This month, we are joined at Happy Druggist on Karl Road by Ruba Lahoud, a fourth-year pharmacy student from The Ohio State University’s College of Pharmacy.

Ruba will graduate in May 2021 and will then take the test to become a registered pharmacist. Ruba will be with Kristie and the staff on Karl Road throughout February, so please stop by and meet her while she is in the store in Columbus.

Here is what Ruba tells us about herself:

My name is Ruba Lahoud and I am a fourth year pharmacy student at The Ohio State University’s College of Pharmacy. I was born and raised in Lebanon to a Lebanese dad and a Hispanic mother. I finished my high-school overseas before I pursued my bachelor degree in chemistry at Xavier University. Growing up in Lebanon not only helped me to be a trilingual person, but exposed me to varying cultures and traditions which contributed to a broadening of my horizons and resulted in an increase of my non-judgmental attitude. I highly value cultural exposure, which I believe cultivates an open mind.

On June 10, 2010, while basking in the beautiful sights of Paris, I was hit by a migraine. I heard at the time that using prontalgine, an over-the-counter analgesic for migraines sold in France, was the solution to relieve the pain, so I took six pills within 24 hours. The following morning, I didn’t feel good. My brother, a physician, spent some time outlining the inherent risks of using over-the-counter medications inappropriately. Needless to say, I started to appreciate the underlying risks associated with taking an inappropriate dosage of medication. However, little did I know that this excess of medication would awaken my curiosity and direct me towards my future profession. Ever since the migraine fiasco, medicines that help treat diseases, along with their respective risks and benefits, became an object of fascination.

My work has encompassed a variety of settings. I have worked as a tutor, intern, and volunteer.

During my sophomore year at Xavier University, I helped teach chemistry concepts as a private tutor. The interactions I had with my students enabled me to provide concise and helpful directions to patients about medications.

I currently work as a pharmacy intern at CVS where I aid patients in the selection of OTC medications, resolve problems to ensure optimal customer service, and complete medication therapy management (MTM) appointments to monitor patient compliance and adherence.

While teaching has been an integral part of my life, I am also highly invested in community service. As a committee co-chair of Be Poison Smart of APhA-ASP, I volunteer to teach children and their parents about safe use and storage of OTC medications.

In the future, I see myself as a retail pharmacist taking care of her patients. It will be my mission to make sure the medicine is prescribed correctly in accurate dosages. As I gaze into my future, I will be the last and efficient checkpoint between the physician’s prescriptions and the patient. Pharmacy is indeed the calling that fits all the criteria I look for in a career and I know I will do my best to be an integral member of the community.

I am excited to be at Happy Druggist this month and I look forward to making connections with patients while learning more about what independent pharmacy practice entails.

Outside of pharmacy school, I enjoy rock climbing, spending time with family/friends and trying different ethnic foods in town.