The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast is a weekly, journey-style podcast about Ohio pharmacist Kim Newlove's career change from pharmacist to voice actor. She alternates solo shows and interview shows. The solo shows are about her career change, and the interview shows feature a variety of people who use their voices to advocate, educate, or entertain.
Interview with Tony Dao, PharmD - Pharmacist Podcasters Series Episode 5
I hope you’re having a great fall! This is an update on my personal life, my business, my podcast, and what I’ve been listening to, reading, watching, and playing (aka the fun stuff!). Thank you for listening to episode 252 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Select episode 252. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt
11/17/2023 • 31 minutes, 38 seconds
Interview with RDML Pam Schweitzer, PharmD (Ret) - Veterans Day 2023
RDML Pam Schweitzer, PharmD returns to the podcast today to talk about Veterans Day and the PBS Documentary Invisible Corps. Dr. Schweitzer was also featured in episodes 185 and 229 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast. November 11 is Veterans Day. Veterans Day is a US holiday celebrated annually to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. On Veterans Day, we thank veterans for their service. Thank you veterans! Why talk about the documentary in this episode? Because it features veterans of the United States Public Health Commissioned Corps. It fits into my Veterans Day theme. Thank you for listening to episode 251 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Select episode 251. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt #veteransday2023 #publichealthservice #publichealthservicecommissionedcorps #usphs #usphscc Bio (November 2023) Rear Admiral (RDML) Pamela Schweitzer retired in September 2018 from a four-year term as the Assistant Surgeon General and 10th Chief Pharmacist Officer of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps. As Chief Pharmacist Officer (first female in this role), Schweitzer was responsible for providing leadership and coordination of more than 1,300 PHS pharmacy officers in thirteen agencies with the Office of the Surgeon General and the Department of Health & Human Services. Schweitzer continues to support the pharmacy profession and national efforts to increase access to public health initiatives, especially in rural and underserved communities. Rear Admiral Schweitzer earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Pharmacy, completed an Ambulatory Care/Administrative Residency at University of California Irvine Medical Center. Schweitzer has been recognized for her leadership contributions, including the Surgeon General Exemplary Service Medal (2018), ASHP 2019 Distinguished Leadership Award (2019), APhA “Next 10 Women in Pharmacy,” honoree (2022), Cal State University Fullerton Vision & Visionaries Award, Distinguished Alumni (2023). Invisible Corps documentary description from https://www.pbs.org: “This one-hour PBS documentary covers the history and role of the Public Health Service, the PHS Commissioned Corps, and how public health has evolved throughout our history. It explores how public health has become politicized and how important it is to change that in order to positively affect the nations’ health for years to come."
11/10/2023 • 52 minutes, 41 seconds
How do you say metformin (Glucophage)? Pronunciation series episode 22
The answers to the Drug Disposal Quiz from episode 242 of The Pharmacists Voice Podcast are the focus of today’s episode. My audience is typically pharmacists, pharmacy students, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy professors, pharmacy owners, and medical narrators. The drug disposal quiz questions are for pharmacy professionals who field questions about drug disposal from well-meaning patients, friends, family, pet-owners, and community members. These questions (and answers) are meant to prepare you for drug disposal questions so that you can field them at any time of the year. I asked 10 questions and crowdsources answers. In this episode, you will hear input from a number of sources. First is a panel discussion featuring Brittany Sandidge, Ruth Emptage, PharmD, and Kelsey Schmuhl, PharmD from The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy’s Generation RX Program, a medication safety-focused educational outreach program. Then, I’ll share responses from two DEA Representatives. One is a National Take Back Initiative Coordinator. The other is a Community Outreach & Prevention Support Program Manager. Last, but not least, I’ll share input from my poison prevention educator friends Dr. Wendy Stephan and Angel Bivens, RPh and the Poison Help Line (specifically, The Central Ohio Poison Center). Thank you for listening to episode 249 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Select episode 249. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt
10/28/2023 • 56 minutes, 44 seconds
Interview with Ola Latala, PharmD - Pharmacist Podcasters Series Episode 1
Interview with Jade L. Ranger, PharmD about independent community pharmacy, breast cancer awareness, Battle Baskets, and more
Happy American Pharmacists Month! Dr. Jade L. Ranger returns to the show today to talk about independent community pharmacy ownership, working with her pharmacist husband (Dr. Henry Ranger), services they provide, leaving a legacy, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, selling Battle Baskets, her book: Mustard Seed Mentality: Unscripted Pearls of Wisdom from a Wife, Mother, and Entrepreneur, and more. We cover a lot in our 45-minute interview! Thank you for listening to episode 246 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Select episode 246. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt Bio - Dr. Jade L. Ranger, PharmD, ABAAHP, FAAMM, Co-Owner/Pharmacist, The Prescription Shoppe Bowie, Maryland native, Dr. Jade L. Ranger is an accomplished scholar, entrepreneur and community leader. She graduated from Hampton University with a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree (PharmD.) in 2012. After spending almost, a decade of her career working for big chain pharmacies, she, alongside her husband, Dr. Henry Ranger, opened The Prescription Shoppe, a full-service mom and pop pharmacy in March 2019. Then, on September 1, 2023, they opened their second pharmacy, which is a long term care pharmacy and compounding lab. Together, they have impacted the Greater Williamsburg area by not only providing patient-centered care, but also supporting and engaging their community in authentic, tangible ways. Dr. Ranger is a member of multiple professional and service organizations including the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), National Pharmaceutical Association (NPhA), the Virginia Pharmacists Association (VPhA), Rho Chi Pharmacy Honor Society, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Jack and Jill of America, Inc. and the York, James City-Williamsburg branch of the NAACP. In addition, she sits on the local board of directors for Literacy for Life, and just recently began her appointment (April 2022) at the national level as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board (EAB) of Pharmacy Today, the American Pharmacists Association’s monthly magazine covering all aspects of the profession of pharmacy. In September 2021, Dr. Ranger added author to her resume with the release of her published book, Mustard Seed Mentality: UnscRxipted Pearls of Wisdom from a Wife, Mother, and Entrepreneur which is available for purchase online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major retailers where books are sold. She is also a feature writer for the Virginia Gazette as a columnist for a monthly column entitled #ParentLife UnscRxipted. Jade has been hailed a community leader for raising awareness regarding social justice issues and for her tireless support of local, small businesses throughout the pandemic. In 2021, she became a Top 15 under 50 recipient by the Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce Business Council and a Top 20 Women in Business recipient by Hampton Roads Inside Business. She was also distinguished as a 2022 Top Forty Under 40 awardee by Hampton Roads Inside Business and inducted into the 2022 Class of the Forty Under 40 Alumni Recognition Society by her alma mater, Hampton University. In addition to receiving numerous accolades and awards, Dr. Ranger continued her education in 2022 by obtaining a board certification in Anti-Aging Medicine through the American Board of Anti-Aging Heath Practitioners. After which, she also completed a Fellowship in Anti-Aging, Metabolic and Functional Medicine (FAAMFM). When her schedule permits, she loves reading, yoga, and above all, spending quality time with her family. She lives in Williamsburg, Virginia with her husband and their two children, Jacob and Joshua. The family attends New Zion Baptist Church where they have been active members since 2011.
10/13/2023 • 51 minutes, 5 seconds
How do you say naltrexone (Vivitrol)? Pronunciation Series Episode 21
Interview with Frank North, PharmD - National Pharmaceutical Association (NPhA) President
My guest today is Dr. Frank North. He’s the current President of the National Pharmaceutical Association, a pharmacy school professor, a lifelong learner and PhD Candidate, and an entrepreneur. We’ve known one another as pharmacist entrepreneurs through the Medipreneurs organization for years, and I am pleased to share our interview with you today! If you know someone who needs to learn about the National Pharmaceutical Association and Student National Pharmaceutical Association or would be inspired by how Dr. Frank North uses his voice, please share this episode with them. Thank you for listening to episode 243 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Select episode 243. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt Bio - Sept 2023 Dr. Frank North, Pharm.D., M.P.A., DPLA, DASPL, is an Instructional Assistant Professor in the Irma Lerma Rangel School of Pharmacy at Texas A&M University and President of the National Pharmaceutical Association (NPhA). As a Texas and DC licensed registered pharmacist, he serves in the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) House of Delegates, as a member of American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists (ASHP), American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) and Texas Pharmacy Association (TPA). He is a life member of NPhA, Phi Delta Chi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Dr. North earned the bachelor’s degree in biology, Doctor of Pharmacy degree and Master of Public Administration from Texas Southern University, Certificate of Business Entrepreneurship from California State University - San Bernardino and is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Higher Education at Jackson State University. He is a 2022 Houston’s Business Journal 40 Under 40 Honoree, an inaugural recipient of the 2023 Texas Black Expo “Outstanding Educator” Award, the 2022 Texas Pharmacy Association Distinguished Service Award, and Texas A&M University Health Science Center 2021 Interprofessional Education Teaching Leadership Award, and Outstanding Fraternity Advisor by the TAMU Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life. Highlights from our conversation Frank lives in Houston, Texas. I live in Ohio, but I turned 21 in Houston, TX (Sugarland area) when was in town for a PCCA Compounding Clinic during a pharmacy school summer break. This interview has 4 parts. Part 1: We talk about NPhA and SNPhA Part 2: We talk about how Frank uses his voice as an educator. Part 3: Frank is an advocate for lifelong learning, and he reveals why. Part 4. Frank North and Associates, LLC and his connection to Medipreneurs
Storytelling Discussion with Professional Speaking Coach Michael Davis and TEDx Ocala Speaker Janan Sarwar, PharmD
Janan Sarwar, PharmD and I met Professional Speaking Coach Michael Davis at The Medipreneurs Summit in Cincinnati, OH in August 2022. During the session Michael led, we learned storytelling skills. Michael has a passion for helping people get their messages and stories out into the world. The focus of our discussion today is public speaking, storytelling, and relating to others in spoken or written word in spite of our various backgrounds, experiences, and priorities. ⭐️ There is a bonus at the end of this episode. ⭐️ Thank you for listening to episode 241 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Select episode 241. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt Bio - Michael Davis, https://speakingcpr.com/ Michael is a recovering terrified speaker and founder of Speaking CPR, LLC. He specializes in transforming professionals into influential communicators who effectively sell their products and services, and increase their visibility. His passion for his work began when he was humiliated in front of his first grade class. This experience convinced him to never again stand before people or be the center of attention. With the help of world class mentors and industry experts, he discovered how to become an impactful speaker, trainer, and coach. His expertise has served business leaders, sales professionals, and speakers on five continents. He’s helped TEDx speakers create and develop talks that have achieved over five million views. He’s written seven books about business storytelling, — including The Book On Storytelling — and online courses focused on improving your presentation skills. In his spare time, he loves to spend time with his long-time partner Linda and the overlords of their house (chihuahuas Sky and Riley). He loves exercise, Indy Car racing, watching movies, visiting beaches, and consuming stories in every format. Bio - Janan Sarwar, PharmD, https://globalbookshelves.com/ Janan Sarwar, PharmD, is a dynamic publishing professional, pharmacist, pharmacy career coach, and entrepreneur based in Louisville, Kentucky. She is the CEO and founder of the company Global Bookshelves International, an independent publishing house focused on creating an empathetic world. Inspired by her eldest daughter’s storytelling podcast for children, Salaam Storytime, Janan recognized the transformative power of stories in nurturing empathy from an early age. Through a diverse catalog of books and immersive storytelling experiences, Janan and her team aim to break down barriers, celebrate cultural richness, and foster mutual understanding.
9/8/2023 • 57 minutes, 39 seconds
How do you say levalbuterol (Xopenex)? Pronunciation Series Episode 20
Interview with CDR Stephen Chang, PharmD, MPH - Public Health Pharmacist
My guest today is CDR Stephen Chang. He’s a pharmacist and an Officer in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. He’s an advocate for public health, and during our interview, we discuss how he got from pharmacy school to working for the FDA, settings he’s worked in, roles he’s served, deployments he has been on, what he thought he would be doing upon graduation when he was just a pharmacy student, and advice for students and pharmacists who are considering their career options. If you’re interested in a career in public health, you need to listen to our conversation! Thank you for listening to episode 239 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Select episode 239. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt BIO (August 2023) CDR Stephen Chang, PharmD, MPH, currently is a Senior Clinical Policy Advisor at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), Office of Product Evaluation and Quality (OPEQ), Immediate Office, Post Market Programs and works from San Francisco, CA. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, University of the Sciences in 2008, and his Master of Public Health from the University of Washington in Seattle in 2015. He also completed a PRESCIENT Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. CDR Chang has a broad range of professional certifications and training in the areas of executive management and leadership, pharmacy-based immunization delivery, and emergency preparedness, epidemiology, biostatistics, translational/precision health, data science. He has numerous research publications and speaker engagements as well as professional honors and awards. As a Senior Clinical Policy Advisor, CDR Chang serves as an expert and resource for Office and Center staff and Management within the Centers for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). This support includes providing expertise, direction, and feedback on policies, procedures, and program support on all aspects of regulatory and scientific policy to the seven Offices of Health Technology, Office of Regulatory Programs and Office of Clinical Evidence pertaining to the collection and use of Post Market data related to medical device use and performance. Of his 15-year career in federal service and in the United States Public Health Service, he most recently served as an Associate Director in the Division of Hepatology and Nutrition, Office of New Drugs (OND), Centers for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and as a Senior Medicaid Enterprise Systems State Officer at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Previously, he also served as an outpatient pharmacist in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).
8/25/2023 • 52 minutes, 53 seconds
Summer 2023 Update
I hope you’re having a great summer! My summer update will give you an opportunity to get to know me better as a person as I update you on my personal life, my podcast, my business, and what I’ve been listening to, reading, watching, and playing. Thank you for listening to episode 238 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Select episode 238. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt
TPV Episode 235: Pharmacist Authors Series Wrap-Up (Summer 2023) 15 episodes went by fast! The Pharmacist Authors Series was my 2023 summer project. Some take-aways: I liked the series so much that I want to do it again. Hearing pharmacist authors share samples of their books was awesome! The pharmacist authors liked the series too. You may have found/read a book from this series. You may have been inspired to write a book too. You may have connected with a pharmacist author and/or followed them on social media. Behind the scenes info: 📌 I recruited guests ~6 months ago (January 2023). 📌 I recorded interviews between March 1, - May 14, 2023. 📌 I published ~2 episodes/week in June and July 2023. Publishing a podcast series is a lot of work, but I enjoyed the challenge. I love how the series turned out! THANK YOU for listening! Thank you to my guests for spending time with me and sharing your books with my audience! Thank you for listening to episode 235 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Select episode 235. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt Below is a full list of the dates, authors, and book titles in the Pharmacist Authors Series 👇🏻 (Part 1 of 15) June 5, Introduction to the Pharmacist Authors Series (Episode 220) (Part 2 of 15) June 9, The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 221: Interview with Salam Kabbani, PharmD about her book: COVID Long-Hauler: My Life Since COVID (Part 3 of 15) June 12, The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 222: Interview with audio engineer Julie Walthers from Whole Story Studio: https://www.wholestorystudio.com/ (Part 4 of 15) June 16, The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 223 Interview with Erin L. Albert, PharmD on her book The Life Science Lawyer Part 5 of 15) June 19, The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 224 Interview with Sue Ojageer, PharmD on her children’s book The Pharma Heroes: The Power of Precision Medicine (Part 6 of 15) June 23, The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 225: Interview with Tony Guerra, PharmD about his Pharmacist Residency and Career Series (8 books) (Part 7 of 15) June 26, The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 226: Interview with Christina Fontana, PharmD about her book Moving Beyond the Counter: Elevating into Heart-Centered Health Care through Entrepreneurship (Part 8 of 15) June 30, The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 227: Interview with Jade L. Ranger, PharmD, about her book Mustard Seed Mentality: Unscripted Pearls of Wisdom from a Wife, Mother, and Entrepreneur (Part 9 of 15) July 7, The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 229: Interview with RDML Pam Schweitzer, PharmD and her daughter Amy Graves about their children’s book Alice and Jack Hike the Grand Canyon (Part 10 of 15) July 10, The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 230: Interview with Cory Jenks, PharmD about his book Permission to Care: Building a Healthcare Culture That Thrives in Chaos (Part 11 of 15) July 14, The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 231: Interview with Donna Bartlett, PharmD about her book MedStrong: Shed Your Meds for a Better, Healthier You - Aging Well Through Deprescribing (Part 12 of 15) July 17, The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 232: Interview with Frieda Wiley, PharmD about her book Telecommuting Psychosis: From Surviving to Thriving While Working in Your Pajama Pants. Plus, we touch on her 3 children’s books in development. (Part 13 of 15) July 21, The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 233: Interview with Tim Ulbrich, PharmD about his book Seven Figure Pharmacist: How to Maximize Your Income, Eliminate Debt, and Create Wealth (Part 14 of 15) July 24, The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 234: Interview with LaQuoia Johnson, PharmD about her book How Rxacism Manifests Inside the Small World of Pharmacy (Part 15 of 15) July 28, Pharmacist Authors Series Wrap-Up (Episode 235 - solo show)
7/28/2023 • 6 minutes, 4 seconds
Interview with LaQuoia Johnson, PharmD - Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023)
My guest is LaQuoia Johnson, PharmD. Join us as we discuss her book How Rxacism Manifests: Inside the Small World of Pharmacy. We recorded this episode on Mother’s Day 2023. Dr. LaQuoia and I are both Pharmacist Moms. This is the final interview in my Pharmacist Authors Series. Join me Friday, July 28 for part 15 of 15 in this series. It’s a short wrap-up episode. Use the code VOICE2023 any time in the year 2023 to get Dr. LaQuoia’s 4-hour CPE for $20.23. To learn more, visit https://agraceculture.org. Thank you for listening to episode 234 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Select episode 234. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt Bio (May 2023) An accomplished Clinical Pharmacy Leader who checked all the boxes for success, yet forced to exit complacent in toxic work environment, Dr. LaQuoia shares a traumatic experience of exclusion and why she chose peace over a paycheck in her book How Rxacism Manifests: Inside the Small World of Pharmacy. She transformed her greatest pain into purpose as an educator, speaker, and consultant. Dr. LaQuoia leverages her pharmacy leadership experience teaching future pharmacy technicians at two community colleges in North Carolina. She is also a pharmacy consultant for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) foundation and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. LaQuoia is also the founder of Growing Through It, LLC, a coaching and consulting firm specializing in personal and leadership development. Her mission is to show the world what grace looks like and equip today’s leaders with the skills necessary to lead tomorrow’s workforce. Whether she is speaking for a youth group, conference, church, or corporate event, Dr. LaQuoia enjoys fostering an atmosphere for courageous conversations to be had, so that everyone can be seen, heard, and given the opportunity to grow and thrive together. The legacy Dr. LaQuoia will leave the world is a Grace Culture®, a transformational approach for leading yourself and others from the lens of grace.
7/24/2023 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 10 seconds
Interview with Tim Ulbrich, PharmD - Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023)
Next up on my Pharmacist Authors Series is Tim Ulbrich, PharmD. Today, we’re discussing Seven Figure Pharmacist: How to Maximize Your Income, Eliminate Debt, and Create Wealth by Tim Church, PharmD and Tim Ulbrich, PharmD. This episode includes a bonus at the end. Tim Ulbrich narrated a sample of Seven Figure Pharmacist. Enjoy! Please share this episode with others, especially pharmacists and student pharmacists. Thank you for listening to episode 233 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Select episode 233. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt Bio, Tim Ulbrich, PharmD (Spring 2023) Tim Ulbrich is the Co-Founder and CEO of Your Financial Pharmacist. Founded in 2015, YFP is a fee-only financial planning firm and connects with the YFP community of 15,000+ pharmacy professionals via the Your Financial Pharmacist Podcast, blog, website resources and speaking engagements. To date, YFP has partnered with 100+ organizations to provide personal finance education. Tim received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Ohio Northern University and completed postgraduate residency training at The Ohio State University. He spent 9 years on faculty at Northeast Ohio Medical University prior to joining Ohio State University College of Pharmacy in 2019 as Clinical Professor and Director of the Master’s in Health-System Pharmacy Administration Program. Tim is the co-author of Seven Figure Pharmacist and host of the Your Financial Pharmacist Podcast which has more than 1 million downloads. He has presented to over 200 pharmacy associations, colleges, and groups on various personal finance topics including debt management, investing, retirement planning, and financial well-being.
7/21/2023 • 28 minutes, 46 seconds
Interview with Frieda Wiley, PharmD - Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023)
My guest today is Frieda Wiley, PharmD. Join us as we discuss her book Telecommuting Psychosis: From Surviving to Thriving While Working in Your Pajama Pants. This is part 12 of 15 in my Pharmacist Authors Summer Series. Bio (Summer 2023) Frieda Wiley, PharmD is a pharmacist-turned-medical writer and journalist who has written for publications like O, The Oprah Magazine, WebMD, and US News in addition to corporations, universities and the National Institutes of Health. A telecommuter for more than a decade, she has spent eight years researching the effects of working from home on physical and mental health. She shares her findings and experiences in her Amazon-bestselling book, Telecommuting Psychosis: From Surviving to Thriving While Working in Your Pajama Pants available on Amazon, BN.com, and other outlets. Thank you for listening to episode 232 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Select episode 232. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt
7/17/2023 • 34 minutes, 15 seconds
Interview with Donna Bartlett, PharmD - Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023)
My guest today is Donna Bartlett, PharmD. We’re discussing her book MedStrong: Shed Your Meds for a Better, Healthier You - Aging Well Through Deprescribing. This is part 11 of 15 in my Pharmacist Authors Summer Series. If you’re a pharmacist or pharmacy student who is interested in deprescribing or a professor at a school of pharmacy, you need to listen to this interview! Thank you for listening to episode 231 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Click on episode 231. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt Bio (2023) Dr. Donna Bartlett is a Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacist licensed in Massachusetts. She received her BS in Pharmacy and her Doctor of Pharmacy degrees at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University-Boston. Currently, Dr. Bartlett is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University, and oversees an internal medicine clinical site at HealthAlliance Hospital in Leominster, MA. Dr. Bartlett has over 15 years’ experience as a clinical pharmacist and over 20 years of retail experience. Education expertise and areas of interest includes polypharmacy, deprescribing, geriatrics, medication access and affordability, falls prevention, adherence, and community outreach. Dr. Bartlett hosts podcasts for the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists- The Senior Care Pharmacist Podcast and hosts her own website dedicated to deprescribing https://donnabartlett.com. She presented at the first International Deprescribing Conference in Denmark in the Fall of 2022. She is the author of MedStrong: Shed Your Meds for a Better, Healthier You-Aging Well through Deprescribing.
7/14/2023 • 32 minutes, 54 seconds
Interview with Cory Jenks, PharmD - Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023)
Cory Jenks, PharmD is on the show today to talk about his book, Permission to Care: Building a Healthcare Culture That Thrives in Chaos. This is episode 10 of 15 in my Pharmacist Authors Summer Series. Links to the first 9 interviews in the series are in the show notes, which you can find on thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Click on episode 230. Bio Cory Jenks earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of South Carolina in 2011. Since then, he has practiced as a retail pharmacist, outpatient clinical pharmacist, and inpatient clinical pharmacist. He currently is a practicing clinical pharmacist—and improv comedian. Cory travels the country teaching healthcare professionals how to apply the valuable skills of improv comedy to create a more adaptable, empathetic, and humanizing healthcare experience for both patients and providers. Cory lives in Tucson, Arizona, with his wife, Cassie, their three children, and ten chickens. Cory was also my guest on episode 89 of this podcast. Thank you for listening to episode 230 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Click on episode 230. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt
7/10/2023 • 30 minutes, 57 seconds
Interview with Pam Schweitzer, PharmD and Amy Graves - Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023)
Joining me today is Pam Schweitzer, PharmD and her daughter, Amy Graves. We discuss their book: Alice and Jack Hike the Grand Canyon. This is episode 9 of 15 in my Pharmacist Authors Summer Series. Pam and Amy are a mother-daughter author team who come from a long line of Grand Canyon hikers. You may want to hike the Grand Canyon with your kids or grandkids after listening to our interview! Thank you for listening to episode 229 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Click on episode 229. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt
7/7/2023 • 25 minutes, 42 seconds
How do you say ezetimibe? Pronunciation Series Episode 18
Interview with Jade L. Ranger, PharmD - Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023)
My guest today is Dr. Jade L. Ranger, author of Mustard Seed Mentality: Unscripted Pearls of Wisdom from a Wife, Mother, and Entrepreneur. This is episode 8 of 15 in my Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023). During our conversation, we discuss: 📚 What the book is about 📚 Why Dr. Jade L. Ranger wrote it 📚 Who should read it 📚 Why they should read it 📚 What she wants readers to do with the information 📚 Where you can buy the book Thank you for listening to episode 227 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Click on episode 227. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt
6/30/2023 • 33 minutes, 26 seconds
Interview with Christina Fontana, PharmD - Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023)
Welcome to episode 7 of 15 in my Pharmacist Authors Series! My guest today is Christina Fontana, PharmD. Join us as we discuss Moving Beyond the Counter: Elevating into Heart-Centered Health Care through Entrepreneurship. During our interview, she also reads a sample from the book. Dr. Christina Fontana is a pharmacist, intuitive business coach, 5-time author, and hypnotist. She helps pharmacist entrepreneurs own their brilliance and monetize their gifts so that they can scale a profitable heart-centered business. Her mission is to uplift, empower, and inspire pharmacists to pursue their entrepreneurial dream. To learn more about Dr. Christina Fontana, visit pharmacistcoach.com. Thank you for listening to episode 226 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Click on episode 226. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each new episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube every time a new one comes out. Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt
6/26/2023 • 31 minutes, 23 seconds
Interview with Tony Guerra, PharmD - Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023)
Interview with Sue Ojageer, PharmD - Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023)
Next up in my Pharmacist Authors Series is Dr. Sue Ojageer. She’s an award-winning pharmacist with over 15 years experience in the healthcare industry. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from St. John's University and is the founder of PharmaSue™, a concierge health practice. Dr. Sue is a passionate advocate for holistic health and precision medicine, and she enjoys empowering her patients to take charge of their health and wellness. PharmaSue’s latest role is children’s author. In 2023, she published The Pharma Heroes: The Power of Precision Medicine. During our conversation, you’ll hear her read a short sample, and you’ll learn 📚 What the book is about 📚 Why Dr. Sue wrote the book 📚 Who should read this book (the audience) 📚 Why someone should read it 📚 What she wants readers to do with the information 📚 Where you can buy the book Also check out Sue’s new coloring book for adults and children: The Pharmacy Palette: A Colorful Journey Through the World of Pharmacy, published in May 2023. It features more than 50 pharmacy specialties. This is episode 5 of 15 in my Pharmacist Authors Series. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube each time a new one comes out. Thank you for listening to episode 224 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Click on episode 224. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt
6/19/2023 • 22 minutes, 5 seconds
Interview with Erin L. Albert, PharmD - Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023)
Among other things, Dr. Erin L. Albert is a pharmacist and an attorney. She currently serves as Vice President of Pharmacy Relations and Chief Privacy Officer at Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, which is a Public Benefit Corporation. We discuss pharmacy law and Erin’s book The Life Science Lawyer during our interview. The episode ends with a sample of the book read by Erin. If you're in healthcare and considering law school, you need to listen to this episode! This is episode 4 of 15 in my Pharmacist Authors Series. Subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast to get each episode delivered to your podcast player and YouTube each time a new one comes out. Thank you for listening to episode 223 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Click on episode 223. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/42yqXOG Google Podcasts https://bit.ly/3J19bws Spotify https://spoti.fi/3qAk3uY Amazon/Audible https://adbl.co/43tM45P YouTube https://bit.ly/43Rnrjt Bio Dr. Erin L. Albert is an edutainer, pharmacist, attorney, writer, entrepreneur, STEM advocate, podcaster and instructor, and former preceptor who helps get affordable, safe Rx drugs to the masses in the US. She currently serves as Vice President of Pharmacy Relations and Chief Privacy Officer at Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, which is a Public Benefit Corporation or PBC, founded by Dr. Alex Oshmyansky, MD, PhD. She was also named a LinkedIn Top Voice in Healthcare in 2022. To learn more about Erin, visit https://linktr.ee/erinalbert, and click on the “Media Kit” tab.
6/16/2023 • 33 minutes, 22 seconds
Interview with Julie Walthers, Audio Engineer and Audiobook Producer - Pharmacist Authors Series (Summer 2023)
If you’re a pharmacist author who wants to publish an audiobook, you need to listen to this episode! Whether you need a voice talent to narrate the project or you want to narrate it yourself, Julie Walthers can help. During our interview, we talk about the process of producing an audiobook, how much it costs to produce one, and fun vocabulary words, like "punch and roll,” “straight record,” and “raw audio.” We also talk briefly about hiring a narrator, what you need if you narrate your own audiobook, and more. There are 15 episodes in my pharmacist authors series: an introduction, 13 interviews, and a wrap-up episode. This is episode 3 of 15. Subscribe to or follow the podcast to get all the episodes delivered to your podcast player and YouTube each time a new one comes out. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible Thank you for listening to episode 222 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Click on episode 222. Bio: Julie is the owner and lead editor of Whole Story Studio, an audiobook post-production company. With a background in both sound engineering and education, Julie combines her experiences working in a Detroit-area recording studio and as a high school English teacher into a fulfilling career editing and producing audiobooks. Julie has worked with Eljin productions for editing and QC, which has included dozens of titles from major publishing companies such as Simon and Schuster, Penguin Random House, and Harper. She has also worked as part of the AppleNews audio stories engineering team. Other clients have included BenBella Books, Chelsea Green Publishing, Blackstone Publishing, and a number of incredible independent authors and narrators. In addition to editing and mastering audiobooks, Whole Story Studio offers producing services to help independent authors navigate the audiobook production process. In her spare time, Julie enjoys running, reading, and cuddling with her old pup Neffi, and two new kitties, Maud and Norman. Julie and I worked on two audiobooks together. They are: IMPACT Pharmacist: Start Your Own Wellness Practice and Leave Your Retail Pharmacy Job Behind! By Dr. Asha Pai Bohannon and Eric Bohannon Perimenopause: The Savvy Sister’s Guide to Hormone Harmony by Dr. Anna Garrett Julie loves working with narrators and helping independent authors navigate the audiobook production process. She would love to help pharmacist authors publish audiobooks.
In June and July 2023, I’m publishing a 15-part Pharmacist Authors Series. Listen to the interviews. Then, check out the books. This series might also inspire you to write a book! Thank you for listening to episode 220 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast, and click on episode 220. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible See below for dates, authors, book titles, and links: 👇🏻 June 5, Introduction to the Pharmacist Authors Series (today’s solo show) June 9, Interview with Salam Kabbani, PharmD about her book: COVID Long Hauler: My Life Since COVID June 12, Interview with audio engineer Julie Walthers from Whole Story Studio: https://www.wholestorystudio.com/ June 16, Interview with Erin L. Albert, PharmD on her book The Life Science Lawyer June 19, Interview with Sue Ojageer, PharmD on her children’s book The Pharma Heroes: The Power of Precision Medicine June 23, Interview with Tony Guerra, PharmD about his Pharmacist Residency and Career Series (8 books) June 26, Interview with Christina Fontana, PharmD about her book Moving Beyond the Counter: Elevating into Heart-Centered Health Care through Entrepreneurship June 30, Interview with Jade L. Ranger, PharmD, about her book Mustard Seed Mentality July 7, Interview with RDML Pam Schweitzer, PharmD and her daughter Amy Graves about their children’s book Alice and Jack Hike the Grand Canyon July 10, Interview with Cory Jenks, PharmD about his book Permission to Care: Building a Healthcare Culture That Thrives in Chaos July 14, Interview with Donna Bartlett, PharmD about her book MedStrong: Shed Your Meds for a Better, Healthier You July 17, Interview with Frieda Wiley, PharmD about her book Telecommuting Psychosis: From Surviving to Thriving While Working in Your Pajama Pants. Plus, we touch on her 3 children’s books in development. July 21, Interview with Tim Ulbrich, PharmD about his book Seven Figure Pharmacist: How to Maximize Your Income, Eliminate Debt, and Create Wealth July 24, Interview with LaQuoia Johnson, PharmD about her book How Rxacism Manifests Inside the Small World of Pharmacy July 28, Pharmacist Authors Series wrap-up (solo show)
6/5/2023 • 9 minutes, 58 seconds
How do you say semaglutide? Pronunciation Series Episode 17
In this episode, I explain how to say semaglutide, Ozempic® and Wegovy®. I break all 3 drug names down into syllables, explain which syllable(s) have the emphasis, reveal the source of the information, and put the written pronunciations in the show notes so that you see them and use them right away. The purpose of my drug name pronunciations episodes is to provide the intended pronunciations of drug names from reliable sources so that you feel more confident saying them and less frustrated learning them. Semaglutide is an injectable prescription medication used for Type 2 diabetes and weight loss. To learn more about using semaglutide for Type 2 diabetes, visit https://www.ozempic.com/. To learn more about its use in weight loss, visit https://www.wegovy.com/. Thank you for listening to episode 219 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 219. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
6/2/2023 • 7 minutes, 44 seconds
8 tips for setting up a microphone
If you think your computer knows which microphone to use when you plug an external microphone in, you need to listen to this episode. ⚠️ You have to tell your computer which microphone to use! Thank you for listening to episode 218 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast. Click on episode 218. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
5/26/2023 • 9 minutes, 55 seconds
Spring 2023 Update
Welcome to my spring 2023 update. Happy Spring to you! My seasonal updates give you an opportunity to get to know me better as a person as I update you on my family (husband, kids, etc), my podcast, my business, and what I’ve been listening to, reading, watching, and playing. (The last part is my favorite part!) Thank you for listening to episode 217 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast, and click on episode 217. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
5/19/2023 • 23 minutes, 58 seconds
Interview with Michele Mosier, PharmD - Patient Advocate & Founder of Hope Health Advocacy, LLC
How do you say mifepristone and misoprostol? Pronunciation Series Episode 16
This is one of my drug name pronunciation episodes. We have 2 drug names today: mifepristone and misoprostol. How do these pronunciation episodes work? I break drug names down into syllables Explain which syllable(s) have the emphasis Reveal the source of the information Put the written pronunciations in the show notes on thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast so that you can use them right away. Purpose: to provide the intended pronunciations of drug names from reliable sources so that you feel more confident saying them and less frustrated learning them. Mifepristone = MIF e PRIS tone MIF, which rhymes with cliff (This syllable gets the secondary emphasis.) e, which sounds either like a short “e” sound or the schwa “e” sound. PRIS, like pristine (This syllable gets the primary/most emphasis.) tone, like muscle tone Misoprostol = MYE soe PROS tol MYE as in, “My name is Kim.” (This syllable gets the secondary emphasis.) Soe, like a needle a needle pulling thread (sew). If you say this syllable quickly, it sounds like the “Su,” in “Supper.” PROS, like prostate (This syllable gets the primary/most emphasis.) tol, like Toledo, OH How did I know how to say mifepristone and misoprostol? Both are generic drug names in the USP Dictionary Online, which is a subscription-based online reference. It is my favorite reference for generic (non-proprietary) drug names. Thank you USP Legal Dept for permission to use your written, non-proprietary drug name pronunciations in my podcast episodes and YouTube videos. Thank you for listening to episode 215 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL SNOW NOTES, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 215. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
5/5/2023 • 4 minutes, 35 seconds
2023 Ohio Pharmacists Association Annual Conference Recap
Welcome to my recap of the Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) Annual Conference (April 14-16, 2023). The theme was “Reimagining Pharmacy.” Click this link to find my OPA 2022 Recap episode. Just before the 5 minute mark, you’ll hear my LIVE interviews with 5 Ohio Pharmacists: Sheriff Benson, PharmD Zak Fettman, PharmD Aimee O’Reilly, PharmD Brigid Groves, PharmD Ola Latala, PharmD In this episode, I also talk about which LIVE sessions I attended, what I learned, who I connected with, my plans to watch the on-demand sessions, and more. If you’re an Ohio Pharmacist I think you will like this episode! This has a YouTube video filled with pictures I took throughout the weekend. How do you find my YouTube channel? Click this link. Subscribe to my YouTube channel: @thepharmacstsvoice Thank you for listening to episode 214 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast/, and search for episode 214.
4/28/2023 • 52 minutes, 6 seconds
Autism Awareness & Acceptance Month Solo Episode
April is autism awareness and acceptance month. I have a 20-year-old son with autism named Kraig who can not read, write, or speak. In 2005, he was diagnosed with autism. (He was 2.5 years old.) His diagnosis changed my life. This episode will give you an opportunity to get to know me better as a person, understand how my company started (and its connection to autism), and maybe inspire you to turn pain into purpose too. Thank you for listening to episode 213 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast/, and search for episode 213.
4/21/2023 • 30 minutes, 29 seconds
Interview with Ashley Perkins, PharmD - Mental Health Advocate, Educator, Author, and TEDx Speaker
Pronunciation Series Episode 15: Humira® (adalimumab)
How do you say Humira® and adalimumab? Unfortunately, you can’t sound out drug names. They’re not pronounced the way they look. 👀 Humira® is one of the top 200 drugs in the US. It’s a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker. Humira® is the brand name, and adalimumab is the generic (non-proprietary) name. In my pronunciation episodes, I break drug names down into syllables, explain which syllable(s) have the emphasis, reveal the source of the information, and put the written pronunciations in the show notes so that you see them and use them right away. The purpose of these pronunciation episodes is to provide the intended pronunciations of drug names from reliable sources so that you feel more confident saying them and less frustrated learning them. I hope this episode helps you! 🥳 This episode has a YouTube video, which shows the written pronunciations of Humira® and adalimumab. Thank you for listening to episode 211 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 211. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
Interview with Public Health Service Pharmacist CAPT Marisol Martinez, PharmD
CAPT Marisol Martinez, PharmD has been in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps for 17 years and is currently serving a non-traditional pharmacist role with the CDC. If you’re a pharmacist or a pharmacy student exploring your career options, you need to listen to this episode. Bio CAPT Marisol Martinez, PharmD, MBA, currently is the Senior Clinical Pharmacist Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), World Trade (WTC) Center Health Program and works from Atlanta, GA. She earned her PharmD from the University of Houston College of Pharmacy in 2005, and her Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2016. CAPT Martinez began her career with the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) in 2005 with the Indian Health Service in Santa Fe, NM. There, she was an outpatient and inpatient pharmacist, while also managing the hospital’s Hepatitis C clinic and the Vaccines for Children Program. She then transferred to the Department of Defense, Defense Health Agency, Formulary Management Branch, in San Antonio, TX, where she supported their National Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. In 2016, CAPT Martinez began working as a pharmacy formulary manager and clinical subject matter expert for the CDC’s World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program. This Program provides medical monitoring and treatment of WTC-related health conditions for 9/11 responders and survivors. Thank you for listening to episode 209 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 209. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
Poison Myths and Misconceptions Discussion Part 5 of 5 with Angel Bivens, RPh and Wendy Stephan, PhD
Angel Bivens, RPh and Wendy Stephan, PhD return to the podcast today to discuss poison myths and misconceptions. Angel is a pharmacist and poison educator from Maryland. Wendy is an epidemiologist and poison educator from Florida. See their bios in the show notes for more information. This is the fifth and final part of a series about poison myths and misconceptions in honor of National Poison Prevention Awareness Month (March 2023). 🇺🇸 In this episode, we discuss resources for pharmacists. Then, I give a recap of the series. ☠️ America’s Poison Centers are there for you at no cost 24/7/365. 🗓 National Poison Prevention Week is March 19-25, 2023; the theme is, “We're here for you.” 🇺🇸 The Poison Help Line is 1-800-222-1222. Program it into your phone, and share it! Listener discretion is advised. Some of the topics we cover in this series include children putting weird things into their mouths, poisonings, injuries, and death. These are sensitive topics. If you have small children or impressionable individuals listening with you today, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for listening to episode 207 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 207. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
3/10/2023 • 13 minutes, 16 seconds
Poison Myths and Misconceptions Discussion Part 4 of 5 with Angel Bivens, RPh and Wendy Stephan, PhD
Angel Bivens, RPh and Wendy Stephan, PhD return to the podcast today to discuss poison myths and misconceptions. Angel is a pharmacist and poison educator from Maryland. Wendy is an epidemiologist and poison educator from Florida. See their bios in the show notes for more information. This is part 4 of 5 in a series about poison myths and misconceptions in honor of National Poison Prevention Awareness Month (March 2023). 🇺🇸 In this episode, we cover 3 topics. They are: How movies and TV shows affect our perception about poisonings What’s really going on behind social media trends, like the Tide Pod Challenge, NyQuil Chicken, etc. Which substances youth are abusing most right now ☠️ America’s Poison Centers are there for you at no cost 24/7/365. 🗓 National Poison Prevention Week is March 19-25, 2023; the theme is, “We're here for you.” 🇺🇸 The Poison Help Line is 1-800-222-1222. Program it into your phone, and share it! Listener discretion is advised. Some of the topics we cover in this series include children putting weird things into their mouths, poisonings, injuries, and death. These are sensitive topics. If you have small children or impressionable individuals listening with you today, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for listening to episode 206 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 206. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
3/10/2023 • 27 minutes, 31 seconds
Poison Myths and Misconceptions Discussion Part 3 of 5 with Angel Bivens, RPh and Wendy Stephan, PhD
Angel Bivens, RPh and Wendy Stephan, PhD return to the podcast today to discuss poison myths and misconceptions. Angel is a pharmacist and poison educator from Maryland. Wendy is an epidemiologist and poison educator from Florida. See their bios in the show notes for more information. This is part 3 of 5 in a series about poison myths and misconceptions in honor of National Poison Prevention Awareness Month (March 2023). 🇺🇸 In this episode, we cover 5 topics: Myth or fact? Poisonings are always accidental. Do Poison Center staff stay in their own lane or are they actually crime-fighting ninjas? Misconceptions about pharmaceutical-grade, prescription fentanyl Misconceptions about opioid overdose and recovery Myths about herbal, natural, and organic remedies ☠️ America’s Poison Centers are there for you at no cost 24/7/365. 🗓 National Poison Prevention Week is March 19-25, 2023; the theme is, “We're here for you.” 🇺🇸 The Poison Help Line is 1-800-222-1222. Program it into your phone, and share it! Listener discretion is advised. Some of the topics we cover in this series include children putting weird things into their mouths, poisonings, injuries, and death. These are sensitive topics. If you have small children or impressionable individuals listening with you today, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for listening to episode 205 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 205. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
3/10/2023 • 40 minutes, 32 seconds
Poison Myths and Misconceptions Discussion Part 2 of 5 with Angel Bivens, RPh and Wendy Stephan, PhD
Angel Bivens, RPh and Wendy Stephan, PhD return to the podcast today to discuss poison myths and misconceptions. Angel is a pharmacist and poison educator from Maryland. Wendy is an epidemiologist and poison educator from Florida. See their bios in the show notes for more information. This is part 2 of 5 in a series about poison myths and misconceptions in honor of National Poison Prevention Awareness Month (March 2023). 🇺🇸 We cover 7 topics. They are: Who staffs Poison Centers Where Poison Center calls come from (the home, and where else?) The age range of individuals exposed to poisons Labels. Will you get labeled a “frequent caller” or “bad parent” if you call a Poison Center often? Childproof containers. Are really childproof? Which age group poison prevention education helps most. Myth or fact? People don’t get poisoned by things that taste bad. ☠️ America’s Poison Centers are there for you at no cost 24/7/365. 🗓 National Poison Prevention Week is March 19-25, 2023; the theme is, “We're here for you.” 🇺🇸 The Poison Help Line is 1-800-222-1222. Program it into your phone, and share it! Listener discretion is advised. Some of the topics we cover in this series include children putting weird things into their mouths, poisonings, injuries, and death. These are sensitive topics. If you have small children or impressionable individuals listening with you today, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for listening to episode 204 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 204. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
3/10/2023 • 32 minutes, 56 seconds
Poison Myths and Misconceptions Discussion Part 1 of 5 with Angel Bivens, RPh and Wendy Stephan, PhD
Angel Bivens, RPh and Wendy Stephan, PhD return to the podcast today to discuss poison myths and misconceptions. Angel is a pharmacist and poison educator from Maryland. Wendy is an epidemiologist and poison educator from Florida. See their bios in the show notes for more information. This episode kicks off a 5-part series about poison myths and misconceptions in honor of National Poison Prevention Awareness Month (March 2023) in the US. 🇺🇸 Today, I give an overview of the series. Then, we discuss universal poison antidotes and antidotes listed on product labels. ☠️ America’s Poison Centers are there for you at no cost 24/7/365. National Poison Prevention Week is March 19-25, 2023. The theme is, “We're here for you.” 🇺🇸 The Poison Help Line is 1-800-222-1222. Program it into your phone, and share it! Listener discretion is advised. Some of the topics we cover in this series include children putting weird things into their mouths, poisonings, injuries, and death. These are sensitive topics. If you have small children or impressionable individuals listening with you today, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for listening to episode 203 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 203. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
3/10/2023 • 32 minutes, 48 seconds
Pronunciation Series Episode 14, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP)
Interview with Dave Kisor, PharmD: PGx Educator, Consultant, and Author
I discuss pharmacogenomics (PGx) with Dr. Dave Kisor from Manchester University College of Pharmacy, which is located in Fort Wayne, IN. If you’re interested in pharmacogenomics, you will like this episode! Bio (Feb 2023) Dave Kisor, PharmD is professor and director of pharmacogenomics at Manchester University. He graduated from The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy 1986 and completed a two-year fellowship in therapeutic drug monitoring/pharmacokinetics at OSU. Prior to joining Manchester, Dave was professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Ohio Northern University after being a research scientist at Burroughs Wellcome Co/GlaxoWellcome. He has been a clinical PGx consultant since 2012. He has over 80 peer reviewed publications including being the lead author on two pharmacogenomics textbooks. He is a past chair of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) PGx SIG. Dave was named a Fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacology in 2017. In 2021 he received an AACP Innovations in PGx Teaching Award. His current research is related to PGx and opioid use disorder. He also serves as co-chair of the Pharmacogenomics Global Research Network (PGRN) Education Committee. Thank you for listening to episode 201 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 201. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
2/24/2023 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 13 seconds
Winter Update February 2023
I’m celebrating my 200th episode today! Plus, this episode is my winter update, which will help you get to know me better. There are 4 segments in this episode: What’s new with my podcast An update on my business, The Pharmacist’s Voice ®, LLC News from my personal life, including my husband, the kids, etc What I’ve been listening to, reading, watching, and playing (my favorite part!) Thank you for listening to episode 200 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 200. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
2/17/2023 • 34 minutes, 41 seconds
Interview with Mike Donoghue about ConveyMED, the #1 Podcast App for Medical Education
Mike Donoghue is on the show today to talk about ConveyMED, the #1 Podcast App for Medical Education. As a former physical therapist, Mike understands the importance of ongoing clinical education for the sake of optimal patient care. If you want to hear about audio-based medical education, you need to hear this conversation! According to Mike, "ConveyMED has made a significant investment into Pharmacy Mobile Education with the ConveyMED platform and partnership with the Pharmacy Podcast Network . My partner & co-Founder, Chris West, is the Vice President of Education for PPN and was at the first Mobile Education in Pharmacy Symposium earlier this year with the leaders of several pharmacy schools. Our shared vision is to support pharmacists and pharmacy students with the very best in mobile education." Bio (January 2023) Mike is a 30-year healthcare veteran and an avid podcast listener. Mike’s thesis for ConveyMED is that podcasting is an underutilized medium to deliver professional education and a new solution is needed so that physicians can take full advantage of the value of mobile audio. Prior to starting ConveyMED, Mike was the SVP of Global Marketing for the Orthopedic division of Smith & Nephew where he held multiple leadership roles in product marketing, medical education, marketing communications, R&D, and commercialization. As a former physical therapist, Mike understands the importance of ongoing clinical education for the sake of optimal patient care. Thank you for listening to episode 199 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 199. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
2/10/2023 • 35 minutes, 59 seconds
Pronunciation Series Episode 13: Soma (carisoprodol)
Soma (carisoprodol) is a muscle relaxer. The generic name is famously difficult to pronounce and has several variations. Most people just call it by the brand name Soma, whether they’re talking about the brand-name drug or the generic. In this episode, I share a 30-second [audio] clip of carisoprodol pronunciations from YouTube (for educational purposes). How do these pronunciation episodes work? After I say a drug name, I break it down into syllables, explain which syllable(s) have the emphasis, reveal the source of the information, and put the written pronunciation in the show notes so that you see it and use it right away. The purpose of these pronunciation episodes is to provide the intended pronunciations of drug names from reliable sources so that you feel more confident saying them and less frustrated learning them. Written pronunciation from the USP Dictionary Online = kar EYE soe PROE dol *Disclaimer: I do not work for USP, and I am not compensated in any way for mentioning the USP Dictionary Online. Thank you to the USP Legal Dept for permission to use their written pronunciations in my podcasts and YouTube videos! Carisoprodol has five syllables. In my humble opinion, all five are slurred together, especially the first two. Kar has a hard “K” sound, like “carrot.” The “A” is super short; it’s barely there, like the children’s toy K’Nex. The “R” slurs right into the second syllable: “EYE” Eye, like eyeglasses (This syllable has the secondary emphasis.) Soe, like you “sew” on a button. Proe, like a pro football player (This syllable has the primary emphasis.) Dol, like dollar Thank you for listening to episode 198 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! Please subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast on your favorite podcast player and YouTube for all future episodes. To read the FULL show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 198. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
2/3/2023 • 5 minutes, 49 seconds
Interview with Ashley Walker, PharmD - Pharmacist, Entrepreneur, and Advocate
Dr. Ashley Walker returns to the podcast today to talk about being a pharmacist, an entrepreneur, and an advocate. She was also featured in my Back-to-School Series in August 2022 (Episode 173), which promoted her Speed Signing (American Sign Language) Classes and OTC Hearing Aids Class. Ashely is deaf, but you will hear her speaking voice in this episode. This interview is also available as a YouTube video. Click here for the YouTube link. *Updated subtitles will be added after the video has been published. Bio (January 2023) Dr. Ashley R Walker is a pharmacist, entrepreneur, and an advocate. Dr. Walker holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Xavier University of Louisiana and a Bachelors of Science in Biotechnology from Rochester Institute of Technology. She has been a pharmacist for 7 years and recently transitioned into full time entrepreneurship. Prior to her transition, she has had experience in retail pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, and long term care pharmacy. Her recent transition into full time entrepreneurship has led to the birth of her business Med Max Consulting, LLC. Under this business, Dr. Walker can advocate for members of the deaf and hard of hearing community as well as offer medication counseling services to help this unique community maximize and optimize their medication therapy. Since her high school years, Dr. Walker has been an advocate for members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. She spends time speaking to students in elementary, middle, and high school encouraging them to never let their hearing loss be a reason not to dream big and go after their dreams. As a deaf person herself, she also helps business owners and healthcare professionals make their businesses/practices inclusive to members of this unique community. Dr. Walker enjoys reading, traveling, going on walks with her family, and attending festivals. With her personal experiences as a deaf pharmacist and advocate for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community she aims to remind the world that deafness should not be viewed as a DIS-ability but rather a UNIQUE-ability. Thank you for listening to episode 197 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 197. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
This is one of my drug name pronunciation episodes. Today, we’re talking about tianeptine. How do these pronunciation episodes work? I break drug names down into syllables. I explain which syllable has the emphasis. I reveal the source of the information. I put the written pronunciation in the show notes so that you see it and use it right away. If you’re new to my pronunciation episodes, welcome! The purpose is to provide the intended pronunciations of drug names from reliable sources so that you feel more confident saying them and less frustrated learning them. I hope this episode helps you! Why did I pick tianeptine for this episode? To talk about the pronunciation To improve awareness about it Highlights from this episode Written pronunciation = Tye uh NEP teen Tianeptine has 4 syllables. Tye - like you tie your shoes Uh - schwa “A” sound Nep - like the planet Neptune Teen - like a teenager 🌟The third syllable NEP gets the emphasis.🌟 There is no official pronunciation for tianeptine in the USP Dictionary Online. How I say it was guided by pronunciation patterns for other nonproprietary (generic) drug names and drug classes (ex: queTIApine, dilTIAzem, THIAzides/hydrochloroTHIAzide, and benzoDIAzepines/DIAzepam). What is tianeptine? Tianeptine is an atypical tricyclic antidepressant that is not approved by the US FDA. Its affects are opioid-like. News outlets have called tianeptine “gas station heroin.” For more information about tianeptine, read this news release: State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy Bans the Sale and Use of Tianeptine (12-22-22). Advice for pharmacists and pharmacy students about tianeptine. Use common sense. If someone takes tianeptine and needs immediate help, call 9-1-1. If someone comes to you with concerns about tianeptine, and you don’t know enough about it to be helpful, refer them to the Poison Help Line: 1-800-222-1222. If one of your patients is harmed by a tianeptine product, fill out an FDA MedWatch Form. 🌟 Special thanks to Kylie at the Poison Help Line (Ohio) on 12-31-22, for the reminder that 1-800-222-1222 can field calls about tianeptine. ☎️ Program 1-800-222-1222 into your phone, and share it with your patients, family, and friends TODAY! Thank you for listening to episode 194 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! Please subscribe to or follow The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast on your favorite podcast player and YouTube for all future episodes. To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 194.
Today, we’re talking about the Oath of a Pharmacist. Why? Because this is the last episode of 2022, and the end of the year is always a good time to reflect on the past. I graduated with my BS Pharm from the University of Toledo on May 12, 2001. On that day, one of my pharmacology professors (Dr. Gerald Sherman) administered the oath of a pharmacist to my class. Although I don’t remember graduation day in great detail, I reviewed The Oath to prepare for this podcast episode. The oath was first developed in 1983. It was revised in 1994, 2007, and 2021. The 1994 version was used when I graduated in 2001. If you’re graduating in 2023, the 2021 version will likely be part of your graduation ceremony. See the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy’s (AACP) website for the 2021 version and the history of The Oath. (https://www.aacp.org/resource/oath-pharmacist) I found the 1994 version of The Oath in The Pharmacy Student Companion: Your Road Map to Pharmacy Education and Careers, Third Edition by Daniel H. Albrant and Linda R. Harteker. (APhA 1999.) In my opinion, The Oath has changed for the better over the years. It’s more modern and inclusive. Changes I noticed The 1994 version has 7 lines. The 2021 version has 10 lines. The opening line is worded a little different in the 1994 and 2021 versions. The 2021 version mentions inclusion, diversity, and health equity. Protecting personal and health information was added to the 2021 version. Preparing the next generation of pharmacists was added to the 2021 version. The public trusts us to fulfill the vows in The Oath. As you continue to practice pharmacy, learn about pharmacy, or teach pharmacy students, keep The Oath in mind. If you are unable able to fulfill your vows, do something about it. If you see something, say something, and do something! No one can make you care more about metrics than you care about your patients. You get to decide what you care about. It’s time to use your voice! Fight for your right to carry out the oath of a pharmacist! Thank you for listening to episode 192 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 192.
