Name: Janet Silva-Villanueva
Cohort: P1-A [The 1st Year of the 5-Year PharmD Pathway]
Hometown: Forest Grove, Oregon
Q. Are you currently employed? If yes, where do you work and what is your position?
Yes, I work for Centro Cultural, the oldest Latino leading non-profit in Oregon as program manager for the Ventanilla de Salud Strategy.
Q. Approximately how many hours per week are you able to work while attending the 5-Year PharmD pathway on campus?
30 hours a week.
Q. What is your educational background?
Bachelor's of Science in psychology.
Q. What inspired you to pursue a career in pharmacy?
I choose pharmacy because I want to be a pharmacist who helps bridge the language barriers in healthcare. I experienced firsthand the challenges of navigating healthcare as a monolingual Spanish speaker growing up, often helping my mother translate at her appointments as my English proficiency developed. Representation matters and I want to be a familiar face that my Latinx community is not scared to talk to, but rather feels understood by having someone who speaks our language and understands our culture. I want to be able to help patients fully understand their treatment plans while leading with compassion and care.
Q. Why did you choose °ÅÀÖÊÓƵ School of Pharmacy?
I choose to attend °ÅÀÖÊÓƵ School of Pharmacy because of its strong focus on community and support, the mentorship opportunities between students and faculty, and the accessibility of office hours. Living in Oregon, I also wanted a program close to home that would allow me to develop my professional career while being close to family and staying connected to my community. I chose the 5-year pathway because it allows me the flexibility to manage personal responsibilities while maintaining a healthy balance between work, life, and school.
Q. What has been your favorite experience so far as a pharmacy student?
Getting to pet goats on campus and seeing Henry, Pacific's therapy dog as part of fall recharge.
Q. What do you enjoy doing outside of pharmacy school?
Outside of school I enjoy cozy nights in, hiking, and exploring new places to eat or try new coffee shops.
Q. What advice would you give to prospective or incoming pharmacy students?
To be proud of where you come from and give yourself grace as you step into new spaces and things get hard, because you may be entering spaces that no one in your family has before. I would also say to not stress about knowing everything right away because everyone learns at their own pace and you will find yours.
Q. Looking ahead, what career goals or interests are you considering after graduation?
I hope to pursue a residency program specializing in clinical oncology and become a board-certified Oncology pharmacist. I am interested in this field of pharmacy because representation matters, and I want to ensure that Latinx patients going through cancer treatment have someone who looks like them and can help them understand their treatment plan through their care.
-Written by:
Brandon Nuziale, PharmD, RPh, BCACP | Assistant Dean for Student Affairs & Associate Professor | School of Pharmacy