Advice from extraordinary pharmacists
The following pharmacists will provide expert advice and guidance for the choices and challenges you will face.
Ernest R. Anderson, Jr
Ernie is the founder of Ernest R. Anderson Consulting Inc., and consults in all aspects of pharmacy practice with health-system pharmacies. Ernie shares that there will likely be times that your values will be challenged and encourages you to carefully consider the values that are important to you and your life and stay true to them.
Roberta M. Barber
Roberta is currently the Assistant Vice President of Pharmacy Services, Virtua Health System in New Jersey. Her advice to you is that your career may take you through a winding path, but you need to find courage to move from one job to another while experiencing great joy and reward in the journey.
Barbara Schlienz Prosser
Barbara recently served as Vice President of Clinical Operations for Critical Care Systems/Accredo. Her advice is that it is never too early in your career to network. "Networking is not overrated, it is underestimated" she mentions.
Richard Caldwell
After traveling around the world, Richard has learned first-hand that pharmacists are not all that differenty worldwide, they are more much alike than not. Their goal of safe patient care is consistent no matter where he has traveled. He hopes that you are not afraid to venture out of your comfort zone, to allow yourself to evolve as a pharmacist, as a person, and to learn from everything and everyone who surrounds you.
Susan A. Cantrell
Susan is currently the Senior Vice President and Managing Director of DIA Americas with the Drug Information Association (DIA). Susan offers the following advice: "Be prepared to make tough decisions about integrating your work and personal life. Be prepared for setbacks but do not let them paralyze you when they occur. And always do your best to make sure you give equal consideration to career and personal factorswhen making career choices and deal with the guilt of missing important family events.
Bruce E. Scott
Bruce is currently the President of The CADENT Group, LLC, providing consultative services to health care businesses and he was also the former President of ASHP. His advice to young pharmacists is to find a mentor if you don't already have one because "mentors are invaluable as a sounding board, providing an objective point-of-view and direction in support of your success." When choosing your mentor make sure you feel comfortable with that person to have open and honest conversations. You need to share your most vulnerable thoughts and situations and the mentor has to provide honest feedback.
Debra S. Devereaux
Debra is the Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Services at Gorman Health Group. Her advice to a young pharmacist like yourself is to always approach life with a plan and dont just wait to see how things unfold. Also, find people who are best at what they do and ask them or allow them to be your mentor. Remembers that mentors hold up the mirror and ask if this is what you want your life to look like.
Advice to be successful in a residency
Some universal etiquette should be considered a standard method of operation for any resident. According to Crouch (2013) good hygiene is important as well as professional and neat attire. It is difficult to establish trust with patients and other healthcare professionals if the resident addresses them with unkempt hair, a shirt hanging out, and clothes that are noticeably wrinkled, even though the resident may have a wealth of knowledge to impart.
Crouch also suggest to always be humble. One should always treat all healthcare workers as collegues and with great respect and remember that both collegues and patients are people with hopes, cares and fears. Deliver thoughly researched, evidence-based recommendations in a colegial fashion, and always be well prepared for round. Do not become frustrated wirh a recommendation or care plan if is not implemented, and learn from mentors what types of issues are worth discussing more vigorously.