Educators have various reasons for choosing the schools where
they teach. For Clinical Pharmacy Professor Judith
Beizer, Pharm.D. it was her belief in the Vincentian mission
of the University that drew her to St. John's: “When the Vincentian
mission was described to me, I realized that it was very much in
line with the way I view my role as a health care provider.
Providing care to the underserved fits well with my philosophy of
being a caring individual and giving back to society.”
As a winner of the Distinguished Alumna Award for Service to the
Profession from St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Dr. Beizer believes
that pharmacy is all about compassion and care for others. She
exemplifies this concern through her curriculum, “My students
participate with me in service when I conduct community
presentations to various senior groups, and I encourage them to do
the same when they become practicing pharmacists.”
Another thing that drew Dr. Beizer to teaching at St. John’s is
the unity between students of various backgrounds and cultures, “I
love that St. John’s has such a multicultural, multi-ethnic student
body. All the students come here with very different life
experiences and backgrounds.” She believes that staying current is
a necessary part of being an educator who reaches students of all
backgrounds in the 21st century, “My students keep me on my toes. I
am constantly learning from them.”
Dr. Beizer thinks the most fulfilling part about teaching at the
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is when her
students become pharmacists: “I love watching my students graduate
and become successful in the field of pharmacy. When they decide to
go into geriatrics, that’s even more fulfilling; that’s when I know
that they actually understand and embody what I teach.”
Her advice for students pursuing a career in pharmacy: “There
are so many opportunities in pharmacy. Don’t say no to a new
opportunity just because you don’t think that’s what you
want. When I was in pharmacy school, I never imagined myself
living in New York, teaching geriatric pharmacy at a Catholic
university. I was going to specialize in pediatrics and work
in a hospital; and here I am at the top of my field.”