For a PhmTox Online Master’s Grad, the Journey Has Been Worthwhile
By Chuck Carlson
After graduating from West Chester (Pa.) University with a degree in forensic toxicology, Ali Park realized two things. “I knew I wanted to continue my education, but I also knew I didn’t want to be in a classroom setting,” she said. “I wanted to work full time.”
So, from the comfort of her home outside Philadelphia, Park enrolled in the Michigan State University Online Master’s Program and earned her MS degree in Pharmacology and Toxicology in 2020. Now, along with her full-time job in analytical chemistry consulting, she is also an academic advisor for the online programs in Pharmacology & Toxicology.
“This program seemed like the perfect fit,” she said. “And it was.”
Park is one of the many alumni who have supplemented their full-time jobs with a master’s degree that has moved their PhmTox careers either forward or in a new direction.
“I went into the program with very high expectations,” she said. “And every instructor I came into contact with was fantastic. I learned so much from it. It helped me to stand out from my peers in my professional career, and I felt I could bring more to the table because I understand the toxicology and pharmacology side of things.”
Director Dr. Isola Brown said that has always been the goal of the program, which is now in its 15th year.
“Students pursuing this degree to be able to facilitate promotion within their field, and we see some folks who are trying to pivot and go into a different field,” Dr. Brown said. “So, they’re getting this higher education to help them make a career transition. I think we provide that flexibility.”
Park started her role as a program advisor in June 2023 and has supported current students, most of whom are pursuing their master’s for the same reason as she did.
“I have some advisees who were in the same situation as me,” she said. “They’re in their early 20s; fresh out of school; first jobs. Those are the students who just power through to get their master’s.”
And their dedication continues to impress Dr. Brown.
“It takes a level of commitment that’s different from an in-person course,” she said. “There’s a dedication to log onto the computer every morning when you want to do just about anything else.”
Park is using her knowledge of the program to help a new crop of students navigate the sometimes turbulent world of online learning. She provides her advisees an overview of the program, what courses to take, advice on courses, acts as a sounding board for student frustration on courses or instructors and helps with input and guidance on their “capstone” project, a final in-depth paper on a topic of their choice.
“I’m in a unique position as an alum,” she said. “I can provide my opinion on courses I took. I can point them in a direction in courses they should take if they work in a certain field, and I try to establish what they’re trying to get out of the program.”
And she says her role as a program advisor has been everything she hoped it would be.
“It’s more rewarding than I thought it would be,” she said. “It’s been a perfect addition to my career.”