Pharmacist Spotlight: Luke Witkowski, PharmD

What initially drew you to pharmacy, and what has kept you engaged over the years?

I was initially drawn to pharmacy when I began working as a pharmacy technician in the community setting. This made me recognize the large impact pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have on their patients in the community. I always wanted to keep finding different ways to have a larger impact within the pharmacy. After graduating from pharmacy school, I chose to complete a community pharmacy residency with Albertsons Companies. I was fortunate to work with pharmacists who always pushed and encouraged me to do more, not only within the pharmacy but in our community as well. It’s easy to stay engaged when you know the impact you are having on the community and the strong relationships you have with patients who visit the pharmacy every month. My goal every day is to find new ways to improve pharmacy operations to care for more patients.

What are the most significant changes you’ve witnessed in pharmacy?

The most significant changes I’ve witnessed are the way pharmacists are approaching patient care overall in the community setting. The challenges facing community pharmacy right now are dramatically impacting the way pharmacies operate. There is more focus on pharmacists delivering additional patient care services while continuing to dispense and counsel on medications in everyday practice. It’s definitely a wake-up moment as a pharmacist when you realize you can prescribe and administer certain medications while also continuing everyday tasks such as administering immunizations and dispensing medications.

How has the relationship between pharmacists and patients evolved throughout your career, and what impact has that had on your approach to patient care?

I believe the relationship between pharmacists and patients is very strong and is what I value most. The trust between pharmacists and patients has increased over the years because pharmacists can help interpret the vast amount of information available today. The increased trust has impacted my approach to patient care by seeing the value in spending just an extra couple of minutes with a patient. Small time investments in patient care make significant impacts over time for your community and pharmacy business.

What advice would you give to today’s pharmacy students or early-career pharmacists?

I am still an early-career pharmacist myself. I would say don’t be afraid to ask questions or try new approaches to how pharmacists currently care for patients. It’s OK to try to make small changes that may or may not improve pharmacy operations because the practice of pharmacy will always keep changing. There is always something new and extra pharmacists can be doing, especially in the community setting, to expand the practice of pharmacy and advance patient care.