MentorView Archives

Over time, positions and titles change, but the messages of these superbly qualified Pharmacists remain true and consistent. Please enjoy these articles as they have accrued over the years, and keep in mind that each Pharmacist interviewed is a recognized leader in Pharmacy. 

Ronald Cameron
“You have chosen a great profession. Keep diversifying, and get involved with medication therapy management. Pharmacy is a lifelong profession that you can be proud of.”

Lucinda Maine
"Clearly success is being in the position to move toward, if not achieve, your objective every day."

Bill Smith
"We have done a dismal job of trying to develop management expertise within the profession and we are paying a price for that."

Joe Oddis
"I grew up with the belief that we are here on earth for some reason and somewhere in the course of our life on earth, things are revealed to us in terms of our purpose here."

Deborah Milito
"You need to constantly challenge yourself. You will end up being a better person and professional if you do."

Shelton McBride
"If you have an opportunity to be a support person or the
president, be the president!"

Metta Lou Henderson, PhD, author of "American Women Pharmacists-Contributions to the Profession"
"I have always, of course, had a very special interest in women in pharmacy and especially in trying to answer questions that people had about them."

Dan Ashby
"Competition can be good when it helps drive a department forward, doing something better, and helping everyone succeed."

Bill Gouveia
"You need to do your best at your career; it is a lifetime of learning and developing relationships."

Joyce Generali
"Whatever your doing, give it your full attention."

Jill Sellers, PharmD
Jill Sellers interview on Audio: Time: 8:46
"The profession of pharmacy is facing a future leader drought that can be addressed...via mentoring and involvement in professional organizations."

Marianne Ivey
Marianne Ivey interview on Audio: Time: 9.50
"I think the most important thing for us as pharmacists … is helping our patients safely and effectively use medications. Our interaction with patients is critical."

Eleni Anagnostiadis
Eleni Anagnostiadis interview on Audio: Time: 13.17
"The thing I feel most strongly about as a professional is obtaining recognition for pharmacists as well as reimbursement for the patient care services they offer."

Steven Player, Pharm D.
Steven Player interview on Audio: Time: 18.47
"…always look for further development, positive development of yourself - not only in your career but in your family life and your personal life as well."

Paul Pierpaoli
Paul Pierpaoli interview on Audio: Time: 11.27
"Unquestionably, you run the risk of failure every time you start something new. If you are successful in overcoming the challenge, you build an inner strength and a level of self-confidence that allows you to meet the next challenge."

Janet Brakebill
Janet Brakebill interview on Audio: Time: 9.22
"Sometimes I will look at people as being like a bottle of 7-UP. They are full of bubbly potential, yet they have this lid on top. I try to work with them to take off that lid so they can see all the wonder they have inside of them."

Midori Kondo
Midori Kondo interview on Audio: Time: 9:13
"You can't be successful by giving up or by being intimidated. It's better to be 'a lion for a day than a sheep all your life.' You have to make your own destiny if it's something you really want."

Debbie Devereaux
Debbie Devereaux interview on Audio: Time: 9:26
"I like being a pharmacist because I always have the opportunity and the expertise to help people. Every single day, whether its with my friends, my family or in my job I have the ability to help people."

Darlene Mednick
Darlene Mednick interview on Audio: Time: 10.56
"I believe that there's really three parts to being a professional. One, you give back and improve patients' lives. Two, you give back to society as a whole. Three, if you are truly a professional, you will always give back to your profession."

Rita Shane
Rita Shane interview on Audio: Time: 10.11
"You can accomplish anything you want within this profession because the doors are opening everywhere as the demand for pharmacists increases. Find something you enjoy and try it."

Kristin Bollinger
Kristin Bollinger interview on Audio: Time: 12.51
"I think you focus on your job and what you are doing and how you are doing it. If you feel confident that you can do it, there is less of a focus on your age or your gender."

Steve Spravzoff
Steve Spravzoff's interview on Audio: Time: 40.15
"It’s important to cultivate future leadership and present people with opportunities. I feel a personal responsibility to be vested in every single employee in the department."

Amy Olin
Amy Olin's interview on Audio: Time: 21.04
"You have to balance your conversation and your objectives. Your boss is here to teach you as well as have you work for them. Approach it as if you’re going to learn from this person while working for this person. "

Steve Abel
Steve Abel's interview on Audio: Time: 14:38
"When you have the opportunity to teach somebody, teach. When you have opportunity to serve as a role model for students, take that opportunity and do your best to serve them."

Pam Ploetz
Pam Ploetz's interview on Audio: Time: 37.27
"One thing I think is really important for everybody -- regardless of where you are in your career -- is to take specific times during a year and look at who you are, what you are, what you're doing,, are you happy, why aren't you happy, and sort of do a self-assessment."

Gigi Davidson
Gigi Davidson's interview on Audio: Time: 15.33
Gigi is regularly able to attract top-flight pharmacists while often paying them up to 40 percent less than what they could command in another pharmacy setting. Obviously, money is not motivating Gigi's staff. So what is?

Patricia Kienle
Patricia Kienle's interview on Audio: Time: 27.54
"The most important thing about long-term success in pharmacy, or probably in any business, evolves around the mentoring issue. You need to know people that can point you in the right direction and network with you; people who can then send you on your way when you need that."

Sharon Enright
Sharon Enright's interview on Audio: Time: 30.02
"For me, the whole mentoring process became such a natural part of my life, it is almost continual. I don’t think there is a single phone conversation I have where I don’t either end up being the mentor or the mentee."

Sara White
Sara White's interview on Audio: Time: 30.01
"We get so involved in our jobs, that it can sometimes be very limiting. We think we are the only ones that can’t resolve a problem. Being able to talk to others and find out that they are in fact having similar problems, and then sharing strategies is important."

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Every segment of MentorView is archived at Pharmacynow.org. We encourage you to e-mail our programs to your colleagues and peers and to send us your comments to paul@pharmacynow.org.