Vivian Lu, a native of Irvine, always knew she wanted to pursue a career in healthcare. After enrolling in Chapman University’s School of Pharmacy in her hometown to pursue her Doctor of Pharmacy, Vivian knew she had found her true calling with a future career driven by her passion for community involvement and leadership.

Following her Bachelor of Science in Public Health at the University of Washington, Seattle, Vivian returned to Irvine to be part of CUSP’s close-knit community and team-based learning opportunities. She wasted no time getting involved and joined several student organizations, including APhA-ASP/CPhA, Kappa Psi, and Phi Lambda Sigma Leadership Honor Society. She also became a Student Ambassador and competed in the inaugural AACP Mock Trial Competition. “Being able to develop my leadership skills and step into various leadership roles influenced my entire pharmacy experience. I found that I really enjoy being involved in pharmacy organizations. I was able to foster my identity as a leader through my campus involvement in APhA-ASP/CPhA,” where Vivian served as President during her P2 year.

Pursuing pharmacy was an easy choice for Vivian. “I wanted to work together with patients and other professionals to make medication recommendations and provide education”. Her remark on providing education may surprise some people though- Findings conclude that an average person interacting with a pharmacist does not know the true ins and outs of a pharmacist’s duty.  “To the general public, community pharmacists are the most accessible, so it makes sense that people make the association between a pharmacy to a community pharmacist. Aside from ‘counting pills’, community pharmacists can also administer vaccinations and provide consultations. There are definitely opportunities to share with others that are not familiar with a pharmacy that pharmacists can work in a variety of other settings such as industry, managed care, hospital, and more.”

Vivian’s pure passion for clinical training and patient education made her shine while applying to residency programs, which are post-graduation continued learning opportunities that are incredibly competitive to “match” into. As Vivian prepares to graduate, she is preparing for her next step for the PGY-1 residency program at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System in Reno, NV.

 

“Chapman has truly given me so much! I have made lifelong friends and countless memories in the last three years. I could not have gotten here without the support of my family, my friends, and the faculty. I am proud to represent CUSP now and in the future. Go Panthers!”

You can find Vivian on LinkedIn and Twitter.