Angie Weeks, from Saint George, S.C., is on track to earn her PharmD in May.

Check out Angie’s P4 Spotlight–

Why did you decide to become a pharmacist?

Growing up as a small child with a mom being a nurse, I never missed a day of school for a stomach ache. I used to mix shampoos and body wash together pretending I was making my own substances. Little did I know, that was my love for chemistry.

Over high school and early college, I grew love for types of medicines and what they do for one’s body. But what ultimately led me to pharmacy was my grandmother passed from Alzheimer’s in fall of 2014. During the process of her disease she took various medicines for the first several years. Over that time, I learned there was no medicine to cure Alzheimer’s or no cure for the disease. However, there is medicine to slow the progression of the disease.

Throughout my research of medicine, it reaffirmed my love to know about medications and how it affects someone’s body. This led myself in wanting to pursue the research in the advancement of medications. Even though I will probably never make advancement in Alzheimer’s, medicine particularly, I hope I will make advancement in medicine to help others with their diseases, sicknesses, and regular medications.

Growing up in a small town taught me the value in the trust in a person. I hope one day as a pharmacist I can be trusted by others in their medicines just as I have trusted my hometown pharmacist.

Has the pandemic affected your decision to go into healthcare? How so?

I think it reaffirms my faith that people can make a difference. I have seen pharmacists step in a lot of areas that I didn’t really think of. Like pharmacists stepping up and making hand sanitizer in this shortage, that we can be adaptable and essential to everyday life and provide different ways to use our knowledge during this pandemic.

What has been your favorite part of the PC School of Pharmacy?

My favorite part of PCSP ultimately was the motto “While we live, we serve.” Not only is that the motto of our school, but it is truly lived out everyday throughout the actions of the students that are at the pharmacy school.

What makes the PC School of Pharmacy unique?

The pharmacy school is unique being in a small town: That might mean you don’t have all the restaurants or shopping centers. However, it shows the difference a community can make and support.

The town of Clinton is special. It’s where you get to know the coffee shop owner and chat about school or the man at the gas station next door wishes you luck and knows your next test date or your 100-year-old neighbor asks you to come play cards on Tuesday night. There is something special about the pharmacy school, but I think the special thing is where it is located and the caring the town shows to the pharmacy students.