October 12, 2022
What inspired you to pursue the pharmacy profession?
I was inspired by my family to pursue pharmacy as a profession. I was always more science-minded and had considered going to medical school, but after growing up and working in our independent pharmacy, the pharmacy profession just seemed like a better fit. Not only are my immediate family members pharmacists, but I also have two uncles, an aunt, and close family friends who are pharmacists. During family gatherings, topics of conversation would inevitably turn to the pharmacy profession, and becoming a pharmacist myself felt like a comfortable path. It was a way to use science and math while focusing on direct patient care, which I also liked.
What is the best part of being an independent pharmacist?
The best part of being an independent pharmacist is being able to work for yourself. It is gratifying to be able to come up with a plan and institute it in your business. It is even better when it actually works out and you see that idea come full circle and become successful.
How have you developed your leadership skills throughout your career?
It took some time for me to feel comfortable taking on a leadership role at the pharmacy. It was hard to come right out of pharmacy school and contemplate running an entire business that had already been successful under the management of my dad and his business partner. I think it helped to take small steps along the way, doing things like introducing the idea of marketing on social media and taking on processing prescriptions for small group homes. Once those suggestions were successful, it was easier to take on bigger projects and feel confident in being a leader.
What advice would you give to other women who would like to pursue a career in pharmacy?
Women offer so much to the pharmacy profession. I never realized how much we bring to the profession until my daughter was born in 2020. You do not realize how scary it is to be a parent until you have your own child! Female pharmacists can offer such compassion to sick patients who are scared or to nervous new parents. I think the combination of being naturally empathetic and having a medical background is extremely empowering and can help so many people. This is especially important in a retail setting, where we often see patients who have trouble accessing medical care.
What inspired you to pursue the pharmacy profession?
I started working at a pharmacy during high school and became very interested in helping patients. I learned how important the relationship between a patient and their pharmacist is and knew that I wanted to pursue pharmacy.
What is the best part of being an independent pharmacist?
I love being able to see the impact I have on patients on a daily basis. We provide a variety of services for everyone, which allows me to be involved in many aspects of patient care. I also love being able to give back to the community where I grew up by supporting local events and sports teams.
How have you developed your leadership skills throughout your career?
My husband, Matt, and I bought a family-owned pharmacy from his father in 2015. Since then, we have expanded our services and moved into a new building. I handle day-to-day pharmacy operations, and my husband runs and oversees the entire business. This has allowed me to learn how to manage three or more pharmacists as well as our technicians and other members of our staff. Together, Matt and I keep the business running smoothly and continue to build and grow it every year.
What advice would you give to other women who would like to pursue a career in pharmacy?
I would encourage any woman to pursue their career of choice and continue to work toward the position in which they would like to be involved. In today’s world, you can be successful with hard work and determination. Your career path may not always be easy, but I would encourage all women to stay focused and continue to work hard for whatever it is they would like to accomplish.
What inspired you to pursue the pharmacy profession?
I have always been intrigued by healthcare professions and knew early in high school that I wanted to pursue a career in the medical field. I was able to participate in job shadowing in a variety of medical settings and really enjoyed the pharmacy context. Through those shadowing experiences, I was fortunate to meet a couple of pharmacists who provided me with an employment opportunity. I began my career in pharmacy as a senior in high school and have been in it ever since! I have been blessed to be able to work in a variety of practice settings along the way and to meet tremendous pharmacists who have always encouraged me and been wonderful mentors throughout the years.
What is the best part of being an independent pharmacist?
The best part of being an independent pharmacist is being able to spend the time I want with my patients. When I see the needs of my patients or my community, I know that I can instantly make the decision to offer a service or change our pharmacy practice to meet those needs. I do not have to wait for a corporate approval process to be able to do this. Our pharmacy team discusses the need, we decide what we can do to help, and we make it happen. We are very adaptable and willing to change our practices and operations in any way we can to move our practice and profession forward to serve the needs of our community.
How have you developed your leadership skills throughout your career?
I feel the key to personal and professional growth and development is surrounding yourself with great people and a great team. Throughout my career and life in general, I have been blessed with truly wonderful mentors and coaches who have always been willing to share their past experiences, knowledge, and wisdom with me and many others. I have also taken advantage of many opportunities to become involved with local, state, and national organizations to help educate myself in a variety of capacities. These experiences and people have really helped guide me through the years. In return, I strive to share all I have learned so that others can benefit from my experiences.
What advice would you give to other women who would like to pursue a career in pharmacy?
There are so many opportunities for anyone in pharmacy, especially women! Regardless of your age and stage of life, the pharmacy profession provides a variety of practice settings and positions within those settings to accommodate whatever you desire from a personal and professional standpoint. As our lives progress, we go through different phases, and our priorities and preferences can change. The glory of a pharmacy is that you can change and contribute as much or as little as you want. The opportunity to assist and serve our patients and communities will always continue, as will the need for quality patient care, regardless of the setting.