12/30/2022 • 12 minutes, 37 seconds
Interview with Nandita Koodie, PharmD about Perfect Balance Healthcare, Biblical Counseling, and her YouTube vlog Lick, Stick, and More
If you’re interested in learning about remote patient care services, Biblical Counseling, or Nandita’s vlog Lick, Stick, and More, you will enjoy this episode. Dr. Nandita Koodie’s Bio (12-18-22) Nandita graduated from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, FL in 2014. She has 13 years of experience working for three large chain pharmacies, one year in pharmaceutical research, and five years in managed and long-term care. Most recently Nandita led an independent pharmacy group in the Bay Area of California with integrated community initiatives which compelled her to pursue her current role where she now serves as a Remote Patient Care Services Consultant for independent pharmacists. Nandita is dually licensed in Florida and California as an immunizing pharmacist and is actively pursuing Washington licensure. She founded Perfect Balance Healthcare in 2017, an organization that promotes pharmacists as patient liaisons. She has also participated as both an exhibitor and speaker for collaborative care at institutions, community events and national conferences. She is currently studying Biblical Counseling to promote the movement for behavioral health implementation and patient fellowship. When she isn't soaking up her friends and family, Nandita produces the video podcast “Lick, Stick, and More” to shed light on healthcare innovation and spiritual health and indulges in nature photography throughout her exploratory travel adventures. Thank you for listening to episode 191 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 191.
12/23/2022 • 55 minutes, 22 seconds
5 Resources for pharmacist authors who want to narrate their own audiobook
Imagine this. You’re a pharmacist, and you wrote a book. It’s published [hurray!], and you now want to reach a broader audience by publishing the audiobook version. You don’t want someone else to narrate it! YOU want to narrate it! But, you don’t know how to do it. You Google, “How do I narrate my audiobook?” Half a dozen ads pop up (for online courses that want to teach you how to do it or sell you the equipment they think you need), and the other search results make it sound easy! The next thing you know, you’re watching YouTube videos and shopping for microphones on amazon.com. About an hour into your research, you realize that there’s a lot more to it than you originally thought. In fact, the amount of information is overwhelming. You don’t know what to believe or who to trust, and you wonder how anyone narrates their own audiobook. My name is Kim Newlove. I’m a pharmacist, voice actor, and podcast host. Among other things, I narrate audiobooks for women pharmacist authors. In this episode, I share 5 resources that will get you pointed in the right direction on your audiobook journey so that you feel less overwhelmed by online search results. All 5 resources are in the show notes. Thank you for listening to episode 190 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 190.
12/16/2022 • 22 minutes, 12 seconds
Interview with Angela Orr, RPh, The Pill Less Pharmacist about HeartMath, meditation, and the mind-body connection
If you’ve heard about meditating or breathing to help with stress and anxiety, but you’re not sure how to do it, you need to listen to this episode and connect with Angela Orr, RPh! Bio Angela Orr, RPh is a Stress and Health Management Coach. She is a certified HeartMath practitioner, certified Stress and Well Being Assessment provider, Executive coach, certified EFT/TFT practitioner and pharmacist of 37 years. Angela helps clients with non-traditional healing modalities that are “pill-less.” Therefore, she is The Pill-Less Pharmacist. Angela is a published author, has spoken on many podcasts, summits, and retreats. She has also been highlighted in several magazines. As a serial entrepreneur Angela has had many businesses, including owning and operating two independent pharmacies for 15 years in Maine. She decided to go on a healing journey after a breast cancer diagnosis and realizing stress was killing her. On this journey she explored modalities around physical and mental health. Angela found several that she believes helped to save her life. Angela then courageously sold her pharmacies and pivoted into coaching and mentoring to share her knowledge. Her speciality is using the HeartMath techniques and technology to help clients heal at an epigenetic level. She provides coaching and mentoring on an individual basis, group setting and offering exclusive women's retreats. She has also developed employee/team stress and health management programs. Her clients are primarily health care organizations, hospice organizations, and independent pharmacies. Thank you for listening to episode 189 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 189. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
12/9/2022 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 42 seconds
Pronunciation Series Episode 11, insulin icodec
Today, we’re talking about Insulin Icodec. It’s a once weekly injectable insulin. In my pronunciation episodes, I break drug names down into syllables, explain which syllable(s) have the emphasis, reveal the source(s) of the information, and put the written pronunciation(s) in the show notes so that you see them and use them right away. If you’re new to my pronunciation episodes, welcome! The purpose of these pronunciation episodes is to provide the intended pronunciations of drug names from reliable sources so that you feel more confident saying them and less frustrated learning them. I hope this episode helps you! Thank you for listening to episode 188 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 188. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
12/2/2022 • 3 minutes, 32 seconds
Interview with Coast Guard Pharmacist CDR Stephanie Begansky, PharmD
I do a general update each season: fall, winter, spring, and summer. This is my Fall 2022 update. There are four segments in this episode. I talk about my business, The Pharmacist’s Voice, LLC, What’s coming up on this podcast through February 2023. What’s been going on in my personal life this fall (husband, kids, etc), And, an update on what I’m listening to, reading, watching, and playing. Thank you for listening to episode 186 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 186.
11/18/2022 • 48 minutes, 25 seconds
Interview with RDML Pam Schweitzer, PharmD - Veterans Day 2022
In honor of Veterans Day 2022, Rear Admiral (RDML) Pam Schweitzer, PharmD is my guest. She is a pharmacist, and she was the first female Assistant Surgeon General of the United States. She retired in 2018. You will hear me address her as “Pam” throughout the interview as we discuss Her career in the Public Health Service (PHS), The PHS Women's Leadership Support Group (WLSG), Her vision for interoperable medication lists, Her appearance in an upcoming PBS Documentary called the Invisible Corps, And more! Bio Rear Admiral (RDML) Pamela Schweitzer retired in September 2018 from a four-year term as the Assistant Surgeon General and 10th Chief Pharmacist Officer of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps. As Chief Pharmacist Officer (first female in this role), RDML Schweitzer was responsible for providing leadership and coordination of more than 1,300 PHS pharmacy officers in 13 agencies with the Office of the Surgeon General and the Department of Health & Human Services. Of her 29-year career in federal service, she most recently served at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Previously, she served in varied assignments in the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Since retiring, she continues working on a number of public health related projects, improving health and access to healthcare, interoperability and reimbursement for clinical services. RDML (ret) Schweitzer was recently honored as part of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Campaign, “Next 10 Women in Pharmacy,” representing the many women who serve in federal pharmacy, both uniformed service and civilians. Thank you for listening to episode 185 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 185. Subscribe to or Follow The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon/Audible
11/11/2022 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 53 seconds
Pronunciation Series Episode 10 - phenytoin and isotretinoin
Interview with Brian Bisher, PharmD - Wellness Coach for Men
Dr. Brian Bisher joins me today to talk about a topic he’s passionate about: Wellness Coaching for Men, especially Dads. We also talk about his Facebook Group and the free MasterClass on his website! Bio Brian Bisher believes long-term health isn’t just about sticking to a specific regimen; it’s about creating a lifestyle we love that brings more joy, connection and service into our lives. After dealing with weight and body image issues for most of his teens and 20s, he eventually cracked the code to reaching his body’s natural level of fitness and has rewritten the story to his life. Brian has made it his mission in life to help 1 million men build better bodies with positive, sustainable changes so they can write better stories to their life. Brian graduated from the University of Cincinnati with his PharmD in 2013. 5 years later, he became a Certified Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. He works as both a clinical pharmacist and a Men’s Wellness Coach. Brian and his wife live in Cincinnati, OH with their two children. Thank you for listening to episode 183 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 183.
Interview with Melody Hartzler, PharmD. Details about the Functional Medicine CE Virtual Symposium on November 12, 2022, and more!
Dr. Melody Hartzler uses her voice as an advocate for functional medicine pharmacy; an educator via functionalmedicinece.com and two adjunct pharmacy professor roles; and an entertainer in the form of podcasting. We cover it all in this episode of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! Bio (October 2022) Dr. Hartzler has developed a passion for functional medicine and treating the underlying causes of disease. Her focus areas are functional gastrointestinal disorders, nutritional deficiencies, metabolic conditions, and autoimmune conditions. She is also a nationally recognized speaker on diabetes and functional medicine. She is currently Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Specialist (BCACP), and is Board Certified in Advanced Diabetes Management (BC-ADM). She is the owner of PharmToTable, LLC, where she develops continuing education for pharmacists and provides a platform for functional medicine telehealth visits. She is passionate about working as a team to change the landscape of pharmacist provided care. She is also the Director of Clinical Services for Profero Team, LLC. In addition to leading a team of functional medicine providers, she does spend time in clinical practice serving patients in Ohio via telehealth and in person in the greater Dayton/Cincinnati areas to address a variety of chronic conditions with a focus on diabetes and functional gastrointestinal conditions. She is a graduate of Ohio Northern University College of Pharmacy and completed her residency training at Chalmers P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center. Her functional medicine education has come from a variety of different conferences, educational programs, and clinical experience. She has completed Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice (AFMCP) from Institute of Functional Medicine and is in the process of completing a Fellowship of Anti-Aging, Metabolic and Functional Medicine (FAAMFM) with the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M). She and her team are ready to help transform lives, from not feeling well, tired, stressed, and experiencing GI symptoms; to thriving, symptom free and back to enjoying life! You can find her and her team at https://pharmtotable.life/. Thank you for listening to episode 181 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 181. O-H…..I-O!
10/14/2022 • 44 minutes, 52 seconds
Pronunciation Series Episode 9, Apretude (cabotegravir)
Today, we’re talking about Apretude (cabotegravir), an injectable form of PrEP. To learn more about Apretude® (cabotegravir), visit https://apretude.com/. In my pronunciation episodes, I say a brand drug name and its generic, break both drug names down into syllables, explain which syllable(s) have the emphasis, reveal the source(s) of the information, and put the written pronunciations of both in the show notes so that you see them and use them right away. The purpose of these pronunciation episodes is to provide the intended pronunciations of drug names from reliable sources. I want you to feel confident saying drug names and less frustrated learning them. Thank you for listening to episode 180 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 180.
Interview with Alex Barker PharmD, Pharmacist Career Coach and Founder of The Happy PharmD
Alex Barker, PharmD returns to the podcast to talk about his pharmacist Career Coaching business The Happy PharmD, curriculum consulting, his podcast, his book and audiobook Indispensable, Ikigai, mindset, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and more. Bio Alex Barker founded The Happy PharmD to provide career coaching and career development classes, and since 2017, the company has helped over 1,500 pharmacists. His best-selling book, Indispensable: A prescription for a fulfilling pharmacy career, has sold around 4,000 - 5,000 copies and helped countless pharmacists love their profession again. Thank you for listening to episode 178 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 178 Links from this episode thehappypharmd.com/care (Get the Happy PharmD Care Package!) https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-barker-pharmd/ Subscribe to Alex’s LinkedIn newsletter! The Happy PharmD Podcast Indispensable: The Prescription for a Fulfilling Pharmacy Career by Alex Barker, PharmD Jackie Boyle, Lead Coach at The Happy PharmD Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir The Martian by Andy Weir Dungeons and Dragons The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast ® Episode 174 featuring Alex Barker PharmD interviewing me about my new online course, A Behind-the-Scenes Look at The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast (August 2022) The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 94 featuring Dr. Erin L. Albert (April 2021) When Organizing Isn’t Enough: SHED Your Stuff, Change Your Life by Julie Morgenstern
9/23/2022 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 37 seconds
Pronunciation Series Episode 8 - metoprolol
Today, we’re talking about metoprolol, which is a beta-blocker. Examples of other beta blockers are atenolol, labetalol, and propranolol. I picked metoprolol because it has three different pronunciations. This is the only drug name I have encountered [so far] in the USP Dictionary Online that has more than one pronunciation. Thank you for listening to episode 177 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 177.
9/16/2022 • 5 minutes, 10 seconds
Interview with Simone Sloan, RPh, MBA, DEI Consultant
During our conversation, we talk about putting the “care” back in healthcare and becoming more culturally competent. The goal is for patients to achieve better health outcomes because they trust what we [as pharmacists] are saying. Thank you for listening to episode 176 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 176. Bio: Simone Sloan, Positive Disruptor RPh, MBA As Founder and CEO of Your Choice Coach, Simone is an accomplished business strategist, executive coach, and DEI consultant. She has held senior roles at Fortune 500 companies across marketing, communications, medical affairs, sales, and global business strategy. Her tenure includes successfully launching and leading products and services, implementing programs for key stakeholders across the globe, and developing and training sales, medical, and technical teams. Simone’s mantra is “Voice, Power, Confidence.” As an emotional intelligence executive coach, she changes the way leaders and their businesses engage their employees and clients. Simone emphasizes the human element with a focus on diversity and inclusion. Simone is a keynote speaker and has been featured as a thought leader in articles for Huffington Post, Forbes, and Pharmacy Times. She is an active member of the Tri-State Diversity Council and advocate for women, 2LGBTQAI++, BIPOC, people with disabilities, and cross-generations. Simone holds a BS in Pharmacy and an MBA from Howard University. She is co-author of the book: Achieving Results, 30 Days to Courage, and Leadership without Borders, and is certified in DISC, Emotional Intelligence (EQI) 2.0, IDI, Cultural Competence, Cultural Intelligence (CQI), Culture- Values, Block Chain, Behavior Design, and is also accredited through the International Coaching Federation.
9/9/2022 • 37 minutes, 26 seconds
Summer Update Sept 2022
This is my summer update episode! In this episode, I talk about my summer, my business, my podcast, my personal life (husband, kids, etc.), and then end with an update on what I’m listening to, reading, watching, and playing. Thank you for listening to episode 175 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 175.
9/2/2022 • 50 minutes, 10 seconds
Back-to-School Series Episode 10 - Alex Barker, PharmD interviews me (Kim Newlove, RPh) about my new online course, A Behind-The-Scenes Look at The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast
Back-to-School Series Episode 9, interview with Ashley Walker, PharmD about her online classes: Speed Signing (American Sign Language) and Preparing for OTC Hearing Aids
During our conversation, Dr. Ashley Walker talks about her online classes. One is called Speed Signing. The other is called Preparing for OTC Hearing Aids. If you’re interested in discovering how learning American Sign Language will benefit your patients with hearing loss, you need to listen to this episode. We also talk about OTC hearing aids, deaf culture, inclusion, and more. Ashley is deaf, but she can speak. You will hear Ashley’s voice in this episode. My Back-to-School Series features interviews with 9 pharmacists who teach online courses. Since it’s back-to-school time for my kids, I created a Back-to-School series for my podcast! Check out the series, and get inspired to either learn or create! Thank you for listening to episode 173 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! A link to Ashley’s LinkedIn profile, my YouTube channel, and more are in the FULL show notes, which are on https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 173.
8/29/2022 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 54 seconds
Back-to-School Series Episode 8, interview with Stu Beatty, PharmD about The Pharmacist Provider online training program
What happens when you put two Ohio pharmacists together for a podcast episode? You get a great conversation! In this episode, Ohio pharmacist Stu Beatty, PharmD talks to Ohio pharmacist and podcast host Kim Newlove, RPh about The Pharmacist Provider online training program. If you’re interested in providing reimbursable services to your patients regardless of practice setting, you need to listen to this episode! My Back-to-School Series features interviews with 9 pharmacists who teach online courses. Since it’s back-to-school time for my kids, I created a Back-to-School series for my podcast! Check out the series, and get inspired to either learn or create! Thank you for listening to episode 172 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 172. Bio - Stuart Beatty, Pharm.D., BCACP, FAPhA Stuart Beatty has been a leader in training students and pharmacy residents in ambulatory care settings for nearly two decades. He has taught and practiced alongside physicians at a large academic medical center undergoing primary care transformation. This experience allowed him to learn gaps that currently exist in primary care and that pharmacists can help fill these gaps with their robust knowledge of medications. He helps lead pharmacist provider status efforts in Ohio working with pharmacists in multiple practice settings and helping payers realize the impact of pharmacists. These efforts have led him to launch both The Pharmacist Provider, an online training program for pharmacists, and Strategic Pharmacy Initiatives, LLC, a consulting company aimed at helping pharmacists capitalize on existing opportunities and incentives to better care for their patients. Stu earned his Pharm.D., with Distinction, from the Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy in Ada, Ohio. He is a Board-Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist and a Fellow of the American Pharmacists Association. Links from this episode Strategic Pharmacy Initiatives, LLC http://strategicpharmacyinitiatives.com The Pharmacist Provider. https://www.thepharmacistprovider.com Stu Beatty, PharmD on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-beatty-ab6a31a5/
8/26/2022 • 34 minutes, 24 seconds
Back-to-School Series Episode 7, interview with Kelley Carlstrom, PharmD about her Enjoy Learning Oncology (ELO) Programs
Dr. Kelley Carlstrom (aka KelleyCPharmD) talks about her Enjoy Learning Oncology (ELO) Programs. If you’re an oncology pharmacist, you need to listen to this episode! My Back-to-School Series features interviews with 9 pharmacists who teach online courses. Since it’s back-to-school time for my kids, I created a Back-to-School series for my podcast! Check out the series, and get inspired to either learn or create! Thank you for listening to episode 171 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 171. Bio: Dr. Kelley Carlstrom received her Doctor of Pharmacy from The University of Colorado in 2010 and completed 2 years of post-graduate residency training to specialize in oncology. She is a board-certified oncology pharmacist that has worked in a variety of traditional and non-traditional settings including at a large academic medical center, a small community hospital, as a consultant for a large electronic medical record implementation, and most recently in the healthcare technology industry helping to create digital products and services for oncology clinicians and patients. In 2019, Kelley founded KelleyCPharmD, an education company that supports pharmacists in developing their baseline oncology knowledge. She is passionate about decolonizing oncology pharmacy training and increasing accessibility and inclusion through her unique and innovative training programs. Links from this episode Website https://www.kelleycpharmd.com ELO Blueprint Program ELO Collaborative Program ELO Certificate Program Kelley Carlstrom on LinkedIn Kelley Carlstrom on Instagram Kelley Carlstrom on Twitter BPS BCOP Exam https://www.bpsweb.org/bps-specialties/oncology-pharmacy/
8/22/2022 • 50 minutes, 8 seconds
Back-to-School Series Episode 6, interview with Adam Martin, PharmD about his online course - Script Your Brand
Dr. Adam Martin returns to the podcast! He was also featured on episode 75 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast. Today, Adam talks about personal branding and his online course - Script Your Brand. If you’re interested in personal branding, you need to listen to this episode! Script Your Brand is not just for entrepreneurs. It’s also for traditional, clinical pharmacists in any setting. Feel inspired to create your personal brand and use it! My Back-to-School Series features interviews with 9 pharmacists who teach online courses. Since it’s back-to-school time for my kids, I created a Back-to-School series for my podcast! Check out the series, and get inspired to either learn or create! Thank you for listening to episode 170 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 170. Bio: When pharmacists want to overcome adversity, become the best version of themselves, and lead a purpose-driven career through innovation, they call Dr. Adam Martin. He is the founder of The Fit Pharmacist, LLC, and author of “Rx: You: The Pharmacist's Survival Guide for Managing Stress & Fitting in Fitness” and “Gen-Z Pharmacist: Dominate Pharmacy School & Script Your Dream Career”. He works with pharmacy leaders who want to solve the dilemma of work-life balance and create lasting change in their career through strategic branding and execution. Adam has worked with pharmacy schools and organizations across the world on leadership, mental health, and branding pharmacy careers since becoming a professional speaker through NSA in 2019. He is known as “The Tony Robbins of Healthcare” by audiences he has served through his speaking programs as a high-content trainer who dispenses strategies and tactics that are implementable immediately. The pharmacy profession has leveraged his expertise across national meetings for pharmacy student organizations as well as their conventions, conferences, and workshops. He has also presented at events hosted internationally, including the Trinity College at Dublin in Ireland, and the country’s first-ever mental health symposium in Cork, Ireland. Leaders in the pharmacy profession come to him when they seek a recognized expert who still practices as a licensed pharmacist. He has also been called upon to present at several businesses, including wellness-oriented companies and startup pharmacy practices. He resides in Pittsburgh, with a passion to share simple solutions to “flip your script” on The Fit Pharmacist Healthcare Podcast, serve as a medical missionary having traveled to Panama and Honduras as a pharmacist, and serve the future of the profession as a pharmacy student preceptor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. In 2019, he was named the "Most Influential Pharmacist" by SingleCare's Best of the Best Pharmacy Awards. Links from this episode Script Your Brand Course: https://the-fit-pharmacist.newzenler.com/courses/script-your-brand Pharmacist Growth Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/374347527923499 Check out Dr. Adam Martin’s 2 Books (note: these are affiliate links): Rx: You: The Pharmacist's Survival Guide for Managing Stress & Fitting in Fitness Gen-Z Pharmacist: Dominate Pharmacy School & Script Your Dream Career Website https://www.thefitpharmacist.com Connect with Dr. Adam Martin on Instagram: @thefitpharmacist YouTube The Fit Pharmacist Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn: @FitPharmFam Tune into weekly insights on The Fit Pharmacist Healthcare Podcast: iTunes / Spotify / iHeart Radio / SoundCloud / Stitcher The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast Episode 75 featuring Dr. Adam Martin National Speakers Association https://nsaspeaker.org
8/19/2022 • 1 hour, 21 minutes, 14 seconds
Back-to-School Series Episode 5, interview with Asha Bohannon, PharmD about her two online courses: Impact Pharmacist and PGxAlly
Dr. Asha Pai Bohannon returns to the podcast! She talks about her two online courses: Impact Pharmacist and PGxAlly. If you’re interested in planning and launching a wellness practice, you need to listen to this episode! My Back-to-School Series features interviews with 9 pharmacists who teach online courses. Since it’s back-to-school time for my kids, I created a Back-to-School series for my podcast! Check out the series, and get inspired to either learn or create! Thank you for listening to episode 169 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 169. Bio: Dr. Asha Pai Bohannon is a pharmacist business coach, owner of a holistic wellness practice, entrepreneur, and mom to 2 amazing boys. With her IMPACT Pharmacist(TM) program, she helps other pharmacists blaze the trail by helping them create and start their own wellness practice, allowing them to lead the life and career of their dreams! Years ago, she started her own holistic wellness practice, PAI Wellness Group, with an East-meets-West approach to diabetes management and personalized healthcare. As a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer, her aim is to make an impact in her patient’s lives by walking alongside them in their health journey, through precision medicine, holistic means, and a continuity of care. Recently, she has also partnered with Dr. Shawn Bjorndal and Dr. Kevin Walker in co-founding PGxAlly in order to bring Pharmacogenomics, comprehensive medication reviews, and entrepreneurship to a whole new level!
8/15/2022 • 28 minutes, 55 seconds
Back-to-School Series Episode 4, interview with Jimmy Pruitt, PharmD about Pharmacy and Acute Care University (PACU)
Dr. Jimmy Pruitt founded Pharmacy and Acute Care University (PACU). During our conversation, we talk about the features of Pharmacy and Acute Care University. Who is it for? What do students learn? How much does it cost? And, more. My Back-to-School Series features interviews with 9 pharmacists who teach online courses. Since it’s back-to-school time for my kids, I created a Back-to-School series for my podcast! Check out the series, and get inspired to either learn or create! Bio: Jimmy L. Pruitt III, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Dr. Jimmy Pruitt is originally from Orlando, FL, and is combination of nerd and athlete, having a background as division 1 cornerback then turned Doctor of Pharmacy from Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy in 2017. He completed a PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency at Florida Hospital Orlando, and then went on to Grady Health System in Atlanta GA for his PGY2 Emergency Medicine Residency. Dr. Pruitt is currently an Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. Dr. Pruitt was awarded the Grady Pharmacist of the Year in 2019 as a PGY2 EM resident, which was a first in the programs 30+ year history. In 2020, Jimmy obtained Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist (BCPS) and Board Certified Critical Care Pharmacist (BCCCP) recognition. Also, in 2020, Jimmy won the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine’s (SAEM) Got Talent competition for his educational series “Pharmacy Friday Pearls” which was the first time a pharmacists won the event. In 2021, Dr. Pruitt was honored with the Excellence in Diversity from MUSC College of Pharmacy, Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy (PCSP) Alumni of the Year, and keynote speaker for the 2021 PCPS graduation. Dr. Pruitt’s professional interests include cardiac arrest, shock syndromes, trauma, and hosting his podcast Pharm So Hard. Thank you for listening to episode 168 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 168.
8/12/2022 • 38 minutes, 51 seconds
Back-to-School Series Episode 3, interview with Blair Thielemier, PharmD about the Pharmapreneur Academy
Blair Thielemier is the founder of the Pharmapreneur Academy. During our interview, Blair talks about her Healing Medicine Newsletter Summer Series, the Pharmapreneur Academy’s online courses, her upcoming personal and professional development retreats in Costa Rica, and advancing the practice of pharmacy. My Back-to-School Series features interviews with 9 pharmacists who teach online courses. (Since it’s back-to-school time, I created a Back-to-School series on my podcast!). Check out the series, and get inspired to either learn or create! Bio Blair Thielemier, PharmD, is a business development consultant specializing in pharmacist-led billing models. She consults on and produces e-learning programs for state and national organizations, pharmacy wholesalers, payers, technology start-ups. She has books and online courses available for individuals looking to leverage their pharmacy knowledge into monetized clinical programs at PharmapreneurAcademy.com. She speaks internationally about trends in leveraging pharmacists to improve value-based care. Thank you for listening to episode 167 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 167.
8/8/2022 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 44 seconds
Back-to-School Series Episode 2, interview with Beju Shah, PharmD about the Pharmacy Informatics Academy
Beju Shah, PharmD co-founded the Pharmacy Informatics Academy along with Tony Dao, PharmD, Brian Fung, PharmD, and David Vu, PharmD. During our interview, Beju talks about his background, how Informatics Pharmacists are problem-solvers, the 2 courses offered by the Pharmacy Informatics Academy, and more. My Back-to-School Series features interviews with 9 pharmacists who teach online courses. (Since it’s back-to-school time, I created a Back-to-School series on my podcast!). Check out the series, and get inspired to either learn or create! Thank you for listening to episode 166 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 166.
Pharmacist Dads Series Part 2 of 4: Interview with Tony Guerra, PharmD
Each Friday in June 2022, I’m publishing an interview with a pharmacist dad in honor of Father’s Day, which is Sunday, June 19. This episode is an interview with Tony Guerra, PharmD. During the first half of our conversation, we discuss how Tony uses his voice as a pharmacist. In the second half, we focus on Tony’s role as a Dad. Thank you for listening to episode 156 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! To read the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 156. Tony Guerra, M.HCI., Pharm.D., is a pharmacist who helps students write their way into a residency by helping them with their interviews, CVs, and letters of intent. He lives in Ankeny, Iowa with his wife and triplet daughters. You can find The Pharmacy Residency Podcast on iTunes or at https://pharmacyresidencypodcast.com/ You can find his courses at https://residency.teachable.com/ You can find his audiobooks on Audible from career to pharmacology and pharmacotherapy here https://www.audible.com/author/Tony-Guerra/B00AECS0ZG He welcomes you to join and subscribe to his TonyPharmD YouTube channel has 35,000 subscribers https://www.youtube.com/c/tonypharmd Highlights from our conversation Tony uses his voice as a pharmacist in a number of ways. He has experience in retail pharmacy. Now, he’s a college professor, podcaster, online course creator, author, husband, father of 3, youth sports coach, and more. Some pharmacists have learned that traditional, clinical pharmacist hours are fundamentally incompatible with being a good parent. Tony reveled the #1 reason someone does not get a residency. He also gave advice about writing a residency letter of intent. Tony is an entrepreneur. He finds a need and fills the gap. Many pharmacists feel guilty about getting paid to do something outside traditional, clinical practice. Tony pointed out that providing free resources as well as paid resources is a good way to overcome that guilt. As an experienced author, Tony talked about how long it takes to go from idea to published and described how long it takes for a normal book compared to a book that he recently published with Brandon Dyson, PharmD at an accelerated pace. Tony also shared tips on writing a book. How can women get men to read books, like Tony Guerra’s Without Being Asked: How Can Dads and Kids Help Organize and Declutter To Reduce Family Burnout? Tony suggested putting it in, “Fix-it language” or, “Guy speak.” Tony shares individual drug name pronunciations on his YouTube channel. To learn more, visit https://www.youtube.com/c/tonypharmd. Visit https://residency.teachable.com to learn more about Tony’s online courses. Topics include pharmacology and pharmacy residencies. Tony has been married since 2007, and has triplet daughters, age 10. We discussed a range of “Dad” topics, including: Apologizing “Dad time-outs” Being present and not letting career get in the way of being present Fertility issues Praise for his wife during her long hospital bedrest His daughters’ 3 month stay in the NICU Advice to pharmacist dads on when to have a child/children Biggest challenges of fatherhood Favorite things about fatherhood Kids and sports/extracurricular activities Raising kids is expensive. We discussed an expense that surprised Tony. General advice for current or prospective pharmacist dads. Mentioned in this episode Tony Guerra, Pharmacist LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonypharmd/ Tony’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/tonypharmd Audiobooks https://www.audible.com/author/Tony-Guerra/B00AECS0ZG Tony Guerra author profile on amazon.com Books mentioned in this episode Without Being Asked: How Can Dads and Kids Help Organize and Declutter To Reduce Family Burnout? by Tony Guerra Finding Your Unicorn Job for Pharmacists: Financial Freedom, Flexible Hours, and Personal Fulfillment Beyond the Pharmacy Counter (Pharmacist Residency and Career Series Book 6) by Tony Guerra How to Pronounce Drug Names: A Visual Approach to Preventing Medication Errors by Tony Guerra 100 Strong Residency Interview Questions, Answers, and Rationales by Tony Guerra and Brandon Dyson, et al. Pharmfluencers: The Inspiring Stories of Pharmacy Entrepreneurs by Kimber Boothe How Not to Hate your Husband After Kids by Jancee Dunn How Pharmacists Lead: Answers from Women Who Are Leading, Succeeding, and Impacting Pharmacy by Hillary Blackburn, PharmD If You’re in My Office, It’s Already Too Late: A Divorce Lawyer’s Guide to Staying Together by James J. Sexton The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman The University of Toledo College of Pharmacy https://www.utoledo.edu/pharmacy/ Online courses (Pharmacy Residency Podcast Courses) https://residency.teachable.com Todd Eury LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddeury/ Pharmacy Podcast Network https://pharmacypodcast.com Check out Tony’s podcasts: Pharmacy Future Leaders Podcast Pharmacy Residency Podcast Thank you for listening to episode 156 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! Please share this episode!
6/10/2022 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 58 seconds
Trulicity® (dulaglutide), Pronunciation Series Episode 5 with special guest Allana Alexander, PharmD
Pharmacist Moms Series Part 1 of 4: Interview with Ijeoma Ekeocha, PharmD
Welcome to my 4-part Pharmacist Moms Series! Each Friday in May 2022, I’m publishing an interview with a pharmacist mom in honor of Mother’s Day, which is Sunday, May 8, 2022. Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. Ijeoma Ekeocha. She’s a pharmacist, podcast host, online course creator, and Mom. Mother’s Day is an American Day of Celebration. (It’s not an official US Holiday.) On Mother’s Day, we celebrate and honor Moms. Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms listening to today’s podcast episode! Whether you’re a current Mom, a woman who hopes to be a Mom someday, or someone who loves their Mom or a Mom in their life, I hope you enjoy this episode. To read the full show notes, please visit www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click the podcast tab, and search for episode 149. Thank you for listening to episode 149 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! Mentioned in this episode Ijeoma’s LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/ijeomaekeocha/ Black Women Pharmacists Podcast https://blackwomenpharmacists.com/podcast/ Passive Income Pharmacy Professional (PIPP) Course https://passiveincomepharmacyprofessional.com Twitter (Black Women Pharmacists) https://twitter.com/BlackWomenPhar1 Instagram (blackwomenpharmacists) https://www.instagram.com/blackwomenpharmacists/ Facebook (Black Women Pharmacists Group) https://www.facebook.com/groups/blackwomenpharmacists Good RX article written by Ijeoma Ekeocha, PharmD 2019 National Pharmacist Workforce Study (includes race stats) August 2021 Article on the US Census Bureau’s website titled “2020 Census Illuminates Racial and Ethnic Composition of the Country.” (accessed 5-4-22) US Bureau of Labor Statistics (Pharmacists) The Political Pharmacist Podcast Episode 118 featuring Dr. Jade Ranger Black Women Pharmacists Podcast Episodes 15 and 48 featuring Dr. Megan Freeland Black Women Pharmacists Podcast Episode 6 featuring Dr. Christina Madison (The Public Health Pharmacist) Black Women Pharmacists Podcast Episode 47 featuring Dr. Jade Ranger The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 129 featuring Dr. Megan Freeland Nicalia Matthews Okome, Founder of Side Hustle Pro University of the Sciences/Philadelphia College of Pharmacy Julie Morgenstern, author of personal organizing and time-management books The 5AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life. By Robin Sharma Highlights from the interview Black women are doing great things in the pharmacy profession, and Black Women Pharmacists Podcast is a great place to learn about them. It’s primarily an interview show. Ijeoma highlights pharmacist career paths and careers and gives black women pharmacists a place to share their experiences. Networking with strong women is a perk of being the podcast host. Brown Skin Stories was the original name of Ijeoma’s podcast. It was rebranded as Black Women Pharmacists Podcast when Ijeoma decided to focus on black women in pharmacy. As she was niching down the topic of her podcast, the University of the Sciences/Philadelphia College of Pharmacy has been supportive of Ijeoma’s journey. Representation matters in podcasting too. According to the 2019 Pharmacist Workforce Survey (page 12, Table 2.1.2), the percentage of black or African American Pharmacists in the US is 5%. In 2014, it was 2.3%. In 5 years, the percentage of black or African American Pharmacists in the US more than doubled. It’s far from matching the US population stats, but the number of black or African American Pharmacists in the US is growing. The percentage of the US population that identifies as black or African American only is 12.4% (2020 US Census data). Ijeoma became a new Mom in September 2021. Her son’s name is Chisimdi. His nickname is “Munch.” We talked about the following: Ijeoma’s favorite part about being a Mom When to have a baby Biggest challenges of being a Mom Balancing work and family We love lists! The four D’s Favorite “Me time” activity Biggest craving while pregnant Favorite “Girl’s Night Out” (Mom’s Night Out) activity A surprising thing she had to buy when she became a Mom A book or audiobook recommendation General advice for current or prospective moms Ijeoma launched the Passive Income Pharmacy Professional (PIPP) Course in April 2022. To learn more, visit https://passiveincomepharmacyprofessional.com. There is a free webinar training available through the website. Ijeoma talks about PIPP on Episode 50 of Black Women Pharmacists Podcast. She will be back to talk about PIPP on The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast in August 2022. Dr. Ijeoma Ekeocha’s Full Bio (April 2022) Ijeoma Ekeocha completed her Doctor of Pharmacy at the University of the Sciences, formally known as the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, in 2009. Following graduation, she practiced as a Clinical Pharmacist at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Subsequently, she completed her post-graduate training and became the first and only Non-Traditional Pharmacy Resident at The Johns Hopkins Hospital from 2014-to 2016. In 2016, she moved to the Big Apple (NYC) and joined a large academic medical center as the Lead Pharmacist, and was eventually promoted to the Regulatory Pharmacy Manager Role for the Specialty Pharmacy services. In April of 2022, Ijeoma made another transition and joined a continuing medical education company, where she works as an Associate Medical Director. She's also the founder of Brown Skin Stories, LLC and host of Black Women Pharmacists, a podcast created to share stories of Black women practicing in various fields of pharmacy. The podcast aims to educate and encourage pharmacy students about the versatility of the PharmD, in addition to helping them choose a career that plays to their strengths. Ijeoma is passionate about mentoring the next generation of women to help them cultivate their unique characteristics to share their contributions with the world. When she's not working or embarking on a new adventure, her favorite activity is spending time with her son Chisimdi and her husband, Antonio. Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms reading this!
5/6/2022 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 10 seconds
Besponsa® (inotuzumab ozogamicin) Pronunciation Series Episode 4 with special guest Jennifer Marquez, PharmD
Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month Solo Episode (April 2022)
This is a follow-up solo episode from Episode 146, my interview with Christina Madison, PharmD, FCCP, AAHIVP about autism awareness and acceptance (April 2022). My name is Kim Newlove, and I’m the host of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast. I am 43 years old, and I have a 19-year-old son with autism. I’ve been married for more than 20 years, and my husband and I also have a 17-year-old son. Kraig is 19. Derrick is 17. In this very personal episode, I wanted to share my family’s experience with autism diagnosis and treatment. Resources are also mentioned in this episode (websites and books). This episode is specifically targeted for parents of young children with autism who would appreciate hearing about another family’s experiences and their words of wisdom. I wish this kind of [audio] information would have been available in 2005, when my son was newly diagnosed. I honestly didn’t have much time to read. If you know someone who needs to hear this episode, please share it when them. If you have questions, contact me using the contact form on my website https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/#contact. Thank you. 🧩 Disclaimers: As a pharmacist, I’m dying to make this episode as complete and helpful as possible, but I’m sure I’ll leave things out. I’m a human. I’m a parent. And, I’m just trying to help. I’m not a developmental pediatrician, child psychiatrist, child psychologist, or pediatric neurologist. I’m not treating YOUR child. This episode is not meant to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure autism. I’m just sharing my personal experiences as a parent of a child with autism. Caution! This episode may also make you want to be a stay-at-home Mom. If you’re a working Mom, it may make you question yourself. Don’t. If you can’t be a stay-at-home Mom, you’re still a good Mom. I’m not judging you. Don’t judge yourself. Thank you for listening to The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 147. To read the show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast/ and click on episode 147.
4/29/2022 • 1 hour, 51 minutes, 44 seconds
Interview with Christina Madison, PharmD, FCCP, AAHIVP about autism awareness and acceptance (April 2022)
Dr. Christina Madison, Founder and CEO of The Public Health Pharmacist ®, PLLC a public health consulting firm, returns to The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast today for a different kind of an interview. April is Autism Awareness Month (or Autism Acceptance Month). Christina and I each have a son with autism, and we use our voices as advocates for our children. Christina’s son Alex turned 6 just a few days ago, and my son Kraig is 19. Thank you for listening to episode 146 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! For the full show notes, visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast/ and click on the link for episode 146. Mentioned in this episode The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 118 featuring Dr. Christina Madison LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drchristinamadisonthepublichealthpharmacist Website: ThePublicHealthPharmacist Email: ThePublicHealthPharmacist@gmail.com Instagram/Facebook: @ThePublicHealthPharmacist Twitter: @PublicHealthRx YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWONXNCvgTJE-FE2aWbxZzA?view_as=subscriber Podcast (part of the Pharmacist Podcast Network): https://pharmacypodcast.com/podcast/public-health-pharmacist/ Lovaas Center Autism Speaks https://www.autismspeaks.org The Autism Society https://autismsociety.org And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov) Time Magazine article about Andrew Wakefield’s Vaccine-Autism Myth Therapeutic interventions mentioned Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Art therapy Early Intervention (also known as Help Me Grow) for age 0-3 years. Feeding therapy (Desensitization therapy treats oral aversions) Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for Preschool through Grade 12 (US) Occupational Therapy (OT) Physical Therapy (PT) PLAY therapy Speech therapy Terms mentioned (in addition to therapies) Breathing exercises Calming behaviors (coping behaviors, self-soothing behaviors) Child psychiatrist Child psychologist Developmental pediatrician Diagnosis Echolalia Expressive language delay Gaps in development Imagination Inability to bond Limited diet Medicaid Meditation Milestones (developmental milestones) Mindfulness Modeling behavior No eye contact Pediatrician Pediatric neurologist Person with autism (person-first language) Receptive language delay Repetitive behaviors Resource lists Sensory-integration dysfunction Social-emotional development Social skills Typical peer
4/22/2022 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 44 seconds
Interview with Leah Sera, PharmD about the MS Degree in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics at The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
Interview with Angel Bivens, BS Pharm, MBA, CSPI from the Maryland Poison Center about best practices for medication storage and disposal
Happy Poison Prevention Week! National Poison Prevention Week is March 20-26, 2022. 🇺🇸 Second-time guest Angel Bivens (Pharmacist and Certified Specialist in Poison Information) shares best practices for medication storage and disposal. Plus, the Maryland Poison Center is celebrating 50 years of service! Congrats! 🎉 What has changed between 1972 and 2022? Listen, and find out! Read the full show notes at https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. Click on the podcast tab, and search for episode 141 for Angel's full bio and highlights from our conversation. Thank you for listening to episode 141 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! Mentioned in this episode ☎️ Poison Help Line 1-800-222-1222 (Program this in your phone today, and share with others!) LinkedIn for Angel Bivens https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelbivens/ The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 87 featuring Angel Bivens (March 2021) DEA Drug Take-Back events (spring and fall) Maryland Poison Center website: www.mdpoison.com To find your local poison center: www.aapcc.org Resources for pharmacists and their patients: Safe Storage: PROTECT Up and Away Campaign: www.upandaway.org FDA: Disposal of Unused Medicines Includes link to “flush list”: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-disposal-medicines/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know FDA and EPA home medication disposal tips https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines Poison Prevention Press: http://bit.ly/PoisonPrevPress One-page, plain language e-newsletter published every other month on varying topics; all current and previous issues available Poison Prevention Press sign up: http://bit.ly/MPCSignUp eAntidote Blog: blog.mdpoison.com Facebook: MarylandPoisonCenter Twitter: @MDPoisonCtr Instagram: @MDPoisonCenter YouTube: Maryland Poison Center Resources with clinical information for pharmacists: ToxTidbits: http://bit.ly/ToxTidbits One-page clinical e-newsletter published monthly on various toxicologic topics; all current and previous issues available ToxTidbits sign up: http://bit.ly/TTBSignUp Twitter: @MPCToxtidbits To see MPC’s one-minute, time-lapse video of a button battery cooking a hot dog, click here. Duquesne University University of Baltimore Thank you for listening to episode 141 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast!
Pharmacy Podcasts Series Part 3 of 3. Discussion about why pharmacists should have a podcast with special guest Todd Eury, Pharmacy Podcast Network Founder
Interview with Blair Thielemier, PharmD about the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit October 21 and 22, 2021
Mentioned in this episode Blair’s social media links: LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Conference (Note: This is an Affiliate Link.) Pharmapreneur Academy NCPA: National Community Pharmacists Association Dr. Erin L. Albert Own Your Greatness by Lisa Orbé-Austin and Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. Blair Thielemier. She’s a pharmacist and business development consultant, specializing in pharmacist-led billing models. She consults on and produces e-learning programs for state and national organizations, pharmacy wholesalers, payers, and technology start-ups. She has books and online courses available for individuals looking to leverage their pharmacy knowledge into monetized clinical programs at https://pharmapreneuracademy.com. She speaks internationally about trends in leveraging pharmacists to improve value-based care. The focus of our interview is on Blair’s upcoming Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit, which is LIVE over Zoom October 21, and 22, 2021, 9 AM to 4 PM Central Time. Content will highlight Blair’s experience, what she sees that is working in the pharmacy industry and what’s working in consulting, and so much more. Even if you are listening to this episode after the Summit, you will still get value from listening to this episode. Blair talks about how she uses her voice to advance the profession of pharmacy and educate other pharmacists on how to leverage their pharmacy knowledge into monetized clinical programs. To learn more, visit https://pharmapreneuracademy.com. Highlights from the interview Knowing your “why” is important. Blair’s mission is elevating the profession of pharmacy. In the beginning, Blair was shy about using her voice. She wanted to be anonymous and feels that she has always been more of a writer. Blair launched the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit in 2017 to share other pharmacists’ voices. Pharmacist-led clinical services can impact quality metrics and make a positive impact on ROI for pharmacy services. Blair mentioned 3 different models: Physician’s office path Pharmacy-based path Patient-pay path Blair will be teaching the 4 Pillars of Pharmapreneurial Success during the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit. We need to hear pharmacists share what’s working for them and the impact they are having. Blair will introduce Summit participants to some amazing pharmacists. Click this link to register for the October 2021 Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit. (Note: This is an Affiliate Link.). There is no cost to register. Date and time: Thursday, October 21, and Friday, October 22, 9 AM - 4 PM CST. The Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit is not recorded. It is LIVE via Zoom only. Pop in and out if that’s your availability. It may still inspire you! Pharmacy students and other healthcare professionals are welcome to attend the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit too. Sign up for Blair’s newsletter through her website to learn about upcoming events and opportunities. Pharmapreneur Academy has a great team, including someone who will help pharmacists sell their services. Pharmacists have a hard time selling without feeling “salesy.” Blair is from a small town in NE Arkansas. She talked about imposter syndrome. Blair was self-conscious about her accent at first. Now, she owns it! She had a limiting belief that people would perceive her as “less than” because of her accent. Personal and career development has helped her move past her limiting beliefs. I mentioned the book Own Your Greatness by Lisa Orbé-Austin and Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin. In Own Your Greatness, Drs. Orbé-Austin talk about “ANTS” = automatic negative thoughts and how to overcome them. Blair wants to found a non-profit foundation to help pharmacists learn how to show up, demonstrate their value, and be an advocate at the national level. Listen to the end of the interview for Blair’s answers to the following 5 questions: What is the biggest challenge you face in creating an online conference? What’s the best thing that’s happened since you started the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit? What’s the best thing that’s happened since you started the Pharmapreneur Academy? What’s the best piece of advice anyone in the pharmacy world has ever given you? Other than imposter syndrome, what’s one hidden pitfall in pharmacy that prevents pharmacists from succeeding? Thank you for listening to The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast episode 117! I hope Blair has inspired you to use your voice! Space is limited for the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit. Sign up today! Thank you again for listening.
10/8/2021 • 51 minutes, 1 second
Interview with Mike Johnston, CPhT, National Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA) Founder and CEO
Self-care and the 8 dimensions of wellness are important. I challenge you to learn what you need and what you’re already doing well. It’s ok to slow down, check in on yourself, and take care of yourself. Mentioned in this episode Medipreneurs Conference Cincinnati, OH October 8-10, 2021 Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit October 21-22, 2021 (This is an Affiliate Link) Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University YMCA of Greater Toledo, OH The 8 dimensions of wellness Emotional Environmental Financial Intellectual Occupational Physical Social/cultural Spiritual Read about each one, and ask yourself how you’re doing in each category. In this episode, I give you my thoughts on each of the eight dimensions in my life as of September 16, 2021. Thank you for listening to episode 114 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! Take care! ✌🏻
9/17/2021 • 12 minutes, 16 seconds
Interview with Margo Puffenberger, Art Director & Graphic Designer
Interview with Matt Grissinger RPh, FISMP, FASCP, Director of Error Reporting Programs at ISMP
Links to ISMP and other details mentioned in this episode ISMP Organizational Website: Home | Institute For Safe Medication Practices (ismp.org) ISMP Twitter: Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) (@ismp_org) / Twitter ISMP Facebook: Institute for Safe Medication Practices | Facebook ISMP LinkedIn: Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP): Overview | LinkedIn ISMP Instagram: ISMP (@ismp_org) • Instagram photos and videos Medication Safety Officers Society Website: Medication Safety Officers Society- MSOS | (medsafetyofficer.org) ISMP's Consumer Medication Safety Website: ConsumerMedSafety.org - Prevent Medication Errors - Consumer Med Safety Matt Grissinger ISMP Bio Mike Cohen ISMP Bio Hospital Pharmacy ASHP Midyear in December NCCMERP, National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention Temple University Thomas Jefferson University Joint Commission Medicare ECRI ASHP FDA Background information Today’s episode is an interview with Matt Grissinger, Director of Error Reporting Programs at ISMP, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices. Matt earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science and is a fellow of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices as well as the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists. He first joined ISMP in 2000 as an ISMP Safe Medication Management Fellow. His responsibilities include working with healthcare practitioners and institutions to provide education about medication errors and their prevention, and reviewing medication errors that have been voluntarily submitted by practitioners to ISMP’s National Medication Errors Reporting Programs (MERP). See Matt Grissinger’s full bio on the ISMP website. He has held numerous leadership positions and has contributed to a number of publications. In addition, he’s an adjunct assistant professor for Temple University School of Pharmacy. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) is the nation’s first 501c(3) nonprofit organization devoted entirely to preventing medication errors. ISMP is known and respected for its medication safety information. For more than 25 years, it also has served as a vital force for progress. ISMP’s advocacy work alone has resulted in numerous necessary changes in clinical practice, public policy, and drug labeling and packaging. Among its many initiatives, ISMP runs the only national voluntary practitioner medication error reporting program, publishes newsletters with real-time error information read and trusted throughout the global healthcare community, and offers a wide range of unique educational programs, tools, and guidelines. In 2020, ISMP formally affiliated with ECRI to create one of the largest healthcare quality and safety entities in the world, and ECRI and the ISMP PSO is a federally certified patient safety organization by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As an independent watchdog organization, ISMP receives no advertising revenue and depends entirely on charitable donations, educational grants, newsletter subscriptions, and volunteer efforts to pursue its life-saving work. Visit www.ismp.org and follow @ismp1 to learn more. Highlights from the interview How does ISMP use its voice? ISMP is the voice of the medication use process. ISMP looks at and addresses problems with the medication use process. Unless pharmacists and other practitioners speak up and tell ISMP about medication use problems, ISMP doesn’t know about them. Unsafe conditions, errors, etc. need to be reported, investigated, and shared around the world so others learn why things are going wrong and strategies to prevent harm to patients. ISMP publishes a variety of newsletters, gives presentations (Example: ASHP Midyear in December), provides webinars, and offers in-person consulting at hospitals/outpatient pharmacies to do a proactive risk assessment, which looks at the medication use process to see what needs improvement. Over time and through publications in trade journals, education programs, etc. ISMP has grown their influence. How did ISMP get started? Mike Cohen founded ISMP and is the current President. His passion for medication safety began in the 1970’s, when he shared information about a serious insulin-related adverse event in his workplace with Hospital Pharmacy. The information was shared in story format. How does ISMP define a medication error? Use the definition created by NCCMERP (National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention). Medication errors differ depending on the setting they happen in and how they happen. Who should report medication errors to ISMP? ISMP accepts reports from consumers and any healthcare practitioner. ISMP is a qualitative reporting program, not a quantitative reporting program. The story and the details are important to creating a clear picture of what happened in order to improve processes or develop strategies. People don’t remember bar graphs, they remember stories. Personal stories are powerful. Matt shared a memorable story about a fentanyl patch and the death of a child. What can we learn from the story? Counseling about proper storage and disposal could have saved the child’s life. What are some important features about ISMP’s website? ISMP’s website is a wealth of information. Pharmacists, pharmacy students, and other healthcare professionals should access the tools and resources on the website. A good place to start is the self-assessments for pharmacies. The assessments lead to great conversations that improve safety. Discussing the lists (Confused Drug Names, Error-Prone Abbreviations, etc) can also create awareness about medication safety issues. How do pharmacy schools use information from ISMP to inform students? ISMP provides its newsletter to schools of pharmacy at no cost. Two schools of pharmacy that include classes on medication safety topics are Temple University and Thomas Jefferson University. Matt Grissinger teaches at Temple. Although he is not familiar with the curriculum at all schools of pharmacy, he would like to see pharmacy students learn more about medication safety and safe medication use processes. Students need to understand context in a variety of settings, including the ICU, operating room, med-surg floor, and more. What is a notable achievement ISMP has made? Being cited/referenced by numerous sources (for example Joint Commission and Medicare) is an achievement. ISMP tries to change organizations, lives, and processes. Does ISMP have any important partnerships? Matt mentioned two: ECRI (also based in Pennsylvania) and ASHP. Are there any myths about ISMP? Yes. ISMP is not a regulatory body, and they do not receive government funding. What challenges does ISMP face? Permanent change in healthcare Affecting change in volume Uniform safe practices across the board Sharing knowledge Standardizing processes Getting everyone on board How can pharmacists, pharmacy students, and pharmacy technicians get the most out of ISMP? Read the newsletter subscriptions Use ISMP’s self-assessment tools and other tools on the website. Tell ISMP your stories and workplace concerns. They can lead to change. Learn about medication errors and why they happen. We need to get our pharmacy leaders to dig for details about what worries their staff about safe medication use practices. Thank you for listening to episode 107 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast! Please subscribe or follow on your favorite podcast player.
Interview with Texas Pharmacogenomics Consulting Founder Nancy Gadelsayed, RPh
Nancy Gadelsayed earned her BS Degree in Pharmacy from the University of Cairo in Egypt in 2005. She has multiple certifications, including Certified Pharmacogenomics Consultant Pharmacist and Certified APhA immunizer. As the Pharmacist in charge at her Walmart Pharmacy in Texas, Nancy loves helping her patients and is a passionate preceptor who equips pharmacy students with the tools and knowledge they need to be successful upon graduation. Nancy founded Texas Pharmacogenomics Consulting, LLC in 2020, and enjoys entrepreneurship. Stay tuned later this year for Nancy’s debut as a podcast host on the PGX for Pharmacists podcast, which is part of the Pharmacy Podcast Network. Mentioned in this episode Nancy Gadelsayed’s LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-gadelsayed-bs-rph-318b7680/ Nancy Gadelsayed’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nancygadelsayed/ Personal Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/nancy.helmy.54 Business Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/DrNancy83 NABP's Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee Bulletin with information regarding the FPGEE, TOEFL-IBT, MPJE, and NAPLEX Texas Pharmacogenomics Consulting, LLC (business website) PGX for Pharmacists Podcast https://pharmacypodcast.com/podcast/pgx-for-pharmacists/ Pharmacy Podcast Network https://pharmacypodcast.com The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 97: Interview with Maureen Garrity, NABP Competency Assessment Director, on how a foreign pharmacy graduate can become a US Pharmacist. PharmaSis Magazine https://www.pharmasismag.com Dr. Jerrica Dodd https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjdodd/ Highlights from the interview This episode is a follow-up to The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 97: Interview with Maureen Garrity, NABP Competency Assessment Director, on how a foreign pharmacy graduate can become a US Pharmacist. Here’s how Nancy went from University of Cairo graduate to US Pharmacist: 2005 BS Pharm University of Cairo 2007, Passed the FPGEE 2008, Passed the TOEFL-IBT 2008-2011, earned 2,000 internship hours to become eligible for the New Jersey MPJE and NAPLEX exam. 2011, passed the New Jersey MPJE and the NAPLEX. 2012, passed the Texas MPJE and became a Texas-licensed pharmacist Nancy loved learning English. She started in high school, and she also learned by watching/listening to American television shows, like Dr. Phil. Nancy struggled with getting hired by a pharmacy to complete her internship hours. They underestimated Nancy’s value. Nancy found a good opportunity to work as a pharmacist in Texas (2012), so she earned her Texas pharmacist license and relocated from New Jersey to Texas. After 6 months, she was promoted to the position of Pharmacy Manager. In 2014, she left that job for another retail Pharmacy Manager job. She has been with the same company since 2014. Nancy gave birth to three daughters between 2008 and 2014. Working in a community practice setting while pregnant is a challenge. Standing for long hours is hard; doing it while pregnant is even more difficult! Much respect to all the pregnant women pharmacists who work long hours on their feet with little or no breaks. In September 2020, Nancy founded Texas Pharmacogenomics Consulting, LLC. She is an entrepreneur outside her FT community practice job. (She is not an intrapreneur for her employer.) Her patients find her through her website, social media, and marketing in town. To learn more, visit https://texaspgx.com. PGX (Pharmacogenomic) testing is done using a cheek swab. It is sent to a lab. Nancy looks at lab data for information about a patient’s genes, enzymes, and more. She considers drug interactions, lifestyle, and alcohol use. Then, she collaborates with prescribers and makes plans and recommendations. Nancy works with individuals patients, prescribers, and laboratories. Through Texas Pharmacogenomics Consulting, Nancy coaches other pharmacists who want to start a PGX practice. She saves them money on tools they don’t need, tells them which labs to collaborate with, instructs them on how to read a lab report, and more. Nancy pursued additional education to learn about PGX. She is a Certified Pharmacogenomics Consultant Pharmacist. Nancy shared a PGX success story about a patient with PTSD. The patient got what he needed and avoided using an inappropriate medication. Nancy was featured in the Spring 2021 issue of PharmaSis Magazine. Dr. Jerrica Dodd is the Founder and Editor of PharmaSis Magazine. Buy your copy and learn more at https://www.pharmasismag.com. Nancy will join the PGX for Pharmacists podcast as a podcast host soon. You can find PGX for Pharmacists on the Pharmacy Podcast Network. https://pharmacypodcast.com/podcast/pgx-for-pharmacists/ Nancy’s value as a pharmacist was underestimated when she first came to the United States. She encourages foreign pharmacy school grads who dream about becoming US pharmacists to keep dreaming. Don’t let anyone crush your dreams. Keep pushing. Believe in yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. Thank you for listening to episode 105 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast. Please subscribe for free on your favorite podcast player.
