PGY-1 resident, Arefa Bacchus, encourages students to get involved

Name: Arefa Bacchus

Program: PharmD

Match: PGY-1

Residency program: PGY-1 Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, NC

Undergraduate education: B.S. in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Describe the experiences, people, dual degree/courses, work, service and/or leadership experiences that have meant to the most to you and helped you to get where you are today: Where I am today would not have been possible without the mentorship and opportunities I received as a student at Campbell University. I am so grateful for my incredible professors and friends I have met during these past four years. I am excited for my next chapter, but I am definitely going to miss the community here.

Accomplishments: I was a pharmacy intern at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist for three years and served as Chief Intern during my final year. I also was an HPREP mentor for two years and tutored for medical literature courses. In addition, I conducted research and presented at local, state, and national meetings.

When thinking about how you got to where you are now, list the most important things you did/were involved with or that Campbell helped you to do? Learning time management skills and incorporating things I enjoyed outside of school was definitely the most important thing I did during pharmacy school.

What would you recommend to those interested in becoming a successful clinician pharmacist? I would recommend seeking opportunities such as leadership positions, community service, and internships. I met most of my professional mentors through my involvements. Being involved also allows you to experience different things and find what you’re most passionate about.