Alumna Kathy Ragan Carries On Family Pharmacy Tradition

Kathy Ragan B.S.P., R.Ph., (L) shown with Susie Meredith, pharmacy technician, is a preceptor for the UW School of Pharmacy Experiential Education Program. (Virginia Cole Photo)

Kathy Ragan - A Family Tradition in Pharmacy

When I was three, I decided I wanted to be a pharmacist when I grew up. My grandfather, Edwin Small, owned the Economy Drug Store in Sheridan and would let me "fill prescriptions." He'd hand me a slip of paper, and I would type a label. Then I would fold powder papers filled with crushed lifesavers, put them in a box, label it using fancy tape, and counsel him to take one every four hours until they were gone. What a great job! The Economy had a soda fountain that was pretty great, too, but that's another story.

Grandpa Small was a graduate of Creighton University's two-year pharmacy program. By the time his kids attended pharmacy school, it took four years to graduate with a bachelor's degree. My mother, Marillyn Small Ragan, was in one of the University of Wyoming's first graduating classes (1951). Her brothers, Ed and Phil, followed right along, with the younger of the two graduating in 1962, the last class to start and graduate under the four-year program. The program was intensive with few electives beyond the general education classes required by the university and had no clinic rotations. Students concentrated on labs and lectures and got practical experience during summers or holiday breaks.

When I came to UW in the 70's, the five-year program was firmly in place. We had time for electives! American Folklore, Music Appreciation, and Intro to Marketing could expand our educational horizons; we also had a semester of "clerkship," our chance to explore clinical/hospital pharmacy and the rigors of retail. We usually spent our hospital clerkships making IVs and filling drug carts. We were also allowed to observe surgeries and talk with the anesthesiologists about the drugs they used. Occasionally, we would review a patient's chart, but our clinical experiences were limited for the most part unless we had Dr. Scalley for our clerkships. He was ahead of his time, and students who did their clerkships in Ft. Collins were immersed in what would become clinical pharmacy.

I now have the honor and pleasure of working with current UW students. In addition to our interns, first- and second-year pharmacy students come to our store to learn about retail pharmacy as part of their graduation requirements. For many, it's their first experience in a retail setting. It's exciting to see them begin to put their knowledge to work in a practical way. Whether they recommend an over-the-counter drug or counsel a patient regarding side effects of a new medication, they are learning about the impact pharmacists can have on patient care. It's a privilege to be involved in educating these young professionals. And I have to admit that a little bit of envy and disbelief sets in each time one of our interns sets out for his or her final year of rotations. What an amazing selection of sites! From studying tropical medicine in the rain forests of South America to working at a home IV pharmacy, UW pharmacy students have opportunities to expand their careers beyond what my grandfather dared to think about.

 -Kathy Ragan

 

Posted on Wednesday, January 23, 2008