2026 I.M.P.A.C.T. Awards Finalist
Michelle Shawgo
CPhT-Adv
Controlled Substance Lead Pharmacy Technician, OSF HealthCare
U.S.
Bio
I am a Certified Pharmacy Technician with Advanced Certification (CPhT-Adv) and the Controlled Substance Lead Pharmacy Technician for OSF HealthCare at a Level 1 trauma center in central Illinois. I transformed a single-person role into a structured, system-wide compliance function, sharpening oversight and visibility across high-risk medications. Beyond my daily work, I serve as Co-President of our Pharmacy Practice Council and founded PharmTech Path to help technicians build meaningful careers.
Her Impact Story
When I stepped into the Controlled Substance Lead role, oversight was primarily reactive. I saw opportunities to strengthen how we tracked discrepancies, how we held teams accountable across units, and how we caught risks early. I started building structured tools and standardized workflows to cover roughly 40 inpatient units and over 160 automated dispensing machines.
I shifted discrepancy reporting from sporadic to daily distribution, tightening response times on high-risk variances, and created a formal escalation framework for complex, unresolved issues. I also ran a workload time study to quantify oversight demands across our operations.
Measurable Results
Conducted a data-driven workload time study
to measure oversight demands, replacing guesswork with data.
Led a comprehensive physical inventory
across the facility, accounting for over 215 drugs and 103,247 unit doses in under six hours.
Tightened response times
by shifting discrepancy reporting from sporadic to daily distribution.
Standardized system oversight
with tracking tools and workflows covering ~40 inpatient units and 160+ automated dispensing machines.
Built a structured escalation framework
for complex discrepancy issues, strengthening cross-departmental accountability.
Quotes & Perspective
“
Personal Quote
“We are never ‘just technicians.’ We are system builders, safety advocates, and critical leaders who shape how healthcare delivers safe patient care every single day.”
What I.M.P.A.C.T. Means to Her
“Impact means looking at a broken or frustrating process on the floor and taking responsibility to fix it instead of just working around it.”
What First Drew Her to This Work
“I went to college for music business and spent years touring as a merchandise manager, which was my absolute dream job. When COVID halted live events in 2020, I took a retail pharmacy tech job out of necessity. But I quickly realized that managing inventory, logistics, and chaotic workflows on tour required the exact same precision and logic needed in pharmacy compliance.”
A Moment She's Most Proud Of
“Designing and building PharmTech Path from scratch… Launching the site and seeing technicians use the tools, learning modules, and career resources to take control of their future has been one of the most fulfilling moments of my career.”
Advice for Other Pharmacy Technicians
“Stop waiting for permission or a specific job title to fix the things that aren’t working. Technicians are in the workflows every single day, which means we see the operational gaps before anyone else does.”
Key Takeaway
“Pharmacy technicians are not just task executors. We are system builders, operational leads, and critical safety assets.”
Her Impact Story
Links to Feature
Testimonials
"Michelle is a co-chair of our Pharmacy Practice Council and a Culture Partner. In this role, she consistently demonstrates compassion, approachability, and a genuine commitment to supporting our mission partners... Her combination of strategic thinking, strong communication skills, and dedication makes her someone colleagues trust and leaders rely on."
Voting is Open
Support Michelle Shawgo
in the 2026 I.M.P.A.C.T. Awards
Cast your vote, then join the LIVE Online Pharmacy Technician I.M.P.A.C.T. Awards Ceremony on RXTech Day, October 20, 2026.
Voting closes September 30, 2026