University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Golden Eagle Alumni in Healthcare Spotlight: Cody Tawater
5/1/2020 8:00:00 AM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Southern Miss Athletics is thankful for healthcare personnel serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. This serves as the first installment of features with former athletes who are in the medical field. Today's spotlight is on Cody Tawater, who lettered as a long snapper for the Golden Eagles from 2007-09.
Tawater, a native of Philadelphia, Miss., was an Honorable Mention All-Conference USA performer as a junior in 2008 before earning Second Team honors as a senior.Â
When did you realize you wanted to enter the healthcare field?
"I was always good with science in school and knew I wanted to be in that realm. When I got my chemistry degree at Southern Miss, I knew I didn't want to be in a lab 12-18 hours per day. Usually in that case, healthcare is the way to go. I wasn't a fan of blood either. I had some experience with pharmacists and owned a pharmacy. It seemed like an interesting career, and after school with some odds-and-ends jobs, I was a pharmacy technician for a little while and enjoyed it. A couple of years later, I went into pharmacy school."
How has the pandemic changed, if at all, your daily routines?
"I'm definitely more cautious. I have a 2-year-old and 6-month-old, so I worry about them and their health. Where they go to daycare is currently closed down, so that's a bit of a strain. Thankfully I have a good support system around here. We're still seeing a good bit of patients, but it's slower with people not going anywhere. I still do the same thing, but I'm more cautious at home and work with masks and keeping surfaces clean while not exposing anyone to anything. It's definitely a difference, but we're mostly drive-thru anyways.
"I work in an independently-owned chain, Chris' Pharmacy, which has a few locations in Columbus. We're pretty busy. One of my biggest fear was realized when my youngest was infected. Thankfully she's out of it now after testing positive close to a month ago, but she wasn't very symptomatic and tested negative a week ago. She's tough. One saving grace is it doesn't affect children like it would the elderly."
How often have you been able to come back to Hattiesburg for games?
"I've come to some games. I keep up with the team. It was good to see Coach [Jay] Hopson come back because he was there a couple of years and I was a big fan of his. I like to see where the program is going."
What is some advice you would give to people handling the matter at this time?
"I would say to always be mindful. You never know what people are going through in tough times, losing jobs and trying to make ends meet. You try staying as vigilant as possible, and it's a strange virus in that it doesn't show up for so many days. Take care of your family. I see a lot of people not going by what people say to do. I see it from both sides, but you have to be mindful of children and the elderly. Nothing like this has happened in our lifetime, and now we have to be prepared for it. All the nurses I speak to I have great respect for. Pharmacists are very accessible, but nurses are the ones who see the sickest people the most. Even people who have to work in the offices have to be careful too."
For those not familiar with the pharmaceutical world, how would you best summarize your profession?
"A lot of people don't know that pharmacists are wide-ranging. We're in hospitals, research, everywhere. There are so many ways we can do it, mail and retail. I interact with the community, and when I get to work and open up I have patients for refills, antibiotics, steroids, I fill and counsel them. If they don't have a refill, I call the doctor to keep on track and be mindful of any drug interactions and make sure it's not gonna affect them, such as blood thinners. Thankfully, I had a good education. I equate it to being a long snapper where nobody knows who you are until you mess up. Just do your job. I love what I do and met my wife in school. Who knows where I'd be if I didn't choose this."
