Featured PILs Ambassador:
Raena Rhone, PharmD
Pharmaceutical Industry/Hospital Pharmacy Specialist
Who/what inspired you to pursue pharmacy?
My mother inspired me to pursue pharmacy. Her first role as a pharmacist was in the pharmaceutical industry and later in her career, she transitioned to community pharmacy as she yearned for direct patient care. This modeled the unique value that a pharmacist can bring to a variety of practice settings and inspired me to discover my own pathway within pharmacy.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your area of pharmacy practice?
I am in a unique residency program that allows me to explore clinical pharmacy with a focus in Oncology, academia, and the pharmaceutical industry. As I am currently in the clinical and academia portion of the residency, the most rewarding aspects are having the opportunity to serve patients directly through interventions as well as teaching and the next generation of pharmacy students.
At what moment did you realize you were a real pharmacist?
I realized I was a real pharmacist when I verified my first order, but even moreso when I caught a significant medication issue that required me to educate an attending physician about a significant drug monitoring parameter. When the physician accepted my intervention, I felt very proud to be a pharmacist.
Which prominent figure, past or present, leadership style do you admire and why?
A prominent figure that inspires me is surprisingly Billie Eilish. Though she is young and an upcoming musician, I admire her for several reasons. She is authentic which is one of the most important characteristics of a leader. Though she is so young, she is not afraid to be herself and refuses to compromise her uniqueness to fit in with the expectations of society. Furthermore, she uses her platform to speak up about important issues. She inspires me to use my platform to educate others about important issues affecting my community as well.
What particular aspect of your field/specialization do you foresee drastically changing in the next 5 years?
With the coronavirus increasing the need for telemedicine, I feel that pharmacists will play a crucial role in serving patients who may have difficulty accessing their health care providers. I feel that this will open many more doors for pharmacists to serve patients and have more autonomy as health care professionals. I also anticipate the need for pharmacists in the pharmaceutical industry to increase as there is more attention being placed on ensuring that effective medications are available for diverse patient populations.
Interview by: Chandler Schexnayder, PharmD, BCPS, CDE.
