As part of its ongoing mission to unite the study and practice of pharmacy with the exciting opportunities of entrepreneurship and innovation, the Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center recently hosted 38 USC College of Pharmacy students at a Pharmacy innovation, Leadership and Ownership dinner.
Sponsored by AmerisourceBergen, the dinner provided students the chance to learn more about the skills required to be successful in the pharmacy industry and hear from several experts in the fields of community pharmacy, major pharmacy manufacturing and innovative pharmacy services. Speakers included Bill LaRosa, R.Ph., director of Pharmacy Ownership Services with AmerisourceBergen; John Pross, pharmacy acquisition advisor, AmerisourceBergen; Drew Hegi, loan officer, First Financial Bank; Stephanie Wise, Pharm.D., ’09, owner of Oasis Pharmacy Services; and Jarrod Tippins, Pharm.D.,’09, owner of THE Pharmacy.
Each independent community pharmacy is unique and only limited by the imagination of the owner as to the scope of services they can provide.
Julia Geith, Class of 2025, decided to attend the dinner for the chance to network with professionals involved in manufacturing.
“I learned that not every community pharmacy is the same. Some are closed-door, some do sterile compounding, some are mail-order only,” she says. “Each independent community pharmacy is unique and only limited by the imagination of the owner as to the scope of services they can provide."
Geith, who is taking part in the upcoming KPIC Business Competition connected with Pross, who volunteered to look over her team’s business plan and provide feedback. She was also able to set up a meeting with Dr. Wise to tour her pharmacy.
“Events such as this provide insight to the paths these professionals took,” she says, “and help solidify the steps we may need to take after graduation to set ourselves up for success.”
Topics: Pharm.D. Program, Business Education