Alexander Thomas Vayos
PharmD Student, Class of 2027
Saint Johns University
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Throughout my life I have incorporated three factors that I have utilized to this day; they are hard work, caring for others, and inclusion. At a young age, my parents raised me to favor these values in my life not just to be successful but to be a better overall person. As a child, I always wanted to help/include others where even up to this day I include that mindset. What led me to choose a career in pharmacy included multiple factors. One, my mom and aunt are both in healthcare where my mom is a healthcare consultant while my aunt is a pharmacist which drove me to want to become a pharmacist. Two, I always wanted to help others from a kid up to my current age knowing what I would feel like if I was the person wanting help. I would want to be someone to help out in any way possible where I can provide for someone the same way my aunt and mom have been doing their entire careers, that would make my day. Three, getting to learn all about different medications that I can use to help out those that are in need would be interesting. Finally, while the patients served by a particular doctor are often similar to each other (rich, poor, young, old, etc.), at one time or another everyone has to have a prescription filled, no matter what their station in life, so pharmacy is more inclusive. My vision of how a pharmacy practice should run is working together in an orderly manner as a team, providing caring services to a wide variety of patients, and treating all patients equally, with care and respect. Becoming a pharmacist, I have many priorities and goals to fulfill including helping as many people as possible and to keep improving my knowledge throughout my career. I will achieve this by following the values provided by my parents: to never give up “no matter what,” and if you face a setback, pick yourself right back up and work even harder to achieve your goals in life. Becoming a pharmacist is important to me because it helps me achieve my lifelong dream of helping those who are going through a rough time. Positive attributes of mine include working hard, providing my maximum effort through any circumstance. In addition, I am able to work with others to succeed as a group; rather than just caring about my individual success, I care about the overall group succeeding. Finally, I try to be caring for others where those who are feeling sick, “under the weather,” or even unhappy: I try to brighten their day in any positive manner, that is why it is a dream for me to become a pharmacist because I will be able to care for many people a career.
- My goal for the next five years is to learn from those who are more experienced than I am and gain as much information, skill and as many abilities as possible to apply them to my career and my dream of being able to help those who are going through medical hardships.
- Following that, my goal for the five years following is to have learned from my peers and expanded my knowledge to the point where I will be able to help as many people as possible no matter who they are.
- Finally, from years ten to fifteen, I want to have grown to the point where I can mentor those who are new to pharmacy, spreading my knowledge to peers who have just started in the profession and who are inexperienced and trying to learn, just like I am now.
St. John’s University - Queens, New York;
September 2021 - Present
College of Phramacy and Health Sciences
Expected Graduation: May 2027
Pharmacy (Six-year Pharm.D) Major
Pharm D Candidate, 2027
Saint Francis Preparatory Academy, Queens, New York
September 2017 - June 2021
Graduated June 2021
Spring 2022 courses:
CHE 1122R SP 22 COMBINED
CORE: CALC APPL- PHARM AND ALLIED( MTH-1260C-0)
PHARM AND ALLIED( MTH-1260-0)
Throughout this course I learned about a variety of different topics such as derivatives, Limits, graphing and other techniques.
CORE: LITERATURE IN GLOBAL CONT(ENG-1100C-302)
Throughout this course I read a variety of different short stories and plays that have helped me benefit on my reading habits.
INTERPERSONAL COMM FOR PHARMA ( RCT-1005C-0)
In this course my professor gave us theoretical situations in a retail environment. This helped improve the decisions I made as a pharmacy technician and along my future career.
INTRO GEN AND ORGANIC CHEM II (CHE-1120-0)
I learned about topics such as SN1, SN2, E1 and E2 mechanisms.
INTRO TO PHARMACY PRACTICE( CPP-1101-0)
INTRO GEN AND ORG CHEM II LAB( CHE-1121L-0)
I applied the information I learned in organic chemistry II in different labs through the course.
SPRING 2022 INTRO-GEN AND ORG CHEM II REC(CHE-1122R-0)
Helped answer any questions I was uncertain about throughout organic chemistry II.
Fall 2021 courses:
THE-1000C - Perspectives on Christianity
I learned about the teachings of Jesus Christ and God.
