Imagine spending years mastering a field only to realize your passion lies elsewhere. That was my journey, moving from a degree in pharmacy to building digital solutions as a frontend developer.
In this post, I’ll share why I made this unconventional career shift, the challenges I faced, and how I turned my passion for tech into a growing career.
Introduction
Choosing a career path is indeed one of life’s most significant decisions, and for some, like me, it’s anything but straightforward. My story begins with a pharmacy degree and a dream of contributing to healthcare. Yet, my true passion led me down a different road—to web development.
This is the story of how I transitioned from dispensing medicine to writing code, embracing a career filled with creativity, logic, and innovation.
The Backstory
Before Science, Let's Say There Was Scripting
Even before my pharmacy studies, I was captivated by web programming. I spent hours learning HTML and CSS, amazed by how some lines of code could make changes to what you could see on a monitor screen; it almost felt like sorcery to me. However, I didn’t have steady access to a computer, so I couldn’t fully immerse myself.
When I started my pharmacy degree, my days were filled with rigorous coursework, leaving me with very little room for coding. Still, I held onto my passion, occasionally engaging in workshops, online courses and nurturing the idea of a future in tech.
Sharing the Vision
I remember vividly the day I made it known to my friend group about this dream of mine; it was on a Monday afternoon, my freshman year after the "entrepreneurship workshop" when I made it known to my friends about my dream of switching to web development after school. Their reactions were mixed, but mostly skeptical. Their skeptical expressions didn’t deter me. Deep down, I knew this was the path I wanted to take, even if it seemed unconventional.
Rediscovering My Passion
The moment I returned to coding was like meeting an old friend. A simple “Hello, World!” reignited the excitement I had felt years ago. I threw myself into learning HTML, then CSS, and JavaScript came very much later, savoring every new concept.
Web development offered a mix of creativity and logic that pharmacy couldn’t. The immediate feedback of seeing my code come to life was thrilling and reaffirmed that this was where I belonged.
The Decision to Change Careers
Switching from pharmacy to web development wasn’t easy. Years of education and training made the decision feel daunting, but coding didn’t feel like just a hobby—it felt like a calling.
Starting over required self-study, countless late nights, and perseverance. Every small milestone, from understanding JavaScript functions to building React components, felt like a step closer to my dream.
Where I Am Now
Today, I’m an aspiring frontend developer, honing my skills and working toward landing a junior developer role. My portfolio showcases projects like a recipe app powered by Spoonacular’s API, a task manager built with React, and an e-commerce platform with more underway and with expertise in React, TypeScript, and modern web technologies.
Pharmacy taught me discipline, attention to detail, and problem-solving—qualities that have been invaluable in my coding journey. While the fields are different, the skills overlap in surprising ways.
Closing Thoughts
This transition has been a journey of rediscovery, resilience, and growth. It’s a reminder that it’s never too late to pursue your passions, even if it means venturing into the unknown.
For me, the shift from pharmacy to web development has been one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve made in ways I can't yet find the right words to explain. It’s proof that our careers don’t have to follow a straight path. Besides, life isn't linear. So sometimes, the detours lead to the most fulfilling destinations.
If you’re curious about my journey or looking to connect, feel free to reach out!
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