From Pharmacy to Advocacy: A Career Fueled by Service and Lifelong Learning

Symin Charpentier, PharmD '13, has curated a career that blends science, service, and advocacy. And it all began by joining the Navy after graduating from MCPHS.

Symin Charpentier, PharmD ’13, has curated a career that blends science, service, and advocacy. And it all began by joining the Navy after graduating from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS).

While stationed at what is now Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune, Charpentier applied his pharmacy training across a variety of clinical settings, gaining hands-on experience in outpatient, inpatient, and clinical roles.

“Clinical pharmacists in the military are licensed independent providers, so I had provider status and was able to prescribe and have an active clinical practice,” he said. “But the military also taught me a lot of soft skills about being a leader. It was a great complement to the education I had at MCPHS.”

Those leadership skills, combined with a passion for lifelong learning, guided him into the next phase of his professional journey. After earning his law degree, Charpentier now works as an Ambulatory Clinical Pharmacy Manager at Boston Medical Center Health System. He's also in the process of launching his own legal practice focused on veterans' law.

Pharmacy, though, wasn’t always at the forefront of his mind.

As a high school senior, Charpentier wasn’t sure what he wanted to pursue in college. He applied to colleges for linguistics and violin performance, among others. After visiting MCPHS for the first time, he saw the possibilities of a connection to the University—and a career in pharmacy that felt right.

“Pharmacy was one of many options, but the University spoke to me,” he said. “I remember touring and seeing that the faculty were super welcoming and kind. My family and I were really impressed with the school, the facilities, and the friendliness of the people. It just seemed like a good fit.”

Charpentier’s education in pharmacy at MCPHS ended up being foundational to his career.

“I've always had the fortune to practice in pharmacy a well-deserving community, whether that's with my fellow service members and their families, fellow veterans, or the underserved communities in Boston,” Charpentier said. “What that message fails to convey is that every patient truly is highly deserving of the best care that you can provide. And that's something that I believe MCPHS helped us with.”

Charpentier sees himself as a lifetime learner, able to blend the sources of his knowledge into roles that focus on improving others’ lives. The skills and experiences that he’s curated are helping to propel him for what comes next.

“The ability to articulate the value proposition of pharmacies and pharmacists to senior executives is something that I started to learn at MCPHS, and I continue to use every day.”