Sidrah Alam won the 2021 Best Up-and-Coming Pharmacist award because of her unflagging dedication to her community and patients, even while taking classes as a pharmacy student. Her commitment to healthcare is a family legacy. Her grandfather owned a pharmacy in Pakistan. When he was diagnosed with cancer, she saw how the oncology pharmacists had an immediate impact on his care. Her mother—and fellow award winner—Naureen Alam, also works in pharmacy. These two showed her that pharmacists don’t just put pills in bottles. They help so many patients.

What inspired you to go to pharmacy school?

It wasn’t a job I ever imagined pursuing. I started working at Wegmans as a technician, and I saw the impact retail pharmacists had on the community—whether it’s helping them financially or helping them understand their medications. That’s when I knew I was going to be a pharmacist. I finished up my pre-reqs, applied, and the rest is history. I love that the field is ever-changing and that there are so many opportunities for pharmacists to have any type of career I want.

I’m pursuing a dual Pharm.D. and Master’s program, so I will also have a specialty in pharmacogenetics and personalized medicine. It focuses on the genetics of a patient, as well as how that drug would interact with that person’s genetics. For example, if someone has cancer, the future of pharmacy is looking at the genetics of the cancer and the patient, and trying to find not just a drug that works on that cancer, but the drug that would specifically work best for that patient. My goal is to combine that with what I learn in pharmacy school to best help patient care in the future.

Tell us about a memorable experience with a customer. 

The stories I remember most are about saving money. Medications are so expensive, especially  a lot of the specialty drugs. After working in a pharmacy for so long, I know where to look, which is why I use SingleCare so often. Both my mom and I have been named the “Coupon Queens” at our community pharmacies. I always try to find manufacturer coupons or savings programs for patients and enroll them to save them money.

I went into pharmacy because of the personal connection that comes with direct patient care.

I once had a mom come in, and her medication was going to cost over $600. I found a coupon that saved her more than $500 on her medication. She started crying right at the register. What I didn’t know was that her mother had just passed away, and her husband had just lost his job. Saving that much money was really meaningful to her, and the medication was vital. It was very humbling and a great reminder that you never know what someone is going through.

What should patients know about saving money?

Everybody is trying to save money all the time. Unfortunately, a lot of people see medication as an extra expense. I’ve heard a lot of people say they feel fine, so they don’t need to take their blood pressure medication because it’s expensive. They’ll take it every other day or whenever they feel like they should.

Making things more affordable with things like SingleCare allows patients to actually take their medication and make sure that something worse doesn’t happen down the line. High blood pressure is a silent killer, so even if you feel fine, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be taking your medication. Educating people more that there are options like SingleCare makes a big difference.

Social media is another advantage. Some people don’t know that SingleCare is not just a coupon; it’s also education. With social media growing and with companies like SingleCare being out on social media, the education piece is a huge part that people don’t realize. It’s a double advantage with the education and the financial benefit.

How else do you serve your community through your pharmacy experience?

I volunteer with the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps to help with COVID-19 testing and vaccination. At one point we were vaccinating thousands of people a day. And, I help with my religious community’s vaccination effort. It’s really been a good way to reach people who wouldn’t normally either go to their pharmacies or a lot of the underserved populations who have been able to come to these clinics to get their vaccinations.

What drives you to go above and beyond for your customers?

I went into pharmacy because of the personal connection that comes with direct patient care. It’s not about how many people I help. If I can get one smile on someone’s face a day, that’s a huge deal for me. 

It’s rewarding to see when people are actually feeling better after taking their medications.

The other aspect of going above and beyond is I would want someone to do that for me or my family. If I see someone who doesn’t speak English or has a special need, like a Deaf customer at our pharmacy, I know if I was in that situation, I’d want someone to go above and beyond to help me. I try to do that. 

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

It’s rewarding to see when people are actually feeling better after taking their medications. At Wegmans, we do a lot of work with medication therapy management and medication counseling. I make calls to patients to see how a prescription is working, especially for those who are over 65 and if their fill history doesn’t show they are adherent. Making those calls has shown me how much people appreciate that little gesture. I’ve talked to people who stopped taking their medication because of a side effect or some other reason. It’s rewarding to be able to educate them and help them feel better, but also be that listening ear for them to talk to.

What does this nomination mean to you?

At Wegmans, our motto is: Every day you get our best. This award exemplifies that, being recognized for me being my best every day and just that impact that I can make as a pharmacy technician, intern, and as a future pharmacist. It’s nice to know that when you’re giving back to people, it’s not going unnoticed.