APIDA Student Spotlight: Jerry Zeng

May 1, 2022
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In honor of Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month, we are highlighting some of our amazing APIDA Pharmacy students.

Name: Jerry Zeng

Degree: PharmD

Graduation year: 2024

 

 

Q: What inspired you to pursue a degree at the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy? 

A: I’ve always found science to be interesting and I think that pharmacy embodies a lot of what I like about science. It also provides me with an opportunity to make a positive impact in my community.

Q: Do you have any role models that inspire you - at the college or in general? 

A: Dr. Tong has been a person that I look up to at the college. It’s great to see someone else in the APIDA community be so successful and make such a big impact in the field that I’m in and it’s very motivating too. Back when I was an undergrad still figuring out what I wanted to do, I had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Tong speak to prospective pharmacy students at a pre-pharmacy club meeting, and I remember it inspired me to continue on the path that I was going and allowed me to realize that I did indeed want to pursue a career in pharmacy.

Q: Have you experienced any challenges in school? How did you overcome them? 

A: I think that adjusting to going back to having classes and exams in person after the COVID year was a really big challenge for me. I got comfortable with going to class and taking exams from the comfort of my room, so returning to the mostly in-person format the next year was a bit of a challenge that put me outside of my comfort zone. As cliche as it sounds, I think that I was able to overcome this by staying focused on what mattered, working hard, and just pushing through, and I think that the result was an accurate reflection of the hard work and effort that I put in.

Q: Describe your family and community growing up. 

A: I grew up in a fairly traditional Asian household. There was a lot of emphasis on discipline and respecting your elders and I think that that plays a big role in who I am today. My parents worked a lot when I was growing up and I also moved elementary schools quite often, and that allowed me to learn how to be independent and adapt to things quickly.

Q: What does being part of the APIDA community mean to you? 

A: Being part of the APIDA community means a lot to me. It’s allowed me to meet a lot of amazing people that I would not have met otherwise, and it’s also allowed me to experience a lot of wonderful and unique experiences that I don’t think I would have experienced if I were not a part of the APIDA community.

Q: Has being APIDA influenced the way you approach your studies or research? 

A: Being APIDA has influenced the way I approach my studies. I feel like there is always a chip on my shoulder in any academic endeavor that I pursue, and I like to use that to motivate myself to work even harder so that I can exceed expectations.

Q: What are your goals after graduation?

A: I’m currently leaning towards pursuing a residency and possibly a fellowship after, and so my goal is to match with a residency program that fits what I’m interested in and allows for me to expand my knowledge and improve myself and my skill set. I also hope to get some traveling done and make the most of what would be left of my 20s when I graduate.

 

Story by: Gracie Lordi