Alex Shin, Pharmacist, Greycoat Research
Starting as a Pharmacist, Pursuing Stability
It has been more than 20 years since I graduated from university and began my career as a pharmacist.
When I first entered pharmacy school, my dream was simple: I wanted a stable profession—one that would allow me to spend time with my family while doing meaningful work. Being a pharmacist gave me that life.
I still vividly remember the pride I felt when I opened my first pharmacy under my own name. But as I stepped into the role more deeply, I soon realized that the job was quite different from what I had imagined.
More Than Just Dispensing Medications
When I first opened my pharmacy, I imagined myself in a dignified role—someone who would provide prescription medications with specialized knowledge. But the reality was far less noble.
Customers would come in and say:
“Give me a laxative.”
“Give me something for digestion.”
“My head hurts—give me painkillers.”
Some even asked for specific brand names they’d seen in ads, saying, “I want the XX one.”
Sitting there behind the counter, I started to feel like my role as a pharmacist had disappeared—replaced by a cashier who simply handed over boxes and took payment.
Life at the pharmacy offered the stable routine I had dreamed of. But somewhere along the way, my identity as a pharmacist was quietly fading.
Then one day, an old man came to buy stomach medicine.
That day, for reasons I still can’t quite explain, I felt a strong urge not just to hand over the box—but to ask.
“Is something wrong?” I said.
He looked at me and replied, “My stomach’s been off lately. I haven’t been able to eat.”
The more I listened, the more I realized he was overwhelmed by medications prescribed by multiple clinics—orthopedics, internal medicine, endocrinology. The overlap of ingredients, the side effects—they were making things worse.
I asked him to bring all his medications. I sorted them into three categories: ones that could be taken together, ones that required spacing out, and ones that likely weren’t needed at all.
That day reminded me of something essential: people don’t just need medicine—they need understanding and insight.
Being a pharmacist wasn’t about giving people whatever they asked for. It was about asking why they needed it—and helping them find what was truly best.
From Local Pharmacist to Trusted Figure
From that day on, I began asking every customer why they needed a particular medication. Sometimes, the medicine they asked for was appropriate. But more often, there was a safer, more suitable option.
Before long, I became something of a neighborhood teacher.
People started dropping by after their doctor visits, not just to fill prescriptions—but to ask, to talk, and to understand.
From that day on, I became something of a neighborhood guide. People would stop by my pharmacy after their hospital visits, and it became a place where they felt safe to ask questions.
Then one afternoon, a neighborhood child ran into the pharmacy, shouting,
"Come quickly! You have to see this!"
In a narrow space between buildings, a yellow stray cat had just given birth. I had never cared for an animal before, and honestly, I was overwhelmed. But with help from local children and neighbors, we were able to take care of her and her kittens.
Eventually, those kittens became part of the community. And a small corner of my pharmacy became home to basic pet medications and supplies.
A New Path in Veterinary Pharmacy
That experience led me to a new path: I began seriously studying veterinary pharmacology.
Veterinarians do study medicine, of course—but not with the same depth in pharmacology as pharmacists. While veterinarians are doctors for animals, pharmacists are experts in medicine.
Unfortunately, many veterinarians are left with no choice but to use human medications for animals. There are few medications made specifically for cats and dogs. Even when they are available, they can be hard to stock in small amounts, and storing them properly is often difficult.
That’s why pharmacists who understand both animals and medicine can play an important role.
A New Chapter with Greycoat Research
Since joining Greycoat Research, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many veterinarians and cat guardians. We all come from different perspectives, but we share a common wish: to provide better care for the animals we love.
Sometimes I wonder—maybe it all started with that yellow cat in the alley behind my first pharmacy.
Maybe she led me here, to a different kind of care, and a new kind of family.
For Accurate and Adaptable Care
When using supplements and medications, what matters most is both accuracy and adaptability.
Every cat is different. Their physical condition, daily changes, the environment they live in, and how their caregivers manage medication—all of these influence what the best care looks like.
That’s why I believe education for guardians and thoughtful, personalized consultation are absolutely essential.
It means a great deal to me to walk this journey after diagnosis—not alone, but together with each of you and with Greycoat Research.
To every guardian who places their trust in us—and to Greycoat Research for creating a space where meaningful connections begin—thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
