From the President Identity: A Prized Possession By Kendall Guthrie, PharmD, BCACP, UMKC School of Pharmacy, Kansas City, MO A


s I sit here to begin writing my first article as the President of the Missouri Pharmacy Association, I can’t help but feel incredibly thankful and humbled to be


in this position. We recently held our Annual Conference at the beautiful Union Station in St. Louis where I had the opportunity to interact with many of you in person. Tank you to those who were able to come out for a Labor Day weekend full of networking, education, celebrations, and fun. It never ceases to amaze me hearing the innovative and impactful things our members are doing to better their communities and the populations they serve. It is not lost on me what an honor and privilege it is to serve you, the MPA members, and a responsibility I do not take lightly. Tose who were able to come to the gala


on Saturday night heard my Presidential speech that was centered around the central theme of identity, and I wanted to recap some of those points in this article as we look ahead to the coming year. For those who don’t know me, my personal and professional identity formation began in the small town of Odessa, Missouri. I had several professional aspirations throughout childhood including an inventor, teacher, and marine biologist. It is quite funny that I didn’t find my pharmacy calling sooner considering when I was young, I spent quite a bit of time with my great grandparents who had a tub of empty medicine bottles that my siblings, cousins, and I spent hours using to play pharmacist. It wasn’t until high school that I found


myself in a pharmacy setting and quite honestly, at the time, I just needed a job. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize I had found my professional home, and I have never looked back. When I began my pharmacy journey, I was working six days a week ringing out customers at the register, delivering medications, stocking inventory, filing prescription hard copies,


and occasionally getting to help with tasks behind the counter. From day one, I was amazed at how incredibly valuable the pharmacist and pharmacy team were to the community. I oſten think back to a day when I had a delivery for a regular pharmacy couple with whom I had developed a particular rapport. We regularly delivered their medications, and I frequently took reports back to the pharmacy of some of their struggles I was witnessing, such as lack of air conditioning in the summer, no heat in the winter, and an absence of food when they would ask me to put their insulin in the refrigerator. On this particular day, the


pharmacist gave me some money on my way out the door to make deliveries and told me to run by the grocery store to pick up a few essentials, like bread, milk, and eggs, before going over to this couple’s house. What I didn’t know then that I realize now is we were providing resources to help with this family’s social determinants of health barriers, a duty pharmacies and pharmacy teams have continued to build on in recent years. Te identity of pharmacy professionals


is and always has been rooted in the unwavering commitment to health and wellness. Pharmacy teams are not just dispensers of medications. Tey are educators, caregivers, advocates, and providers. We hear it time and time again that pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals. Tey play a critical and irreplaceable role in ensuring patients receive safe and effective treatments, and they are oſten a first line of defense for screening and identifying socioeconomic barriers to treatment. Tis isn’t to say pharmacy hasn’t had its


struggles. In fact, of late, it has felt like our struggle has become our identity in some ways. We have faced workforce shortages and burnout, a fight for recognition as service providers, vertical integration that has led to anti-competitive practices, a public image crisis, and last but certainly not least, reimbursement and financial pressures that have led to a record number of community pharmacy closures. We certainly have our work cut out for us. However, I am looking ahead to the


Garret and Kendall Guthrie with daughters Gracyn (7) and Hensley (3).


coming year (and beyond) incredibly hopeful and optimistic for the future of pharmacy. MPA is one of the strongest pharmacy associations in the country. Te Board of Directors is committed to serving the needs of the membership and moving the profession forward along with the incredibly brilliant, innovative, and dedicated MPA staff. We have made significant strides in practice advancement activities, such as the


4 Missouri PHARMACIST | Volume 98, Issue III | Fall 2024


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