Faria Chaudhry, PharmD, a 2020 graduate of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy, was named Mrs. Pakistan USA at the Miss Pakistan USA pageant August 31. Dr. Chaudhry was also named Mrs. Perfect, Mrs. People’s Choice, and Mrs. Photogenic.
Miss Pakistan USA is a pageant for Pakistani women worldwide, which seeks to promote qualities that emphasize the beauty, intelligence, culture, and heritage Pakistani women embody. Dr. Chaudhry was selected for the competition following rounds of phone and Zoom interviews.
“I think my pharmacy residency helped polish me for the U.S. pageant because we have a lot of opportunities for public speaking and extemporaneous speaking,” Dr. Chaudhry said.
Dr. Chaudhry, a Nashville native, is currently in post-graduate training for ambulatory care at St. Joseph Health System in Indiana. Though she did not have any background in pageants before the competition, she found she had the skills necessary to compete.
“I felt a little underconfident, but I knew I had a background in public speaking, and I’m actually involved in several nonprofit organizations and do a lot of medical care,” she said. “That gave me the confidence and the experience to answer questions and present myself well.”
During the preliminary round, judges from various backgrounds asked the contestants questions on politics, beliefs, and thoughts. The final round included evening wear and ethnic wear categories, as well as a talent portion, and final questioning. For her talent, Dr. Chaudhry did a traditional Pakistani dance. She said her pharmacy training, especially preparing for residency, prepared her for the challenge of the competition.
“Even in the process of applying for residencies, you’re selling yourself,” she said. “You’re spending time reflecting, figuring out who you are, what you are passionate about, what you want to complete in life, and what you have accomplished. Those were all things that were involved when I was preparing for the pageant.”
Dr. Chaudhry was inspired to enter in the pageant after seeing a previous winner, a dentist, use the platform to provide hygiene products for people in Pakistan. Dr. Chaudhry is involved with several nonprofit initiatives, including a school in Pakistan she helped open that provides remote medical care.
“I’ve been looking for an outlet where I could get more resources and networking to funnel into the things that I’m passionate about,” she said. “People have already started reaching out who have a common mission. It’s really exciting how fast everything is happening.”
She said as Mrs. Pakistan, she hopes to empower minorities and women to pursue their dreams, and she hopes to increase literacy and health in the U.S. and Pakistan.