In this episode of the Pharmacy View Podcast’s Rx to Riches stream, first-time host Michael Alexander, a Pharmacist, entrepreneur, digital health enthusiast, Co-Founder of Audirie, and the Regional Vice-President of Health Plans at Omada Health is joined by Dr. Alex Barker, Pharmacist, Founder at The Happy PharmD and Co-Founder of The Task Fox. Dr. Alex is also the author of “Indispensable: The prescription for a fulfilling pharmacy career.” Listen to this episode to discover the transformative journey through the world of Pharmacy, from burnout to brilliance, as Dr. Alex shares insights on fostering innovation, finding advocates, and aligning your work with your true strengths. Also, learn how to navigate the challenges and opportunities within Pharmacy to craft a fulfilling and joyful career.
Dr. Alex opens up about their early career experiences, revealing their initial adherence to the conventional wisdom of pursuing residency for a thriving Pharmacy career. However, they soon found themselves grappling with burnout and frustration in a clinical Pharmacy role, prompting a reevaluation of their path. This pivotal moment led Dr. Alex to establish a business dedicated to coaching and empowering fellow Pharmacists to rediscover fulfillment within the profession. The episode sheds light on the diverse career trajectories Pharmacists can undertake, with Dr. Alex’s coaching guiding individuals toward roles as diverse as real estate agents, financial advisors, and comedians.
The conversation moves to a profound exploration of the feeling of being trapped within the confines of a Pharmacy career. Dr. Alex provides invaluable insights, highlighting the importance of seeking external support, fostering innovation, and identifying one’s “zone of genius.” Their personal journey underscores the significance of having an advocate and a leader who champions innovation and aligns work with personal strengths. Dr. Alex’s honest and introspective dialogue and their story is a testament to the transformative power of embracing change and finding a true calling, challenging traditional career boundaries within Pharmacy, and encouraging fellow Pharmacists to embark on unique and fulfilling paths.
Throughout the episode, Dr. Alex’s experiences serve as an inspirational narrative for Pharmacists seeking purpose and growth within their careers. The discussion embodies the essence of transformation and resilience, proving that with the proper guidance and perspective, individuals can carve out their meaningful journey within the realm of Pharmacy.
Topics Covered
- Overcoming burnout in a Pharmacy career
- Turning challenges into opportunities
- How to prioritize wellbeing and growth in Pharmacy
- Fear of failure in Pharmacists
- Fostering a culture of innovation in Pharmacies
- Need to find your champions and advocates
- How your zone of genius can transform your career
- Advice on careful career shifts
Key Quotes (Time Stamps)
- “I became very burned out very quickly. I thought I was going to love the work. I thought, oh, this is it—I’m performing at the height of our license. That’s what they say here in the States. You perform at the height of your license. And I was at the height, I was at the pinnacle. I was looking out at the mountaintop and going, wow, I don’t like being up here. I don’t like doing this. And on top of it all, I had some bullies in the workplace. I was a young buck. I didn’t know how to stand up for myself. I didn’t have a backbone. And it led me to some really dark times in my life.” (2:47 – 3:30)
- “But I can look back on those moments very fondly because while it sucked at the time, it was the motivation I needed to figure out what would help me to love Pharmacy, what would help me to really enjoy the hard work that I know how to do and can do it well. And so that led me onto the path I’m on today and creating the business I had. And I’ve discovered through coaching that that’s something that I’m very gifted at and I love doing. And I learned how to help other Pharmacists do the same for their careers. And that has meant mainly helping Pharmacists find what they loved within the profession and getting them into that.” (3:52 – 4:44)
- “We really focus on helping Pharmacists discover what they love, and we help them get that job as quickly as possible.” (5:22 – 5:28)
- “I think that one of the best solutions that the research points to when feeling stuck is to talk to someone outside of your situation and your profession.” (8:15 – 8:23)
- “Having those people who care about you who can call you out because it’s easy for me to tell myself the same story that I’ve been telling myself, which usually only makes me feel worse about my situation. And having that support, I think, is critical for everybody. If you don’t have it, go out, seek it, pay for it, hire a therapist, hire a coach. Do what you need to do to take care of yourself because you only have one body, one time with this life.” (9:43 – 10:18)
- “I think everyone’s fear is a little bit different. But I also think that most of our fears are unfounded because while we need to be vigilant in terms of patient care, there are plenty of spaces professionally and in business that should allow us to put forth that security blanket that says it’s going to be okay. We can move forward. You are a good leader most of the time, you’re going to fail. And that’s okay because you’re human. You’re not a robot. You don’t want to be a robot. You want to be you.” (15:40 – 16:24)
- “By creating an open space where people can voice what the problems are and get creative about what the solutions could be to those problems. And then having a leader who is committed to trying to solve them.” (21:26 – 21:39)
Social Media Clips (Time Stamps)
- From residency to re-evaluation: Dr. Alex’s Pharmacy journey to fulfillment (1:58 – 5:46)
- Feeling trapped in your Pharmacy career? (6:00 – 10:29)
- How to navigate fear and thrive amidst high-stakes Pharmacy environments (11:00 – 16:46)
- Empower frontline voices to drive Pharmacy innovation (17:30 – 22:15)
- From ideas to impact: turning concepts into careers (22:35 – 26:17)
- Finding flow and identifying your zone of genius (26:18 – 32: 42)
- Transitioning from the Pharmacy (32:55 – 37:40)
- Leap and pursue your zone of genius at work (37:49 – 40:46)
