WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A STUDENT OR BRAND NEW TECHNICIAN? Be proud of your certification! If you are in a state that requires you to be licensed and/or registered be proud of that. You have worked very hard for that creden- tial of CPhT. The sky is the limit. Try different areas of pharmacy until you find the one that you love. You can always go back to school for fields such as nursing, pharmacy, or medicine or any other profession you put your mind to. You can transfer the skills acquired as a pharmacy technician to any other field or profession. WHAT IMPACT HAVE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, SUCH AS NPTA, HAD ON YOUR CAREER AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT? Professional organizations matter! It is often pro- fessional organizations that can impact and argue on behalf of its members regarding scope of prac- tice issues such as immunizations. Both pharmacists and now pharmacy technicians in many parts of the country able now able to do COVID-19 testing and administer vaccinations including the COVID-19 vac- cine. It is also great to network and meet people from across the US and around the world. You never know who might be able to help you get a job opportu- nity. I am involved with professional associations both at the technician level and pharmacist level including ASHP, NPhA, NYSCHP, PSSNY, PTEC, and of course NPTA. In the past I was involved with APhA, NCPA, and ASCP. NPTA is the reason I was able to become a CPhT. Becoming a CPhT influenced my deci- sion to become a pharmacist and launch my career.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CURRENT POSITION/CAREER.
WHAT WAS THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS YOU TOOK TO GET WHERE YOU ARE TODAY? It was a long process. I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science fromCornell University in 1999. I became a CPhT in March 2001 and maintained my certification until March 2007. I received my Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree in 2006 from the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences. I have been a registered pharmacist (RPh) since August 2006. In 2018, I simultaneously com- pleted a Comprehensive Small Business Training Program through the Urban League of Rochester and the Income Tax Training Course with H & R Block. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR TECHNICIANS WHO FEEL TRAPPED OR IN A RUT IN THEIR CURRENT POSITION? There are so many opportunities out there for pharmacy technicians! I tell my pharmacy techni- cians students this all the time. Don’t limit yourself. There is so much more out there than retail or hos- pital pharmacy. There is specialty pharmacy, compounding pharmacy, home infusion pharmacy, pharmacy technician educator and the list goes on! I am currently the Interim Director & Lead Instructor for the ASHP accredited Pharmacy Technician Program at the Rochester Educational Opportunity Center (REOC) which is a vocational school affiliated with the College at Brockport. I have been in my current role since January 2020; however I have been involved with the program since 2013. In August 2013, I began as a preceptor for the pharmacy technician students for their community pharmacy rotations. In June 2014, I joined and was an inaugural member of the Advisory Board. In August 2019, I was asked to fill in as a substitute instructor for 6 weeks while the program director was out on medical leave. I had never formally taught before and felt like it would be a good experience to have on my resume. I was asked if I could remain until the end of 2019 as a substitute instructor and I agreed. In early January 2020, the program director had to resign for medical reasons and I was promoted to my current position.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?
This will be my 23rd year in the pharmacy profes- sion and my 15th year as a pharmacist. I have done so many things and worked in a wide variety of phar- macy environments including chain pharmacy, grocery store pharmacy, independent pharmacy, and was a pharmacy consultant and compliance auditor for out- patient medical and dental surgical centers. I did a corporate pharmacy internship with Rite Aid in 2005. I owned an independent pharmacy named New Clinton Pharmacy from May 2015-November 2018. I have held leadership roles in professional associations including President and Secretary. In addition to being a phar- macy technician educator, I work part-time as a tax preparer and part-time as a COVID-19 contact tracer.
CPhT CONNECT www.pharmacy technician.org
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