Michele Lennox, Pharm.D., won the Lifetime Achievement Award from the 2021 Best of the Best Pharmacy Awards.

I call pharmacy “the best-kept secret in medicine.” I love doing what I do—and I make a difference every day.

My interest in pharmacy began at a young age. Growing up in a small suburb outside Philadelphia, I would stop in an independent pharmacy after school to get candy or a treat. I was aware of the respect the pharmacist held in the community.

As a teenager, I volunteered at a small local hospital to explore opportunities in medical careers. I was able to work at the information desk, in the emergency room, on the nursing floors, and with the dietitian in the dietary department. I helped to run lab samples from the floor to the lab and stat meds from the pharmacy to the floor. I was intrigued by the hospital pharmacy and saw another side of pharmacy. Through a process of elimination, I decided on my profession.

How I started pursuing pharmacy

In high school, I was told by my counselor that a career in pharmacy may not be for me—I was strong in the sciences, but weak in math. I knew pharmacy school was not going to be easy, but being told that I couldn’t do something, I wanted to prove to myself and everyone else that I could do it and worked hard to overcome the challenges. I was motivated and dedicated to follow my heart’s desire in pursuing pharmacy.

While I was a student at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, I started working at CVS, and I’ve stayed there for 34 years. When I graduated in 1990 and became an R.Ph., there weren’t a lot of options. You went into one of three areas of pharmacy: community, hospital, or the pharmaceutical industry.

One of the things I love about pharmacy now is that it allows you to explore many different opportunities. Continuing my education has been key to unlocking those opportunities. When I relocated from Pennsylvania to Florida in 1999, I went back to school and earned my Pharm.D. from the University of Florida. Two years after graduation, I became a board-certified geriatric pharmacist.

Expanding my role as a pharmacist

I was challenged again when I started my own business, AdvisoRx Consulting, where I consult at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and correctional facilities. I also will provide Medication Therapy Management services with personal consulting if someone needs help with their own or parents’ medications.

Additionally, I volunteer using my education and skills with brown bag programs in senior centers, poison prevention programs with children, and drug abuse prevention programs with teenagers. Educating people about their medication is what drives me; it’s important people know what their meds are, how to take them appropriately, what to expect in side effects, and what monitoring should be done to make the meds most effective.

I became an immunizer in 2008 and started helping with flu clinics. Now with the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve given almost 2,000 COVID shots.

I’m active in the national, state, and local pharmacy association. I served as president of the Pinellas County Pharmacy Association for several years and have held various positions in the association, such as continuing education coordinator, treasurer, and vice president. I think it’s important that pharmacists stay involved, network, and know what’s going on in the profession. I want to have a strong voice and be a part of that discussion.

Mentoring the next generation

Passing on my experience and knowledge and mentoring the next generation is another passion of mine. In 2008, I earned a teaching certificate from the University of South Florida, and it has made me a better preceptor. I precept for five schools of pharmacy—four here in Florida and one in Georgia. It’s so rewarding to see pharmacy students who I have hired or mentored go on to be leaders in the profession.

I’m excited about the future of pharmacy. I see big changes coming that will help pharmacists make smarter moves. In my consulting career, I’d like to do more with medication therapy management (MTM) and personalized medicine with pharmacogenomics. Through DNA testing, pharmacogenomics can help us figure out what medicine will best treat certain patients.

Pharmacy may be the best-kept secret in medicine, but I think it’s important that we promote what we do. Pharmacists, for years, have been one of the most trusted professionals, and we’ve earned that. People know who their doctor is; they know who their dentist is. People should know who their pharmacist is too since we are part of the medical team. And, ultimately, that’s what pharmacy is about for me and why I stay: to help people.