What is the best part about being an independent pharmacist?

The best part about being a pharmacist is being a reliable, convenient and compassionate resource for the patients in our community for their day-to-day medication questions, vaccinations, medication therapy management and all the other services we offer our patients on a walk-in basis.

What advice would you give to women who would also like to pursue a career in pharmacy?

Trust in yourself, your knowledge and your training. Confidence is acquired through experience. Pay attention to those who have been there before you. Listen closely to what they say and how they interact with other healthcare workers and their patients.

Always listen to your patients. Be sympathetic and understanding, but remember to hold firm to your decisions. Your most important role is making proper decisions. Compile all the information you’ve gathered from experience and interactions, then put your best foot forward to make educated decisions to ensure respect and a successful career. Most importantly, be happy and love what you do. Find a healthy work/home balance. Life is too short to have regrets.

How do you mentor or support other females in your community?

I serve in multiple advanced roles at Topeka Pharmacy, each providing a new opportunity to support and empower other women. As a clinical pharmacist, I work alongside women with the patience to listen, the drive to learn and the determination to serve as patient advocates. I have seen the stamina of a working mother, the grace of a patient who has chosen a good attitude despite disease, the determination of a leader, the sacrifice of a team member who puts their own desires aside to get the job done. This symbiotic relationship empowers women of different disciplines to come together to
change the face of pharmacy.

As a Residency Program Coordinator and Advance Pharmacy Practice Experience Preceptor, I get to teach residents and students from multiple colleges of pharmacy. Most learners, especially women, are smart and capable but often lack confidence. I focus on their strengths and empower them to utilize those strengths to accomplish their goals. I am forever telling my students that their personal and professional goals are important and achievable. We discuss work-life balance, preventing burnout and leadership traits such as service, humility, communication skills and collaboration. We discuss the reality of being a great mother and pharmacist. The reality of having an advanced career and a good work-life balance. The importance of fun and travel and pursuing the little things that contribute to life happiness, so they may go into the workplace and have the stamina to advance the profession of pharmacy.

As a female pharmacist, I’d like to encourage all women in pharmacy by saying that you are capable of being the change-maker. No matter your role, you can lead the healthcare team towards a greater future; one where women in pharmacy fulfill a great need for our overwhelmed healthcare system by serving as providers and improving patient outcomes. Get out there and prove yourself!