Dispensing Yourself Authentically

by Norman Nguyen, PharmD(c)

Being a FitPharmacist to me means being my most authentic self so that I can empower others to do the same for themselves and realize their true potential.

As a freshman entering undergraduate studies at UT Austin, I wasn’t that "fit" and didn’t have a lot of confidence in myself.

I wasn’t outgoing; I wasn’t the most handsome; I wasn’t who I aspired to be. At least, these are the self-limiting thoughts that I told myself throughout the day. Then, Dr. Martin was the first pharmacist I followed on Instagram as a pre-pharmacy student 6 years ago, and I was amazed that there was someone so inspiring in the profession.

From there, he’s inspired me through my fitness journey with his daily motivational posts, mentored me through hearing him speak and host a workshop on mentorship at the 2019 SNPhA National Conference, and gave me the platform and confidence to be true to myself. Primarily, he has given me so much guidance on mindset it has allowed me to create my own inner self confidence.

I am truly grateful to have a mentor so invested in my own success. I hope to follow in his footsteps and carry on his legacy by being my own version of a FitPharmacist. 

Whether it’s deadlifts, tennis, ultimate frisbee, running with my dog, or a few good sets of clapping push-ups when I wake up in the morning, all are key parts of my fitness regimen and in maintaining my discipline.

When I feel lost or indecisive, I remind myself of my key strengths:

Activator, Connectedness, Achiever, Learner, and Input.

As an Activator (as I’m quite sure Adam is as well), I’m always motivating my friends by identifying their unique strengths and qualities that they might not see in themselves and helping them turn those thoughts into action.

Then as a Connector, if they don’t know where to start, I’ll leverage my network to lead them to the right person that can guide them.

By leaning into these strengths and reminding myself of the talents I have to offer to my community, I always have a sense of purpose.

My ultimate mission is to help bridge the gaps between different sectors of pharmacy and healthcare using my personal brand and the art of storytelling. To me, that’s what being a FitPharmacist means.

About the Author:

My name is Norman Nguyen is a first-generation 3rd year student pharmacist at The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy who empowers kindness, authenticity, and self-awareness. I was able to develop perspective through mentorship, leadership, and exceptional role models. 

I use social media and my personal brand to connect and bridge the gap between different areas of pharmacy, all sectors of healthcare, practitioners and patients, and people in general.

My goal is to leverage my platform using storytelling, content creation, and entrepreneurship to change the narrative of healthcare for the better. Through these avenues, I believe there is tremendous value for research and the optimization of health outcomes. In this way, our future patients, fellow healthcare practitioners, and the general public can see the value that we provide as pharmacists, both traditional and nontraditional.

My personal mission statement is to be my most authentic self in order to empower others to do the same for themselves. 

My current career interests lie in digital health, pharmaceutical industry, and healthcare media.

You can connect with me via:

-Instagram: @normannguuu

-Facebook: (Norman Nguyen)

-LinkedIn: Norman Nguyen (www.dhirubhai.net/in/norman-nguyen-644463b6)

-Email [email protected]

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