Core: STAT APP-PHAR/ALLIED HLTH(MTH-1250C-0)
I learned concepts related to probability and statistics and how to perform calculations in a statistical calculator.
DNY: THE GLOBAL CITY(DNY-1000C-582)
I learned about terrorism in the modern world, including 9/11, Saddam Hussein, and terrorim in other countries, for example, Burkina Faso.
FYW: ENGLISH COMPOSITION (FYW-1000C-582)
I worked on improving my writing skills.
INTRO SEMINAR FOR PHARMACY STU (PHR-1000-0)
I learned about the profession of pharmacy and what to expect in the first semester of my freshman year at St. John’s.
INTRO TO GEN AND ORG CHEM LAB(CHE-1111L-0)
I learned experimental methods in chemistry, how to record and analyze results, and how to properly present data and conclusions in the context of stated hypotheses.
FALL 2021 INTRO TO GEN AND ORG CHEMISTRY(CHE-1110-0)
I learned about many basic chemistry concepts, including the structure of atoms and molecules and how they affect the behavior of elements, chemical symbols, the periodic table, bonding, various formulas that describe how matter behaves under different conditions, how to analyze and balance chemical equations, and how to use algebra and dimensional analysis to work with chemical equations.
Fall 2022 courses:
Fall 2022 FUND OF BIO II:CELL /MOLECULAR (BIO-2000-0, BIO-2000-0)
Throughout this semester I learned about how translation, transcription and DNA replication. As well as learning about cells and the different organelles within those cells.
Fall 2022 INTRO TO GEN AND ORG CHEM III( CHE-1130-0)
Throughout this course I learned about a variety of different topics such as resonance, stereochemistry and how to convert organic structures.
Fall 2022 SOCIAL ASPECTS OF PHARM PRACTICE(PAS-2301-0)
In this course I learned how to implement different ethical practice in a pharmaceutical industry, primarily in a retail or workplace setting.
Fall 2022 CORE: MORAl-LIFE-ETH HLTH CARE (PHI-2240C-0)
Throughout this course, I gained knowledge about a variety of different ethical theories and how to apply those theories in case studies assigned in the class.
Fall 2022 CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY AND MYST(THE-2400-0)
Throughout this course, I learned a variety of different virtues, morals and principles that aided on my personal spirit and growth.
Fall 2022 MORAL THEOLOGY OF HEALTH CARE(THE-3300-0)
I learned about different ethical health care theories and how to apply them in my future career.
Fall 2022 INTRO-GEN and ORG CHEM III LAB (CHE-1131L-0)
Throughout this course I learned how to apply the knowledge I attained from organic chemistry III in a variety of different lab techniques, devices , and laboratory experiments.
Spring 2022 Courses:(NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION YET)
Spring 2023 APPL HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY(PHS-3504-0)
Spring 2023 Biomedical Laboratory 1(PHS-2301-0)
Spring 2023 BIOPHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY(PHS-2201-0)
Spring 2023 CORE: METAPHYSICS (PHI-3000C-104)
SPRING INTRO TO PHARMACOECONOMICS (PAS-2201-0)
SPRING 2023 PUBLIC HEALTH FOR PHARM D(PHS-2101-0)
CVS Retail Pharmacy, Pharmacy Technician
Work Experience: Assisted Pharmacists and patients in preparing prescription, counting pills, labeling bottles and providing customer service.
