Pharmacy student excited for future of independent pharmacy

Dreier Pharmacy has been serving the small but busy town of Shawano, Wisc., for more than 50 years. Pharmacy student Avery Dreier plans on continuing that tradition for 50 more.

Once she graduates from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy in May 2027, Avery will become the third generation of Dreier pharmacists behind the counter at Dreier Pharmacy. Her grandfather founded the store in the 1960s. Then his daughter Jessica and son Tim, Avery’s dad, followed in their father’s footsteps and now run the pharmacy. Avery will keep the line of ascension going to serve her community.

“I grew up behind the counter before I could even see over the counter. I got to grow up watching my dad and my aunt provide such great health care to the community that they couldn’t necessarily access elsewhere. And I really want to be a part of that family tradition and come back to serve the third generation of the greater Shawano area,” Avery said.

Pharmacy has been losing some of its appeal to younger generations. According to research reported by Pharmacy Times, pharmacy student enrollment declined 60% between 2011 and 2021. But, Avery sees the value of getting her pharmacy education and going back home to serve her hometown.

“…in our history of pharmacy lecture, the professor said, ‘All right, I’m just going to poll the class. How many of you want to go into community pharmacy?’ There’s about 95 of us in the class and three, maybe four of us raised our hands. So, I think that kind of tells a scary story that community pharmacy might not be where the younger generation wants to be,” Avery said. “…you may get some strange looks when you say your future goal is to be a community pharmacist. Community pharmacy is not the flashiest job and not the closest to being stress free, but it is where my passion still lies.”

For kids in high school or younger who are thinking about their future, a pharmacy education can branch off into a number of specialties that include community pharmacy management. Avery has some advice for those thinking about where they want to focus their education.

“Do what makes you happy. Where you see yourself fitting in. In kindergarten, they have you fill out a little sheet about what you want to be when you grow up before kindergarten, graduation. And of course, I put pharmacist. But since kindergarten, I’ve had to do some self-reflection and explore other options,” Avery said. “Maybe I want to be a nurse practitioner. Maybe I want to do business. Maybe pharmacy.”

Her advice to younger kids thinking about going to pharmacy school would be to get some pharmacy experience before making that commitment.

“Whether it is doing tech work or shadowing pharmacists, it is important to get hands on experience and to figure out if you like pharmacy. Sometimes kids will decide to go into pharmacy because they like chemistry and math, but I don’t think those are the right reasons to pursue this career.  Also, if you don’t love one area of pharmacy, don’t give up on the profession: keep looking in other areas of pharmacy,” Avery said.

While Avery went to pharmacy school with the intention to become a pharmacist, she learned there are numerous opportunities that a pharmacy education can open up.

“Working in a community pharmacy or a hospital are not the only career paths. On a skill level, I have learned a lot about compounding since starting pharmacy school. We don’t compound too much at my family pharmacy, so I have enjoyed learning how to make gummies, lip balm and veterinary meds,” Avery said. “I just started sterile compounding this semester which seems to be a whole different animal.”

For those who are already preparing for pharmacy school, Avery, who is the President of the NCPA student chapter at the University of Wisconsin, recommends joining a campus pharmacy club and other related extracurricular opportunities.

“Having leadership experience is always great for applications! Also, it is a good idea to form a good relationship with your advisor because every pharmacy school has different requirements, and this can be tricky to navigate,” Avery said.

When choosing a pharmacy school, Avery said it is important for students to prioritize what they want to accomplish in their careers, as well as where they feel comfortable. She says it is a lot of work and you need to be dedicated to it once you have made your informed decision.

“I believe the most challenging part about pharmacy school is the time management. There always seems to be a lot going on at the pharmacy school between the heavy coursework and limitless extracurricular activities; it can be tempting to overextend yourself. Sometimes you have to say “no” to things that sound a lot more enjoyable than sitting in the library, and I think that self-discipline is hard to develop for some students,” Avery said. “At the same time though, you must remember to give yourself some grace, and it’s okay to go out and have fun. Afterall, the best pharmacists in the profession didn’t all have 4.0 GPAs.”

Avery is looking forward to the day she can take her place next to her dad and aunt as a pharmacist. She has been looking at the current industry clues to envision what she will have to tackle as an independent pharmacist 5, 10 or 20 years down the road.

“I think the most challenging aspect of being a pharmacist will be managing an independent pharmacy in a time when it is difficult to survive. With decreasing reimbursement rates and increasing demands, sometimes the future can be daunting. The role of community pharmacists and pharmacies is ever evolving. However, offering new services and expanding the role of the pharmacist takes a lot of buy in from the community, other pharmacists, physicians, and support from legislation,” Avery said.

Dreier Pharmacy was named the 2024 Health Mart Pharmacy of the Year by their pharmacy peers. Avery submitted the nomination.

Above Avery poses with her aunt, Jessica Dreier-Huntington, RPh., and her dad, Tim Dreier, RPh., near the memorial wall in their pharmacy that honors Avery's grandfather Don Dreier, who founded the pharmacy.

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