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But when she became a junior, something inside her sparked to life. \u201cI had to take chemistry in high school, and I fell in love with it. Scott Hrouda, the chemistry teacher at Cascade, prepared me and helped me excel in college chemistry courses. I was interested in going into the medical field. So one day, it was like a light bulb went off. I thought, \u2018Why don\u2019t I become a pharmacist?\u2019 This field would allow me to continue learning chemistry and work in health care.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though she no longer worked for MTPS and instead worked for Kroger, she finally knew what her calling was. \u201cAfter graduating high school, I went to Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. I wanted to attend a school where I could complete prerequisites and attend pharmacy school. Union has a six-year pharmacy track that includes two years of undergraduate prerequisites and four years of pharmacy school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During her first semester at Union, doctors diagnosed Valleroy with an autoimmune condition. She shared her experience with Student Pharmacists Magazine, and in July 2024, her article \u201cLearning to Be a Patient While Learning to Be a Pharmacist\u201d was published.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPharmacy school was a constant battle of trying to juggle what felt like more than I could handle, but thankfully, I was able to make it out the other side. While at Union, we were always told to begin with the end in mind. I tried to make that a priority.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During times when doubts crept in, school assignments piled higher, and her physical health was uncertain, she clung to her faith and her ever-supportive family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere were so many moments that God reminded me that He is always faithful, and my family was always a constant encouragement,\u201d Valleroy said. \u201cWhile in pharmacy school, one of my friends introduced me to my husband, Noah. We got married in September of last year. He has been one of my biggest supporters. I graduated from Union in May, and we moved back to Middle Tennessee with our cat, Daisy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When Valleroy returned to MTPS as an adult, her dreams came full circle. That little girl who had once been afraid to dream hung her diploma above the same counter she used to clean in high school. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt feels so surreal to be back. The pharmacy carries so many memories. Not only from my time there as a pharmacy assistant, but also from when I spent many afternoons there after school with my mom. It really feels like coming back home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n MTPS provides pharmaceutical ser- vices to nursing homes, assisted living facilities, group homes for special needs patients, and hospice facilities. Valleroy said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe most rewarding part is knowing I am helping some of the most vulnerable people. Pharmacy school gave me the confidence and knowledge to advocate for my patients. Whether by speaking with the patient\u2019s doctor about proper medication usage or with the patient\u2019s insurance about medication copays, patients need someone to fight in their corner and ensure they are the healthiest they can be.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Valleroy advocates for patients whose charts cross her desk and for those who work alongside her in pharmaceuticals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDuring my time in pharmacy school, I was able to meet with our state legislators to advocate for law changes to help protect pharmacies and pharmacy employees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With every patient she serves, Valleroy shows that the future of health care is in capable, compassionate hands. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" WHEN MELONIE Valleroy entered second grade, her mom started a job as a pharmacy technician at Middle Tennessee Pharmacy Services (MTPS), so Valleroy often spent time there after school and during summer breaks. When Valleroy became a freshman at Cascade High School, her mom was a supervisor, so she begged her to hire her as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":24177,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24176","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/shelbyville\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/Story-1-photo1-1-1024x683.jpg\")