Dispense compassion, not judgment

You may not give a second thought as you dispense an antihypertensive medication to an elderly patient. It makes sense, nothing out of the ordinary. But what goes through your mind, however briefly, when a woman asks for emergency contraception? When a gentleman cannot afford his opioid replacement therapy? When a young man presents a new prescription for an antiretroviral? When a mother is taking multiple antipsychotics? When an individual begins their gender transitioning process and asks about the adverse effects of their hormone replacement therapy? 

I trust that the majority of you will maintain your professionalism and deliver the care these patients need. However, on a deeper level, some of these situations might make you uncomfortable. Our minds become defensive whenever we are uneasy and attempt to restore normalcy.  If we allow our judgments and preconceived notions to go unchecked, we can unintentionally create a barrier between us and patients, the people whom we took an oath to care for.

Learn the soft skills

When I began pharmacy school, I anticipated that my learning would be consumed by medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and pathophysiology. By the end of my first semester, I realized there is much more to being a pharmacist than carrying the title of “medication expert.” Effective communication and emotional intelligence are just as important as clinical knowledge for delivering the best care possible. These soft skills are difficult to teach in the classroom and require student pharmacists and pharmacists to dedicate time and effort to evolving into their best selves. 

Here are a few suggestions to help on this journey. 

Assume nothing and question judgments. We may use assumptions and judgments as time-saving measures. When we are presented with a new situation, we use our past experiences to quickly fill in gaps and adapt. Unfortunately, if we do not take the time to uncover the truth, important details about patients can fall through these gaps. We should ask ourselves, “Is this really my opinion or is this society’s belief?” If we want to learn to be better individuals, we must unlearn the stereotypes and misrepresentations that pervade the culture. 

Be present. Listen to what the patient is saying. This sounds simple, but we sometimes tune out someone to start formulating a response. It is easy to generalize a patient’s problem and give standard “cookie cutter” advice. A conversation with a patient should be a two-way dialogue in which your mind remains open and alert. Each patient is dealing with specific circumstances and should not be compared with another. High quality care is individualized—our advice and recommendations must complement a person’s unique situation.  

Place yourself in their shoes. We can never truly comprehend someone else’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences. However, a key to empathy is to view another’s situation with compassion. Ask yourself, “What is this person dealing with? What have they learned or been told? What support do they have?” We do not need to agree with or condone their decisions, but if we arrive at a place of mutual understanding, then we can hopefully have a productive dialogue and successfully move forward.

Seek out new experiences. Ignorance is a catalyst for fear, judgment, and hate. We can gain perspective by educating ourselves and having first-hand experiences. We should pursue internships and rotations outside of our comfort zones and place ourselves in communities that are different than our own. When we become new practitioners, we should donate our time to specialty, minority-population, or low-income clinics; develop relationships with community leaders; and talk to officials in the criminal justice system. If we share our knowledge and abilities beyond the walls of the pharmacy, everyone will benefit. 

Be a guide

At the end of the day, the patient is in the driver’s seat of his or her own life. The pharmacist’s job is to simply be a guide. We are not dispensers of moral judgment. Society has assumed that role and excels at it. When patients seek our care, we must meet them with compassion and empathy if we truly hope to relieve their suffering. I kindly ask you to take a moment and reflect on where there are barriers in your mind. 

If we each make an effort to grow and learn, then pharmacies, communities, and eventually the world, will all be better places. (Disclaimer: I am not pretending to be a paragon of virtue. I am human, too.)

Andrew Smith is a third-year PharmD candidate at the Purdue University College of Pharmacy.