By Kheang Long, Bravo Medical Magnet

Who: Dr. Ronald L. Alkana, Pharm. D., Ph. D., is professor of Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Assistant Dean at USC School of Pharmacy. His research investigates the mechanisms and sites of action of ethanol and other drugs that act on the brain.

Education: I went to UCLA, majored in Pre-Pharmacy, and later went to USC. I received my Ph. D. at UC Irvine.

Money Paid for School: This was a long time ago so I didn’t spend very much at all. A college education wasn’t as expensive as it is today. For example, at UCLA, classes had cost $75 a semester. When I went to USC, I got a job as a teaching assistant. The fees as SC were between $250 and $300 a year.

Fun? I had a good time at UCLA. I arranged my schedule to do my favorite sport—surfing—work, and go to school.

What is your schedule like? I get up between 4 and 5 a.m. to do household work until 7 or 8 p.m. I take some time to jog and exercise. Then go to work and go home between 6:30 and 8. At home I read or do family stuff.

Experience needed: You have to accomplish certain things in addition to teaching. You have to develop a research program at the international level and have service for the community. As a dean, you must have the ability to handle administrative tasks.

How did you become interested in your career? As I completed my pharmacy degree, I became interested in how drugs worked as opposed to how you used them. That’s how I became interested in research.

Likes/dislikes: My least favorite part of the job are the frustrations of road blocks that get in the way. My favorite part is teaching and the excitement of research and doing new things. As assistant dean, I gain satisfaction from helping others choose their careers.

Salary: Salary varies a lot for people in my position. You can get a lot and not much at all. Let’s say between $80,000 and $150,000 a year.

Most interesting experience: The couple of times when experiments didn’t work and gave unexpected results, which in turn opened new areas for us to study and new directions to take.

How much pressure is in your job? Lots. There’s pressure to get grant money and many deadlines you have to meet.

Social life? Research is fun. It’s not like you have to stop work to have fun.