Growing up in Alexandria, Egypt, Sam was first a businessman before following his love for pharmacy to the United States. Inspired by the American life portrayed in his favorite soap operas, Sam moved to Connecticut in 1990.
When Sam moved to Connecticut, after attending college in Egypt, he worked in several restaurants, most notably Pizza Parlor in Windsor Locks, before deciding to go back to school. With a dream of pursuing pharmacy, Sam got his GED and began taking classes at Manchester Community College (MCC). After running out of pre-pharmacy classes at MCC, Sam went to the UConn branch in West Hartford before eventually making his way to Storrs and graduating with his Pharm.D. in 2001.
All throughout his time at the UConn School of Pharmacy, Sam worked tirelessly to afford his education. Toward the end of his time as a Husky, Sam began gaining hands-on experience as a CVS intern and rotated his time between making pizzas and filling prescriptions.
When Sam reached graduate level work his last two years at UConn Pharmacy, he considered taking a break to save money to afford the increase in tuition. Michael Gerald, former Dean of UConn Pharmacy, along with classmates, stepped in to advocate for Sam. A scholarship was created for pharmacy students based on class rank, and Sam received $5000 to help with his tuition. With this scholarship, Sam stayed at the School and graduated alongside his classmates two years later.
“There are some people who say they’re self-made. But none of that is true. You have to work hard, but you get breaks along the way. I certainly got a lot of support from the School of Pharmacy.”
While Sam was busy during his time at the School, he made time for two important passions: research and love. As part of his honors thesis, Sam worked with a former UConn researcher named Ben Barr and explored neuron protection from drugs that can cause neurotoxicity. Sam experienced chemistry at UConn Pharmacy long before his honor thesis, however, when he met his wife. With two college-aged children, Sam and his wife shared their passions for pharmacy during their undergraduate experience and beyond, both now accomplished pharmacists.
Every so often, when Sam had free time as a Husky, one could find him practicing his foosball skills with friends at Ted’s after an exam or a stressful week of classes.
Sam’s claim to fame, besides his status as the pizza man, came during graduation in 2001 when the School transitioned from a five-year baccalaureate degree (RPH) to a Pharm.D. degree. As part of the first Pharm.D. class to graduate from UConn and with his last name (Abdelghany), Sam was the first person to receive his degree!
After graduating from UConn and feeling inspired after taking a life-changing oncology class in his last year with a professor who became his mentor, Sam started a residency in oncology at Yale New Haven Hospital. Falling in love with his experiences during his residency and the opportunity to follow his passions of oncology and research, Sam has stayed at Yale for the past twenty years. After working as an oncology pharmacist for three years, Sam took on the role of Clinical Manager, overseeing investigational drugs before they went to the market and before becoming Associate Director. In his current role as Executive Director of Oncology Pharmacy, Sam has stepped into administration with the ultimate goal of improving patient care.
Committed to advancing patient care in collaboration with colleagues, Sam is a member of several committees, including the Oncology Institutional Review Board, System Pharmacy Strategic Planning Committee, and Yale New Haven Health Cellular Therapy Steering Committee. Sam’s professional affiliations include the Connecticut Society of Health System Pharmacists, Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Beyond his professional career, Sam also received a Master of Health Administration in 2017 from Ohio University.
Even after walking across the stage in 2001, Sam has truly never left UConn. As a UConn adjunct faculty professor since 2004, Sam teaches oncology courses with the goal of inspiring young pharmacists and giving back to a class that changed his career trajectory twenty-five years ago. In addition to his mentorship role at UConn, Sam has also worked with UConn colleagues on legislation to advance pharmacy practice and oncology care. Sam has furthered this collaboration as a newly elected advisory board member at the School.
“I like to teach because of the feeling that what I did made a student a better student or made a young pharmacist a better pharmacist.”
Sam credits his patient interactions as one of the most rewarding parts of his career. Making a difference in someone else’s life, through finding the right medication or just being a positive source of hope, helps Sam get through some of the challenges of working in a demanding and fast-paced environment. Additionally, Sam finds his research coming back full circle rewarding, through the development of new clinical trials for cancer patients to try. Cancer drugs that are now part of patients’ standard of care were once clinical trials that Sam worked in, a testament to how far cancer research has come.
When asked for the advice he would give current Pharm.D. students, Sam emphasizes the endless opportunities within a career in pharmacy. With these endless opportunities, Sam also urges students to never stop learning, even beyond their time at UConn. Lastly, networking with people and finding a mentor can make all the difference.
“It’s an exciting time to be a pharmacist, that’s for sure.”
Alongside the pride that comes with his career, Sam is also a proud father of a son and a daughter. His son, growing up with both parents in pharmacy, is now a pre-pharmacy student at UConn. Choosing UConn because of the great pharmacy program (and seeing his dad’s name etched into the walls of the School on UConn Bound Day), Sam’s son is excited to follow in his parents’ footsteps.
Once a UConn pharmacy student making pizzas in his spare time, Sam has spent the last twenty-five years saving the lives of his patients through oncology care and shaping the lives of his students through mentorship. Leading with a grateful heart, Sam embodies what it means to be a Husky!
