From a pharmacist to a regional manager: a childhood dream led to a favorite job
Sometimes childhood impressions lead to life-long studies, sometimes it is pushed by an example observed at the right time. Pharmacist Renata Lipskienė smiles: the smell of the pharmacy , the mysterious world of many drawers and boxes attracted her from a young age, and the students she knew encouraged her to finally choose pharmacy studies.
Today, Renata Lipskienė is the regional manager of one of the largest pharmacy chains in Lithuania, and even though her activity is not directly related to medicines at the moment, the mysterious smell of medicines, the business-like atmosphere of the pharmacy fascinates her to this day. In the first work – the answer to a question from childhood.
“From my childhood, I remember powdered vitamins packed in a pharmacy, which were very tasty. Passing by, I was always curious as to how the production takes place inside, how the pharmacists find the necessary medicines in such an abundance of them. When I had to make a decision, perhaps I would have preferred university studies in cosmetology, but there was no such option back then.
The choice to study pharmacy was finally decided by twin sisters Kristina and Lina Kučinskaitė from my hometown Tytuvėnai, who were already studying pharmacy. I remember flipping through their lecture notes, listening to stories about what they were learning, what they learned to make,” recalls R. Lipskienė.
Pharmacy studies at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences ( LSMU ) were not easy, the first year was surprised by the huge volume of lectures and settlements, after getting used to hard, consistent work.
“I was most attracted to practical, laboratory work, it was interesting to try what we learned theoretically in practice. Medicine technology is extremely interesting, when we made various forms of medicine with our own hands. In the summer, we collected and dried plants and made herbariums. And how many chemistry lectures with work in laboratories, how many problems, formulas have been learned! Microbiology was very engaging – we sowed crops, practically observed how antibiotics work,” said the interviewer.
The first real work at the pharmacy began during my studies. At the then “Pagalbos Vaistinė” Kaunas Dainava Polyclinic, the student was arranging and handling goods. It was the first great experience. Gradually, an understanding came, an answer to a question from childhood – how do pharmacists find the necessary medication in such an abundance of them.
“When you touch the packaging, you see who belongs to which group – you practically learn, you understand a lot. I combined studies and work easily – especially when work was what I was studying. According to the procedure at that time, drug prescriptions had to be entered into the computer, errors corrected, and given to the patient’s coffers. I closely observed how patients are consulted, how various situations are solved in the pharmacy, and later I was able to serve and advise clients myself.
Career , development, experience
After graduating, I started working as a pharmacist in the same pharmacy. Everything was much simpler, I already knew a lot, I had a great team and I was happy that I started working in a pharmacy while still studying. Later, I had to try myself in other pharmacies as well, I worked as a manager of a pharmacy – head of pharmaceutical activities”, said the interviewer. She has been working at Camelia Pharmacy for ten years, and for the past five years as a regional manager.
This includes responsibility for more than 50 pharmacies in Lithuania, planning, selection and management of personnel needs, work organization, control, motivation, communication and cooperation with company departments, ensuring quality and professional customer service in the region.
A modern pharmacist is also a medicine expert who has broad knowledge and abilities, communication, healthcare basics in the fields of internal medicine and immunology, knows pharmaceutical innovations, modern technologies, knows how modern pharmaceutical preparations are created, has a science-based modern approach to pharmacotherapy and broad coverage of pharmaceutical care.
“Perhaps the most difficult thing recently is the search for employees: there is a shortage of pharmacists today. The most satisfying thing is when employees come back – often they have already tried themselves in other pharmacies,” says R. Lipskienė.
The pharmacist’s hobby in her free time – dancing in the women’s collective of the Tytuvėnai cultural center “Uliava” – is already being prepared for the 100th anniversary song festival.
The interlocutor is convinced: even in these times of technology, robotics and artificial intelligence, and in the future, a professional pharmacist will be needed: nothing can replace real live communication, listening, pharmaceutical service, professional, empathetic advice. “Robots and artificial intelligence are only an auxiliary tool, both for the pharmacist and in other fields. And a professional pharmacist will inevitably have to be able to take advantage of innovations and apply them in daily work, constantly learn and improve”, Renata Lipskienė, head of the Camelia pharmacy region, is convinced.
Interesting facts about pharmacy studies The employability of LSMU pharmacy study program graduates reaches over 97% in the first year after graduation. Future pharmacists practice in simulated classrooms – laboratories: in an environment that simulates reality, they work with simulated educational equipment, mock-ups, mannequins, and acquire new professional skills. In the premises of a simulated pharmacy, students directly experience the specifics of working in a pharmacy: they learn to work with cash registers, quick drug searches, drug compatibility programs, and gain experience in patient counseling.
In the interactive E-prescription classroom with modern computer equipment and software, you learn how to use the electronic prescription system. In a special laboratory, you learn to provide health check-up and beauty services, choose various preventive tests, measure blood pressure, check vision, determine the amount of fat in the body with special scales, and provide various other services.
Extended practice pharmacists trained by LSMU are already vaccinating residents against tick-borne encephalitis, seasonal flu, COVID-19 disease, and pneumococcal infection in pharmacies. Working as a pharmacist is only one of the areas of activity of a specialist who has completed pharmacy studies at LSMU. Studies perfectly prepare for a career as a scientist, researcher, drug developer. More about pharmacy studies at LSMU: LINK .