Hello everyone, my name is Diana Martinez-Nava, and I am a fourth-year student pharmacist at The University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, I want to take a moment to share my journey in pharmacy and the profound role my heritage has played in shaping my career aspirations.
A Childhood Inspiration
My passion for pharmacy began when I was just eight years old. I vividly remember standing at the counter of our neighborhood pharmacy, barely able to see over it, while my father reached out to collect what he called “goody bags.” These bags, of course, were his prescribed medications.
I recall the pharmacist—a woman in a white coat—asking my father simple yes-or-no questions, as that was all he could understand in his limited English. At just ten years old, I became my family’s translator. It was then that I began to grow curious about the contents of those “goody bags” filled with medications that had names difficult for me to pronounce.
As my father’s diabetes worsened, I served as the bridge between him and the pharmacist, ensuring he understood how to manage his medications. Over the years, this frequent interaction formed a bond not only between my father and the pharmacist but also between me and her. Her name was Nicole, and she unknowingly became one of my greatest role models. She watched me grow up, from a young girl translating medical instructions to a pharmacy intern working alongside her.
Finding My True Purpose
I believed my journey had come full circle when I became Nicole’s pharmacy intern. However, it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to translate for another father-daughter duo at the same pharmacy that I truly understood my purpose.
I saw the relief in a young girl’s eyes when she asked me, with impeccable grammar, why her father’s prescription had been changed. I thanked her for her bravery and then turned to her father, explaining the change in his native language—Spanish. In that moment, I realized why I had chosen this career.
Breaking Language Barriers in Pharmacy
Nicole, along with many other incredible women I’ve worked with and learned from, has shaped me into the student pharmacist I am today. I am excited to continue their legacy by empowering my fellow female colleagues and the next generation of pharmacists.
My mission as a future pharmacist is to break down language barriers for my patients. No child should have to struggle to translate medical information for their parents. They should simply be children, without worrying about how to explain the word for “pain” in English when they only know it in Spanish.
Overcoming Challenges as a First-Generation Student
In May 2021, I earned my first degree—a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Literature with a minor in Chemistry. It was an emotional moment, as I reflected on the journey that had brought me there. I had completed 90 credit hours of pharmacy prerequisites, even when organic chemistry felt like an impossible challenge.
As a first-generation Mexican-American and the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants, higher education always seemed like an unattainable dream, both financially and logistically. Being the first in my family to graduate high school, attend university, earn a bachelor’s degree, and matriculate into a doctoral program was not easy.
There were times I doubted myself, questioning whether I truly belonged in this field, especially when my grades weren’t perfect or when I lacked the networking connections that some of my peers had. But I pushed forward, fueled by my curiosity and the constant desire to ask, “Why?”
Looking Ahead
My journey has been possible because of the unwavering support of my family, friends, mentors, and the role models who have guided me along the way. What once seemed impossible to the 10-year-old girl who admired Nicole’s white coat has now become my reality.
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