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By Jeff Malet, Writer/Photographer making a difference in the patients I was taking care of
and monitoring,” Nguyen said. “That feeling stayed with
College of Pharmacy (COP) Associate Professor of me, and it piqued my interest in pursuing academia sooner
Pharmacy Practice and Administration Megan Nguyen, in my career than I thought I would.”
PharmD ’00, started as a student pharmacist in 1996. A
graduate of the charter class of 2000, Nguyen returned as “Sometimes you don’t know your potential until someone
a professor at WesternU after completing residencies in challenges you beyond a limit you thought you could
pharmacy practice and infectious diseases. achieve, and then challenges you some more,” Nguyen
said, describing one of the most valuable lessons she
Nguyen came to WesternU to be part of a new College of learned at WesternU. “Until then, you may never discover
Pharmacy that offered an innovative curriculum and a that it was possible to achieve more. Thus, my ultimate
“pioneer spirit.”
goal is to inspire students and challenge them to do more,
During her undergraduate studies at University of and to be accountable for the patients they care for.”
California, Irvine, she worked as a pharmacy technician to She is one of many people in the COP helping shape who
help pay for college. Every pharmacist she worked with today’s students become.
sold her on their excitement about the college getting
underway at WesternU, because of its extended rotations “I have learned the importance of being humble and
and a unique curriculum that allowed students to focus on respectful about the knowledge I have and the knowledge
one subject at a time. At the time, WesternU was the only that I have yet to learn,” Nguyen said.
pharmacy college that offered rotations beyond a year, One of Nguyen’s longtime mentors is Executive Associate
and it was the first pharmacy school in the nation to offer Dean, Sunil Prabhu, BPharm, PhD, who encouraged her
this focused, block-style curriculum. to pursue an administrative role in addition to her
The block system allows students to master one subject teaching. A few years ago, Nguyen was promoted to
before moving on to the next. Nguyen was excited to be Director of Enrollment Management for the College of
part of a college culture that fostered student learning. Pharmacy, and she also now chairs the Admissions
Committee as well.
“Students who are not familiar with the fast-paced
environment of the block system coming in can be “I believe that in life, it is important to recognize where
overwhelmed,” Nguyen said. “A modified block system we came from and the people who helped us along the
for first-year students has been a good change, because it way. By being an alumna and knowing what I received, I
allows students to adjust.” know I should give back, even if I weren’t a faculty
member,” Nguyen said. “It was always a long-term goal
Nguyen is an infectious disease specialist, offering clinical for me to be a preceptor and mentor for our students
rotations at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, because so many people did that for me.” Nguyen is a
California and St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach. long time generous donor to WesternU and the College of
She also teaches and facilitates for the infectious disease Pharmacy, supporting student scholarships via the annual
block in the third-year COP curriculum.
scholarship gala “A Tribute to Caring” as well as the
Nguyen was inspired by several faculty members to annual Scholarship Golf Tournament. n
pursue academia, including one of her mentors, Dr. Annie Inset: Dr. Megan Nguyen in 2003
Wong-Beringer, a former
COP faculty member who
now works at USC.
“They made me feel at that
time I could make a
difference, and that I was
WesternU, College of Pharmacy
9
and monitoring,” Nguyen said. “That feeling stayed with
College of Pharmacy (COP) Associate Professor of me, and it piqued my interest in pursuing academia sooner
Pharmacy Practice and Administration Megan Nguyen, in my career than I thought I would.”
PharmD ’00, started as a student pharmacist in 1996. A
graduate of the charter class of 2000, Nguyen returned as “Sometimes you don’t know your potential until someone
a professor at WesternU after completing residencies in challenges you beyond a limit you thought you could
pharmacy practice and infectious diseases. achieve, and then challenges you some more,” Nguyen
said, describing one of the most valuable lessons she
Nguyen came to WesternU to be part of a new College of learned at WesternU. “Until then, you may never discover
Pharmacy that offered an innovative curriculum and a that it was possible to achieve more. Thus, my ultimate
“pioneer spirit.”
goal is to inspire students and challenge them to do more,
During her undergraduate studies at University of and to be accountable for the patients they care for.”
California, Irvine, she worked as a pharmacy technician to She is one of many people in the COP helping shape who
help pay for college. Every pharmacist she worked with today’s students become.
sold her on their excitement about the college getting
underway at WesternU, because of its extended rotations “I have learned the importance of being humble and
and a unique curriculum that allowed students to focus on respectful about the knowledge I have and the knowledge
one subject at a time. At the time, WesternU was the only that I have yet to learn,” Nguyen said.
pharmacy college that offered rotations beyond a year, One of Nguyen’s longtime mentors is Executive Associate
and it was the first pharmacy school in the nation to offer Dean, Sunil Prabhu, BPharm, PhD, who encouraged her
this focused, block-style curriculum. to pursue an administrative role in addition to her
The block system allows students to master one subject teaching. A few years ago, Nguyen was promoted to
before moving on to the next. Nguyen was excited to be Director of Enrollment Management for the College of
part of a college culture that fostered student learning. Pharmacy, and she also now chairs the Admissions
Committee as well.
“Students who are not familiar with the fast-paced
environment of the block system coming in can be “I believe that in life, it is important to recognize where
overwhelmed,” Nguyen said. “A modified block system we came from and the people who helped us along the
for first-year students has been a good change, because it way. By being an alumna and knowing what I received, I
allows students to adjust.” know I should give back, even if I weren’t a faculty
member,” Nguyen said. “It was always a long-term goal
Nguyen is an infectious disease specialist, offering clinical for me to be a preceptor and mentor for our students
rotations at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, because so many people did that for me.” Nguyen is a
California and St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach. long time generous donor to WesternU and the College of
She also teaches and facilitates for the infectious disease Pharmacy, supporting student scholarships via the annual
block in the third-year COP curriculum.
scholarship gala “A Tribute to Caring” as well as the
Nguyen was inspired by several faculty members to annual Scholarship Golf Tournament. n
pursue academia, including one of her mentors, Dr. Annie Inset: Dr. Megan Nguyen in 2003
Wong-Beringer, a former
COP faculty member who
now works at USC.
“They made me feel at that
time I could make a
difference, and that I was
WesternU, College of Pharmacy
9
