Alumni Profile
Louise DiChiara Pastore, Class of 1983
Louise DiChiara Pastore is a College of Pharmacy alumnus who used her degree in pharmacy as a stepping-stone to a new career. Graduating in 1983, a time when women were beginning to become more prominent in professional pharmacy, Pastore worked as a pharmacist for three years before returning to school to become an optometrist.
“When I was in pharmacy school, I really liked healthcare, but I felt like I wanted to do something a bit different,” says Pastore. “My dad was an optometrist, and several people encouraged me to attend graduate school. I was interested in eyes, so optometry followed naturally.”
Pastore’s graduate work would help her become an accomplished optometrist and owner of Garden City Eye Care in Cranston, Rhode Island, a business started by her father, Frank DiChiara. Despite her success in optometry, Pastore appreciates the value of her preparation in pharmacy school as instrumental in her career in healthcare today. “I recommend pharmacy school to high school students who are interested in medicine but aren’t sure which field they want to go into. When you graduate from pharmacy school, you have a usable degree and you are ahead of the curve when you get to graduate school,” Pastore commented.
“If I did it all over again, I would still go to pharmacy school. I think I got a fantastic education, and I think the College of Pharmacy has a lot to offer.”
Moreover, Pastore sees pharmacists as leaders in the broadening of the philosophy behind healthcare in America. “As many healthcare professionals have acknowledged, we don’t have a healthcare system—we have a disease management system. We take care of people’s diseases, but we should also be promoting healthy living. This is a tall order for pharmacists in particular, who counsel patients as some of the most trusted professionals in the industry.”
Pastore’s philosophy is reflected in her daily approach of her work. “I like interacting with patients. Aside from being able to take care of them as a medical professional, I like to talk to them and ask about their lives. You learn from people.”
Away from the office, Pastore is a devoted mother of three. Her two daughters, Elena (12) and Christina (9,) enjoy dance and piano, while Peter (4) enjoys playing soccer. On the weekends, she enjoys heading to Narragansett with her children. “It’s my favorite part of the state, and the kids like the water.”
Chad Lamoureux, Pharmacy Student, Class of 2015