I first became a pharmacist in my native Ethiopia where I would have remained until this day if I had not won the diversity lottery and been given the opportunity to move to America, where I am making solid and constant progress at the advancement of my career in pharmacy. I feel fortunate to have gotten to the point where my application to your program is competitive, as the result of a lot of hard work, especially in light of the fact that for every African pharmacist in America, there are perhaps several dozen cab drivers. Thus, in addition to providing the very best service and care to which I am capable, I take pride in the fact that in some sense I represent Africa in the mind’s eye of those who I serve. And I hope to be an excellent role model for new generations of young people emigrating from Africa to America.

I have been working in Pharmacy in America almost since I got off the plane in 2008, beginning as a Pharmacy Intern and soon becoming a Pharmacy Tech; I have been a faithful employee ever since, and I now have 5 years of experience with XXXX. My primary duty is to verify instructions from physicians on prescriptions and ensure that the proper drug has been prescribed in the proper dosage for each patient. I answer patient questions about the medications they are taking, walking them through the proper dosage and when it should be taken. Throughout the course of my time with XXXX, I completed all requirements in order to become a registered pharmacist.

Now 34 and someone who finds his greatest joy in his work, I fully intend to give my all to pharmacy for the next 4 decades. I deeply love my new adopted land, America, and I keenly look forward to practicing pharmacy here for a long time to come. I imagine, however, with each passing year, my heart will begin to yearn more and more for my native land, Africa. It is for this reason that I fully imagine spending my last productive years giving something back to Ethiopia. I intend to stay up on developments in Ethiopia in coming years with respect to all issues in Pharmacy and especially availability (or lack thereof) of life-saving medications.

In the intervening years or decades from the time that I complete your distinguished program to the time that I return to Ethiopia at some point in my later years, first and foremost I want to give my all to pharmacy in America with a special focus on my community and health-related community activities and campaigns. In this way I will be able to help make Africa represented in our community as well. In my free time, however, I will stay informed about all developments in Ethiopia’s dismal situation with respect to its inability to provide the most basic of health services and medications to the vast majority of its people.

I thank you for consideration of my application to your program.