Alysa Baumann Leadership in pharmacy looks different for each person.
What does leadership in pharmacy look like?
Concordia University Wisconsin’s School of Pharmacy is proud of alumnus Alysa Baumann, PharmD, MBA who was just appointed to the ASHP advisory group. We connected with her recently to see where she is now after graduating last spring with her dual degree (PharmD/MBA) from Concordia.
NOTE: Baumann’s responses are written in italics.
When did you graduate and where are you now?
I graduated from Concordia in 2020 and am currently a PGY2 Health System Administration and Leadership (HSPAL) Resident at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis, TN. I always knew I wanted to have a career in pharmacy administration and found that my knowledge would be best utilized in a health system.
Tennessee? How did you wind up there?
Honestly, destiny. It sounds cliché, but I truly think that I was meant to be in Tennessee and train at this residency program. I knew I wanted to obtain a HSPAL residency after graduation, but I wasn’t sure where. Before ASHP Midyear, I started researching programs around the country and listed the programs that I was interested in. At Midyear, I had the opportunity to have brief interviews with those programs and get a better sense of where I wanted to apply. I remember walking out of my interview with this program and putting a large star on the top of the page. This program felt like the right fit. I’m a true believer in following your intuition and trusting the process. I am originally from Wisconsin and lived there up until this point. Leaving my friends, family, and pharmacy community was the hardest transition that I’ve ever been through, but it was so worth it.
So what kind of full-term work are you doing now?
My entire first year of residency was dedicated to refining my skills as a clinical pharmacist. Now that I am in my second year of residency, my focus is dedicated to pharmacy administration. Currently, I am creating a business proposal to expand our outpatient pharmacy to include mail-order services and extend operating hours to increase prescription capture for the health-system.
Are you enjoying your first year as a PharmD? What most surprised you about this first year?
When I graduated in 2020, COVID-19 prevented a formal graduation ceremony, which made the transition from student to pharmacist a little challenging. It wasn’t until September, when I had a transitions of care rotation, that I finally felt like a true practitioner. The most surprising aspect of this first year is just how much I have grown, both professionally and personally. We spend so much of our lives working toward our dreams and when they finally start to become realities, that is when the true growth starts. Over the past year, I have found my version of being a clinical pharmacist and am looking forward to personalizing my leadership style over the coming months.
Tell us about the advisory group.
I serve on the ASHP Section of Pharmacy Leaders Section Advisory Group (SAG) on Frontline Leaders for the 2021-2022 term. This SAG consists of current pharmacy leaders around the country. I’m one of six residents selected to participate.
What kind of work will you focus on?
Our charges over the next year include:
- Advising pharmacy leaders on how to start new strategic initiatives
- Leading effective change management
- Optimizing staff empowerment
- Leveraging marketplace opportunities
Additionally, we will be developing resources for advancing innovative pharmacy practice models for utilizing new technology to advance pharmacy operations. The next generation of frontline pharmacy employees can use these resources for their training and development.
I’m extremely thankful for this opportunity to use my training and experiences to advance pharmacy practice. I am so passionate about pharmacy and this appointment allows me to serve my profession on a national scale.
Any reflections on attending Concordia University?
I am unbelievably thankful for my time and training at Concordia University Wisconsin. The faculty is dedicated to pharmacy practice and teaching upcoming pharmacists. I wouldn’t be the pharmacist I am today without the support and encouragement from the faculty, whom I now call friends.
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Demonstrating leadership within pharmacy
Alysa Baumann is doing extraordinary work as a leader in the field of pharmacy. Going above and beyond is the norm with Concordia’s School of Pharmacy. “We are so proud of the work Alysa and other alumni are doing to advocate for and advance pharmacy practice,” said Kassandra Bartelme, Pharm.D., BCACP.
Interested in other alumni stories?
- These two graduates opened their own pharmacy.
- This 2018 graduate works at the San Francisco VA in ambulatory care.
- This grad is a clinical ambulatory oncology pharmacist in Milwaukee, WI.
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