{"id":236283,"date":"2025-10-06T11:04:52","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T15:04:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=236283"},"modified":"2025-10-06T11:15:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T15:15:35","slug":"from-storrs-to-dublin-and-back-again-two-pharmacy-students-study-abroad-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2025\/10\/from-storrs-to-dublin-and-back-again-two-pharmacy-students-study-abroad-experiences\/","title":{"rendered":"From Storrs to Dublin and Back Again: Two Pharmacy Students\u2019 Study Abroad Experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"

Emily: A Husky for the Summer<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Emily Ray, a fourth-year pharmacy student at Trinity College in Dublin, had the opportunity of a lifetime this summer \u2013 shopping at Walmart for the first time! Calling Ireland her home, Emily had yet to see a yellow school bus or work with the advanced pharmaceutical technology UConn\u2019s Pharmacy School has to offer. And the perfect place for Emily to experience a New England quintessential small-town while furthering her pharmaceutical passions? UConn, of course!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Emily
Emily with friends this summer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nearing the end of her college career, Emily has developed a deep passion for community pharmacy. While open to new possibilities,\u00a0she has most enjoyed her experiences as a pharmacy retail assistant and a dispensary assistant,\u00a0where she combines attention-to-detail and customer service to\u00a0foster connection within her community.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Outside of the classroom, you can find Emily practicing with the Ladies Gaelic Football team (in hopes of winning their fourth Leinster Title),\u00a0volunteering to play violin at local community events, and getting some animal-love on her family farm. If you were to look up in the sky, you might even catch her working toward\u00a0attaining\u00a0her private pilot license!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dedicated\u00a0to her studies but\u00a0caring\u00a0for\u00a0those around her, Emily exemplifies an excellent pharmacist-in-the-making.\u00a0Not to mention, she also epitomizes the fun-loving nature of\u00a0Husky Nation \u2013 a role she got to experience first-hand this past summer!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Emily's
Emily’s Lab Setup at UConn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When planning her capstone research project<\/span>\u00a0at Trinity College<\/span>\u00a0last year<\/span>, Emily\u00a0<\/span>heard of a summer study abroad opportunity that would allow her to fulfill this requirement while\u00a0<\/span>taking on a new adventure. Looking through a list of colleges in Europe, the United States, Australia, and even Japan, Emily\u00a0<\/span>eventually chose UConn\u2019s School of Pharmacy for its perfect location between Boston and New York City and the familiarity of having a few friends nearby!\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once at UConn, Emily dove into her research project\u00a0on\u00a0liver pharmacology and toxicology through the effect of paracetamol on the\u00a0liver.\u00a0She was\u00a0guided by Dr.\u00a0Jos\u00e9\u00a0Manautou<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>(Ph.D.), professor of pharmacology and toxicology and department head of pharmaceutical sciences and\u00a0Ankit Laddha (Ph.D.)<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0an e<\/span>xperienced researcher specializing in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies\u00a0and post-doc student at UConn.<\/span>\u00a0These individuals\u00a0emphasized\u00a0their expectations of the project while helping Emily with any questions she had along the way. Throughout the eight-week research project, Emily worked closely with\u00a0the postdoc student while experimenting with advanced technology she\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0access to in Ireland.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflecting on all she\u00a0accomplished\u00a0thanks to the\u00a0support she received from her team, Emily\u00a0tested out new pharmaceutical equipment, grew her own cells, and learned new techniques\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0excited to apply to her career aspirations.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>I met some good\u00a0people,\u00a0and it was just cool to see the American way of things as well, like yellow school buses.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Sights
Sights from Emily’s walks around campus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When she <\/span>wasn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0in the lab this past summer, Emily was found eating lunch with her\u00a0<\/span>friend’s<\/span>\u00a0downtown, getting a sweet treat at\u00a0<\/span>UConn\u2019s Dairy Bar, working out at the Rec, and taking the occasional<\/span>\u00a0trip to Boston to explore the city<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>She even got to experience the Basketball Capital of the World, as she lived in the same dorm as the basketball team!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Each day of her summer at UConn brought something new, described by Emily as both a challenge and an opportunity.\u00a0But given her\u00a0great\u00a0support system, Emily thrived in the face of any hurdles in and out of the lab.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was\u00a0a big change. But I feel like you\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0achieve anything without challenging yourself.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When asked about the lessons she gained during her School of Pharmacy experience, Emily emphasizes how important new experiences outside of one\u2019s comfort zone can be for personal growth. A little sad that she may never have a similar opportunity again, Emily remains grateful for all that she learned at UConn.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although she may be back in Ireland, Emily Ray will always be a Husky!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Emma: Going Back to Her Irish Roots<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"headshot
