Growing up, Catherine Moryl wasn’t sure which direction her career would go, but a friend’s parent worked as a pharmacist, and the profession piqued her interest. In high school, she joined a job shadowing program and, after watching the many ways that pharmacists work to address their patients’ needs, it solidified her decision to pursue a career in pharmacy.

Catherine, who is from Niskayuna, New York, was accepted to multiple schools with pharmacy programs, but she chose ACPHS because of its early assurance program – a guarantee that incoming freshmen who meet the College’s progression requirements during the first two pre-pharmacy years will be reserved a seat in the school’s Doctor of Pharmacy program.

Today, she’s putting her degree to good use as a community pharmacist at the Shop Rite pharmacy in Slingerlands, New York, working alongside another ACPHS alum, Cameron Luker. As part of her job, Catherine works with students in their final year of pharmacy school, teaching them the ropes of working in a community pharmacy setting.

For Catherine, patient interaction is her favorite part of the job. “A lot of patients don’t know what they don’t know. Giving them more information about their medication makes them so appreciative, and it makes me feel good too,” she says.

As the role of pharmacists continues to evolve, she sees more of the practice moving towards medication therapy management (MTM). Pharmacists practicing MTM work one-on-one with patients to determine if there are any medication-related problems, that medication is being properly taken, and that it’s being consumed in the appropriate doses.

Her advice for aspiring pharmacists is simple. “If you have any time that you can dedicate to working in a pharmacy, you should definitely prioritize it,” she says. “Getting a head start while you’re still in school will leave you better prepared to excel once you graduate.”