November 21, 2024 • 39 mins
Balancing Career and Family: Insights from Dr. Suzanne Soliman
In this episode of the Take Your Medicine podcast, pharmacist Phil Cowley interviews Dr. Suzanne Soliman, a highly accomplished pharmacist, author, and mother of five. They discuss her journey in balancing a demanding career in pharmacy with family responsibilities, including founding the Pharmacist Moms Group to support other pharmacist mothers. They highlight the need for pharmacists to advocate for themselves, consider non-traditional roles, and the importance of kindness in professional interactions. Dr. Soliman shares stories and advice on pivoting within the pharmacy profession and emphasizes the value of community support among pharmacists. Her book, 'The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Medical Science Liaison,' is recommended for those considering alternative career paths in pharmacy.
Follow Suzy at https://www.instagram.com/drsuzannesoliman/
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:19 Meet Dr. Suzanne Soliman
01:09 Balancing Career and Family
02:56 The Birth of Pharmacist Moms Group
05:34 Challenges in the Pharmacy Profession
13:40 Advocating for Pharmacist Rights
20:42 Pharmacists' Pay Discrepancy
20:51 Pharmacists' Advocacy and Unity
21:40 CVS Walkouts and Pharmacist Burnout
24:15 Dealing with Conflict and Toxicity
26:15 Good vs. Bad People
29:46 Career Advice for Pharmacists
35:17 Making the World Kinder
37:28 Conclusion and Farewell
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Phil (00:03):
Welcome to Take Your Medicine podcast.
I am Phil Cowley, pharmacist of25 years.
And the one thing I've learnedis you need to listen to your
patients.
Everything I really learned inpharmacy, I've learned by taking
a minute to listen to thepatients and their stories.
And from that, I think thatknowledge needs to be spread to
everyone.
So that's why I started TakeYour Medicine podcast.
And today we have the brilliant,beautiful wonder mom.
(00:27):
She's got more on her resumethan I can even imagine.
See on my resume it saysIndependent pharmacy owner, her
starts there.
She's got her PharmD which is adoctor of pharmacy.
She's gone for fellowships,board certifications.
I could keep going but the thingthat gets me the most is a
hundred publications.
Welcome to the show.
(00:47):
Dr.
Suzanne Soliman Suzy SuzanneSoliman.
She's on instagram, and she's anauthor, which right now I need
everybody to go look in Amazon.
I ordered mine, but it came toolate.
It's coming today.
Her book is called The UltimateGuide to Becoming a Medical
Science Liaison.
Her name is Suzy Soliman and sheis just wonderful.
Thank you for being on thispodcast.
Suzy (01:08):
Thank you.
Thanks so much for having me.
I'm super excited to be here.
Phil (01:13):
Suzy, um, one thing that you do have going on, which I
looked at, is you in 2017, lifewas a little hectic.
Is that right?
Suzy (01:22):
I would say hectic is a good word to describe it.
Yes.
Very good word.
Phil (01:27):
So, trying to work and have kids is, I mean,
personally, so one thing Ialways look back on my own life
and I think to myself, I shouldhave worked less now that my
kids are getting older.
Like, I don't know.
I know that you say that whenyou're younger, but when you're
younger, all you can think of isif I don't do this, my career is
going to go a differentdirection.
And I really believe as aparent, there's no winning
(01:49):
personally.
You're always losing on onefront or the other.
So I want to take us back to2017 and I want to hear the
whole baseball story.
I want to hear the whole thingbecause this is a huge thing
that you did in 2017.
Suzy (02:01):
Uh, yeah, it was so life was crazy.
And as you mentioned, I think,you know, as a parent, we
struggle because we're trying todo it all.
And I think whether you're a momor you're a dad, you're, you
know, you're trying to balanceeverything.
And for me at the time, I, youknow, I had finished pharmacy
school, I did a residency, I dida fellowship, I was like, you
know, I have this great career.
(02:22):
I'm able to travel.
Uh, at the time I owned my ownpharmacy and as you know, I had
to work at night and I had towork on the weekends.
And, um, that year specificallymy, my son was on the baseball
team and he was also on thesoccer team.
And so soccer came first.
I missed so many games.
Then baseball came and I startedand I just felt terrible.
(02:43):
And one night You know, it wason a Saturday and all the other
moms are there.
And I'm just like, why do I haveto work on the weekend?
Why do I have to work on aholiday?
Why am I missing?
But I also knew that I didn'twant to give up my career.
It'd be, you know, so it was, Iwas just struggling.
So I, I went to the internetand, you know, in the middle of
the night,'cause that's not whatyou're supposed to do, but
(03:05):
that's what I decided to do.
And I went on there and I waslike, you know, I can't be the
only person struggling withthis.
And I didn't wanna go to, uh,the local Facebook groups.
And I really looked for otherpharmacists who might be
struggling and I couldn't findone.
So at the time I started a groupcalled the Pharmacist Moms
Group.
Very generic name.
And I invited about 30pharmacists that I knew, maybe
(03:27):
50 pharmacists that I knew whowere also moms and that I maybe
went to school with or I haddone residency with or worked
with and within a month, thegroup was at a thousand and
really the focus I think wasreally just about time
management, guilt, lack ofquality time, you know, um,
Talking about child careconcerns, household
(03:49):
responsibilities and the groupreally just took off from there
at right now.