Interview with Diabetes Battle Buddy Founder Allie Butler, PharmD, BCMTMS
Mentioned in this episode: https://diabetesbattlebuddy.com/ https://www.facebook.com/DiabetesBattleBuddy Free Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/339536070520845 https://www.linkedin.com/company/diabetes-battle-buddy/ www.LinkedIn.com/in/alliedbutler https://www.instagram.com/diabetesbattlebuddy/ https://diabetes-battle-buddy.teachable.com/p/gestational-diabetes/ Dr. Allie Butler is a US Air Force Veteran, pharmacist, and entrepreneur. The name of her company is Diabetes Battle Buddy. After her service in the Air Force, she became a pharmacist. For several years, she worked as a community pharmacist and focused on diabetes care. Allie is passionate about diabetes management, supporting Veterans, and leadership development in healthcare professionals. In her free time, she enjoys cycling, cooking, gardening, and spending time with her husband and 3 children. Highlights from the interview Allie was a meteorologist for the US Air Force before becoming a pharmacist. When she left the Air Force, she wanted a job where she served others. Because her husband was also in the military at the time, she needed something flexible that could accommodate a military lifestyle. She chose pharmacy. Supporting someone on their journey to wellness after a diagnosis of diabetes is important. Allie created Diabetes Battle Buddy to fill gaps in support and care that patients with diabetes face. Diabetes Battle Buddy offers the following services: ✅One-on-one coaching: nutrition, fitness, lifestyle, and medication counseling ✅Self-paced online coursework (Gestational diabetes course NOW available. Type 2 Diabetes course coming soon!) ✅Free Facebook Group ✅Wellness presentations (Ex: to employees of a business) Allie knew diabetes was her passion because she enjoyed the topic in pharmacy school. Her understanding of diabetes and interest in the disease grew when she had gestational diabetes. Having first-hand experience with the approach healthcare professionals take to support patients after a diagnosis was eye-opening to Allie. Patients need extensive diabetes education and support at the time of diagnosis. Allie explained how she came up with the name of her company: Diabetes Battle Buddy. In the military, a battle buddy is someone you’re in the trenches with. Your battle buddy has your back, and they won’t leave you behind. Dr. Allie Butler is a battle buddy to her patients with diabetes. She wants to help them manage their diabetes and be well. She also wants to connect her patients to supportive peers through a free Facebook group. The logo for Diabetes Battle Buddy is a visual representation of what a battle buddy does. A battle buddy reaches back to help the person behind them. Allie is a Board Certified Medication Therapy Management Specialist (BCMTMS). The additional training from her Board Certification helps Allie assess and support patients with their medications, including the ones used to control diabetes. Allie’s patients find her on social media, the web, and word of mouth through friends, other patients, and family. Some patients want a one-time visit. Others need ongoing support. If you know someone who needs a Diabetes Battle Buddy, please share Dr. Allie Butler’s website with them. https://diabetesbattlebuddy.com/
6/18/2021 • 36 minutes, 29 seconds
Celebrating 100 episodes of The Pharmacist's Voice Podcast
Interview with Rhonda Phillips about “How does someone get started in voiceover?”
Rhonda Phillips answers the question, “How does someone get started in voiceover?” Rhonda is a voiceover actor, voiceover performance coach, and host of a monthly webinar series called Late Night Secrets for Voiceover Success. Full bio: Rhonda has been a full-time voiceover actor for the past 16 years. Her voice has been heard everywhere from national milk campaigns to Las Vegas casinos to major furniture brands. She's voiced thousands of television and radio commercials as well as hundreds of eLearning modules and on-hold campaigns. She’s also a beginner performance and business coach for aspiring new voiceover talent. Rhonda began her speaking career by teaching effective speaking classes and traveling as a public speaker. She then turned to broadcast radio where she and her morning show partner held a #1 comedy Hot AC morning show. When she’s not working, she enjoys the great outdoors in Western Colorado with her husband and yellow lab. Website and links https://rhondasvoice.com/ Facebook - Search Late Night Secrets for Voiceover Success - Webinar Series https://rhondasvoice.com/#late-night-secrets (to subscribe to newsletter) https://rhondasvoice.com/events/ (for all upcoming coaching and webinars) https://www.instagram.com/rhondasvoice/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhondasvoice/ http://introductiontovoiceover.com is Rhonda’s 3-hour, self-paced course about the VO industry. Highlights from the interview There are many ways to get into voiceover (VO). ✅First, do your research. What’s current? What’s happening? What’s out there? ✅Listen to demos by professional voice actors, and visit their websites. Shop around. ✅Learn what different genres of VO sound like: commercial, eLearning, explainer videos, etc. ✅Reach out to a coach who works with newbies in the genre you want to explore. ✅Learn the performance side of VO. ✅Learn the business side of VO. Checklist of things to think about 🟣Budget (marketing, branding, a logo, website design, hiring a team to help you, and more) 🟣A brand and a logo (To learn more, check out Celia Siegel’s book Voiceover Achiever.) 🟣Business cards 🟣Business plan 🟣Coaching 🟣Conferences 🟣Cover letters 🟣A CRM (customer relationship management tool) 🟣Editing audio is an important skill you MUST have (you may need coaching). 🟣Equipment: a microphone, an audio interface, headphones, a computer, audio recording software/DAW (Ex: Adobe Audition) 🟣GVAA Rate Guide (Check out the replay of David Toback’s appearance on Late Night Secrets. He talks about VO industry standard rates.) 🟣Invoicing 🟣Legal: LLC, contracts. (Check out Rob Sciglimpaglia Jr.’s book Voice Over Legal. Coupon Code RHONDA saves you $5 on either the paperback or ebook. Thank you John Florian at Voice Over Xtra for providing the link and coupon code!) https://www.voiceoverxtra.com/ebook.htm 🟣Memberships 🟣Mission statements 🟣Networking 🟣Online courses 🟣Organizational skills 🟣Pay to Play (P2P) sites 🟣A quality home studio: home-built or purchased (A purchased studio can cost $5,000-$10,000) 🟣Social media presence 🟣Support groups, stand-up groups, and meet-up groups 🟣Time management How much does it cost to get started in VO? $5-10K is a good starting point. It can cost more or less depending on your training, equipment, and needs. Everyone has “a great voice,” but everyone needs to learn how to use their voice. Starting out making money is tough to do. Don’t quit your day job right away. Finding the right coach can be a challenge. Ask your friends for references, and go on Facebook. Search within Facebook groups. Go to a coach once before signing on for sessions. For example, Rhonda does a consult with clients before coaching with them. Rhonda wants to learn who they are, where they’re coming from, what they’ve done, and how she can help them reach their goals. Some people need a business coach. Others need a performance coach. Some people need a coach who does both. Shop for demos on several voice actors’ websites. voiceactorwebsites.com has a number of examples on their Portfolio Page. Subscribe to Late Night Secrets for Voiceover Success (LNS) 🌟Usually the last Wednesday of each month 🌟Cost is typically $15 to sign up (as of June 2021). A replay is included. 🌟Replays are also for sale. Past LNS guests include: Carin Gilfry on the business of voiceover David Toback about the GVAA Rate Guide Maria Pendolino about negotiation and the Millennial Read Larry Hudson about performance, editing, and other aspects of VO George Washington III on The Impact of the Black Lives Matter/Race Awareness Movement in Voiceover Castings Debbie Irwin on Medical Narration and Non-broadcast VO Rhonda refers students to other coaches as needed. Ex: animation, medical, and video games. Rhonda specializes in the following: Commercial Elearning Explainers IVR/on-hold Rhonda offers group coaching Beginner group classes learn the basics about breaking scripts down. Some people feel intimidated by more experienced voice actors. Beginner group classes offer a safe space to work with other beginners or those who feel like beginners. Learning from other students is eye-opening about different delivery styles. Students also learn self-direction. General group class: Students still learn the basics, but they also learn skills to use in different genres of VO. *In both kinds of group classes, students learn from the other students in the class. “Run your own race.” Just because you’re struggling doesn’t mean you’re failing. How does someone know if they should be doing one-on-one coaching or group coaching? There are pros and cons of both. It’s hard to say if you should start with independent or group. Either way is ok. Trust your coach; s/he will tell you what you need to do. It takes a village to raise a voice actor. VO talents may need more than one coach. Learn how to use your voice. Rhonda recommends any of the following to get used to speaking: Improv Basic acting Toastmasters What should newbies avoid? Don’t pay $400 to be on a P2P site, then get the microphone, then decide to start doing auditions. Do things in the right order. Otherwise, heartbreak may be around the corner if you’re auditioning and you don’t know what you’re doing. How do you know if someone is coachable? Coaching goes both ways. Find the right coach for you, and BE COACHABLE. Everyone is coachable depending on how open they are to feedback. How positive is their attitude toward work? It’s easy to get discouraged. Be able to take direction and put direction into action. Retain what you learn. Not every coach is right for every student. It's a business. If you’re not getting your needs met, say something! Coaches can refer. You have to know how you like to be coached. What approach do you like? Do you appreciate directness? Nurturing and kindness? Find the coach that works for you. Everyone learns differently. Find who you respond well to and whose feedback you don’t take personally. To learn more about Rhonda Phillips, visit https://rhondasvoice.com.
Interview with Maureen Garrity, NABP Competency Assessment Director, on how a foreign pharmacy graduate can become a US pharmacist
Today’s episode was inspired by a question several foreign pharmacists have asked me: “How can a foreign pharmacy graduate become a US pharmacist?” I typically refer them to NABP’s website, however, I also reached out to NABP for a podcast interview to answer their question. It is my hope that foreign pharmacy graduates will value the information provided by my guest, Maureen Garrity. Maureen Garrity is the Competency Assessment Director for NABP (National Association of Boards of Pharmacy). NABP is the independent, international, and impartial association that works with its members, the state boards of pharmacy, to protect the public health. To help support patient and prescription-drug safety, NABP provides examinations that assess competency, pharmacist licensure transfer and verification services, and various pharmacy accreditation programs like Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites® (VIPPS®) and Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS). NABP is proud of their diverse skills and backgrounds, which help them create innovative programs to meet the needs of the state boards of pharmacy. NABP Website and Social Media Links Website https://nabp.pharmacy Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Vocabulary terms and acronyms. (Click the links to learn more.) ATT Authorization to Test FIC FPGEE Identification Card FPGEC Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee FPGEC Candidate Application Bulletin Outlines application details and requirements for becoming FPGEC Certified FPGEE Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination MPJE Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination NABP National Association of Boards of Pharmacy NABP eProfile Communication tool used by NABP, pharmacists, and others. NAPLEX North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam Pearson VUE Peason VUE Testing Centers deliver the FPGEE, NAPLEX, and MPJE examinations in-person. Pre-FPGEE FPGEE practice exam using past questions. It can be purchased in the NABP eProfile. TOEFL iBT Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based Test Everything a foreign pharmacy graduate needs to know about becoming a US pharmacist is in the FPGEC Candidate Application Bulletin. First, a candidate must become FPGEC Certified: ✅Complete the FPGEC Certification Application. ✅Pass the TOEFL iBT according to the NABP’s requirements. ✅Pass the FPGEE Once a candidate is FPGEC Certified, they need to reach out to the state board of pharmacy where they want to be licensed (Ex: Ohio). The board of pharmacy will guide them through the process of becoming licensed by taking the NAPLEX and MPJE. NABP does not license pharmacists. They provide examinations that determine licensure. Sometimes, applicants can not become FPGEC Certified. Reasons may include unmet education requirements or a restricted foreign pharmacist license. How can applicants overcome this barrier? Completing pharmacy school in the US is one option. NABP has high TOEFL score expectations because there’s a lot at stake: safety and health. US pharmacists must be ready to speak to patients immediately after meeting licensure requirements. How would someone find out that they’re not qualified as a candidate? The NABP eProfile is a good communication tool for status updates. Email is also used to communicate. US Pharmacy School students usually graduate in May. May is also important for foreign pharmacy graduates. In May, the registration opens for the FPGEE. The PFGEE is only offered once per year on a single date in October. Seats are reserved for FPGEE candidates at Pearson VUE Testing Centers on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration closes approximately one month prior to the FPGEE exam date. Why? It takes time to schedule candidates, and it takes time for the NABP to print and send FIC cards to candidates. The NABP created practice exams (Pre-Exams) for the FPGEE, NAPLEX, and MPJE. They are available for purchase through the NABP eProfile. Those who pass the practice test are more likely to pass the actual exam. Why? One reason is that test questions on the practice exam were real exam questions at one time. Practice exams are also important to candidate success because they offer insight into how the test will look and the navigation features Pearson VUE uses. What’s the job market like? According to Maureen, it all depends on how you define “Pharmacist Job.” There are a lot of non-traditional pharmacist jobs out there. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has stats on more traditional roles. For anyone looking for a job, Maureen recommends building your network of pharmacist friends. Join associations and organizations; network with member pharmacists. A good network can be powerful! You might find out about a job from your network before it is posted to the public. Being a foreign pharmacy graduate has advantages. Some employers value language skills. For example, global Pharma companies and culturally-diverse communities need pharmacists with language skills. Maureen’s advice for any pharmacist looking for the right job: ✅Find a job you’re passionate about. That will make you happy. ✅Don’t take a job just for the money. No matter how much money you make, it can seem like it’s never enough.
5/21/2021 • 28 minutes, 37 seconds
Theory vs. Practice
It’s possible to get something right in theory and in practice. This episode is nostalgic for me. I talk about piano lessons, joining the band, my pharmacy internship, childbirth (both times!), and my voiceover career. Visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast/ to access subscription buttons for The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast.
5/14/2021 • 12 minutes, 16 seconds
Interview with Mariam Altheraawi, Pharmacist and IVPN Voice Podcast Host
Mariam Altheraawi is a fresh, new-generation pharmacist. She graduated with a B.Sc. Degree in Pharmacy in 2018. Mariam hosts a pharmacy podcast called IVPN Voice, and she loves to use her voice to inspire and empower pharmacists her age to improve the profession as they know it. Linkedin (Mariam): https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariam-altheraawi-a63a07131/ LinkedIn (IVPN) https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivpn-network/mycompany/ IVPN on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ivpn.network/ IVPN Network Website: http://www.ivpn-network.com IVPN Voice Podcast (Google Podcasts) IVPN Voice Podcast (Apple Podcasts) IVPN Voice Interview with Kim Newlove (Apple Podcasts Link) IVPN Voice Interview with Kim Newlove (Google Podcasts Link) Founded in 2012, IVPN stands for (I)ntra(V)enous (P)arenteral (N)utrition. Visit http://www.ivpn-network.com for more information. Originally, it was an email group focused on the topic of intravenous parenteral nutrition. IVPN is growing and includes other specialties now. Members are fondly nicknamed, “IVPNeers.” Mariam pitched the idea of adding a podcast to IVPN, and they loved it! IVPN founder, Osama Tabbara, saw something in Mariam and let her take the lead. She launched IVPN Voice Podcast in 2020. Mariam is learning a lot and having fun. IVPN Voice Podcast has a global audience with Ambassadors in other countries. Visit IVPN on Instagram for more information about Ambassadors and the countries they represent. IVPN wants to promote the profession of pharmacy among all countries and empower pharmacists to practice at the top of their licenses. Many listeners are people around Mariam’s age. They may be students, fresh grads, or pharmacists trying to find jobs and their passion for the profession of pharmacy. Mariam hopes to inspire them or push them to do what they want to do. She is a working pharmacist and a podcaster. She’s a role model to her listeners! Mariam has several co-hosts, including Ahmad El Ouweini, PharmD, Sirine Shoukair, PharmD, Leen Agha, and others. She appreciates her team and enjoys working with them. We discussed differences between the role of the pharmacist in the UAE vs the US. Private practice and entrepreneurship are more common in the US. Two US women pharmacists who help other pharmacists launch businesses are Dr. Blair Thielemier and Dr. Asha Pai Bohannon. Blair’s Pharmapreneur Academy helps pharmacists leverage their skills through consulting services. Dr. Asha works with her husband Eric to help pharmacists launch their own businesses. Visit the BizRx™️ website to learn more or check out their IMPACT Pharmacist online course. (Note: affiliate link.) IVPN and APhA (The American Pharmacists Association) are partners. IVPN Founder Osama Tabbara and current APhA President Scott Knoer know one another from Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic has a presence in the UAE, specifically in Abu Dhabi. According to Mariam, Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi (CCAD) has set the bar high for medicine. She did her internship at CCAD and credits them with helping her find her passion for pharmacy during her internship. Currently, Mariam works full-time as a pharmacist in a hospital in the UAE. Her focus is insurance and pre-authorization issues, but she also dispenses meds, counsels patients on therapy, and does first fill reviews. She records 1-2 podcasts per month. Mariam may be the only woman pharmacist podcaster in UAE as of this recording (April 10, 2021). Way to go Mariam!! Check out IVPN Voice Podcast, and connect with Mariam on LinkedIn. IVPN Voice Podcast (Google Podcasts) IVPN Voice Podcast (Apple Podcasts) Thank you for listening to episode 95 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast!
5/7/2021 • 30 minutes, 2 seconds
Disruption can be a good thing
When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Disruption can be a good thing! The pandemic disrupted how I usually earn CE, so I am trying something different and liking it! My son’s disability (autism) disrupted my professional life, so I turned to voice acting and podcasting. If something has disrupted your life, try to find the good in it. Think about what you CAN do. Think ABILITY first. Every 2 years, I renew my Ohio pharmacist license. I need 40 hours of continuing education (CE) every 2 years (including 2 hours of medication error/patient safety and 2 hours of jurisprudence/law). The Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) offers CPE on-demand from April 16-June 16, 2021. Pharmacist’s Letter is one my favorite sources of CE. Visit my website! https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com
4/30/2021 • 8 minutes, 44 seconds
Interview with Dr. Erin L. Albert on thought leadership through writing and publishing
Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. Erin L. Albert. She’s a pharmacist, attorney, educator, podcaster, and author. Our conversation focuses on thought leadership through writing and publishing so that you can be inspired to share your ideas with the world. Erin is both a pharmacist and an attorney. Erin is an author of over a dozen books, and has served many corners of pharmacy practice--community pharmacy practice, the pharmaceutical industry (in a variety of capacities, such as clinical research, pharmacovigilance, field-based medical affairs, and medical marketing), pharmacy benefits, Medicaid, drug pricing, and academia for over a decade. She taught at Butler University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, where her writing skills transferred into publishing, and she taught/mentored student publishing projects--including several children's book publications, adult pharmacy publications, and even founded a healthcare review for students across campus, BU Well. In addition to publishing her own books on a variety of pharmacy, legal, entrepreneurship and STEM subjects, Erin also has written for Pharmacy Times, Pharmacy Careers, and GoodRx. Last, she has podcasted for decades on a variety of topics as well, including writing and publishing, most recently on her own show, The Edutainer. Her books have been featured on DanPink.com, Entrepreneur, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, and Forbes. Her latest book is Punk Rock Pharmacy: DIY Your Healthcare Career. Links Website erinalbert.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinalbert/ ebooks: https://payhip.com/pharmllc and on Amazon. Highlights from the interview Thought leadership is, “Influencing a narrative by understanding what needs to be done or needs to be changed.” Thought leaders can influence the narrative to affect positive change. Writing and publishing is important for the narrative. We can call out bad behavior; promote good behavior; and solve problems. We might be able to make things better by publishing. Publishing includes more than one venue. Podcasts, video, and anything you put into the universe to consume is publishing. Erin’s new book is Punk Rock Pharmacy: DIY Your Own Healthcare Career (eBook subscription). Different generations consume content in different ways. “Fan fiction” is popular right now. Punk Rock Pharmacy is like an experiment. It’s an “ebook-u-mentary,” and it’s like a choose-your-own-adventure book. Part is written and can be purchased now (April 2021). The rest will be like fan fiction where the readers will interact with Erin and help her shape the narrative on what they want to know about their own healthcare career. Erin is looking to other healthcare professionals to help her help them. Erin’s Annual Pharmacy Rebellion Survey helped with Punk Rock Pharmacy. Who is Erin trying to reach through writing and publishing? It depends. On the Edutainer Podcast, Erin explores the intersection of education and entertainment. The podcast is not just about pharmacy and healthcare; it’s much broader. In print, Erin sticks more to pharmacy, pharmacy and law, entrepreneurship, and STEM. We need specialists and generalists. Erin is a generalist. She prefers to talk about a lot of things and does not limit herself to one topic in the broad sense of publishing. Recently, Erin attended the California Nurses Association (Virtual) Conference on Policy and Politics. She loved it! Nurses are doing things that pharmacy can use. Pharmacists can elevate the pharmacy profession by taking the greatest hits from other professions and bringing them into our own. Seeing other people do cool things can inspire you to do something different too. Case examples inspire others. Erin wants to help coach and develop pharmacists into the careers they want. People want to be what they can see. Some career paths don’t exist on paper. Giving pharmacists a way to see how wide healthcare and pharmacy practice are now will help them reinvent themselves and take slices from others to create their own customized career portfolio. “What makes you weird is your superpower.” We need to bring our passions and interests from outside of pharmacy into the profession to create something unique and cool. You must know yourself better than anyone else. Know your Ikigai: What you love to do [and what you don’t love to do]. What the world needs. What you’re good at. What you can get paid to do. BONUS: What you value. Some pharmacists who are unhappy with their jobs panic and start applying for jobs. In the end, they end up treading water. As an alternative, Erin recommends getting clear on who you are. Know your strengths and seek to use them. Anyone looking to change careers needs to do the hard work to figure out what they love/don’t love to, what the world needs, what they’re good at, what they can get paid to do, and what they value. Do the work first, then start shopping for a new gig. It’s ok to search for jobs without “pharmacist” in the title [if you’re a pharmacist]! The Medical Science Liaison: An A to Z Guide, First Edition was Erin's first book. (Also see The Medical Science Liaison: An A to Z Guide, Second Edition.) At first, she planned to publish the content in a peer-reviewed journal. After 6 months of waiting to be published, she became frustrated. She pulled the paper and transformed it into a book. She even created an LLC to help her manage her writing and publishing projects. You could say Erin became an “accidental entrepreneur.” Erin continues to write because she got onto the “writing treadmill” and enjoyed it. She enjoys the routine, and her goal is to publish one book per year if there is an interesting topic that she wants to write about. She has generally published one book per year. Erin enjoys writing about what she’s curious about. It’s part therapy and part investigation. Toni Morrison said, “If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” Writing a book, sharing a video, or publishing a podcast is Erin’s way of taking people along on the ride with her on her learning experience. Ideas can develop over time. Erin talked about “idea funnels.” Something she is curious about might start with a LinkedIn post or blog, then a podcast, and eventually a book. Ex: Erin’s Rebellion survey on LinkedIn morphed into the Punk Rock Pharmacy book. Look for the Annual Rebellion Survey mid-year 2021 on LinkedIn. Post-pandemic, people have changed the way they consume content; generational differences impact content consumption too. Erin is trying to experiment with how she publishes content as a result. Writing and publishing is her laboratory, and she is experimenting constantly. For example, on Erin’s weekly videos, she focuses on pharmacy law, pharmacy benefits, and career development. Erin has self-published books and published books through a publisher. It’s all kind of an experiment because there isn’t necessarily one best way to publish content anymore. Promotion is a challenge Erin faces with publishing. No one will ever promote your book like you will. Publishers don’t solve promotion problems. You need to build your audience. For example, Erin built an audience and a tribe around the book Single. Women. Entrepreneurs. (See also Single Women Entrepreneurs: 5 Years Later.) If you’re going into a new area, and you’re not the “thought leader” in that area (yet), writing and publishing a book helps you become a self-fulfilling prophesy. You become a thought leader by and through curating a new tribe. At the 2019 Medipreneurs Conference in Asheville, NC, Erin and I discussed reaching a broader audience with her books through audiobooks. Erin narrated parts of The New Pharmacist: 46 Doses of Advice (2014) on her podcast in a mini-series because I inspired to to do it and for the benefit of the Class of 2020 Pharmacy School grads. (Way to go, Erin!) She did not read the book cover-to-cover on the Edutainer Podcast, but the response to reading The New Pharmacist: 46 Doses of Advice (2014) on the Edutainer Podcast was awesome! Why did Erin write The New Pharmacist: 46 Doses of Advice? Erin says that once her Butler University [pharmacy] students got their first jobs, they would ask, “Dr. Albert, is that all there is?” The book was her reply to them in “mini doses.” Fun fact! Erin’s writing voice is much like her conversational speaking voice. Erin also read some of her books for children on her podcast, including He Huffed and He Puffed But…A Tale of a Wolf With Asthma. Her books for children are a product of collaboration with college students from different disciplines (education, business, pharmacy, and health sciences). They co-wrote, developed, and illustrated the books. Erin is thankful to her readers, listeners, and followers. She feels it’s an honor and a privilege to have a voice people listen to. We’re all here to learn from each other. Whether it’s one-on-one in conversation or in podcasts and books, we can all use our voices to affect positive change. We have a certain level of responsibility to use our voices. Dr. Erin L. Albert inspired me to look into starting a podcast when we met at the 2019 Medipreneurs Conference in Asheville, NC. If not for her, this podcast might not exist. Thank you for the inspiration, Erin!
4/23/2021 • 56 minutes, 46 seconds
Online courses for VO and podcasting beginners and 7 audio recording software options
Today’s episode is about three common questions people ask me: How do I get into voiceover? How do I start a podcast? How do I record, edit, and produce audio? First of all, thank you for trusting me with your questions. Unfortunately, I’m not a voiceover coach or a podcasting coach. However, I appreciate your questions, and I care about pointing you in the right direction. So, this episode mentions online courses for VO and podcasting beginners and a list of recording software options (and related online courses or webinars) for you to consider. VO Online Courses VO Success is taught by pharmacist, voice actor, and podcast host Mike Lenz. Visit https://vosuccess.com. Introduction to Voiceover is taught by voice actor and coach Rhonda Phillips. Visit http://introductiontovoiceover.com. Rhonda will be a guest on my podcast in June to talk about coaching newbies and her career in VO. Podcasting Online Course The School of Podcasting is taught by Podcast Coach Dave Jackson. The website is https://schoolofpodcasting.com. Please use my affiliate link to purchase a monthly membership: https://www.theschoolofpodcasting.com/bundles/school-of-podcasting-monthly-membership?ref=2bec1f. Dave has been a podcaster for more than 15 years. In his course, he teaches students how to plan, launch, grow, and monetize podcasts. I personally went through his program, and I loved it! From the time I started until I published my first episode, it took about 2 months. Whether you’re into VO or podcasting, you need to learn how to record, edit, and produce audio. By produce, I mean create an MP3 or WAV file. You need something called recording software. There are a number of platforms out there. They all have learning curves. Do your research! Find one in your price range that has the tools you need and works with your Mac or PC. Then, get started! 7 recording software options I recommend: Adobe Audition Audacity (This was my first DAW.) Garage Band Hindenburg Journalist Reaper Studio One Artist (This is what I use as of April 2021.) Twisted Wave Some are better for podcasting than VO. Do your research! There are online courses and webinars out there for learning recording software too. See list below: Adobe Audition Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting (This course is included in the monthly membership.) “Uncle Roy” (aka Roy Yokelson) from Antland Productions. Audacity Jonah Rosenthal through GVAA Larry Hudson from VO Heaven Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting (This course is included in the monthly membership.) You can also learn Garage Band and Hindenburg Journalist from Dave Jackson. Both are included in the monthly membership. Mike Delgaudio, aka Booth Junkie, teaches how to use Reaper. The Studio One Artist course is called Studio One Jumpstart. It’s taught by Don Baarns and his son Donny Baarns. I have personally taken this, and it is excellent. Jim Edgar teaches Twisted Wave. George Whittam is a skilled audio engineer. Search Youtube for videos. Learning recording software takes time and practice! Don’t get frustrated. If this is what you really want to do, just stay with it. It gets easier!
4/16/2021 • 9 minutes, 40 seconds
Interview with Bill Purdy, Brand Craftsman
Bill Purdy has spent a career refining his craft as a brand craftsman. He began his journey with Addison Whitney in 2006 as a Senior Consultant. He was a founding partner of CannonCassidy— a pharmaceutical, medical device, and consumer branding firm. Then, he rejoined Addison Whitney in 2020 as Senior Vice President and Managing Director to expand the business and strengthen its team of branders. After nearly 30 years building brands, Bill brings process innovation, creative perspective and best practices leadership to Addison Whitney; know-how that helps Bill and his team create brands that matter! Social media links and website AW: LInkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/addison-whitney/ AW Website: https://www.addisonwhitney.com/ AW Twitter: https://twitter.com/AddisonWhitney Bill Purdy Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billpurdy1/ Highlights from the interview In the healthcare space, Bill advocates for safety being the cornerstone of brand. Names should be safe. Bill educates clients on the importance of brand for their business. Drug naming is a challenging process that can take several months. When an asset or molecule needs a brand name, a team works together with a client. They take into consideration legal presence, commercial presence, regulatory issues, drug information, linguistics, an understanding of what the product is and the science behind it, and more. Client feedback is important. Naming is one part of branding. It can lead into the larger process - the Brand Precept. The Brand Precept includes the brand story and narrative, visual identity and logo, package design, color palate, website, imagery, campaign development, and more. Through the Brand Precept, marketplace, customer, and brand become aligned in a meaningful and differential way. What makes a drug name appropriate or inappropriate/desirable or undesirable? Safety first! A name should not be confused with another product. Names must be unique, ownable, catchy, and memorable. Also, weird is good! Some drug names have uncommon letter strings, phonetic alternatives, and double letters. Branding teams do research to find trends. How does a patient, pharmacist, or other person know how to pronounce drug names? When a drug name candidate is developed, there is an intended pronunciation conveyed to the client. Eventually it is stated in marketing. Names are tested, including listening to sound files of people pronouncing names. Bill uses a tool called “POCA” (Phonetic Orthographic Computer Analysis) to help with drug naming. According to the FDA’s website, The Phonetic and Orthographic Computer Analysis (POCA) program is a software tool that uses an advanced algorithm to determine the orthographic and phonetic similarity between two drug names. Bill also uses legal databases, stem nomenclature searches, linguistic analysis, a dictionary, a thesaurus, and market research. The biggest tool brand craftspeople use is know-how (personal experience). An experienced team can build consensus, define a vision, and help a client get there. I suggested using synesthesia as a tool. Bill said that the brain goes to what it knows. It’s a challenge to create a connection that is unique. There is value in hiring Addison Whitney. They have experience naming over 1,000 brands products, services, trials, drugs, devices, and more. They know the process of generating safe and viable names, and they know how to avoid pitfalls and build consensus. A myth about drug naming is that, “It can’t be that hard!” On the contrary, to get one name, it can take 2 years to consider more than 1,000 name candidates. It’s both an art and a science. Rarely do names jump off a page. A variety of skill sets are involved in naming and branding. Everyone needs to contribute to make it happen. When asked about a time when he changed his mind about something really important, Bill said that he didn’t think technology was necessary, but it’s an integral part of the name process. Bill had a long and winding path to becoming a brand craftsman. According to Bill, no one sets out to be a namer. He was a writer and editor for a drug company. Then, he wrote CME and pharmacist CE. Bill also ran an ad agency for a while. 15 years ago, he interviewed as a Brand Consultant at Addison Whitney. Becoming a Brand Consultant was a natural evolution of what he always did! Past experiences help Bill craft brands. How could someone else get into this line of work? Be curious and creative. Love language and communicating ideas. Bill creates language. Addison Whitney also has pharmacists on staff. Pharmacists help with regulatory concerns, name validation, safety, and look and sound testing. Bill’s team plays a number of roles: writing, strategy, visual identity, design, mechanical design of a package, video production, campaign creation, website creation, and more. If you like to create and collaborate, you could be a brander.
4/9/2021 • 24 minutes, 25 seconds
My Top 10 Unpredictable Moments in Podcasting
In the spirit of fun and entertainment, I’m breaking format today to reflect on some unpredictable things that have happened to me while recording podcast episodes. These are meant to bring you a smile…or maybe a groan, not to poke fun at anyone. You never know what’s going to happen in podcasting! Having fun in spite of challenges and rolling with the punches is important…and so is being a good editor! My Top 10 List of Unpredictable Moments in Podcasting. (David Letterman Style) 10. Mike Lenz Episode 41 9. NaPodPoMo Episode 72 8. Dr. April Jones - Episode 39 7. Dave Jackson - Episode 79 6. Dr. Lauren Castle - Episode 73 5. Jenny Barlos - Episode 81 4. Tom Titkemeier - Episode 3 3. Dave Bitkowski - Episode 17 2. Dr. Bruce Berger - Episode 13 1. Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin - Episode 15 Share a favorite April Fool’s Day memory with me! Visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com, and click on the “Contact” button. Type a message or leave me a voicemail message! Do you want to learn how to plan, launch, and grow a podcast? Please use my School of Podcasting affiliate link! https://www.theschoolofpodcasting.com/?ref=2bec1f Just for fun, here are some links on the topic of April Fool’s Day: April Fool’s Day: How Did It Start, and Why is It April 1? (Reader’s Digest Link) 25 April fool’s Day Jokes to Make Everyone Laugh (Reader’s Digest Link) 40 April Fool’s Day Pranks to Pull This Year (Reader’s Digest Link) Thank you for listening to The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast!
4/1/2021 • 0
My Top 10 Unpredictable Moments in Podcasting
In the spirit of fun and entertainment, I’m breaking format today to reflect on some unpredictable things that have happened to me while recording podcast episodes. These are meant to bring you a smile…or maybe a groan, not to poke fun at anyone. You never know what’s going to happen in podcasting! Having fun in spite of challenges and rolling with the punches is important…and so is being a good editor! My Top 10 List of Unpredictable Moments in Podcasting. (David Letterman Style) 10. Mike Lenz Episode 41 9. NaPodPoMo Episode 72 8. Dr. April Jones - Episode 39 7. Dave Jackson - Episode 79 6. Dr. Lauren Castle - Episode 73 5. Jenny Barlos - Episode 81 4. Tom Titkemeier - Episode 3 3. Dave Bitkowski - Episode 17 2. Dr. Bruce Berger - Episode 13 1. Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin - Episode 15 Share a favorite April Fool’s Day memory with me! Visit https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com, and click on the “Contact” button. Type a message or leave me a voicemail message! Do you want to learn how to plan, launch, and grow a podcast? Please use my School of Podcasting affiliate link! https://www.theschoolofpodcasting.com/?ref=2bec1f Just for fun, here are some links on the topic of April Fool’s Day: April Fool’s Day: How Did It Start, and Why is It April 1? (Reader’s Digest Link) 25 April fool’s Day Jokes to Make Everyone Laugh (Reader’s Digest Link) 40 April Fool’s Day Pranks to Pull This Year (Reader’s Digest Link) Thank you for listening to The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast!
4/1/2021 • 7 minutes, 48 seconds
Interview with Dr. Cory Jenks, Pharmacist, Improv Comedian, and Public Speaker
Dr. Cory Jenks earned his PharmD from the University of South Carolina in 2011 and completed a PGY1 residency at the Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System in 2012. His past pharmacy experience has included time as a retail pharmacist, outpatient clinical pharmacist, and inpatient clinical pharmacist. Currently, he practices as an Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialist where he applies his passion for lifestyle interventions in the management of chronic disease. Cory is also an accomplished improv comedian, having started on his comedy journey in 2013. Since then, Cory has coached, taught, and performed improv for thousands of people. Today, Cory travels the country (or at least Zooms around) teaching other healthcare professionals how to apply the valuable skills of improv comedy to create a more adaptable, empathetic, and humanizing healthcare experience. When not working or performing improv, Cory enjoys playing racquetball, basketball and golf, exploring the science of disease management through lifestyle, and is currently earning his Master’s Degree in “Dad Jokes” with the help of his two sons Jacob and Henry. Website and Social Media Links Website: www.coryjenks.com Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-jenks-3ba17314/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=12616017 instagram @pharmacomedian twitter: @coryjenkspharmd Email: cory@improvrx.com Highlights from the interview Cory uses his voice as a pharmacist and as an improv comedian. He works full-time in an ambulatory care setting under collaborative practice agreements. He manages a number of chronic disease states, including hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Cory does improv comedy on-stage. He also helps other healthcare providers learn the skills of improv to become more adaptable, empathetic, and create a humanizing health experience. Healthcare providers can be robotic and unsympathetic toward patients, and when unexpected situations arise, healthcare professionals might struggle. Improv helps healthcare professionals create a better experience for patients; it helps them connect with patients. Sometimes, improv helps patients laugh. Other times, improv helps healthcare professionals listen and communicate better. It even helps transfer knowledge to patients in a way they understand, care about, and act on. What’s the “Yes, and…” part of doing improv in healthcare? “Yes, and” is the one big rule of improv. Those two words form the basis of improv comedy. It means, “To agree and build together.” You can’t, “Yes, and…” everything in healthcare. When the default answer is typically, “No,” improv helps healthcare professionals say, “Yes, and…” We find reasons to help when we say, “Yes.” Patients feel seen, heard, and understood as a result. For conflict resolution, coming to agreements is helpful. “I agree that this situation isn’t ideal, but let’s try to work together…”. Improv gives healthcare professionals another way to approach a problem, but the right mindset is needed. Improv has rules, but within the rules, anything can happen. You do improv every time you interact with a patient. The question is, “How well do you do it?” Improv gives you the skills to make a more enjoyable experience, which will improve outcomes. Cory says there are no mistakes in improv. There are only gifts. We can choose to make what is given to us into a gift. We did some improv with 3 common situations community practice (retail) pharmacists encounter. “This isn’t covered by your insurance.” “We need to call the prescriber to change the medication.” “The drug is out of stock.” Improv can help with “Chatty Cathys” and “Gabby Garys” too. Accept their reality (that they want to talk to you), but also acknowledge your reality as a pharmacist. “I want to hear you, but I also have 4 other people waiting. Give me the highlights. I don’t want you to feel ignored, but I am busy.” You’re not supposed to talk about what you’re doing while you’re doing it. If you’re making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, don’t talk about making the sandwich while you’re making the sandwich! Talk to the other person about something else while you’re doing something routine. Cory’s business ImprovRX offers public speaking, curriculum development consulting, and workshops. Visit www.coryjenks.com. Cory delivers inspiring, improv-based keynote addresses. He is available to help pharmacy schools (and other health professions) include improv in their curriculum. During the pandemic, Cory’s improv workshops take place via Zoom. He talks to the participants, plays games, and teaches evidence-based improv comedy. What’s “evidence-based improv comedy?” Applying improv comedy to healthcare situations. Cory shares why improv is a useful tool in healthcare. There is medical literature showing the utility of role play and improv in making healthcare professionals better communicators and empathizers. Workshop participants love playing games! It’s something that is not graded. There are no wrong answers. It’s ok to try new things in workshops. In comparison, trying improv on-the-job when you’re inexperienced may have consequences (patients may question your sincerity). Cory’s improv workshops help participants try new things in a zero-pressure setting. He gets people out of their comfort zone, but they are happy about it even though they are challenging themselves. Pharmacists can earn CE credit through Cory’s workshops! It’s the most fun CE you’ll ever do!
3/26/2021 • 43 minutes, 44 seconds
We grow through what we go through
We all have bad days, right? Bad days in kindergarten are different from bad days in college, married life, or the workplace. As time goes on, I’m learning what a bad day as a voice actor is. In this episode, I talk about personal challenges I am facing now…still without coffee!! Every challenge I face makes me stronger and better equipped to deal with other challenges. I’m growing through what I’m going through, and I’m looking forward to better days ahead! Mentioned in this episode: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, illustrated by Ray Cruz (1972)
3/19/2021 • 10 minutes, 32 seconds
Interview with Angel Bivens, BS Pharm, MBA, CSPI
Listener discretion is advised. Some of the topics in this episode include children putting weird things in their mouths and poisonings. Today’s episode is an interview with Angel Bivens. Angel is a pharmacist by training. She has experience in retail, hospital, home infusion, and mail order pharmacy, but her true passion is working at the Maryland Poison Center (MPC). The Maryland Poison Center is part of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. Angel has been with the Maryland Poison Center for over 25 years. She spent the first 8 years as a specialist in poison information managing poisoning and overdose cases from the public and healthcare professionals. Then, She spent the next 17 years in the role of public education coordinator, ensuring the more than 4 million Marylanders in the MPC service area know about their services and learn ways to keep their families safe from poison dangers in an around their home. Now an assistant director, Angel oversees operations and public education. When she started this role in 2018, she combined her love for educating the public with responsibilities that ensure there is always someone there to help with a poisoning or overdose 24/7/365. Angel completed her BS in Pharmacy at Duquesne University (Pittsburgh PA) and her MBA at University of Baltimore (Baltimore MD). She also holds the designation of Certified Specialist in Poison Information (CSPI) after successfully completing the American Association of Poison Control Centers certification examination in 1990, 1998, 2005, 2012, and 2019. For more information Angel LinkedIn: angelbivens Maryland Poison Center website: www.mdpoison.com To find your local poison center: www.aapcc.org Resources for pharmacists and their patients: Poison Prevention Press: http://bit.ly/PoisonPrevPress One-page, plain language e-newsletter published every other month on varying topics; all current and previous issues available Poison Prevention Press sign up: http://bit.ly/MPCSignUp eAntidote Blog: blog.mdpoison.com Facebook: MarylandPoisonCenter Twitter: @MDPoisonCtr YouTube: Maryland Poison Center Resources with clinical information for pharmacists: ToxTidbits: http://bit.ly/ToxTidbits One-page clinical e-newsletter published monthly on various toxicologic topics; all current and previous issues available ToxTidbits sign up: http://bit.ly/TTBSignUp Twitter: @MPCToxtidbits Highlights from the interview Angel wore many hats over her years at the Maryland Poison Center. As a Poison Center Specialist, she managed poisonings and overdoses. As a Poison Center Educator, she educated the public and created educational materials. As an Assistant Director, she improves the visability of the poison center and forms partnerships in the community. As a pharmacy student, Angel loved toxicology. As a young pharmacist, she heard about an opening at the MPC, applied, and got the job right away. Pharmacists, nurses, and doctors staff most poison centers. Poison Center job applicants need to match the Center’s needs. In general, a PharmD with experience is required for pharmacist applicants. No additional residency or certification is needed. Once hired, on-the-job training is extensive. It can take at least 3 months before a pharmacist is ready to manage cases independently after training. After managing 2,500 human exposure calls, pharmacists are required to sit for the CSPI Exam to become a Certified Specialist in Poison Information. What resources do poison specialists use most often? Angel said, the poison center staff’s experience and knowledge base is a great resource! Because they manage 2,000-5,500 calls/year, they learn a lot. Over many years, that knowledge base is big! Other resources include Poisondex, Gold-Franks Toxicologic Emergencies, Lange: Poisonings and Overdoses, online journals, and consultants (medical and clinical toxicologists). Angel told a memorable story about a call she answered from a teenager who OD’ed on aspirin. Back in the day, the poison center traced the call and called an ambulance. The patient got treatment and survived. The best way for anyone to contact the poison center is 1-800-222-1222. It’s a “smart phone number” and directs you to the nearest poison center geographically. Poison Centers work together, so cases are seamlessly transferred to local poison centers assigned to your area. It even works on US cell phones outside the US. Calls are triaged, but all are managed. There’s no such thing as the “busiest day of the year,” but on July 4 and Halloween, there are lots of calls related to glow sticks. Poison centers field calls from a variety of callers: fire, EMS, parents of kids of all ages, children of elderly parents, grandparents raising grandchildren, Emergency Centers, critical care teams, pharmacists, and more. Reasons pharmacists call poison centers: Drug ID, drug-drug interactions, drug-supplement interactions, and non-medicine ingestions. Angel says that knowing you’re actually helping someone is a great feeling. It’s very rewarding. Angel knew it was time to change hats from poison specialist to educator when her young son wanted her to be home when he was home. Becoming an educator helped her have a more consistent schedule, mostly M-F on day shift. She used her marketing and communication skills as an educator. Plus, her MBA qualified her for the role. Angel educates pharmacy students, medical students, paramedics, and more. MPC has a robust educational program, so she can sit in and listen to the toxicologist talk about cases. The most unusual call Angel fielded was about a goat who ate something the owner thought the goat should not have eaten. Her database has some information about animals, but Poison Centers focus on humans. Angel gave the goat owner two phone numbers for animal poison centers, and the goat’s owner was happy to try those. I mentioned that this story reminded me of the children’s book Gregory the Terrible Eater. One of the biggest challenges poison specialists face is managing oddball cases. New things don’t have a lot of literature to research. Sometimes, poison specialists need to consult with clinical toxicologists for oddball calls. Plus, the phones keep ringing while trying to manage oddball cases; that’s a challenge too. As an educator, a challenge is reaching people. As an Assistant Director, a challenge is getting the phones staffed. It’s also a challenge to get people to call vs using Google. Angel urges everyone to get the right answer right away from a trained poison specialist. Call a Poison Center 1-800-222-1222. Taking the time to look at Google and sort through search results might be misleading and delay treatment. Poison Centers make follow-up calls for exposures. Poisonings can happen to anyone. Parents who work at poison centers have also had to call. It can happen to anybody. Angel said that the best things about working at the poison center are helping people and the variety of exposure cases. Poison specialists don’t get bored. She likes to learn about new drugs, chemicals, TikTok videos, and things on the news, like “challenges.” One thing people don’t realize about working at a poison center is that pharmacists, nurses, and others answer calls and respond without a script. Over the years, Angel has worked different schedules. As a poison specialist, it varied. Present day, shifts on weekdays are 12 hours in length; weekend shifts are 10-hour shifts. Midnight-shift pharmacists work 7-on/7-off. Poison Specialists work holidays too. As an educator, she worked mostly days, but she worked some evenings and weekends for programs too. As an Assistant Director, Angel works typical administration hours. Poison Prevention Week is March 21-27, 2021, to raise awareness about poisonings. According to the AAPCC’s website, the third full week in March each year is National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW), a week dedicated to raising awareness to poison control centers and the Poison Help Hotline (1-800-222-1222). How can pharmacists get involved? Visit aapcc.org or reach out to your local poison center and ask to speak to the educator. Call 1-800-222-1222 to get in touch with the educator at the poison center. Pharmacists can set up a table with resources. Some poison centers are looking for volunteers. Ask educator how you can get materials: stickers, magnets, and brochures.
3/12/2021 • 59 minutes, 1 second
How the Teach-Back Method helps me in the voiceover industry
The Teach-Back Method helps me in the voiceover industry. What is the Teach-Back Method? The teach-back method, as it relates to pharmacy, is a technique that confirms that a patient understands their medications and health information before leaving the pharmacy. Using their own words, the patient repeats what they heard the pharmacist say. We, as pharmacists, use plain language, and this is a shame-free activity that reinforces patient education. What problem does the teach-back method solve? Some patients walk away from the pharmacy counter confused about their prescriptions. Pharmacists who use the Teach-Back Method can improve patient comprehension and information retention. What does the Teach-Back Method look like, using an example? You show a patient how to use her Advair Diskus inhaler. The directions for use are lengthy. Once you finish, you ask her to tell you how she plans to use the inhaler. When she explains the directions for using the inhaler back to you, she might forget something. Sometimes, larger amounts of information lead to less recall or incorrect recall. We want our patients to manage their medication independently. The Teach-Back-Method gives pharmacists a chance to reteach or modify teaching if needed before the patient leaves the pharmacy so the patient feels confident. The Teach-Back Method helps pharmacists confirm a patients’ understanding before they leave the pharmacy. Over the last 3 years, I have learned more about performance and recording, editing, and producing audio files than I ever thought I would learn! I have had one-on-one coaching, participated in webinars, gone to conferences, and more. There has been a lot to learn, and I am still learning. After coaching sessions, I often ask for a couple of minutes to “teach back” what I learned and go over the plan for moving forward. Two examples I used in this episode were talking to my audiobook editor about Pozotron and coaching with Sean Pratt. Using the Teach-Back Method as a pharmacist helped my patients understand their medications and health information. On the flip side, as a student in the voiceover (VO) industry, I understand techniques and acquire skills faster because of the Teach-Back Method. I love using what I know from being a pharmacist to help me with my VO journey! Mentioned in this episode Peggy Yen’s article, Use and Effectiveness of the Teach-Back Method in Patient Education and Health Outcomes https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6590951/ Pozotron Episode 83 of The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast, Interview with Sean Pratt Sean Pratt is a nonfiction audiobook narration coach.
3/5/2021 • 9 minutes, 21 seconds
Interview with GeriatRx Founder DeLon Canterbury, PharmD, BCGP
Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. DeLon Canterbury. DeLon is a Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacist. He founded GeriatRx, a telehealth-based senior care consulting company. GeriatRx combines Pharmacogenomic testing and Comprehensive Medication Management, and addresses the social determinants of health, such as food, shelter, financial stability, and health literacy. He helps patients who are struggling to achieve their healthcare goals and lowers their healthcare expenses. By reducing medication errors and advocating for deprescribing, consultant pharmacists like DeLon improve patient safety and save patients, their families, and the healthcare system money. DeLon manages patients across the state of North Carolina and demonstrates the value pharmacists add to healthcare delivery. DeLon embodies servant-leadership and places it at the forefront of GeriatRx. He is an active Executive Board Member for the African-American Minority COVID Task Force in Durham, North Carolina, a Formulary Committee member of Senior PharmAssist at the Durham Senior Center for Life, and served as Community Health Coalition’s Telehealth Director, helping older African-American patients with wellness and reassurance check-ups during COVID. Social Media Website: www.geriatrx.org Instagram: https://www.geriatrx.org/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geriatrx Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeriatRx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GeriatRxInc Media Features ABC11- Durham Pharmacist believes local pharmacies are key to expediting COVID-19 vaccine rollout https://abc11.com/covid-19-vaccine-near-me-nc-durham-pharmacies-with-gurleys/9825901/ WRAL – Dispelling COVI19 Myths within the African-American Community https://www.wral.com/local-expert-dispels-covid-19-vaccine-myths/19479868/ Spectrum News- St. Joseph’s COVID19 Panel https://fb.watch/36KUrAy5y8/ CBS17 – St. Joseph’s COVID19 Panel https://www.cbs17.com/video/durham-church-holds-forum-about-to-dispel-covid-19-vaccine-myths/6182620/ Shoutout Atlanta Magazine https://shoutoutatlanta.com/meet-dr-delon-canterbury-your-personal-pharmacist-consultant-pharmacist-senior-care-pharmacist/ St. Joseph’s AME COVID Panel https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2738280473089807 The Melanin MD https://www.instagram.com/p/CG0KvShBqP9/ Self-Achievement Network https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfA0ZIvtVdU&t=10s Joy Revolution with Marc Cordon https://joyrevolution.com/goldenmicpodcast-2/ RxRounds: Medications Use in the Elderly https://www.rxrounds.com/medication-use-in-the-elderly/ RxRounds: Fighting Flu Season https://www.rxrounds.com/fighting-flu-season/ Highlights from the interview After serving as a pharmacy manager for 7 years, DeLon didn’t feel he was helping patients like he wanted to. Advocacy work helped DeLon get his fire back. GeriatRx is a pharmacist-led company that focuses on MTM. DeLon has a home office. His patients have concerns and issues managing medication (not just elderly). He has saved 20 patients more than $150,000 in healthcare costs. DeLon shared a story about helping an elderly female patient who was taking 36 medications. She was like a walking zombie, and her family wanted to institutionalize her. GeriatRx served as a medical expert in court, identified medications that were on the Beers list, and attested that the patient was overmedicated. Using a team-based approach over time, DeLon helped deprescribe the medication list from 36 to 8. The patient’s quality of life improved, and she remained out of an institution. DeLon communicated well with the team, educated the patient and prescribers, earned trust from the patient and prescribers, and followed up in order to get the results the patient needed. This experience made DeLon want to help more people! Incomplete comprehensive medication reviews (CMR’s) lead to problems. When products are not listed on the CMR, no one knows the patient is on them. As a result, additional meds are prescribed to counteract side effects from products that are not on the CMR. DeLon experienced a gradual shift from full-time community practice to full-time consultant. He wanted to have his own consulting practice for years. 2 years ago (~2019), he started planning. DeLon worked as a poison center pharmacist briefly after leaving full-time community practice. He helped with the COVID helpline in North Carolina, worked long hours, trained students and staff, and answered a large volume of calls. Working at the poison information center sparked DeLon’s interest in advocating for minority communities to get the COVID vaccination. DeLon felt called to help. He has opportunities to volunteer whereas full-time pharmacists working in traditional settings do not [have opportunities to volunteer]. DeLon talked about myths and skepticism surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. Some think they are immune because they are young or healthy. Some do not believe that the vaccine is the same for all people regardless of color or job title. Some refuse vaccination due to a lack of trust. DeLon referenced historical events that led to mistrust among minority communities, including population control and the Tuskegee Experiment involving African Americans in Alabama who had untreated syphilis. Misinformation is out there, and it needs to be addressed. DeLon participates in panels as a speaker in North Carolina Communities. He likes to meet the audience where they are, and have a conversation. DeLon asks the audience, “What’s holding you back from getting the vaccine?” “How many people know someone who got COVID?” “How many people know someone who died from COVID?” “How many people have died from getting the vaccine?” He is empathetic, but he also states the facts. DeLon recommends meeting people where they are, being empathetic, addressing fears and questions, using everyday language, and making points clear. Furthermore, DeLon recommends making no assumptions about what people know; start from scratch. DeLon has been on news to share how the vaccination will help. DeLon joined a Toastmasters Club to improve his communication skills. Although his is already an excellent communicator, he struggles with the voice in the back of his head that tells him he is not a good communicator. Toastmasters helped DeLon with networking, building relationships, being aware of saying “crutch words” (such as, “Um, like, and so), and getting immediate feedback through evaluations. He is working on his Dynamic Speaker Pathway. DeLon’s Facebook LIVE broadcasts have helped him improve his communication skills too. DeLon recommends pharmacists volunteer [doing something different] to gain experience, join organizations, and network. In his parting comments, he said, “Do something that makes you uncomfortable until you love it!”
