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Celebrating women in pharmacy

By AmerisourceBergen

In honor of Women’s History Month, we asked four female pharmacists to share insights about their pharmacy careers

Nikki Adams Bryant

Adams Family Pharmacy
Cuthbert & Preston, GA

What advice would you give to women who would also like to pursue a career in pharmacy?
This industry, like many others, is at times challenging for women because of the perception that most pharmacists are men. I would encourage women not to let that mindset discourage them from pursuing a career in pharmacy, where the rewards are so great.

Greta Goldshtein

Courtyard Pharmacy
Calabasas, CA

What is the best part about being an independent pharmacist?
I am able to develop services to address the needs of the community. Unlike large corporations, I can quickly adapt to changing conditions and shift resources to manage the real-time needs of patients. I can structure my pharmacy and my time to accomplish my goals, something that I would never be able to do as an employee in a large organization. I also train my staff to be responsive to patients and provide superior service and quality care. To be responsible for patient care, I need to have the time, resources, and support, and being an independent pharmacist allows me to do that.
Approximately 61 percent of the 14,000 PharmDs earned in the United States in 2016 were earned by women. Women are especially well positioned to serve as trusted healthcare resources – particularly for fellow women, who statistics show make an average of 80 percent of the healthcare purchasing decisions for their families – and often serve as caregiver for their children, as well as aging parents.

Source: www.womenpharmacistday.com

Women currently occupy
75%
of the pharmacist workforce
versus
8%
in the 1960’s

Jane Nicholson

Mahaska Drug
Oskaloosa, IA

What inspired you to pursue the pharmacy profession?
Several people and events inspired me to become a pharmacist:
1. My hometown pharmacist when I was growing up was very kind and compassionate. He helped my family many times when one of us was sick. As a family, we went to the pharmacy every Sunday morning for cherry Cokes. I loved spending time at the soda fountain with my family.
2. When my father passed away from cancer when I was very young, I knew that I wanted to go into the health care field in some manner to help people.
3. The greatest inspiration for me to decide to become a pharmacist was my older brother Keith. He was a pharmacist and I saw his dedication to and his compassion for his customers. That was what helped me decide I wanted to become a pharmacist too. He showed me the difference he made in people’s lives by always going above and beyond to care for all of his customers.

 

Fun fact: Jane’s store, Mahaska Drug, was the 2021 Good Neighbor Pharmacy of the Year winner!

Ashley Seyfarth

Kare Drug
Bloomfield, NM

What are some ways you have developed your leadership skills in your role as a pharmacist?
I stay very active at the local, state, and national level. I sit on several boards and councils, and have presented to the state legislator numerous times. I enjoy finding new ways to improve and develop new skill sets. Leadership courses and trainings are something you have to seek out, but you can usually find at pharmacy conferences. Getting out there and not being afraid to meet new people or partake in new ventures can and will help you develop your leadership skills. Additionally, I have valued the mentors in my life and strive to soak up, watch, and learn from them.