Mega Doctor News
By Selene Rodriguez
After facing a life-threatening heart complication as a teenager and a breast cancer diagnosis in her early 20s, South Texas College alumna Crystal Zuniga turned those experiences into a career in health care and pharmacy education.
Now a faculty member at her alma mater, she uses those challenges to guide and support students preparing to enter the health care field.
“A long time ago, I had people tell me I was never going to amount to anything,” she said. “And here I stand today about to receive a doctorate degree. I didn’t let those words define me, I used them as motivation to keep going and prove to myself that I could do more, and to show my students that anything is possible.”
At only 16 years old, Zuniga, now 37, faced the first of many challenges that would ultimately define her future. During surgery for a heart condition involving an opening in the heart, doctors implanted a device to correct the issue. The device, however, was the wrong size and became dislodged, moving into a major artery.
“My parents were told to prepare for the worst, and I had to be rushed into emergency surgery,” she shared. “That moment really struck me. I started to become curious about what goes into our bodies and what medicine does to us.”
Taking that experience with her, Zuniga knew health care was the path she wanted to pursue. After graduating from high school in 2007, she enrolled at STC, where she earned an associate degree in Pharmacy Technology in 2011.
“I wanted to get into a program that would quickly allow me to graduate and start working,” she said. “I had seen my parents’ work ethic my whole life, and I wanted to be independent and start making my own money.”
She began working at several local pharmacies, gaining hands-on experience and eventually advancing into a senior pharmacy technician role. She later joined Walgreens, where she supported multiple locations across the Rio Grande Valley.
She also continued her education, earning an associate degree in Biology and later a bachelor’s degree in Health and Science Medical Management, both from STC.
It was during this time that Zuniga faced another life-changing challenge.
At 24, she received a call from her doctor informing her that multiple masses had been found in her breast, marking the beginning of her battle with breast cancer.
“I was at work when they called me. I really didn’t know how to feel, but I called my mom and I remember she was just crying,” she said. “But I was at work, and I couldn’t. As a pharmacy technician, you have people counting on you to prepare their medications correctly. Focus is important, so I pushed it aside and finished my day.”
Zuniga underwent surgery followed by treatment and regular follow-ups, all while continuing to work and attend school, an experience that deepened her understanding of the medications she once studied. Rather than slowing her down, the challenge reinforced her determination to continue her education and pursue new opportunities.
“I must say, knowing about the medications doesn’t really help because you still don’t know how your body is going to react,” she said. “I knew the side effects and what they could do to my body. I didn’t know if I was going to feel weak or look sick, so I was scared, but ultimately it was a manageable experience. After all that, even though I loved being a pharmacy technician, I still wanted more.”
A year later, she moved to San Antonio, to pursue a master’s degree in Respiratory Therapy, expanding her knowledge and gaining hands-on clinical experience. During her clinical rotations, she encountered some of the most difficult moments of patient care, including the loss of her first patient.
“It was one of the hardest experiences I’ve had,” she said. “I had to stand there and do nothing because of the patient’s wishes. That moment stayed with me, and to this day, I share that experience with my students to prepare them for the realities of patient care.”
Halfway through her two-year program, an unexpected call from a position she had applied for before moving changed her path and brought her back home.
“I had applied to teach at STC and when they offered me the job, it was an immediate yes,” she said. “I was homesick, and home was calling.”
Since 2018, Zuniga has been teaching in STC’s Pharmacy Technology program, the same place where her journey began. Drawing from both her personal and professional experiences, she now helps shape the next generation of pharmacy technicians.
“My favorite part of teaching is seeing that ‘aha’ moment when everything starts to click for students,” she said. “I also love encouraging students, especially those who don’t have support, to keep pushing forward. If they want more, go for it. Be a nurse. Be a pharmacist. Be whatever you want to be.”
While guiding students at STC, Zuniga also continued her own academic journey.
She earned a Master of Science in Health Science from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) and recently completed her Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, with a dissertation focused on the role of artificial intelligence in pharmacy education. She is set to graduate in the coming weeks.
“My drive has always come from wanting to do more, because I knew I deserved it and I worked for it, and that’s what I try to pass on to my students,” she said. “It all started when STC gave me a chance. They believed in my potential, and now I want to be that doorway for others.”
For more information on STC’s Pharmacy Technology program, visit southtexascollege.edu/academics/pharmacy/ or call 956-872-3027.
Information source: STC
