October is American Pharmacists Month – a great time to recognize pharmacists, pharmacy teams, and student pharmacists for the special role they play in helping Americans live healthy lives. Celebrate American Pharmacists Month on social by tagging your messages, photos, activities, and articles with #NACDSonPharmacistsMonth.
NACDS SVP Christie Boutte Provides Personal Pharmacy Insights This Month:
Watch Revolving NACDS Pharmacist Staff Quotes Celebrating the Month:
“Growing up seeing my mother’s love and passion for pharmacy really guided me into pursuing a profession that is truly about helping people. So to now be able to advocate for pharmacies that have been on the frontlines of the pandemic, accessible and open from the beginning, is a great honor. Now more than ever, I am proud to be part of a profession that has leveraged the expanded flexibilities granted throughout the pandemic and made themselves more readily available for the American public.”
“One’s past creates one’s future. The son of a blue-collar family with an asthmatic mom, I was in the corner drug store a lot as a boy. The pharmacist, always kind and friendly, helped me with science projects, and was empathetic and helpful to my mom. He was a hero in my eyes. I often recall why I went to pharmacy school and why I have stayed in varying pharmacy roles for 42 years: to help people. I still seek opportunities to volunteer as a vaccinator while performing my advocacy role to support pharmacy heroes who are responding to patients’ needs during the pandemic. Pharmacists don’t just happen; their pasts mold them and their futures are bright. Pharmacists did not just become heroes…they always have been someone’s hero.”
“Up until a few years ago, I honestly never thought I would be working in this space. My dream was always to work in healthcare, but never really knew what I wanted to do or how I could make the kind of impact I’ve always wanted to see. Being from an underserved community, all my goals and aspirations surrounded the need to shed a light on equality. Once I found pharmacy, I knew this was the way forward to tackle one of the most crucial topics in our country: health equity. As the face of neighborhood healthcare, pharmacists carry a responsibility and provide essential access for the community that other providers don’t. Through advocacy and resilience, the world is starting to see just how necessary pharmacies are, and always have been.”
“Like many in the pharmacy community, I chose to become a pharmacist because I wanted to help people. I treasured my time practicing in the pharmacy and helping one patient at a time. When I shifted that experience to advocate on pro-patient and pro-pharmacy public policy across the US, I quickly realized I also have the unique opportunity to promote patient public health and wellness across communities. I truly cherish my current role, including others in this path to engagement and speaking for those in need.”
“The Oath of a pharmacist begins with promising devotion to a lifetime of service to others through the profession, and further includes embracing and advocating for changes that improve patient care. Through my work at NACDS, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to advocate for changes that make meaningful differences in community healthcare delivery, with patient care at the heart of our efforts. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacy staff all across the country have taken care of their communities in unprecedented ways, and I’m honored to support their ongoing, heroic work.”
“It has been very rewarding to work for and support the work of my fellow chain pharmacists over the past 30+ years, including six years providing direct patient care as a practicing pharmacist. As a veteran advocate for chain pharmacy, I am especially proud of the progress our profession has made in demonstrating our unique and unsurpassed value in improving the health and lives of the friends, families, and neighbors that we care for.”
