“Wise Fools”

By: Michael Maddalena, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2016

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      Michael is the upcoming president of the Phi Delta Chi Professional Pharmaceutical Fraternity Beta Alpha Chapter at St.  John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions.

The term sophomore comes from a compound of the Greek sophos, meaning “wise”, and moros, meaning “foolish”.  Hence, as sophomores, we are literally “wise fools.”  If this rings true for any sophomore in St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, it is in the sense that we are certainly wiser than we were as freshmen, but we would be fools to think that it is only going to get easier as we progress through the program!  While I must acknowledge the upcoming difficulty of the professional portion of our pharmacy curriculum, I must never forget that I am taking this journey with the friends I have made and under the guidance of faculty who have lead those before me to Pharm.D.-greatness!

After joining Phi Delta Chi, the national pharmacy fraternity, during the spring of my first year, I started my sophomore year with a plethora of friends who were ready to accomplish any academic or personal goals set before us.  I learned from my fraternity brothers that “for every hour of class, you must put in two hours of study; and for every two hours of studying, you need to relax and enjoy yourself for four.”  Handling my sophomore year in this manner afforded me with admirable grades, great memories with loved ones, and plenty of time to kick back and enjoy the scenery.

Over the past year, I learned a great deal, especially in respect to my role as a future pharmacist.  Classes, such as Introduction to Pharmacoeconomics and Public Health, brought certain aspects of the healthcare profession to light for me.  I learned about the importance of medicine on an economic and communal health scale, the most prevalent diseases and conditions in our society, and a myriad of other topics that the students in the graduating class of 2016 will see throughout their working careers.

My sophomore year was not only one of intellectual growth, but of personal growth, as well.  Through community service events, I am able to give back to my community and serve as a role model to others who aspire to take the challenge of becoming a learned healthcare professional.  For example, during “My Vascular Valentine”, we worked with more than 10 Allied Health organizations and spent part of the day with middle school children, teaching them all about the heart and assisting them in activities in the spirit of Valentine’s Day.

Whether I am spending time with my Phi Delta Chi brothers, falling asleep in my books studying with my fellow “wise fools,” or getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of co-curricular activity present at our University, I find myself enjoying every moment of my education here.  While I do have days where getting out of bed for class is an uphill battle, I ultimately believe that as a pharmacy student of St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, I have it better than most students ANYWHERE else do.

I hope my fellow “soon-to-be juniors” have a relaxing and enjoyable summer.  I look forward to seeing you all at our White Coat Ceremony in the Fall!