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Elizabeth A. DeGiglio Girard CDR USPHS,
Consumer Safety Officer at the FDA Southwest Import District in San Diego, CA
B.S. in Pharmacology from St. John's University

Q: Tell me a little bit about the path you took to get from college to where you are today.

A: Before I graduated college with a B.S. in pharmacology from St. John's University in Queens, New York, a fellow classmate shared his IHS (Indian Health Service) COSTEP (Commissioned Officer Student Externship Program) experience with me and I became intrigued. After applying and interviewing for a position with the Phoenix Indian Medical Center (PIMC) I decided to take a staff position at PIMC in Arizona in August of 1993. Initially, my intentions were to just work two years and return to New York, but I loved the job and the population so much, I ended up staying for nearly 10 years. I married in 2001 and followed my Navy spouse to San Diego. Unfortunately, I had to inactivate my commission with the IHS, as there were no positions available for me to transfer into. In 2002 the FDA had a massive hiring wave and I was able to secure a position with the FDA Office of Regulatory Affairs in Otay Mesa, California as a Consumer Safety Officer working in Import Operations.

Q: Please describe a "typical workday" for you:

A: Commodity brokers declare data, electronically, through Customs to the FDA. I conduct electronic entry review and determine if those commodities are safe for consumption. I arrange to conduct field exams and collect samples, for specific program areas which cover those commodities. For instance, the FDA has programs to collect surveillance samples of food and cosmetics to screen for microbial contamination. I have collected produce, avocado pulp, and even mascara to be analyzed by our laboratories for pathogenic organisms.

I assist in new hire training for (CBP) Customs & Border Protection Agents, to teach them what we (the FDA) do here at the border. Since our office is housed with CBP, and our work load relies heavily on coordination, it is important for CBP and the FDA to have a symbiotic relationship.

I assist in coordinating in-services to the brokerage community, to facilitate information exchange.

Q: What kinds of interactions do you have with people during the day?

A: I work at a commercial port of entry where other government agencies such as Fish & Wildlife, Customs Agriculture and even Customs special agents work. We communicate issues relative to problem importers, commodities, etc. I speak with brokers regularly to secure entries of different commodities for inspection and sample collection.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?

A: Finding something wrong with a commodity, before it gets into the hands of the public and causes harm.

Q: Can you think of any particular positive experiences you've had as a pharmacist?

A: I really loved my ambulatory care practice with the IHS. I had the chance to work with patients hands on, and help them gain a better locus of control over their diabetes. It was always great to have patients come in, weeks after an educational session, and show me how well "their sugar was doing." My Dad had diabetes and, unfortunately in the beginning, he was not educated as to how to control his disease. Years of neglect led to significant complications which plague him to this day. It broke my heart as an adult, to hear: "if someone had only told me." So I promised myself, I would be as much of a patient advocate as possible when given the opportunity.

Q: What do you enjoy the least?

A: The FDA is comprised of hard-working individuals, who have had to make do, year after year, with budget cuts and decreased resources. Sometimes, there is a perception that we are not always doing our job, like for example the Vioxx scandal. So much control seems to be handed over to the lobbyists, commerce, big industry etc. It saddens me to see how our agency, whose laws dictate our authority, is affected by the impact the lobbying community has. Our mission, first and foremost, is to protect public health.

Q: How is your current job different from other places you have worked?

A: I do not work with patients one-on-one, as I am no longer working as a pharmacist in a hospital. My science background credentialed me for my current position however, and has allowed me to make informed decisions which have the impact to effect thousands of people at a time.

Q: What advice would you give the pharmacy student entering the profession today?

A: Keep your mind open to the opportunities your skill set has opened to you. Always rank personal satisfaction first when choosing a career and don't be afraid to try something different. Consider yourself a public health advocate. Medical providers are given less and less time to examine and counsel patients, it is our duty to step up to the plate and help out where we can. If we stick together, we can impact our practice to better serve the public.

Q: Anything you think students should know about your job?

A: I have learned a lot about the inner workings of regulatory affairs. It has been very interesting to learn about all the commodities the FDA has jurisdiction over, what to look out for, problem areas, etc. I work with a great bunch of people and am proud to be a Commissioned Officer in the Public Health Service.

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