Sometimes, circumstances outside of our control lead us down paths we never anticipated. For me, that path was UX design and the pivoting moment for me was during my army deployment. In this post, I’ll share how I discovered UX design and how it has become a passion of mine.

In 2016, I enlisted in the US Army Reserves as a Preventive Medicine Specialist, and after my training period, I was back in my civilian life. Four years flew by as I completed my undergraduate degree in biology. In 2020, I was accepted to my dream pharmacy school and I had my whole career set. Or so I thought. I had doubts about my life as a pharmacist but I didn’t have much time to look back at the choices I made because I was too focused on what was in front of me.

I still remember when I got called on my deployment shortly after I received my acceptance letter from the school. I was in my anatomy & physiology class with my laptop open. I ‘forgot’ to turn on Do Not Disturb during class — of course. Then I saw it. The email notification was titled ‘Involuntary mobilization’. I froze. I couldn’t focus in class for another second, and I had to leave. The pharmacy school postponed my enrollment, and my life in the civilian world was put on a hold for a year.

The deployment period was both mentally and physically demanding, yet it provided me a whole year to ponder over my life, personal values, interests, and goals. I contemplated my future as a pharmacist and questioned whether it was truly the path I wanted to pursue for the rest of my working years. I delved into reasons why I chose pharmacy as a career and examined whether it was truly aligned with my aspirations.

I always desired to help people and somehow that naturally meant working in healthcare. While I loved learning about biology, psychology, and chemical reactions, working in healthcare did not feel like the right fit. I began to realize that there was a gap between my desire to help people and my pursuit of pharmacy. That’s when I started to consider what other careers might allow me to do something I genuinely enjoy while still making a difference in people’s lives. I looked back at the careers I wanted to pursue as a child, such as graphic design, fashion design, or interior design, and noticed that they all had a design component. This eventually led me to explore what drew me to design and ultimately led me to discover UX.

Initially, it appeared to be an ideal match. Fundamentally, UX was centered on helping individuals. It struck the ideal balance between critical thinking, which was my forte, and creative thinking, which was my unfulfilled passion. Additionally, there were lucrative job opportunities that did not necessitate another degree, as well as boot camps that pledged employment within 3–6 months of completion. With months to decide whether to change my career and with the reassurance that I could go back to pharmacy school if needed, jumping into UX was an easy decision. I did my research and enrolled myself in a boot camp that best fit my needs. (More on that later)

Being in the field of UX has been even more enjoyable than I had anticipated. It has allowed me to combine my skills in critical thinking with my passion for creative problem-solving, all while helping people in meaningful ways. My journey from the Army Reserves to pharmacy school, and ultimately to UX design, has been a non-traditional one, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It has taught me the importance of taking risks, being open to new opportunities, and constantly learning and evolving. I am excited to see where my career in UX design will take me next and how I can continue to make a positive impact in people’s lives through my work.

Feel free to drop a message on LinkedIn or Email for any feedback and suggestions.

Here is the UX BootCamp I enrolled in during my career transition.