In this episode of the Pharmacy View Podcast’s Rx to Riches stream, international host Michael Alexander, a Pharmacist, entrepreneur, digital health enthusiast, Co-Founder of Audirie, and the Regional Vice-President of Health Plans at Omada Health, interviews Kerri Barwick, GM of Education & Training at the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA). Kerri shares their unique journey from business studies to Pharmacy, highlighting their innovative approach to training and the evolving role of Pharmacists. Tune in for an inspiring discussion on overcoming industry challenges and the exciting future of Pharmacy.
Kerri shares their inspiring journey into the Pharmacy profession, starting as a casual Pharmacy Assistant in high school. Initially pursuing a business degree, Kerri found themselves drawn back to Pharmacy roles, eventually deciding to study Pharmacy while raising young children. This blend of business acumen and Pharmacy skills has enabled Kerri to create innovative training programs at PSA, leading to rapid career advancement into their current leadership role.
Kerri discusses how their unique career path has influenced their approach to Pharmacy. Unlike many who transition from Pharmacy to business studies, Kerri’s journey began with a business degree. This provided them with a distinct perspective on the importance of business skills in Pharmacy. Kerri underscores the support banner groups offer to Pharmacists in areas like marketing and business management, although they believe more can be done to enhance Pharmacists’ understanding of customer relationships and long-term business value.
In their role at PSA, Kerri oversees a wide range of responsibilities, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and collaboration. They manage the organization of major conferences like PSA-24, various educational workshops, and qualifications such as the Diploma of Leadership Management. Additionally, Kerri oversees CPD products and new credentials like Pharmacist Prescribing. Building relationships through meetings with partners, universities, and internal teams is crucial to achieving the department’s goals, according to Kerri.
Kerri highlights the significant challenges faced by Pharmacists, including time constraints and workforce shortages, especially in rural and remote areas. They emphasize the need for flexible training programs that can be accessed anytime and anywhere to accommodate these challenges. Despite the increasing demand for Pharmacists due to expanded roles like immunization and aged care, the profession often struggles with recognition and respect. Nonetheless, Kerri remains optimistic about the positive changes and increased authority Pharmacists are beginning to experience.
Kerri further discusses the complexities of training Pharmacy professionals in a demanding work environment, stressing the importance of balancing work and continuing education. They note the debate over the necessary training for Pharmacists to prescribe medications, pointing out that many Pharmacists already possess the required competencies. The competency framework helps identify training gaps, and Kerri stresses the importance of professional judgment and CPD in addressing these gaps. While acknowledging the differing views on training requirements, Kerri is hopeful about the evolving role of Pharmacists and the exciting opportunities on the horizon.
Note: This insightful discussion is part one of the episode, with the second part to be released next week.
Topics Covered
- Kerri Barwick’s Journey into Pharmacy
- Innovative Training Programs at PSA
- Challenges Faced by Pharmacists
- PSA’s Flexible Training Solutions
- Pharmacist Prescribing and Competency Framework
- Future of Pharmacy
Key Quotes (Time Stamps)
- “But throughout my time studying and moving around different cities in Australia, I kept getting dragged back into Pharmacy land. and so, I did quite a few different roles buying, merchandising and things like that and managing the front shop for retail Pharmacy.” (4:02 – 4:23)
- “I just came to the realization I was never going to leave the Pharmacy industry. So, it’s about time; I might as well just be a Pharmacist. So, I worked as a Pharmacist for a short period of time and then came to the PSA as a Trainer-Assessor and have worked my way through to the GM role.” (5:13 – 5:30)
- “My belief is that Pharmacists are scientists and we’re very good at that, but we’re not necessarily very good at running a business or running a retail business. And no one ever teaches us those skills directly. So, I think having that experience, I did see things a little bit differently to other Pharmacists and it just gave me a different perspective. But I think a lot of Pharmacists are quite lucky now to be part of those groups that are giving them that support without having to do as much of the work in their management and business side of things.” (6:36 – 7:09)
- “But if you’ve got that really close relationship in contact with a patient and they’re coming back into your store to get wound treatments, you’re building a rapport and a relationship with that customer that far exceeds the value of whatever profit you may or might not be making from that service. So, I think there are still Pharmacists out there who need to have that broader business thinking and really value that lifelong customer value.” (9:05 – 9:32)
- “It’s no secret that I think one of the biggest challenges is time constraints. So, Pharmacists are continuously being asked to do more.” (12:49 – 12:58)
- “One of our primary focuses in how we deliver and develop our training is— that not many Pharmacists would be able to take time off work to be able to undertake the training and assessment they need to deliver these types of programs. So, there are some exceptions where you can’t you can’t do it all online or you can’t do it all by distance, but as much as we can and where we can, we really aim for learners to be able to do the learning wherever and whenever they need to be able to do it. Because we do understand the time constraints that Pharmacists and Pharmacy staff are under.” (13:50 – 14:27)
- “Pharmacists could do a lot more than we have been given the authority to do in the past. And that really came to light through COVID.” (17:25 – 17:36)
- “I think that it’s an exciting time in our profession; that finally we are being given, through different pilots and trials, the authority to use that knowledge and our skills to that to the fullest extent to work to our full scope.” (20:15 – 20:32)
Social Media Clips (Time Stamps)
- From Pharmacy Assistant to GM: Kerri Barwick’s Inspiring Journey (2:13 – 5:37)
- The Business of Pharmacy: Kerri Barwick’s Innovative Perspective (5:38 – 10:06)
- From Conferences to Credentials: A Day in the Life of Kerri Barwick (10:07 – 12: 25)
- Pharmacy Challenges: Navigating Time Constraints and Workforce Shortages (12:26 – 20:31)
- Bridging the Gap: Training Pharmacists for Prescribing Roles (20:32 – 23:51)
Useful Links
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) | LinkedIn
