User:NovaSimpson

Nova Simpson
Hi! I'm Nova, a biochemist turned pharmacist.

I was born in the D.C. area to nomadic parents. They would move me, my brothers and my sister around every three years. Although I wasn’t thrilled about all the moving when I was a kid, it taught me how to easily adapt to different groups of people and situations.

When I was 7 years old, I read a book about Louis Pasteur’s invention of the rabies vaccine and decided that I wanted to be a scientist when I grew up. At the age of 12, I added on a goal of joining the Peace Corps.

I earned my B.S. in Biology at the University of Massachusetts and worked for a few months in a lab with 3 people and 2,000 mice (not-so-crazy about the mice). I then joined the Peace Corps and moved to a small village in the Northern Providence of South Africa.

In the little village, I learned the local language, Tsonga (Kunjhani?! –what’s up), ate local food (vuswa) and discovered a lot about the Tsonga people and about myself. I was also given the opportunity to help in a local clinic with HIV and TB education, kids’ health initiatives and even delivering a baby! This started my interest in health and drug education.

When I moved back to the States, I started working in a biochem lab in New Hampshire. I enjoyed my team and job there but I felt that I needed to do something more directly to help people. (plus I worked all day with a bunch of other biochemist –not the most social people in the world!)

I earned my Doctorate of Pharmacy from Northeastern University in Boston. I had an opportunity to work and learn in many acclaimed hospitals in Boston. I gained experience in hospital, clinical and retail pharmacy settings. I also started my love/hate relationship with Red Bull (bad habit) and coffee thanks to my wonderful friends in pharmacy school.

I have continued in my nomadic parents’ footsteps and have made great friends along the way. I am currently a retail pharmacist in the Charlotte area. I have two cutie pie shih-tzus that I love –Toshia and Tater Tot (that I constantly compare to my sister’s kids - to her chagrin). I enjoy traveling –my next trip is to Singapore to visit the parents. I like to read, dance, clean and take walks around beautiful North Carolina with my two furbabies.

Pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare workers. I enjoy that as a pharmacist, I have the opportunity to interact with patients on a daily basis. However, retail pharmacy can also be extremely frustrating -everyone has experienced a “counseling” session at a busy retail pharmacy -  The pharmacist tries to explain everything the patient wants/needs to know in 30-60 seconds, while the phone is ringing off the hook, technicians are asking questions and three other pharmacy guests are standing around listening.

So, my best bud, Catie Sibley and I brainstormed on how we could be the "local neighborhood pharmacist" without all the rush. That is when we decided to start our blog. The blog gives us a totally different way to connect with patients. It has been exciting, challenging, fun and fulfilling!

Please come visit the blog if you like pharmacy or furbaby talk!