2/26/2021 • 58 minutes, 8 seconds
Learning from past experiences to develop workflow
Mentioned in this episode https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast/ The University of Toledo How are baking cookies, completing a chemistry experiment, filling prescriptions, publishing a podcast, and narrating an audiobook similar? For each one, you need a plan, and you need some kind of workflow. During my career transition from pharmacist to voice actor, I’ve had to figure a lot of new things out. There have been a lot of firsts, and I have referenced other times in my life when I also had to figure things out. Our life experiences help us with new experiences. I draw strength from the fact that I have figured out how to do a number of things in my life by making or following a plan and smoothing out the workflow. Here are some examples: Baking cookies College chemistry lab Working midnights alone as a pharmacist at the age of 23 Podcasting Narrating Audiobooks Some of the “firsts” I’ve had during my transition from pharmacist to voice actor: Using recording software: Audacity and Studio One Artist Setting up a USB microphone Setting up an XLR microphone Using an audio interface Working with coaches via Skype and Zoom Using RX8 (audio repair software) Producing podcast episodes Recording audiobooks After the first time I do something, I know what to expect, and it gets easier. It’s true of baking cookies, getting through chemistry lab, filling prescriptions on midnights, producing podcast episodes, and recording audiobooks. Planning and workflow help me get things done. If you’re doing something for the first time, give yourself some grace. I do! Think back to some other times in your life when you had to learn something new. Did you have a recipe? Did you have a plan? Did you have all the equipment you needed? Did you watch someone else do it first like a cooking show host, a chemistry lab instructor, a pharmacist you trained with, a podcast coach, or an audiobook narration coach? I look at all the things I have learned how to do, and I’m amazing that I can do some pretty cool stuff. The first time is always hard. Learn from past experiences. Develop good workflow. Get things done.
2/19/2021 • 11 minutes, 33 seconds
Interview with Sean Pratt: Audiobook Narrator and Coach
Today’s episode is an interview with Sean Pratt. We know one another because he was my non-fiction audiobook narration coach. Sean Pratt has been a working actor for over 30 years. He has been an audiobook narrator for 25 years (aka – Lloyd James), recording over 1,000 books in almost every genre and has received 8 AudioFile Magazine “Earphones” awards, 3 SOVAS nominations, and 5 “Audie” nominations from the Audio Publishers Association. Sean is also the author of “ To Be or Wanna Be – The Top Ten Differences between a Successful Actor and a Starving Artist,” an actor’s how-to book that talks about approaches and behaviors that separate a thriving actor from a starving artist. Currently, Sean coaches performers on audiobook narration technique, as well as teaching classes on and writes articles about the business of the Biz. www.seanprattpresents.com Mentioned in this episode Website - http://seanprattpresents.com Twitter - @SPPresents Instagram - @SPPresents Facebook - Sean Pratt Presents LinkedIn - Sean Pratt AudioFile Magazine SOVAS Audio Publishers Association Kenny Pappaconstantinou linkedin.com/in/kennypmusic, elephantaudiobooks.com Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel A. van Der Kolk The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why It Matters by Tom Nichols Highlights from the interview Sean uses his voice to educate and entertain. Sean coaches two different types of narrators: authors narrating their own book(s) and professional audiobook narrators. He commented on both types of narration coaching during the interview. How did Sean get started training authors to narrate their audiobooks? He was already training authors to narrate their own books. Then, he got the opportunity to do even more of that when Kenny Pappaconstantinou from Elephant Audiobooks asked Sean to train authors to perform their own books. Sean teaches authors how to give the best possible performance. A narrator needs to consider: Is the performance entertaining? Does it hold the listener’s attention? Will the listener give you a poor review because the performance was bad? Will the listener return the book? Bad reviews can affect an author’s career. Casting the right person to narrate an audiobook is important! What do authors who are narrators need to learn? Stamina: vocal, physical, and mental stamina are needed to narrate a book. Sean insists authors narrate 2 hours/day to practice. Rent studio space because of all the different hats a narrator must wear (producer, director, and engineer). It’s worth the time and money to hire studio space and a director if they can. Do the “gap exercise.” Compare your natural speaking voice to your narration voice. There is a gap there. Try to close the gap. On a scale from 1 to 100, authors should sound >90% entertaining, enthusiastic, and engaging while narrating their own text. Authors who are narrators maybe need 1-2 lessons one week apart. They will learn the Gap Exercise, when to breathe, scoring text (entire book), rhythm and melody, basic acting, paragraph colors (color = tone/communicating how they feel about what’s in the text). There are several “voices” that must be used in narration: conversational voice, teaching voice, “voice of the other,” and documentary voice. Clarity is part of the entertainment value of non-fiction. The listener can pick up on cues by the type of voice the narrator uses. How is preparing to be a professional audiobook narrator different from an author preparing to narrate their own book? Professional audiobook narrators need a broad and deep understanding of analyzing the text in order to narrate professionally. Different genres require different approaches. Sean’s curriculum provides broad exposure to approaching different genres as a narrator. Audio quality is important. Noises are distracting. Audio quality affects listeners’ impression of the content in the book (the author’s idea). Poor audio quality lowers the listener’s experience. The listener retains less information with bad audio and a poor performance. You know you have a good narrator when your amazon reviews talk about content, not poor audio/bad performance. Audiobooks help authors reach a broader audience. Having an audiobook could have a broader impact on their future as a writer. Opportunities arise for authors who make their books available as audiobooks (ex: speaking engagements). You never know WHO is going to listen to it. It’s smart for career goals. A Publisher might be interested in picking up the second book if the first was self-published. Sean knows what it takes to be an engaging and entertaining audiobook narrator. He’s an effective teacher because he is also a narrator. He has narrated more than 1,000 audiobooks and won several awards. His most recent award is the 2020 AudioFile Magazine “Earphones” Award in the category of History & Biography for narrating Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker. It was one of Oprah’s Book Club books. We discussed Sean’s change from actor to audiobook narrator and coach. Narrating audiobooks was the next life challenge after acting. Sean likes to evolve. He saw an opportunity to become an audiobook narrator. The current challenge is coaching. Anyone considering a life change needs to consider, “Will it be satisfying? Will it meet needs I have?” Sean has classical theater training. He learned about text analysis, language, voice and diction, breathing, and physical comedy on-the-job. He learned how to approach spoken language like music: melody, rhythm, tempo, and how to speak it so listeners can hear it. In 1996, he was introduced to audiobooks by another actor while working in Washington DC. His first books were fiction. He asked for non-fiction titles and narrated some lengthy ones in the beginning. One of Sean’s most successful non-fiction audiobooks was The Body Keeps The Score by Van Der Kolk. Sean says there’s a higher calling in non-fiction audiobooks. He has had a hand in making listeners’ lives better. Sean has been narrating for 25-26 years. Positive feedback from fans fuels Sean to continue narrating. Sean started getting serious about non-fiction audiobook coaching 6 years ago (~2015). Sean gave advice for anyone considering a career transition. It’s easy to live a lifestyle we think we’re supposed to have. We get handcuffed to it. Then, if our job doesn’t turn out to be as fulfilling as we thought it would be, we find ourselves stuck, and that’s a horrible place to be in (feeling emotionally and psychologically calcified). The challenge will be to scale down to open up the space (time and money) to pursue something else and embrace a new challenge. Leaving a full-time job (the devil you know) can be scary. Sean said, “Life is way too short to be unhappy.” If you really want to do something else, find out what it takes to do it. He also said, “The only permanent thing in life is change.” Sean says those who are best able to manage change are the ones looking ahead to the next challenge or opportunity. Sean’s current challenge is being a nonfiction audiobook narration coach. It’s unique. He has a curriculum that also includes the business of the business. He has 100 students currently and sees about 23 students/week. He’s happy with his life, loves teaching, and narrates 25 books/year now instead of 50. Sean wrapped up the interview with some advice for authors thinking of performing their own piece. Build stamina. Read out loud. Get coaching with Sean or someone else. Work with an audio engineer and a director in a studio to get the highest-quality audio possible. Remember how it can affect your career in the long run. This could be your gateway to something else.
2/12/2021 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 44 seconds
Tech upgrades for a not-so-techie person
Today’s episode is about some major tech changes I made in January. Change makes me uncomfortable, but I survived, and I grew because I challenged myself. Here’s the short list of what I did. I stopped drinking coffee (January 8, 2021)!! ☕️😱 I have acid reflux. Coffee was making my voice hoarse. Do I sound any different in this episode? Message me. Let me know! I’m trying to go without coffee at all until May 1, 2021. I replaced my morning cup of coffee with early morning workouts from a YouTube channel called Team Body Project. I removed 100% of my voiceover projects and podcasts from my laptop and saved them on an external hard drive I updated the operating system on my laptop (from Mojave to Big Sur) I updated my audio recording software (from Studio One Artist Version 4 to Version 5) I upgraded my audio repair software, which ironically is called RX (from RX7 to RX8). Ironic because “RX” is an abbreviation for “pharmacy." RX8 helps me remove mouth noises and clicks, among other undesirable noises, from my audio. I changed my audio interface (from Focusrite Scarlett Solo to Presonus Studio 26). An audio interface connects an XLR microphone, like my Audio Technica 2035 condenser microphone (AT2035) to my computer. I asked for help because I didn’t know how to do some of this stuff on my own. Big thanks to Don Baarns for helping me make sure everything was installed properly on my MacBook Air and my iMac! Don knows Studio One Artist and RX better than anyone I know, and I trust him with my machines. Don is fun to work with, really patient, and a great teacher. As a newbie in the VoiceOver industry, this was the first time I’ve ever updated my DAW, RX, my Operating System, and my Audio interface at the same time. It was scary! Even though all this updating and upgrading made me feel uncomfortable, I survived, and I grew because of it. I’m all set for 2021, and next time I have to update and upgrade, it won’t be as scary. In closing, it’s ok to NOT know everything. Being a second-career professional in any industry can be scary. I’m making the switch from pharmacist to voice actor. When you are going through something new or scary, use your talents, do you research, and ask for help when you need to. In the end, you will figure it out and do amazing things! If I can do it, you can do it! Mentioned in this episode (NONE are affiliate links.) Contact form and voicemail button for The Pharmacist’s Voice Team Body Project YouTube channel External hard drive MacBook Air laptop Studio One Artist Version 5 (DAW/recording software) iZotope RX (audio repair software) sweetwater.com is a great online store for instruments, recording software, and editing software Mike Arango is my Sweetwater Sales Rep. mike_arango@sweetwater.com Focusrite Scarlett Solo audio interface Presonus Studio 26 audio interface XLR microphone example: AT2035 condenser microphone Don Baarns website Studio One Facebook Group RX Facebook Group
2/5/2021 • 11 minutes, 15 seconds
Interview with Jenny Barlos, Client Services Director for the Ability Center Assistance Dogs
Assistance dogs can be found in the workplace and in the community. Pharmacists serve people of all abilities, and we occasionally see a service animal with a patient. This interview is a great opportunity to hear how assistance dogs come into our patients lives and how pharmacists can actually help connect patients with assistance dogs. On a personal note, my son had a therapy dog. I talk about my family’s experience during the interview. Today’s episode is an interview with Jenny Barlos, Client Services Director for the Ability Center Assistance Dogs in Sylvania, OH. Jenny joined Assistance Dogs as the Client Services Director in August, 2007. She is responsible for everything from the consumer’s perspective, including determining eligibility of potential service dog users, organizing and facilitating their training and graduate activities, doing graduate follow up visits, and administering the public access test for the service dogs placed by the program. She provides advocacy services for graduates who experience public access issues as well as discusses advocacy information for businesses and the public. She does many educational presentations about service dogs including what they do to help people, as well as the rights and responsibilities of having a service dog. She serves as an accreditation assessor for Assistance Dogs International, visiting service dog programs throughout North America to help determine which organizations are maintaining standards set within the industry. To learn more about the Ability Center Assistance Dogs Program, visit https://www.abilitycenter.org. Highlights from the interview Jenny loves what she does! Assistance dogs can increase independence for individuals with challenges. Dogs help people stay active and feel included in their communities, which reduces feelings of isolation. Ability Center Assistance Dogs trains and places service dogs and therapy dogs. The Assistance Dogs Program is part of the Ability Center’s 17-acre campus in Sylvania, OH. It’s very accessible and comfortable for people of all abilities. There are many types of assistance dogs. Ability Center Assistance Dogs provides therapy dogs to individuals (with autism or developmental delays) and schools as well as service dogs to help individuals with physical challenges. Jenny helps educate the community about types of assistance dogs. For example, therapy dogs don’t have protected public assess rights like service dogs. Jenny educates medical professionals about assistance dogs. Pharmacists, nurses, doctors, students, and more can refer patients to the Ability Center Assistance Dogs Program. Visit abilitycenter.org for success stories, inquiry forms, and volunteer opportunities. Dog-loving volunteers are needed! Pairing an assistance dog with an applicant is a process. Personalities and needs must be considered. My son learned new skills because of his dog. We had a good experience. For example, my son's classmates read to him AND his dog “Bond.” So, he gained friends. He was also motivated to learn how to scoop dog food, which was a skill he did not have before the dog came into the picture. It takes time to learn what the dog can do and to teach the dog new things. The Ability Center Assistance Dogs has a dog breeding program. One of their recent litters has names related to beverages. “Dr. Pepper” is a black lab from that litter. They call her “Pepper.” Training teams takes time: 1 week in-person training for therapy dogs and 2 weeks in-person training for service dogs. Extra time gives a service dog and their teammate the training and support needed to navigate public access situations Inmates at prisons help train assistance dogs. Inmates are available to work, and they do a good job. Training dogs teaches empathy and unconditional love. Plus, it gives inmates an opportunity to contribute back to society. Inmates learn job skills and are motivated to maintain good behavior to stay in the training program. It also allows them to feel more human and to be a better human being. Donations are welcome. Scout troops, school classrooms, reading groups, high school student service projects, and individual children have donated in the past. See https://www.abilitycenter.org for a list of items needed. Monetary donations are always welcome too. Jenny likes to talk to donors to make a connection between their donation and the recipient. She brings a dog and shares information about the Assistance Dogs Program, including how to be a responsible citizen around an assistance dog. Think of Assistance Dogs as a tool for safety and independence. It’s best not to distract a dog or touch it while it is work. The coronavirus pandemic has brought challenges to the Assistance Dogs Program. For example, surface (leash, collar, etc) to human virus transmission is a minor consideration. Luckily, dogs do not get or transmit the coronavirus, and they do not need to wear masks. Jenny shared a lovely story about a young grandmother who met her neighbors because her assistance dog got her out into the community and provided an ice-breaker for conversations. This woman met the inmate who trained her dog, and they connected because the dog made them both “seen” to those around them in a good way.
1/29/2021 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 49 seconds
🎉 Celebrating one year in podcasting! 🎉
I’m breaking my usual format to celebrate an important milestone: one year in podcasting! I launched The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast in December 2019. Weekly episodes started on January 25, 2020. If you’re new to the show, this is a weekly podcast. I alternate solo shows and interview shows. The solo shows are about my career change from pharmacist to voice actor, and the interview shows feature a variety of people who use their voices to advocate, educate, or entertain. A lot has happened over the past year, and I feel fortunate that I was able to keep up with my weekly show for an entire year! I published 80 podcast episodes in my first year, including 26 interview shows. I shared conversations with people I know either as a pharmacist, a voice actor, or my journey from pharmacist to voice actor. I enjoy sharing how my guests use their voices to advocate, educate, or entertain. After all, those are three things I do! I connect with people on a deeper level who advocate for something, educate in some way, or entertain. Some guests - I’ve known for years. Others, I meet in other ways, through my life experiences, volunteer work, social media, or - in the case of LonghaulPaul Pelland in episode 21 - a motorcycle show. My guests are great, and I appreciate them. I plan to keep my weekly schedule and alternate solo shows and interview shows.
1/22/2021 • 5 minutes, 3 seconds
Interview with Dave Jackson, Podcasting Coach, Podcast Host, and Author
Today’s episode is an interview with Dave Jackson. He’s a podcasting coach, podcast host, and author. If you’re new to the show, I’ve mentioned Dave Jackson before. This is the man who helped me plan and launch my podcast! Websites, social media links, and products mentioned in this podcast https://www.profitfromyourpodcast.com Profit from Your Podcast: Proven Strategies to Turn Listeners into a Livelihood can be purchased on profitfromyourpodcast.com and amazon.com School of Podcasting *This is my affiliate link* https://powerofpodcasting.com https://libsyn.com http://napodpomo.org https://www.horseradionetwork.com http://beyondbourbonst.com LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/in/davejackson/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/davejackson Facebook: www.facebook.com/schoolofpodcasting Instagram: www.instagram.com/schoolofpodcasting Dave Jackson began podcasting in 2005. His School of Podcasting show has over 2.5 million downloads. To learn more, visit www.schoolofpodcasting.com. He has helped hundreds of people plan, launch and grow their podcasts, and he is the author of the book Profit from Your Podcast: Proven Strategies to Turn Listeners into a Livelihood. Dave is also a featured speaker at events. In 2016 Dave joined Libsyn (the largest podcast hosting company) as part of their tech support team. In 2018 he was inducted into the Academy of Podcasters Hall of Fame. Find all his shows at www.powerofpodcasting.com. The School of Podcasting features step by step tutorials, to shape your idea, record your concept and publish your message to the world. It also includes a private Facebook group to network with other podcasting minds. It also includes group coaching sessions (60-90 minutes twice a month) and “Lunch with Dave” sessions (short 30-minute coaching calls) so you are never alone, frustrated or lost. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee. For more information see www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start. Highlights from the Interview Dave Jackson helped me start my podcast. I went through the School of Podcasting coursework in October 2019, planned my podcast in November 2019, and launched it in December 2019. It worked for me, and I would recommend the School of Podcasting to anyone, especially pharmacists. I attended office hours and lunch meetings for additional support from Dave. The additional coaching was valuable. Getting help from the School of Podcasting Facebook Group was also valuable. When I wanted input and ideas from other podcasters, Dave and the students in the Facebook Group were happy to help. In summary, I had a good experience with the School of Podcasting. Much like pharmacists are one of the most accessible healthcare professionals in the US, Dave Jackson is a very accessible podcasting coach. Podcasting opens doors. People will be guests on a podcast who don’t typically make themselves available to the general public. Having a “why” for starting a podcast is important. Knowing who the podcast is for is important too. When a podcast host has a clear picture of why they are podcasting and who they’re talking to, it helps them determine what to talk about and ultimately helps them achieve their “why.” My podcast has helped me get back out there socially after isolating myself for years to focus on raising a child with a disability. I have positioned myself as a pharmacist/voice actor/podcast host publicly and made connections, built relationships, and grown my social media connections because of my podcast. Should someone have a solo show or an interview show? Both! Interview shows build your network. Solo shows grow your influence. Because of podcasting, Dave secured 3 jobs. Most recently, he joined Libsyn. Dave and I both participated in the 30-day NaPodPoMo challenge. NaPodPoMo is "baptism by fire.” The challenge gets you comfortable with podcasting in 30 days. You don’t have to publish everything you record. It’s ok to practice your podcasts before publishing them. With solo podcasts, I create show notes before I record. If I make a mistake, I can edit and redo. Do you have a podcast? Do you go to conferences? You could get interviews at conferences. This could lead to press for the conference and sponsorship for your podcast. Dave mentioned Glenn the Geek from Horse Radio Network. Glenn got sponsorships after hosting a booth at a horse-related conference. Plus, his listeners/target audience was there, and he got to meet them. Dave gave examples of podcast monetization from his book: Profit From Your Podcast: Proven Strategies to Turn Listeners into a Livelihood. In one example, Mark from Beyond Bourbon St. Podcast increased business for a New Orleans-based tour guide company and got them as a sponsor in return. Chris Krimitsos, Chief Creative Officer of the Podfest Multimedia Expo recommends Dave’s book to those interested in making money with a podcast. Pharmacies can have podcasts. Sharing the “101” stuff on the podcast helps customers be more informed. Once patients/clients/the community find you, they will consume your other episodes and maybe even your entire back catalog of episodes. In this case, a podcast is not your business. It’s your business card. You can make warm leads and build a relationship through a podcast. If needed, you can hire someone to do editing, artwork, and a blog post (show notes).
1/15/2021 • 46 minutes, 47 seconds
Setting goals for 2021 ✅
Today’s episode is an update on goals I’m tackling in January 2021. This is the first solo podcast of 2021. If you are new to the show, welcome! I’m an Ohio licensed pharmacist, but I am not employed as a practicing pharmacist at this time. Instead, I’m focused on my voiceover career. Social Media Links and websites mentioned in this episode Website: https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com LinkedIn Kim Newlove Twitter @kimnewlovevo Facebook Kim Newlove VO Instagram @kimnewlovevo Dave Jackson and The School of Podcasting There are a number of vocabulary terms for what I do and many ways to explain what I do. I’m a…voiceover talent/voice actor/voiceover artist/audiobook narrator/medical narrator/eLearning narrator. I also narrate explainer videos. It’s also ok to abbreviate what I do with just two letters: “VO.” (That stands for voiceover.) Feel free to follow me or connect on social media. (I appreciate feedback about the podcast, so please reach out if you have comments or suggestions.) It’s been a while since I could catch my breath and get back to work. My husband just finished his first “peak season” as an Operations Manager at an Amazon Fulfillment Center. He was out of the house about 70 hours/week from Thanksgiving until Christmas. He’s back to being out of the house more like 50 hours/week. It’s a big improvement. I really need his support at home. Our kids had an 18-day winter break from school. They are “kind of” back to school starting this week. Recording, editing, and producing audio is something I need to do for my business, and I can only do it when I have uninterrupted quiet time in my recording space at home. This week, I’m finally getting back to work. Over the past few weeks, I have been updating my business goals for the year 2021. Now that I have written business goals, I went through and identified my biggest priorities. I’m preparing to narrate a book by Eric Bohannon and Dr. Asha Pai Bohannon. It’s called IMPACT Pharmacist: Start Your Own Wellness Practice and Leave Your Retail Pharmacy Job Behind! After I finish their audiobook, I have another one lined up right after that. I’m excited to get started! My top three business goals for January are: Improve my performance. How? By practicing my narration skills and training with a coach. If Improv Class were an option this winter, I would also enroll in an improv class. Upgrade my audio engineering software and train to use it better so I can reduce editing time and improve audio quality. Narrate my first two audiobooks of the year! *I have a 4-page document of goals for 2021, and I’ll reveal more as 2021 continues. As far as personal goals, I have a lot on my plate. I have three urgent personal goals in 2021. Write my personal goals and identify priorities. I revisit these weekly. Prepare for my older son’s upcoming school meetings. There are two on February 1st. Get ready to become my older son’s legal guardian when he turns 18 next month. I do really well with goals because it helps me plan each day. I give myself about three hours/day to work on my business. The rest of the day goes toward getting as much done as possible while the kids are away or busy with school so I can focus on them and my husband when they are home. This week, I’m trying to catch up from the kids’ winter break. It feels really good to be productive again. Balancing work, family, home, and self-care is a challenge for me. I try set clear boundaries and try not to take on too much. I love what I do. I love being a wife and a Mom. I feel very lucky that I am also allowed to maintain my pharmacist license and use my voice to narrate audiobooks and voiceover projects. As long as I keep expectations realistic, I don’t get too overwhelmed. On the podcast next week, I’ll share my interview with Dave Jackson from The School of Podcasting. He taught me how to build and launch my podcast, and I’m looking forward to sharing our conversation with you. He’s a great teacher. If you want to check out Dave Jackson, his podcast, or the School of Podcasting prior to next week’s episode, visit schoolofpodcasting.com.
1/8/2021 • 7 minutes, 39 seconds
Interview with Dr. Asha Pai Bohannon: Pharmacist, Entrepreneur, Author, and Business Coach
Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. Asha Pai Bohannon. She’s a Pharmacist, Entrepreneur, Author, and Business Coach. Some pharmacists are looking for a way to leave their current job and try something else. Dr. Asha and I are ringing in the new year with a conversation about how she and her husband Eric help pharmacists find their passion and purpose so they can make the impact they want to make. Websites and Social Media Links Website: www.ashapaibohannon.com Email: asha@ashapaibohannon.com Books: IMPACT Pharmacist: Start Your Own Wellness Practice and Leave Your Retail Pharmacy Job Behind! 2. To Medicate or Not? That Is the Question: The Ultimate Guide to Improving Blood Test Results Instagram: instagram.com/dr.ashapaibohannon Impact Pharmacist FB Group: https://bit.ly/ImpactPharmacist Medipreneurs Conference Dr. Asha was my guest on episode 9 of The Pharmacist’s Voice® Podcast. She’s my first, second-time guest! She and I met at the first-ever Medipreneurs Conference in April 2018. It’s a conference for healthcare entrepreneurs. I love the supportive community I found there, and I would recommend it to any potential or current healthcare entrepreneurs. Dr. Asha spent 20 years in retail pharmacy feeling like she was feeding people's illnesses, which caused stress and led to job burnout. She wanted to make a difference in the healthcare world and started her own successful holistic wellness practice. Then, she realized her passion went much further. She wanted to help other Pharmacists do the exact same thing - find their own passion and purpose to be able to make the IMPACT they wish to make in this world. Highlights from the interview Asha and her husband Eric work well together in their business coaching practice. She has the experience of being a retail pharmacist and a wellness practice entrepreneur. She provides clinical input, mindset coaching, and input on systems and processes. Eric has experience bringing service-based organizations to the marketplace. He brings value to clients who need help with the the business pieces of owning their own business. The book Impact Pharmacist provides chronological steps an entrepreneur needs to take to get their business up and running. According to Asha, the chronology in the book sets you up for success. Learn fast. Avoid risks. Successful entrepreneurs are risk avoiders! Eric and Asha help two groups: entrepreneur novices and those who already have a business. Idea conception comes first to help clients make the impact they want to make. Asha and Eric have a one-on-one coaching program. Using their areas of strength, Asha and Eric take the “heavy lifting” off their clients’ plate. Their online course comes out in February 2021. The course will have handouts, homework, and steps in chronological order. Asha and Eric wrote IMPACT Pharmacist: Start Your Own Wellness Practice and Leave Your Retail Pharmacy Job Behind! together. It is available on Kindle and in paperback. The audiobook will be coming out in spring 2021. Eric and Asha help their coaching clients determine demand for a proposed service, target market, pricing, and messaging. Making an impact is a theme in our conversation, and the term “ripple effect” relates to the book’s cover artwork. (IMPACT Pharmacist: Start Your Own Wellness Practice and Leave Your Retail Pharmacy Job Behind!) Dreaming is important, but Asha and Eric are realistic. They discuss available time to work and income expectations with individual clients. Some people want a full-time job. Others want a part-time job. Asha shared two client transformation stories. Asha helps clients find their passion. To learn more, contact her about the “Passion to Purpose” piece of her coaching practice. It takes a lot of thought to figure out what you want. Pivoting is important. You can dream; then pivot; and then dream again. Don’t let noise in, and be true to yourself. Consider opportunities carefully. They might lead to something, like a job! Happy New Year everyone!
1/1/2021 • 47 minutes, 42 seconds
Merry Christmas 2020! ✝️ 🎅🏻 🎄
It’s the last episode of 2020, and I’m breaking format today. In this episode, I share some of my personal Christmas memories and traditions with you. From church to cookies and more, here’s a list of 8 things you will find in this episode. I was raised Lutheran, and Jesus is the reason for the season. Santa is magical, no matter how old you are. We usually get together Christmas Eve with my in-laws and sometime around Christmas with my Mom, Dad and siblings. I love Christmas movies. Elf (starring Will Ferrell) and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation are two favorites. Trans-Siberian Orchestra plays my all-time favorite Christmas music. I have a sweet tooth. This year, I made honey-lemon cut-outs and gingerbread cut-outs. I love to read to my kids. It’s not Christmas in my house until I read The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia Scarry. Going to the Lights before Christmas at the Toledo Zoo is a tradition! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
12/25/2020 • 7 minutes, 54 seconds
Interview with Dr. Adam Martin, The Fit Pharmacist
Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. Adam Martin, The Fit Pharmacist. I invited him to be on the podcast because he uses his voice in a number of ways. He is a community pharmacist, branding expert, online course creator, author, professional speaker, podcast host, medical missionary, and more. In this episode, we focus on how he helps pharmacists script their dream careers through strategic branding and execution. Mentioned in this episode Instagram: @thefitpharmacist Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn: @FitPharmFam YouTube: The Fit Pharmacist Apply for the Personal Brand Coaching Course: www.ScriptYourBrand.com Full Bio Dr. Adam Martin helps pharmacy professionals script their dream careers through strategic branding and execution. He earned his doctorate of pharmacy degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, and with over 8 years of experience working full-time in the community pharmacy setting, he’s passionate about empowering other pharmacists and pharmacy students to put the health back into healthcare through leading by example in their professional practice to not only live their best lives, but to inspire others along the way to do the same. He pairs his PharmD with his expertise as a certified personal trainer and nutrition consultant to guide self-care back into healthcare. Dr. Martin is the founder of The Fit Pharmacist, LLC. As a National Speakers Association (NSA) Professional Speaker, Adam’s core passion is traveling to pharmacy schools and organizations across the world to speak to pharmacy professionals, sharing practical plans of action that will empower them to maximize their careers and create a competitive edge in the profession to maximize their success and degree of impact. He has made his life's work showing people how to take control of their overall wellness, sharing SimpleSolutions through his writing for numerous pharmacy publications including PharmacyTimes magazine, and is the author of the best-selling book Rx: You: The Pharmacist's Survival Guide for Managing Stress & Fitting in Fitness (available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZASRsA ), as well as "Gen-Z Pharmacist: Dominate Pharmacy School & Script Your Dream Career” (available at www.thefitpharmacist.com/book ). (Note: The Amazon Link is an Affiliate Link for Dr. Adam Martin.) He is the host of The Fit Pharmacist Healthcare Podcast, sharing successes and practical strategies from the most successful minds in the profession of pharmacy with a new episode released every week. You can subscribe and learn more here: https://thefitpharmacist.com/podcast With a passion for learning and serving his patients, he’s an inaugural member of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association’s Leadership Excellence and Advocacy Development (LEAD) program, and strives to serval the global community of pharmacy as a medical missionary, having served in Honduras and Panama as a pharmacist in the field. In 2019, he was named the "Most Influential Pharmacist" by SingleCare's Best of the Best Pharmacy Awards. You can connect with him on Instagram: @thefitpharmacist Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn: @FitPharmFam YouTube: The Fit Pharmacist Apply for the Personal Brand Coaching Course: www.ScriptYourBrand.com Highlights from the episode In high school, Adam wanted to pursue veterinary medicine. His Mom’s battle with stage 4 colon cancer and frequent trips to the pharmacy changed his path. He became interested in pharmacy as a career. The first time Adam applied to pharmacy school, he was rejected. When he applied a second time, he was wait-listed. Eventually, he was the last student admitted to the program in his class. Adam became a leader at a young age. First as an Eagle Scout. Then, in pharmacy school, he became Class President. His classmate Jimmy mentored him and encouraged him to become class president. He saw it as a responsibility, not a title. He wanted to show up better than his class expected him to. Adam fell in love in love with fitness at a young age. The Fit Pharmacist brand was born from a Fit Pharmacist Friday blog. He takes The Fit Pharmacist name seriously, like a responsibility. He has a mission statement. Adam started public speaking with a nutrition talk he gave to faculty at Point Park University in July 2018. He felt called to pursue public speaking more intentionally. He became a professional speaker in 2019. He committed to at least 20 speaking engagements to groups of 15 or more people within 12 months, and he did it! He is the first PharmD to become a professional speaker in the National Speakers Association (NSA). He even spoke in Ireland in 2020! Your personal brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room. Adam helps people discover their competitive advantage and what they are passionate about. It’s not about degrees, residencies, fellowships, and certifications. A person’s unique insight and experience is important to a personal brand. Everyone must identify who they are trying to reach. Adam helps a range of individuals, including pre-pharmacy students, P1-P4 students, new graduates, and all pharmacists post graduation (BS Pharm and PharmD).
12/18/2020 • 1 hour, 28 minutes, 13 seconds
Time management and producing audio files
On today’s episode, I share some behind-the-scenes details on how long it takes for me to produce audio. Time management is a topic I both love and struggle with. I love the idea of it. Who doesn’t want a perfectly-balanced schedule? Every day, I have to make a to-do list, set priorities, and make tough choices. I have more ambition and tasks on my to-do list than I have time to get it all done. Over the years, I have created to-do lists, refined my processes, improved my time-management skills, ended up with realistic expectations, and made progress. One of my favorite books of all time is Time Management from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern. It really helped me understand how I spend my time, how long it takes me to do things, and when to choose one task over another. I would recommend this book anyone looking for ways to improve their self-awareness and time-management skills. I give myself about 3 hours per day to work on my business. My family gets the rest of the time. How did I come up with this number? I studied myself. I took notes about how long it takes me to do things, and I try not to bite off more than I can chew. Knowing how long it takes me to produce audio is essential. When I’m recording a project, I’ll work for maybe an hour at a time. Noise cuts into my work day. I don’t record when loud noises interrupt my audio, so an hour can quickly turn into longer than an hour. If I’m recording a podcast interview, it might take me up to 2 hours to do pre-interview stuff, record the interview, and give post-interview directions. I ignore the jets, garbage trucks, and so on during podcast interviews. It’s not a professional sample of my work that’s recorded in my professional home studio. I’m in my office with a podcasting microphone. It’s a conversation with an interesting person who uses their voice to advocate, educate, or entertain. I give myself some grace and upload podcast interviews with different standards. I produce audio of varying lengths throughout the week. Whether I’m auditioning for something or working on a project, it takes time to get from reading the content with my eyes to having a finished audio file. With the exception of podcast episodes, everything starts off the same way. Before I can record anything, I have to read the content with my eyes, including directions. Does the client want a conversational read? Do they want it to sound more clinical? Directions are important. Pronunciations are important too. It takes time to set up my recording space. I have a dedicated space for recording voiceover projects and solo podcast episodes. It takes time to get myself in the space, open up my recording software, pick a template, and plug in my audio interface. Then, I have to set the script up too. If it’s something short, like 15-30 seconds, I might record two or three takes. I like to batch my recordings. If I’m going to go to the trouble of getting set up and asking everyone in the house to be quiet, I’m going to record as much stuff as I can. In closing, I have developed my business time management skills over the past 3 years during my journey from pharmacist to voice actor. A 30-second audition might take 10 minutes to produce. Knowing how long it takes me to produce finished audio files is essential. I’m ok with only working about 3 hours per day for now. If and when I have more time, I understand how I spend my time, how long it takes me to do things, and when to choose one task over another.
12/11/2020 • 10 minutes, 46 seconds
Interview with Dr. Lauren Castle, Functional Medicine Pharmacist
Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. Lauren Castle, a Functional Medicine Pharmacist. She is also Functional Medicine advocate, and she educates pharmacists about integrating Functional Medicine into the profession of pharmacy. We also talk about motorcycles in this episode! Mentioned in this episode www.fmpha.org IG: @fmpha FB: @fmpha.org Twitter: @fmphaorg LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/fmpha www.drlaurencastle.com IG: @drlaurencastle FB: @drlaurencastle Twitter: @drlaurencastle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaurencastle/ FXMedCE is a great resource for CE and a good place to get started/learn the basics. Podcast Snap Podcast Consulting Service (Founder Mike Lenz, RPh/voice actor/podcast host) Dave Jackson and the School of Podcasting *My affiliate link* School of Podcasting monthly membership PharmaSis Magazine featuring Dr. Lauren Castle Ohio Northern University University of Western States Walmart Natural Medicines Database OPA (Ohio Pharmacists Association) MPA (Michigan Pharmacists Association) Motorcycle Safety Foundation “Motorcycle Ohio” Basic Rider Course Dr. Lauren Castle PharmD, MS is the founder of the Functional Medicine Pharmacists Alliance (FMPhA), and she works as a Market Health and Wellness Director for Walmart in Dayton, OH. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from Ohio Northern University in 2013 and her Master of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine from University of Western States in 2018. Lauren began her career as a technician for an independent pharmacy in Monroe, MI before moving to Dayton, OH and joining Walmart 9 years ago as an intern. Upon graduating, she spent three years as a Pharmacy Manager in Springfield, OH; Livonia, MI; and Flint, MI before becoming a Pharmacy Clinical Services Manager in the Metro Detroit area. In 2017, she returned to Ohio as a Market Health and Wellness Director for 11 Walmart stores. In 2019, she was selected to attend the Walmart Shareholders Meeting as a social media champion. She has also completed a special project assignment on nutrition initiatives in Health and Wellness at Walmart’s Home Office in Bentonville, AR. Upon discovering functional medicine in 2015, Lauren began sharing her passion through speaking engagements at the local, state, and national level. Realizing the lack of resources for pharmacists in this emerging field, she founded the Functional Medicine Pharmacists Alliance (FMPhA) in 2017. The goal of the Functional Medicine Pharmacists Alliance is to unite pharmacists, practitioners, patients, and organizations in its mission to integrate pharmacists into the practice of Functional Medicine, and Functional Medicine into profession of pharmacy. Lauren lives with her husband Seth and their two cats, Olive and Pickle. Together, they enjoy attending concerts, traveling, and riding motorcycles. Lauren currently has a 2017 Harley Davidson Low Rider S. Highlights from the interview Lauren is an advocate for Functional Medicine. She is not seeing patients privately at this time. In previous years, she worked as a community pharmacist seeing patients. That’s when she discovered Functional Medicine Pharmacy and started layering it into patient consultations. What problem do Functional Medicine Pharmacists (FMPh’s) solve for their patients? FMPh’s find how health problems start by looking at the root cause(s). It’s like a puzzle. “Puzzle piecing with patients to see the big picture.” Two health conditions Functional Medicine Pharmacists can address are diabetes and autoimmune thyroid disease. One resource Functional Medicine Pharmacists like to use is Natural Medicines Database. Functional Medicine Pharmacists optimize patients’ medication and supplement regiments with nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle choices. You don’t have to get patients off all meds. Instead, ensure medications match indications and are being used appropriately. Once health conditions are under control, de-prescribing in a safe way may be possible. Functional Medicine Pharmacists are team players. They work together with other providers. The Functional Medicine Pharmacists Alliance started as a Facebook group after an Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) CE presentation and grew from 15 members to 1,500 members in 3 years. In 2020, a Membership site was launched. Visit www.fmpha.org for resources, discounts, CE, conference information, and [in the future] in-person retreats. Lauren also does public speaking outside FMPhA. Examples include OPA, MPA, online conferences, and podcasts. Who joins FMPhA? The target market is pharmacists. It’s a professional pharmacist organization. Pharmacists can learn skills, network with other pharmacists, and get help that is needed to start a Functional Medicine Pharmacy Practice. Before they encounter the Functional Medicine Pharmacists Alliance, pharmacists wonder, “How do I do this as a pharmacist?” Once they connect, they feel like they have found their tribe! They connect with other FMPh’s, talk about FMPh, and get excited about doing FMPh. Lauren creates an inclusive environment with FMPhA. Pharmacists need education and best practices. She welcomes them and meets their needs. They can network, learn about business, hear about events, etc. Lauren is a motorcycle rider! Her current bike is a 2017 Harley Davidson Low Rider S. Her previous two bikes were a 2015 H-D Sportster and a 1974 KZ400 Cafe Racer Bike. Lauren feels it’s critical for pharmacists to have hobbies. Hobbies help prevent burnout. Burnout can even happen when doing too much stuff you love. She loves to be outside and ride with her husband. Lauren learned to ride by participating in a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course. The hardest part was learning the friction point (clutch).
12/4/2020 • 27 minutes, 30 seconds
I finished the NaPodPoMo Challenge! (Day 30 of 30)
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Jennifer Navarette, NaPodPoMo Founder https://twitter.com/epodcaster Dave Jackson and the School of Podcasting School of Podcasting Monthly Membership Link **This is my Affiliate Link** Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course Libsyn is a wonderful podcast host! Highly recommend! Today, I made it to the finish line of a 30-day podcasting challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. November is National Podcast Post Month, and the goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. I did it! Thank you Jennifer Navarette, founder of NaPodPoMo for including me in the challenge and for creating a supportive Facebook Community for participants to network and encourage one another. Congratulations to my fellow challenge participants! I also want to thank Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting for making me aware of NaPodPoMo. I heard about it on one of his podcast episodes. What did I learn from NaPodPoMo? It’s ok to try new things. I changed the format on many of the extra episodes this month and talked about things other than my journey from pharmacist to voice actor. I created episode artwork that was different from my usual episode artwork. I learned that coming up with something to talk about every day and finding time to talk about it is a challenge for me personally. I got more comfortable with shorter podcast show notes. NaPodPoMo was a significant time commitment for me because I already have a lot of other commitments. Was it worth it? Yes. I’m glad I did it? Of course! Am I glad it’s done? Definitely! Is my family glad the challenge is over? Yes! I missed out on NaPodPoMo in 2019, because I did not launch my podcast until December 4, 2019. I’m glad I tried NaPodPoMo in 2020. I had the experience I needed this year to make me feel comfortable with daily podcasting. I learned quickly that creating bite-sized podcast episodes (5 minutes or less) were my comfort zone for NaPodPoMo. I have a lot of responsibilities right now and not much time. I’m looking forward to returning to my regular schedule this Friday, December 4. It’s an interview with Dr. Lauren Castle, a Functional Medicine Pharmacist.
11/30/2020 • 6 minutes, 6 seconds
Reconciling Differences ✌️
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro Online Course USP Dictionary Online United States Adopted Names Council I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. November is National Podcast Post Month, and the goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. Most of my episodes this month have talked about my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. You can find it at kimnewlove.com or visit thepharmacistsvoice.com and click on the store button. In today’s episode, I talk about reconciling some differences about drug name pronunciations and share some thoughts and feelings I had while I developed my course. “Reconcile” in this podcast episode means, “to accept something unpleasant.” Making the right choices can be hard. I had to make some tough choices when I created my drug name pronunciation course, including getting my information from the right sources. Examples of differences I had to reconcile while building my pronunciation course. Identical spelling does not mean identical pronunciation. Ex: hydroxyzine and hydroxychloroquine. Ex: oxytocin, oxycodone, and oxybutynin. You have to look at the written pronunciation from the USP Dictionary Online, not the spelling of the drug name. Drug names are not normal English words. They can’t be sounded out. Knowing where to separate the drug name into syllables and how to pronounce those syllables are explained in the USP Dictionary Online. I used pronunciations established by those who name brand and generic drugs in the US. Drug names need to be pronounced a certain way so we are all on the same page with safety in mind. 3. I propose official [brand and generic] drug name pronunciations become available for free for everyone to easily access. 4. I propose institutions of higher learning teach drug name pronunciations. “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Professors have an opportunity to teach students how to pronounce drug names when they are young, so they will be able to do it for their entire careers. 5. I propose everyone vet their sources carefully. Don’t let mispronouncing drug names become a bad habit. I will return to my regular schedule of releasing one episode each Friday, starting December 4. Reconciling the difference between living at their goal weight with proper diet and exercise on a special TV show set with a supportive trainer and returning to “the real world” takes effort. That’s why contestants often relapse. Those contestants slip into survival mode. They do what they have to do to survive. I’m sure they find a happy medium between the perfect performance we saw on TV and the obese person we saw on day one. I’m not judging. I’m just saying that reconciling differences is real. TV Shows like the biggest loser are a great example because the transformation is physical. We can see someone lose weight as they reconcile differences with diet and exercise. They accept their unpleasant reality and move forward because they want to win the It is sometimes difficult to reconcile science and religion. It's difficult to reconcile such different points of view. How can you reconcile your fur coat and/with your love of animals? How can there be so many different pronunciations? We learn things wrong, then continue to say them wrong out of habit. Oxy vs. oxi Hydroxy vs hydroxi $348 paywall Not taught in schools People accept what they see on the internet instead of looking into the root of the drug. Why wouldn’t you go to the people who named the drug to learn how to pronounce it? I would like to see some standardization: medication guides, info on the internet, what’s put out by pharmacies in leaflets I would like there to be a comprehensive database for drug name pronunciations, and I would like to be part of the voiceover team for the project! There is a $348 pay wall between the right answers, and people want free. People are impatient, and they want whatever is available NOW. The people who put out the dictionary should also put out a pronunciation service. People want a pharmacology lesson, but really they also need a pronunciation lesson.
11/30/2020 • 13 minutes, 24 seconds
The curse of knowledge
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro Online Course ISMP’s List of Confused Drug Names State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy November 2020 Newsletter I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. November is National Podcast Post Month, and the goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a bite-sized episode, which I’m using to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. Have you ever heard of the curse of knowledge? It’s a cognitive bias. Sometimes, when someone knows a lot about something, they assume others know what they know. For example, when I joined my husband’s fantasy football league years ago, everyone assumed I knew about bye weeks, free agency, the waiver wire, the IR list, and checking my roster for last-minute injuries before setting my line-up every week. In the early days, I didn’t check my fantasy football line-up on-time, so I accidentally started players who were on bye weeks. I lost a few match-ups, but I learned quickly and won some games. The curse of knowledge happens with drug names too. It’s dangerous to believe that everyone knows what we know. We can learn from someone else’s mistake, near miss, or other event. The ISMP publishes The List of Confused Drug Names. The list contains look-alike and sound-alike (LASA) drug name pairs. Some drug names on the list have “tall man” or “mixed case letters,” which makes it easy to spot the differences in their appearance. Just being aware of look alike and sound alike drug names could save a life. In Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro, I include some listening practice using the ISMP’s list of confused drug names so my students are aware of potential errors.
11/29/2020 • 3 minutes, 39 seconds
Are you in the market for a microphone for podcasting, pod-guesting, or online meetings?
Mentioned in this episode Dave Jackson is a great teacher! Visit The School of Podcasting ATR2100X-USB Microphone Stand that sits on the desk Stand that clamps to the desk Wind screen Pop filter amazon.com and sweetwater.com have good online stores for the ATR2100X. I personally bought the other gear from amazon.com. These are NOT affiliate links. I do not get any financial benefit from these recommendations. On today’s episode, I recommend the Audio Technica 2100X-USB microphone for podcasting, pod-guesting, and online meetings. Today is Black Friday in the US, and Cyber Monday is coming up Monday, November 30. If you’ve been thinking about buying a microphone, now might be a good time to buy. Knowing which microphone to buy can be intimidating. When I first went into the voiceover industry, I didn’t know what to buy or whose advice to take. I also didn’t know how to adjust my computer’s sound preferences so my microphone was the audio input. No matter which microphone you buy, make sure you go to your computer’s “sound preferences” and tell your computer which microphone to use. Just plugging a microphone into your computer does not guarantee your computer will use it. You have to intentionally tell your computer what to use. I learned this the hard way. Learn from my mistake, and don’t let it happen to you! Researching microphones as a podcaster was a little overwhelming. Too many choices. I needed help from someone who could boil it down to a couple of choices and present them to me with some empathy. (Some reviewers forget what it’s like to be a beginner!) Fortunately, I had a fantastic podcasting coach named Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting. He recommended Audio Technica 2100 (aka ATR2100). I use my ATR2100 for podcast interviews, but the ATR2100 is no longer made. The newer model is the ATR2100X-USB microphone. If you buy a microphone, you will need a stand. You will also need something to keep your spit from flying onto the microphone. Buy a ball-type wind screen or a pop filter.
11/28/2020 • 6 minutes, 13 seconds
Happy Thanksgiving 2020! 🦃
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! In this short episode, I share some Thanksgiving memories from growing up in Northwest Ohio. Each year, I watched A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (movie) with my family, visited Mom's family and Dad's family, ate traditional foods (turkey and pumpkin pie), and took home leftovers in Cool Whip containers. I am thankful for health and family. Thank you for listening to my podcast!
11/26/2020 • 5 minutes, 33 seconds
Medication lists and emergency preparedness
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro Online Course https://www.kimnewlove.com I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. November is National Podcast Post Month, and the goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a bite-sized episode, which I’m using to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. The topic today is emergency preparedness. It can be hard to know when something bad is going to happen. It’s essential to be prepared. A medication list can be helpful. It can be as simple as a piece of notebook paper with your name, date of birth, name of each medication, strength, directions, (how you take it), and the reason you take it. If you want to, you can even add the name of the prescriber(s) and the name and phone number of the pharmacy that fills your prescriptions. Medication lists are important, and so is knowing how to pronounce drug names and recognize them as a listener. Medication lists are great for routine check-ups with healthcare providers as well as emergency situations. Plus, patients can take a medication list to the pharmacy so the pharmacist can check for problems, such as allergies, therapeutic duplications, and interactions. Getting everyone on the same page is very helpful! The Thanksgiving holiday is this week in the US. Families are reconnecting. Make sure to check up on the ones you love and help them prepare for the unexpected.
11/26/2020 • 3 minutes, 53 seconds
See one, do one, teach one
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro Online Course https://www.kimnewlove.com I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. November is National Podcast Post Month, and the goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a bite-sized episode, which I’m using to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. Have you ever heard the phrase, “See one, do one, teach one? Another way to say it is, “Learn one, do one, teach one.” What does it mean? It’s a way to describe how knowledge is transferred. Some people are great at seeing, doing, and teaching. Some only need to learn and do. They never end up teaching. But, it’s in the teaching that we are forced to relate something we know to someone else. (Maybe someone who does not know what we know.) Your level of mastery will be tested when you have to transfer your knowledge to someone who is on a different level. When I created my drug name pronunciation course, I put a good deal of thought into teaching those who needed additional learning strategies. I know what it’s like to learn something for the first time. Some people just need to hear the correct pronunciations. Others need things broken down or explained in different ways. I cover a lot of different angles in my course.
11/25/2020 • 3 minutes, 43 seconds
Sounding out drug names
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro Online Course https://www.kimnewlove.com Big Daddy Hippopotamus Scene Adam Sandler Thanksgiving Song USP Dictionary Online talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. November is National Podcast Post Month, and the goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a bite-sized episode, which I’m using to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. Today’s episode is about sounding out drug names. Life would be easier if we could just sound out drug names to get the right pronunciation. Wouldn’t it? For example, when a person learns how to read, they say each sound in a word slowly and then say the sounds together more quickly. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy with generic drug names. That’s why there are resources like the USP Dictionary Online; it provides written pronunciations of US Adopted Names. In my course, I teach how to break down written pronunciations so you can sound them out.
11/24/2020 • 3 minutes, 25 seconds
A picture is worth a thousand words
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro Online Course https://www.kimnewlove.com I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. November is National Podcast Post Month, and the goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a bite-sized episode, which I’m using to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. In this episode, I talk about the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” You can use fewer words to explain something when the picture says the rest. If you’re learning something, and you want to get to the point quickly, visuals can be very helpful. A picture or a video can be worth a thousand words! In Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro, I teach using short videos and relevant images to give you the information you need so you can use it right away.
11/23/2020 • 3 minutes, 38 seconds
Medication guides and package inserts for brand-name drugs
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro Online Course https://www.kimnewlove.com FDA Medication Guides Search Page FDA-Approved Drugs Search Page USAN Drug Name Pronunciation Guide Guide to pronunciation I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. November is National Podcast Post Month, and the goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a bite-sized episode, which I’m using to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. In today’s episode, I share few ways to find brand-name drug pronunciations. Finding the official pronunciations for some brand-name drugs can be a challenge. Unfortunately, there isn’t a dictionary for them. Brand name drugs have unique names for safety reasons. Confusingly similar drug names can lead to errors. Errors can cause harm. Brand drug names are usually shorter and easier to pronounce. It shouldn’t be that hard to pronounce them, but sometimes it is; even for me. There are many ways to find brand name drug pronunciations. Try looking inside package inserts and medication guides that are physically attached to brand name drugs or in the product packaging. If you don’t work in a pharmacy, but you want to access the pronunciations, go to the FDA’s website. Search for package inserts and medication guides for drugs. The information is not always there, but when it is, it comes from the drug company. Navigating the pages is explained in my course using screen-sharing videos. If you see marks that indicate long vowel sounds and short vowel sounds, use a pronunciation guide to interpret them. I like the drug names that are written in “common language” without marks or assumptions that you know long and short vowel sounds. Watch for the syllables with the emphasis. They are usually noted by capitalized letters or prime symbols. Also note the separation between the syllables.
11/22/2020 • 4 minutes, 31 seconds
Interview with Nancy Globus, PharmD; Medication Safety Expert
Today’s episode is an interview with Nancy Globus, a pharmacist who uses her voice to advocate for medication safety. I really enjoyed this interview because two of Nancy’s passions overlap with mine: medication safety and poisoning prevention. Nancy Globus started in the pharmacy business at a young age. Her father opened his community pharmacy the year before she was born. Nancy began “counting pills” at her father’s side and eventually earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy from Rutgers College of Pharmacy. Then, she earned her PharmD from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science and completed a one-year residency in a unique hospital, where most of the drugs were ordered and monitored by clinical pharmacists. Nancy has worked in a number of practice settings. She honed her clinical skills in hospital practice, served roles in medical affairs, and eventually worked a number of years in the Med-ERRS subsidiary of ISMP (the Institute for Safe Medication Practices). There, she became proficient in all areas of medication safety, especially as error prevention applies to assisting the pharmaceutical and biotech industries in trademark safety testing, package label assessments, and other risk-management and regulatory issues. When she is not saving humanity from confusing drug names and hard-to-read product labels, Nancy can be found translating “medicalese” for family members and friends and obsessing over her nail polish and cosmetics collection. She remains passionate about community pharmacy and has a strong interest in patient advocacy. Nancy Globus LinkedIn Profile Nancy’s Twitter Link Highlights from the interview Nancy has a passion for medication safety and poisoning prevention. She feels pharmacists are well-positioned to communicate important safety messages. Drug names are unique for safety reasons. Medication safety officers are important. They can prevent safety issues. Nancy talked about the confusion between Losec and Lasix and how Losec became Prilosec. There is not a clearly-defined path for a pharmacist to do what Nancy does. It’s a very niche job. All her professional experiences led her to medication safety roles. “We don’t lose. We win, or we learn.” Good advice from Nancy for new grads or pharmacists early in their careers. Nancy’s dream job would be naming nail polish colors for OPI or being a medical reporter on the TV news.
11/20/2020 • 36 minutes, 18 seconds
Pronunciation challenges for anyone learning English as a second language
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro Online Course https://www.kimnewlove.com I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. November is National Podcast Post Month, and the goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a bite-sized episode, which I’m using to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. The topic today is pronunciation challenges for anyone learning English as a second language. In pharmacy school, I had friends who grew up overseas, including India, Romania, Bosnia, and Brazil. As college students, they were still learning English. Plus, they were learning medical terminology, drug names, and everything else I was learning. I gave them a lot of credit. They passed the same classes I did, and they certainly earned their pharmacy degrees! Miscommunications in the healthcare sector can be life-threatening. It’s very important to be able to read, listen, speak, and write in English in the US to avoid miscommunications. When English is not your first language, learning drug names can be a challenge. Not only do you need to know the English alphabet, but you also have to know when to use long and short vowel sounds, and how to apply drug name pronunciation rules. If you need help pronouncing drug names, my online course can help. There are videos of me pronouncing dozens of drug names in the course. You can see my mouth move. Plus, I break the drug names into syllables and teach you strategies for breaking them down further. I know what it’s like to want to fit in with everyone else. Pronouncing drug names can be hard. Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro is an online course that can help.
11/20/2020 • 2 minutes, 35 seconds
Do patients read medication guides?
