Hometown: Northampton, Pa.

Doctor of pharmacy, School of Pharmacy

From farm doc to Pharm doc: “When I was younger, I would always visit my aunt who was a veterinarian. I liked that she was able to help sick animals.

But in my senior year at Moravian College, I started to become more interested in human medicine, so I started shadowing people in other professions, from physical therapists to nurse practitioners.

When I shadowed a pharmacist, I thought it was neat. The patients really appreciated the information the pharmacist gave them, and he enjoyed what he did. After that, I decided to pursue my Pharm.D.”

Help is on the way: “I love that my field lets me help people. I help my family out with the things that I’m learning, and through our work with Prevention Point Philadelphia, I’m able to reach out to hundreds of people in the underserved community, and I’m able to encourage others to help as well. It’s a very rewarding feeling.”

Trust issues: “The most important thing that any healthcare professional should know is how important it is to build a rapport with your patients. When you gain their trust, they open up to you about problems they’re having, which means you can provide better care for them.”

My mentors: “Everyone! The whole faculty at the School of Pharmacy is fantastic. Even though they are a small faculty, each professor makes time for their students, and do all they can to guide us to success.”

Plans after graduation: Gilbert-Hayn has been accepted into a yearlong pharmacy practice residency at the University of North Carolina Hospital. She then hopes to do a specialty residency in pediatrics, psychology or internal medicine. She also plans to get her master’s in public health and to pursue a position that combines academics and clinical services. “Who knows, maybe Temple will hire me,” she said with a smile.

On leaving Temple: “I love it here. Temple introduced me to such a diverse group of people and taught me so much about different cultures. I’ve had great experiences here, and I won’t forget them.”