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An American Dream Realized
‘Nothing is Impossible,” Says Future Pharmacist Talin Mehranian
At sixteen, Mehranian immigrated to the United States with her family from Tehran, Iran. With a limited grasp of English, her teachers told her it was almost impossible for her to graduate high school at the age of eighteen. Mehranian didn’t agree. She enrolled in night school to learn English while completing her high school curriculum.
“I used to go to school and come home for two hours before going to night school,” she explained.
Co-ed classes were a difficult adjustment for Mehranian.
“In Iran, our schools were single gender,” Mehranian said. “At first, it was difficult for me to approach a male faculty member with a question.”
She graduated on time and received a scholarship to a community college. After finishing her associate’s degree, Mehranian attended UC Irvine to get a degree in biology.
Mehranian said that her interest in becoming a pharmacist began as a young child watching her grandfather take medications. “I was curious how the small and colorful pills helped my grandfather,” she explained.
After working as a pharmacy technician at CVS, Mehranian realized that she enjoyed interacting with patients and this furthered her desire to pursue a career as a pharmacist. After graduating from UC Irvine, she applied to Touro College of Pharmacy (TCOP).
“Touro is a great school,” said Mehranian, the 2+2 program allows pharmacy students to receive two years of didactic education and another two years of practical experience. “We get experience that is really beneficial,” she said. “You are able to use the information learned in pharmacy school and implement theoretical learning practically.”
The busy life of New York City was another struggle for Mehranian.
“The crowds reminded me of Iran,” stated Mehranian. “I was very shy at first, but I’m a stronger person today. Touro’s friendly and approachable faculty members helped me realize that being shy might hinder my success.”
She is set to receive her pharmacy degree by the end of the academic year.
What does she love best about America? Freedom and opportunity.
“Since I moved to the United States, I realized that nothing is impossible,” she said. “Hard work pays off. You can achieve your dream once you realize that giving up isn’t an option.”
“America allowed me to achieve my childhood dream,” continued Mehranian. “As a pharmacist, I know I will be able to give back to this wonderful country.”
