Born and raised in Mexico, University of Houston College of Pharmacy (UHCOP) Pharm.D. student Rebeca Pelayo Carvajal said she always knew she wanted to serve the Spanish-speaking community, providing comfortable counseling and representation for the underserved.
“Pharmacy spoke to me because I’m combining science with meaningful patient impact,” Pelayo Carvajal said.
Pelayo Carvajal recalled that during her pharmacy school search, Assistant Dean and Clinical Assistant Professor at the UHCOP Rio Grande Valley Pharm.D. Satellite Program Ron Ozuna, Pharm.D., BCPS, told her that UHCOP accepts only candidates that the faculty truly believe in.
“That perspective resonated with me because it reflected a culture of accountability, high expectations and mentorship,” Pelayo Carvajal said.
Addressing the Gap
One of the most pressing issues Pelayo Carvajal said she sees in pharmacy practice is the lack of accessible interpreting services in community settings. Unlike hospitals, community pharmacies may not have translators available, leaving many Spanish‑speaking patients without a full understanding of their medications, dosing schedules or potential side effects.
Pelayo Carvajal said she has seen firsthand how transformative same-language counseling can be.
“I’ve had the pleasure to directly counsel patients in Spanish, and I’ve definitely seen how much of that difference makes when communicating comfortably in their preferred language,” she said.
Being able to counsel patients in Spanish allows her to bridge a gap that has long affected health outcomes in Hispanic communities. She has also worked with faculty at UH who recognize this gap and are actively learning Spanish to better serve their patients.
“Regardless of their background, they are still making an effort to learn Spanish because they understand that if you can communicate effectively with patients, you improve the understanding of the medication and the adherence that comes with better patient health outcomes,” Pelayo Carvajal said.
Making A Difference
During her time working in community pharmacy, Pelayo Carvajal recalls a memorable counseling session sparked by a Spanish-speaking patient picking up an antibiotic. When Pelayo Carvajal noticed a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) prescription in his profile, which is usually used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), he insisted he didn’t have GERD and didn’t want the medication. She set it aside — until she reviewed the rest of his prescriptions: metronidazole, tetracycline and Pepto‑Bismol.
Together, they formed an H. pylori quadruple therapy regimen, the first-line treatment for stomach bacteria that often causes chronic inflammation, peptic ulcers and increases the risk of stomach cancer.
That’s when she paused the interaction and explained the purpose of each medication, something the patient’s provider had not done.
“Since I was able to counsel him in Spanish and explain that full regimen, we were able to prevent not only potential partial therapy, but also misuse of these medications,” Pelayo Carvajal said.
Beyond Patient Care
As 2025-26 UHCOP Phi Lambda Sigma (PLS) Upsilon Chapter president, Pelayo Carvajal is working with her executive board to present a series of workshops under the theme of “Leading with Intent” to help students develop leadership competency and recognize their ability to influence the health care profession.
In addition to her role in PLS, Pelayo Carvajal serves as the director of communications for the Industry Pharmacists Organization, fundraising chair for the Never Generic Podcast and co-founding senior chair for Operación Farmacia, a local patient care initiative of the American Pharmacists Association–Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP). Through her active involvement in APhA-ASP, she earned the Sam Kalman Scholarship from the APhA Foundation — one of only 28 scholarships nationwide.
“This recognition is just a reinforcement of the set efforts I’ve put into leadership, service and advancing patient care as I work to make an impact in my local community,” she said.
Shaping Her Clinical Future
After graduation, Pelayo Carvajal said she wants to pursue either fellowship or residency to continue developing her clinical foundation.
“Whether that be through direct clinical practice, research or contributing to the development and optimization of therapies, my goal is to still feel very much connected to the patient perspective in whatever role I pursue,” Pelayo Carvajal said.
She said she emphasizes a key skill every pharmacy student should have.
“Adaptability is such an important skill and being able to adjust your message to detail, tone and delivery does help ensure that the message will resonate with the patient,” Pelayo Carvajal said.
For Pelayo Carvajal, pharmacy is more than a profession — it’s a way to uplift her community and ensure that every patient, regardless of language, feels seen and understood.