Professionalism habits you need after graduation: Pharmacy law expert gives student pharmacists a dose of career advice

SPOKANE – Cardinal Health representative Michael A. Moné spoke on professionalism in pharmacy practice on October 28 at the WSU College of Pharmacy.

“My goal is that I leave you the profession better than when I got it, and it’s your job to take it from there. You are going to be the change that moves the profession forward,” Moné said. He spoke on the impact unprofessional demeanor can have, and how simple skills like written communication can play into how patients and colleagues approach each pharmacist as a professional.

Moné is a lawyer, pharmacist and fellow with the American Pharmacists Association. He serves as vice president, associate general counsel—regulatory, for Cardinal Health, a provider of pharmaceutical and medical products and services in the U.S. and internationally. Cardinal Health was recently ranked 22 on the Fortune 500 list, with a market value of $23.9 billion. His afternoon lecture to the student pharmacists at Washington State University was part of the “Preparing for Your Career in Pharmacy” seminar series, and included the core concepts of what defines being a professional, the transition to professional practice, and the emphasis to always keep in mind the overall goal: improving human health.

Moné has served in a variety of roles in private and public practice of law and pharmacy prior to joining Cardinal Health. He has held leadership roles within many industry associations, including the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, Ohio State Board of Pharmacy, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, U.S. Pharmacopeia, American Pharmaceutical Association and Florida Pharmacy Association. He also served on the Kentucky Governor’s Task Force on Controlled Substance Abuse and the Attorney General’s Task force to develop KASPER, the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting System, which tracks controlled substance prescriptions dispensed within the state to stop abuse, misuse, diversion and illegal sale of prescription drugs.

“Our responsibility is to make sure the doctor has written [the prescription] in good faith,” Moné said. “I’m not saying you have to be the police; you have to be a professional. Protecting human health could be a decision to not fill a prescription.”

He emphasized the importance that pharmacists build relationships with each of his or her patients. As professionals, pharmacists solve problems, and every patient has some sort of health problem, Moné said.

Moné walked through the words of the mission and vision of the College of Pharmacy:

To advance human health through excellence in collaborative research, scholarship, and clinical education, and to develop outstanding health care professionals and scientists.

“Outstanding health care professionals,” quoted Moné, “that would be you,” he said addressing the crowd. “The expectation is that you be professionals and leaders.”

The College of Pharmacy coordinates the annual seminar series to expose student pharmacists to pharmacy leaders and entrepreneurs who provide students with their vision of how the profession is evolving, and the opportunities that exist for future pharmacists to change and advance the practice of pharmacy. Lunch was provided to the students by the Spokane Teachers Credit Union.

[Oct. 28, 2014] Lori J. Maricle