o Processed Customer Transactions & Purchases
o Help answer Customer Inquiries
o Customer issue resolution & Verifying Patient Information
o Responding to telephone inquiries
o Help in maintaining over-counter drug products, order and stock adequate inventory
o Stocking Medication Shelves
Skills
- Strong Communication
- Detailed-Oriented
- Time Management
- Advanced Math Skills
- Critical Thinking
- Drug Inventory Management
NONE
Saint Francis Preparatory Academy
Optimates List (90%+ GPA) - Saint Francis Preparatory Academy
June 2021 - Senior Year (Full Year)
June 2020 - Junior Year (Full Year)
June 2018 - Freshman Year (Full Year)
Principal’s List (95%+ GPA) - Saint Francis Preparatory Academy
June 2019 - Sophomore Year (Full Year)
I Traveled to the Grand Canyon, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Los Angeles, the Bahamas, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. What I learned from traveling to these specfic locations was how much of a passion I had to travel and how much joy it brought to my life. But Covid became a Global issue/pandemic where it denied me from going anywhere. I haven't been anywhere besides New York for the past 2-3 years with family and I miss the experience of exploration. That also helped contribute to me wanting to become a future pharmacist where I'd be able to contribute to fixing this issue if it still occurs in 6 years or another occuring issue that could arrise in the future. When I travelled to Grand Canyon, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, and Los Angeles it was in the course of a month with a group of the kids from all around the world including one of my friends Jack. By the end of the experience it brought a passion in me for wanting to travel and was another contributing factor for wanting to become a future pharmacist. When I traveled to the Bahamas, Mexico, and Puerto Rico it was with my family which I generally enjoyed doing the most out of every trip I've ever been on. Having my family along my side really made travelling the largest accomplishiming factor to my passion. Where in my opinion getting to see all the places I did before the pandemic feels like an accomplishment to me now where hopefully soon i can continue my passion when this is all over with my family and friends.
St. John’s University, Queens, New York
Start and end date: November 2021 (First Semester of Freshman Year)
Hours: 6
Description: I wrote and illustrated letters to twelve patients in a children’s hospital in
Chicago, helping them “get their minds off of” their illness. I learned to think about
what people I didn’t even know were experiencing and how to write in a way that
helped them feel better. I learned that I should be grateful to be healthy and that helping
sick children “makes my day.” This experience made me feel that becoming a Pharmacist
would help me pursue a career in providing for others no matter who they are which
has been a lifelong dream of mine.
Saint Francis Preparatory Academy, Queens, New York
Start and end date: July 2018 (Summer after Sophomore Year)
Hours: 5
Description: I helped the homeless by working in a community center and soup kitchens.
I sorted used clothing, shelved books, and assisted in the kitchen by washing dishes.
By realizing that other individuals don't have the things I take for granted, I learned to be
thankful for my family who provide shelter and food on the table. This also helped me
become interested in a career which would give me a chance to help others, which is a
big part of why I want to be a pharmacist.
According to the Clifton Strength Assessment, my five strengths are Includer, Positivity, Harmony, Context, and Consistency. Four of these strengths I agreed with initially, but there was one that puzzled me. At first, I disagreed with Context, believing that I never enjoyed looking back at the past and researching history. But when I thought about it some more, I surprised myself when I realized that from when I was young until today, my aunt and mother were both involved in healthcare and this historical context helped me guide my career choices. Since my mom is a healthcare consultant and my aunt is a pharmacist, this motivated me to want to become a pharmacist, too. Another strength that I possess is being an Includer: I believe that throughout my life I've worked well with others, working better as a team player rather than individually. I am an Includer since I've always accepted others no matter who they are and tried to include anyone who has been left out, since, if I was left out of anything, I would want someone to do the same for me. Positivity is another value I include in my life: rather than looking at obstacles negatively, I look at them positively believing they are opportunities to learn. I agree that the Clifton Assessment was correct to identify Harmony since usually I don't like to argue with people; rather, I try to figure out methods to resolve the issue by finding an idea we both agree upon to compromise. I believe arguing doesn't usually lead to a solution and leaves people unhappy, so coming up with a solution we both agree on leads to a better result. One final quality that describes me as an individual is Consistency: no matter who the person I’m dealing with is and what they've done, I treat them with respect and in the manner I would want to be treated.
1.Describe in your own words, what is a Pharmacist?
In my opinion, I believe being a pharmacist means having and using the ability to aid others going through medical problems and to have the motivation to learn more and more and become a more experienced professional.
2.Why did you personally choose Pharmacy as your major?
I chose pharmacy after learning from my mom and aunt that pharmacy is not just a good career but in which I can help people on a daily basis.
3. Why did you choose to study pharmacy here at St. Johns Univeristy?
I chose St. John's University because, after I decided that pharmacy was the field I wanted to be involved in, my mom told me how good the St. John’s pharmacy program is. In addition, my aunt went to St. John’s as an undergraduate, although she studied pharmacy elsewhere. I will best utilize my five strengths to help others, learn more about providing medical care for others, and work cooperatively and inclusively with others in the pharmacy field. I hope that by working hard and applying my five strengths I will become an excellent pharmacist who contributes to the well-being of others.
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