When Pharm.D. student Matthew Kim sat down for his interview with a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mentor, they spent nearly 10 minutes talking about Whataburger. His interviewer had previously worked for the U.S. Indian Health Service in Arizona, where Whataburger was the nearest restaurant open 24 hours. That shared connection helped secure his spot 鈥� along with his leadership positions and internship experience 鈥� as an Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) Scholar.
Kim's interest in pharmacy sparked while he was in high school. Being involved in Model United Nations, he unexpectedly fell in love with debating and discussing health policies.
"It's really interesting to me because it's where healthcare meets law," Kim said. "It's interesting seeing those two worlds combine and how we make decisions from that going forward."
When he heard that pharmacists could work at the FDA, Kim was determined to pursue pharmacy as a career.
Choosing UHCOP
During his undergraduate studies, Kim joined the 91视频 (UH) Pre-Pharmacy Association (UHPPA) where he was exposed to students and faculty from UH College of Pharmacy (UHCOP). The friendly environment combined with the amazing opportunities in Houston led Kim to choose UHCOP.
"Everybody is friends with each other rather than competitors," Kim said. "I think it's awesome that the faculty here truly are trying to help you get through pharmacy school and reach your career goals."
Kim said the college鈥檚 organizations have had the greatest impact on his professional development, offering leadership opportunities and chances to explore different clinical areas and career paths.
Finding His Voice
As president of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), Kim has grown more comfortable with public speaking and leading presentations in front of a live audience. He first built those skills as UHPPA president, where regular general meetings gave him practice interacting with an audience and leading events. This past summer, Kim led the effort to pass a SNPhA resolution that commits the organization to educating underserved communities over the atopic triad of asthma, dermatitis and rhinitis.
鈥淲ith the resolution passing, I am excited to begin education over these topics and diversifying our service into the community,鈥� Kim said.
Beyond SNPhA, Kim also serves as historian for the Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity and as a member of the Industry Pharmacists Organization.
Advocating for Affordable Medications
Kim works as a pharmacy intern at a specialty community pharmacy where he gets to help patients pay for specialized drugs. For example, an eye drop commonly prescribed by optometrists to help reduce eye mites, is beyond the budget of many patients. Insurance may cover about half the cost, which can leave copays of $800 to $1,000.
"We get to offer enrollment to several funds and different grants," Kim said. "Being able to act as that bridge to help them receive grants that will help meet their copays, it means a lot to me."
Enrollment requires patients to share sensitive personal information, so trust is an important part of the job. Kim said the most meaningful moment is hearing the relief in a patient鈥檚 voice when the copay drops.
Exploring Research
Under the supervision of Elisabeth Wang, Pharm.D. (鈥�16), BCCP, FACC, UHCOP clinical associate professor, Kim is studying the anticoagulant enzyme Factor XIa. When patients have increased blood viscosity (or 鈥渢hick blood鈥�) due to higher concentrations of blood components, it can lead to more serious health conditions such as clots, heart attack, stroke or organ damage. The earlier forms of Factor Xa inhibitors are approved blood thinners by the FDA, but aren鈥檛 without potential side effects. The team鈥檚 Factor XIa research is looking for ways to reduce the risk of major bleeds.
"The most rewarding part of this process so far was really learning how to do research," Kim said. "We have a class that teaches us research and the concept, but putting it into application was like a whole different experience."
Working at the FDA
Kim鈥檚 time as an OCE Scholar at the FDA showed him pharmacists do more than what many students see in school. Some may serve as clinical analysts or safety reviewers, and others may work at executive levels, interpreting direction from Congress and the White House.
Kim experienced the FDA鈥檚 regulatory workflow in accordance with the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, participated in the U.S. Public Health Service Naloxone training and reviewed OCE Project Facilitate applications as part of the regulatory oversight of single-patient Investigational New Drug expanded access for oncology products.
鈥淏eing at the FDA really solidified that I want to do this in the future,鈥� Kim said.
Looking Ahead
While Kim鈥檚 plans after graduation are still uncertain, he is torn between residency and a fellowship, with the FDA as the long-term goal. He said he鈥檚 looking forward to his P4 year of advanced experiential education, which he hopes will include a rotation with the FDA.
鈥淧harmacists can work almost anywhere in the healthcare system,鈥� Kim said. 鈥淭hat versatility is one of the things I find most exciting about Pharm.D.鈥