Vishwanauth Persaud
From South America to TCOP
Vishwanauth Persaud came to his passion for pharmacy early on. As a high school student in Guyana, Vishwanauth Persaud spent a summer as an intern in the country’s drug regulation agency. “Weak drug regulation leaves a massive door to loss of life,” said Persaud. He recalled a harrowing story of a family that lost two children to a medication error.
After graduating high school, Persaud took a gap year and worked in a pharmacy in his native country. “My devotion to pharmacy grew,” explained Persaud. “Pharmacists are the firewall of healthcare. Pharmacists save hospitals from lawsuits and save patients’ lives by monitoring their drugs. Pharmacists are the most easily accessible facet of healthcare. Patients typically wait months to meet their doctors, but working at a pharmacy I saw the impact that pharmacists have on the population. Hundreds of people are visiting daily to pick up medications ranging from antihistamines to cancer drugs; every time you pick up one you see a pharmacist willing to give their time to counsel you about the medication.”
Five years ago, Persaud moved to the US to pursue his education. He earned a bachelor’s degree with a dual major, one in biomedical science and a second in business administration and finance, at Lehman College. Afterwards, he earned an MPH from SUNY Downstate where he focused on pharmacoeconomics and health outcomes. He took a gap year to find a job and learn about American culture. “I discovered how fast paced New York is,” he said about his experience. “Everyone is on the go, and everyone is always busy; there’s very little time to stop and smell the roses.” This contrasts with Guyana, Persaud said, where the beach and the Amazon were both ten minutes away.
With his background and education, Persaud could have gone to any pharmacy school, but he said he was drawn to Touro College of Pharmacy for several reasons. “While I was researching pharmacy schools, I noticed that TCOP had a perfect blend of didactic experience to rotations,” said Persaud. “I found that to be unique in pharmacy schools since it allows students to get a healthy amount of time between the classroom and pharmacy experience. TCOP’s pass rate for first attempts on the NAPLEX and their four-year on-time graduation rates were the highest in NYC. During my interview, Dean of Admissions Heidi Fuchs was so welcoming. Plus, the new campus is truly a sight to see. Touro had the ultimate package. There was no comparison.”
