Travis Condon
Travis
Condon, Standing River Sioux, PharmD, recently earned
his degree in pharmacy at the College of Pharmacy,
Nursing and Allied Sciences at North Dakota State
University. Now he has realized his dream and is a
pharmacist on his home reservation.
Following
are excerpts from an article that was originally published
when Dr. Condon had just finished the pre-pharmacy phase of
the curriculum and was entering the four-year long
professional phase of the pharmacy program. Updates from
Dr. Condon follow this short article.
Preparing to Serve His People
“I always wanted to be involved in health care,” says
Condon. “I like helping people.” In 1997 after graduating
from high school in Ft. Yates on the Standing Rock
Reservation, Condon went to Bismarck State College as a
pre-med student. By the time he transferred to the North
Dakota State University (NDSU) in 2002, he had decided on a
career in pharmacy.
“NDSU is primarily a white school. NAPP
[Native Americans in Pharmacy
Program] helped me
get involved with other Natives and with the school.
They let you know what you need to do for your future. I
like the fact that the NAPP monthly meetings focus on
school and on real world issues.”
Jaclynn Davis Wallette, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa,
Coordinator of NAPP, travels to Native communities in North
Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota, recruiting students
into pharmacy. She said that Condon made a major
contribution to this effort. “He prepared a public service
announcement (PSA) designed to recruit American Indian
people into pharmacy. The PSA is played on local radio
stations so when I visit communities, I have interest from
grandmas, moms and dads of future students.
Condon took a well-earned break this summer before entering
the professional program. For the past seven summers, he
has been fighting wild fires in Oregon.
When he completes his pharmacy education, Condon would like
to work with Indian people, eventually doing a combination
of clinical work and administration. “I
have the desire to work with Indian people, especially with
my own people back on the Standing Rock Reservation,” he
says. “I feel that it will be extremely rewarding for
myself, and I want to show the young people at home that it
is okay to leave home to get an education and then come
back home to work. I feel if I can change even one person’s
viewpoint on this matter, then it will be worth all the
hard work that I put myself through.”
Advice
Condon says
there will always be jobs in pharmacy and in health care in
general. “If you really like helping people, and
particularly if you want to help other Indian people, just
stick with your math and science and accomplish what you
want to accomplish.
Once you’re in pharmacy school, Condon says, “Go to class.
Since you’re not forced to go to class, it’s easy to not
go. But it is also easy to fall behind. If you are
organized and go to classes, you’ll know what needs to be
done, and you can get your work done. Managing your time
this way will help you in the real world.”
Condon suggests, “If you’re away from home, call home every
now and then. Tell them what’s going on. Tell them your
accomplishments and your problems. Most likely you’ll get
some good advice from your immediate family For those who
don’t have that opportunity, try to talk to people who are
in good standing in your community or wherever you are
from. They’ll be plenty of good advice.
“Make as many friends as you can who are involved in school
and won’t put you down the wrong path,” continues Condon.
“In college you have to be a little more outgoing,
especially if you’re in the minority.”
The
article above was first published in the Autumn 2004 issue
of
Winds of Change. (The cover
artist is Clarrisa Hudson, Tlingit.)
Update
2010
Travis Condon writes: “I graduated from North Dakota State
University May of 2008. I passed the NAPLEX and the
Jurisprudence test the Summer of 2008. During that time I
applied for a position in McLaughlin, South
Dakota located on Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, my
home reservation. I was able to stay true to my word of
working back home for my people. I was fortunate enough
that there was a position open and I started working
September 2008.
My personal life has also been extremely busy and
rewarding. My oldest son turned 3. My middle daughter
turned 2, and my youngest daughter is 6 months old.
Needless to say my wife and I did not waste time in
producing a family. She is currently a stay-at-home mother.
which is extremely difficult but also very rewarding for
her. She's fortunate to see many of the things that I miss
while away at work, but it brings me pleasure to provide
for my family.
In the future my wife plans to utilize her psychology
degree and also work for IHS in mental health. She is also
an enrolled member of Standing Rock and it brings me great
pride that we both returned home educated and willing to
help our people.
Over the last 6-7 years I have become very involved in
all aspects of my Lakota/Dakota culture. I
participate in traditional ceremonies, and I am attempting
to not only learn the Lakota language but to preserve
it as well. I am currently a member on a design
board to start a full immersion Lakota
language school on Standing Rock.
Having a family has changed my outlook on life immensely. I
encourage all people to strive for education to better
themselves and their family, but also to take hold and
remember those values and traditions that our ancestors
fought and sacrificed themselves for. I
am very fortunate and thankful to have been
given such great opportunities in life thus far. I
believe education is an answer for many of the
problems that American Indians face today. I also believe
that there are answers and happiness in old traditions as
well. Life is what we make it and we need to take advantage
of every opportunity that crosses our path.
Update
2007
Condon is now in the final year of the pharmacy curriculum,
which focuses on clinical rotations in general adult
medicine. Students can also pursue rotations in such
specialized areas as pediatrics, family practice and
oncology. “We do nine rotations, each lasting for five
weeks,” says Condon. “I’m currently working at the
MeritCare Roger Maris Cancer Center. It is a very
educational and interesting experience.”
Condon stresses that pharmacy school is hard work. All the
teachers want you to have a handle on their areas of focus.
However, if you’re willing to challenge yourself, Condon
recommends going into a medical field. “There will always
be a need for teachers and for people in medicine,” he
says.
Since the first article was published, Condon and his wife
have become parents of a little boy. Condon is scheduled to
receive his PharmD degree in 2008.