Interview with Profesional Innovation Grant winner, 2020 — Dallas Smith
There are many areas of interest to explore as a young pharmacist or pharmaceutical scientist. Academia is one of the many areas and we have many young pharmacists doing exceptionally in this area. We featured the Professional Innovation Grant winner, 2020, Dallas Smith to share his experiences to motivate other young pharmacists.
The YPG Professional Innovation Grant is funded by the FIP Foundation for Education and Research. The Foundation’s objective is to promote the educational and research ventures of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists and expand the role of the pharmacist in charitable projects towards better global health.
Get to know more about the Foundation here.
Thank you, Dallas for joining the interview
When did you decide to pursue academia? How was the path until your current position?
After graduating with my Pharm.D., I have wanted to build capacity and empower pharmacists around the globe. I thought the most effective and exciting opportunity to accomplish this was through the field of academia.
Academia allows for personal and growth-filled interactions with young members of the pharmacy profession while also investing in their passions and aspirations.
I was fortunate enough to serve with the United States Peace Corps in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for two years post-graduation where I taught clinical pharmacy on the weekends before embarking on my current role as a clinical pharmacy and pharmacognosy lecturer at the College of Medicine in Blantyre, Malawi.
What was different from your expectations? What surprised you in academia after you started?
The most surprising aspect of academia is the wealth of opportunities one can become involved with. This includes grants, partnerships, teaching, mentoring, and training on a local and global scale. The field of pharmaceutical academia has tremendous potential to expand and impact a great variety of health arenas.
What is the main challenge for you today? Do you have any specific challenges as a young pharmacist?
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was evacuated from Malawi back to the United States more than a year ago and have been unable to return. Thus, the major challenge has been transitioning to online teaching while ensuring that it is equitable for all students in the department. Although it has been a tough transition, we have been able to garner input from students to accommodate their access and needs. It has been exciting to utilize various platforms and tools to enhance learning from a distance!
How did you feel after winning the professional innovation grant in 2020 and did your project reach the speculated impact?
The entire research group at the Department of Pharmacy and at the local hospital was overjoyed and grateful to have won the Professional Innovation Grant in 2020 with a project entitled, “Evaluation of a pharmacist-led medication therapy management program for patients with hypertension at an outpatient clinic”. Clinical pharmacy is a growing field in Malawi, and this grant will provide the foundation for future generations to practice ambulatory care as a pharmacist in Malawian’s healthcare system. The project is still in progress, but the initial reports look extremely promising — blood pressures reduced, patient satisfaction high, and positive feedback from other healthcare providers.
As a young lecturer, what would you say are your best experiences so far?
The most meaningful experience so far as a faculty member at the College of Medicine is witnessing students cultivate their passions in pharmacy. Whether it was seeing students develop a love for herbal medicine at the National Botanical Gardens, observing students interact with a healthcare team on evidence-based treatment of an HIV+ patient, or discussing healthcare systems with a few interested students after class, these opportunities to view growth gives me great hope for the future of the profession.
Do you see a different career path between pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists looking for academia?
I believe the path to academics for both pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists has similar methods. The most important aspect of being an academic is bringing a wealth of experiences, knowledge, and passion to the classroom. Furthermore, it is imperative to continue exploring and learning while in academia to provide progressive insight in clinical pharmacy, pharmacoepidemiology, the pharmaceutical sciences, and other specialized areas of pharmacy.
For a graduated pharmacist below 35 years old, how can they start a career in the academia and which opportunities would you recommend for them?
For recommendations into starting a career in academia, I would first reach out to the local pharmacy higher education institution to see what part-time opportunities may exist for one interested in the field. This could entail being involved in a research project based on your current pharmacy practice, being a guest lecturer for a topic you feel passionate about or are an expert in, providing an experiential learning site for current students to learn the profession, or even mentoring students as they progress in the curriculum. This will allow one to develop a love for academia, gain the skills needed to be an effective educator, and determine if academics is the right field based on their interests.
We hope you enjoyed the interview.