Amplifying Technicians: Grace Fick

In episode 3 of Amplifying Technicians, host Taylor Watterson, PharmD, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Illinois Chicago Retzky College of Pharmacy, welcomes Grace Fick, PharmD candidate and pharmacy research assistant at Retzky.

The duo has collaborated on multiple research projects in the past and they are now gathering to discuss their experiences with being technicians during pharmacy school. They explored ideas behind pharmacy technicians’ well-being and the typical pharmacy practice experience students can expect when in pharmacy school.

“Because I was in this dual role of being a student but also technician, my pharmacy, we were able to give recommendations to patients or customers who came in,” said Fick. “As long as the pharmacist was at the help desk, and [the patient] wanted a recommendation on an allergy medicine, I was able to do that. That was something that separated me from a technician versus a student. That was kind of nice, because I was learning over-the-counter medications for my first year. It was really great to really be able to put that into practice.”

The pharmacy profession is evolving, and pharmacy technicians are stepping into new roles that go far beyond traditional tasks. That’s the driving idea behind Amplifying Technicians, a new podcast dedicated to showcasing the stories, experiences, and expertise of technicians across the country.

Be sure to tune in each month on Drug Topics for conversations that highlight the impact of pharmacy technicians and the many ways they are advancing the profession. All episodes of Amplifying Technicians will be available in video at DrugTopics.com. Check out our previous episode: Amplifying Technicians: Shane Desselle, RPh, PhD, FAPhA.

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