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro Online Course https://www.kimnewlove.com hydrocodone/apap 5/325 med guide, Click on “Medication Guide” for the written pronunciation. Pronunciation guide Highlights from the Episode I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. November is National Podcast Post Month, and the goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a bite-sized episode, which I’m using to help promote my online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. The topic in this episode is medication guides. Do patients read medication guides? This is a timely topic. My younger son had all four of his wisdom teeth extracted by an oral surgeon on Monday. Unfortunately, now he has mouth pain and swelling. 3 medications were prescribed. Once we got home, I sat down and read my son’s discharge instructions and everything that came with his prescriptions. There was a lot to read. I read one, short pamphlet from the oral surgeon and five pages of information from the pharmacy. (There were five pages of information for 3 medications.) I looked everything over, and to my surprise, I found written pronunciations for all three drugs! If you haven’t noticed these before, they look like drug names spelled phonetically. Can patients interpret the written pronunciations? I can read them because I know how to interpret the symbols, capitalized syllables, long and short vowel sounds, and other pronunciation rules that go along with a written pronunciations. Unfortunately, there is not a pronunciation guide in any of the medication guides I received. How is anyone learning these drug names for the first time supposed to get it right? Even if there were a pronunciation guide in the medication guide, would anyone read it? That takes me back to my original question. Do patients read medication guides? If they do, the learning curve seems pretty steep to learn drug name pronunciations from medication guides.
11/19/2020 • 6 minutes, 32 seconds
What motivates you to learn?
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro Online Course https://www.kimnewlove.com I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. November is National Podcast Post Month, and the goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a bite-sized episode, which I’m using to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. This episode is about motivation. I have two teenaged sons. It can be tough to motivate them, but I know what works. My older son has autism and is motivated by car rides and going to the park. If I say, “Put your shoes and socks on, then we can drive to the park,” he’ll put his shoes and socks on all by himself FAST. When I tell him we are going to speech therapy, it’s a different story. He’s not as motivated. My younger son is motivated by technology. When he deserves a serious punishment, I take his phone away. It doesn’t happen often, but losing his phone really gets his attention. He’s motivated to behave because he wants his phone with him instead of being locked up with me! What motivates you? For some, it’s avoiding something, like my younger son getting his phone taken away. For others, it’s gaining something, like my older son getting a ride to the park. What motivates you to learn something? In this episode, I ask, “What is there to gain?” And, “Would you be motivated to avoid something?” Pronouncing drug names can be hard. My online course Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro teaches brand and generic drug name pronunciations. The focus is on US Adopted Names. Learning how to say drug names correctly can improve safety and save time, plus help you feel confident, avoid criticism, earn trust, and feel less frustrated.
11/18/2020 • 4 minutes, 1 second
Which drug name do you struggle with?
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro Online Course https://www.kimnewlove.com I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. The goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a bite-sized episode, which I’m using to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. In the course, I teach brand and generic drug name pronunciations. The focus is on US Adopted Names, which are the generic names used in the United States. I want to know which drug names my podcast listeners struggle with. Did you know you can send me a voice message? Use the bright orange “voice message” button on the contact page of either of my websites. Either visit kimnewlove.com or thepharmacistsvoice.com. Press “start record,” and tell me which drug name you struggle with. If you would like your voice message featured on an episode of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast, you can share your name and background. For example, “This is Jane Doe, pharmacy technician from Ohio. I struggle with the generic name for Pyridium.” Just be clear if you DO NOT want me to use your recording on the podcast.
11/16/2020 • 3 minutes, 22 seconds
What do second-career students and professionals appreciate?
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro Online Course https://www.kimnewlove.com The Pharmacist’s Voice®, LLC Website https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. (November is National Podcast Post Month.) The goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a shorter episode, which I’m using to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. Being a voice actor is my second career. Being a pharmacist is my first career. When I went into voiceover, coaches and voice actors welcomed me with open arms as both a pharmacist and a voice actor. They assured me that all entry points into the voiceover industry are valid. In a similar way, any reason for taking my online course Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro is valid. If you’re a voice actor who wants to try medical narration, and you’re not sure if you can pronounce drug names, this is a good opportunity to learn drug name pronunciations from a structured program created by a 19-year veteran pharmacist. If you’re a paralegal, and you need a straightforward way to learn drug name pronunciations for drug-related cases, my course can help. If you’re a second-career pharmacy student, medical student, nursing student, or other health sciences student, Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro can help.
11/16/2020 • 3 minutes, 44 seconds
Having the right tool for the job
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPomo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course https://www.kimnewlove.com I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. November is National Podcast Post Month, and the goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a bite-sized episode, which I’m using to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro! In this episode, I talk about my Dad. After his service in the US Marine Corps, he worked as a carpenter. He taught me about “having the right tool for the job.” Using the right tool for the job is important, no matter your profession. Imagine if you had a tool/resource for pronouncing drug names? Pronouncing drug names can be hard. Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro is an online course that teaches brand and generic drug name pronunciations. The focus is US Adopted names (those are generic names in the US). Knowing how to get the right answers right away will save you time and help you feel confident, avoid criticism, earn trust, and feel less frustrated.
11/14/2020 • 3 minutes, 21 seconds
Keeping a realistic workload
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPomo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course https://www.kimnewlove.com Debbie Irwin https://debbieirwin.com November has been a challenging month. For the rest of 2020, I’m focusing on being available for my family and keeping the workload for my voiceover business realistic. I have been publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. The goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. I have been publishing bite-sized episodes every day except Fridays to promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. We had a health scare this month, and it made me realize that I need to scale back on my voiceover business and focus on my family for the rest of the year. My younger son was sent home early from school on October 30. One of his classmates tested positive for COVID-19. My son was exposed; then, he was quarantined in our home for 14 days. He did not contract the virus. His first day back to school is today, November 13. On any given day, anyone in my household could contract the coronavirus, including me. Right now, I’m focusing on the students enrolled in my online course, medical narration lessons with Debbie Irwin, producing my podcast, improving my audio engineering skills, and narrating projects I am already committed to.
11/13/2020 • 6 minutes, 3 seconds
Keep the focus on what’s important
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPomo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course https://www.kimnewlove.com Today’s episode might resonate with healthcare professionals, students in health sciences programs, and allied health professionals. Saying drug names can be hard. Knowing how to pronounce them will free up mental space to help you focus on the reasons you entered your profession instead of struggling with drug names. If you have a list of floor-stock meds, standing-order protocols, or an entire class of drugs you can’t pronounce, Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro can help.
11/13/2020 • 3 minutes, 9 seconds
One big reason to pronounce drug names correctly
Mentioned in this episode USP Dictionary Online FDA-Approved Drugs Search Page NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course https://www.kimnewlove.com I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. November is National Podcast Post Month, and the goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a bite-sized episode, which I’m using to help promote my new online course called Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro! Pronouncing drug names can be hard. One big reason to say drug names correctly is that it keeps the focus on what the drug can do instead of how to pronounce it. When it comes to medicine, the general public wants to feel assured that whomever is speaking knows what they’re talking about.
11/12/2020 • 3 minutes, 48 seconds
Containerizing information
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course https://www.kimnewlove.com I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. (November is National Podcast Post Month.) The goal of the challenge is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is a bite-sized episode, which I’m using to help promote my new online course called Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. Teachers know a thing or two about containerizing. My Mom is a retired high school English teacher. She used to keep her supplies containerized. Like mother, like daughter. I believe in containerizing too. The modules in Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro are containerized. There are 11 modules in total. When I timed myself taking the course, it took about 2 hours to complete it. I did my best to get right to the point. I’m a very direct person, and I don’t like to bury the lede. Keeping with the theme of containerizing, I encourage students to make flash cards throughout my course. Instead of asking you to listen to a pronunciation and just say it back to the computer screen, I encourage you to write down the written pronunciation, practice saying it, and keep your flash cards in a container for review later. My students get to containerize too! You never know when you might need to refer to your flash cards again. Plus, you can practice when it’s convenient for you.
11/11/2020 • 3 minutes, 6 seconds
Disclaimers for “Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro”
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course https://www.kimnewlove.com U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) https://www.usp.org Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) https://www.ismp.org U.S. Food & Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) https://www.fda.gov I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. The goal is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. Except for Fridays, I’m publishing bite-sized episodes to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro! The topic today is disclaimers. I have a son who is learning how to drive. My husband and I taught him about the phrase engraved on the passenger-side mirrors of our cars: “objects in mirror are closer than they appear.” He didn’t know it was there. I’m going to draw a similarity between the side mirror warning and the disclaimers for my course. Unless you read the disclaimers for the course, you won’t know about them. If you enroll, check them out. What’s important to know is that I am not an employee or independent contractor for any company or organization mentioned in the course. This includes, but is not limited to; the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (also known as USP); the Institutes for Safe Medication Practices (also known as ISMP), and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (also known as the U.S. FDA). References to proprietary material are made with permission. If you enroll in the course, please read the entire disclaimers section.
11/10/2020 • 3 minutes, 12 seconds
What's at stake? Why is pronouncing drug names correctly important?
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course https://www.kimnewlove.com I accepted a challenge called NaPodPoMo to publish 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. Today is November 8, 2020. 8 down, 22 to go! Except for Fridays, I’m publishing bite-sized episodes to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro! What’s at stake? Why is pronouncing drug names correctly important? There are a number of reasons. Here are 5: Safety. Feel confident that you are communicating effectively. Avoid criticism. Earn trust. Feel less frustrated learning new drug names. Pronouncing drug names doesn’t have to be hard. Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro is an online course that teaches brand and generic drug name pronunciations. (Generic pronunciations include US Adopted Names) Once you learn how to get the right answers right away, you’ll save time and feel equipped to pronounce the drug names you encounter in your life.
11/9/2020 • 2 minutes, 17 seconds
Setting the tone for "Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro"
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course https://www.kimnewlove.com I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. The goal is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. Except for Fridays, I’m publishing bite-sized episodes to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. Setting the tone is important. That’s why my course includes a list of student expectations. There are seven listed in the course. I’ll just share the most important one with you. It sets the tone for the course. Here it is: Focus on learning the correct pronunciations instead of focusing on being right. There’s a difference between wanting to get it right and wanting to be right. Our primary language, regional accent, and other factors affect how we pronounce drug names. Pronouncing drug names can be hard, and searching for pronunciations on the internet can be time-consuming and lead to the wrong answers. Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro is an online course that cuts the learning curve and shows you how to get the right answers right away. You’ll save time, feel confident, avoid criticism, earn trust, and feel less frustrated.
11/8/2020 • 3 minutes, 2 seconds
Interview with Jerilyn Arneson, Revenue Integrity Pharmacist
Today’s episode is an interview with Jerilyn Arneson, a Revenue Integrity Pharmacist. Jerilyn and I met in April 2019, at the Medipreneurs Conference in Asheville, North Carolina. Medical care for many disease states is expensive. Jerilyn uses her voice to advocate for the financial best interests of her patients. She helps them access financial assistance so they can focus on battling their disease and winning back their health. Jerilyn Arneson is a pharmacist with 22 years of experience in a variety of practice settings. She started as an Air Force pharmacist and spent most of her career working in military medicine. She is a Board Certified Oncology Pharmacist who transitioned to civilian healthcare in 2014. Currently, Jerilyn works for a healthcare organization in Virginia as a Revenue Integrity Pharmacist. She specializes in navigating medication access and reimbursement for outpatient infusion centers. In the last 6 years, Jerilyn has launched multiple medication assistance and financial navigation programs to assist cancer patients and other chronically ill patients with their treatment costs. She is also a Certified Medicare Benefits counselor and volunteers at Senior Services, where she helps patients select a Medicare plan that will cover their medical needs and assists them with complex problems, such as denials of essential services. Mentioned in this episode Jerilyn’s LinkedIn profile: linkedin.com/in/jerilyn-arneson NAMAPA’s LinkedIn Page: linkedin.com/company/namapa www.namapa.org - National Association of Medication Access and Patient Advocacy (NAMAPA) - nonprofit that empowers healthcare advocates by providing resources to navigate medication access and support. www.healthcareadvocatesummit.com - Healthcare Advocate Summit in May 2021 in Galveston, TX - conference is open to anyone working provide access to medications for patients who can't afford it or are unable to navigate our healthcare system to obtain access (Patient Assistance specialists, pharmacists, pharmacy leadership, nurses, social workers, etc.) atlas.health is Jerilyn’s future employer. They provide Advanced Patient assistance software that screens patients and matches them with all potential assistance programs including free drug, copay or foundation assistance, Medicaid, Medicare Savings Programs, and hospitals' internal financial assistance programs. www.shiptacenter.org - Find your local Medicare Benefits Counselor if someone is turning 65 and new to Medicare, if they've been denied a service or just have questions about their Medicare plan. ASHP’s Pharmacy Revenue Cycle Management Certificate Highlights from the interview Revenue Integrity Pharmacists evaluate everything that has to do with pharmacy cost and reimbursement, including denials on high-dollar drug claims. She specializes in specialty infusion centers. One claim can be tens of thousands of dollars. She writes appeal letters for denial claims. Jerilyn helps patient get access to treatment. She focuses on financial navigation. How did she learn everything she needed to know to be a Revenue Integrity Pharmacist? She picked up a lot of experience in different practice settings. She’s a curious person who wondered why patients were self-discontinuing treatments. When she realized they couldn’t afford treatments, she educated herself on patient assistance programs. Field Reimbursement Managers from drug companies helped her understand how to access underutilized patient assistance programs. She also asked a lot of people a lot of questions! Jerilyn did not have formal training for her role as a Revenue Integrity Pharmacist, but she would recommend ASHP’s Pharmacy Revenue Cycle Management Certificate. That filled gaps in her knowledge. What kind of pharmacist would enjoy being a Revenue Integrity Pharmacist? Someone who is curious and likes to problem-solve. An inquisitive person who is willing to ask a lot of questions. An excellent communicator: someone who can write appeal letters for denials (provide documentation). Someone who wants to help people and won’t say, “That’s not my job.” Jerilyn shared a success story about helping a woman with more than $50,000 in debt get financial assistance and adequate insurance coverage. The US Healthcare System can complicated for many patients to navigate! Jerilyn was this woman’s “angel.” According to Jerilyn, military pharmacy is a great place for a pharmacist to start their career! Jerilyn will be touching many lives in her new role at Atlas.Health.
11/6/2020 • 54 minutes, 31 seconds
“Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro” Learning Goals
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course https://www.kimnewlove.com Highlights of this episode I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. The goal is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. This is one of my bite-sized episodes, which I’m using to help promote my new online course: Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro! Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro has 8 written goals and a downloadable course outline, which I refer to in the course as a Syllabus. In this episode, I share the 8 goals. This course was created for a broad audience, including students who have never worked in a pharmacy or a hospital and may not have seen a stock bottle. If you remember those days, think of how this course might have helped you! Pronouncing drug names can be hard, and searching for pronunciations on the internet can be time-consuming and lead to the wrong answers. Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro is an online course that cuts the learning curve and shows you how to get the right answers right away. You’ll save time, feel confident, avoid criticism, earn trust, and feel less frustrated.
11/6/2020 • 3 minutes, 19 seconds
What makes “Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro” special?
I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. The goal is 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. Except for Fridays, I’m publishing bite-sized episodes to help promote my new online course. It’s called Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro! Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course https://www.kimnewlove.com The USP Dictionary of United States Adopted Names (USAN) and International Drug Names is the leading reference for nonproprietary drug names and chemical structures. See https://www.usp.org/products/usp-dictionary for more information. Highlights Pronouncing drug names can be hard, and searching for pronunciations on the internet can be time-consuming and lead to the wrong answers. Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro is an online course that cuts the learning curve and shows you how to get the right answers right away. You’ll save time, feel confident, avoid criticism, earn trust, and feel less frustrated. What makes this course special? The focus is United States Adopted Names (nonproprietary drug name pronunciations) from the USP Dictionary Online. The information from the USP Dictionary Online is used with permission. Brand drug names will also be covered. 2. You will see videos of how my mouth moves when I say the drug names. This will help with learner comprehension. Reading lips or watching the mouth move is even more important for individuals with hearing impairments and anyone learning English as a second language.
11/5/2020 • 2 minutes, 38 seconds
How can someone learn how to pronounce drug names correctly?
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course https://www.kimnewlove.com I’m publishing one podcast episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. I’m promoting my online course "Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro." As a pharmacist in the voiceover industry, I am often asked, "How do you pronounce this drug name?” Or, "How can I learn how to pronounce drug names correctly too? Who teaches this? Who taught you how to pronounce drug names correctly?" Those are all great questions! I picked up a lot of what I know from pharmacy school. What happens after pharmacy school? After some reflection, I realized I had to either pick it up at work, guess, research pronunciations on the internet, or ask others. When I researched the pronunciation of a drug name on the internet, however, I found at least two different results. How was I supposed to know the right one? After researching drug names for my online course, Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro, I know there are better ways. Pronouncing drug names correctly is important to me, and it shouldn’t be difficult as it often is. My course can help. Much of the course is short videos, but there is plenty of text to read as well. I took a complicated topic, broke it down into bite-sized chunks, paired the explanations with relevant images, and used voiceover to string the videos together. Visit https://www.kimnewlove.com to buy the online course today.
11/3/2020 • 3 minutes, 26 seconds
Why I created "Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro" & Who it's for
I’m publishing one episode per day in the month of November 2020 as part of a challenge called NaPodPoMo. It stands for National Podcast Post Month. I’m using these extra episodes to talk about my new online course. It’s called Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course https://www.kimnewlove.com Why did I create this course? I care about pronouncing drug names correctly, and I was inspired by voice actors to create a drug name pronunciation course. Who is it for? It could be of use to voice actors, healthcare professionals, students (pharmacy students, nursing students, medical students, and so on), patients, caregivers, and more. I created a course that, in hindsight, I wish I would have had in college. Something to teach me how to pronounce all the drug names that I hadn’t come across in pharmacy school and all the drug names yet-to-be invented. The concept behind my course is, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” I teach you where to find the correct pronunciations, how to break them down, and other tips and tricks as you aspire to Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro! The course focuses on non-proprietary drug names. Those are also called generic names. Specifically, I focus on the US Adopted Names. I also teach how to find brand-name drug pronunciations. Finding brand name drug pronunciations is different from finding generic ones.
11/3/2020 • 4 minutes, 13 seconds
I accepted the NaPodPoMo Challenge! (Day 1 of 30)
Mentioned in this episode NaPodPoMo http://napodpomo.org Jennifer Navarette, NaPodPomo Founder https://twitter.com/epodcaster National Novel Writing Month https://nanowrimo.org Dave Jackson and the School of Podcasting https://schoolofpodcasting.com Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro online course https://www.kimnewlove.com Highlights from the episode I’m breaking my usual format and publishing some additional episodes in the month of November. I accepted a challenge called “NaPodPoMo.” It’s a challenge for podcasters to publish one podcast episode per day in the month of November. (Or 30 podcast episodes in 30 days.) NaPodPoMo was inspired by another challenge that also runs during the month of November, called “NaNoWriMo:” National Novel Writing Month. Participants attempt to write a 50,000-word manuscript between November 1 and November 30. Thank you Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting for making me aware of NaPodPoMo. Except for Fridays this month, I plan to publish super-short episodes to help promote my new online course, which is called Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro! You can find it at kimnewlove.com or click the “store” button on www.thepharmacistvoice.com. Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro is an online course that teaches brand and generic drug name pronunciations. The focus is US Adopted Names (nonproprietary drug names).
11/2/2020 • 2 minutes, 51 seconds
Introducing Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro and an October 2020 update
In today’s episode, I’ll tell you what I’ve been up to in October 2020 and introduce you to my online course, which is called Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. Mentioned in this episode Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro Online Course National Podcast Post Month The Business of Pharmacy Podcast Debbie Irwin, Voice Actor and Medical Narration Coach Highlights from this episode I created an online course called Pronounce Drug Names Like a Pro. The focus of the course is pronouncing generic drug names. I also cover brand names briefly too. I will be promoting the course on the podcast during the month of November. How am I going to do that? I accepted the challenge to publish one podcast per day in the month of November. It’s a challenge called “NaPodPomo.” It stands for National Podcast Post Month. (November is National Podcast Podcast month.) Most of the episodes will be short and explain more about the course: the problems the course solves, who I created it for, and maybe even share some special guest appearances from some of my students! Mike Koelzer from The Business of Pharmacy Podcast interviewed me on his podcast, and that episode came out on Monday, October 26. Visit www.bizofpharmpod.com, pick your favorite podcast platform, and listen to our interview! Thank you again Mike for the interview! I started private medical narration lessons with a voice actor and coach named Debbie Irwin this month. I love working with her! October has been a very busy month for me for projects. Some time next week, I should be able to start production on an audiobook. This month, I have had lots of inquiries and discussions about projects, weekly podcast recordings, and plenty of discussions about future podcast episodes too. My family and I have our annual family picture session scheduled for October 31, 2020. (No, we are not dressing up in costumes for Halloween! Just regular, semi-casual clothes.) Kids grow up fast! Taking pictures annually is something we do. My family is incredibly important to me, and I love looking back at old pictures and remembering how we all looked over the years. Be safe, and have a great Halloween weekend everyone!
10/30/2020 • 5 minutes, 25 seconds
Interview with Mike Lenz: Pharmacist, Voice Actor, and Podcast Host
Today’s episode is an interview with Mike Lenz. He’s a pharmacist, voice actor, and podcast host. Mike is someone I look up to, and I have the pleasure of calling him a friend. Mike and I know one another from the voiceover industry, and he uses his voice to entertain. Mentioned in this episode Website https://mikelenzvoice.com Podcast https://mikelenzvopodcast.com Mike’s book Paid to Talk - A Journey into Voice Acting VO Success (Online Course) https://vosuccess.com ACX Profile Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/michael.lenz.1460/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikelenzvo/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/mlenzvoice Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mikelenzvoice/ Sean Pratt, nonfiction audiobook narration coach https://www.seanprattpresents.com APAC (Audio Publisher’s Association Annual Conference) VoiceZam Player https://www.voicezam.com Mike Lenz is a full-time SAG-AFTRA professional voice talent, actor, audiobook narrator and podcast producer. As a voice actor for more than 15 years Mike has worked with clients such as Xerox, Hershey, Dell, Microsoft, Bayer, Coca-Cola and many more on commercials, eLearning projects, real estate videos, corporate and web-based videos, and brand imaging. Mike has also appeared in regional and national television commercials as an on-camera talent and was the host of a local TV talk show in Saratoga Springs, NY for a number of years. Mike is also an accomplished audiobook narrator with more than 100 titles narrated to date. With titles in genres ranging from Fiction, Entertainment, Science, and Children’s to Christian, Business, Self-Help and History, Mike loves bringing non-fiction and fiction stories to life with his engaging, confident, and trustworthy voice. Mike is also a Voice Arts Award nominated podcast producer of a popular Voice Over podcast, and the creator of Podcast Snap, a podcast consulting service, helping his clients with every step of their podcast creation and production. Mike is the author of Paid to Talk - A Journey Into Voice Acting and is a frequent speaker at Learning and Voice Over conferences. He currently lives in Saratoga Springs, NY with his wife and 4 children. Highlights from the interview Before becoming a voice actor, Mike ran the pharmacy that’s been in his family since 1960. He is a former Council Member and Mayor of Saratoga Springs, NY. After his position as mayor ended, he explored his creative side: screenwriting, film-making, voiceovers, etc. He enjoyed the communication piece of his public service: “using his voice.” After his 1st VO coaching session, he realized he loved it. The journey began. 2-3 years ago, he become a full time voice actor (made the switch from pharmacist to voice actor). It took > 10 years to make his part-time side hustle his full-time job. Mike has had some great voice actors on his podcast! Examples include Harlan Hogan, Rodney Saulsberry, and Tom Dheere. Mike asks his guests about their journey, obstacles they overcame, lessons they learned, and advice for aspiring voice actors. Mike and I shared a nonfiction audiobook narration coach, Sean Pratt. We both graduated around the first of September 2020. For each finished hour of audio for an audiobook, there are several hours of audio engineering after recording. Building relationships in the voiceover and audiobook industries pays off. Among other things, referrals keep Mike busy working! Audiobooks, course books for online colleges, etc. Conferences have changed Mike’s life. One example is APAC (Audiobook Publisher’s Association Conference). Meeting people and building relationships led to more work. The voiceover industry is a giving community with authentic relationships. We refer our friends because when you give, you receive. What goes around, comes around. There was an element of faith in making a leap from pharmacy to VO. Mike says, “Just get in the boat!” And see where it takes you. You only connect the dots looking backward. Mike has demos on his website for IVR (interactive voice response/on-hold messaging), elearning, audiobooks, commercials, and narration. Mike uses the VoiceZam player to help potential clients find and listen to his demos easily. Outside audiobook publishers, Mike’s clients include podcast clients, elearning, corporate clients, and on-hold messaging. Everything revolves around his audiobooks schedule. How does Mike care for his voice? He does warm-ups, including tongue twisters, humming, and vocal warm-ups. He stays hydrated and tries to get his sleep. Mike has done some live announcing. It’s fun for him, and he has booked the work thanks to referrals from other voice actors. Mike has an online course called VO Success. It teaches up-and-coming voice actors a good foundation about the VoiceOver industry. Topics include focusing, performance training, the business of the business, branding, and recording in a home studio. Lifetime membership (as of October 23, 2020) is $97 USD.
10/23/2020 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 11 seconds
Flip the script!
Today’s episode is about doing something unexpected. When you have a disadvantage, you can “flip the script!” Mentioned in this podcast http://napodpomo.org linkedin.com/in/kimnewlove linkedin.com/in/nathannewlove Episode 4 of The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Online course coming soon! The theme today is “flip the script.” I have 3 stories to share. The first story is about my brand. The second is about about a mistake I made last year that I have an opportunity to fix next month. And, the third one is about my husband. What does flip the script mean? If you “flip the script,” you reverse your position and do something unexpected. It’s exactly what I did. Here’s story number one. It’s about my brand. About 4 years ago, I thought I was stuck being a stay-at-home Mom because I couldn’t find a childcare situation that would allow me to work outside the home in a traditional pharmacist role. It took me years to figure it out, but I flipped the script! I carved out a part-time job I can do in the margins using my identity as a pharmacist. I became a voice actor and a podcast host! Recently, I updated my LinkedIn “about” section. I felt like I know my brand, and I put it in words. We all have things inside us that make us “us.” Writing it down and refining it over time helped me discover my brand. What I wrote tells others who I am even when I’m not in the room. I thought I was stuck, but I flipped the script! Here’s story number two. I made a mistake last year in November. I have an opportunity to fix it this November. All the way back in Episode 4 of this podcast, I mentioned something called NaPodPomo. It’s short for National Podcast Post Month. It’s an annual challenge to post one podcast per day in the month of November. That’s right! 30 podcasts in 30 days. I planned to launch The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast during NaPodPomo last year, but it didn’t work out. I completely missed it and launched December 4, instead. This year, I’m flipping the script. If all goes well, I am launching an online course at the end of this month, and I plan to publish short, solo episodes in November to get the word out about the course. That’s right, I’m accepting the challenge and signing up for NaPodPomo. I know what I just said about launching a course is a tease, but hang in there. I’ll share more in 2 weeks during my next solo episode on October 30. Story number three is about my husband. For anyone new to the show, my husband, Nathan, lost his job May 1st, due to a RIF = reduction in force. Essentially, he was downsized after 12 years with the same company. He is a mechanical engineer. He’s had a variety of jobs. He designed the convertible top for the C5 Corvette, engineered cookware for Calphalon, and most recently worked for a solar panel manufacturer. Automotive, consumer products, and renewable energy are all different industries. He built an amazing skill set over the past 20 years. After he lost his job, he flipped the script too! I’m going to borrow a word from the Japanese language. It’s Ikigai, which means “reason for being.” When he was unemployed and trying to figure out what to do, he looked at his “reason for being” employed. Finding his Ikigai gave him direction and helped him look for purpose in his next job. He figured out what employers need, what he’s good at, what he likes to do, and what he can get paid for. This was the brand statement he used on his resume, LinkedIn, and messages he put out on social media: I develop talent, lead teams, solve problems, and improve processes. Instead of putting himself out into the world as a mechanical engineer, he put himself out there as the guy who develops talent, leads teams, solves problems, and improves processes. Guess who needs that type of a guy? Amazon! He flipped the script! Nathan was hired as an Operations Manager. He started training August 31. The first two weeks were online training. Then, he had a short-term assignment with an Amazon fulfillment center about 2½ hours away. The past 30 days have been hard for my family. My husband lived in a hotel for 3 of the past 4 weeks. This is his first week living at home again. Much respect to all the single parents out there who do it every day, especially military spouses whose partners are deployed. I know it’s not easy. Starting November 1, my husband’s permanent assignment will be about 15 minutes from our home. Until then, he’s been working at another fulfillment center over an hour away. I’m looking forward to November 1, so our family can finally get into a routine. Maybe you have disadvantage and can do something unexpected to “flip the script” in your life too.
10/16/2020 • 9 minutes, 33 seconds
Interview with April Jones, PharmD, MBA: Pharmacist, Author, and Entrepreneur
Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. April Jones. She’s a pharmacist, author, and entrepreneur. As the parent of a childhood cancer survivor and amputee, she is an advocate for a number of interests, including adaptive sports. She uses her family’s story to educate others and encourage them to find strength in struggle and purpose in pain. As an author, she entertains audiences in print, ebook, and audiobook. Dr. April Jones is not only an Oncology Medical Director for Pfizer, but she is also the author of No Mess No Message, owner of The Drifted Drum Company, a motivational speaker, an avid community volunteer, a mentor, and a leader in the pharmacy profession. Along with her many professional credentials, she’s the mother of an international adaptive athlete/cancer survivor/college student and 2 other busy boys. It’s her personal journey that makes her an authority on transforming pain into purpose and struggle into strength. Mentioned in this episode Website www.thedrifteddrum.com *When you buy No Mess, No Message through the website, you can purchase an author-signed copy! Dr. April Jones can inscribe a special message if desired and/or giving as a gift! Book link on amazon.com No Mess, No Message. Finding Strength in Struggle and Purpose in Pain (You can see my review of the book on amazon.com!) No Mess, No Message is also available online at Barnes and Noble, BAM, Apple, GoodReads, Bookbub, Amazon, Target, and Walmart. Tickets to the Path to Purpose Virtual Retreat can be purchased at www.thedrifteddrum.com/collections/event-tickets. Use code WELOVEKIM for 10% off!!! Speakers mentioned in this podcast episode: Dr. Katariina Rosenblatt, PhD, human trafficking survivor, There is Hope for me Foundation Pastor Zane Isaacson - attempted abortion survivor. Monica Schmelter, Talk Show Host, Bridges on Christian Television Network Fabi Powell, Founder of Josh Powell Foundation - dedicated to synovial sarcoma awareness Jerrica Dodd PharmD - Leadership session facilitator Bryan Heard and Tony Goforth of Crucial Conversation Podcast Email thedrifteddrum@gmail.com LinkedIn (April Jones) Facebook @dr.apriljones, @thedrifteddrum Instagram @livebeautiful_dr.mom, @thedrifteddrumco, @tylergjonesy YouTube The Drifted Drum Company, Tyler’s new channel is "College Through Christ" TikTok @drjones_nomessnomessage, and @tylergjonesy Paralympic Games Challenged Athletes Foundation Nashville Audio Productions Wesley’s Warrior Foundation I-CAN! = International Child Amputee Network Endeavor Games in Oklahoma Book Launchers Highlights from the interview April celebrated the 1st anniversary of the release of No Mess No Message in Sept 2020. April’s son Tyler (cancer survivor) started college this fall. He’s pre-med for sports medicine and will earn an athletic trainer’s certificate in his Bachelor’s Program. He wants to specialize in adaptive sports medicine. When April tried to identify her book’s target audience, she thought it would be cancer moms. Turns out, her journey is relatable to anyone facing adversity. It helps prepare someone facing a struggle. “Meat grinder” analogy = processing what’s happened to you. What we put in needs to come out better once we’ve processed it. I related to the book even though I’m an autism mom. April wanted to help others to be stronger. If the pain happened, and it’s behind her, and she can’t use it to help others. It’s compassionate to share with others. April is a mentor of sorts in the book. One theme is, “Hang in there! If I can make it through this, so can you!” Why did April narrate her own book? To be as authentic and transparent as possible. Narrating it “her way” was important to her. She had a professional production team record her book. April’s friend Angela challenged her to write No Mess, No Message. Angela founded Wesley’s Warrior Foundation after her son Wesley passed from cancer as a child. “Helping is healing.” April committed to sending one chapter/month to Angela until the book was finished. Wesley’s Warrior Foundation helps alleviate financial burdens. Families can’t work due to treatments. Parents need to pay rent and buy groceries. Angela put her finger on what she needed when she was needy and created a foundation to serve that need. Asking for help and articulating needs can be difficult. April was worried about hurting feelings, insurance reimbursement, etc. You have to do what you have to do or your child will suffer. Find your voice early because you will have to advocate long-term for your child if they live a long life. If you don’t know your options and how much better life could be, you just can’t make better choices. Support groups can be helpful. Connect with other families that have similar diagnoses and disabilities. She’s learned so much from others about steps she had not gotten to yet. You get to end up being a resource to others AND use the info for the benefit of your own child and his care team. It’s rewarding because you remember how much learning that fact/about that service made a significant and positive impact on your own child. April attended the Endeavor Games in Oklahoma so she could network with other moms, get support, and learn. Tyler met athletes and made friends and lasting relationships. Tyler participated in races and got medals. It opened his mind to new athletic possibilities and gave him joy. When you start with a disadvantage, it can make you stronger. Tyler is April’s business partner at The Drifted Drum Co. As the book was being published, the company was born. It serves more than one purpose. Tyler wanted an apparel line. April wanted to publish other people’s stories. So, they formed The Drifted Drum Company “The Business of Encouragement.” The Drifted Drum Company became April’s publishing Brand, and Tyler Vibes Apparel is part of it. She is developing books with other authors and will publish their stories under her brand. Events are on the website under The Drifted Drum Company. Examples include “The No Pity Party” Event and “A Path to Purpose” Virtual Retreat. “Drifted” = ended up in a place you didn’t expect to be due to external forces directing you. “Drum” = a vessel that can be emptied out and filled up over and over again. Details about Path to Purpose Retreat: Tickets can be found at thedrifteddrum.com. See EVENTS tab. It’s a Virtual event Dec 5, 10 AM-2:30 PM CT. Cost is $50. Use the coupon code WELOVEKIM for 10% off the ticket price. All participants get some swag = her book (digital download) and the companion journal. There is a great line-up of speakers! See links above: Kateriina Rosenblatt, human trafficking survivor, There is Hope for me Foundation Pastor Zane Isaacson - survived his Mom’s attempted abortion Monica Schmelter, Host of Talk Show Bridges on Christian Television Network Fabi Powell, Founder of Josh Powell Foundation (sarcoma awareness) The Director of The Drifted Drum Co will share about her story of drug addiction and recovery. One of the workshops afterward will be facilitated by Dr. Jerrica Dodd PharmD. The book, ebook, and audiobook were released at the same time. You can download the companion journal to the book by visiting www.thedrifteddrum.com. April wants to launch the “No Pity Party Podcast” in 2021. She will focus on sharing messages of inspiration and sharing resources that helped her guests. If you want to keep up with Dr. April Jones and The Drifted Drum Company, sign up for the newsletter on www.thedrifteddrum.com.
10/9/2020 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 50 seconds
Expectations: stories about Ticket to Ride, my unplanned pregnancy at age 23, and episode one of this podcast
On today’s episode, I’ll share a few stories about expectations and tie them into my journey. You’ll hear about my favorite board game, which is Ticket to Ride, my unplanned pregnancy at the age of 23, and my expectations for episode one of this podcast. Mentioned in this episode Ticket to Ride https://www.daysofwonder.com/tickettoride/en/usa/ The University of Toledo College of Pharmacy Purdue College of Pharmacy Episode One of The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode Notes An expectation is a strong belief that something will happen in the future. There’s no plan. You just expect it to happen. If I set a goal, on the other hand, it’s specific. I get to pick how I try to achieve the goal. Goals can be flexible that way. When I play my favorite board game, Ticket to Ride, I have some expectations. I expect to have fun, score as many points as possible, and finish the game. There’s no plan. I just expect it to happen. I believe it will happen. If you’re unfamiliar with Ticket to Ride, it’s a board game with a train theme. It’s also available using apps on Apple and Android products. I love it! There are at least ten maps. The Swiss and US maps are my favorites. Players claim railway routes connecting cities, and the player with the most points at the end of the game wins. What’s the goal? To have the highest score. How do you get points? Depending on the map, there are several different ways, like completing destination tickets, building the longest train, and scoring the most points with up to 45 wagons. If you can imagine a map of the United States, a common destination ticket is Los Angeles to New York City. To complete that ticket, I could travel across the middle of the country through Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, and Pittsburgh to get from LA to New York. I could travel from West to East or from East to West. I could even start in the middle of the country. If I wanted to, I could travel south through Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, and El Paso on my way to LA. It’s my journey. I get to pick the route. The goal remains the same, no matter how unconventional the route. Ticket to Ride is practically an analogy for life. Have expectations. Play the game. Live your life. If you want to accomplish something, set some goals. Accomplish your goals whether you take the predictable, direct route or the longer, scenic route. I’ve made it this far on my journey from pharmacist to voice actor by being flexible yet still achieving my goals. Because of my life circumstances, I’ll admit to taking the scenic route! I’m making progress slowly, but I expect to move the needle a little more every year. I need to update my goals this month, but I have my expectations written. For the next 12 months, I expect to Improve my performance skills Improve my audio engineering skills Attempt more auditions Book more jobs Increase my income Nurture and develop relationships Without goals to support those expectations, I’m only having fun being in the game. I’m looking forward to writing new goals this month and making progress. Here’s the story about my unplanned pregnancy at the age of 23. I got married in 2001 when I was still 22 years old, just 6 weeks after graduating with my Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy. I expected to work for a year to pay off my student loans. Then, go to grad school. My choices were: Master’s Degree in Pharmacy Administration from Purdue PharmD from The University of Toledo. I earned my Bachelor’s Degree from The University of Toledo (GO ROCKETS!), and the PharmD was the more likely choice. In less than a year, however, I unexpectedly got pregnant at the age of 23. I never went to grad school. Back when I graduated, a pharmacist only needed a Bachelor’s Degree. When my husband and I were expecting our first child, I was just trying to get through the pregnancy. I was young, and none of my friends had kids yet. I didn’t think too much about the birth, childcare, or how my life would change. Like the free spirit I was back then, I thought I’d figure it out during maternity leave AFTER the baby was born. We had a son. He’s 17 now. I expected an easy labor and delivery. I expected all the time my husband and I spent in lamaze class would pay off, and I would have an uneventful delivery. Unfortunately, our son was breech at 39 weeks, and I had a c-section. My expectations were blown completely apart. Not only did I have a c-section, but I also had a post-operative infection that lasted so long that I couldn’t even return to work after 12 weeks. I was out of work for 16 weeks. Then, another surprise happened. I thought babies slept a lot. Not my baby. The doctors told me my son had “colic.” Fast-forward 2 and a half years. He actually had a number of problems, including sensory integration dysfunction and autism. I didn’t expect a c-section, a post-op infection, an unhappy baby, sleepless days and nights, and eventually a child with a disability. I know all about unmet expectations. There are some things, you just can’t write goals for. It’s ok to change your expectations though and make plans the best you can under the circumstances. That’s what I did. When I was learning how to launch my podcast last year, at least a dozen people told me that my first episode would also be my worst episode. They were kind of right. It happens to be my most-listened-to episode whether you or I think it’s my worst or not. The point is that the expectation was set. Knowing that the first one might be terrible actually helped me reconcile that I had to just get started and not let my expectations or anyone’s judgement prevent me from moving forward. I made it my goal to improve my delivery, content, and show notes over time. I feel at peace with everything, and I really do think it’s getting better. Feel free to give me some feedback using the contact form on my website. https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com Have expectations. Make goals. If you come close, give yourself credit, and try to enjoy the journey.
10/2/2020 • 8 minutes, 9 seconds
Interview with Dr. Eleni Mastro, independent consultant pharmacist
Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. Eleni Mastro, an independent consultant pharmacist. I invited her on the podcast because she uses her voice to advocate and educate. Optimizing drug therapy in the elderly is important. As an independent consultant pharmacist certified in Medication Therapy Management, Dr. Mastro helps facilities and geriatric patients manage drug regimens, decrease adverse drug events, and reduce costs. As a result, her patients and clients feel empowered. Dr. Mastro’s extensive background in pharmaceutical nomenclature and drug safety testing sparked her affinity to medication management. Dr. Mastro earned her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University. She is an active member of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP). She is licensed in New York and New Jersey. Mentioned in this episode Dr. Mastro's Website: www.compliance-reach.com Email: em@compliance-reach.com Facebook: Compliance Reach Pharmacy Consulting Eleni Mastro LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleni-mastro/ Brand Institute https://www.brandinstitute.com American Pharmacists Association (APhA) https://www.pharmacist.com American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) https://www.ascp.com Blair Thielemier PharmD linkedin.com/in/btpharmacyconsulting Pharmapreneur Academy *AFFILIATE LINK* Coupon code for $50 off Month 1 is: VOICE50 Beers List (American Geriatrics Society 2019 Updated AGS Beers Criteria® for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults) Highlights from the interview Dr. Mastro joined Pharmapreneur Academy with Blair Thielemeier and felt inspired to create a business working one-on-one with patients, their caregivers, and families to educate on disease states and medications. She also consults with prescribers and care facilities. Dr. Mastro has a passion for working with the elderly. Helping patients one-on-one is rewarding to her. Narrowing down her business services was a challenge, but she feels confident with her choice. Dr. Mastro shared a success story about working with an elderly gentleman with dementia. Using her problem-solving skills, Dr. Mastro looked at all the “pieces of the puzzle,” optimized his drug therapy, encouraged an increased activity level, and saw the behavior change he needed. He felt better and slept better, and his family was happier as a result. Patients find Dr. Mastro in a number of ways: referrals from healthcare professionals, word of mouth, Facebook, fliers, networking with pharmacies, and her website. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been a barrier to in-person meetings, Dr. Mastro has had the opportunity to meet with many patients using Zoom. Dr. Mastro’s familiarity with the Beers List is important to her business. Researching medication doses, making recommendations to prescribers (on dose and appropriateness), looking at bloodwork with deeper insight, and make clinical decisions based on data ultimately helps helps her manage drug regimens, decrease adverse drug events, and reduce costs. One of Dr. Mastro’s favorite resources is the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) website. The insights, CE, and network of member pharmacists strengthens her knowledge base and helps her be a more effective pharmacist. COVID-19 and transitions of care are two topics on the ASCP website Dr. Mastro found especially useful in recent months. One of the best pieces of advice Dr. Mastro has ever had was about imposter syndrome. Someone warned her about it, and it made an impact on her. She recognized the little voice in the back of her head (imposter syndrome) that was holding her back. She pushed it aside so she could move forward with her business idea and feel confident she would succeed. It’s a turning point so many entrepreneurs face, and she encourages others to recognize the feeling and push forward in spite of self-doubt. Patients, the adult children of patients, and healthcare providers may not realize they need Dr. Mastro’s services. Marketing her medication therapy management (MTM) service creatively and getting patient buy-in is one of her biggest challenges. When she develops a relationship and educates patients and families, they feel empowered and able to advocate for their health/their loved one’s health. On her journey from Brand Institute to founding Compliance Reach Pharmacy Consulting, many patients, families, other pharmacists, and entrepreneurs have impacted Dr. Mastro. She says that meeting amazing people is the best thing that’s happened on her journey. If you are a patient, family member, caregiver, or facility interested in reaching out to Dr. Mastro, please visit www.compliance-reach.com or e-mail Dr. Eleni Mastro em@compliance-reach.com.
9/25/2020 • 26 minutes, 1 second
Finding a new normal…again
In today’s episode, I’ll talk about finding a new normal for my voiceover business now that the kids are back to school and my husband started his new job. Plus, what I learned at the eVOcation Conference. The year 2020 has kept me on my toes and tested the meaning of a “steady schedule.” My kids went back to school in August, but not all day every day. They’re happy to be back, and so am I, but this is the first school year that has started out with an alternative schedule and personal protective equipment. [It’s different!] My husband started his new job August 31st. He’s training to work at an Amazon Fulfillment Center that hasn’t opened yet. That means lots of online training from home. I love having him around! He’ll be out of the house finding his new normal soon enough. Now, I’m trying to to find my new normal with my voiceover business, managing the house, raising the kids, and being a supportive wife. No problem, right? Actually all this change is rocking my world a little bit. I have less time in my day. I can handle it. I just haven’t found my stride yet. I attended an online conference called eVOcation last weekend (Sept 11-13, 2020). It was about the business of voiceover. Voice Actors Carin Gilfrey and Jamie Muffet did a phenomenal job organizing the topics, speakers, links, swag bags, entertainment, and so on. I had a list of four topics I wanted to learn about at VOcation. Mission accomplished! I walked away with a better understanding of all four of them plus ideas for new personal goals. 1. Source Connect 2. Networking 3. Negotiating rates [for voiceover jobs] 4. Finding work through agents, casting directors, and pay-to-play sites. I learned which sites are available and best practices for using them. Overall, great conference. Definitely worth it! I learned a lot, met some awesome people, and took pages and pages notes. I definitely need to write some new goals now that I’m better-informed about the business of voiceover.
9/18/2020 • 5 minutes, 6 seconds
Interview with Dr. Kimber Boothe, pharmacist, healthcare leader, and entrepreneur
Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. Kimber Boothe. She’s a pharmacist, healthcare leader, and entrepreneur. I invited her to be a guest on the podcast because she uses her voice to advance pharmacy practice and educate pharmacists and other leaders through consulting, one-on-one coaching, online courses, and more. Kimber earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy from the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy and her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from the Medical University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy. Then, she completed her residency training at the Virginia Commonwealth University-Medical College of Virginia Hospitals. And finally, Kimber earned her Masters in Health Administration (MHA) through the University of Phoenix. Kimber has more than 15 years’ experience in Health Systems and 10 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Kimber is the founder and CEO of the Kimber Boothe Group where she provides coaching, consulting, courses, and speaking on strategic pharmacy leadership. She calls herself a connector and a pharmovator. Kimber is the creator of the program Pharmovation®. It’s a course and system designed to accelerate your pharmacy career, advocate for resources, and advance pharmacy practice. She is passionate about spending time on the right things to develop others and deliver strategic, focused results. Her motto is Pharmacy Can Do More with More and her goal is to help create 50 new pharmacy positions this year. Previously, Kimber led the pharmacy services for a 4-hospital community health system where she drove innovative strategy for the pharmacy enterprise as System Director of Pharmacy. She was also the Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services at Yale New Haven Health. Kimber and I met at the 2018 and 2019 Medipreneurs Conference in Asheville, NC. It has been a pleasure watching her journey. 🌟 Social media links and websites mentioned in this episode Website www.kimberboothe.com • Email kimber@kimberboothe.com • LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/kimberboothe • Twitter www.twitter.com/kimberboothe • Facebook www.facebook.com/kimberboothe • Instagram www.instagram.com/kimberboothe Medipreneurs https://www.medipreneurs.com Highlights from the interview Kimber’s voice has a BIG impact because she reaches people in so many different ways. Visit her contact page at kimberboothe.com, where you can sign up for regular e-mails and get a free tool (personal development plan template). You can also reach her by email and phone or book a call. Kimber worked in health systems and the pharmaceutical industry. Her skills include strategic planning, project planning, and strategic execution of initiatives. She launched programs as an entrepreneur and teaches leaders how to include more pharmacists in health systems. Coaching 1-on-1 Consulting with health systems: educate and train Online courses and membership 6 years ago, she created “Connector Academy” and “Connector 101.” They addressed general leadership, career development, work-life development, and more. 3 years ago, she focused more on pharmacy. She created Pharmovation® and designed it like online programs she has personally enjoyed. Pharmovation® is an online, 8-module facilitated program. There are worksheets, a weekly curriculum, weekly calls with peer-coaching opportunities, and a Facebook Community. One-on-one coaching is available to supplement the course or support other career-development needs. The program lasts 10 weeks. She tries to get the word out in a variety of ways; social media, her podcast, her public speaking appearances etc. She can reach more people because she has an online course because she only has so many hours in the day she can meet with people. Kimber’s website has FREE resources for COVID strategic planning. She is very strategic and organized. She created some strategic planning assessment tools, like a readiness checklist. She advocates for health systems creating their own pharmacy incident command structure: being prepared for vaccines, treatments, workforce, etc. Her main target audience is current and aspiring leaders in healthcare systems. Healthcare systems are growing now and adding Ambulatory Care Services, Acute Care Services, home infusion, and specialty pharmacy. When she first got feedback from students, she made sure she was creating something the students wanted. What tends to happen is that her students find themselves in leadership roles and need training. She serves a niche. She calls her students Pharmovators. She wants education to be fun and entertaining. One day, she’d like to have a live event with her Pharmovators. Kimber does not work in a traditional pharmacist role. She is a full-time entrepreneur. Interacting with other entrepreneurs motivated and encouraged her to become a full-time entrepreneur. Kimber found her passion and her purpose as an entrepreneur. Things aligned. People wanted to hire her as a consultant, a 1:1 coach, and saw a demand for her course. All those things created the perfect time for her to switch from health system pharmacy to entrepreneurship. She made the leap without a guaranteed paycheck. It’s worked out amazing. It’s been a great year. Working from home but yet supporting others who are responding to the COVID crisis has been rewarding. Pharmacy is usually asked to do more with less. Efficiency is different from advancing practice. We need to staff our pharmacies and clinics appropriately. Looking at how many pharmacists per primary care provider is something that needs attention. Budgets should include more pharmacists. We need to advocate for our profession to the decision-makers. Kimber talks about numbers because she teaches about business planning and how can you show a ROI while adding pharmacy resources. How do we staff pharmacies with pharmacists? Nurses have clear ratios. They have staffing guidelines. Staffing for prevention might be different than managing patients with chronic illnesses. Budgets and benchmarks are important. What is the right number? How many prescriptions, immunizations, time counseling, and enhanced services can a pharmacist handle? What are the right numbers? Leaders have been asked. They haven’t given answers. There needs to be research to help staff pharmacies. There’s got to be a way to get an answer. Scenario planning is important. For example, COVID prompted hospitals to plan for census increases of up to 50-150%. Staffing for an ICU patients is different from floor patients. Staffing needs are different for critically ill patients. Understanding your data is important! Cost management is important. Adding people and delivering value is important. Kimber’s biggest challenge as an entrepreneur was different when she was a part-time vs now that she is full-time. As a part-timer, time management between her business and her FT job was a challenge. She likes to balance her “4 quadrants:” self, career, family, and community. Sometimes the career quadrant can take up too much time. Finding a balance is a challenge. As a full-time entrepreneur starting in Dec 2019, challenges are different. Challenges are up to her. Rabbit holes can happen. She needs to stay focused on her ultimate goals. Being part of other groups and programs, and talking to other entrepreneurs can be helpful. She is part of a group of pharmacist influencers who have pharmacists as clients. It fits with her mission. She’s had people want to hire her to do something outside her focus, and she declined those opportunities. Her goal in 2020 was to create 25 new positions. She did it in the first quarter. Her new goal is 50, and she is on-track to meet it! Over the next 5 years, her goal is to add 1,000 pharmacists and technician positions. This could be front line workers, a medication safety officer, etc. Her Favorite thing about being an educator and having online courses is connecting with people and having a broader audience though the courses. She enjoys seeing students find success and add positions. It adds a greater impact to her voice. What might someone not realize about leaving a traditional role to pursue a job of your own choosing? It’s a lot of work. You don’t just get to work on things you want to work on. You can choose which clients you want to work on. You can choose which courses you create. It’s rewarding. Hiring virtual assistants helps. She wants to practice at the top of her ability and focus on what she is uniquely qualified to do, so she has some support. She is learning on her journey all the time. Kimber helps pharmacists in health systems be intrapreneurs. She’s teaching and supporting people who are trying to be innovative and have an entrepreneurial spirit within their own organization. Pharmovation starts in January 2021. See www.kimberboothe.com for information!
9/11/2020 • 1 hour, 45 seconds
Celebrating my graduation from the Ginger Yoda Dojo and my husband’s new job!
On today’s episode, I’ll tell you about my graduation from the Ginger Yoda Dojo and my husband’s new job. Mentioned in this episode Sean Pratt, audiobook narrator My ACX narrator profile VOcation Conference Kimber Boothe Highlights After more than a year of being a student, I graduated from Sean Pratt’s audiobook narration program! Another way to say this is that I graduated from the Ginger Yoda Dojo. Sean’s nickname is the Ginger Yoda. He has red hair, and he is a mentor, like Yoda. I’m not sure where the Dojo part came from, but I think it sounds cooler than the word “School.” I didn’t make it up, so I’m going with it. I completed all 14 lessons of one-on-one training. Sean helped me improve my performance skills and taught me about the business of being an audiobook narrator. Each lesson was part performance training and part business coaching. There was homework. It was very time-consuming and challenging, but I improved. Sean taught me how to tell a good story, among other things. Because of him, I’m on the roster as narrator for several platforms, including ACX. This means I can produce audiobooks for Audible, among other platforms. I worked really hard, and Sean was a fantastic coach. (Thank you Sean! I did it!) My husband started his new job this week. He’s working for Amazon. He’s training to be an Operations Manager at the new Amazon Fulfillment Center in Rossford, OH. He likes it, and I’m happy for him! I’m adjusting to being a stay-at-home Mom again. The kids are kind of back to school. I have to work around their schedule and my husband’s again. I am finishing narrating an e-learning course, and I’m looking forward to an online voiceover conference called VOcation next weekend. Join me next week for an interview with Dr. Kimber Boothe, a pharmacist entrepreneur, online course creator, coach, and advocate.
9/3/2020 • 3 minutes, 26 seconds
Interview with Bill Larson: voiceover talent, announcer, and accountability partner
Today’s episode is an interview with Bill Larson: voiceover talent, announcer, and one of my accountability partners. I invited him on the show because he uses his voice to educate and entertain. His experience as a medical narrator, in particular, might be of interest to my listeners who are healthcare professionals. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Bill graduated from Columbia College Chicago with degrees in radio broadcasting and public relations. He began his audio career as on-air disc jockey at a rock music station in Chicago during his college years. Then, he became a producer for an AM Talk Radio station. After that, he worked in public relations and promotions in the movie business. He worked for 20th Century Fox, Loews Cineplex Theaters (now AMC Theaters) and, finally, for Walt Disney Pictures. Bill began his full-time voiceover career 10 years ago. Currently, he does a variety of voiceover work. He records voiceovers for commercials, e-learning projects, medical narration projects, and sleep stories. Bill records audiobooks too. Bill loves to help people and provides audio description for online streaming services to aide the visually impaired. Bill also does announcer work. He is one of the in-stadium announcers for the Philadelphia Eagles pro football team in the NFL here in the US. Bill is also an in-stadium announcer for the Trenton Thunder (AA affiliate of the New York Yankees). Bill is a busy voiceover professional, and I’m happy to call him a friend. Social Media Links and products mentioned Instagram billivorylarson LinkedIn Bill Larson www.bearhugvo.com (COMING SOON!) The WatchList with Pattie and Bill (podcast) Electro-Voice RE320 Microphone Audio-Technica ATR2100X-USB microphone Sony MDR-7506 Headphones Highlights from the interview After attending the American Council for the Blind Conference, Bill became interested in providing audio description. Bill genuinely enjoys helping others. Providing audio descriptions for the visually impaired is a something Bill enjoys. Bill provides medical narration voiceovers. It combines two things that will help someone: narration and medical terminology. He enjoys the challenge of it and has clever ways of preparing for jobs and researching pronunciations. Bill is known for audio description, general narration, medical narration, and sleep narration. He is available as an audiobook narrator also. Working for the Philadelphia Eagles is a dream come true for Bill. He loves being an in-stadium announcer for them, and he has a Super Bowl Ring because he was part of the organization when they won a Super Bowl! Bill and his friend Pattie have a podcast called The WatchList with Pattie and Bill. They talk about movies, TV shows, entertainment news, gaming, and more. It’s a fun show! A stand-alone microphone and a pair of headphones are recommended for anyone who is on a podcast or wants to sound great on Skype, Zoom, and other online platforms.