Headshot of Emma, photo by Spencer Sloan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From Braintree, Massachusetts, Emma Lopes recently graduated from UConn Pharmacy in May of 2025. Wanting a big campus with electric school spirit<\/span>\u00a0and passionate about pharmacy after shadowing a pharmacist in high school at the hospital her mom worked at<\/span>, Emma\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Husky experience\u00a0<\/span>gave her the mix of academics and community she was looking for.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now an alum of the\u00a0<\/span>School<\/span>, studying for her boards\u00a0<\/span>and applying to fellowships, Emma is grateful for her dedicated involvement during her time at UConn. An active member of the American Pharmacists Association<\/span>\u00a0(APHA)<\/span>\u00a0for four years<\/span>, she served as the communications vice president and\u00a0<\/span>operation<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0heart chair<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0Additionally, Emma served as the communications chair in the American Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP)\u00a0<\/span>and was involved in the Student Pediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group (SPAG). Wanting to give back to her UConn community, Emma was the APHA liaison for School\u2019s student government<\/span>\u00a0and active in the pharmacy learning community<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0Outside of\u00a0<\/span>pharmacy<\/span>, Emma was also a proud member of\u00a0<\/span>Alpha Omicron Pi.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Trinity's
Trinity’s College Campus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Going into her 6<\/span>th<\/span> and final year in the School, Emma was looking for a challenging and rewarding new experience. With family in Ireland and having visited twice before, Emma realized studying abroad was the perfect mix of comfort and challenge she was looking for!<\/span><\/p>\n

After careful coordination with the School of Pharmacy and Trinity College in Ireland, Emma received confirmation that she could finish her last rotation \u2013 research \u2013 at Trinity College.<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon arrival at Trinity College in May, Emma\u00a0<\/span>started her\u00a0<\/span>research\u00a0<\/span>rotation\u00a0<\/span>while living in an apartment close to campus.<\/span>\u00a0She\u00a0<\/span>assisted<\/span>\u00a0Ph.D. students in a systematic review of medication errors causing hospitalizations, focusing on abstract and title screenings.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Never having done research at her time at UConn,\u00a0<\/span>she<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>found this experience especially rewarding<\/span>\u00a0and was\u00a0<\/span>thankful\u00a0<\/span>this<\/span>\u00a0experience\u00a0<\/span>fit\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0her interest in regulatory affairs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Emma
Emma visits family in Oughterard, Co. Galway<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hiking cliffs, exploring Dublin, and taking a trip to London one weekend<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0are among some of Emma\u2019s favorite memories of her month in Ireland. She also enjoyed getting to know the Ph.D. students she worked with, as many worked in community pharmacies and shared their professional experiences<\/span>\u00a0with\u00a0<\/span>he<\/span>r<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span> Taking\u00a0<\/span>a trip<\/span>\u00a0to see her family\u00a0<\/span>in Galway during Easter weekend\u00a0<\/span>and seeing a friend from high school who moved to Ireland were also special moments for Emma.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Already having skills in analyzing and interpreting articles from her time at the School, Emma felt well prepared to take on the new challenge of research. Additionally,\u00a0the School of Pharmacy\u2019s emphasis on\u00a0professionalism\u00a0enabled\u00a0Emma to talk about pharmaceutical topics with ease and confidence.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflecting on the experience, Emma advises current and future pharmacy students to seek out new and rewarding opportunities. Taking advantage of everything and anything, Emma emphasizes how important exploration is, especially for such a versatile field like pharmacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFind things that interest you. And if that means going abroad, I absolutely recommend it. I loved it.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As an advocate for her own experiences, Emma went above and beyond to ensure her outside-of-the-classroom (and outside of the US) experiences combined with her passion for pharmacy to create an incredible month full of memories. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By trading campuses and embracing new adventures, Emily and Emma exemplified how far \u2013 even across the Atlantic \u2013 a passion for pharmacy can go!\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Trading campuses and sharing cultures, Emily Ray and Emma Lopes each chose studying abroad as an opportunity to learn more about the pharmaceutical industry and challenge themselves in a new environment \u2013 making memories and building skills that will extend beyond their time as pharmacy students! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":221,"featured_media":236322,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1864],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[2644],"class_list":["post-236283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pharm"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-28 05:24:23","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236283","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/221"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=236283"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":236320,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236283\/revisions\/236320"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/236322"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=236283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=236283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=236283"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=236283"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=236283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}