In this episode of CPhT Connect, host Mike Johnston, CPhT-Adv, spotlights 8 out of the 21 finalists from NPTA’s first-ever Pharmacy Technician I.M.P.A.C.T. Awards, an international program honoring pharmacy technicians across seven categories for the measurable impact they make in their organizations, communities, and the profession. Melissa Olson, DeFabian Johnson, Briana Wukovich, Sharon Lucas, Chelsea Palmer, Dr. Abel Guevara III, Erika Anderson, and Kathy Hrncir share their stories in their own words, from how they first landed in pharmacy to the work behind their nominations and the advice they’d give any technician who wants to make a bigger impact. In this episode, we discuss:

• Falling Into Pharmacy: How a grocery store job application, a high school career questionnaire, an Air Force job assignment, and a family member’s suggestion each led to long and meaningful careers in pharmacy.
• The Work Behind the Nominations: A statewide cancer drug repository, a dashboard that saved a health system $100,000, compounding standards across more than 140 hospitals, the first technician membership and leadership roles at the Ohio Pharmacists Association, and a Pacific region pharmacy run with just five technicians and two pharmacists.
• Putting the Patient First: How expanded clinical services, including a routine blood pressure check that caught stage 2 hypertension in a patient who hadn’t seen a doctor in more than five years, show what a caring technician can do.
• What the Recognition Means: Why many of our finalists see their nomination as a win for their teams and a chance to represent every pharmacy technician.
• Advice for Making an Impact: Don’t wait for permission or a title, speak up even when you think no one is listening, never stop learning, and if the door doesn’t open, build your own.

About Our Guests:

• Melissa Olson is a pharmacy technician consultant with Indigenous Services Canada in Alberta, and a Leadership finalist.
• DeFabian Johnson is a pharmacy flight chief with the U.S. Air Force, and a Leadership finalist.
• Briana Wukovich is the Professional Development and Continuing Education Coordinator at the Ohio Pharmacists Association, and a Leadership finalist.
• Sharon Lucas is a medicine management technician at Rainbow Pharmacy in Ipswich, England, and a Community Pharmacy finalist.
• Chelsea Palmer is the pharmacy technician coordinator at the Cowell Family Cancer Center, part of Munson Healthcare, and a Patient Care and Medication Access finalist.
• Dr. Abel Guevara III is the head of operations and student success at RxTechExam and adjunct faculty at Texas State University, and an Education and Training finalist.
• Erika Anderson is the system manager of pharmacy compounding at CommonSpirit Health, and a Compounding finalist.
• Kathy Hrncir is a business intelligence developer associate at The University of Kansas Health System, and an Innovation and Technology finalist.

Listen now to hear these finalists in their own words. Winners will be announced live at the virtual I.M.P.A.C.T. Awards ceremony on October 20th, World Pharmacy Technician Day. Visit cpht.org/awards for details on how to attend.