8/28/2020 • 50 minutes, 56 seconds
Getting out of my comfort zone
Today’s episode is about getting out of my comfort zone, trying new things, taking risks, and growing. I’ll talk about some experiences I’ve had this summer working on my business and an update on my family. Mark Zuckerberg once said, “The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking any risks.” I appreciate that statement. This has been a summer to remember. My husband, Nathan, and I have been together for 27 years and married for 19 of them. This is the first summer he’s been home in more than 20 years. For anyone new to the podcast, my husband lost his job May 1, due to a reduction in force, or RIF. He offered to take over for me with the kids and managing the house. He’s doing a great job. For the first time since I started my journey from pharmacist to voice actor, I’ve been able to work on my business full-time. After more than 2 years of training part-time “in the margins,” I recorded a medical narration demo on March 11, right before my children’s school district went online-only due to the Pandemic. I became a homeschool teacher for my two teenage children, and I struggled to work on my business after my husband came home in the evenings. When my husband told me I could work on my business full-time, I felt a little like a deer in the headlights. I had goals, but I never had time to work on them aggressively. I’ll get to the point quickly here. The biggest lesson I learned this summer is that working full-time as a voice actor isn’t like turning a light switch on. I didn’t have an agent. I wasn’t on any pay-to-play sites. I was just starting to direct-marketing to potential clients. There was still a lot for me to learn and do. Plus, I’m still finishing my audiobook narration course with Sean Pratt. I am scheduled to graduate September 2. Between May 1 and now, I have learned a lot. I got out of my comfort zone, tried new things and took some risks. Some of the things I tried made me uncomfortable, and that’s ok. I grow when I’m uncomfortable. We’re not talking reckless and irresponsible. I’ve been selective about the opportunities I’ve chosen to pursue. Let me give you some examples: Expanding my network on LinkedIn and other social media sites. Proactive auditioning. Creating new demos for the audiobook platforms on which I’m listed as a narrator. Tried a pay-to-play site. I’ll try another one in mid-September. Learned to accept silence. “You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there's still going to be somebody who hates peaches.” This quote by entertainer Dita Von Teese is a gentle reminder for me to stay authentic to my brand and keep trying. A little bit of discomfort goes a long way in terms of personal development. When I injured one of the joints in my left foot, I became a swimmer. The doctor told me that if I wanted my foot to heal, I couldn’t do any high-impact activities or attend group cycling class for months. I was devastated. I joined a swim class as soon as I could. I conquered beginner, intermediate, and advanced lap swim classes to become a proficient swimmer. I have even competed in adult swim meets! I was able to participate in triathlons too. After at total of 16 weeks of swimming, my foot healed enough for me to return to group cycling class. If I hadn’t tried swimming due to a foot injury, I would not have gotten in the water. If I hadn’t become a swimmer, I wouldn’t have tried triathlons. I was very uncomfortable swimming at first because of my asthma and lack of stroke development. In the end, I became a skilled swimmer and a competitor. Going outside my comfort zone took me places. I took a risk, tried something new, and grew…just like I grow all the time on my journey from pharmacist to voice actor. Family update! (I recorded this episode on August 20.) My two teenaged sons returned to school this week. My older son with autism goes every day. My younger son who is typically developing goes Wednesday and Friday. The other 3 days are online from home. This summer, my husband, Nathan, opened up, put himself out there, took his own risks, and grew. After working at the same company for more than 12 years, he had to rewrite his resume, update his LinkedIn profile, and figure a few things out. He had to figure what he loves to do, what he’s good at, what the world needs, and what he could get paid to do. It paid off! He had several interviews and recently accepted a job offer. He starts August 31. I’ll announce the company in the next solo podcast Friday, September 4. Call me superstitions, but I don’t feel right announcing it just yet.
8/21/2020 • 13 minutes, 16 seconds
Interview with Allie Xu, The Chinese Medicine Pharmacist
Today’s episode is an interview with Allie Xu, The Chinese Medicine Pharmacist. She’s an Australian Pharmacist, entrepreneur, holistic health coach, Period Pride Advocate, and Chinese Medicine student. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only. This Podcast should not be considered professional medical advice. Allie was born and raised in a fourth-generation medical family in Shanghai, China and moved to Australia when she was 15 years old. She’s a registered pharmacist and holistic health coach. Currently, Allie is completing her Master of Chinese Medicine with a major in Acupuncture. As a holistic health coach, she is passionate about showing the connection between emotion, mind, and body. She uses Eastern and Western Medicine philosophies and coaching methods to assist her clients to first notice imbalances and then work to achieve balance. The goal is to maintain optimal health and avoid chronic illness—both mental and physical—down the line. She is the Founder of the Global Pharmacy Entrepreneur Community, the host of Pharmacy Entrepreneur TV on YouTube, and the host of Pharmacy Entrepreneur Podcast. Allie invites Pharmacists from different parts of the world to network and develop an Entrepreneur Mindset and skills. Social Media, contact info, social media, and websites alliexu@alliexu.com Global Pharmacy Entrepreneurs YouTube Channel Pharmacy Entrepreneur Podcast LinkedIn Facebook https://www.facebook.com/allie.xu https://www.facebook.com/GlobalPharmacyEntrepreneurs - facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/globalpharmacyentrepreneur - facebook group Instagram Highlights from the interview Allie advocates networking, collaborating, connecting people, and building relationships. She helps pharmacists who feel trapped in a traditional pharmacist role. The Global Pharmacy Entrepreneur Community was founded to connect innovative pharmacists from different parts of the world who want to learn about entrepreneurship, mindset, and skills so they can be healthier and happier both mentally and physically. She helps people who are experiencing gender-based discrimination, humiliation, and oppression, especially women. Allie advocates Period Pride. She joined a “hack-a-thon” at the University of Queensland to help remove the shame and stigma associated with menstruation. Her team partnered with an Australian charity group called “Share the Dignity,” which distributes period products to women who are homeless, at-risk, and/or experiencing domestic violence. Donated period products are available, however, some women are too ashamed to ask for them. Allie believes that period shame and stigma need to be addressed in young, school-aged girls (age 12-18). Advocating Period Pride important to Allie because health professionals can talk to young women about this topic and make a difference. The period is a natural process, and we shouldn’t be ashamed to talk about it. Safety is an issue, and the right products need to be used. Men and young men need to be educated too so they can support the women they care about. Use #periodpride to show your support of Period Pride. Allie is also an educator. She educates pharmacists to take time to find their motivation, core values, vision, strengths and weaknesses, personality, “why,” and more. Have a vision first. Allie is pursuing her Master of Chinese Medicine with a major in Acupuncture. Some may seek acupuncture to improve sleep, energy, and stress levels. She will graduate and become a practitioner in 2021. Some of the students in her class are chiropractors, general practitioners, naturopathic practitioners, and nurses. She may pursue a PhD after the Master of Chinese Medicine so she can specialize. She is exploring her options now and trying to figure out what problems she wants to solve. Allie is a holistic health coach and life coach. She uses Eastern and Western Medicine. She uses tools to assess physical health, emotional health, financial health, relationship health, career health, creativity, environment, and family history. Her clients are women. She helps them find their purpose and what drives them. Then, she addresses the mind-body connection and helps them regulate their emotions and stay motivated. Allie became interested in practicing Chinese Medicine because of family influence. Allie was raised knowing both Eastern and Western medicine. Allie was curious how Chinese Medicine could help prevent disease and lead to a long, healthy life. Plus, she wanted to understand her heritage more deeply from the Chinese Medicine point of view. Allie also uses her voice on social media. She has a YouTube Channel, a Podcast, and a Facebook Group. She interviews successful pharmacist entrepreneurs from different parts of the world. She also interviews entrepreneurs in other industries (ex: tech and business). It helps expose pharmacists to other entrepreneurs. The opportunities a full-time pharmacist has to network are limited. Allie can provide a service to them through her social media channels. She believes that the entrepreneurs who consumer her content are growth-minded and innovative. She truly enjoys getting to know entrepreneurs from around the globe, building relationships, collaborating, and networking. Allie invites people to share questions and accomplishments on her platforms. Check out Allie’s social media channels: Global Pharmacy Entrepreneurs YouTube Channel Pharmacy Entrepreneur Podcast LinkedIn Facebook https://www.facebook.com/allie.xu https://www.facebook.com/GlobalPharmacyEntrepreneurs - facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/globalpharmacyentrepreneur - facebook group Instagram What’s a typical week like for Allie? She works as a pharmacist in a community practice setting one day/week. She is a student. She consults online. She is an advocate and a networker.
8/14/2020 • 47 minutes, 24 seconds
Why I go to conferences
Today’s episode is about why I go to conferences and what I hope to accomplish at them. I’ll talk about pharmacist conferences, VoiceOver conferences, and just for the fun of it motorcycle shows - because they’re the closest thing to motorcycle conferences I know, and I love motorcycles. Mentioned in this episode VOcation Conference Sept 11-13, 2020 APhA (American Pharmacists Association) Medipreneurs OPA (Ohio Pharmacists Association) Cleveland International Motorcycle Show Why do I go to pharmacist conferences? I need the CE, and I want to meet other pharmacists! Pharmacist conferences I have attended The Annual Meeting of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Medipreneurs Conference Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) Annual Meeting and Midyear meeting CE stands for continuing education. As an Ohio Pharmacist, I need to earn 40 contact hours of approved CE every 2 years. What kind of CE do I get at conferences? General CE Law CE Medication safety and patient safety CE Which session topics do I pick? Law, medication safety, patient safety, trending topics (ex: provider status), classic topics (ex: asthma management), anything that interests me (ex: autism), and anything that will help with my volunteer work (poison prevention, medication safety, and addiction disorders). The Annual Meeting of The Ohio Pharmacists Association was postponed from April to August. Then, it went virtual. I love the LIVE conference for the in-person networking. Without the meals, the trade show, the poster presentations, and other activities, it’s just not the same. I feel a little bad not attending because I want to support OPA, but it’s just not the right situation for me. If the midyear meeting in November or the annual meeting next April are LIVE, I’ll be there! I’ve only been to one voiceover conference, and it changed my life! A voice actor friend told me about a conference called VOcation last summer. VOcation focuses on THE BUSINESS OF VOICEOVER. It applies to every level from beginner to advanced and every genre from animation to audiobooks. The conference was on Broadway in the upper west side in New York City. Why would I go to a VoiceOver conference in New York City? What did I hope to accomplish there? For my trip to the big city to be a success, I had to walk away with a plan for a demo and ideas on how to get work. When I looked at the sessions offered at the conference, it was easy to pick which ones to go to because I had those two goals. What do I hope to learn about at VOcation this year? Source Connect and Directed Sessions Networking Negotiating contracts: usage rights, rates, session fees, and so on Finding work through agents and using pay-to-play sites All sessions will be recorded and available for 14 days afterward. I’m looking forward to this conference, and I really appreciate that everything is recorded because I don’t think I can sit in front of a computer all day in my house without my husband and kids finding me! I met great people at VOcation last year. Voice Actors are FUN PEOPLE with great stories and creative personalities. I was inspired by them. Discussing struggles and successes helped me grow too. Some of us formed an accountability group. We call ourselves “The Accountabilibuddies.” We meet every other Thursday and talk about what we’ve accomplished, what we’re working on now, what’s next, and what’s in our way. We challenge and support one another. One of my accountabilibuddies will be on the podcast Friday, August 31. His name is Bill Larson, and you’re going to love him. He definitely uses his voice to entertain. But, he also does medical narration. Any pharmacists listening to Bill might be interested in how a non-pharmacist succeeds in medical narration without a healthcare background. I love motorcycles. I go to motorcycle shoes and events, which are like conferences. Everyone has hobbies. This is one of mine. Two motorcycle events I LOVE Cleveland International Motorcycle Show Mid Ohio Just like pharmacist conferences and VoiceOver conferences, motorcycle shows and events bring together like-minded people. People who go to motorcycle shows, love motorcycles. People gather to check out what’s new, what’s for sale, and - best of all - test drives. Some people would say that the best day of their life was they day they got married. I would agree with that. Others would say that the best day of their life was the day their child or children were born. I would rank the birth of my two sons at the top too. Next is line is July 10, 2015. I test-drove a BMW motorbike with AN ENTIRE FLEET of other BMW motorbikes. Every single BMW motorbike being sold that year was lined up for test drives. We rode in a pack on some twisty, hilly roads in the middle of Ohio, and it was amazing! Everything was green and blooming. The riders were all being safe. Truly, it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in my life. If I close my eyes, I can still remember being in the middle of the pack. Everybody has their thing. Whatever you love, do it! And, enjoy it. If going to conferences and learning about new things and connecting with like-minded people sounds good, do that too.
8/7/2020 • 12 minutes, 53 seconds
Interview with Dr. Jerrica Dodd: pharmacist, entrepreneur, coach, and leader
Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. Jerrica Dodd. She’s a pharmacist, entrepreneur, coach, and leader. I invited her on the podcast because she uses her voice as a patient advocate and because she coaches women pharmacist entrepreneurs. Dr. Dodd earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, a Master of Science in Pharmacy Administration from The Ohio State University, and a Master of Science with a focus in Applied Pharmacoeconomics from the University of Florida. She completed her pharmacy practice and administration residency at The Ohio State University Medical Center. Dr. Dodd has been a pharmacist for 22 years. She transitioned into full-time entrepreneurship after a 17-year career in the pharmaceutical industry, where she had multiple roles within Medical Affairs. She has also managed a hospital pharmacy, and has experience in retail pharmacy. Recently, she completed a Nutrition Health Coaching Certificate from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. And, currently, she is enrolled in the Institute of Functional Medicine. She aims to introduce a functional medicine perspective to the management of patients in her care at Your Pharmacy Advocate, LLC, where she is the Founder and CEO. Dr. Dodd has also spoken on many stages across the country and is the proud Executive Editor of PharmaSis Magazine, which Celebrates Women in Pharmacy. Dr. Dodd enjoys traveling, reading, teaching Zumba, cooking, and attending cultural events. With her background in pharmacy and leadership training and her passion for people, Dr. Dodd enjoys encouraging people to be their best and to get the most out of every opportunity that life presents. Her favorite scripture is Luke 12:48…”to whom much is given, much is required,” and Dr. Dodd endeavors to live life giving back from the abundant ways in which she has been blessed. Websites and social media links mentioned in this episode https://drjerricadodd.com https://www.yourpharmacyadvocate.com https://www.pharmasismag.com Purchase PharmaSis Magazine https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0874L1X73/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_a1VLEbF88E49H https://www.medipreneurs.com https://www.ascp.com Instagram @doctorjdodd @PharmaSisMag @YourPharmacyAdvocate LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjdodd Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jerrica.l.dodd https://www.facebook.com/YourPharmacyAdvocate https://www.facebook.com/pharmasismagazine Highlights from the interview Dr. Jerrica Dodd advocates for patients in her consulting practice. She educates women pharmacist entrepreneurs how to pivot in their careers and build a business that will help them live a life they love. She also advocates for them to become their own advocates. Jerrica and I met for the first time at the first Medipreneurs Conference in Asheville, NC in April 2018. Jerrica’s Dad told her that, “Every challenge or obstacle is there to prepare you for the next one.” Jerrica serves a number of roles: Coach women pharmacist entrepreneurs Functional medicine care provider Leader and public speaker Executive Editor (PharmaSis Magazine) A typical week involves a mix of her many roles: from working with a patient to coaching a single client or a group of clients to public speaking and networking. Jerrica shared a success story about a patient she coached. Using Jerrica’s input and ideas, the patient lowered her Hemoglobin A1C from 10.1 to 6.3, without changing her medications! Good food-shopping and preparation choices, dietary and nutrition changes, movement/exercise improvements, and more led to the lowered Hemoglobin A1C. The patient’s trust in Jerrica and the patient’s meaningful changes led to the success. How do patients and coaching clients find Dr. Jerrica Dodd? Website, word-of-mouth, and social media. Check out the links (above) in the show notes! PharmaSis Magazine celebrates women in pharmacy. The first issue went from idea to print in 90 days! To buy a copy of PharmaSis Magazine, shop the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0874L1X73/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_a1VLEbF88E49H. COVID-19 and racial injustice have affected Dr. Jerrica Dodd’s business. She lost two family members as a result of the coronavirus, and she counsels her patients about making good food choices instead of comfort food choices during the pandemic. Recently, she took a break from social media in response to racial injustice in the US. In 2020, she will Chair a Task Force for Racial Equality with ASCP (American Society of Consultant Pharmacists); the goals are to make changes within the profession of pharmacy through education, awareness, and research. If you are interested in working with Dr. Jerrica Dodd, visit her website or social media links (see above). An initial consult is available at no charge to explore whether a working relationship and the timing of the coaching is right for both her and her clients. Patients need to be ready to take charge of their health, and pharmacist entrepreneurs need to be ready to dream.
7/31/2020 • 49 minutes, 47 seconds
Toastmasters is helping me become a more effective communicator
Toastmasters International toastmasters.org I delivered my ice breaker speech to my Toastmasters Club on July 10, 2020, from my computer via Zoom. The title of the speech was “Good Timing.” I also delivered the same speech in this episode. Doing it live is different from the recorded version. I’m not sure which was better. What is Toastmasters International? According to their website, Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. There are more than 16,800 clubs in 143 countries, and there are more than 358,000 members. The organization was founded in 1924, and their headquarters are located in Englewood, Colorado USA. Toastmasters International helps people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders. Membership is affordable. Toastmasters uses a structured curriculum to build skills, and an ice breaker speech is the first speech a member gives on their path through the curriculum. This was an opportunity to tell my Toastmasters Club Members about me, why I joined Toastmasters, and my goals for being in the club. The length is supposed to be 4 to 6 minutes. There’s a helpful worksheet with suggestions for content and transitions on the member website. Toastmasters makes it pretty easy to craft a speech. My club assigned me a mentor, and she helped me get started. What does Toastmasters have to do with my journey from pharmacist to voice actor? Here are 3 highlights. 1. Toastmasters is helping me become a better podcaster. I use less filler words and avoid bad grammar because Toastmasters has helped me with awareness about both. 2. Toastmasters gives me an opportunity to speak in public without preparation on topics that I do not pick. Extemporaneous speaking is another name for it. 3. I get to use my voice and get feedback before the meeting ends. When I gave my ice breaker speech, I got feedback in less than an hour. An experienced evaluator told me what I excelled at, what to work on, and how to challenge myself as I move forward in my Toastmasters journey. Join me Friday, July 31, for episode 29, an interview with Dr. Jerrica Dodd, a pharmacist, entrepreneur, and leader. Then, join me for my next solo episode on Friday August 7. I plan to talk about conferences - pharmacist conferences and voiceover conferences.
7/24/2020 • 11 minutes, 38 seconds
Interview with Dr. Wendy Stephan, educator and epidemiologist for the Florida Poison Information Center in Miami
Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. Wendy Stephan, an educator and epidemiologist for the Florida Poison Information Center in Miami. As a poison prevention advocate and educator, she shares important messages through storytelling. **Listener discretion is advised.** Some of the topics in this episode include children putting weird things in their mouths, poisoning, injury, death, medicine looks like candy, and more. Again, listener discretion is advised. Dr. Wendy Stephan is the educator and epidemiologist for the Florida Poison Information Center in Miami. For the past 12 years, Wendy has promoted the use of poison control and worked to prevent poisonings of all kinds, including from medication, household chemicals, and environmental hazards. Wendy completed her PhD in Epidemiology and her Master of Public Health degree at the University of Miami and has previously chaired the Public Education Committee of the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Website, e-mail, and social media links • Website(s): www.floridapoisoncontrol.org • Email: wstephan@med.miami.edu • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-stephan-phd-mph-315b70178/ • Twitter: @floridapoison Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FloridasPCC/ Mentioned in the episode 1-800-222-1222 is the Poison Help Line (Poison Control) poisoncenter@fpicn.org = Florida’s Poison Information Center educators or call 1-800-222-1222. Institute for Safe Medication Practices ISMP.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of safe medication practices. FDA MedWatch adverse event reporting site: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/ https://www.poisonhelp.org/help https://www.webpoisoncontrol.org Highlights The Florida Poison Information Center in Miami partners with two other centers to serve the state of FL: Jacksonville and Tampa. The Miami location serves South Florida. The Jacksonville location also serves the US Virgin Islands. There are 55 poison control centers in the US. Every state and territory has access to one. Calls are geographically routed to a call center. One poison center may serve multiple states. Contact your local poison center for prevention education. As a poisoning prevention advocate and educator, Dr. Wendy Stephan shares important messages through storytelling. People in crisis have stories, which connect with people better than cold facts. We are programmed as humans to learn through stories. She teaches pharmacy students. Students enjoy interacting with the community. March is Poison Prevention Month. The 3rd week of March each year is Poison Prevention Week. The poison help line number is 1-800-222-1222. Program it in your phone. Sometimes, law enforcement needs pills identified. The poison help line is a great resource for pill identification because calls are recorded and can be used later (by subpoena) if needed. Teaching kids “asking behavior” is important. “Mom and Dad, what about poison control?” Wendy’s work impacts all ages. According to Wendy, working with caregivers and teachers is more helpful than working with toddlers because it touches more lives and avoids toddlers misinterpreting messages [about poisons]. Older adults and DD caregivers need Poison Control too. For example, older individuals with poor vision who may be reading bottles in low light and have multiple medications are at risk for medication errors. Organizations like Elder Affairs or an Area Office on Aging is a great place for pharmacists and pharmacy students to volunteer to speak about poison prevention. Be careful: don’t lecture, don’t stigmatize. They know they’re taking a lot of medications. Wendy realized she had a passion for poisoning prevention at the age of 6, when she saw a “Mr. Yuck sticker.” As an adult, she started in poison prevention while working as an educator with Lora Fleming, a Marine Scientist. Working at the FL poison center is like the Super Bowl for an epidemiologist. It’s a once-in-a lifetime experience to be working in the field. The COVID pandemic has affected injury epidemiology in FL: Hand sanitizer exposures (eyes, mouth) have increased compared to this time last year. Disinfectant exposures have increased. Bleach exposures have increased. [As a class,] household cleaning product exposures have increased. FL Poison Information Centers have helped the FL Dept of Health with their COVID-19 hotline. Training and resources were provided quickly. There have been >50,000 calls to the FL COVID-19 hotline so far. FL Poison Information Centers have seen an increase in calls about supplements and vitamins. Ex: vitamin C, vitamins in general, dietary supplements, and homeopathic remedies Pharmacists need to be aware that people are self-treating with OTC’s. While patients are at the counter for counseling, ask if they’re taking anything or “mega dosing.” Supplements can interfere with medications. Who are Dr. Wendy Stephan’s coworkers? Doctors, nurses, and pharmacists who are certified specialists in poison information (abbreviated C-SPI or SPI). Her staff are 100% physicians in Miami. Wendy provides support to her coworkers and trains safety educators in the community. Ex: healthy start program home visitors who work with parents. Ex: foster parents and medical foster parents. By reaching home visitors (people who work with parents), she reaches more parents. It’s efficient. Works with other poison educators and colleagues around the state to design materials: fliers, social media messages, etc. Content relevant to the news gets good engagement. It’s hard to get attention when you’re competing with other content. Two things that Florida has that Ohio does not have are snakes and aquatic toxins. People fear snakes, but there are only ~6 bites per month from venomous snakes in FL. Images of captured snakes in a bucket are something the FL Poison Information Center sees often. Sometimes the Emergency Dept calls the Poison Information Center for support. Ciguatera Fish Poisoning happens in Florida. This marine toxin can even reach Ohio when fish are transported. Jelly Fish stings from the Portuguese man o’ war and the Box Jelly Fish are common too. Marine toxins change over time, and some toxins can cause someone go into shock. Who do I call? 9-1-1 or Poison Control? Call 9-1-1 if someone is unconscious, having trouble breathing, having chest pain, there lots of bleeding, or there has been an intentional poisoning. EMT’s will call the poison information center when needed. Most 1-800-222-1222 poisoning calls usually present as Someone swallowed something unusual Someone made a medication mistake. At first, they seem fine, and there is no drama. Even when symptoms are not immediate and dramatic, call for help! Poison Control can walk people through symptoms that may develop. Then, Poison Control makes follow-up telephone calls. Ex: toothpaste + milk = vomit that looks like cottage cheese, and that’s a good thing. Iron poisonings are serious and deadly because of multi-organ involvement. Iron tablets can be attractive to children and may look like candy. According to Wendy, child-resistant packaging slows a child down ~ 30 seconds. Child-resistant packages do not guarantee safety. Lock boxes help prevent medication-related poisonings in all ages. Make it a habit to hide medications in a lock box. 20% of poisoning deaths are intentional due to depression or a moment of panic. Lock boxes could slow someone down long enough for the self-harm impulse to pass. Prevention is for all ages. Best practices: Don’t stockpile medications. (Ex: Hurricanes and emergency preparedness) Medications that are older and expired may cause confusion about who they’re for, or why they’re on-hand. If you have forgotten it’s even in the home, it’s time to get rid of it. Drug disposal is important. Use drug disposal programs and do routine “sweeps” and get rid of anything you don’t need. Don’t accumulate dangerous and unnecessary meds in the home. Some drugs are like time bombs in the home. Ex: Hydrocodone and teens or someone depressed due to loss of job. Get rid of it! It’s dangerous to keep around. DEA Take Back Days are an option twice/year. Some communities pair drug take-back with “shred days” to prevent poisonings and identity theft as a 2-for-1 service. The National Poison Data System provides nearly real-time poison center data. This information is reported to the Health Dept and the CDC. Contaminated products Street drugs Confusing packaging on consumer products. Placing a case report helps the poison center identify problems and respond or get the attention of someone who can respond/initiate a public health response. Ex: e-cigarettes. Is it better to call Poison Control or use a poison information website? Poison information websites are available, but calls are better because diagnostic information can be collected by phone. Ex: slurred speech (impairment is present). Ex: hearing someone cough after a baby powder exposure. If someone is hearing impaired, the websites can be a helpful alternative. A typical week for Wendy involves a mix of office and community work. Building relationships is important. She likes the variety and challenge. Wendy uses a visual aid with high school students, emergency room doctors, and others called the “Cookie Jar of Doom.” It contains pictures or items to represent the 12 most deadly poisons in Florida. It leads to great discussions. Examples include: Carbon Monoxide Prescription drugs: oxycodone, hydrocodone, methadone Illicit drugs/street drugs: cocaine and heroin Benzodiazepines No snakes, no spiders. Nothing is alive in the jar. The source of the items is data from the Injury Prevention Program at the FL Dept of Health on substances leading to deaths. For more information, see the “poisoning data” tab on the Florida Poison Information Center website. Stories, games, and interacting with things physically are universally fun for everyone, and variety is good. What is the scariest poison? Alcohol. Alcohol changes behavior and judgement, unlike many other poisons. Very serious cause of injury death Alcohol poisoning can result. Alcohol can lead to car crashes. Alcohol can lead to a fatal interaction with a weapon. Alcohol can lead to self harm. It’s the most stealth poison. Alcohol has been partly responsibility for 25% of deaths one year in FL. It flies under the radar. Children can’t metabolize alcohol, so they can easily become injured. How (in general) can someone prevent a poisoning? Awareness of different poison hazards in the home. Prevent medication mistakes Prevent product exposures Look at the labels Store medications up and away above shoulder height in a cabinet with a closed door. Drawers and shelves are not good places to store medication and household products. Know what to do if something happens. Call Poison Control. Have the number handy. Don’t “wait and see” when there has been a medication error. Call right away. Knowing about “pretty poisons” and look-alike items is helpful. What does Dr. Wendy Stephan love most about working for the FL poison information center? Great colleagues in FL and across all poison information centers and being in the community. What is a challenge she faces? Getting the word out about their center and getting people’s attention. People think, “it won’t happen to me.” Calls to Poison Control are confidential. There is HIPPA protection. Poison Control fields plenty of calls from individuals suffering from mental illness. Poison control centers don’t judge. They don’t call child protective services either. Some communities are fearful of children being removed from the home (suspected abuse). Epidemiologists use data to understand the big picture. Epidemiology drives effective interventions. Injury data is important. Talking about medication safety and alcohol will save lives. Local, state, and national data drives effective interventions and actions public health epidemiologists make. How can pharmacists help? Be that trust professional who can educate people, share expertise, etc. because you have relationships with patients and key members of the community.
7/17/2020 • 1 hour, 29 minutes, 12 seconds
Accountability partners are important
In Today’s episode I give a mid-summer update and talk about the importance of accountability partners. This summer has been very different from all the other summers in my life. Usually, I can make plans and stick to them. This summer, it seems like everything is a moving target. I planned a vacation. Then, I had to cancel it. I planned some summer activities for my kids, and most of them got cancelled. How does anyone keep moving forward when things keep changing? As an entrepreneur, I get to set my own yard stick. I get to determine what success looks like. To keep things realistic, I’ve had to adjust my goals. My accountability partners are helping me stay on track and see how far I’ve come. Mentioned in this episode Sean Pratt is my audiobook narration coach. Medical narration script samples https://www.voiceactorwebsites.com/category/voice-over-scripts/narration/medical-pharmaceutical/ https://www.edgestudio.com/script-library/english-adult/medical-pharmaceutical Toastmasters International Ark Encounter Biltmore Estate Isle of Palms, SC Settlers of Catan Ticket to Ride India When I recorded my medical narration demo on March 11, I expected to have some time to bring my voiceover business up to speed before my kids were home for the summer. Instead, I ended up caring for my kids and homeschooling them for more than 6 weeks, starting March 16. Then, I handed the reins over to my husband when he lost his job May 1. I’ve been working on the business daily, but things are really slow right now. Here’s a quick update on my husband, Nathan. He lost his job May 1, due to a reduction in force. As I record this on July 9, 2020, he is still unemployed. It seems like he’s doing everything right though. He updated his LinkedIn profile and his resume. He’s applying for jobs, and recruiters are helping him. Every week, he has interviews either on the phone, via Skype, or in-person. I’ll keep you posted! My husband and I are a great team. I watch the kids while he interviews for jobs, and he takes care of things so I can work on my voiceover business every day. What does it mean to work on my voiceover business? Part of what I’m doing is learning. Another part is practicing my skills. The other part is trying to find work. I started Sean Pratt’s audiobook narration program last June, and I’m determined to finish it! I’m improving my performance skills and learning about the business side of audiobooks. Homework takes several hours each week. I love what I’m learning, and I’m on-track to graduate in September this year. I’m also watching webinars and practicing my medical narration skills. For the medical narration practice, I either record myself and listen to the playback or work with a “workout partner.” As for trying to find work, I’m making connections on social media, especially LinkedIn, auditioning, and all the other fun stuff that goes along with marketing my business. Like I said earlier things are kinda slow right now, and that works well for my current availability. The kids and my husband are around all the time! Any time I need to record, it takes teamwork to get the house quiet. I thought my kids would be out of the house more this summer and my husband would be at work. Like I said, this summer is very different. Something that’s going really well is my podcast. Between inviting guests, confirming interviews, recording interviews, and recording solo shows, it keeps me busy. I love it, my guests are wonderful, and I’m happy to be on episode 26! I have voice actor friends who meet with me every other week as part of a support group or accountability group. They are a helpful part of my journey from pharmacist to voice actor. They keep me accountable, and they help me keep myself accountable. If I say I’m going to do something, they ask about it. Just think. What would you say if someone asked you every other week: “What have you accomplished in the last two weeks?” “What are you working on now?” “What’s next for you?” “What’s in your way?” It makes me really think about what I’m doing, why I’m doing it, and if it’s getting me to where I want to be. If you had to answer to someone else or even articulate the answers to those questions to yourself, what would you say? If you have goals, and you don’t have an accountability partner, recruit one, and get started holding one another accountable today! I also have two audiobook narration accountability buddies. We’re going through Sean Pratt’s audiobook narration program at the same time. It’s helpful to talk to one another about goals, this month’s lessons, and any life hacks we have for making things easier. Our conversations are monthly. I’m still working on my public speaking skills and meeting with my Toastmasters Club on Fridays via Zoom. I missed last Friday because I was up late last Thursday with family shooting off fireworks and celebrating the 4th of July holiday a little early. For my listeners overseas, the 4th of July is a US holiday to celebrate America’s birthday otherwise known as our “Independence Day.” On Friday, July 10, I am giving a speech at my Toastmasters Club. This speech is called an Ice Breaker Speech because it’s the first one I’m giving. I’ve taken on other roles in the club, but I have never signed up to give a 4-6 minute speech like this before. Once I get the evaluation of my speech from someone in the club, I’ll let you know how it went. I might even include that speech in episode 28, on July 24. In case you have not heard about Toastmasters International, it’s a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills. There might even be a club near you! Clubs meet via Zoom right now because of the pandemic. If you’re interested, check them out! We’re in these strange times with the COVID pandemic. I feel thankful every day to be healthy. In spite of the barriers and hardships my family and I face, I’m motivated to wake up every day, work on my business, and be present for my family. I’m thankful for the roof over my head, clothes on my back, food on my plate, and the hope that things WILL GET BETTER. Next year or the year after that, I want to take the vacation we missed out on this summer. We were supposed to be drive from Ohio to South Carolina. We were planning to stop in Williamstown, KY and visit the Ark Encounter. It’s a museum with a replica of Noah’s Ark. Yes, from the Biblical story. Next, we wanted to visit The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. I love castles, and the Biltmore, to me, is one of the closest things we have to a castle in the Eastern US. And, finally, we were planning to rent a Beach House in Isle of Palms, SC near Charleston. If your plans got put on hold too, I hope you get to pick up where you left off some day too. In the mean time, think local. I am! Try some fun local stuff. Plant a garden. I did! I’m growing mostly flowers. But, I’m also growing one cherry tomato plant. (Last year, the chipmunks ate most of my tomatoes. It's too early to tell what will happen this year!) I have been hiking at local parks and going for long bike rides with my family. My son Kraig and I even went for a 10-mile bike ride with my Dad, who is 70 years old! We visited some of our favorite childhood spots, and he shared some childhood stories with me. If you haven’t guessed it, my parents raised me in the same small town that they grew up in. In fact, at one point my parents, their parents, and two out of four of my great grandparents all lived on the same 5 mile stretch of road in Ohio. If your parents are still alive and able to ride their bikes or go for a walk with you, ask them to show you some stuff and tell you some stories. It’s pretty fun. I’m also a big fan of board games, and we have been playing some great board games this summer. There are too many to name, but two that come to mind are Settlers of Catan (the original board game) and Ticket to Ride India. I’ll put links to both games in the show notes. I’m a motorcycle rider. Right now, I have a BMW Scooter. It’s a lot of fun, and I’ve had a few good, long rides so far this summer. In fact, with any luck, I’ll be out on my bike on my birthday: this Sunday, July 12! Episode 27 is next Friday, July 17. It’s an interview with Dr. Wendy Stephan, an epidemiologist with the Florida Poison Information Center in Miami.
7/10/2020 • 12 minutes, 4 seconds
Interview with Dr. Muhammad Umar Hafeez: telepharmacy advocate
Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. Muhammad Umar Hafeez. He uses his voice to advocate telepharmacy and educate pharmacists and pharmacy students online. He’s also the only pharmacist I know who occasionally has to take a helicopter to get to work. Dr. Umar loves his job. His education, work experience, and personal sense of adventure led him to what he does today. No matter what industry you are in, I hope you find a way to use your voice in a way that you love. Telepharmacy and telemedicine have become essential during the COVID pandemic. Using electronic information and telecommunication technologies, telepharmacy allows contact between patients and pharmacists. Care, advice, education, reminders, monitoring, and more can still be provided when in-person interactions are not an option. My guest is Dr. Muhammad Umar Hafeez (Dr. Umar). We are physically more than 7,000 miles apart, but Dr. Umar and I were able to connect for an interview on June 15. Because of his unique work setting, he has been using tele pharmacy since well before the COVID pandemic. Dr. Umar is a pharmacist. He graduated with his Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from the University of the Punjab in Lahore, Pakistan in 2012. Then, he earned his MBA in 2019, from the Dubai campus of the Spanish institute Universidad Católica de Murcia (also known as UCAM or The Catholic University of Murcia). Dubai is located in the United Arab Emirates (abbreviated UAE). Over the past eight years, Dr. Umar’s work experience has included roles in hospital, research, freelance work, quality audits, training, education, and tele-pharmacy. Dr. Umar lives in Abu Dhabi, which is located in the UAE. He supervises Pharmacy Operations for the leading oil and gas company in the UAE. He is a strong advocate of telepharmacy. His telepharmacy practice sites include oil rigs (both onshore and offshore), remote sites in the desert, deep sea platforms, oil barges, and natural and man-made islands in the Arabian Gulf. In his spare time, he volunteers online with a group called “Giving Back To Pharmacy In Pakistan.” It can be described as an organization of volunteer Pharmacists from around the world aiming to refine the Pharmacy Profession in Pakistan by sharing best practices and engaging relevant stakeholders. He helps both pharmacists and pharmacy students. Mentioned in this episode Giving Back to Pharmacy In Pakistan (https://www.linkedin.com/company/giving-back-to-pharmacy-in-pakistan) Dr. Umar’s LinkedIn Profile linkedin.com/in/muhammad-umar-hafeez-pharm-d-mba-997ab949 Highlights from the interview During a typical week (pre-COVID), Dr. Umar is in the office 3 days/week and in the field 2 days/week. He is a subject matter specialist on medications, but he also performs business roles, such as KPI review. Dr. Umar supervises 150 sites. Some sites provide emergency healthcare services. Others are general practice clinics, first aid posts, and field hospitals. Dr. Umar gets to visit ALL the sites. He is adventurous! Many of the pharmacists Dr. Umar supervises work 14-28 days on-site, then 14-28 days off-site, similar to the gas and oil workers. Workers typically bring their own meds from home. Because of COVID, the schedule has temporarily changed. Chronic medications are transported to remote sites using a variety of vehicles, such as helicopters, jeeps, jets, etc. There are travel restrictions in the UAE related to the COVID pandemic. Using telepharmacy, secure and confidential counseling is provided, among other services. As a supervisor, Dr. Umar oversees pharmacy operations across the UAE. Depending on the site, formularies may be used if a pharmacist is not present. Teamwork is important, and nurses dispense medications when a pharmacist is not present. Communication can be a challenge in some of the most remote sites under Dr. Umar’s supervision. Radio communication is sometimes the only option. Because telepharmacy was in place prior to COVID, Dr. Umar’s practice sites have refined a system that was already in place. It was working well, and now it is stronger. Dr. Umar and his team are more confident in their ability to provide care. Dr. Umar loves to learn. He believes a continuous learning attitude is important. What education is needed for Dr. Umar’s job? A Pharm D, a license to practice in the UAE, a management degree (MBA), and other safety certifications related to the oil and gas industry. Giving Back to Pharmacy In Pakistan provides coaching and mentoring in the form of online webinars and lectures. You may visit the link provided in the show notes for more information. He mentors pharmacists and pharmacy students by exposing them to real-world scenarios so they can learn and gain more practical experience. The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast has listeners in 23 countries and 39 US States.
7/3/2020 • 39 minutes, 44 seconds
Why I started a podcast
There are two main reasons I started a podcast. I was encouraged by another pharmacist podcaster. My podcast is a business tool. Mentioned in this episode Medipreneurs Conference is a business conference for pharmacist entrepreneurs and healthcare entrepreneurs. Dr. Erin L. Albert is a pharmacist, entrepreneur, and podcaster. Dave Jackson and The School of Podcasting (course and podcast) So, You Want to Start a Podcast: Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Story, and Building a Community That Will Listen by Kristen Meinzer At the 2nd Medipreneurs Conference (Asheville, NC) in April 2019, Dr. Erin L. Albert gave a talk about becoming a thought leader through writing and publishing. She also mentioned that podcasting can help you become a thought leader. Dr. Albert encouraged me to start a podcast. That was 14 months ago, and I barely knew what a podcast was. I barely listened to them either. Audiobooks were more my thing. That has changed! Now, I listen to both! I don’t know that I ever would have looked into podcasting if it weren’t for Dr. Albert. I didn’t understand how podcasting could help my career, and I didn’t know how to start a podcast. Why start a podcast then? When a successful pharmacist entrepreneur gives you advice, it’s important to at least consider it. Plus, I wanted to see if Dr. Albert was right. Should I start a podcast? The second reason why I started a podcast has to do with my business, The Pharmacist’s Voice. When I tried to connect podcasting and being a thought leader to my business, it didn’t make sense. It didn’t fit because I’m so early in my voiceover career. How can I be a thought leader already? But, I kept an open mind and researched podcasting more. Eventually, I learned that I could use my podcast as a business tool. I learned how to podcast from Dave Jackson and his online course The School of Podcasting in October 2019. I built the podcast in November, and I launched it on December 4. Because I already knew how to record, edit, and produce audio from my voiceover industry training, building a podcast using Dave Jackson’s process was pretty straightforward. All I had to come up with a name, a format, and the other details. (This episode won’t dig into all those details.) If you are interested in starting a podcast, I would recommend doing three things. Join The School of Podcasting Listen to The School of Podcasting Podcast Read Kristen Meinzer’s book, So, You Want to Start a Podcast: Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Story, and Building a Community That Will Listen. GREAT BOOK! There is more than one podcast format. Examples include roundtables, daily news, list shows, advice shows, recap shows, documentary shows, fiction shows, and more. One day, I heard about journey-style podcasts. That’s a format using story to tell how they got from point A to point B and what they learned. In my case, I was on a journey from pharmacist to voice actor. It was easy to pick the journey-style format for my podcast. A journey-style podcast would allow me to share how I used my voice as a pharmacist, where my journey took me, who I met along the way, and how they use their voices too. It was a great choice for me. The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast is a podcast, not a statue. Down the road, I could change the format of the podcast to something else, like an advice show. What I learned from both Dave Jackson and Kristen Meinzer’s book is that I can use my podcast to get the word out about my business! I’m a pharmacist, voice actor, and audiobook narrator. When I put that out into the world on a podcast, I position myself as those things for the world to see. That’s how it’s a business tool. I may have accidentally become a thought leader too. People interested in doing what I do contact me all the time. During my career - both pharmacy and voiceover - I have met all kinds of great people. I use my interview shows every other week to help them share how they use their voice as well. Here are 11 examples. Episode 3, Tom Titkemeier, my uncle who introduced me to the profession of pharmacy Episode 5, Harold Kinker was my first boss at Walgreens Episode 7, Nate Kehlmeier is a friend from the Wood County Addiction Task Force Episode 9, Dr. Asha Bohannon is a friend and pharmacist entrepreneur who I met at the first ever Medipreneurs Conference in 2018. Episode 11, Sue Paul and Michelle Fritsch, co-founders of the Medipreneurs Conference Episode 13, Dr. Bruce Berger, motivational interviewing expert who I met through the Medipreneurs organization Episode 15, Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin, a counseling psychologist and author I met on LinkedIn. She’s an expert on Imposter Syndrome, which I struggle with. Episode 17, Dave Bitkowski, an Ohio pharmacist entrepreneur and rare disease advocate Episode 19, Patty Weltin, rare disease advocate and Founder and CEO of Beyond the Diagnosis Episode 21, Longhaulpaul also known as Paul Pelland, a NH man with MS who is increasing MS awareness through long-distance motorcycling. Episode 23, Dr. Anna Garrett, hormone expert and author of Perimenopause: The Savvy Sister’s Guide to Hormone Harmony. This is episode 24, and my next four interview shows are all planned out. Let me tell you about them. Episode 25 will be next Friday, July 3, 2020. My guest is Dr. Muhammad Umar Hafeez, a pharmacist with an MBA living in Abu Dhabi, which is located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He is a telepharmacy advocate, and his practice sites include oil rigs (both onshore and offshore), remote sites in the desert, deep sea platforms, oil barges, and natural and man-made islands in the Arabian Gulf. Episode 27 will be Friday, July 17, 2020. My guest will be Dr. Wendy Stephan, Ph.D. She’s educator and epidemiologist with South Florida’s poison control center. Episode 29 will be on Friday, July 31, 2020. Dr. Jerrica Dodd will be my guest. She is a pharmacist entrepreneur. We met in April 2018 at the first Medipreneurs Conference in Asheville, North Carolina. Episode 31 will be on Friday, August 14, 2020. My guest will be Dr. Allie Xu, a registered pharmacist from Australia. She is a holistic health and life coach specializing in emotional intelligence and the mind-body connection. In closing, I started my podcast because I was encouraged by another pharmacist podcaster, and I wanted to use my podcast as a business tool. I’m happy with how my podcast turned out. I get to share my journey. No one else has the exact same set of variables in their life that I have. I have a husband and two kids who I build my voiceover career around. 3 months ago, COVID changed life as we know it. The job I planned to do “in the margins” when my kids were at school got interrupted. I suddenly had to home school my kids. My husband lost his job May 1. I worked on my voiceover business full-time until my husband started interviewing for jobs again. It’s life; it’s interesting; and it’s my journey! The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast has listeners in 39 US states and 23 countries. Thank you for reading the show notes!
6/26/2020 • 11 minutes, 29 seconds
Interview with Dr. Anna Garrett, hormone expert and author of Perimenopause: The Savvy Sister's Guide to Hormone Harmony
Today’s episode is an interview with Dr. Anna Garrett, hormone expert and author of Perimenopause: The Savvy Sister’s Guide to Hormone Harmony. I invited her on the podcast because she’s a women’s health educator and advocate. Dr. Anna Garrett has been a clinical pharmacist for over 20 years and has worked in a variety of practice settings. While traveling her career path, she discovered that working with women in midlife is her true passion. She offers a variety of services including hormone balancing, weight loss, and health coaching designed to help women in perimenopause and menopause escape from hormone hell and feel amazing in their bodies so they can rock their mojo through midlife and beyond. Dr. Anna is passionate not only about helping women get their hormones balanced but also about teaching women how to advocate for themselves in the healthcare system. Dr. Anna received her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) and is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist. She is also a Certified Intrinsic Coach®, and has studied through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Dr. Anna is the author of Perimenopause: The Savvy Sister’s Guide to Hormone Harmony which was published in April of 2019. Dr. Anna works with her clients virtually and locally. Her website is drannagarrett.com, and you can reach her via e-mail at info@drannagarrett.com. Mentioned in this episode www.perimenopausebook.com https://www.drannagarrett.com info@drannagarrett.com https://www.facebook.com/drannagarrett https://www.instagram.com/drannagarrett/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/annagarrett/ What to Expect When You're Expecting Start-Up to Success Pharmacist Coaching Practice: info@drannagarrett.com According to Dr. Anna, perimenopause is the 5-10-year period between when your hormones change (starts ~late 30’s-early 40’s) and menopause. Menopause is a single day that marks one year since your last period. Post-menopause is everything after that one-year anniversary. Perimenopause: The Savvy Sister’s Guide to Hormone Harmony was written in the same spirit as What to Expect When You’re Expecting. It’s easy to read without a medical background and helps women prepare for perimenopause and/or a conversation about perimneopause with a healthcare professional. Women need to read this book around the age of 35, because it will be relevant around age 38-42 years old. Highlights drannagarrett.com was launched on Dr. Anna’s birthday in 2012. Dr. Anna’s tagline is “Rev Up Your Mid-Life Mojo.” She advocates for women’s health and educates clients about their health. When she was working at Mission Hospital doing health coaching, Dr. Anna realized she had a passion for women’s health and working with women. Knowing her ideal client well and how to market to them was important. She was able to develop marketing messages because she knew her ideal client. Dr. Anna saw a gap and filled it. After 5 years, Dr. Anna’s private Facebook Group has 6,000 members. The Facebook Group and referrals from other patients are her main two sources of clients. Dr. Anna attracted a younger clientele when she wrote the book on perimenopause. Her clients are all over the world. They tend to be professional women who are underserved by the medical community and/or want a natural treatment. Having a niche practice is helpful because if you try to help everyone, you will help no one. Knowing who you can help makes marketing messaging easier. Some of the challenges Dr. Anna overcame were being in the spotlight/the face of the business and charging for services. In general, pharmacists struggle with pricing services. One of the best things that has happened since Dr. Anna started her business is location independence. She has been able to travel more. An important piece of advice she received was starting a private Facebook Group for potential clients. She is able to help a lot of people using the information she gathers in the Group. Dr. Anna started a pharmacist coaching practice called Start-Up to Success. She helps pharmacists who are starting new businesses. Contact info@drannagarrett.com to learn more. Imposter Syndrome is the little voice in the back of your head that tells you, “You can’t do that!” It even affects successful entrepreneurs like Dr. Anna. In spite of her moments of doubt, she is able to help a large number of women using her identity as a pharmacist.
6/19/2020 • 46 minutes, 30 seconds
How I funneled my business ideas down to just one (includes business ideas I didn’t use)
In episode 22, I talk about how I funneled my business ideas down to just one. When people meet me and learn that I am a voice actor, the most common question they ask is, “How did you get started doing THAT?” Mentioned in this episode Road House featuring Patrick Swayze (1989) Drug Take-Back Day Pharmacy Camp at The University of Toledo Prevention Specialist (Wood County, OH) Injury Prevention Specialist - Amazon (Rossford, OH) Injury Prevention Specialist - Tesla (Fremont, CA) Wood County Board of Alcohol Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS Board) Drug Disposal Box List Wood County, OH Wood County Addiction Task Force Safe Kids Greater Toledo Poison Help Line 1-800-222-1222 In Episode 1 of this podcast, I mentioned that I came up with the idea to narrate pharmacist continuing education journals into audio format. I went forward with the narration business idea because I felt I had a problem I could solve and get paid for providing a service. When I picked that idea and ran with it, however, I left several other ideas behind. I funneled my business ideas down to just one. Recently, I found a list from summer 2017, with all the business ideas I considered. That was 3 years ago! I had decided to start a business, and I knew I wanted to provide narration services. I just hadn’t funneled my ideas down to just one thing yet. I also didn’t know that the voiceover industry even existed at that point. 3 years ago, in the summer of 2017, having a narration business was one of many business ideas. Working a traditional pharmacist job wasn’t an option. I needed a part-time job I could do “in the margins," so-to-speak. We don’t have affordable, reliable, skilled childcare for our 17-year-old son with autism. My business ideas centered around keeping my schedule flexible and my availability open if my kids had an unexpected illness, an emergency, a school delay, or a school closing. I spent 19 years building a reputation as a reliable and responsible pharmacist. It wouldn’t take me long to tarnish my reputation with a string of cancellations. When I was looking to start a business, it was during a time that I volunteered extensively. I love to help people, yet I wanted to work. I wanted to have a job. But, I couldn’t get a job because I was volunteering too much. Plus, I was needed at home to run the house and be there for the kids. My husband understands me very well, and he had a good point when he told me that, “If you want to have a business and make money, you have to stop giving your time away.” I needed to hear that. Every entrepreneur does. I have heard that advice many times since. At first, I tried to find a way to monetize what I was doing as a volunteer. I’m passionate about drug abuse prevention education, poisoning prevention education, medication safety education, advocating drug take-back days, and speaking to high school students considering a career in pharmacy or pharmaceutical sciences. You might be wondering, what are the ideas I left behind? Get ready for a list of 4 ideas I didn’t use. #1 Medicine cabinet clean-out service. Another title I considered for this was “Drug Take-Back Consultant” I wanted to go into people’s homes and help them clean out their medicine cabinets. Literally, I would help them get their stuff out of the house and get rid of it the right way. Once we had a clean slate, we would come up with a current list of medications and a shopping list of items to replace, if needed. This is a great time to stick in a public service announcement. Disposing of unwanted, unused, and expired medications properly prevents theft, drug misuse and abuse (which can lead to addiction), and accidental poisonings and overdoses. In addition, it protects the environment and saves lives. I would have enjoyed having a medicine cabinet clean-out service. I love to organize information, and I’m passionate about drug take-back. #2 Analog personal health record organizer. I wanted to use this idea as an add-on service from the medicine cabinet clean-out service I just mentioned. If you’re a pharmacist and can monetize this idea, go for it. EVERY TOWN IN AMERICA NEEDS A PROFESSIONAL WHO ORGANIZES HEALTH INFORMATION FOR OTHERS. This idea reminds me of the movie Road House, featuring Patrick Swayze. At one point, Patrick Swayze’s character gets injured and has to go to the doctor. When he gets to the doctor, he hands over his CHART. His entire medical history is in a physical chart in his hands. He can go to whomever he wants for care and not have to worry about having an accurate written medical history. All the information is in one place! I thought it would be a good idea to go to patient homes and help them get their information all into one place. Then, anyone who needs access to that information in an emergency could have it: caregivers, children, siblings, neighbors. Here is the list of 11 items I would have included in an analog personal health record: Ht, wt, and allergies, dated within 6 months Current list of medications, herbals, dietary supplements, and over the counter items (also known as OTC’s) List of medical conditions that pairs with each medication, OTC, herbal, or dietary supplement. Immunization record (last 10 years) List of healthcare professionals and last date seen. This would include primary care providers, specialists, chiropractor, etc. Don’t assume everyone ONLY uses Western Medicine! List of surgeries Family history Advanced directives, such as a do not resuscitate (DNR) order, durable power of attorney (POA), living will, HC Proxy, etc. Lab results from the last 5 years Social history: List of workplace, family, close friends Habits: Alcohol, Tobacco, other drugs, and addictions I did not move forward with this business idea because I was unsure how to monetize it. I also needed permission from the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to store patient information in my home. I’d love to revisit this business idea some day. It would probably make a great on-line course. #3 Attend a doctor’s appointment with a patient. I wanted to offer this as an add-on service to one of the last two services I mentioned. Some people just need a second set of ears at an appointment. I would take notes during the visit, help them follow through with their provider’s plan, and help them ask questions. #4 Keynote Speaker I actually ended up doing this. After more than 10 years of volunteering to speak at a Pharmacy Summer Camp for high school students considering a career in pharmacy or pharmaceutical sciences at The University of Toledo, I became a paid speaker. It’s only one day a year. I would love to speak at other events on topics I’m passionate about. I’m not actively pursuing keynote speaking at this time though. Why didn’t I pursue any of these ideas? They’re all reasonable, and they all appeal to me. I couldn’t find a way to monetize them or scale them. The marketing was outside my comfort zone The permission needed to use and store protected health information would have required additional licensing in Ohio. I had strong concerns about my availability for my family. I would have taken more risks and found a way to make it work if I wanted to do the work badly enough. I love to help people, and I would have loved the challenge of using my identity as a pharmacist to clean out medicine cabinets, organize health information, attend appointments, or book more keynote-speaking gigs. It didn’t work out, and I’m at peace about it. I also considered working for someone else in the areas that I liked to volunteer. I considered becoming a Prevention Specialist, an Injury prevention specialist, joining the staff at my county’s ADAMHS Board, working at a Poison Control Call Center, and becoming a High School Counselor. Here’s why each of them appealed to me. #1 Prevention Specialist I would have worked in a school and educated students about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs and supported staff as needed. Drug abuse prevention education is a passion of mine. I volunteer with my county’s Addiction Task Force - formerly Opiate Task Force. I help with outreach events and provide input as a pharmacist. I also advocate drug take-back days. I create, update, and distribute my county’s list of drug disposal boxes. The list is used by behavioral health agencies, police and fire departments, libraries, and other places in my county. I volunteer because I care. I also happen to be the only pharmacist in the group. #2 Injury Prevention Specialist Injury prevention specialists are problem-solvers. They assess safety problems and determine the leading causes of serious injuries. Then, they provide outreach and education or affect policy changes that will help prevent injuries. They get data from businesses, hospitals, clinics, and death certificates. Ex: The Amazon Distribution Center in Rossford, OH is hiring an injury prevention specialist. Tesla is looking for one in their Fremont, CA site. Injury prevention is important, and those jobs interest me. I do volunteer with an injury-prevention coalition called Safe Kids Greater Toledo. There are 3 things I do for them: Poisoning Prevention Education, Medication Safety Education, and Drug Take-Back Day Advocacy. Safe Kids Greater Toledo focuses on preventing injuries in children birth through age 14. I volunteer at elementary schools, health fairs, and other outreach events (“Safe Kids Day”). I prevent injuries when I teach children and adults about the poison help line, pretty poisons, and keeping things out of sight and out of reach. The poison help line number is 1-800-222-1222. (#3) The third non-pharmacy job I considered was working for the Wood County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS Board). I love volunteering with my county’s Addiction Task Force. It is co-chaired by the Director of Community Programs for the Wood County ADAMHS Board. I believe in what they do so strongly that I considered applying for a job. They provide support services for individuals with serious or persistent mental illness and addiction disorders in our county. #4 Poison Control Call Center Worker I have a passion for poisoning prevention. It should be no surprise that I considered working for a poison control center. I didn’t look into it too hard, but I think I would have liked the work. I plan to interview someone who works for the poison control helpline on this podcast and learn more about what they do. (#5) Finally, the fifth non-pharmacy job I considered was School Counselor. Even though I love working with teenagers and talking to them at career day. I did not pursue this idea. I would have needed additional education, and it would have led to a full-time job outside the home. Even though I didn’t become a school counselor, I continue to volunteer at high school career days. Life is complicated. Of these last five opportunities, some required additional education, and all had inflexible work hours. So, I didn’t pursue them. I funneled my ideas down to just one. Because of life circumstances and the lifestyle my husband and I want for our family, I felt that the only idea that could possibly work was becoming a narrator. In the voiceover industry, I can work “in the margins” while the kids are at school or in the evenings. The additional education I need can be done from home at my own pace. I can slowly ramp up the business instead of immediately working 40 hours/week. If my family has an emergency, I’m home. The potential income is higher than anything else I considered too. It took me almost 2 years to funnel my ideas down to just one. I looked at my strengths, interests, and availability. What I ended up with is something I absolutely love. Like I mentioned in the first episode, I think I found the job Mark Twain alluded to in his famous quote, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast has listeners in 22 countries and 37 US States.
