4 minute read
Alumna Gives Back to Her Community Through Medicine
By Amy Archuleta
For Shannon Saltclah (BS 08), giving back to her community has always been the driving force and motivation to pursue a career in health care. Shannon is currently a pharmacist at Tsehootsooi Medical Center in Fort Defiance, Arizona.
Photo by Valonia Hardy
“I’ve always wanted to come back to the Navajo Reservation and give back to my people. I enjoy going to work every day knowing I’m going to educate someone about their medication and how it will benefit their health.”
Shannon grew up in northwest New Mexico. She is a member of the Navajo tribe, originally from Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, which is located on the Navajo reservation. Shannon’s mother and grandmother were major influences in her life. Her mother, a nurse practitioner, showed Shannon the passion and joy that health care can bring to one’s life. Her grandmother grew up on the reservation and never had the opportunity to attend school or learn English. Shannon remembers her grandmother telling her, “You are very lucky to have been given the opportunity to get an education. I wish I was given the same opportunity as you. Give back to your people, use your education to the fullest and make us proud.”
She chose to attend ENMU because it was close to home, has a strong science program, offered diversity, and gave her the opportunity to play college softball. Following in her mother’s medical footsteps and taking her grandmother’s advice to use her education to help others, Shannon chose to pursue a career as a pharmacist.
At ENMU, Shannon appreciated the campus atmosphere and small class sizes. She enjoyed playing softball for the Zias,working as a math tutor, and being crowned Miss Native American ENMU 2005-2006. She was able to build relationships with instructors and her classmates. “We became one big family. We studied for exams together, motivated, and encouraged each other to do our best,” Shannon recalls.
Lieutenant Shannon Saltclah in uniform. She became a Commissioned Corps officer with the United States Public Health Services in January.
Photo by Kun Shen
Of her teachers she said Dr. Manuel Varela was one of the notable professors who positively influenced her at Eastern. “I feel that his teaching style and assignments fully prepared me for pharmacy school. His upper level science courses challenged me to become a better student and gave me the confidence that I could handle coursework beyond an undergrad level. The study habits and work ethic I developed contributed to my success in pharmacy school.”
After graduating from ENMU, she went on to earn her Doctor of Pharmacy. While at UNM College of Pharmacy, she acquired additional prescriptive authority in Smoking Cessation, Emergency Contraception, and Vaccination. Working for a medical center that is part of the Indian Health Services, she knows she has opportunities to transfer to other facilities, but she feels like this is where she belongs. She enjoys thediversity that the Land of Enchantment has to offer.
Recently, Shannon went on a medical mission with 30 health care professionals to help Kenyans in need. They established clinics in rural Kenya to provide health care. The rural areas reminded her of home and brought to her attention how fortunate we are to have access to medicine in the United States. She would like to volunteer in South America soon, doing similar medical work with rural clinics.
In August 2012, Shannon had the opportunity to go on a medical mission trip to Kenya. With a team of 30 healthcare professionals, they “camped out” in rural areas and helped build clinics for the residents who otherwise would not have access to medicine.
In January, Shannon became a Commissioned Corps officer with the United States Public Health Services. She is now Lieutenant Saltclah.
