Ross Overstreet, Pharm.D., won the 2021 Best Pharmacist for Education award because of his dedication to teaching both colleagues and patients. He puts extra attention into medication counseling at the counter when patients pick up prescriptions and on the phone when he calls to check in. Dr. Overstreet has been a pharmacist with CVS for two years, quickly becoming a pharmacy manager and pursuing leadership roles within his district—and helping to set immunization goals for stores. He loves teaching, and it shows in the healthy paths his patients have found.

What inspired you to become a pharmacist?

There are a couple of people who were very influential when I was in high school. One was my neighbor, and another was a family friend. Both were pharmacists, with slightly different roles: in a clinical hospital setting and working in corporate for CVS. They inspired me.

I grew up playing sports. I played baseball in college. I’ve always loved a team atmosphere. I’ve always liked math and science, and I’ve always liked helping people. I knew I wanted to work with a team, do something challenging, and help my community. Pharmacy struck me as a great way to fulfill all of those passions.

I love to get to know patients by name. 

I love how many different roles you can have, and how much of an influence you have as a pharmacist. Pharmacists are one of the most trusted healthcare professionals. As I went to school for pharmacy, I just thought that was the coolest thing. 

How do you go above and beyond for your customers?

For my patients, I focus on medication counseling—especially when it’s the first time a person is taking a particular prescription. At my store, we’ve changed our workflow so that I run the register most of the time. It helps to lessen the stress on the technicians and makes it easier for me to have conversations about medications with patients. I can tell people little things, like, “Take this pill with a full glass of water, or it might not dissolve all the way.” It’s part of the process of them picking up a prescription.

I also make phone calls to patients to check in and see how they are doing. It gives them a chance to ask questions about their medications and helps to build relationships with patients. I love to get to know patients by name. 

On top of that, I make sure that my team is ready to help customers the best way they can. I’m in charge of district immunizations and letting everybody know their goals. I let everybody know on a daily basis how they’re doing while inspiring, motivating, and setting competitions.

What drives you to go above and beyond?

I love teaching. It started with my baseball background. I always loved being a leader on the field, and then as I got older, I always loved teaching my teammates certain things. Educating others is a passion of mine. 

When I was in school, I worked with underserved patients with diabetes to teach them about their condition. It’s a complex disease that is hard to learn how to manage when you’re first diagnosed. It’s so rewarding to be able to explain how diet and exercise can make a difference on top of the medication regimen. It’s so fun to see the progression patients make as they learn more and improve their lifestyles. I just love seeing people gradually getting better, healthier, and getting the most out of themselves.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Building a patient relationship is my favorite part. I had one customer who would come in a lot, but didn’t trust the pharmacy or vaccinations. Gradually I got to know him and his wife. I started to explain the importance of certain medications, certain immunizations. Now, they are two of my favorite people. They come down to see me at my new store, which is an additional 30 minute drive for them. They bring their dog, and they get their medications. Gaining trust is the most rewarding part.

I just love seeing people gradually getting better, healthier, and getting the most out of themselves.

I also enjoy building the relationship with my team. This is the third store I have worked in. I love overcoming any barriers that might be there as the new guy, and building that trusting, enjoyable relationship. 

Can you share a story where you made a difference in a patient’s life?

I volunteered at a homeless clinic. All of the patients make less than $2,000 a year. They are not able to afford their medication. A lot of these patients have diabetes or hepatitis C. One patient needed a hepatitis C medication called Harvoni. It’s $112,000 for an 84-day supply. This patient didn’t have insurance and couldn’t afford it. I worked with the manufacturer to get the medication for free. The patient was dealing with other health issues including diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. This medication came with a lot of restrictions—no drug use, no drinking alcohol. For some, it takes a lot to resist those temptations. I met with this patient regularly. He was cured of hepatitis C in three weeks. Then he started making strides with his diabetes management. That was the most exciting and coolest thing as a pharmacist that I’ve gotten to be part of.

Adherence to medications is a big struggle for a lot of patients. That can be for a number of reasons: They don’t like the side effects, it’s too expensive, or it’s hard to get on a routine. I would love to be able to sit down with every single patient and find out their reasons for non-adherence and then help them make that change. A lot of medications help out in a lot of ways, and many people start on one, but then don’t continue with it. I want patients to know that there are alternatives, whether it’s finding cost savings or switching to an equivalent medication. There are a lot of ways to get on a healthy path. 

What are you most proud of in your career?

For me, it’s been making quick progress from graduating to learning to handle working at extremely busy stores. Then, being promoted to pharmacy manager at one store, and then at an even higher volume store. I’ve had a few leadership opportunities through CVS where I am getting to learn about the district and take on more responsibility. It’s exciting that my bosses and the people who oversee my duties have trust in me. I’m also so proud of the relationships that I’ve built with patients and my team members at each store. I’m always striving to make our team better, to make myself better, and to move forward.

What are the attributes of a top pharmacist?

You have to be able to be cool and calm in stressful situations. You have to be able to be decisive. You have to be resilient. You have to be confident. There are a lot of things thrown at you at once. You have to be relentless in your work. 

I want patients to know that there are alternatives, whether it’s finding cost savings or switching to an equivalent medication. There are a lot of ways to get on a healthy path. 

You need to have a good relationship with your team. You need to be able to talk about things that are not work-related. You need to make your team feel open and feel that they’re in a safe place where they can talk about things, where they can learn things, where they can make mistakes. Being a teacher, a leader, and a team player are the biggest attributes you need.

What does this nomination mean to you?

It’s really cool that people have nominated me. It was totally unexpected. It shows that what I’m doing is working, and it just pushes me to continue to want to help patients even more. Whether that is saving them money on medications, helping them make lifestyle changes, or getting in touch with their physician to help add an additional therapy. It’s nice to know that what you’re doing is paying off, that you should keep on doing it.