Andalusia High School alumna Belle Spurlin has spent her summers working at Bailey’s Pharmacy to prepare for pharmacy school in the fall.

What started as a way to learn about the profession of a pharmacist, turned into a job opportunity for Spurlin.

“I started working here my senior year of high school,” Spurlin said. “Then I would come back during the summers and basically all of my breaks from college to work. I was thinking that pharmacy would be a good route for me, so I called Jeff [Bailey] and asked if I could just come talk to him and it ended up turning into a job. I have been here ever since.”

As a pharmacy tech, Spurlin said that she has to work with people all day, which is the best part of her job.

“I would say that I am a people person,” Spurlin said. “So, with this job I get to see a lot of people and talk to them, which is great.”

A typical day on the job for Spurlin is coming into work at 9 a.m., and working in the front of the pharmacy.

“I work in the front a lot,” Spurlin said. “So I will check people out, flavor medicine and work a lot with the over the counter medication.”

Spurlin said that she wanted to get into pharmacy because her personality would be best for the job and since she decided to get into pharmacy, everything has fallen into place.

“I decided one day that my personality would fit the profession,” Spurlin said. “And ever since I decided that, it just felt right. I got the job at Bailey’s, when I went to South Alabama I got into a pre-pharmacy association and then I applied to the school that I wanted to go to the most and got accepted. It has really been a God thing.”

She truly believes that South Alabama prepared her to do her best at pharmacy school.

“I had the greatest teachers and I think that I am very prepared,” Spurlin said. “I love South so much, and I am always wanting people to go to South and experience the phenomenal community.”

In the fall, Spurlin will start taking classes at the McWhorter School of Pharmacy at Samford University.

“I chose Samford because it is a Christian university,” Spurlin said. “They teach fundamentals of pharmacy through Christian values and I loved that.”

Spurlin is also a recipient of the Andalusia Hospital Foundation Scholarship.

“I am very honored to be a recipient of this scholarship,” Spurlin said. “It will help in so many ways and I am very grateful.”

For kids looking to get into pharmacy, Spurlin said that working at a pharmacy during the summers is a great way to learn.

“I definitely recommend it, especially if it is something that they are interested in considering as a profession,” Spurlin said. “Even if they are just shadowing, you don’t know for sure until you get behind the counter.”

Spurlin is the daughter of Bill and Charlotte Spurlin.