Olivia Long just completed her first year as a pharmacy student in Gatton College of Pharmacy at East Tennessee State University. At the same time, she continued working toward her bachelor’s degree in pharmacy studies, taking advantage of Gatton’s Early Admission Pathway, which allows students to work on undergraduate and professional studies concurrently.
“I actually wanted to do pharmacy for a long time,” said Long, who comes to ETSU from Mount Juliet. “I was probably in eighth grade when I realized that I wanted to do that. None of my family members are pharmacists, but my mom is a nurse and she actually recommended the career to me.”
Long found inspiration in her mother, who went back to school to become a nurse while raising her family and working full time in medical records. She is now a manager in a hospital setting. Following her mother’s recommendation, she investigated the field of pharmacy while she was in high school.
“I took classes and did an internship in my hometown,” she said, “and was able to work at a community pharmacy and learn while I was there. I actually attended a summer camp here at Gatton a couple of years ago, and decided then that this was the career for me. I’ve enjoyed it ever since.”
She says the Early Admission Pathway allows her to pursue her career earlier. “It saves me a lot of time and money in the long run, and I’ll be able to start doing what I really am passionate about sooner.”
Long also believes pharmacy is a good fit for her, as it will allow her to interact with patients on a more personal level than she could in some other careers and to serve her community.
In addition to working on her undergraduate and pharmacy degrees at the same time, Long is taking advantage of ETSU’s dual degree program that allows students to earn an MBA and Pharm.D. concurrently. She says this will allow her greater flexibility to pursue different leadership opportunities in her career, including management and corporate positions.
As a student at Gatton, Long enjoys friendships with students with similar interests and taking part in service activities sponsored by the American Pharmacists Association and Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International chapters at Gatton.
Long was familiar with the Johnson City area before coming to ETSU from frequent visits with family in the region. “I really love the area,” she said. “It’s very pretty, and has a very different atmosphere from Nashville. I really enjoy the feel of the area and being able to see my family.”
While she got her love of the health care field from her mother, Long also holds a deep love of art which she gets from her father, who worked for years as a corporate artist. She loves to paint in her spare time, as well as to hike and spend time with family and friends.