Well into her third trimester, Ashley Benoit was accepted into Carrington College’s Pharmacy Technology program in April of 2024. Being pregnant did not hinder Ashley’s desire to “do something with my life,” outside of motherhood; nor did it hinder the willingness of the recruitment staff and teachers to work with her to accommodate her situation. They allowed her to take the first six-week class which ended close to her due date; and then permitted her a 12-week break to care for her new baby. After that time, she could return to complete the remaining five six-week classes.
Grateful for the opportunity to begin with the school’s support, she began taking the seven-minute commute to class and happy that she did not have to put off preparing for her career until after the baby was born. It was all lining up beautifully.
But mother nature had other plans.
In the fifth week of her first 6-week class, Ashley started bleeding. The hospital kept her in labor/delivery for three days until she was good enough to return to class. One week later, on the day of her final exam, she started bleeding again and was taken to the labor/delivery room at the hospital, where they performed an emergency C-section. Her son Kai was born four weeks early, weighing 6 lbs. 4oz.
Her pregnancy and emergency delivery made her miss the hands-on final; but Ashley was committed, determined and had the support of her Carrington College staff. She had begun the first day of class pregnant; and then, brimming with pride, walked on stage at her graduation with son Kai in her arms. After all she had been through, she still made the President’s list with a 3.7 GPA.
Tell me about yourself.
Tell me about yourself.I was born in Anchorage, Alaska and lived there until I was seven years old. When my Mom met my step dad, we moved to a very small town near Boise, Idaho to be near his parents. I lived there until I was 18. Then I moved out and got a job caregiving for disabled adults. I met my boyfriend in 2022. When we eventually became pregnant, that’s actually what kicked me into gear to apply to Carrington College. I was fine being a mom, but I wanted to do something with my life besides that.
How did you get interested in Pharmacy Technology?
I had two friends who took the program and it always seemed interesting to me. Another reason was because, earlier in my life, I struggled with mental health and took medication for it, which made me curious about the medicine. I realized the caregiving work I had done was not enough for me to grow into a more interesting career. I thought I could do more, maybe something in the healthcare field.
You already had a lot on your plate when you began taking classes. After the 12-week break from having the baby, how did you manage caring for him?
The class was from 8:30 to 12:30. I was still breast feeding at first; my son would be brought to me in the middle of our class breaks. It was tiring!
Was there anything that helped you get through this time?
My teacher was and is one of the most amazing women I know. Her name is Tayler Pimentel. She was my #1 reason for succeeding. She doesn’t have kids herself but loves her nieces and nephews. When I was exhausted, she would help me outside her work hours. I never felt alone because of her; she always reassured me. As long as I communicated with her that I needed extra time, she was very understanding.
Also, teamwork helped a lot. I always found the math challenging and my peers helped me get through it. And if neither a teacher or a peer was available, there was always tutoring.com – it’s a portal where you can schedule a video chat or phone call and get help there. It’s free anytime you want it.
What was your favorite part of learning Pharmacy Technology?
What was your favorite part of learning Pharmacy Technology?Sterile compounding – it’s about combining, mixing, or altering medications or drug products in a sterile preparation, which is typically for injections, eye drops, or any application where sterility is crucial. I liked it so much because you have to be so precise. The teacher noticed my interest and would let me help others. You have to be very careful, like the way you wash your hands, to keep everything aseptic. The way you make the medicine is very specific; it’s either right or wrong. The teacher was very hard on best practices.
Toward the end of school, I started my internship at a compounding firm called Mountain Care Pharmacy; it’s the #1 pharmacy in Treasure Valley, Idaho. At first, they didn’t have any room to offer me a job, but I did so well they ended up hiring me! I am now a Compounding Pharmacy Technician.
What would you say to someone interested in Pharmacy Technology about what they need most to be successful?
They need to have good communication skills. They need to be ready and willing to accept changes. Having good communication with someone will help them get through. I had a bad experience with my first onsite job. I was upset and texted my teacher; she acted immediately, removed me and put me on another site – and on the path to all the good stuff that has happened to me since, which might not have happened if I didn’t speak up.
