By Kara Provence
Recently, my mom offered to write me a letter of recommendation for Rho Chi, the academic pharmacy honor society that she and my dad were accepted into about 25 years ago. I had to tell my mom that, sadly, Rho Chi does not accept “legacy” members. You see, I come from a family of pharmacists—my Papaw, mom and dad, aunt, two uncles, and a cousin are all pharmacists. As I grew up in a family of pharmacists, it was assumed by many that my siblings and myself were destined to enter the profession. Before undergrad, people asked about my future career plans so much I was determined to forge my own path and not become a part of the family tradition.
Alas, here I am.
My family, my pharm-ily
When I look at my family, I see pharmacists serving patients in a myriad of ways. My Papaw is 92 years old and still goes to work every single day in a button-up shirt and tie. He opened an independent pharmacy more than 60 years ago in Millington, TN, and it is still one of the most successful independent pharmacies around. A lot of conversations I have with him are about how the profession has changed over the years. Papaw was alive when penicillin came out and now, the profession is making strides in giving immunizations, point-of-care testing, and dispensing medications to patients all under one pharmacy roof. Papaw would have never dreamt of a pharmacist being able to do what we can today. Pharmacists are able to do this because of organizations like APhA, organizations that lobby on behalf of the profession. Each of us has a voice, but together, we have more than 62,000 student pharmacists and pharmacists effecting change in the health care field.
My dad works for his own home infusion company. I remember him getting up in the middle of the night when I was younger to go to patients’ homes and change their I.V. pump batteries. Dad has one patient that he has seen every single week for more than 10 years, and has been with patients’ families through celebrations and times of need. My dad’s saying is: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Watching him work has taught me that people really do not care about what you are saying, until you start viewing and caring for them like a family member.
Where do you fit in?
Then there’s me. A third-generation student pharmacist who will be graduating in May. I am not 100% positive of my next move, but I do know I want to help people. Pharmacy gives me many different ways to do that, and through APhA–ASP, I have been able to shape my own career path. APhA allows me to see the many different career paths a pharmacist can take, and has expanded my thoughts about my family tradition.
So now it comes down to you. Where do you fit in? How will you advance the profession? Another piece of advice from my dad that I have taken to practice is: “Sometimes you have to figure out what you don’t like to figure out what you do like.” Whether you will be studying for an upcoming exam or preparing for a rotation presentation, think about what you are learning and what peaks your interest.
I encourage you to reach out to faculty at your college of pharmacy and ask about their career paths. Look to the APhA Academies for practicing pharmacists with careers that spark your interest. Ask to shadow a pharmacist in the area if they have a job you could see yourself in. Find out what you don’t like to figure out what you do like!
In kindergarten, all my classmates and I were asked: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I answered honestly: “A candy store worker!” Though the trajectory of my career has changed a tad, I am going to continue doing what makes me happy: helping other people. Next year, when I walk across the stage at graduation for a degree that I have worked so hard for, I will be hooded into the family tradition. I am excited to forge my own career in our profession and continue the family legacy in my own unique way.