Pregnant with her third child and knowing her restaurant server position would not satisfy her family’s financial needs and long-term career vision, Shanele made the brave decision to enroll in Carrington College’s Pharmacy Technology program. It was a lot to take on, but her husband and extended family were right there to support her vision and the effort it would take to get there.
What pushed you to make a big career change?
The restaurant business is seasonal with tips, and I wanted to have those steady checks — a job that didn’t have that financial stress and uncertainty. And I was willing to make the sacrifice of a big change for my family. Carrington’s Pharmacy Tech education was that change.
Did you have any fears about going to school while working and pregnant?
My inlaws told us we needed to strive for ourselves and our children. And seeing their sacrifices inspired me to want to do better for my family. And my husband, Terry, encouraged me to keep pushing and was very much there for me. I knew we would have a lot of help.
Why Carrington College’s Pharmacy Technology program?
I browsed the internet and showed my interest in the college online. They reached out to me, and we set up an appointment to see the school. I really liked how realistic the pharmacy room was set up to look like a functioning pharmacy. I liked the schedule of 4-days a week in as few as 9-months. My other college option would take a year or so and I’d have to take classes that weren’t related to pharmacy technology.
Any surprises in your Pharmarmacy Technology program?
I didn’t think it would be as hands-on as it was or that doctors’ prescription notes would be so hard to read. Our teacher taught us how to decipher a doctor’s handwriting, which is usually very sloppy. Fortunately, out in the real world, we get a lot of electronically sent prescriptions.
Did you get the instructor support you needed?
I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher (teacher’s name?). She was very hand-on with us and took the time with each of us. If she saw one of us struggling, she would either slow down a little bit or give us one-on-one attention after class.
What did you enjoy most about the Pharmacy Technology program?
We were very competitive in our class – but we helped each other study for a test and made it a fun thing between us to want to do better. The whole class had a positive energy. We still talk and support each other and try to hang out once a month.
And, even though I was pregnant, everyone pretty much treated me the same as other students. I appreciated that. I feel like this whole experience was amazing.
What was your greatest struggle?
Balancing school schedule, work schedule and being a mom in the middle of it all. I had full-time server positions in restaurants, so would come home from school, change clothes and go to work – which was usually about 40 hours a week. And…I was pregnant the whole time I was in school.
Did your pregnancy complicate your student life?
Did your pregnancy complicate your student life?I got a lot of encouragement and support from everyone and was pretty much treated the same as other students. I would definitely do it all again.
Got a favorite moment in your Pharmacy Technology program?
We would do real life scenarios where we would role-play. One of us would be behind the glass partition, and the other would be the patient. It prepared us for the real world. Doing that exercise let me know this was something I wanted to do. I loved it!
How did you make it work?
Terry (husband) was working full-time in the restaurant business, too, and would take time off to be home with the kids. He was very supportive and would tell me to just keep pushing. And we couldn’t have done it without his parents who really helped out watching the kids.
What kept you pushing forward?
Family would tell me, “You’re doing such an amazing job; don’t give up now.” Terry would say how proud of me he was; that I was a strong woman and mother for what I was doing. I had a great support team. And the sacrifices my in-laws had made for their family made me want to do better.
Yet you still had room to help someone else, right?
Most days I would pick up a fellow classmate and her daughter who we would drop off at daycare, then we’d go to school. I felt for her being a mother, and I had such good support at home. I didn’t want her to give up on school.
I think each of us (students) would help each other study for a test. I didn’t expect that. And the school gave us all a laptop. I didn’t expect that either.
What was your last day of school like?
I wasn’t there because I was at the hospital about to give birth! And I’d missed my final exam when I was in labor – which was a pretty good excuse. My instructor (Carla Camaccho) sent me all the notes from class and let me take the test from home.
Where was your first Pharm Tech position?
I’m at Walgreens where I greet customers, type prescriptions, pull meds off the shelf for filling and ask patients if they want a consult with our pharmacist. I interact with pharmacists about going over prescriptions and arrange their consults with patients. I do drive-through pick-ups as well.
Do you have job security and advancement possibilities?
I feel like if you find the right company, you’ll constantly have stable hours and something you enjoy – especially if you find a good set of people to work with. Right now, I’m working on becoming a senior technician. I’d like to one day be promoted to Operations Manager in a pharmacy.
Are you happy with the outcome of your Pharmacy Technology program?
I’m secure and happy with where I am right now. The experience I had was amazing and very positive for me. I feel like this industry is very secure. People are always going to need prescriptions. They depend on them for their health.
What might the future hold for you?
I would like to stay with Walgreens and be promoted to Operations Manager in the pharmacy. Right now I’m working to be a senior technician after meeting requirements. I’m on that path. But I’m secure and happy where I am right now.
What do you wish you had known when you first started this Pharmacy Technology program?
Patient relationships. I have a good amount of people I see on a weekly basis and have gotten to know quite a few of them. Everything has worked out for me.
