I was having a conversation with a fellow student today that got me
thinking about what I want to get out of my future career. Sure, it’s a
way to make a living, but what part of my soul would be invested in it? This conversation made me think of a book I read a few months ago titled 10 Ways to Change the World in Your 20’s
by Libuse Binder. I had the privilege of meeting Libuse at my
University when she gave an inspiring talk on how there has never been a
better time in history for 20-somethings to make an impact on the world
we live in. Shortly after hearing her message and purchasing her book, I
thought to myself: How can I change the world? I spend hours and hours a
week going to class, studying, and working… So how is that making any
kind of difference?
Luckily, as Binder points out, “changing the world is deeply
personal; at its core it is the quest to identify what matters most to
you.” I immediately realized that my way of changing the world will be
through my work within pharmacy. I want to help patients. I
am spending my time studying and working now so that I can have a
positive impact on patient quality of life once I am a licensed
pharmacist. At the same time, I spend time volunteering now to teach
poison prevention, help with patient medication reviews, and advocate
for important legislature to my representatives. Finally, my future
plans include pursuing a residency in pharmacy administration so that I
can have an impact on many patients through my actions within the
health-system. I think Binder best describes my current situation with
stating “one of the best aspects of being in your twenties is increased
autonomy: what you do with your day (or at least part of it) is up to
you, so start making proactive decisions about how you will spend it.”
My plans and actions are a reflection of what I want to do to obtain a
job I will love and help change the world at the same time. Thinking
about how I can help change the world is what keeps me working hard.
Sometimes it’s easy to get bogged down with daily tasks and to-do lists,
but I try to keep my goal in mind.
I challenge everyone to think about how they can change the world,
even if you aren’t in your twenties. If your passion lies within
health-system pharmacy, get involved with PPMI.
Do research to find better treatments for cancer. Volunteer to tutor
children. Do something for which the only purpose is to make the world a
better place and have fun while you do it.
I leave the 20-somethings reading this post with one last quote from 10 Ways: The
World is counting on us to roll up our sleeves, raise our voices, and
start doing what young people do: be the innovators who leave a legacy
of hope for our generation and those that follow.