The PharmCast

A conversation with Mariama Boney, LMSW, CAE, CPEC, President and CEO of Achieve More, LLC a consulting firm that brings together human performance and organizational dynamics with a solution-focused approach.  Her team creates safe spaces for association, non-profit, education and corporate transformation through change leadership. She currently serves as chair of the American Society of Association Executives Ethics Committee.  

Ms. Boney is an expert in ethical leadership and has a growing interest in neuroscience related to mindfulness. Pharmacy workforce conditions have been in the news recently, with many of the systemic challenges beyond the correction of the individual. However, her perspectives explore opportunities for those of us who lead and work with people in challenging and toxic environments to make changes in the spaces we can control.  

You can buy pretty much anything online, from anywhere around the world. While this might be beneficial when updating your wardrobe with the latest international fashions, it presents many dangers for those looking to purchase unregulated medications from foreign distributors.

We recently spoke to Shabbir Safdar, Executive Director for The Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM), a public health group committed to the safety of prescription drugs and protecting consumers against counterfeit, substandard, or otherwise unsafe medicines. With the rise of the digital age, many Americans are now purchasing their medications online from countries like Canada, without considering how access and regulations of all drugs can vary. According to Shabbir, distributors may be advertising that their medications were produced in Canada, yet more likely came from Turkey, India, China, and other countries.

For nearly 10 years, Shabbir has worked with PSM to find and eliminate criminals selling illegal drugs laced with fentanyl and other deadly synthetic substances. In this discussion, Shabbir details how pharmacists are currently combatting the distribution of counterfeit drugs by refusing to purchase medicines from an unlicensed wholesaler. He also shares personal stories of families who’ve lost children due to the consumption of unregulated medications.

Shabbir can be found on the following social media platforms:

Ryan Burke stumbled upon the world of pharmacy simply by chance. Looking for employment as a teenager, he read a job board at his high school and the only opportunity listed was for a pharmacy clerk at a pharmacy in his hometown. The rest would be history.

Ryan is a pharmacist by trade who currently serves as the Director of Professional Affairs at Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), the first certification organization for pharmacy technicians. PTCB sets out to advance medication safety by credentialing technicians who are qualified to support pharmacists and patient care teams in all practice settings.

In this discussion, Ryan details the importance of exercising his personal and professional networks to keep a pulse on what’s happening within the pharmacy community. He’s often chatting with pharmacy school peers, asking pharmacy employers about the challenges they're facing, and connecting with pharmacy technicians about what they’re seeing develop in the practice. He also talks about varying opinions regarding the Tech-Check-Tech (TCT) process, which allows a pharmacy technician to perform the final check of medications prepared by another technician.

Ryan can be found on the following social media platforms:

Facebook: Ryan Burke

Mindy Smith has worn many hats during her career, serving as a community pharmacist, executive director, and chief executive officer for various organizations and associations in the pharmaceutical industry. She is now the Senior Vice President Professional Services for Tabula Rasa HealthCare (TRHC), a healthcare technology company providing medication safety solutions that empower healthcare professionals and consumers to optimize medication regimens, combating medication overload, and reducing adverse drug events.

Sponsored by the Cardinal Health Foundation

Sponsored by the Cardinal Health Foundation

In this episode we talk with Neil McGarvey, PharmD, co-owner of the Professional Pharmacy Group, (Arnold, Annapolis, MedPark and Empire Professional Pharmacies and Kay Cee LTC Pharmacy). We discuss his role in fighting the opioid epidemic - how he uses his business operations, community engagement and leadership style to play a part in preventing opioid misuse and abuse. He drops some real gems that can be used in community practice to empower staff and build respectful relationships with physicians and patients. 

Neil has practiced pharmacy locally in Maryland for 20 years and is a proud graduate of the University of Maryland Pharmacy School in Baltimore. He enjoys being in the pharmacy daily with his staff and commiserating with the members of the local Arnold community. He also enjoys the challenges of medication compounding to suit an individual patients’ needs and teaching students about the profession of pharmacy.  

Stay tuned!

