Judith Beizer
Beizer believes that pharmacy is all about compassion and care for others.
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.”
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