There is something worth celebrating every day, even if it doesn’t fall on a special calendar date.
But we have good reason to celebrate. We’ve given your pharmacy techs their well-deserved and (arguably) overdue flowers.
Now it’s time to show some love to the big boss, the one who steers the ship through the choppiest waters.
National Pharmacist Day falls on January 12.
Though we think every day should either be National Pharmacy Tech or Pharmacist Day, we need to leave room for the likes of National Milk and Popcorn Days (these are very real holidays).
National Pharmacist Day is meant to shout out the heads of the pharmacy table, the ones who make important decisions in the heat of the moment.
You all put the “care” in “healthcare professional.” Let’s get to know a little bit about National Pharmacist Day and how the industry is stronger than ever before.
Unlike you, this holiday didn’t require a near-decade of school. As a matter of fact, the origins of National Pharmacist Day are unclear. This holiday doesn’t have a grand, multigenerational origin story.
The origin of the pharmacist, however, does go way back.
The Greek physician Dioscorides of Anazarbus is considered to be the father of pharmacology. His body of work focused on the “preparation, properties, and testing of drugs,” which became highly influential in pharmacy’s infancy.
And because Dioscorides’ pharmacy work wasn’t tethered to large global chains, he should also be considered history’s first independent pharmacist.
Knowing this, you can say independent pharmacy has been around since ancient Greek times — not too shabby.
It might feel weird to celebrate yourself or the work you do. Being an independent pharmacist is an often thankless job. It’s all about patient care and ensuring your patients live healthier lives.
Also, celebrating yourself is basically giving yourself a pat on the back. Though we should do that from time to time, let’s save the self-congratulating for another day.
Instead, use National Pharmacist Day as a way to celebrate your fellow independent pharmacists.
You help make your community better, so why not show some love to the community of independent pharmacists?
As with all things healthcare, it takes a village. Networking is an absolute must in getting your career and independent pharmacy off the ground. Contact fellow independent pharmacists and have a genuine conversation with them.
Almost every state has an independent pharmacy board, a group that ensures independents are thriving. Strengthen those connections by joining the board if you haven’t already. Get to know fellow pharmacists for the sake of it.
This shouldn’t be a competition — or at least an unfriendly competition. Independent pharmacy is at its strongest when we support each other.
There is always strength in numbers. Build a stronger sense of community with your fellow community pharmacists.
National Pharmacist Day is all about pharmacists. Now that you gained a rapport with fellow independent pharmacists, it’s time to look internally — to your independent pharmacy staff at least.
Shout out the other pharmacists in your independent pharmacy on social media. Go a step further by personalizing what these captions say.
Let your pharmacy’s social media followers know what makes your staff pharmacists special.
These posts should go beyond the typical “they are hardworking and talented” message. Single out their greatest quality as a pharmacist: their efficiency, approach to patient care, handling of tough situations, or how great they are in delivering clinical services.
Independent pharmacy is all about putting a personal stamp on patient care. That should extend to how you spotlight your fellow staff pharmacists. A kind word goes a long way, especially when it comes from the heart.
If you need help getting started with your pharmacy’s social media page, go here.
Holidays are a great time to reflect. Thanksgiving sets the stage for gratitude and appreciating the little things in life. Christmas and New Year's are the end-of-year retrospectives that build your plan of action for the incoming year.
And for those asking, National Popcorn Day lets you zero in on the profundity of these moviegoing favorites.
National Pharmacist Day is a lot like your birthday. It’s your day. It is, for a lack of a better term, all about you; so remind yourself of all the great work you do.
An independent pharmacist is a healthcare savant, an expert in delivering health services whenever the time arises (and the time always arises).
Every independent pharmacy — and every independent pharmacist — is different. You all have different approaches to pharmacy work, patient care, and managing a team of extremely talented techs and clerks.
You’re putting your spin on patient care every single day. You’re helping your patients achieve their health goals. Your work makes their health journeys a smooth ride instead of the rocky road it once was.
The work of an independent pharmacist has near-immeasurable value. At the end of the day, it is work, but it should be fulfilling work. The job is indeed a complex one, full of aspects you hadn’t thought of before (perhaps the business side).
Still, through all the rules and regulations, you’re here: an independent pharmacist who is ready, willing, and able to provide exceptional patient care for your community.
That goes beyond some metrics and quotas (though they still have to be met).
Let National Pharmacist Day remind you — in case you forgot — that you provide a genuinely good service to your community.
Like we said before, there’s a holiday for everything. National Pharmacist Day is as meaningful as you make it. It’s one of those holidays that can easily fly under the radar if you let it.
Don’t pass up an opportunity to shout yourself out and the fellow healthcare professionals around you. You already have the perfect place to do it. National Pharmacist Day is the perfect time.
