Student Spotlight: Daravan Rath

Meet second-year USC School of Pharmacy student Daravan Rath (’19), who describes pursuing a joint master’s degree in Healthcare Decision Analysis and his goal of improving healthcare in his home country, Cambodia. 

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Daravan Rath, PharmD ’19

Why did you choose USC Mann?

I chose USC Mann because this school has always been one of the leading institutions in the field of pharmacy. The program has an innovative curriculum that allows the students to learn the skills a pharmacist needs to succeed today. The school has produced many graduates who continue to make great contributions to the field of pharmacy.

How have the resources and faculty available at USC helped you with your studies, learning, and growth?

Faculty members are very approachable. I truly believe they have the students’ best interests in mind and want us to succeed. They always encourage the students to take on outside projects, so we can enhance our learning and growth.

There is a faculty-mentorship program where students can get direct guidance. Along with this, there are many student organizations that host speaker series, meet-and-greets, residency workshops and other special events. This allows us to learn from individuals who are currently in the pharmacy field.

Why should prospective students consider USC School of Pharmacy?

They should consider attending USC Mann because of its distinguished faculty and alumni network. USC also has a broad network of unique clinical sites where students can be exposed to different settings. It also offers many programs to take concurrently. One of these programs is the Master of Science in Healthcare Decision Analysis, which is the program I am currently in. This program has been described as “one-of-a-kind” by many of the leaders in the industry.

What are your plans after graduation?

Right after graduation, I want to visit my home country, Cambodia, and do some traveling. Ultimately, I want to make a difference and raise the quality of healthcare in my home country. In order to do that, I plan to learn and gain knowledge from the different aspects of pharmacy including the clinical side, policy and regulatory, and so on.

 What is the importance of USC’s alumni network?

Everyone knows that USC has a large alumni network, but it is not the size that matters. What matters is that these individuals within the alumni network are some of the most influential people within the healthcare field.

What is the learning environment like at USC Mann?

The environment fosters collaboration with colleagues and encourages team-based learning. I think this is really helpful because it doesn’t feel like you’re going through everything alone. Your cohort becomes your extended family. The faculty puts you in the right position to succeed.