Sponsored by the Cardinal Health Foundation

In this episode we talk with Dr. Lynn McPherson, Professor and Executive Director, Advanced Post Graduate Education at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. She teaches about pain management and palliative care in the PharmD curriculum, among other topics. She is also the Executive Director of the campus' Online Master of Science in Palliative Care. Dr. McPherson shares her perspective on pharmacists using their spidey senses when confronted with red flags to mitigate risks for opioid misuse and abuse. A person’s “spidey sense” references the Marvel Character Spiderman and invokes an intuitive feeling, usually of something being dangerous or risky. We also discuss suggested ways to initiate dialogue with prescribers and patients to ensure that all stakeholders are appropriately assessing, monitoring and managing the use of opioids for pain management.

Dr. McPherson can be found on the following social media platforms:

In this episode we talk with Qadira Ali Huff, MD, MPh. Dr. Huff is looking to change sick care to healthcare, which means putting prevention/lifestyle on centerstage when treating patients.  Dr. Huff practices general pediatrics in the Washington, DC area. She discovered lifestyle medicine and became board-certified in the field. It helped reframe the way she practices medicine and changed her approach to personal health. We also discuss “Walk with a Doc” a cool way for healthcare providers to connect with their communities. She shares how these concepts can be incorporated into pharmacy practice; where resources can be found; and how we can all make small changes to improve our health and wellness.

Dr. Huff can be found on the following social media platforms:

Special Episode Sponsored by the Howard County (MD) Health Department.

Our conversation with Bethany DiPaula, Pharm D and Dixie Leikach, RPh is critically important. Both have worked extensively on expanding the knowledge of pharmacists on their role in reducing opioid overdoses. In this episode we discuss the State of Maryland’s Naloxone Standing order. We want to ensure that all pharmacists are aware of it, particularly dispensers.

This is part two of our conversation with Shelley Row. In this episode she shares how to separate yourself from the crowd. Every year a new cohort of P4s joins the job/residency hunt and other professionals are looking to change companies or practicing settings. With clinical skills being on par, how are you communicating what you bring to a practice that is different than your counterparts? She shares tips for creating a personal branding statement that lets anyone know you are right for the job. The gems shared in this podcast are applicable to any profession.

Shelley is a professional engineer, former government and association executive, certified speaking professional and recovering over-thinker. She is the founder of the Insightful Leadership Institute. Shelley was recently named one of the top 100 leadership speakers. Her work focuses on growing managers from technical backgrounds into insightful leaders who can see beyond the data. 

There’s quite a bit of disruption in the pharmacy community these days---whether its consolidation, low reimbursements or unfunded legislative and regulatory mandates. It can cause anxiety and stress when there is uncertainty and lack of information. Our guest, Shelley Row PE, CSP, shares ideas and tools for pharmacy leaders to steady themselves and their staff. Her perspective provides guidance for navigating professional and personal storms.

Shelley is a professional engineer, former government and association executive, certified speaking professional and recovering over-thinker. She is the founder of the Insightful Leadership Institute. Shelley was named one of the top 100 leadership speakers. Her work focuses on growing managers from technical backgrounds into insightful leaders who can see beyond the data. Shelley can be found on 

It’s residency application season! In this episode we talk with Kristen Fink, PharmD about residency programs. 

New Flash!

They are not just for recent PharmD grads. If you are preparing to apply for residency; are thinking about a potential practice setting change; or just want to know what they are all about this episode is for you. She answers all the burning questions about the types of candidates programs are looking for; a day in the life of a resident; longitudinal projects; finding the right fit; opportunities for growth and the impacts of the residency location.

In this episode we talk with Bryan W. Scott, PharmD about how he is using  social media to put a face to community pharmacy; support public health; and educate patients in his community. Our conversation gets into many more topics about patients’ desire for wellness; the necessity of creative entrepreneurialism for independent community pharmacy; USP 800;  the impact of lead and lag goals; and even CBD.

Wanted – Pharmacist Community

Of course you’ve heard that being a part of an engaged pharmacy community is important. But why? As you listen to this conversation with Krystalyn Weaver, PharmD, you will know why and how every pharmacist, pharmacy technician and student pharmacist plays a part. You will also learn a little bit about why Federalism and happy hours are important, too.

Krystalyn is a pharmacist who has spent most of her career working with the National Alliance of State Pharmacists Associations (NASPA) researching state policy affecting the practice of pharmacy especially scope of practice issues. Now she is pursuing a law degree at George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law school and continues to consult for NASPA.

You can find Krystalyn on social media: