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Q&A

When did you realize you wanted to become a pharmacy student?

I realized pharmacy was the career for me at the age of 14, after I observed my aunt at her pharmacy. There were a few of her patients who were victims of substance abuse, and seeing how my aunt provided care for them inspired me to discover methods to treat victims such as these with a career in pharmacy.

In your opinion, what is the greatest challenge in your field?

As many pharmacy students would probably agree, I think the most difficult aspect of pharmacy in this point of our lives is finding time to balance school, jobs, and molding our professional brands. We have a plethora of careers for pharmacists to choose from, and the competition to earn a position after graduation is fierce.

What advice would you give your younger self about to enter the “real world?”

If I could go back in time and give some advice to my younger self, I would encourage Young Casey to not put his eggs all in one basket and to be as financially conservative as possible. (Student loans are real, and they are coming with a vengeance.) In addition, I would teach him the importance of networking, and how to navigate difficult situations.

Who would you have over for a dinner party, and what would you talk to them about?

If I could have a dinner party with three pop culture icons, I’d invite Stan Lee, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Frederick Douglass to a dinner catered by Fogo de Chao and Jamba Juice. I’d love to hear their opinions on entertainment, the Cosmos, and philosophy, respectively.

How has DIA helped you?

DIA has helped me grow into the man I am today. After serving as a past student chapter president, a poster presenter, and an intern in the Washington DC office, I learned how different professionals can meet and exchange ideas to further advance drug development. DIA always provided a non-judgmental and encouraging environment for me to learn, and it gave me knowledge to share with my peers as well.

BIOGRAPHY

Casey Walker is currently a PGY-1 Behavioral Health Pharmacy Resident at the University of the Sciences of Philadelphia. He previously served as a student chapter president of the Howard University DIA Student Chapter, an intern at the DIA office in Washington, DC, and a student poster presenter at the 2018 DIA Global Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.