Issue: 114 Subscribers: 11,893

Welcome Back! 🌟

Hey there, you out-of-the-box thinking fellow PharmD's.

I took a 6 week hiatus to really dive deep into what feedback you’ve given me over the past 2.5 years writing this newsletter. I’m back with a renewed focus and crystal-clear mission just for you.

For our new surge of subscribers (welcome!) To my loyal readers who’ve been here from the start, I want to share where we’re headed:

I’m laser-focused on one thing: helping PharmDs discover and leverage the incredible potential of their degree beyond traditional paths. Why? Because I’ve seen too many brilliant PharmDs feeling stuck, not because they lack options, but because they don’t know how to spot and seize them.

Is This Newsletter For You?

• Are you a PharmD wondering if there’s more to your career than traditional retail or hospital settings?
• Do you feel your skills and knowledge could be valuable elsewhere but aren’t sure where or how?
• Are you curious about how other PharmDs have successfully pivoted their careers?
• Do you want a framework for thinking about career transitions that goes beyond “just updating your resume”?
• Or, do you simply want to just do something that makes you happy and feels fun?

If you’re nodding along, you’re in exactly the right place.

*Ok, enough exposition. Let’s jump into the good stuff

Your PharmD Superpowers 🦸‍♀️

(And why they’re way cooler than you think!)

Can we have a heart-to-heart for a minute?

I see you out there, doing incredible things every day, yet somehow doubting that your skills could work anywhere else. Maybe you’re feeling stuck, thinking your only options are retail, hospital, or… well, more retail or hospital.

Trust me, I get it. I’ve been there. I worked at Walgreens for 10+ years without hope for a change.

Here’s the thing: We PharmDs have a peculiar blind spot. We’re brilliant at seeing the potential in others but terrible at recognizing our own superpowers. Why? Let me break it down:

The Great PharmD Identity Crisis 🤔

• Pharmacy school trained us to be… pharmacists. Period. Nobody talked about how our skills could translate to other roles
• We rarely see examples of PharmDs crushing it in non-traditional roles (they exist, but they’re not exactly making detailed TikToks about their career paths!)
• We’re trained to be precise and cautious - which sometimes translates to being overly cautious about our own capabilities
• We spend years focusing on pharmacy-specific tasks, making it hard to see how these skills apply elsewhere
• Let’s be honest - many of us are recovering perfectionists who need to feel 100% qualified before trying something new (sound familiar?)

But here’s what nobody told us in pharmacy school:

The Secret About Transferable Skills 🔑

Transferable skills are like your professional Swiss Army knife - they work in multiple situations, not just behind the pharmacy counter. They’re the underlying abilities that make you great at your job, stripped of their pharmacy-specific context.

Think about it this way: When you counsel a patient about their new medication, you’re not just being a pharmacist. You’re:

• Translating complex information for different audiences
• Reading non-verbal cues
• Problem-solving in real-time
• Building trust quickly
• Managing expectations
• Prioritizing information
• Ensuring compliance with regulations

BOOM! Those are transferable skills that are valuable EVERYWHERE!

Your 12 Transferrable Skills You've Secretly Had

The healthcare industry is evolving at warp speed. Companies are desperate for professionals who can:

• Understand both clinical and business aspects of healthcare
• Navigate complex regulations
• Communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders
• Make data-driven decisions
• Manage risk and ensure quality

Sound like anyone you know? (Hint: Look in the mirror!)

Now, let’s talk about those superpowers [aka transferrable skills] you’ve been hiding - and how to apply them in your work today!

1. The “Complex to Simple” Translator 🔄

Remember explaining complicated medication regimens to patients? That’s not just patient counseling - that’s the rare ability to take complex medical information and make it crystal clear for any audience.

Real-World Application Tip: Start creating brief summaries of complex clinical guidelines or new drug information for different audiences (patients, healthcare providers, administrators). Save these - they’re portfolio gold!

2. The Risk Management Ninja 🥷

Every time you catch a drug interaction or spot a potential medication error, you’re flexing your risk assessment muscles. Companies are DYING for people who can identify problems before they happen!

Real-World Application Tip: Document your risk prevention wins. Keep a running list of near-misses you’ve caught and the potential impact prevented. Numbers speak volumes!

3. The Detail Detective 🔍

Those years of checking prescriptions didn’t just make you meticulous - they trained you to spot patterns and catch tiny details that others miss.

Real-World Application Tip: Start tracking patterns you notice in your daily work - workflow bottlenecks, common prescribing errors, or recurring patient issues. This analytical thinking is pure gold in many roles.

4. The Healthcare System Navigator 🗺️

You understand the healthcare ecosystem from ALL angles - clinical, operational, and financial.

Real-World Application Tip: Create a mind map of how different healthcare stakeholders interact in your current role. Understanding these connections is crucial for countless healthcare positions.

5. The Scientific Translator 🧬

You can read a clinical study, understand the methodology, AND explain what it means for real people.

Real-World Application Tip: Practice writing one-paragraph summaries of new clinical studies for different audiences. Serious Bonus points if you share them on LinkedIn!

6. The Multitasking Maven 🎯

Managing multiple prescriptions, phone calls, and patient consultations simultaneously? That’s high-stakes project management in disguise!

