PharmD Graduate Spotlight: Shana Shriber

In preparation for the College of Pharmacy’s 2021 Convocation, we’re highlighting a few of our many extraordinary graduates.

Shana Shriber, a soon-to-be graduate of the PharmD program will be taking her skills to the Indian Health Services (IHS) as a U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) commissioned corps officer to work on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in Belcourt, North Dakota! She shared with us some of her feelings and memories from her time at the College of Pharmacy.

Name: Shana Shriber
Hometown: Mesa, AZ
Program: PharmD 

Q: What inspired you to pursue your PharmD?

A: My desire to have greater interaction and impact in patient care is what led me to pursue my PharmD. I had been working in the pharmacy realm for a number of years and enjoyed witnessing the interventions the pharmacists were able to make while caring for our customers. This direct patient care drove me to seek experiences where I may make similar impacts, specifically working with a collaborative practice agreement in an ambulatory care setting, routinely following patients with a specific disease state to manage their pharmacotherapeutic care. This type of impact is why I became interested in achieving an opportunity to work for the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with the Indian Health Service (IHS).

Q: You were recently accepted into the IHS as a USPHS commissioned corps officer to work on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in Belcourt, North Dakota; how are you feeling about it?

A: It still feels surreal to have accepted the opportunity to work at my dream job! It will be an adventure to live and work in a new (cold) environment, but I am definitely up for the challenge, the learning prospects, and the potential impact I hope to accomplish over the next two years. I was selected as the only Indian Health Service Senior Commissioned Officer Student Training and Extern Program (SrCOSTEP) for my graduation year. I feel honored to serve my country and strive to fulfill the IHS mission: to raise the physical, mental, social and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska natives (AI/AN) to the highest level. I am very excited to begin my career with the excellent interprofessional team of providers at Quentin N. Burdick Memorial Health Care Facility.

Q: What are your other plans for after graduation?

A: I will probably continue my education. The exact degree is still up for debate, but I am leaning towards a Healthcare Management MBA. I do hope to continue my career within the IHS and see where that path will lead me.

Q: What is your favorite memory from school? 

A: I have so many great memories from my time at UA CoP! Picking just one is very difficult. Probably the one that has made the greatest impact on my life was being initiated as a chartering member of the Zeta Chi chapter of Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Inc. for the Phoenix campus. The amazing cohort of women that brought the chapter to fruition, the accomplishments we have made together as a team, and the legacy we began and that the new leadership team continues will always hold a wonderful place in my heart!

Q: Do you have any words of advice for students who may be thinking about pursuing their PharmD?

A: Seek out opportunities to stand out from the crowd. Do take advantage of every opportunity to network within the pharmacy community, that I am sure you have heard is a “small world”, because it truly is! I have reacquainted with pharmacists I met years ago while on my advanced practice pharmacy experience (APPE) rotations this past year. Always do your best to act professionally in any setting as you never know who may be watching and listening. Additionally, get involved! Whether your interests are in hospital (institutional) or community, pediatric or geriatric, oncology or psychology, there is probably a pharmacy organization dedicated to that arena. Develop your leadership skills while learning more about an aspect of pharmacy you are genuinely interested in.

Q: Anything else you would like to share?

A: I am extremely grateful for the education I have received while at the UA CoP. We have exceptional faculty, professors, and support staff that have repeatedly demonstrated a direct interest in my personal, professional, and academic well-being and advancement. Make an effort to develop a relationship with these incredible educators; they have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share!

Story by: Gracie Lordi