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| Dr. Dinh is in! Photo credits to Joanna Rao |
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After each adventure into academia, I always say to myself, "That went by so fast!". I will continue to utter this phrase with every life moment that passes by, waving its hand, directing me into whatever unknown awaits.
My pharmacy rotation experience is likened to walking through fire, but excellent in every way imaginable. I remember nights when I was a blubbering mess because of my self-inflicted idea of failure in disappointing my preceptors. But more often, I remember months when I joyfully looked forward to the next day of what I would learn and how I can grow. The past year taught me perseverance, time management, humility, teamwork and most importantly, how to love others.
These past nine months was a taste of the working world. I would describe it as salty and sweet. The grind of each day, whether it be 6AM to 8PM, 9AM to 5PM, or 12PM to 8PM, brought on the salty taste of hardwork that is often left unappreciated and unnoticed. Yet, the reward in helping a patient, praise in one's work, and human redemption was a sweetness that balanced the saltiness of each day.
The working world is drastically different from school and I found that being a Christian in the professional world takes on a slight variation of the flavor while I was in school. Here's what I brought to the table:
1)
Spend time with God. In prayer. In the Word. On your commute to and from work. In the shower. While you're making food. I set an alarm early in the year on my phone labeled "Dad Time" to remind me to do devotions at 10PM every night. During the first few months of rotations, it was a glad reminder to take respite after a long day of work. As the months wore on and with different rotations, I fell into the habit setting a special time (not always at 10PM) aside to either do devotions, read the Word etc. The alarm is still set at the same time as a reminder for me that setting apart time with my Father is important. The time I spent in daily prayer and/or Word was critical in my attitude day to day.
I recall the story of Jesus visiting the sisters Mary and Martha. Martha was so busy preparing the house, she did not have anytime to spend with Jesus. On the other hand, Mary sat at Jesus' feet to
listen to him. Martha was upset with Mary and implored Jesus to tell her sister to help her to which Jesus gently responded,
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
This story in Luke 10 is an important reminder to place Christ as our number one priority despite the hectic life that consumes us with worldly things.
Keeping this lesson in mind and with much stumbling along the day, by the end of my rotations, I was not running on empty fumes but by God's grace and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
2) Work hard. In school, it was very easy to share the Gospel with others. At work, company policies and work etiquette often discourages the discussion of faith in the work environment. Opportunities to share the Gospel may seem more difficult to find without a discerning eye. While I waited patiently for those opportunities, God reminded me to live out the Gospel through strong work ethic. For me, living out my testimony pointed me to 2 Cor 5:17. I am in Christ and the old has gone and the new has come! For me, obedience to Christ looked like coming to work on time, turning projects on time, being proactive, helping others and not cutting corners. I was saved to do good works and I want to live it! People would notice and entrusted me with more responsibility professionally, and to my surprise, personally. And these are the moments to share what God has already done on the cross, and what a good work He has done indeed!
3) Love like Christ loves. I admit, this portion is tough to swallow. It is much easier to love the person who has been super joyful to have you counsel them on how to take their medication than the jaded patient who likes to perpetuate their bitterness onto others or the preceptor who enjoys lording their superiority at your own cost. Yet Christ calls us to love one another. Not to exalt ourselves, but Him!
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:33-34)
Matt 5:46-48 takes it a step further to love those who don't love you back. Definitely an area I am still growing in.
4) Listen to others. As a pharmacist and pretty much most jobs, you're going to be interacting with co-workers, clients, customers, or patients daily. It's sometimes easy to pass off the next person you're serving as a statistic/profit in your daily queue to simply get things done. However, each person you are serving has a story and a soul. Listening goes a long way and tuning an attentive ear gives rise for opportunities to glorify Him!
5) Speak with kindness. Listening to others and speaking with kindness go hand-in-hand. I don't mean sucking up to your employer or being a push-over but I mean speaking with thoughtfulness and consideration. Saying "You suck and need improvement" and "I noticed you have been coming in late more often. How have you been doing lately? What can we do to avoid this from happening more often in the future?" can mean the same thing but one sounds much nicer than the other and is more likely to respond better. Open communication is key for any type of relationship. I'm not the best when it comes to speaking with kindness, and each day I pray for God to grace my mouth and mind with wisdom.
Much of what I learned while on rotations is a revamped dish from some lesson I learned while in school. Though I feel most of them originate from my favorite, humble pie. I definitely pushed this food analogy too far, but it's past the point of no return now.
Switching gears, right now I am studying for my NAPLEX, MPJE, and CPJE and in the meantime, looking for the elusive "job", and considering re-applying for residency depending on where my interests are in the next few months.
I wait in great anticipation with what God has already planned ahead, trusting in His sweet goodness and sovereignty.
