I peered through the glass doors as I anxiously waited for them to open. Once they did, bold colors and personalities welcomed me into the Sam’s Club corporate world. I walked straight to the fourth floor and looked for my team in the maze of cubicles. I had no idea what to expect as a summer intern at Sam’s Club Health and Wellness in Bentonville, AR.
I never thought about learning the business side of health care or spending a summer in northwest Arkansas during my pharmacy school experience, but my time here was incredibly eye-opening. I grew more as a student pharmacist than I ever could have imagined in the classroom.
Summer-long project
I never followed a monotonous schedule. Every day was filled with meetings scheduled with buyers, innovation team experts, or managed care specialists. I was always learning something new, unveiling another pharmacy industry secret, or networking with other professionals. My entire summer project was based on increasing market sales for Sam’s Club pharmacies across the nation.
At the end of my internship I gave an hour-long presentation to the senior vice president, operations vice president, and health care vice president. They gave me insight on my summer project solution and even decided to explore certain areas I showed interest in pursuing. I did not expect my project to be as impactful as it was, but at the end of my internship, it was incredibly satisfying to know that I positively
influenced the future of pharmacy
operations.
Sage advice
Increasing market sales was not my sole focus. As an intern, I attended numerous presentations given by executive speakers. Each speaker captivated the audience effortlessly. After listening to influential people like Doug McMillon, President and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and Rosalind Brewer, CEO Sam’s Club, I realized one important fact: they all shared the same
message.
1. Be passionate. This is the driving force that propels us to accomplish things. Historically, pharmacists were not treated as members of the health care team, but with increasing opportunities in interprofessionalism, pharmacists are being integrated into the team model. It is this same fiery passion that sets the path ablaze for pharmacists to forge the path toward provider status. Pharmacists cannot be successful in this field without passion for patients and passion for the profession.
2. Do not be afraid of hard work. This is not a mystery for student pharmacists who spend countless hours studying topics like pharmacology and therapy in hopes that this knowledge will be used to better serve future patients. Student pharmacists understand how persistence can make a difference in a patient’s life. Persistence allows pharmacists to provide the best quality care, and also helps nurture and advance their pharmacy careers.
3. Adapt and diversify. Student pharmacists are like chameleons. They have the ability to adapt to any environment. This ability to adapt is necessary in a profession where treatments, patients, and diseases are constantly evolving. Tackling the future means diversifying yourself, your résumé, and your experience in order to stay ahead of the curve balls that life throws.
David Reitnauer, DPH, Vice President of Sam’s Club Health and Wellness Operations, said, “Pharmacists definitely exhibit those three traits, and I believe those traits help pharmacists grow and change. That is why pharmacists do not have to stay in one
career path because there are countless
opportunities.”
Pharmacists have developed strong character traits through strenuous years of school, which have sufficiently prepared them for the real world. They understand what hard work is and possess the intellect to be successful. Therefore, when an opportunity is presented, pharmacists should take full advantage of the possibility.
One success can open
many doors
I am grateful for this internship and the opportunity to explore new areas in the field of pharmacy. I would highly recommend to any student pharmacist who is even remotely interested in a different area of pharmacy to apply for an internship. It is an excellent way to learn more about a specific field and to network.
Never let the fear of failure hinder you from reaching your full potential. I applied to numerous internships, which means I was rejected numerous times. However, amongst the countless failures, you only need one success to open the door to infinite possibilities.