Malia Hain: Class Of 2019

Malia Hain: Thankful for the Lifelong Friends She Met in Pharmacy School

Malia Hain, class of 2019, says she thoroughly enjoyed her time at the College of Pharmacy and the opportunities to be involved in many groups and organizations. She is now planning on pursuing a PGY-2 residency in critical care and would love to work on an intensive care unit in an academic medical center in the future.

Hain has been interested in helping people in some form of health care role ever since she was a young girl growing up in Troy, Mich. She also grew up enjoying chemistry, so she says pharmacy was a natural fit for her.

“My passion for pharmacy was solidified when I was able to work in a very small independent pharmacy in college,” Hain said. “I was able to get to know so many patients and realized how impactful a pharmacist could be.”

From the moment Hain stepped on the University of Minnesota campus during her interview day, she felt as if she belonged at the College of Pharmacy.

“The College of Pharmacy checked all my boxes in terms of supportive faculty and staff, encouragement to be involved in multiple extracurricular activities, and the numerous job and experience opportunities,” Hain said.

During her time as a pharmacy student, Hain served as a class representative for four years and was involved in the pharmacy fraternity Phi Delta Chi. She also served as a fundraising co-chair and was an active member of the College Board and Committees of Professional Student Government. In addition to her involvement in student groups, she had two pharmacy internships - one at Lunds & Byerlys Pharmacy, and one at Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville, Minn. She values the many experiences that she was able to have as a student.

“I loved having the variety of job experiences and meeting so many people in all types of pharmacy,” Hain said. “It allowed me to have invaluable relationships with so many pharmacists, technicians, and other parts of the pharmacy management team. Having two jobs really taught me the importance of time management, but it also allowed me to figure out what type of pharmacist I wanted to be in the future.”

Even with all her time-consuming responsibilities, Hain still finds time to enjoy the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. In her spare time, she loves trying new restaurants and breweries in the area, as well as spending time with friends and family. Hain also enjoys traveling and hiking in new places. Most recently she has gone hiking in Bandelier National Monument near Santa Fe, Mexico and Patagonia, Argentina.

Hain says she loved her time at the College of Pharmacy and is thankful for the lifelong friends and mentors that she met. She believes pharmacy school was a worthwhile experience, and encourages other students to explore the profession.

“The hard work to get into pharmacy school is worth it,” Hain said. “Take advantage of every opportunity before pharmacy school to explore the vast opportunities in this profession.”