Wayne Mclaughlin
Baldwin, NY Stony Brook (Biology)
The Long Island-born Wayne Mclaughlin said various factors made him consider a career as a pharmacist. Growing up, his father was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease that still has no viable treatment options. He also witnessed firsthand the impact pharmacists can have on a local community. Nearby Mclaughlin’s hometown is a low-income neighborhood and Mclaughlin witnessed how pharmacists were “the first line of defense against sickness.”
“You don’t need an appointment to visit a pharmacist,” said Mclaughlin. “I loved the community aspect of being a pharmacist. A pharmacist is always close by.”
Mclaughlin also arrives at TCOP with a bit more experience in the pharmacy world thanks to an innovative high school program. As a senior in Baldwin High School, Mclaughlin worked as a pharmacy tech in career-training program at Walgreens. “I really enjoyed it and knew I wanted to be a pharmacist after that.”
Fun fact: Despite being on the quiet side, Mclaughlin is trained in Ketsugen, a Japanese martial arts form.
