A Look into the Lives and Careers of freeCE Faculty Members: Part 2
We have hundreds of esteemed faculty members, working behind the scenes to deliver a constant flow of relevant and interesting continuing education to our learners. While they come from impressive backgrounds and hold a wealth of experience, there are some things that their bios just can’t capture.
Let’s take a moment to peek behind the curtain to give you more insight into the daily lives and careers of the people who are teaching our classes.
We asked some of our top faculty members the question:
“What do you like most about your career? What do you like the least?”
Here’s what they said:
Mark Garofoli, PharmD, MBA, BCGP, CPE, CTTS
Diversity. One of the best, or possibly worst, interview questions is “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”. Every single one of us pharmacists is a snowflake or lightning bolt, no two paths are the exact same.
Coinciding with that thought, perhaps the least appreciated aspect of a career in pharmacy is having to explain to the lay public, family, and friends what in the world you actually do. I once had a work-from-home job (well before COVID) and neighbors and friends were always baffled as to “where I put the medications” in our house! :)
Peter Kreckel, RPh
I love patient interaction; I love teaching and I love making a difference in people’s lives. Pharmacy checks all of those boxes.
Least? That is easy … I hate the insurance companies and the PBM’s. I see in healthcare that those who never interact with a patient are making all the money.
Gretchen Garofoli, PharmD, BCACP, CTTS, FAPhA:
I like helping patients, specifically by providing immunizations to them. It is always a good feeling when I am able to calm a nervous patient and then have them say that it was the best immunization they received. I still have kids who I vaccinated at a pediatric clinic go out of their way to say hi when they see me, which I consider a huge win because no kids like to receive vaccinations! When I add in student pharmacists and them having these types of experiences it is the “icing on the cake!”
What I like the least is the barriers we face when trying to do what is best for our patients, whether inadequate payment for pharmacy services or scope of practice barriers.
Joseph LaRochelle, PharmD, BCPPS, FCCP, FNAP, FPPA:
What I like most about my career in pharmacy is how diverse the field really is. Every day is different for me. I get to educate future pharmacists in the classroom and in practical applications of that knowledge. Clinical practice is also very different from day to day and it challenges me to always think outside the box. I think one of the least favorite things about pharmacy is how pharmacists are forced to work so hard and so fast sometimes without the recognition they deserve.
Donald Sullivan, RPh, PHD:
The thing I like most about my career is seeing the impact my former students are having on the profession of pharmacy, including directing how patients are being cared for by pharmacists. The thing I like least about my career is seeing how PBMs are destroying community pharmacy and their harmful patient care policies.
We hope you enjoyed these answers as much as we did. Pharmacy has its highs and lows, but we hope you agree the journey is ultimately worth it for the profound impact pharmacists have on the health and well-being of their communities.
Check out part 1 of this interview series here to see how our faculty answered the question: what is the most memorable or wild incident you can recall in your career?
