Hugo Aguilar, PharmD ’20 : Lightening the load for future pharmacists

At Your Service

As an oncology pharmacist, Aguilar supports patients and their families through harrowing experiences. But he is just as dedicated to another role: mentoring budding pharmacists. While at UCSF, he helped sustain First Generation to College (FG2C), a UCSF organization that has connected 160 students with resources and professional mentors in their chosen fields since 2018. Once a student participant in FG2C, Aguilar now offers informed advice to aspiring first-generation pharmacists. “I see the value of passing on my knowledge and my experience to others,” he says. “If it’ll lighten their load and help their path become a little clearer, I’m all for that.”

A Dream Deferred

Aguilar’s own career goal was clear from the time he got a summer job in high school as a pharmacy clerk. But as the first person in his family to seek higher education, the path to his goal was less clear. He was accepted into a degree program right out of high school but joined the Marines instead. “At the time, I had the fear that I wouldn’t make it – I wouldn’t complete it,” he says. After a four-year tour, he completed college in San Diego before heading to UCSF to achieve his long-held vision. He credits his success to support and guidance from mentors along the way.

Without a Map

“The whole path was a scary unknown, always having imposter syndrome hanging over my head – not knowing, not hearing firsthand from close relations how things would go. I was always bracing myself for the unknown, every step of the way. I learned early on: Seek mentorship.”

– Kira Goldenberg for UCSF Magazine