6/12/2020 • 17 minutes, 1 second
Interview with Paul “Longhaulpaul” Pelland
Today’s episode is an interview with Longhaulpaul, also known as Paul Pelland. He’s a New Hampshire man with Multiple Sclerosis. Longhaulpaul combines his passion for riding motorcycles with his story and life experiences to help other people and make a difference in the world. I invited Longhaulpaul to be on the podcast because he uses his voice as a patient advocate and educates audiences about MS. He also entertains audiences with world-record-breaking feats that raise money for MS charities. Longhaulpaul is on a Million Mile Journey CHASING THE CURE for Multiple Sclerosis. Fighting an often devastating and disabling diagnosis the only way he knew how, Paul Longhaulpaul Pelland is truly riding for his life. He’s attempting to document a million miles on a motorcycle as he raises awareness and funds for Multiple Sclerosis. As a patient advocate, he shares his story at MS educational events and fundraisers. And, as a long distance rider, he presents entertaining and motivational seminars for motorcyclists and the general public across the United States. He organizes annual motorcycle fundraisers and writes for Ability magazine. Over the last seven years, he set three world records, rode 400,000 miles, and raised over $180,000 for charity. Social Media Links Longhaulpaul.com Facebook YouTube Patreon ABILITY Magazine Instagram Mentioned in this episode Iron Butt Association is a group of the world’s toughest motorcycle riders. The Iron Butt Rally is an 11-day, 11,000 mile long-distance motorcycle-riding competition that is like a scavenger hunt on steroids. MS Views and News The National MS Society MS 5000 Ride for a Reason Fundraiser Barber Motorcycle Museum (Birmingham, AL) Ability Magazine article Bridgestone Tires supports Longhaulpaul Yamaha Press Release - Yamaha provides motorcycles for Longhaulpaul’s 1M mile journey The Ability Center of NW Ohio encourages people to “think ability first.” Full Ural Story available is on Episode 49 of the Long Riders Radio Podcast Highlights Each person with MS experiences the disease in their own way. Paul found a way to use his story and his experiences in life to help other people and make a difference in the world. Paul said, “Find something you love to do in your life and make that more important than your disease.” People keep the worry and give away the fun. Everyone needs to have something they love to do. A passion. Do it, or think about it. It’s your “happy place.” If you can’t do what you love, find something new you can be passionate about, and do it. It will make you happy. Paul coined the term, MotoMedicine. MotoMedicine promotes the social and therapeutic benefits of riding motorcycles. Riding a motorcycle makes Paul feel more (with his senses). You can forget your troubles while on a bike. You concentrate on just riding: the sights, smells, and sounds that are part of the ride. Longhaulpaul’s first bike on his million-mile journey was nicknamed “Cure Chaser One.” It had 140,000 miles on it and is now in the Barber Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, Alabama. “Cure Chaser 3” was donated by Yamaha. It’s 1.5 years old and has more than 100K miles! Cure Chaser 4 just came into the picture! See his social media posts for updates. Paul wants to ride a motorcycle from CA to HI. He needs a yacht or a cruise ship! If you can help, let him know! Longhaulpaul has 3 World Records, and all 3 were fundraisers for MS charities. Drove 1000 miles on a total 100 different motorcycles in 24 hours Drove more than 2,000 miles in one calendar day, which was 28 hours (including 3 different time zones and a time change the day of the time change (Nov 6) Drove a motorcycle for 24 hours straight on an indoor motorcycle treadmill You can help Longhaulpaul with his Million Mile Journey and support MS Charities! Visit the website for more information on the MS 5000 and the Iron Butt Association’s “MS 1000” (Saddle Sore 1000) Calendars and t-shirts offset expenses, like >$3,000/year in highway tolls. Donate to Longhaulpaul’s Patreon Account Like and follow Longhaulpaul on social media: YouTube Channel, FB page, IG, etc. It helps him attract sponsors. The Easter egg I mentioned at the end of this episode is that I met Paul in January 2020 at the Cleveland International Motorcycle Show (IMS). I recorded Episode 2 of this podcast 24-48 hours before he and I met. When I met him, it was CLEAR that he is an amazing man with an amazing story. I invited him to be on the podcast at the motorcycle show. He knows how to use his voice to advocate, educate, and entertain. We recorded this episode April 29, 2020. I’m thankful that we met and grateful for the privilege of sharing his story with my audience. Thank you Longhaulpaul! The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast has listeners in 37 US States and 22 countries.
6/5/2020 • 56 minutes, 55 seconds
How I named my company
On today’s episode, I talk about what I’ve been doing for the past two weeks, and I share the story about how I came up with my company name. Mentioned in this episode Alex Sanchez linkedin.com/in/alex-sanchez-3935b1174, voiceactorwebsites.com Brad Newman linkedin.com/in/upperlevel, www.upperlevelhosting.com Tim Keenan linkedin.com/in/tim-keenan-15b3788, creativemediarecording.com Source Connect https://source-elements.com/products/source-connect The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast has listeners in 37 US states and 21 countries. May has been a very busy month for me. My new website launched Thursday, May 21. Thank you Alex Sanchez and voiceactorwebsites.com. Also, thank you Brad Newman at Upper Level Hosting for guiding me through the tech pieces that go into changing websites. Everything looks great, and I’m really happy with how things turned out. Thank you again Alex and Brad! If you want to check out the new website, please visit www.thepharmacistsvoice.com. The last two weeks have been filled with plenty of activity. I’m still adjusting to being able to focus on my voiceover business full-time. My husband is doing a great job helping with the kids so I can audition and direct-market to potential clients. I really love what I’m doing with my voiceover business and the podcast. I’ve met so many people because of both. It’s been such a great experience. My guests are amazing, and I love to hear how they use their voices. Plus, their network of supporters has liked, commented on, or shared the podcast across several social media platforms. I appreciate the engagement, and it’s fun to watch this podcast of mine touch lives. Throughout the month, I’ve met and connected with a number of voice actors too. One has even become a medical narration workout buddy. Time zones are tricky, but the practice is helping me stay sharp and get better. Every other week, I meet with my voice actor accountability buddies. A hot topic that came up last week was Source Connect. I’m giving more serious thought to getting connected. Tim Keenan’s webinar helped. My husband is updating his resume and LinkedIn profile. He will be searching for a job soon. I came up with my company name 3 years ago before I knew about the voiceover industry. Looking back on it, it was a small miracle. Using my identity as a pharmacist in my business was important to me. Having the word “Pharmacist” in my company title was important to me. I knew I wanted to use my “voice” to do something. I put the words “Pharmacist” and “Voice” together, and the name “The Pharmacist’s Voice” organically came about. Using my voice is very important. Having a voice is so very important. My husband and I have a 17-year-old non-verbal son with autism. We are his voice. I know how important it is to have a voice, and I want to communicate important messages. I can use my voice in the spoken word or in the written word. My company name is versatile. I absolutely love it, and it is very personal as well. I feel very blessed and very thankful to have the company name The Pharmacist’s Voice. I can combine my voice and my identity as a pharmacist to do work that I love. My work allows me to support my husband from home and raise our children in the unique way they need to be raised. The next solo episode is June 12, 2020.
5/29/2020 • 9 minutes, 15 seconds
Interview with Patricia Weltin, Founder and CEO of Beyond the Diagnosis
Today’s episode is an interview with Patty Weltin, Founder and CEO of Beyond the Diagnosis. I invited Patty on the podcast because she is an advocate for individuals and families living with rare diseases, and she has a unique way of using art to educate others about rare diseases - also known as orphan diseases. Links and info mentioned in this episode Website: https://www.beyondthediagnosis.org Email: Pweltin@beyondthediagnosis.org LinkedIn (Patricia Weltin): https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-weltin-b5b93944/ LinkedIn (Beyond the Diagnosis) https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-the-diagnosis/about/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeyondtheDx Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeyondTheDx/ Instagram: @BeyondtheDiagnosis Rare Disease Day was 2-29-20 (Next is 2-28-21) https://www.rarediseaseday.org Ronald McDonald House https://www.rmhc.org According to Patty, rare diseases in the US are diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 people. There are 30 million people in the US living with a rare disease; half are children (15 million). 5 million of those children will not live past their 5th birthday due to a lack of treatment. Patty Weltin Bio Patty Weltin is the CEO and Founder of the Beyond the Diagnosis. She is the mother of two children with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare disease. Patty began working in this space by creating a new business model of working by state. She is from Rhode Island. Her award winning work in state-level advocacy grew to national advocacy efforts. Today, Patty proudly works to successfully use art as a powerful tool to create awareness and innovation into orphan and neglected diseases. Beyond the Diagnosis background info Beyond the Diagnosis unites art and science. It began working on a project to increase research and raise awareness of rare diseases within the medical community through art. Professional artists paint portraits of children living with a rare disease. The portraits then become part of a traveling exhibit for medical schools, research institutes and hospitals. This exhibit has also touched the hearts and minds of the general public. Since the debut, Beyond the Diagnosis has visited the NIH, Broad Institute, Hofstra Medical, Harvard Medical, the FDA and many more. According to beyondthediagnosis.org, there are 7,000 rare diseases. Rare diseases became known as orphan diseases because drug companies were not interested in adopting them to develop treatments. (Source: beyondthediagnosis.org and https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/pages/31/faqs-about-rare-diseases). Less than 5% of all orphan diseases have a treatment. (Source: beyongthediagnosis.org) There are no cures. People living with orphan diseases experience long diagnosis times, few medical experts, no treatments, financial hardship, and emotional stress. The Beyond the Diagnosis art exhibit’s focus is the orphan disease patient. Artists have donated their time and talents to paint orphan disease patients for this groundbreaking exhibit. Each portrait represents a single orphan disease. The goal of Beyond the Diagnosis is to put a face to all 7,000 orphan diseases. This beautiful exhibit is traveling to medical schools, research institutes and hospitals around the globe encouraging the medical community to look “beyond the diagnosis” to the patient. Art has been used for thousands of years to successfully convey a message, whether it be a story or a glimpse into the human spirit. Art not only leaves a powerful and lasting visual imprint but it also creates a unique connection for the viewer. About the art and the artists for Beyond the Diagnosis The arts are powerful. According to Patty, you can change the world through art. Beyond the Diagnosis has ~120 portraits. Artists create portraits of a child using 3-5 photos. Photos are supplied by the family. Artists also use information from the child’s bio, blogs, and social media. Artists are volunteers from all over the world: USA, UK, Chile, India, Poland, Bali, Ireland, Pakistan, and more. To learn more, visit https://www.beyondthediagnosis.org/artists. The names of rare diseases can be intimidating. Putting a face to the name humanizes the disease. To view the Rare Disease Database, visit https://rarediseases.org/for-patients-and-families/information-resources/rare-disease-information/. Patty feels fortunate that the art community has adopted the rare disease community. The best thing for Patty personally is meeting the artists and the families. The best thing for the rare disease community is being able to show children affected by rare diseases as human beings first and not as their disease. That is very apparent in the art exhibit. The styles of the portraits by the artists are all different too. Every child is different, just like every portrait is different. Other highlights from the interview The first exhibit ever was at Brown University Medical School in Rhode Island. The second was at Harvard Medical School and had great press coverage, which helped get the word out and lead to repeat visits. Beyond the Diagnosis will be traveling internationally after the COVID-19 pandemic ends. Patty’s daughter Olivia, who has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, got a perfect score on her SAT (1600)! Parents of individuals with rare diseases are extraordinary. They raise money [millions of dollars] and drive research. Learning about a rare disease can be like learning a new language. It has its own terminology. It is definitely possible to educate yourself as a parent. Funding is the #1 challenge Beyond the Diagnosis faces. About the logo for Beyond the Diagnosis In medical schools, med students are taught, “When you hear hoof beats, think ‘horses,’ not zebras.” Rare diseases are like zebras. Educating med students and healthcare professionals about rare diseases early in their careers improves awareness about rare diseases and ultimately benefits individuals with rare diseases.
5/22/2020 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 2 seconds
Back to the Future Part III Helped Me Write Financial Goals With a Timeline
The movie Back to the Future Part III helped me write financial goals with a timeline. Plus an update from the first two weeks of May 2020: medical narration practice, auditioning, my new website, playing Ticket to Ride, and more! Mentioned in this episode Back to the Future Part III is a great movie! Dave Ramsey is an American businessman who created a money management course called Financial Peace University Building a Story Brand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller The Power of Broke: How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage by Daymond John LinkedIn Profile linkedin.com/in/kimnewlove LinkedIn Company Page linkedin.com/company/thepharmacistsvoice LinkedIn Podcast Page linkedin.com/company/tpvpodcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kim.newlove.96 Twitter https://twitter.com/KimNewloveVO voiceactorwebsites.com is updating my website Sean Pratt is my audiobook narration coach seanprattpresents.com Medipreneurs https://www.medipreneurs.com Ticket to Ride https://www.daysofwonder.com/tickettoride/en/usa/ Westgate Toastmasters Club https://3159.toastmastersclubs.org The last two weeks have been interesting! If you missed the last solo episode, here’s a super-quick recap. My husband lost his job two weeks ago, on Friday, May 1. His position was eliminated as a reduction in force (RIF). He’s agreed to be a stay-at-home Dad while I run my voiceover business full-time. For years, I have felt like life was holding me back. I wanted to work, but I couldn’t. It really sucks that something negative had to impact my husband’s job to give me the chance I needed, but there’s nothing holding me back now! I am excited for the opportunity. My husband is being very supportive. And, I love what I’m doing. I’m excited to grow my business! You might be wondering why I don’t just find a traditional pharmacist job. There are a number of reasons. The biggest one is that for the past 2.5 years, I have been training to do voiceover work, and now I have the chance to do it. Plus, I need to see how much income I can bring in over the next six months, and my husband needs to see what kind of jobs are out there for him. Speaking of money, my husband and I had a “talk.” It ended up having a Back to the Future Part III theme to it, which at least made it kinda fun. We set income goals and assigned them to a timeline. We got out the colored pencils and added green, yellow, and red marks on the timeline. Because my husband and I have a “budget meeting” every two weeks, we know exactly where our money goes. We figured out how much monthly income we need to survive. We are “Dave Ramsey People.” We graduated from Financial Peace University in March of 2013. Thanks to the program, we are excellent money managers, and our spending behaviors are well-controlled. Essentially, we figured out how long we can afford for my husband to stay unemployed while I build my voiceover business. We wrote down how much money I need to earn by December 2020, and every six months after that. If I’m not on track to support the family fully by January 2022, my husband needs to be employed again. It can take a while to find a job, so he’s thinking about next steps NOW. Back to the movie reference. We know it’s ok for me to work full-time as a voice actor right now, and we know when it will be time for one or both of us to try something else. We will be ok until December. Then, the scary times are going to come a little faster…just like that train in Back to the Future Part III. What have I been doing, other than setting goals and playing with colored pencils? Here are the highlights Practicing medical narration skills Direct-marketing to potential clients Auditioning Expanding my LinkedIn network Signed up for two voiceover pay-to-play sites. (They connect clients and voiceover professionals.) Participated in some webinars Finished two books: Story Brand by Donald Miller and The Power of Broke by Daymond John. Updated my LinkedIn “about” section with my Brand Story Audiobook narration lessons with Sean Pratt. I will “graduate” in August. Updated my social media banners: LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. Got a sneak peak of my new website Met with my voiceover accountability buddies on-line Attended an on-line Mastermind with Medipreneurs co-founders Michelle Fritsch and Sue Paul and a group of bright and enthusiastic healthcare entrepreneurs Played Ticket to Ride Europe, Switzerland, and Japan Attended Toastmasters via Zoom Working on an on-line course! May is turning out to be an interesting month! I’m working on my voiceover business full time, plugging away at goals, having fun with my family, and trying new things. I have a feeling a lot is going to happen in the next two weeks, and I’ll fill you in on Friday, May 29!
5/15/2020 • 12 minutes, 16 seconds
Interview with Dave Bitkowski, RX Target Systems Founder and GPA Advocate
Today’s episode is an interview with Ohio Pharmacist Dave Bitkowski. Dave is an advocate for his daughter Melissa and her rare kidney disease GPA (granulomatosis with polyangiitis). He is also a pharmacist entrepreneur who provides entertainment in the form of air gun targets. Mentioned in this episode Dave’s company is RX Target Systems www.rxtargetsystems.com Email: dave@rxtargetsystems.com Facebook: Rx Target Systems by David A Bitkowski Instagram: @rxtargetsystems Twitter: @SystemsRx Youtube: Rx Target Systems LinkedIn: David Bitkowski GPA (granulomatosis with polyangiitis) is a rare kidney disease Melissa was treated at CS MOTT Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan Medical Center https://www.mottchildren.org Pyramyd Air Cup Competitions https://www.pyramydaircup.com To purchase RX Target systems, visit rxtargetsystems.com or the following vendors: Baker Airguns https://www.bakerairguns.com American Airgunner https://www.americanairgunner.com High Pressure Pneumatics https://myhighpressureair.com/?olsPage=products Utah Airguns https://utahairguns.com (late May 2020) RX Target Systems are used on quality assurance ranges at Corporations such as UTG https://www.leapers.com Crosman https://www.crosman.com Umarex https://www.umarexusa.com Dave Bitkowski’s Bio Dave Bitkowski graduated from the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy with his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1995. He is a long term care pharmacist in Northwest Ohio. Dave Founded Rx Target Systems in 2017. RX Target Systems is a premium target manufacturing business for airsoft guns and air guns. I invited Dave on the podcast because he advocates, educates, and entertains. Dave’s daughter Melissa has a rare kidney disease called granulomatosis with polyangiitis (also known as GPA), and he is her advocate. To help with the cost of her care and to have a creative outlet, Dave used his air-gun hobby to launch a business. He educates air gunners that a simple tool, like his targets, can enhance skill without costing a lot of money. Rx Target System’s mission is not only to enhance air gun marksmanship skills, but also to increase pediatric kidney disease awareness. He fits into the entertainment category too because his product entertains air gun enthusiasts at home and in competition. Products sold by Rx Target Systems have earned favorable reviews by leaders in the air gun sporting industry. For example the Pyramyd Air Cup speed shooting competition featured RX Target Systems in 2019. RX Target Systems are also used on quality assurance ranges at Corporations such as UTG, Crosman, and Umarex. Dave Bitkowski is pharmacist entrepreneur with a great story! Melissa’s Story Dave’s daughter Melissa got sick with a rare kidney disease called granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) when she was 6 years old (in 1st grade). She is now 11 years old. Facts about GPA According to medscape.com, the prevalence of GPA in the United States is estimated to be 3 cases per 100,000 people. It is a rheumatological disorder, and Melissa’s form of GPA was localized to her kidneys. It is more common in adults, ages 40-65. At the time of her diagnosis, Melissa’s GPA was the second Toledo, OH-area case her pediatric nephrologist had seen in 15 years. Kidney donor testing is like astronaut testing: labs, physicals, scans, and more. A living donor and a deceased donor were both considered. Willing family members were tested: Mom, Dad, and a cousin. A physical exam was needed to determine physical fitness to withstand the donation surgery. The kidneys themselves were scanned. Blood test results for Rh factor and kidney function were performed. Plus, the economic impact on the family was considered. Finding the best match possible is time-consuming and complicated. It took almost a year to complete testing, pick a donor, and schedule a surgery date. Melissa was 9 years old when she got her new kidney. Who is Melissa’s kidney donor? Melissa hoped for a woman’s kidney, and a female cousin became Melissa’s kidney donor. The transplant team walked past with a cooler… Dave recounted seeing the transplant team walk from the adult donor’s recovery area to his daughter’s pediatric surgery unit WITH A COOLER. Time stopped, and he witnessed a miracle being delivered. (It was Melissa’s new kidney!) Why did the transplant happen on 7/11? Melissa was able to pick the date because she had a living donor. Melissa recognized that 7/11 is a lucky number combo and picked that date. How does Melissa’s life post-transplant affect your family? Melissa needs to take a number of medications every 12 hours to prevent her body from rejecting the donor kidney, among other concerns. She needs her temperature checked routinely. Fluid goals need to be met daily to avoid dehydration. How does an organ transplant affect Melissa’s school day? School has been accommodating with extra bathroom breaks and cautioning the family about health threats. Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school nurse would communicate flu outbreaks and other concerns so Melissa can wash hands more, wear a mask, etc. How does Melissa’s organ transplant affect extracurricular opportunities? Sleepovers are more complicated. If Melissa needs her medications while outside the home, reminders are needed, but she can still participate. Non-contact sports are the only ones allowed. How has your background as a pharmacist helped your family navigate your daughter’s kidney disease? It’s a double-edged sword. Dave is a pharmacist and a medication expert. He also understands insurance hurdles and how to navigate them. He was able to talk to his daughter’s nephrologist and healthcare team on a high level. He can also fill her medication boxes. Dave and his wife make a great team! Dave and his wife care for their daughter Melissa together. Dave takes the lead on medical issues. His wife takes the lead on Melissa’s social life, school responsibilities, etc. They make a great team! What is one of the biggest challenges you have had to overcome with your daughter’s GPA? Finding a “new normal” with restrictions. Leaving the house had to wait until some time after the kidney transplant. Going on vacation or to a crowded restaurant or movie theater right after the transplant was impossible. Plus, focusing on “just being a Dad” and putting Melissa first during the crisis was a challenge. It’s hard to get bad news and move forward. Support is important Dave and his family had faith that things would be ok. His employer was very understanding of his family’s situation and allowed one month off. The social worker staff at U of M encouraged healing for Melissa and the entire family. Dave’s wife quit her job to stay home and care for their daughter. RX Target Systems builds and sells air gun targets For more information, visit https://www.rxtargetsystems.com. Dave founded the company in March 2017 with the encouragement of his peers in the air gun community. Business Goals Improve client marksmanship and skill level with his shooting products Raise awareness about GPA (granulomatosis with polyangiitis) on the business website Support a fund in his daughter’s name at the University of Michigan. (The fund helps social workers who serve families who have a child on dialysis.) A portion of the income from RX Target Systems goes to The Fund. Dave wants to help others. Earn money to fund his daughter’s ongoing healthcare needs. Dave’s air gun hobby started in 2006 Dave started shooting air guns as a hobby in 2006. He started with a basic pellet gun and graduated to more powerful air guns, which are used in sporting competitions and hunting. RX Target Systems are featured and sold at speed-shooting competitions. There are 3 types of air gun events: field target, benchrest, and speed shooting. Dave made speed-shooting targets for an event called the Pyramyd Air Gun Competition in August 2019. To learn more, visit https://www.pyramydaircup.com. RX Target Systems were the first resettable speed targets used at that level of competition in the US. Because target reset time was fast, the length of the competition was cut in half! RX Target Systems are also great for backyard and range use With more people staying at home due to COVID-19, they’re bored and looking for something to do. Some people are trying air guns and target-shooting with Dave’s products. RX Target Systems are the next generation of air gun targets Air guns have become so powerful that there weren’t air gun targets strong enough for them and firearms targets were needed. Dave saw that as a problem and created the next generation of air gun targets that can handle high-powered air guns. What do you love most about RX Target Systems? Educating air gunners that a simple tool (a target!) can enhance skill and doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Recognition from peers in the air gun industry. Camaraderie in the air gun community to advance the sport. Educating others about GPA and raising money for a fund that helps others. What’s something people don’t realize about being a pharmacist entrepreneur? Business skills weren’t covered in pharmacy school, but you can learn what you need to know. The skills you need to learn something new are the same skills you used to complete your pharmacy education. Being a pharmacist helps with RX Target Systems because of the teaching element. Counseling patients and educating air gun enthusiasts is similar. Closing remarks When you struggle, how you react defines you. Face your hard times; move forward; and prevail. The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast has listeners in 36 US States and 21 countries.
5/8/2020 • 57 minutes, 36 seconds
The Power of Broke
After more than 12.5 years at the same company, my husband lost his job today. We are preparing to swap roles. He will become the primary caregiver for our children, house manager, and home school teacher while I work on my voiceover business full-time. The stakes are high! We have a family to support. It really stinks that my husband lost his job, but, he’s not alone. People all over the US are losing jobs, being furloughed, or put in other less-than-ideal situations. I’ve been training to be a professional voice actor for 2 years now, and The Power of Broke is about to kick in. I’ve been wanting the opportunity to focus on my voiceover business full-time, and I’m about to find out what I can achieve with my family’s full support! If you’re not familiar with “The Power of Broke,” it’s both a concept and a book. Daymond John, founder of FUBU and investor on ABC’s reality TV series Shark Tank wrote a book called The Power of Broke: How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WPQHK14/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_v2lREbMBV845Y The concept of the book is that desperation leads to innovation. When there is no other source of income, creativity, resourcefulness, and passion can help a person fight for success. Daymond’s book has been on my list for a while. I’ll be reading it this month. And, I’ll be living it too! I have some great interview shows coming up. Here’s a little about the next four! On Friday, May 8, Ohio Pharmacist Dave Bitkowski will be on the show. He’ll talk about RX Target Systems, a business he founded as a creative outlet and additional income stream. The business shares a connection to his advocacy work for his daughter’s rare kidney disease granulomatosis with polyangiitis, also known as GPA. rxtargetsystems.com On Friday, May 22, The CEO and Founder of Beyond the Diagnosis, Patricia Weltin, will be on the show. Did you know that it’s possible to raise awareness of rare diseases within the medical community through art? Join us May 22, and find out how art is increasing research and raising awareness of rare diseases! beyondthediagnosis.org On Friday, June 5, I’ll share my interview with Longhaulpaul, a New Hampshire man who is on a Million Mile Journey, CHASING THE CURE for Multiple Sclerosis. As a patient advocate, he shares his story at MS educational events and fundraisers. As a long distance motorcycle rider, he presents entertaining and motivational seminars for motorcyclists and the general public across the United States. longhaulpaul.com Finally, on Friday, June 19, Dr. Anna Garrett will be on the show. She is a pharmacist entrepreneur, Menopause Expert, Hormone Balancing Specialist, Women's Health Educator and Advocate, Medipreneurs Co-Founder, and Author of the book Perimenopause: The Savvy Sister's Guide to Hormone Harmony. She helps women in midlife balance their hormones, burn fat and feel amazing in their bodies so they can rock their mojo through menopause and beyond. drannagarrett.com I had no idea that misfortune would lead to the opportunity I now face. I’ll continue to share my journey in the solo shows every other week. Subscribe, and find out what happens! Thank you for listening! The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast has listeners in 34 US States and 20 countries.
5/2/2020 • 5 minutes, 24 seconds
Interview with Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin: counseling psychologist, executive coach, and co-author of the new book Own Your Greatness: Overcome Impostor Syndrome, Beat Self-Doubt, and Succeed in Life
Mentioned in this episode Own Your Greatness: Overcome Impostor Syndrome, Beat Self-Doubt, and Succeed in Life (April 28, 2020) by Lisa Orbé-Austin PhD (Author), Richard Orbé-Austin PhD (Author). https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZZHY1Z8/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_Q6ZNEbKBT93EP Contact information and social media links Twitter https://twitter.com/drorbeaustin Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drorbeaustin/ Linkedin linkedin.com/in/lisaorbeaustin Email lisa@dynamictransitionsllp.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dtpcllp https://www.dynamictransitionsllp.com TEDx Talk “The Imposter Syndrome Paradox” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2zbcZBI0Do Education BA in English from Boston College, MS in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. MPhil and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University. Private Practice Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin and her husband/business partner, Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin own a counseling practice called Dynamic Transitions, LLP in New York City. They offer a range of counseling services, including individual career counseling, group career coaching, career transition coaching, career testing, graduate school admissions counseling, and more. See website for details. https://www.dynamictransitionsllp.com. Licensure Drs. Lisa and Richard Orbé-Austin are licensed psychologists in the state of New York. Pivoting Dr. Lisa started on a path to become a pediatrician, but she pivoted to an English degree. She recognized a strength in counseling, and a mentor in grad school helped her find a path toward counseling. After falling in love with counseling, she pursued her PhD in Counseling Psychology at Columbia University. Dr. Lisa believes that her struggles opened doorways that she would not have found without experiencing difficult situations. She and her husband talk about her dark times in their Tedx Talk “The Imposter Syndrome Paradox” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2zbcZBI0Do. Interview topics Lisa took jobs that were easy to get instead of being part of a deliberate career path. One job led a bad boss. It was a difficult time. She felt stuck, like she couldn’t leave. She didn’t have another option, and she felt burned out. She quit her job and felt devastated. After finding a part-time job 2 weeks later, she worked toward founding the practice she and her husband share today. The practice has brought her joy and allowed her to help many people. Lisa enjoys learning about different occupations and career fields, ladders to advancement, and people’s stories. Lisa loves supporting entrepreneurs in their big leap. She uses assessments and testing to help them find paths. She also provides executive coaching, group classes, and other services. Goal-setting is important. She invites her clients into a partnership, and she encourages autonomy. Imposter syndrome makes people focus on what they don’t have. As an entrepreneur, you need to think about what you do have. You can’t be perfect. You can still be successful with what you already have. 70% of people have imposter syndrome. We’re embarrassed of it, and we want to hide it. Making sure you are qualified is different from getting further certifications. Your professional life can’t help being an integral part of your identity, but your career shouldn’t be your only identity. If you lose your job/career or need to make a change, you will feel like you’ve lost your entire identity. Change can be difficult to face because changing is hard. You have to let go of one identity and shift into a new perspective of identity. We end up making a hierarchy of our identities - this is the best, 2nd best, 3rd best - instead of an even plane. You need to think about the best fit for you given the context of your life instead of a hierarchy. On a personal note, I struggled with my identity as a pharmacist while I was a stay-at-home Mom or working part-time. I was still a pharmacist, but I didn’t know what to tell people when I went to conferences as a stay-at-home mom. New grads need to think about their opportunities a little differently. Think long-term. The linear, “next-step” doesn’t always make sense. Be flexible. Learn to pivot, shift, and change. Take a step back and look at the opportunities. Mindset is important. Don’t think about what you’re missing. Think about what you have to offer. Coaches can use Own Your Greatness with clients. There is a free toolkit for pre-sales of her book. One of the items is a list of journal prompts. Lisa advocates for better understanding of mental health. She educates on career trajectory and self-awareness. Thank you for listening to episode 15 of The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast!
4/24/2020 • 45 minutes, 33 seconds
Going into Target for just one item
Mentioned in this episode Target is an American Retail Corporation https://www.target.com YouTube Video "Thoughts Every Woman Has in Target" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8JV5aNBh1E My podcasting coach is Dave Jackson at the School of Podcasting https://schoolofpodcasting.com My ACX Audiobook Narrator Profile https://www.acx.com/narrator?p=A10FSORRTANJ4Z audible.com and amazon.com sell audiobooks. voiceactorwebsites.com is helping me with my new website. voquent.com is a matchmaking site for voice talents and voice-seekers. Studio One Jumpstart is an on-line course that helps me improve my audio editing skills. https://s1jumpstart.com Sean Pratt is my audiobook narration coach seanprattpresents.com Books mentioned in this episode 1. Listful Thinking: Using Lists to Be More Productive, Successful and Less Stressed by Paula Rizzo (Author) and Julie Morgenstern (Foreword) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NP8MM0U/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_txgMEbJD4G1QW 2. Organizing from the Inside Out, Second Edition: The Foolproof System For Organizing Your Home, Your Office and Your Life (Paperback – August 12, 2004) by Julie Morgenstern (Author) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0805075895/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_8BPsEbTEYVYHP 3. Time Management from the Inside Out, Second Edition: The Foolproof System for Taking Control of Your Schedule -- and Your Life (Paperback – August 12, 2004) by Julie Morgenstern (Author) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0805075909/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_yDPsEbEKC5C2J 4. Never Check E-Mail In the Morning: And Other Unexpected Strategies for Making Your Work Life Work (Paperback – September 27, 2005) by Julie Morgenstern (Author) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0743250885/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_LFPsEbWN9ZGNG 5. SHED Your Stuff, Change Your Life: A Four-Step Guide to Getting Unstuck (Paperback – March 3, 2009) by Julie Morgenstern (Author) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0743250907/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_WwPsEbGCR1X8F 6. Voiceover Achiever: Brand your VO career. Change your life. by Celia Siegel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0791HFW5S/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_URjMEbEETT3XB 7. Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller (Author, Narrator), HarperCollins Leadership (Publisher) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072J8WRND/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_XVjMEbYJ726B4 Today’s episode is about focusing. I have a lot on my plate during “the quarantine.” I’ll talk about how working from home with new distractions is like going into Target for just one item. It’s hard, but it can be done! For listeners outside the US, Target is a very successful and well-loved American retail corporation. In the US, we call it a “big box store.” You can get just about anything at Target from prescriptions to groceries to shoes! Target is known for its addictive shopping experience. Shoppers often joke about going into a store to make one purchase but end up buying more. To keep customers coming back, Target uses clever marketing, strategic product-positioning, and a treasure hunt-like shopping experience. To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, I included a link to a funny, 2-minute YouTube video in the show notes. It shows a woman in her car arriving at Target to buy one very specific thing. She goes into the store, gets a shopping cart, and buys all kinds of stuff. The video ends with her back in her car, remembering that she has forgotten the one thing she went into the store to buy! Are you like the shopper in my example? Or, can you go into Target, just buy that one thing you need, and leave without getting the other stuff? What does shopping at Target have to do with my career change from pharmacist to voice actor? Stay with me. I’m getting there! As I record this on April 16, 2020, my family and I are mostly staying at home to reduce our risk of contracting the corona virus. That means my kids are not physically in school. They are at home, like all the other children in Ohio. My younger son has on-line school. My older son, who has autism, has his own work to do. It is not online, and he needs one-on-one supervision at all times. I’m in charge of both boys while my husband works outside the home. Working from home with added responsibilities and distractions is like going into Target for just one item. It’s hard, but it can be done! Even though I have a lot more on my plate right now, I’m still making progress. I have a secret weapon. Lists! Do you think the Target shopper from my story would have forgotten what she needed if she had used a list? No way! Lists help me focus so I can be present for my family and work toward my professional goals. I have a projects list for the house and everyone in it, a list of business goals, and a daily list.” When I’m using my lists effectively, I can knock out low-hanging fruit when I have five minutes. If I get an hour or two, I can tackle bigger tasks, starting with the highest priorities first, of course! Having a realistic workload is important to me. It makes me feel less stressed. I can only get so much done in a day. Once I picked up on how much I can handle after the first 2 weeks of the kids being home, I adjusted my expectations. Although some goals are delayed or getting done quick and dirty, overall I’m getting a fair amount done. Over the years, I have learned what works for me. Making lists, being organized, and using time management strategies are really helpful. If you want to learn how to be a productive list maker too, check out the book Listful Thinking: Using Lists to Be More Productive, Successful and Less Stressed by Paula Rizzo and Julie Morgenstern. Do you want to improve your organizing and time management skills? Check out all four of Julie Morgenstern’s books. I’ve been using a spiral-bound notebook to make a daily list for years. I have appointments and reminders programmed into an electronic calendar, but for a daily agenda or to-do list, I need something I can touch. A notebook really works for me. My daily list has 3 categories. Errands, appointments, and outings Projects Phone calls, e-mails, social media and texts Here’s a quick rundown of how I use my list. The first category is “errands, appointments, and outings.” It includes anything that requires being out of the house. The second category is “projects.” This is a vague category, but it involves everything that gets done at home and does not involve communication. Many of my business tasks fall in this category, but so does making beds, doing dishes, folding laundry, and prepping food for dinner. The third and final category on my daily to-do list is phone calls, e-mails, social media, and texts. With the kids home, communication is tricky, but returning calls and responding to messages within 24 hours is important to me. That’s what I want from others. I try to do it myself. When it comes to my family’s projects, my list has several categories. Each person in the house gets their own goals. We have family goals too. Some examples are annual family portraits, home improvement projects, and vacation plans. For my business, I have several goals. The categories change as needed. Right now, this is what I have: podcast demos website marketing social media performance (training) technology networking There’s more than one thing in each category for my business goals. Instead of listing all my goals, I’ll just tell you what I’ve been working on in each category over the past two weeks. I’ve done pretty well in spite of a very different schedule and my kids home during the day. I’ll start with my podcast. My goal is to release one episode per week and alternate solo shows and interview shows. So far so good. I have been releasing an episode each Friday, and I have been lining up guests and scheduling interviews. As a bonus, I have been able to attend “office hours” for the School of Podcasting to hear what my classmates are up to and get input from them and our instructor, Dave Jackson. In the category of demos, I’m working on getting more audiobook demos uploaded to ACX. ACX is the website that matches authors and narrators so they can create audiobooks for sale through Audible and amazon.com. Some exciting news on a different topic now. voiceactorwebsites.com is helping me create a new website. Branding is important to the website, and two books are helping me learn more about branding. They are Celia Siegel’s book Voiceover Achiever: Brand your VO career. Change your life and Donald Miller’s book Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen. Both are in the show notes with links to amazon.com if you want to check them out too! With my Marketing goals, I’m starting to direct-market to potential clients. Eventually, I want to reach out to 5/day. I also just joined Voquent, which is a matchmaking website for voice talents and voice-seekers. My top social media goal right now is to update my banners so my brand is consistent across the sites I use: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. I’m moving forward with audiobook narration lessons with Sean Pratt. I just got my homework assignment, and I’ll be busy with that this month. I’m also practicing medical narration on my own. I have two urgent technology goals. 1. Improve my audio editing skills using an on-line course called Studio One Jumpstart and 2. Buy some back-up cables and a new pair of headphones. I have some networking goals. LinkedIn, Zoom, and Skype are a big help! I am expanding my LinkedIn network, and I am attending meetings using Zoom and Skype. Thanks to the power of lists, I am able to focus. I have goals. I know my priorities, and I am staying on track. I have changed my expectations about how much I can get done in a day. But, I’m still productive, and I feel good! Thank you for listening to episode 14 of The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast!
4/17/2020 • 11 minutes, 31 seconds
Interview with Dr. Bruce Berger, Motivational Interviewing Expert
Mentioned in this episode: Dr. Bruce Berger Website www.mihcp.com Email bbergerconsulting@gmail.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Berger-Consulting-LLC-215069511950778/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-berger-b557a2b/ Motivational Interviewing for Health Professionals: A Sensible Approach 2nd Edition (2020) by Bruce A. Berger (Author), William A. Villaume (Author) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1582123217/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_BSNJEbXKMTCYR or https://ebusiness.pharmacist.com/PersonifyEbusiness/Shop-APhA/Product-Details/productId/348083641?utm_source=pharmacist.com_shop&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=march_bom&utm_content=ad_banner Idaho State University College of Pharmacy students use the comMIt program. https://www.isu.edu/pharmacy/ Contact: biddmich@isu.edu Dr. Bruce Berger uses his voice to educate health care professionals on how to help patients more actively engage in health behaviors and explore reasons they may not engage. Bruce is President of Berger Consulting, LLC and Emeritus Professor at Auburn University. He has developed comMIt (Comprehensive Motivational Interviewing Training for health care providers). He has taught motivational interviewing in health care and methods for improving treatment adherence for over 30 years. Bruce received his BS in Pharmacy, his Masters and Ph.D. in social and behavioral pharmacy from The Ohio State University. He taught at West Virginia University in 1980-1981. After two years at WVU, Bruce moved to Auburn University and taught there until his retirement from the university in September of 2009. His research interests included health behavior change and improving treatment adherence. He has written or presented over 800 papers (85 peer reviewed) or seminars (94 peer reviewed) on these topics. He has been a consultant and trainer for numerous pharmaceutical companies and health plans. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2007 APhA Wierderholt Prize for the best research publication in the social, behavioral, and administrative sciences in pharmacy in the Journal of the APhA. The study focused on the impact of motivational interviewing. Bruce is the 2009 recipient of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy’s Robert Chalmers Distinguished Pharmacy Educator Award, one of the Association’s three highest honors. Bruce is the author of the book, Motivational Interviewing for Health Care Professionals: A Sensible Approach, 2nd Edition APhA, Washington, DC 2020, and an 8 hour accredited Motivational Interviewing E-Learning Program for Health Care Professionals (2015), along with William A. Villaume. Getting started with Motivational Interviewing (MI) Dr. Berger became interested in MI when he was researching the topic of improving adherence to medication. A former grad student, Karen Hudman, told Dr. Berger about Dr. William Miller’s work. Dr. Miller developed an intervention in clinical psychology in the 1970’s, to help individuals with substance use disorders (addiction disorders). It revolutionized the way clinicians spoke to individuals with SUD. Before that, there was “tough love,” and it didn’t work. Tough love is shame-based. Dr. Miller found that reflecting back to patients what they were going through and asking open-ended questions helped. Examples: “Tell me how serious you think this is. What kind of impact do you see it having? Do you think people are overblowing what’s going on with you? Dr. Miller’s methods were non-threatening and got people to talk about what was really going on. Dr. Miller wasn’t trying to motivate people to stop abusing substances as much as he was trying to explore their motivation to quit. What would have to change? First, they had to recognize that there was a problem. He had to explore their motivation to use and quit. It was an interview because what they had to say was just as important as what he had to say. It was a meeting of experts! They were experts on their own substance abuse; Dr. Miller was an expert at psychology and helping individuals. Dr. Berger read about MI and contacted Dr. Miller. They had some great conversations. MI is to this day the most successful intervention for substance abuse disorder and has the lowest rate of relapse. Dr. Berger drew a parallel from using MI for SUD to using MI for high blood pressure. So, he brought it to the healthcare space. What is motivational interviewing for healthcare professionals? MI is a set of skills that are evidence-based and work to help a healthcare provider talk to patients who are either ambivalent or resistant to behavior change relative to health behaviors: taking medicine, losing weight, changing eating habits, and more. MI is non-confrontational and respects that ultimately this is the patient’s decision. It combines reflection and addressing patient’s issues to increase the probability that after the “interview,” the patient will be more likely to engage in healthy behaviors. How long has Dr. Berger been teaching folks about MI? About 30 years. It’s been a learning process for Dr. Berger too! He went by the book at first. Then, he realized he needed to adapt MI from clinical psychology to healthcare. One big reason is that pharmacists, for example, work in a time-limited environment and sometimes have one-time encounters with patients. Acronyms vs. sense-making approach Dr. Miller taught with acronyms. In practice, pharmacists can’t remember the acronyms or when to use them. Dr. Berger changed the acronyms to a “sense-making approach.” It got rid of all the acronyms. Bruce’s approach uses a theory developed by a communication expert named Brenda Durbin. She says humans are “sense-makers.” It’s just who we are. Patients, on the other hand, are making sense of 3 things: The illness: “What does high blood pressure mean to me?” The treatment: “Given what I know about blood pressure, does this treatment make sense to me?” Relationship with the healthcare professional. That relationship is critical to whether the patient wants to move forward with treatment and whether they believe what the healthcare professional is telling them. Who are Dr. Berger’s comMIt learners? In the past, Dr. Berger taught at live events in Atlanta, GA. Now, learners are at conferences (APhA, for example), e-learning program participants, one-on-one coaching via webinars, and readers of his book. Learners are healthcare professionals managing chronic illnesses: diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and more; clinical psychologists from the VA, for example; medical doctors, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, nurses, social workers, sociologists, veterinarians, physical therapists, and chiropractors. At APhA, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and students are in attendance, but there are often faculty and sometimes physicians there too. The comMIt e-learning program The e-learning program is 8 hours in length and has six modules. 8 hours of accredited continuing education is available for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, doctors, nurses, and social workers. Once learners start, they have 3 months of access to the program, which has bookmarks so you can do it at your own pace. Group rates are available starting at 5 people with huge discounts. Groups have 3-years to use their group code. Entire universities (colleges of pharmacy, nursing, medicine, and more) can subscribe to the e-learning program for $1,000/one year for unlimited student use! Universities put the modules on their LMS, and students can use them until the year is up. Idaho State University, for example, has done this. Dr. Mike Biddle and Dr. Rebecca Hoover are using the six-module e-learning course as part of their curriculum. After students consume each module, they participate in immersion exercises to apply what they just learned. Drs. Biddle and Hoover are publishing a paper on this soon, and they won an award for demonstrating an improvement in student skills and knowledge after using the ComMIt e-learning program. The comMIt program is great for healthcare professionals and students who need to learn MI. Examples of using motivational interviewing Dr. Berger gave some great examples of the sense-making approach to motivational interviewing. MI was developed for patients who are ambivalent or resistant to change. Their sense-making is problematic. It’s based on inaccurate or incomplete information. A patient’s sense leads to a conclusion, which leads to a decision about behavior. Situation: A high blood pressure patient says, “I don’t know why I need this medication. “I feel fine.” Their conclusion is, “I feel fine, therefore, I am fine.” Humans use schema to make sense of things. They conclude that they aren’t going to take their medicine. When people are ambivalent or resistant about behavior change, their sense-making is problematic because they are operating with inaccurate or incomplete information. Incomplete: they don’t know how they can feel ok and not be at risk. Listening for that helps pharmacists know what to do. Typical pharmacist response is, “Well, you can’t feel when your blood pressure is up.” We make the patient feel stupid. We cause them to lose face. They discount the information that is given to them or they disregard it altogether. There are studies to support this. Don’t try to persuade, convince, or cause them to lose face. Dr. Berger’s version of MI helps the patient understand how they can feel ok and still be at risk without causing them to lose face. Example #1 Patient: “I don’t know why I need this medication. I feel fine.” Pharmacist: “Because you’re feeling ok, you’re wondering why I need this medicine?” Patient: “Right!” (They feel understood because the pharmacist listened to them, and they do not feel judged.) The pharmacist gave the patient a chance to confirm their statement or correct the pharmacist/clarify. Pharmacist: “You raise a good question.” (Pharmacist encourages patient push-back.) “Would you mind if I shared some thoughts with you, and you tell me what you think?” (Be conversational!) Patient: “Sure.” If they say they will listen, but still won’t take the medicine, just remind them that this really is their decision. People aren’t going to do what we tell them just because we tell them to do it. Pharmacist: “HBP is one of those health conditions that does not have any symptoms. The first symptom is often a stroke or a heart attack. In other words, a person’s blood pressure can be elevated, and they don’t even feel it. Therefore, people stop taking their medicine or never start taking their medicine. I’d hate to see that happen to you because you can lower your blood pressure by taking this medicine. It would be really tragic if you didn’t take your medicine and had a stroke or a heart attack because you felt ok. Where does this leave you now in terms of taking the medicine?” Patient “Wow, I never realized that!” Or, “Come on. You’re saying I can feel this good and still have a stroke or a heart attack?” Pharmacist can say, “Yes, and that’s the dangerous thing about high blood pressure. What are your thoughts?” Example #2 from a pharmacist who had a one-on-one private coaching webinar with Dr. Berger Pharmacist calls patient and points out that compliance is low: 4 out of 7 days per week. Patient says, “Yeah yeah.” The Pharmacist didn’t learn from that interaction. Instead, the pharmacist should focus on what the patient is doing right. In this example, he’s taking his medicine 4 days/week. Pharmacist can ask, “What’s made it important for you to take it on those four days?” Patient says he felt fine after taking it 4 days/week. Or, he can’t afford it 7 days/week. Or, he can’t handle the side effects. Assume the patient felt fine taking it 4/7 days/week. The pharmacist says, “Because you felt ok after 4 days, you’re thinking, ‘Why do I need to take it more,’ right? Great question. Mind if I share some thoughts with you? You tell me what you think.” You can learn about their internal motivation. That could be reasonable thought from the patient’s point of view. Dr. Berger’s comMIt e-learning course has example cases Cases of pharmacists doing it wrong - no MI. Then, doing it using MI. Words appear on the screen. Dr. Berger talks about where in the conversation things went south, and words light up on the screen for emphasis. It’s easy to see WHY it went south. Using MI, the RIGHT words are highlighted to show a resolution that improves health. A single, one-on-one coaching webinar is provided with each individual or each group purchase. Participants can buy extra coaching as needed. It’s a webcast with video and audio. Barriers to enrolling Most people don’t think they need 8 hours. Barriers to using MI once it is learned MI is patient-centered. The patient’s needs are more important than mine. To be patient-centered means that I need to exist in the pre-frontal cortex of my brains where complex decision making and high-level empathy take place. When you’re not in that part of your brain, you make mistakes. Brief example: Dr. Berger had a pharmacy student who helped a patient who was buying aspirin with his warfarin. The student asked the patient some questions, and he responded in a threatening way. Her limbic system kicked in. She could ONLY fight, flee, or freeze. You can’t do MI in the limbic system. You’re too busy worrying about yourself…trying to survive. So, you can’t be patient-centered. Sense-making in this example: Patient: “Aspirin is the only thing that helps with my back pain. I don’t trust the reason my healthcare professional wants to do bloodwork.” Pharmacists need to listen for - and address - the sense-making. “You’ve been getting a lot of relief from your back pain, and you don’t want anyone to take that away from you. And, I want you to know that I don’t want to take your pain relief away from you. It also sounds like you have some serious doubts about what your doctor’s motives are for having bloodwork done.” Patient said, “Damn right.” The pharmacist is now in the position to make a positive change because he showed the patient he understood how the patient understood the world. Note: MI asks permission. There is an exception. When the pharmacist fears that the patient is at risk for harm by withholding information, permission is not needed. This is one of those examples. Without asking permission, you say, “Here’s what my concern is. I really want you to get relief from your back pain, and I want to talk to you about that. I don’t want to take your pain relief away from you. But, here’s what worries me. Aspirin can make your warfarin work better than it should. Instead of preventing blood clots, it could lead to hemorrhaging. You could die from that. Your doctor wants to monitor you so he can adjust your dose, if needed. It’s possible to take warfarin with aspirin, but only if you’re monitored. Even then, it’s somewhat dangerous. I’d like to act as your advocate and call your doctor, but before I do that, I’d like to talk to you about some alternatives to aspirin that you can use. I’d like to know what you’ve done with physical therapy too, so you can more safely get pain relief and still use your warfarin.” He said, “you think this is serious?” That’s the power of MI. It changes the dynamic! In the book and the e-learning, there is an entire chapter and module about “The brain and social threat.” Self-Deception and Objectification: another barrier to MI APhA’s talk was going to be about self-deception and objectification. When we objectify a human being, we reduce them to an object. People are always people, even when they are behaving badly. People sometimes become blind to the fact that someone is a person, which reduces them to an object. What causes someone to become blind? That’s what the APhA workshop was about. To be patient-centered and use MI, you can not reduce a person to an object because when you reduce a person to an object, you will feel justified in providing less care or mistreating that person. When a healthcare professional says that someone is being difficult and won’t listen to what is being said, they are treating their patient like an object. They feel justified in not treating someone with the dignity and respect they deserve. That is dangerous in healthcare. Example: Driving near a shopping center. Someone pulls out in front of you. You have to honk and slam on your breaks. You gesture. You have reduced that person to an idiot in the moment. Then, you see it’s your priest or best friend, and you feel embarrassed and want to hide. They are now a person. When we betray the right thing to another person and we do not acknowledge the betrayal, we will justify ourselves, objectify, and become self-deceived. Honk and slam on your breaks. Don’t give dirty looks or gesture. After all, it’s just another human being. When we objectify, we can not be patient-centered and use MI. In conclusion, learn MI thoroughly. It is powerful. Invest the time in MI. 2 hours is not enough. It can be frustrating to use when you haven’t learned it thoroughly. A minimum of 8-16 hours of training and application is needed to become really good at using it. Use it daily. Hone the craft. Patient health outcomes can improve, and money can be saved.
4/10/2020 • 58 minutes, 31 seconds
My home studio is open for business!
