MCW School of Pharmacy Alumni Spotlight
"Society needs our profession, and they need you."
Heather Dalton, PharmD, MS - Specialty Pharmacy Manager, Froedtert Health Solutions
As a specialty pharmacy manager, Dr. Dalton works with a class of medications that are difficult to manage, are expensive, have limited distribution and require more complex care. She oversees 13 clinical pharmacists who work in the specialty pharmacy, providing longitudinal medication management to patients using specialty medications.
Kong Choua Thao, PharmD - Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK) Fellow, Sanofi
Dr. Thao is currently in a fellowship at pharmaceutical and healthcare company Sanofi in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) fellowship, Thao determines the disposition, safe starting dose and predicted efficacious dose prior to first-in-human clinical trials.
Rachael Jaszczenski, PharmD - Pediatric Pharmacist, Children's Wisconsin
As a pediatric pharmacist, Dr. Jaszczenski says she values helping families get through a potentially terrifying situation involving their child. She also enjoys utilizing her critical thinking skills, as there are not as many clinical guidelines in pediatrics compared to adult patients.
LCDR Christopher Tran, PharmD, MBA, BCSCP - Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Public Health Service; Chief of Pharmacy, Defense Health Agency - Pentagon Military Treatment Facility
As the chief of pharmacy, Dr. Tran and his team oversee pharmaceutical services and operations, ensuring the safe and effective management of medications for all active-duty sponsors and their beneficiaries. They are responsible for maintaining compliance with regulations, supporting public health initiatives and coordinating with healthcare providers to strengthen the overall health and medical readiness of the active-duty community.
Pharmacists Can Make a Significant Impact Working Remotely
Erik Everton, PharmD, RPh, an alumnus of the MCW School of Pharmacy Class of 2020, is an associate principal scientist in oncology at Merck, a research-driven biopharmaceutical company. He works with a team to develop and establish new treatment regimens for cancer patients, possibly leading to an FDA-approved indication, "which can improve patients' lives almost immediately," explained Dr. Everton.
Pharmacists Can Make a Positive Impact on Pediatric Mental Health
Rachael Jaszczenski, PharmD, an alumna of the MCW School of Pharmacy Class of 2021, is proud to play a role in initiatives to expand mental health care for pediatric patients at Children's Wisconsin.
“Some research indicates that more than half of individuals who struggle with mental health conditions in their lifetime start experiencing symptoms before the age of 14. The problem with that is that the average length of time between symptoms appearing and the start of treatment is more than 10 years,” explained Dr. Jaszczenski. “So, there’s a huge gap where pediatric patients may not receive any kind of mental health services until they’re well into their adult life.”
Learn about Dr. Jaszcenski's role as a pediatric mental health pharmacist
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Alumni Voices
Read about what inspires graduates of the MCW School of Pharmacy
"During the MCW PharmD program, I learned that I really enjoyed the clinical aspect of pharmacy — being able to take input from a team of doctors and nurses, assess labs and cultures, think about what works best for the patient’s lifestyle and socioeconomic position. You’re helping put the puzzle pieces together and figuring out what will work best to keep your patients healthy."
Alberto Aranda Jr., PharmD
MCW PharmD Class of 2023 and PGY-1 Resident, Hennepin Healthcare - Minneapolis
"Veterinarians get this awesome power to both prescribe and dispense medications, yet they tend to have very limited training on pharmacy rules and regulations. With recent veterinary controlled substance diversions making the headlines, this area is ripe for reform, and I am excited to see what the future brings!"
Jessica Barazowski, PharmD
MCW PharmD Class of 2021 and Staff Pharmacist, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine - Oregon State University
“I like being a part of the community ... I get to know all of our patients. It’s more than just a patient-pharmacist relationship – they're also my neighbor, so it feels good to be the person they can call for help.”
Lauren Farnsworth, PharmD
MCW PharmD Class of 2020 and Manager, CVS Health
“What really drew me in to pediatric pharmacy was seeing the resilience of kids and how fast they bounce back from even the worst things you can possibly think of. I feel like when children find out there’s something wrong with them, they take it personally and try learning what they can do to get better. It’s awe inspiring and really shows that people can learn and become more health literate.”
Shay Groth, PharmD
MCW PharmD Class of 2023 and PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident, Children's Hospital of Illinois