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Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Pharmacy Careers

College alumnus highlights demand for pharmacists in pharmaceutical industry

Randy Legg doesn’t come from a legacy family of pharmacists. In fact, he was the first in his family to go to university, and he knew by middle school that he wanted to become a pharmacist. The class of 1988 college alumnus is now National Clinical Account Director for AstraZeneca, one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world. He says the path to his current role was not a linear one.

“I relied on mentors in the college as well as people throughout my career to help me progress,” said Legg who has worked in a variety of settings in his 34-year career in … » More …

Q&A with college alumnus and Chief Pharmacy Officer of Portland hospital

Class of 2007 alumnus Dr. Majid Tanas’ career has spanned all aspects of inpatient, outpatient, ambulatory, and research services. As Vice President of Pharmacy Services and Chief Pharmacy Officer at Legacy Health in Oregon, Dr. Tanas has a world of experience in health systems. Prior to joining Legacy Health, he was Chief of Pharmacy Services at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center and worked in various administrative positions in health systems at Oregon Health and Science University after completing his Health-System Pharmacy Administration Residency at University of Washington Medicine. Earlier this year, Dr. Tanas was recognized by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists … » More …

Capitalizing on opportunities in pharmacy

As a high school student who immigrated from Russia to Los Angeles, class of 2014 alum Alex Heyfetz never would have imagined that he would become a pharmacist one day. His hobbies at the time included judo and weightlifting; advertising, construction, and personal training were the many jobs he tried on before pursuing his doctor of pharmacy at Washington State University. 15 years later, Heyfetz says that the career choice has been better than what he could have ever imagined.

“The most important thing that you need to do in life is to try different things,” he impressed on an audience of pharmacy students during … » More …

Pharmacy Careers: Psychiatric Pharmacy Specialty Practice

Approximately one in five adults in the United States live with a mental illness and a survey published by the CDC found that 16.5% of American adults have taken prescription medication for their mental health. As the medication experts of the health care team, pharmacists are uniquely positioned to have an impact in mental health.

In the final Career Seminar presentation of the 2021-22 academic year, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences doctor of pharmacy alums Glen Chase (’15) and Aubrie Duke (’16) from Comprehensive Healthcare in Yakima, Washington talked to WSU doctor of pharmacy students about pharmacy roles in psychiatric care.

Chase and … » More …

Interview with an infectious diseases pharmacist

May 22 is Infectious Diseases Pharmacists Day intended to recognize ID pharmacists and their impact on patient care and contributions to the health care team. This year’s theme for ID Pharmacists Day is deprescribing antibiotics amid COVID-19. To understand the role of ID pharmacists and what patients can do to protect their health, we speak to our very own infectious diseases expert and assistant professor at the college, Dana Bowers.

What does an infectious diseases (ID) pharmacist do and how do they differ from other pharmacists?

ID pharmacists focus on the appropriate use of antibiotics. We make sure that when patients are prescribed an … » More …

From farm to pharmacy

Tyler Young grew up in Oakesdale, Washington, a town of about 400 people, and a 45-minute drive south of Spokane. He graduated from high school with only 11 other students in his class and his first job was on the wheat farm where he spent summers from ages 14 to 20 spraying weeds in 90-degree heat, driving a tractor, and harvesting the crop. » More ...

Alumni Spotlight: Pharmacy Career in Oncology

Natasha Olson, class of 2014, shares her professional journey from becoming a pharmacy intern at Rite Aid to manager of clinical initiatives with NCODA (National Community Oncology Dispensing Association). Her passion for patient-centered care led her on a path to oncology pharmacy, where she now shares her experience and best practice with other clinicians. Hear her story to learn about the various opportunities from a career in pharmacy. » More ...

How one alumnus transformed his Seattle pharmacy into a community center

You probably have never considered your local pharmacy to be a community center. But that’s exactly what class of 2008 WSU PharmD graduate Ahmed Ali wanted to create when he started his own pharmacy in the southside of Seattle three years ago. Ali’s Othello Station Pharmacy serves the predominantly East African and Somali community in Rainier Valley. It is also the community in which Ali grew up after relocating to Seattle from Somalia in 1998 at the age of 17.

“It was a completely different world and different language. I had to do a lot of learning, and my parents were the driving force for … » More …