Mentioned in this episode Level Two Improv Class https://glasscityimprov.com/classes Toastmasters Club 3159 https://3159.toastmastersclubs.org My medical narration demo https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/demo.html My LinkedIn Profile linkedin.com/in/kimnewlove David Rosenthal and his team produced my demo https://globalvoiceacademy.com VO Edge is the on-line course I took to learn about LinkedIn https://www.thevoedge.com/home. VOcation NYC is a voiceover conference https://www.vocationconference.com Sean Pratt is my audiobook narration coach. seanprattpresents.com Audio engineering courses I am taking: https://s1jumpstart.com, https://s1advanced.com, and https://rxjumpstart.com Ford Motor Company and GE Healthcare are making ventilators. https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2020/03/30/ford-to-produce-50-000-ventilators-in-michigan-in-next-100-days.html Born Standing up by Steve Martin https://www.amazon.com/dp/1416553657/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_UCRHEb8HF6K3E Facebook Group for Individuals with Special needs https://m.facebook.com/groups/203526030915935?refid=18&_ft_=top_level_post_id.214494529819085%3Acontent_owner_id_new.1474254759%3Aphoto_id.10216219675872627%3Astory_location.6%3Astory_attachment_style.photo&__tn__=C-R Home Studio I have a home recording studio. It has never been more important to have one, according to the voice actors I know and the ones I follow on social media. They’re right, too! As I record this on April 2, 2020, from my home studio, the corona virus has changed the American definition of “workplace.” I live in Ohio, and there is a list of “essential businesses” allowed to conduct business as usual. Everyone else is working from home or not at all. How has the corona virus affected my voiceover business? My availability is similar. On previous episodes of this podcast, I have talked about my voiceover business being a part-time job I can do from home. That’s still true. Instead of working while the kids are at school, however, I work before the kids are up, at the end of my husband’s work day, and on weekends. Learning Opportunities The corona virus caused two unexpected changes to my learning opportunities this spring, specifically my improv training and my Toastmasters meetings. My Level Two Improv Class has been postponed; it was supposed to start this week. I miss laughing and playing games, but I will get back to it some day. My Toastmaster’s Club meets via Zoom now instead of in-person. Not a bad alternative, if you ask me! Toastmasters is helping me become a better public speaker. I love it, and the people in my club are great. We meet each Friday morning from 7-8:30 AM Eastern Time. Medical Narration Demo I got my medical narration demo back. I think it sounds great, and if you would like to listen to it, you can check it out by visiting my website or my LinkedIn profile. The website is thepharmacistsvoice.com, and my LinkedIn profile can be found using the link in the show notes. The demo was produced by David Rosenthal and his team at the Global Voice Acting Academy. What does one do once they have a demo? That’s a great question! Other than sharing it on my website and including it on my LinkedIn Profile, I still have a lot to learn. The right next steps are important, and I am excited to learn more from my coach this month. Direct Marketing My sources tell me that direct-marketing using LinkedIn is the way to find medical narration and e-learning voiceover work. I’m not a marketing person, I’m a pharmacist. I didn’t know what it meant to direct-market on LinkedIn at first. I needed help! When I was at a voiceover conference in New York City last September, I heard about an on-line course called The VO Edge. It was created by a voice actor who found success direct-marketing to potential clients using LinkedIn. It took me about 8 hours over the course of one week to complete the course and update my LinkedIn profile. It was worth my time, and I’m looking forward to expanding my network and direct-marketing soon. On a related topic, I’ve had the good fortune to connect with many voice actors, either online through social media or at the VOcation conference in September. They are very generous with what they know and have taught me many things. Every other Thursday I meet with a group of voice actors who have become my voiceover accountability buddies. We talk about what we have accomplished in the past two weeks, what we are working on now, what’s coming up, and what’s in our way. Everyone is very helpful, and I feel really lucky to be part of the group! Other than my accountability buddy group, many voice actors have kindly offered to have a conversation with me and share what they know or help me with a small task. In fact, last month, I needed to test my Skype call recorder for a podcast interview, and a voice actor friend came through for me. He even recruited a third caller to help me out! I got the call recorder working, and they generously stayed on the call to talk some shop and give me some advice. That was really awesome, and I appreciated it! Audiobook narration training In other news, I continue to train to be an audiobook narrator with Sean Pratt. I love what I am learning, and I have a lesson scheduled for next week. Learning while sheltering in place There is a lot of buzz on social media about learning new skills while stuck at home as the corona virus sweeps through the US. I love to learn, and I fully support this suggestion. I already learned about LinkedIn, like I said. Next, I’m planning to finish some on-line courses on using my recording software and audio repair software. Keeping busy Other than working when I can, I have been getting out with my husband and kids and walking at parks or around our neighborhood. The weather has been pretty decent here in Ohio. It’s finally spring. When it’s 40 degrees out and sunny, being outside feels great. If you’re from the midwest, you might also say that it’s finally warm enough to drive with your windows down. In fact, I’ve seen people doing it already, especially the dog owners. People in Florida and California are probably thinking I’m nuts, but I’m serious. It’s an Ohio thing! To keep busy, I’m also, reading Steve Martin’s book, Born Standing Up and enjoying it! Books written by American comedians are awesome. They’re funny, and I always learn something. Thank you's and celebrating innovation Thank you to all the pharmacists and other healthcare workers who are on the front lines on the corona virus pandemic. Thank you to everyone doing everything they can to help. From the families who are staying home to the food industry workers keeping the shelves stocked in the stores. Thank you. I am very proud of the innovation I am seeing in the US right now too. So many human interest stories are showing up, exemplifying what it means to be an American. We get knocked down, but we get up again and try to innovate the heck out of a bad situation. Just some examples: Places of worship are streaming worship services Teachers are teaching from on-line platforms, using short videos, and otherwise making lemonade from the lemons sheltering in place has given them. I even heard that Ford Motor Company is retooling to make ventilators. Quilting groups are making fabric masks for food industry workers. And, my friend Claudine co-founded a Facebook Group for Individuals with Special Needs. The Group gives activity ideas to families sheltering in place with a family member with special needs. This hits home for me. I have a 17-year-old son with autism. This is a tough time for him and our whole family. We can’t have caregivers in our home right now. He loves us, but he misses them. He misses school and classmates too. We will get through this. April is starting off fairly well. Working from home is nothing new. I have a home recording studio, a great medical narration demo, supportive friends and coaches, and new skills. I’m a self-starter, and I’m excited about what comes next. FYI, I’m in 26 US states and 15 countries! Thank you for listening!
4/3/2020 • 9 minutes, 10 seconds
Interview with Sue Paul and Michelle Fritsch, Medipreneurs Co-Founders
Mentioned in this episode: Medipreneurs is a conference for pharmacists and healthcare entrepreneurs. https://www.medipreneurs.com, info@medipreneurs.com Sue Paul is a pharmacist and co-founder of Medipreneurs. suepaulrph@gmail.com, www.linkedin.com/in/sue-paulrph Synerxgy Consulting http://www.synerxgy.com PGX101 http://www.pgx101.com. Twitter: @Pill_Bug, @SyneRxgy, @PGx101 Instagram: suepaul_paul, medipreneurs, pgx101 Michelle Fritsch is a pharmacist and co-founder of Medipreneurs. michelle@retirewellness.com, https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-fritsch-6462bbb/ Meds MASH (Mature Adults Safe at Home) https://www.medsmash.com Retirement Wellness Strategies https://www.retirewellness.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/retirewellness.org/ Anna Garrett is a co-founder of Medipreneurs. https://drannagarrett.com, linkedin.com/in/annagarrett Dan Krinsky is a Co-Founder of PGX101 linkedin.com/in/dan-krinsky-a8537a Lisa Larter is a business coach and the 2018 and 2019 Medipreneurs keynote speaker. https://lisalarter.com, linkedin.com/in/lisalarter Sue and Michelle are role models for pharmacist entrepreneurship. The 2020 Medipreneurs Conference in Cincinnati, OH has been postponed due to the corona virus. It was scheduled April 17-19, and a new date is yet to be determined. Sue Paul, RPh Sue Paul is a pharmacist, entrepreneur, and small business owner with over 20 years of experience in the industry. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati, she worked in several practice settings, including community practice, nursing home consulting, and hospital. Sue founded SyneRxgy Consulting LLC, a concierge pharmacy service, and manages chronic disease states. Her practice sites include a physician’s office, employer worksites, and in-home patient visits. Sue adjusts medications, educates patients, implements and analyzes pharmacogenomic and nutrigenomic patient testing, and reviews and compiles current medication lists for patients. She enjoys empowering patients to take control of their health. In 2018, Sue co-founded PGx101 with another pharmacist, Dan Krinsky. PGx101 offers pharmacists 20 hours of ACPE approved continuing education and a certificate in Pharmacogenomics (PGx). Since 2016, Sue has been using PGx in her clinic and with home patients to implement patient-centered medication modification in conjunction with their providers. Sue is one of three Co-Founders of Medipreneurs LLC, along with Michelle Fritsch, PharmD, and Anna Garrett, PharmD. Medipreneurs is an international conference and community for pharmacy entrepreneurs. Current planning is underway for their 3rd annual conference. Sue is active in local, state and national professional organizations. For example she is a Board Member of the Ohio Pharmacists Foundation. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and four adult children, reading, walking with friends, and brainstorming with others about action plans to get from where they are to where they want to be. Michelle Fritsch, Pharm.D., BCGP, BCACP Michelle Fritsch is a Purdue Pharm D. graduate with post-doctoral training in Madison, Wisconsin. She is board certified in geriatric pharmacy and ambulatory care pharmacy. Starting in 1992, Michelle has been a professor teaching pharmacists, physicians, nurses, physician assistants, and physical therapists. She has a passion for healthy aging and education. She is a specialist in medication use in people over 60. She founded two companies: Retirement Wellness Strategies and Meds MASH, LLC, and works with a broad definition of health – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social. Michelle is a frequent speaker, lately on topics of safe medication use, falls prevention, medical cannabis, addiction, opioid use, coordination of healthcare, retirement readiness, and the role of medication in healthy aging. As healthcare is changing, she is also supporting entrepreneurial healthcare providers as a co- founder of Medipreneurs. Medipreneurs started around the time Sue started her business. She was in a business mentoring group with Anna Garrett, Pharm D. They supported one another and felt the desire to create a community for pharmacists to launch a business. When Michelle joined Anna and Sue, the three came up with a conference that could support a community of pharmacists [and eventually healthcare entrepreneurs] on their respective entrepreneurial journeys. The name of the conference is Medipreneurs. Pivots and detours are not new to the Medipreneurs conference. The first ever conference was in 2018. It was delayed from Fall 2017 to April 2018. The “Medipreneurs Detour” is in place over a period of time instead of the Medipreneurs Conference weekend. There are “Detour Stops” where people can come to get information about Medipreneurs and where is it headed. Examples include: The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast Episode 11 Online Masterminds, which are small groups with brainstorming and conversation Webinars provided by the speakers who were scheduled for the conference. Previous attendees can share what they learned and what they achieved in other ways too. For me, Medipreneurs was like a mastermind every hour of every day. Whether we were waiting for a scheduled program to start or chatting at the end of one, having a meal, or just bumping into one another, the Medipreneurs Conference was a place to share ideas, ask for thoughts, and get clarity. Lisa Larter, a Professional Business Coach, was the keynote speaker at Medipreneurs 2018 and 2019. At Medipreneurs 2018, she helped me see value in services I was providing. Then, she coached me to ask if there was a budget to pay me and how to negotiate a fair price. Mission accomplished! I now earn money in place of volunteering. The Medipreneurs Conference empowers pharmacists and healthcare entrepreneurs to see their value and so they can feel justified billing for services. Examples include smoking cessation programs, medication review services, CBD consulting, women’s health and wellness practices, business coaching, and more. Pharmacists don’t recognize their value. We are skilled at paying attention to detail and producing precise results. Entrepreneurial life can seem counter intuitive. Sue, Anna, and Michelle started Medipreneurs to invite other pharmacists to think outside the box and form the next wave of what pharmacy and healthcare could look like. Michelle talked about the energy in the first conference in 2018. I drew a parallel to the opening ceremony at the Olympics. Instead of representing countries, different disciplines of pharmacy practice and business were represented. Medipreneurs helped me funnel my ideas down to the one thing that I could move forward with. Medipreneurs attendees can bring what they know from other industries to the conference and share with others. For example, I can share what I know about rate guides from the voiceover industry. By bringing helpful information from other industries into pharmacy, pharmacists can model best practices and apply them to their businesses, for example, developing rates for services. Pharmacists need to set rates for services and share them with other entrepreneurs so everyone can establish fee-for-service expectations. We need to stop giving everything away! We discussed idea theft. I was afraid that if I shared my idea, it would get stolen. Michelle mentioned that she heard that concern from others too. There is plenty of work to go around. We can’t reach everyone. It’s ok for someone to take an idea and apply it to a different part of the country. I asked, "What’s the best thing that has happened since you started Medipreneurs?” Sue said she likes to see someone pick an idea, move forward with it, and become successful. Similarly, Michelle says she enjoys meeting all the people who participate in the conference and watching them find the path to what they want to pursue. I asked, “What’s one of the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome [with Medipreneurs]?” Sue said, “Being seen.” Branding, marketing, advertising, and getting the word out is outside of her comfort zone. For Michelle, it has been the “leap of faith” and “the unknowns.” Michelle wonders, “Where is it going now? What direction is it going in now? Are we taking it in the right direction? Are we reaching the right people?” I asked Michelle and Sue respectively about their own businesses outside of Medipreneurs. Michelle left Academia. She has a specialty is geriatrics, meaning people over the age of 60. She likes being on the young end of that and focusing on preventative medicine. Her first business is Meds MASH: Mature Adults Safe at Home. Her intention was to focus on 60-80 year-olds and delay the time until they would need assistance. In practice, her Meds MASH patients are the parents of those 60-80 year-olds, individuals in their 80’s-100’s! Her second business is Retirement Wellness Strategies, which specializes in retirement-aged men who are defined by their jobs. They struggle with retirement. That’s a very niche practice area! Sue works with a progressive physician’s office and has expanded her services into new areas. In April 2019, her practice expanded to treating individuals with substance use disorder with MAT (medication assisted treatment). Next, she wants to run a Hepatitis C clinic and introduce PREP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) for HIV prevention. Sue also created PGX101, a course to educate pharmacists and primary care providers about the benefits of pharmacogenomics. Sue has blossomed as an entrepreneur, and she made a great analogy between seeds and business. Medipreneurs plants seeds, so entrepreneurs can start, grow, and operate their own businesses. The conference helps nourish and water those seeds, giving the right environment for growth. It can take a while to germinate a seed and see what kind of plant the seed produces. Medipreneurs is the right place for entrepreneurs to get ideas and be among the right people to encourage growth. Really a beautiful analogy. Sue and Michelle want to see entrepreneurs blossom. Medipreneurs advocates and educates. They advocate for healthcare entrepreneurs and changes in healthcare. They educate by sharing messages that will be important for entrepreneurs in the various stages of their entrepreneurial journeys. To learn more about Medipreneurs, visit www.medipreneurs.com.
3/27/2020 • 34 minutes, 1 second
Celebrating some big wins!
Mentioned in this episode: Libsyn is my podcast host/distributor. libsyn.com Dave Jackson taught me how to podcast. www.schoolofpodcasting.com Keith Norton is a voice actor. https://wingmanvoice.com or linkedin.com/in/wingmanvoice Jen Olaya is a voice actor. jenolaya.com or linkedin.com/in/jenolaya Who’s Line is it Anyway? https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163507/ VOcation is a voiceover conference in NYC https://www.vocationconference.com Sean Pratt is my audiobook narration coach. https://www.seanprattpresents.com Level One Class at Glass City Improv (Toledo, OH) https://glasscityimprov.com. Erin Kanary was my primary improv teacher. https://glasscityimprov.com/about-us Jeremy Natter also taught my improve class. https://glasscityimprov.com/classes/level-1 The Attic is a bar in Toledo, OH. http://www.theatticonadams.com To learn more about Mark and Level 2 Audio, visit www.level2audio.com. Nancy Wolfson was my first voiceover coach. https://braintracksaudio.com David Rosenthal is the CEO of the Global Voice Acting Academy (GVAA). He is my medical narration coach, and he is producing my demo. https://globalvoiceacademy.com, https://www.davidrosenthalonline.com Audible https://www.audible.com. Amazon https://www.amazon.com. My ACX Profile https://www.acx.com/narrator?p=A10FSORRTANJ4Z Westgate Toastmasters https://3159.toastmastersclubs.org/ Matthew Dicks http://www.matthewdicks.com Storyworthy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Storyworthy-Engage-Persuade-through-Storytelling/dp/1608685489/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=storyworthy&qid=1584537503&sr=8-1 I’m celebrating some big wins! March 2020 has been a great month for me. I’m celebrating 10 episodes of this podcast. Level One Improv Class is done. I recorded my medical narration demo. My audiobook demos on ACX are halfway done, and I’m plugging along on my Toastmasters journey. Things are going well, and I’m excited about what lies ahead. Since I started this podcast in December 2019, I have had hundreds of downloads and, according to my podcast stats, my listeners are in 22 states and 10 countries. Thank you for listening! I also want to thank Dave Jackson for teaching me how to Podcast and my classmates at the School of Podcasting for their support and advice. When I first realized I needed to take an improv class, I was on a lunch break from the VOcation Conference in New York City. It was a beautiful September afternoon in 2019. I was chowing on some BBQ and hanging out on a bench in Riverside Park with dozens of other voice actors. Keith Norton and Jen Olaya, in particular, recommended I take an improv class. They told me it would help me become a better voice actor. My brain didn’t make the connection between improv and voiceover at first. I didn’t have my “aha" moment until this month (March 2020). Everything I knew about Improv, I learned about 20 years ago from a TV show called Whose Line is it Anyway. Throughout the VOcation NYC conference, other presenters and students mentioned improv. When I got back to Ohio and continued audiobook narration lessons at the end of September, my teacher, Sean Pratt, also suggested I get improv training. I found an Improv Class at Glass City Improv in Toledo, OH. I signed up for Level One Improv Class. That’s the “beginner” class. Improv Class started Monday, January 25, and was taught by Erin Kanary and Jeremy Natter. Classes were 2 and a half hours long every Monday for 8 weeks. Our last class was Monday, March 9. We were supposed to have a show on Friday the 13th of March, but it was cancelled due Ohio’s new social-distancing requirements. Improv class taught me to say, “Yes, and…” After all, that’s the mantra of improv! “Yes, and…” In the process of learning, I had a ton of fun. I didn’t know what to expect, but I must say that each class was like a grown-up birthday party full of games. It was so fun, and I laughed so much, that my face hurt from laughing and smiling after every class. The class had great chemistry. Not only did we have fun in class, but we also bonded after class over drinks and conversation at a local bar called “The Attic.” It was great. We had a blast. Apart from becoming a better improvisor in class, over the 8-week class, my narration skills, timing, and delivery all improved. I became more spontaneous, and I felt like I could make different choices with the material I was narrating. I think improv class helped me make the most out of my medical narration demo on March 11, too. Mission accomplished! Improv helped me become a better narrator. I had my “aha” moment after 8 weeks of improv class. One of my improv classmates and I have special voices for our pets. Spoiler alert! I just watched Frozen II, and the character Christoff talks for his reindeer “Sven” too! My theory is that more improv classes can help. There are at least three levels of improv classes at Glass City Improv. So, I plan to sign up for Level Two next time it is offered. I already miss laughing and playing games! Favorite warm-ups: 10-second story, Zip-Zap-Zop, Da-Do-Da-Do, and object work exercises. Favorite games: “Gone in 60 seconds,” “Google Translate,” “New Choice,” “Advice Panel,” and “Freeze.” I had a blast in Level One Improv Class, and it has made me a better narrator. Do you love a story with a happy ending? Then, you will like my medical narration demo story! In October 2017, I visited Level 2 Audio, the nearest recording studio to my home. The owner, Mark, kindly offered to meet with me for about an hour to show me his studio and talk with me about my idea to narrate pharmacy continuing education journals into audiobook format. Refer to Episode Two of this podcast. Mark is the one who got me started on my Voiceover Journey two and a half years ago. After we met, he gave me the name of a coach (Nancy Wolfson) and some information to consider. The rest is history. Without Mark’s knowledge, I spent almost two and a half years figuring out what to do with my original idea and ultimately learning the business of voiceover and training to be a voice actor who specializes in medical narration and e-learning. Mark and I had not spoken since October 2017. Between fall 2017 and March 2020, I worked with David Rosenthal, among other coaches. The first time David and I ever spoke, I didn’t know how much work I needed to become proficient at medical narration. After reading scripts with him in a private lesson, he knew what I needed to do. For starters, I needed to take a 3-part group medical narration class. During the group class, I improved dramatically. After a year of various voiceover training classes, including private coaching with David, I was finally ready to record my demo! Everything I did over the past two and a half years helped - from improv class, to audiobook narration class to support and input from my accountability buddies. This is all going to seem very serendipitous, but in a round-about way, Mark kicked off my voiceover career, and I am very pleased to say that he recorded my medical narration demo in his studio on March 11, 2020. The demo is in post-production through David Rosenthal right now, and I hope to have it by the end of the March 2020. As a surprise bonus, Mark offered to include my demo on the “samples” page of Level 2 Audio’s website, which features professional voice talents the studio recommends. I am flattered, and I’m looking forward to sharing the demo with Level 2 Audio soon. Something in my life came full-circle on March 11, and it felt good!! As I have been working my way through audiobook narration classes with Sean Pratt, I have been recording and uploading my demos to ACX.com, which is a matchmaking site that connects authors and narrators who want to record audiobooks to sell on Audible, which is Amazon’s audiobook seller. My goal is six demos on the site, and I have 3 now. Half way there! The last milestone I want to share is that I joined a Toastmasters Club in January 2020. After 3 months of being a guest, I finally joined. I love my club! Toastmasters is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. My club is called Westgate Toastmasters Club 3159, and we meet in Toledo, OH. Why would I want to join, and why is this a mile stone? I wanted to join to become a more confident speaker, communicator, and leader. It’s a milestone because I’m at the beginning of a journey to gaining even more skills that will help me in my voiceover career and in life. A journey begins with a single step! October 18, 2019, was my first meeting. The Table Topics Master was Joe, and the theme was “celebrating grandparents.” I didn’t know anything about Toastmasters meetings, and I got called to the front of the room to share a 1-2 minute story about my grandparents. I told a story about the small town where I was raised and the Grandma who wrote me many letters when I left for college, got married, and started a family. I saved her letters, and when she was on her deathbed, I read the letters to her. She had Alzheimer’s Disease. Her memory had faded, but on her last day, I sensed she knew who I was and enjoyed hearing me read those letters to her. Little did I know that the “table topics” part of the meeting was a contest, and I won The Best Table Topics ribbon for my story. That meant more to me than I can say. I need to give credit where credit is due though. I had just read the book Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks the week before my first Toastmasters meeting. I used what he taught me about storytelling to win the ribbon. (The secret is out!) I was so excited about winning the ribbon at Toastmasters that I Tweeted about it. I’m not a big Twitter user, but I saw an opportunity to thank the author for the lessons I learned and give Mike, who invited me in the first place, a shout out. I’m glad I put the message out there. The author of Storyworthy - Matthew Dicks - congratulated me in return! At each Toastmasters meeting, I learn even more lessons about storytelling and speech craft by hearing members speak. I’m excited to be a new member, learn, and grow.
3/20/2020 • 16 minutes, 43 seconds
Interview with Dr. Asha Bohannon, pharmacist entrepreneur
PaiWellnessGroup.com asha@paiwellnessgroup.com Facebook.com/paiwellnessgroup Instagram.com/paiwellnessgroup Dr. Asha Pai Bohannon has more than 23 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She is a Holistic Doctor of Pharmacy and the owner of PAI Wellness Group, LLC in Raleigh, North Carolina. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Asha is a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) and Certified Personal Trainer (CPT). She is also certified in Medication Therapy Management (MTM) and Immunization. In her practice at PAI Wellness Group, Dr. Asha uses a unique, 7 Steps to H.A.R.M.O.N.Y.™ process and a 360-degree holistic, individualized approach to helping her patients manage their health and wellness, using as few medications as possible. Dr. Asha is especially focused on and adept at helping men and women manage pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Recently, Dr. Asha published a book entitled To Medicate or Not? That Is the Question: How to Improve Your Blood Test Results, in which she describes her 7 Steps to H.A.R.M.O.N.Y.™ and the many factors that come into play in order to achieve a healthier life. Her newest passion comes in the form of a collaboration with her husband Eric: helping other Pharmacists find their passion and purpose and create the opportunity that is right for them. With their Biz Rx™ service, they want to be “The prescription for YOUR business!” I invited Asha to be on my podcast because she advocates for patient health and wellness as well as pharmacist entrepreneurship in her practice at PAI Wellness Group. We met at the 2018 Medipreneurs Conference in Asheville, North Carolina. I’m glad we met, and it’s been a pleasure to watch her develop her business over the past two years. You can find the book To Medicate or Not? That Is the Question: The Ultimate Guide to Improving Blood Test Results at bit.ly/ToMedicateOrNot Another book in the works. It is unrelated to the first book. Q: How did this all get started? A: Asha’s personal health journey. 2 services are offered by PAI Wellness Group 7 Steps to H.A.R.M.O.N.Y.™, which helps patients manage their health and wellness in a holistic manner. Biz Rx™, a 10-week program to help pharmacist entrepreneurs from idea to launch. Her husband Eric coaches the business piece. Dr. Asha coaches the clinical piece and fills in the gaps. Q: When did you realize you had a passion for coaching? A: For years! It took time to create a business and offer services. Q: Has your clientele grown? A: Yes! For Biz Rx™, Eric and Asha met their first clients at Medipreneurs 2019. Pharmacists are looking to leave traditional practice. Asha and Eric can help. Free 30-minute consults are available. Q: Do you only coach pharmacists to create wellness practices? A: No. Lots of niches have come through: women’s health, migraine, travel, and more. Services can be created based on the client’s needs. Clients create private practices. Q: What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen so far in your business? A: In her wellness practice, some people will not spend money on their own healthcare. In Biz Rx™, some Pharmacists undervalue themselves. Q: What do you love most about your business? A: Flexibility: working around family’s schedule. Asha wears a lot of hats. She has a flexible schedule and can work with clients on their time. She also enjoys working with her husband. Making an impact on the profession of pharmacy is very rewarding too! Q: How did you overcome the fear and the little voice in your head that you can’t do this, Asha? A: It’s a growing process. It took her some time to get over her own imposter syndrome. Now, she gets to help others get over it! “Just do it. Pick yourself up. Dust yourself off. Keep moving forward.” Asha is also inspired by her kids; she doesn’t want them to see her fail. Q: What’s something people don’t realize about being a pharmacist mom and an entrepreneur? A: It’s difficult to be in a traditional pharmacist role. She missed a lot of her kids’s stuff because she was tied to her work schedule. She was stressed and couldn’t be present. As a pharmacist Mom entrepreneur, she enjoys the flexibility of being present for her job, her family, and her other commitments. Q: Agree or disagree, starting a business is like having another child? A: Agree. The first 2-3 years during launch, yes! Her business sets her soul on fire. She wants to jump out of bed in the morning and work! Q: What did it feel like when you got that first client? A: AMAZING! But, nerve-wracking. She wants to deliver the results clients need. Extra time and energy goes into making sure everything is just right so that she gives a good quality experience. (That goes for both sides of Asha’s business!) Q: What is the best thing that has happened to you since you started? A: Being able to help people and make an impact in their lives. Also, helping people find options they haven’t considered yet. PaiWellnessGroup.com asha@paiwellnessgroup.com Facebook.com/paiwellnessgroup Instagram.com/paiwellnessgroup
3/13/2020 • 45 minutes, 49 seconds
Books that have influenced me
1. Organizing from the Inside Out, Second Edition: The Foolproof System For Organizing Your Home, Your Office and Your Life (Paperback – August 12, 2004) by Julie Morgenstern (Author) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0805075895/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_8BPsEbTEYVYHP 2. Time Management from the Inside Out, Second Edition: The Foolproof System for Taking Control of Your Schedule -- and Your Life (Paperback – August 12, 2004) by Julie Morgenstern (Author) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0805075909/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_yDPsEbEKC5C2J 3. Never Check E-Mail In the Morning: And Other Unexpected Strategies for Making Your Work Life Work (Paperback – September 27, 2005) by Julie Morgenstern (Author) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0743250885/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_LFPsEbWN9ZGNG 4. SHED Your Stuff, Change Your Life: A Four-Step Guide to Getting Unstuck (Paperback – March 3, 2009) by Julie Morgenstern (Author) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0743250907/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_WwPsEbGCR1X8F 5. Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard (Hardcover – February 16, 2010) by Chip Heath and Dan Heath https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385528752/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_czuyEbZVC13WD 6. Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work (Hardcover – March 26, 2013) by Chip Heath and Dan Heath https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307956393/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_ssuyEbNN4QF9Z 7. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't by Jim Collins (Oct 16, 2001) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0066620996/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_eDuyEb9WRKSAM To learn more about “The 4 “D’s,” visit https://www.juliemorgenstern.com/tips-tools-blog/2016/9/12/streamline-your-workload-with-the-4-ds To learn more about “SHED,” visit https://www.juliemorgenstern.com/tips-tools-blog/2020/3/4/5-keys-to-decluttering “What do books have to do with making a career change from pharmacist to voice actor?” Plenty. The year was 2005. I was a young Mom. 27 years old. My life was a circus. My husband worked full-time, and I worked part-time. We had a newborn, and our 2-year-old son had just been diagnosed with autism. Our house had toys, books, and kid stuff all over the place, and there were never enough hours in the day to get everything done. Every day, I wondered when things would get better. I felt so disorganized. 2 years later, in 2007, I saw a professional organizer and author named Julie Morgenstern on TV. Everything she said made sense. I bought and read her first two books: Organizing from the Inside Out and Time Management from the Inside Out. Julie Morgenstern is my Yoda. In her first book, she said, “Self-awareness is the most powerful tool in getting and staying organized.” Julie also said, “Only you can pinpoint what’s holding you back.” She was right! I was the only person who could pinpoint what was holding me back from getting and staying organized. Her books are filled with great advice that get to the root cause of why we do the things we do and how to use that information to get organized. After all, why should I get rid of anything without understanding how it got there in the first place? I’m not just talking about stuff. I’m talking about commitments and habits too. Because of Julie, I studied myself to figure out what makes me tick. I needed to find out where my time goes, and how long it takes me to do things. If you have never done this, I highly recommend it. It could help you make a career pivot some day! What would you do if you had an extra 2 hours in your day? 10-14 hours in your week? Would you be able to start a side-hustle? Could you learn a new skill? You bet! I did! What I did: I bought spiral-bound, wide-ruled notebooks. I wrote down what I did every day and how long it took me to do it. Some examples: making beds, doing dishes, folding laundry, making dinner, going to the gym, getting cleaned up, going through mail, reading and responding to e-mails, and working on projects. What I learned was a game changer! I grouped similar activities to help make my days run smoother. For example, errands. If I needed to run errands, I would do them as batches instead of going out once or twice/day. I also started a “projects binder” for projects that are so big they need broken down into bite-sized chunks, like planning a vacation and home improvement projects. What I have learned from reading books and listening to audiobooks has helped me grow so I can make the best use of my time and spend as much time as possible on my business. I love to read and learn! Julie’s books - all of them - helped me define goals and decide how to spend my time doing the activities that would help me accomplish my goals. Julie taught me the 4 D’s and how to SHED. The four D’s are delete, delay, delegate, and diminish. Delete When I have more on my list than I have time, I will delete non-essential tasks. Examples: meetings, workouts, projects, and conference notes that don’t fit into my big-picture goals. Delay My husband and I have a budget meeting the night before he gets paid. Our goal is to meet every two weeks. If one of us is sick, out of town, or there is a holiday, we delay the meeting. Delegate When possible, I delegate tasks. Examples: my kids put their laundry away, and my husband drops our books off at the library. Diminish Think of this as doing things “quick and dirty.” Example: a one-sentence e-mail instead of staring at the computer for 15 minutes, writing, and rewriting a message. Write the sentence. Send the e-mail. Save time. The goal is to communicate. Finding 15 more minutes of time to work on my business is my payoff. SHED • Separating the treasures (identify what really matters) • Heave the rest (eliminate excess) • Embracing your identity (Who do you really want to be?) • Drive yourself forward (Make a change. The past isn’t holding you back.) I have figured out what is important to me and worked to get rid of the thoughts, habits, and stuff that are holding me back so I can do what I want to do with my life. By looking at what I wanted and what held me back, I was able to make a career change. It took me years. Other books that have influenced me are Chip Heath and Dan Heath’s books Switch and Decisive. Switch got me into a mindset to change even though change is hard. Decisive helped me become a better decision-maker. Good to Great taught me to find what I can do well and do that one thing to the best of my ability. When I made my career change, I had the idea to offer other services. When I narrowed it down to just voiceover, I made progress. From Good to Great, I also love the phrase, “Get the right people on the bus.” It means that to drive my business forward, I need to have the right people helping me before I can go anywhere. I need the right coaches, the right pool of accountability buddies, and so on.
3/6/2020 • 11 minutes, 19 seconds
Interview with Nate Kehlmeier
Nate and I met through our volunteer work at the Wood County Opiate Task Force in Bowling Green, OH. At the time, he worked at MidWest Recovery Center (Toledo, OH). Now, he is the CEO of the Recovery Institute of Ohio (Sandusky, OH). Nate Kehlmeier (419) 262-2436 nkehlmeier@recoveryinstituteofohio.com LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nate-kehlmeier-3b52a6175 Recovery Institute of Ohio 1019 Pierce St. Sandusky, OH 44870 https://recoveryinstituteofohio.com info@recoveryinstituteofohio.com 888-468-1441 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RecoveryInstituteofOhio/ IG https://www.instagram.com/recoveryinstituteofohio/ LinkedIn Company Profile https://www.linkedin.com/company/recovery-institute-of-ohio/about/ Vivitrol is available at Recovery Institute of Ohio. We Recover Together Support Group BELLEVUE RECOVERY AND SUPPORT SERVICES 1400 W. Main St. Bldg 1, Suite D Bellevue, OH 44811 Phone: 419-307-3320 Text: 4HOPE to 741741 Website: www.bellevuerecovery.org MidWest Recovery Center 7540 New West Rd, Toledo, OH 43617 (833) 297-1257 https://www.midwestrecoverycenter.com Wood County, Ohio Support Groups Wood County Crisis Line: 419-502-HOPE (4673) Recovery Helpline: Call 211 Reentry Coalition: (567) 246-0761 Resources for Family and Supports Celebrate Recovery/Cedar Creek Church: (419)-661-8661 NAMI: (419) 352-0626 Mental Health First Aid Training: • Adults: (419) 352-0626 • Youth: (419) 354-9010 Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board: (419) 352-8475 For more information, visit https://www.wcadamh.org, and search for the “Opiate Resource Guide.” Have uncomfortable conversations about drugs and alcohol with your children. Ask questions. What do you know about drugs and alcohol? Are you using them? Teach them about communication and consequences. Do they know how to ask for help? Do your children know safe people to talk to? School teacher, professional counselor, pastor, parents. Coping skills are important. Do your children know how to cope with difficult situations? What is stigma? Stigma is a mark of disgrace. Drug addicts are thought of in a negative way. There is a profound stigma associated with drug addicts. Everyone, especially pharmacists, should be informed about addiction. Get educated. Be a resource to your community. Addiction is a disease that does not discriminate. It affects a wide range of socioeconomic classes, races, and age groups. If you need help, reach out to Nate Kehlmeier or someone in the Substance Use Disorder Treatment field. Visit https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline or SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889. This is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information. I heard Nate tell his story at an opioid crisis awareness event in Wood County at Way Library 101 E. Indiana Ave. Perrysburg, OH 43551 Phone: 419.874.3135 Fax: 419.874.6129 https://www.waylibrary.info I helped create several Faith Community Discussions about Opioid Addiction in Wood County, OH in 2018 and 2019. The purpose of the discussions was to educate and empower clergy and faith community leaders to help with the opioid crisis in Wood County Communities. We supplied narcan to the attendees, and one narcan save has been reported from one of our attendees.
2/28/2020 • 46 minutes, 55 seconds
The type of voiceover work I do
I specialize in medical narration, e-learning, audiobooks, explainer videos, and podcasting. I am “confident, calm, and trustworthy, like a big sister you actually want to listen to.” How did I know which genres of voiceover to start with? In a nutshell, Instincts and research. I found what I feel comfortable with and enjoy. Those genres also happen to pay well. I started out wanting to narrate pharmacist continuing education journals. No one has been interested in that so far. Rather than give up, I learned how to do something similar: audiobooks and e-learning. Narrating both feels comfortable. Medical narration and explainer videos feel right too. I am comfortable and conversational with content written in the medical space. I’m a pharmacist. I earned my confident tone counseling patients and collaborating with other healthcare professionals. As a bonus, I’m also a wife, mother, and American consumer. I know how to speak with a range of emotions because I have lived 41 years and experienced a lot of life. I can tell someone how to feel about what I’m talking about when reading a script. It’s very similar to counseling a patient on using something that is new to them. Would I consider work in different genres? Yes! For example, if Amazon.com needs me to do voiceover work for their emerging Pharmacy Business, I am interested! I love to learn, and even though I have a long attention span, I like the challenge of switching gears often. When I finish a project, I am ready to start a new one. I mentioned earlier that the type of voiceover I enjoy and feel comfortable with happens to pay well. I did NOT know the rates when I started training. I got LUCKY. The pay for medical narration, in particular, is very good. Not everyone can do it, either. Do voice actors without medical training do medical narration though? Yes! All the time. There is definitely competition. There are rate guides in the voiceover industry. The one I am most familiar with is the Global Voice Acting Academy Rate Guide. To learn more, visit GlobalVoiceAcademy.com. Each genre is listed. It reminds me a lot of the Salary Survey published in Ohio Pharmacist, the Journal of the Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA), which shares the hourly wage Pharmacists earn in various practice settings in Ohio. Data from rural vs. various metro areas is reported too. How does the OPA Salary Survey relate to the voiceover rate guide? Just like a pharmacist can practice at a large retail chain, a small hospital, a nursing home, or another setting, the voiceover rate guide is divided into a number of different categories. Some examples on the GVAA Rate Guide are TV broadcast, web use, on-hold phone messaging, e-learning, medical narration, explainer videos, animation, and video games. To learn more about the OPA Salary Survey, visit https://www.ohiopharmacists.org and search for the 2019 OPA Salary Survey. On-hold phone messaging pays different from audiobooks. Medical narration pays different from animation. Rates are not guaranteed. Every voice actor must negotiate their rate for each project. What I will accept depends on the client’s needs and budget, editing required, my availability, etc. Satisfying clients is important to me, but I have small windows of time that I can work because of childcare issues and life circumstances. Short projects that pay well fit into my life best. There are some matchmaking sites for the voiceover industry. Meaning, there are sites that connect clients with voice actors. Some are free, some are called Pay to Play Sites. You pay a fee, and the site lets you audition for work. Direct marketing on LinkedIn is an option too. 2020 will be a big year for me to learn about finding projects. I’m excited about my brand, the type of work I am pursuing, and my comfort level with it! Thank you for listening and reading the show notes.
2/21/2020 • 9 minutes, 22 seconds
Interview with Harold Kinker, Retired Ohio Pharmacist
Harold Kinker, Retired Ohio Pharmacist University of Toledo College of Pharmacy Class of 1970 (BS Pharmacy Degree) kinkerh@gmail.com When I joined the staff of Walgreens store 5323 in Toledo, OH in 2002, Harold was the pharmacy manager. Harold was a mentor and became a friend. Almost 20 years after meeting, we are still friends and even go out to lunch with a group of current and former Toledo-area Walgreens pharmacists several times a year. In 2002, I worked full-time on the midnight shift “7-on/7-off” for about 12 months: I worked one week, then had the following week off. My hours were 10 PM to 8 AM Monday through Sunday. I worked 70 hours and got paid for 80. Counting vacation time, I was only required to work 25 weeks per year. My partner on the off-weeks asked me to cover vacation for him twice. I worked 21 days in a row on midnights each time while pregnant. I was 24 years old. When I became a Mom, I needed to step down to part-time. Harold helped me find a way to make it happen. Thanks Harold! Harold was great with pharmacy and store staff, and our patients liked him. Harold served on a Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) from 2004-2012. He had paid deployments, similar to National Guard duty. Highlights included helping with Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, surviving gas mask training in an Alabama “Cobra Tank," and nuclear emergency training in Nevada. To learn more about DMAT, visit https://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/responders/ndms/ndms-teams/Pages/dmat.aspx Harold is a Volunteer Trail Patrol Walker for the Toledo-area Metroparks. 50 hours/year is the minimum commitment. He volunteers more than 200 hours/year. Harold walks with other volunteers 2-3 times/week, about 2 hours at a time. Toledo has one of the best Metroparks systems in the country! To learn more about the Toledo-area Metroparks, visit https://metroparkstoledo.com Harold volunteers with the Veterans History Project. The Veterans History Project creates videos of Veterans and their stories. Multiple copies are made of each video. Three copies go to the Veteran; another goes to the University of Toledo; and one goes to the Library of Congress. Interested WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Afghanistan Veterans can call George or Harold. George Pugh 419-877-0600 Harold Kinker 419-868-1950 To learn more about the Veterans History Project, visit https://www.loc.gov/vets/ Harold loves retirement and enjoys vacation cruises with his wife and friends.
2/14/2020 • 53 minutes, 42 seconds
Mistakes I have made
Episode 04 Show notes: Mistakes I have made I have made mistakes along my journey from pharmacist to voice actor. It’s ok to share your mistakes. Why would I create a podcast episode to talk about mistakes I have made? I want you to know that I’m human. I make mistakes, but I try to fail forward. I learn from my mistakes, and I don’t give up. Whenever possible, I like to learn from the mistakes of others. It saves me the hassle of making the same mistake. 7 of my mistakes My first logo. My graphic designer, Margo, created a great first logo. It wasn’t right for me, but her second attempt is the logo on my website today. Margo did a great job. Her website is https://www.designbymep.com. She also created my podcast artwork. (I love both!) Thanks Margo! Hoarding ideas and not sharing them. I feared idea theft. No one has stolen my ideas that I know of. I may hurt some feelings by keeping my idea to myself. I definitely missed out on input from others. When I share my ideas, I get input from others. People love to solve problems, and I appreciate the help. Working with people outside of the voiceover industry to do branding and marketing. Professionals in the voiceover industry have the right eyes, ears, and knowledge base to help voice actors. I need to make the right connections and listen to them. Wanting to narrate pharmacist continuing education journals was not a mistake; assuming my idea would work was a mistake. Narrating journals may not be “a thing” because they weren’t meant to be read out loud. Maybe a summary could be an alternative? Ellipses, abbreviations, and other elements make it difficult to read straight through. Complicated sentence structure needs to be simplified. Even some of the more conversational journals create barriers to using the journal as a script. Delivery is important. Assuming everyone will like my voice and that my vocal age, energy, and accent will be right for the job (narrating continuing pharmacy education journals). NaPodPoMo. I thought I could create my podcast and publish daily episodes in the same month. The first episode of my podcast came out in December. Oops. Staying in situations that aren’t right for me. I worked for a company for 9 years. I waited until my breaking point to leave. I should have left sooner. In summary, I’m human, and I have made mistakes. Will I make more? You bet! Am I going to give up because of them? No! Will I learn from my mistakes and the mistakes of others? Of course! I’m enjoying my transition from pharmacist to voice actor, and I’m taking the good with the bad. If you’re making a transition too, give yourself some grace. Making a big change can be hard. You will make mistakes. Use your failures to do better in the future. Don’t give up. And, if possible, learn from the mistakes of others. Visit thepharmacistsvoice.com to subscribe and read the show notes.
2/7/2020 • 14 minutes, 24 seconds
Interview with Tom Titkemeier
I interviewed my Uncle Tom Titkemeier in November 2019, in Toledo, OH. This is THE FIRST PODCAST I ever recorded. The show notes include insights from the interview, Uncle Tom’s contact info, and organizations and websites mentioned. There were street sweepers, dump trucks, and other heavy machines collecting leaves in the street right outside the window where we recorded this episode. I can’t hear the machines on the recording, but now you know the behind-the-scenes story! Thank you for listening, and enjoy! Tom Titkemeier, Registered Pharmacist Toledo, OH 1977 University of Toledo BS Pharmacy Graduate E-mail titkemeier@ameritech.net LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/thomas-titkemeier-0887926a Q: Why did you become a pharmacist? A: Started in science classes before choosing pharmacy as a major. Needed a degree that would lead to a job. His older brother was in the pharmacy program 2 years ahead of him and set a good example. Q: Why did you pick UT? A: Wanted to get away from home, live on campus, and have “the college experience.” Didn’t want to go to nearby BGSU (Bowling Green State University). To learn more about the University of Toledo (UT) visit https://www.utoledo.edu. To learn more about BGSU, visit https://www.bgsu.edu. Q: When you first graduated [pharmacy school], where did you work? A: After interning at St. Vincent’s Medical Center (St. V’s) during pharmacy school, no job was available upon graduation. He worked at Toledo Hospital briefly instead. To learn more about Toledo Hospital, visit https://www.promedica.org/toledo-hospital/pages/default.aspx. When a job opened up at St. V’s, he went back to St. V’s for 40+ years. To learn more about St. V’s, visit https://www.mercy.com/locations/hospitals/toledo/mercy-health-st-vincent-medical-center. Uncle Tom inspired me to become a pharmacist. I tell my Pharmacy Campers (11 graders) about him each summer at UT’s Pharmacy Summer Camp. Uncle Tom worked in the Surgery Pharmacy at St. V’s for decades. He was a team player and worked well with others. He knew how to do his job well, and I admired him. I went to work with him one day when I was in the 8th grade, ~13 years old, around 1991. I “shadowed him” at his job for a school assignment. I got to wear surgical scrubs, which looked and felt like pajamas! I watched my uncle make surgical solutions and deliver them to operating rooms. The operating room staff let me watch surgeries, and I witnessed them function as a team. I like math and science, and I love to help people. Pharmacy was a natural choice after seeing Uncle Tom at work. My students love this story. To learn more about the camp, visit https://www.utoledo.edu/pharmacy/camp/ Because Uncle Tom and I went to the same pharmacy school, we had some of the same professors. We worked as pharmacists in the same city knew many of the same people. Uncle Tom retired after 40 years with the same hospital, at the age of 64. It was a personal choice. “You don’t know how much time you have.” Uncle Tom and his wife (my Aunt Janet) decided to retire and focus on mission work and do things that they didn’t have time to do while working. Aunt Janet retired 1 year after Uncle Tom retired. Health insurance was a consideration. He was able-bodied and at the top of his game professionally. “Pharmacists never retire. They just die.” Uncle Tom used to tease me about this when I was in college. He did retire, however, which spoiled the myth he joked with me about for 20 years! Q: What are you doing with your license now that you retired? Are you giving up being a pharmacist? A: He is still licensed as a pharmacist. So is Aunt Janet. They volunteer as pharmacists and also spread the word of God to other parts of the world on Mission Trips with Christian Medical and Dental Association. To learn more about Christian Medical and Dental Association, visit https://cmda.org. He has been to Central America, The Gambia in Africa, and Beirut. Language barriers are a challenge. Q: When will you give up your license? A: No date in mind. Keeping up is more of a challenge in retirement, but not difficult. Mentoring young people is important. You never know when time spent with a young person will have an impact. Be a positive influence. Being able to focus and listen is important to being a pharmacist. Q: What words of advice would you give to a young person considering a career in pharmacy or pharmaceutical sciences? A: Have perseverance. Competition is a big barrier to getting into pharmacy school. Persevere, focus, and stay on the path.
1/31/2020 • 20 minutes, 33 seconds
Coaches have helped me
Podcast Episode 02 In Episode 02, I talked about coaches and how they have helped me. Without help, I would not be where I am today. This episode is not a how-to lesson on getting started in voiceover. I’m just sharing my story. My first motorcycle was a Honda Shadow VLX. Now, I drive a BMW C400X scooter. I took the Basic Rider Course through the Ohio Department of Public Safety. Some call it the “Motorcycle Ohio Program.” motorcycle.ohio.gov I like structured programming that is organized into bite-sized chunks, experienced teachers, hands-on training, and peer support. Facebook Groups and accountability buddies are helpful. For anyone making a career transition or learning a new skill, keep an eye on what is working and what is not. Have clear goals, and recognize when something isn’t a good fit. The right coach can really help, and it’s ok to revisit missed opportunities at a later time. My first business coach was Sandra Wharton at the Women’s Economic Opportunity Center at the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center in Ft. Wayne, IN. I found her on the Small Business Administration’s website in June 2017. I starting working with Marty and Jack from the Northwest Ohio Chapter of SCORE in April 2018. SCORE stands for Service Corps of Retired Executives. To learn more about the Northwest Ohio Chapter of SCORE, visit northwestohio.score.org. I trained with a voiceover coach named Nancy Wolfson January-November 2018. To learn more about Nancy, visit braintracksaudio.com. Jonah Rosenthal at the Global Voice Acting Academy (GVAA) helped me set up my Blue Yeti USB microphone. His Audacity webinar helped me learn how to record, edit, and produce MP3 files. David Rosenthal taught the group medical and technical narration class I took through GVAA. To learn more about GVAA, visit globalvoiceacademy.com. To learn about Hillary Huber, visit hillaryhuber.com. To learn more about Jeffrey Kafer, visit audiobookmentor.com. Sean Pratt is my non-fiction audiobook narration coach. To learn more about Sean Pratt, visit seanprattpresents.com and check out his YouTube video, “So…You want to be an audiobook narrator?” https://youtu.be/NPzPi-_0Xi8 I met Dr. Erin L. Albert at the Medipreneurs Conference in April 2019. To learn more about Dr. Erin L. Albert, visit about.me/erinalbert. Dave Jackson is my Podcasting Coach. To learn more about Dave Jackson and the School of Podcasting, visit schoolofpodcasting.com. Joe Brookhouse got me started with Studio One. To learn more about Joe, visit voicework.me. Don Baarns is my audio engineering coach. His webinars are titled, “Studio One Jumpstart,” “Studio One Advanced,” and “RX Jumpstart.” He runs Facebook Groups for Studio One and RX. To learn more about Don, visit redbaarnsaudio.com. As, I transition from pharmacist to voice actor, I like to find people I trust and listen to them. I’m human, though, and I do make mistakes. Beware the illusory truth effect (“validity effect,” “truth effect,” or the “reiteration effect”). People believe false information to be correct after repeated exposure. I like evidence-based decisions. When learning something new, find experts. Do research. Don’t make major purchases or decisions without thinking them through. It’s not a race. I’m 2.5 years into my journey, and I’m still not where I want to be. To learn more about the Cleveland International Motorcycle Show, visit https://motorcycleshows.com/cleveland.
1/25/2020 • 23 minutes, 16 seconds
Introducing Kim Newlove: pharmacist, voice actor, podcaster!
Welcome to the first episode of The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! My name is Kim Newlove, and I am making a career transition from pharmacist to voice actor. This podcast will have solo shows and interview shows. During the solo shows, I will share my journey and what goes into making a career transition. You don’t need to be interested in pharmacy or voice acting to enjoy this show. This podcast is for anyone who enjoys a good story and likes rooting for an underdog. In the interview shows, I will talk to a variety of people who use their voices to advocate, educate, or entertain. Some will be pharmacists. Some will be voice actors. Many will be people we can all learn from. In this first episode, I share my story. Why am I making the change from pharmacist to voice actor? The short version...I wanted a part-time job that I could do from home using my strengths, and I found a good match with the voiceover industry. Want the longer version? My family needs me at home. When the first of my two sons was born in 2003, I stepped up and did what my family needed me to do: I became a stay-at-home Mom. For almost 17 years now, I have either worked part-time or not at all. My children are 16 and 14 years old. I love my husband, and I love my children. Being a stay-at-home Mom has definitely had its perks, but I feel a strong desire to work outside the home. I feel conflicted, and I struggle with that feeling. Childcare and life circumstances are barriers to my working outside the home today. My husband and I have two teenaged boys: one has autism and is on the low-functioning part of the spectrum, and the other is neurotypical or “normal.” Over the years, I have been very present for my husband and both of our children. When our older son, Kraig, was diagnosed with autism in 2005 at the age of 2.5, he needed a lot of help. He still needs a lot of help. Over the years, he has had speech therapy, occupational therapy, specially-designed school programs, private tutoring, summer schools, and more. And, we have also done our best to include our younger son, Derrick, in activities and sports and just be there for him. Over the years, I have had several part-time pharmacist jobs. When my husband and I were both at work, nothing got done around the house. Every dual-income family has that problem. Throw in a child with autism who needs one-on-one supervision at all times, and nothing gets done around the house unless both of us are at home. And, unfortunately, finding reliable, affordable, skilled childcare is a big challenge, so being a stay-at-home Mom is a necessity. My availability to work is complicated. I have pockets of time that I can work when the kids are at school or with my husband or with a caregiver. But I really need to get as much done as possible while the kids are away so I am 100% available when they are home and I am in charge, which is most of the time. There’s no pity-party going on here. Life is complicated, and I am using my challenges as opportunities. I can work part-time from home using my skills and strengths. I do have some time that I can work. I can still use my training as a pharmacist to earn money…I just need to get a little creative. My husband and I love to read, and we have loved reading to our children over the years. Even now, we still read to Kraig. He can not read, write, or speak, but, he loves it when we read to him. At first, we read picture books. Now, we read young-adult books and series, like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and more. Kraig and I will be reading the Narnia series next, in case you’re interested! Let’s talk about strengths for a minute. I love to learn, I’m inquisitive, and I love to problem-solve. I’m a self-starter, and I am great with follow-through. I may have stumbled upon the type of job Mark Twain had in mind when he wrote his famous quote, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Getting paid to read and learn? Uh…yes, please! I love to read, and I love being a pharmacist. Put the two together, and what do you get? Well, I didn’t know at first, but it drove me to the voiceover industry. But, how did I get to the voiceover industry? Well, not only do I love to read, but I also love audiobooks. One day, it occurred to me that it sure would be nice if pharmacist continuing education was available in audiobook format. I’d listen to that! I did some research and found that publishers don’t make their content in audio. I found a problem I could solve, so I started my company, The Pharmacist’s Voice, in November 2017. My goal was to narrate pharmacist continuing education journals and newsletters for a fee. I was on a mission to do for pharmacist continuing education what audible did for audiobooks on amazon.com. To date, no one wants to hire me for my narration service. I didn’t like the rejection, so I shifted my focus to the closest example that gave proof of concept: nonfiction audiobooks, e-learning, and medical narration. If I can build a strong presence in those voiceover niches, maybe someone will be interested. If nothing else, I’ve discovered a way to get paid. I’m still interested in narrating pharmacist continuing education journals, so if anyone is interested, please reach me through the contact page on my website: thepharmacistsvoice.com or e-mail me directly kim@thepharmacistsvoice.com. I’ll tell you more about my adventures in learning the business, technology, and performance sides of voiceover in future episodes. And, speaking of future episodes, the next episodes of this podcast will alternate solo shows with interview shows. In the solo shows, I will talk about the type of work my business does, coaches who helped me, failures I have experienced, books that have influenced me, and more. My first four interview podcasts will feature: Tom Titkemeier, a retired pharmacist who is also my uncle. He inspired me in the 8th grade to become a pharmacist. Harold Kinker, a retired pharmacist, who was my first boss at Walgreens in Toledo, OH. Nate Kehlmeier, a friend I met through our volunteer work with the Wood County Opiate Task Force in Bowling Green, OH. He has been sober since 2008, and is the co-founder and CEO of the Recovery Institute of Ohio located in Sandusky, OH. Dr. Asha Bohannon, a friend and fellow pharmacist entrepreneur, who I met in April 2018 at the Medipreneurs Conference in Asheville, NC. I hope you’ll join me next time! I plan to publish one episode per week starting in January 2020. Thank you for listening to the very first episode of The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast! Please visit www.thepharmacistsvoice.com to subscribe and read the show notes. Will I succeed in the voiceover industry? Subscribe, and find out!
