How did you get started in pharmacy?
I started working in Priceline in Tasmania over 18 years ago, and it wasn’t really until Priceline started branching into Pharmacy about ten years ago that I even considered a career in pharmacy.
I really didn’t know anything about the industry, but it seemed like a very logical step to move into Tasmania’s largest and busiest Priceline and really challenge myself. Now I am the retail manager and I really have enjoyed all the experiences and challenges that have come with working in community pharmacy.
What qualifications do you have?
I’ve completed my S2/S3 Certificate through the Guild in Tasmania.
How do you think training has benefited you in your career?
Priceline obviously started in the realm of retail and branched into pharmacy, so I felt my skills were always very retail based. Throughout my career, I always had someone to call on for knowledge and advice for pharmacy queries, but it wasn’t until those people left that I realised I needed to expand my own knowledge and learning. Completing my S2/S3 training really gave me the confidence I needed in pharmacy.
Tell us about your PATY experience so far?
My experience in PATY so far has been interesting, because I was nominated anonymously, and I still don’t know by who! I wasn’t really sure about the process, and I didn’t really know much about PATY. When I did receive the nomination, I wasn’t really sure if I should go ahead with the competition, and it wasn’t until I asked the owner here, and he gave me the confidence and encouragement to go ahead, that I decided to answer the questions and give it a go!
Priceline does a lot of training with us, so the questions covered in the workshop really aligned with what I’ve learnt in my career. Going from being nominated, to becoming a finalist – I was really surprised, and I felt like there would have been a lot more talent out there than me!
I also thought the workshop might be more focused on product knowledge, but it was more about customer service and the basics which I enjoyed.
What were you most apprehensive about?
I was worried I would fail and be completely shown up in the workshop. I suppose I didn’t really know what to expect.
I have had great success during my 18 years at Priceline – I won the retail manager of the year in Victoria and Tasmania and have been a manager for 15 years – but I felt really out of my depth going into PATY!
What were you most excited for?
I always get a lot from being out of the store, whether you’re in a workshop and talking to different people in the industry. It gets you into an environment where you can see and hear what other people have to say. It’s always exciting to continue your training and learning from others.
Would you encourage others to participate in PATY in the future? Why?
Something that I noticed in the workshop was this idea, or feeling that we’re “just” pharmacy assistants. The workshop really made me understand the importance of our role in the industry and the healthcare community, which really contributed to my confidence.
What have you gained from PATY so far?
I’ve definitely gained more confidence in my ability as a pharmacy assistant. Initially, I felt like I wasn’t really worthy of this process, that I wasn’t really doing anything worth celebrating, but that feeling is definitely not there anymore!
Being a pharmacy assistant is not just about offering a basic level of customer service, it’s a team effort and it’s really about helping people at the end of the day. Being a pharmacy assistant is very multidimensional and I’m really proud to be apart of it.
What do you hope to achieve?
I certainly don’t expect to win, that’s for sure! I’m just really happy to be involved! I guess I hope to just grow personally and professionally. The knowledge that I have gotten out of this experience so far has been great!
What would you like to see change in pharmacy?
I don’t want the industry to lose sight of what a pharmacy is about. Pharmacy is about assisting our customers as much as we can and moving the emphasis onto services.
I think this is a big challenge facing the industry. Our customers are feeling like we’re trying to sell to them, when in fact we’re just there to make their life better and improve their health. We are healthcare professionals and I think we need to move that more into focus.
What do you love about pharmacy?
I love the customer service aspect of pharmacy. I realised very quickly when I left pharmacy to work in a retail store, that pharmacy is a very compassionate industry. You don’t treat people like dollars passing through the registers and that’s something I noticed really quickly. I enjoy that emotional connection that you get in the pharmacy industry. I get the sense that everyone who works in our store really wants to be there and really wants to help our customers.
I also just wanted to thank everyone that I work with, and I really couldn’t do it without them and I would be nothing without their support.