not going to be the same for another class or professor. So you need to get comfortable with change, I guess. Michele Williams That’s a good point. Janer Well, in my case—again, I only went through one semester, so I don't have too much experience. But I can say the earlier you get used to the methods the professor uses to teach, the better it will be in the long run. Don't wait too long to get used to how the professor teaches and how you're supposed to study for the class. Be quick about getting there. And when you do get there, it will feel much more consistent. Gilary Probably—don’t be nervous or shy about asking for help. Here, I learned a lot of things, and one of the things I’m very grateful for is the faculty. They have given me a lot of things to get better. Even when I was in Puerto Rico, I never had a person who was like, “Hey, are you doing good?” or “Do you need help?” So for me it was very difficult to say, “Hey, I need help. This is happening, and I don't know how to deal.” So probably—if you come here with an open mind, saying, “Okay, this is not going well, I need to ask for help”—please do it. Because they have the tools to help you. And they will help you. Michele Williams Great. That’s all really good advice. Dan Vanzant Could you give examples of the different teaching styles—how you've had to pivot from one class or professor to another? Gilary I would say for us—now that we are in P2—cardio has a lot of professors. So sometimes the way they ask the questions is kind of hard. Also in renal, we have like three different professors. And sometimes when we do something like, “Okay, this is not that good,” we go to the professor to ask what's happening. And they say, “You did good in these questions from this professor, but this professor is the one where you’re not doing well.” So my biggest thing is—some professors are more superficial, some are more specific. So you have to know which specifics you need to deal with. Dan Vanzant Okay. Yareliz For me—for example—we try everything. Teach someone else, or have someone else teach the class. Take notes, don’t take notes. Do a study guide, do flashcards. Everyone learns differently. In cardio, with some professors, it’s me and Gilary—we study our material apart, then we come together and say, “Did you understand this?” If I understand it, I explain it to her. If she understands, she explains it to me. In undergrad, I studied by myself because I didn’t have classes with the same people and I was shy. But at the beginning of P1, that didn’t work. Then we started studying together—and that helps the most. Also, for renal—I bought a whiteboard bigger than I expected for my home. Writing things down and doing diagrams helped me a lot. For other classes, I do a study guide in Word so I can make things prettier. So it all depends on each individual and each professor. Michele Williams Thank you. Janer Yeah. Like they said—we have professors that like to teach in a broad spectrum, and others who like very narrow, specific teaching. You have to be fast at recognizing what type of professor you're dealing with and what type of questions they will give. One thing I like about Gatton is—they give out a lot of quizzes. They’re meant for practice. Yes, they’re graded, but they help you understand the professor’s question format. When the test comes, you already know what to expect. The hardest classes are the ones that don’t do quizzes—only lectures. When the test comes, you don’t know what to expect. So if a class doesn’t have quizzes, be careful. Those tend to be perceived as harder. Dan Vanzant Interesting. Thanks. Michele Williams Well, this has been great. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and advice for future students. And thank you so much for coming today. Janer Thank you for having us. Yareliz Thank you for having us today. And now that you mentioned advice, I just thought of something. Sorry! So like, in general—not in regard to classes—I would advise everyone thinking about pharmacy school to not let fear dictate your decisions. I’m not saying don’t be scared… the best decisions of my life, I've made them dead scared. Even if it's scary—if it's what you want—at least try it. Michele Williams Yeah. That’s really good advice. Janer I think we should say adios then. Like, together. Dan Vanzant Yeah. Michele Williams Do you have something you'd like to say in Spanish? Janer Oh, yeah. Dan Vanzant Maybe Michele can translate it later. laughs Michele Williams That's right. Janer Sigue tus sueños. Follow your dreams. Gilary Yeah… I don’t know. I will say, like— Michele Williams Say it to your friends and family. Gilary Muchas veces se nos hace difícil tomar decisiones por el miedo, como dijo Yareliz, pero si empiezas y tomas el primer paso, después de que estás aquí, todo se hace un poco más sencillo, y en el camino encuentras personas que van a hacer que tu camino sea mucho mejor, así que no tengas miedo. (ENG: A lot of times we find it difficult to make decisions because of fear, like Yareliz said, but if you start and take the first step, then after you are here, everything becomes simpler, and on the way you will find people who will make your path much better, so don’t be afraid.) Dan Vanzant Just beautiful. Yeah. Michele Williams Awesome. Yareliz The only thing that comes to mind… Donde Dios guía, Él provee. Where God guides, He provides. Janer So it sounds like it even rhymes in English. Dan Vanzant That's good. Dan Vanzant That’s awesome. Michele Williams Well done, y’all. Dan Vanzant Yeah. Janer Adios, on three. All ¡Adios!