Real-World Application Tip: Start using project management terms to describe your work. It’s not “filling prescriptions” - it’s “managing multiple concurrent workflows while ensuring quality and compliance.”

7. The Regulatory Guru 📋

Understanding pharmacy laws and regulations has given you a superpower in compliance and regulatory affairs.

Real-World Application Tip: Stay current with healthcare regulations beyond pharmacy. Subscribe to FDA updates and healthcare policy newsletters and jot down your thoughts on where they could be improved. Being able to discuss broader healthcare regulations is invaluable.

8. The Cross-Functional Collaborator 🤝

Working with doctors, nurses, insurance companies, and patients has made you an expert at managing different stakeholders.

Real-World Application Tip: Map out your stakeholder communication strategies. How do you adapt your communication style for different audiences? This is a crucial leadership skill.

9. The Problem-Solving Pro 🧩

Every day in pharmacy is basically creative problem-solving under pressure. Insurance won’t cover a med? Patient can’t afford their prescription? You find a way.

Real-World Application Tip: Start a “solutions journal” documenting complex problems you’ve solved. Focus on your approach and thinking process, not just the outcome.

10. The Evidence-Based Decision Maker 📊

You know how to evaluate evidence, make clinical decisions, and adjust plans based on new information.

Real-World Application Tip: Practice writing brief evidence evaluations for new treatments or protocols. Focus on methodology critique and real-world applicability.

11. The Process Optimization Wizard ⚡

Those workflow improvements you made in your pharmacy? That’s operational excellence and quality improvement expertise in action!

Real-World Application Tip: Quantify your improvements! Track metrics like time saved, errors reduced, or patient satisfaction improved. Numbers tell powerful stories.

12. The Patient Experience Champion 🏆

Your understanding of the patient journey and ability to improve their experience is MASSIVE in roles focused on patient engagement and healthcare delivery.

Real-World Application Tip: Document patient journey insights and pain points you observe. This kind of front-line intelligence is incredibly valuable in healthcare innovation.

Superpower Combinations Pack Extra Punch! 💥

Ever wonder why some PharmDs seem to land amazing roles outside traditional pharmacy? They’ve figured out how to combine their superpowers! Here are some powerful combinations:

The Healthcare Innovator Stack:

• Process Optimization + Patient Experience + Problem-Solving Perfect for: Digital health companies, healthcare startups, innovation departments

The Medical Affairs Powerhouse:

• Scientific Translation + Cross-Functional Collaboration + Evidence-Based Decision Making Perfect for: Pharmaceutical companies, medical affairs roles, MSL positions

The Operations Excellence Combo:

• Detail Detective + Process Optimization + Risk Management Perfect for: Healthcare operations, quality improvement roles, consulting

The Patient Support Champion:

• Complex Translator + Problem-Solving + Healthcare System Navigator Perfect for: Patient support programs, specialty pharmacy, patient advocacy

The Strategic Advisor Blend:

• Evidence-Based Decision Making + Healthcare System Navigator + Regulatory Guru Perfect for: Healthcare consulting, strategic planning, health policy

Action Item for This Week: 🫵🏼

Pick THREE of these superpowers that you excel at. Write them down.

These are your unique strengths - start thinking about how you could use them in new and exciting ways! Go ahead and update your LinkedIn profile with these transferrable skills right now while you’re thinking about it.

Remember: Your superpowers are most powerful when combined! Think about which combinations come most naturally to you - that’s often where you’ll find your sweet spot for non-traditional roles.

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A Quick Note About Career Coaching

Let me be clear: I’m not a career coach, and that’s intentional.

Here’s why: effective career coaches champion a niche and it’s specific roles + opportunities. That is good, but not the help you need just yet. First, you have to understand the bigger picture of what is possible for your career before you start running toward a new one.

I’ve seen this in play too many times. Pharmacists are frustrated at their current job, so they take any new coaching/position that will get them outta there. They are running from a career rather than running to a career. That kind of action may give you a good, solid dopamine hit and keep you busy. But it likely won’t result in your ideal career move over time.

You FIRST need to:

• Have a clear picture of your unique aptitudes, skills, and work experience
• Understand what aspects of work you like (and what you don’t ever want to do again)
• Comprehend all potential career options that would be a good fit based on above points 1 & 2
• Dust off and own all of your transferrable skills
• Pull this all together in a clear framework + game plan for how to approach the transition yourself

I’m here to save you from expensive coaches right off the bat. We are going to focus on your specific strengths and long-term aspirations right from Day 1 together. I’m your maven of possibilities – your guide to understanding what’s out there and how your PharmD skills can open doors you might not even know exist.

I help you think differently about your career by showing you + breaking down the paths others have blazed and giving you the effective, proven tools to chart your own course.

Next Week's Issue:

We’ll dive into specific roles where these superpowers make you an absolute rockstar with real stories of PharmDs thriving in non-traditional roles (including some that might surprise you!).

Trust me, you’re going to be amazed at where these skills can take you!

Keep being awesome,

Jamie

P.S. This is just scratching the surface of what’s possible with your PharmD degree. I’m currently developing a comprehensive resource that goes much deeper as a guide + framework to leveraging your PharmD degree in unexpected ways. 🚀 Want to be the first to know when it launches? Click here to join our priority list!​

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