Building Success Step by Step: Charles Lagdamen’s Path in Pharmacy Technology

Charles Lagdamen comes from a family of high achievers so expectations for his education and career success were firmly in place. He was fine with that expectation but was determined to reach those career peaks incrementally. Charles would enjoy the process of building those blocks toward a career vision that would take shape as he collected them.

But, at 23-years old, he had to start somewhere. Charles chose the Pharmacy Technology program on SJVC’s Ontario campus as his career’s foundation.

Why a Pharmacy Technology career choice?

My father has been a Pharm Tech for about 15 years and reinforced the positives of the job. I had taken a course in high school and did pretty well with it. It was interesting for me to see how different drugs interacted. And I didn’t want to wait to begin career education – I wanted to start something now.

I was looking at Pharm Tech programs, and they were too far away. SJVC was just across the mall.

What was your in-person experience with SJVC?

I walked in to get career information, gave it a look and ended up actually enrolling that first visit. The Pharmacy Technology (PT) program met my criteria, had very convenient classroom schedules and was close to home.

I went in looking for new career opportunities and SJVC’s PT program met my career direction.

What decided it for you?

I found the staff was extremely supportive and helped me do the financial aid process. They helped me find grants that I qualified for – things I didn’t even know about. They made it a breeze. I left feeling pretty accomplished to get it all done in a day. I started class about a month later.

What was the best thing about the Pharmacy Technology program?

I really enjoyed our teachers. They were very supportive, friendly, and easy to talk to. They gave us their email and text information if we needed something for class or needed to miss a day. They were available for one-on-one if you were struggling. I didn’t need all that extra tutoring support.

You could complete most of the homework in class and knew what we had to prepare for with exams, which we had every week. My GPA was 4.0 for most of the time there.

Was the program what you expected?

The class was relatively small, with only six students. But it doubled within a couple of months. I was pretty confident that I was cut out for this field, that this was my direction It was my first step, and I would keep going forward. It validated my sense of direction.

What did you enjoy most in the program?

Compounding (medications) is like being a chemist. Creating medicines for external or internal use; chemistry is my thing. We would practice compounding by adding flavors to lip balm, using essential oils for different scents of mosquito repellant candles or recipes for combining lollipop medications. It was pretty fun for me.

Did you have any moments of doubt about this program?

I didn’t have too many doubts because of the way I was performing in class and with homework. And, I’d had experience in the medical field, volunteering in nursing homes, assisting patients with non-medical needs and watching nurses managing medications and working with patients. I knew I wanted to work in the field of physical therapy or pharmacy technology.

Was there support among fellow classmates?

We had group chat and could give our own input of our experience in class or things we struggle on. It was really interesting to see their different points of view.

What inspired you to complete the Pharmacy Technology program?

I like to experience things that will shape my future, and I was pretty confident that this was the first step that would keep me going forward. This program confirms that I was cut out for this particular field. I’m always looking ahead, but meanwhile I’ll enjoy the little things and what I’m doing right now.

Who do you most want to emulate toward greater career success?

The majority of my family is well educated and hold high degrees. They came from the Philippines and their education validates their sacrifices and struggles. They want me to be confident and stable and having a degree will definitely help with the financial end of that.

Their expectation: show others that you deserve to be here. They also want me to choose my own path and excel at what I want to do instead of struggling in something I’m forced to do.

Were you surprised to be selected Valedictorian of your graduating class?

It was a surprise to me. I’m not much of a public speaker, but I decided to go with it.

Doaa Saleeb (instructor) says, “Charles is the poster child of what success looks like after a little sacrifice, true hard work, determination and professionalism.”

My parents were pretty excited, and that I was Valedictorian got shared all over their social media. At a recent family reunion, there were lots of ‘congratulations’. My dad showed everyone my speech. He told me, “It is a very strong first to a very bright tomorrow.”

Did you find employment in your new field?

I had done my SJVC externship at a CVS pharmacy and applied at a different pharmacy a friend had suggested. I’ve been there part-time since July (2024) and focus on filling prescriptions to specifications and packaging medications to send to hospitals, hospice and homes. The pharmacist checks everything before delivery and does the more complicated prescriptions.

I’m more interested in a closed-door position with less customer interaction and more filling prescriptions.

What does your future hold?

I just started a 3–4-year Bachelor’s program at California Baptist University toward a Pharmaceutical Science degree. It will put me in a higher income bracket and give me a faster-paced career advantage. This will give me qualifications for anything in the chemistry field – and the pharmaceutical side.

My parents are pretty happy, too.