Chain Pharmacist on “Feeling Like a Rock Star” in His Community

According to James Rider, PharmD, pharmacy manager of a CVS in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and 2024 National Paragon Award recipient, being a pharmacist makes him feel like a rock star.

"I always talk about my position as a pharmacist as being like a rock star," he said in an interview with Drug Topics for American Pharmacists Month. "I, at the end of every day, feel like a rock star, because I feel like people need me. They have lots of questions, and they access and utilize me as a resource for them, and at the end of the day, that's what drives me the most."

In his role, his most significant reward comes from the satisfaction of helping patients on an individual level. Whether that be something as simple as recommending an OTC product, or something more complicated such as assisting someone with hospital discharge instructions, the feeling of helping others motivates him to provide excellent care.

However, working as a manager in a high-volume retail setting presents its own challenges, including staffing. Rider emphasized the importance of effective staffing and training as key strategies for ensuring high-quality patient care and customer service; by investing in his team, Rider can focus on building stronger relationships with patients.

In his interview with Drug Topics, Rider reflected on his early days in pharmacy, the value of collaboration in expanding pharmacists' role, and the unique advantages of working in a chain pharmacy.

Our coverage of American Pharmacists Month continues all October. To view all of our interviews, visit our American Pharmacists Month landing resource center.