1. Where/when did you graduate?
2007 University of Sydney
2. What has been your career journey so far?
It’s been great. Intern year at a compounding pharmacy in Sydney CBD. Wanted a leadership role at a time of "pharmacist oversupply" - which is really a maldistribution so went rural. Pharmacist in Charge of a pharmacy in Orange NSW which grew significantly. Teaching at Charles Sturt University. Tried corporate and became Network Pharmacist of the Lion Retail Management Group. Then thought I would like to try something different again which lead to Deputy Director of Orange Hospital. Got to act as Director and Business Manager of the hospital.
Then ECP National Board director PSA and currently pharmacist/Owner of Priceline Pharmacy Maryborough. Have done my HMR accreditation through AACP. Have done locuming throughout across NSW, WA and VIC. Courses through Australian Institute of Management. 2014 PSA ECP Pharmacist of the Year 2014 and 2015 Managing QCPP Pharmacy of the Year Business Management (PL Springwood and PL Bourke St Mall). Lots of conferences including FIP in Argentina, speaking spots at conferences like PSA and NAPSA - lots of fun!
3. What more do you want to achieve in the future?
Keep working on my career mission - building better pharmacies to help communities. Would love to keep teaching students and mentoring ECPs. Would like to innovate services in my pharmacy and continue to support rural communities.
4. What advice would you give to students?
Get a mentor, be a mentor! Locum! Ask questions. Seek knowledge outside the profession. Attend conferences and network. Work out what your career mission is and you values and make decisions about your employment and career path that aligns with them.
5. What is your favourite thing about pharmacy/your job?
Helping patients achieve tangible outcomes. Helping my team improve in efficiencies and culture. Celebrating!
6. Were you involved with the National Australian Pharmacy Students' Association (NAPSA) and/or your local branch?
a. What benefit did this have?
I wasn’t really involved in SUPA at the time as I was part of the new Masters course so we were finding our feet. But I have more recently been involved in NAPSA and I think the national network of future pharmacists is very impressive. I wish I was going through Uni now! A very motivated group of future pharmacists with an infectious zest for pharmacy - I would encourage all students to get involved and inflate their pharma-balloon.
7. Would you ever consider leaving the profession?
Nope - I do get pharma-fatigue and need a realignment every now and then, but I’d rather harness my constructive discontent and see what can be improved.
8. What challenges have you faced?
Too many to write in an email! Difficulties with employers, with employees, with patients, with collaboration, with allied health. Pharmacy is a treadmill - you have to keep up or fall flat on your face! Luckily if you do, someone can unplug the machine, you can have a drink of water and then get back on.
a. How have you overcome them?
Drawing on my network of mentors and advice givers to work out my options and best execution, making mistakes has been imperative to getting it right in the future.
9. How has your perception of pharmacy changed since you were a student?
Yes - I love it more now. I feel like the most opportunity for innovation is now. The most impact on our ageing and vulnerable populations is more important now than ever. To look after our citizens, particularly rurally is super important too as the corporatisation