We're currently at 45,000members and it just spun.
It just spun organically,really.
And I found that all of a suddenI wasn't the only person
struggling with this and thatthere was a lot of us
struggling.
Phil (04:09):
Yeah, it's a really hard thing.
You know, you have to rememberthat in the pharmacy world, it
wasn't too many years ago, theyhad to pass a law so we could
have a bathroom in the pharmacy.
So we didn't have to hold it for10 12 hours a day.
So it's not, pharmacy has alwaysbeen a very interesting place to
work because we work really longhours and quite honestly, they
don't, um, to this point, theyhaven't, in general, most of the
(04:32):
management groups out therehaven't really given us a lot of
room to be what we need to be.
And so we start our ownpharmacies, And then you realize
those hours are even worse thanthe ones you were working
before.
Suzy (04:42):
Exactly.
Yeah.
Yeah.
The only benefit was sometimesmy kids would be able to come to
the pharmacy.
So that, that was a little biteasier, but definitely then
you're, you're, you know, you'realways working when you own a
pharmacy, you're working all thetime.
Even if you're not in thepharmacy, you're still probably
working.
So, you know, and shutting thatoff.
And I think just juggling theyounger children, I think, you
(05:04):
know, is a lot more difficultthan, you know, when they're
under five, for me at least, itwas just It's crazy.
Like this one's here, this one'shere, this one's there and, and,
um, and all of that.
But knowing that there was acommunity or other people that
women I could relate to thatjust felt the demands, the
stress, the burnout, all ofthat.
(05:24):
Um, but still wanting to bethere for our kids and, you
know, make it to their soccergames and make it to their
baseball games and still bethere for our patients, I think
really helped, at least me.
Uh, it definitely helped me.
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(06:23):
So, well, you can have a better,longer life.
Now, one thing you've done thatI think is, it's not just that
you started this group becauseeven your book, which again,
everybody needs to go look atthis book because it'll help you
find your way through a lot of,a lot of people who struggle
with their, um, usually they saynine to five, but since this is
pharmacy, we'll say eight toeight schedule when they go to
work.
(06:44):
With your new book, The UltimateGuide to Becoming a Medical
Science Liaison that you can geton Amazon.
It kind of breaks down likeother ways for you to become
both a pharmacist, be able towork different type things,
breaks down how you get thereand still be able to be home
with your kids.
So, yeah.
If you get a chance like go getit if you're struggling with the
job you're currently in and forthose people saying hey should I
(07:06):
go into the pharmacy world youreally should probably start
with this book, because it'llopen up your eyes because not
everybody wants to stand in theback of the grocery store which
isn't a bad I actually reallyliked it when I worked in the
back of the grocery storebecause I had my patients but
there's a lot of people whodon't want to do this this will
open your eyes saying should Ireally go into this career um
because there are a lot ofpeople in the pharmacy world
(07:27):
right now who are struggling towant to stay in it.
Suzy (07:31):
Yeah, yeah, there really are.
I get messages and emails everysingle day from pharmacists who
are asking, you know, to lookfor non traditional
opportunities.
And that's really what led me towriting this book.
It was about what, what are thenon traditional roles out there?
And for me specifically, becauseI did have a career in pharma
(07:51):
and I've worked in pharma andI've, uh, you know, done a lot
in pharma, and I have a lot ofpharmacy students.
I still precept at Rutgers andat FDU and St.
John's, and I have students allthe time who are asking me these
questions.
I think that it's important tolet pharmacy students know,
pharmacists out there, that ifyou do not like what you are
doing, the The best thing aboutpharmacy is that you can pivot
(08:15):
and there are many other rolesout there.
You're not just, you know, well,I'm trained this way and this is
all I can do.
There are many other ways tofind your, your niche or your
area of interest really.
Phil (08:28):
Absolutely.
And that's really a hard thingas a, as a parent, but I think
it, I think moms have doublebad, like you watch it with them
because there's just.
I'm a father, I'm a father offour boys, and I would do
anything for my kids.
And when my kids were underfive, like, those are the best
years of my life, and those arethe years I spent most in the
pharmacy.
And I, I often look back onthose years, and I think, if I
(08:49):
could go back for just a minuteand grab one of my three year
olds and just hug them and juststay home for the day, I would
do it.
But you also have this pressurewhere you need to be able to
provide for those children.
And I think that that's like auniversal, It is a universal
struggle that everybody willhave.
I think, I think anybody thatworks will always have it.
(09:09):
What I really love about whatyou've done.
Is instead of being weak andstaying at home and just letting
it eat you alive.
You're like, I have to go helpother people.
I know you say you were lookingfor help, but part of what you
were out there saying is we needa community.
To me that that's a big leap offaith and there's no way that
that group you've started iseasy to manage and to keep up
(09:30):
with and, and everything else.
So have you found it to berewarding even with all the
work?
Suzy (09:36):
Oh, I love it.
I don't even think, you know,it's not work at all for me.
I love it.
It's, you know, I get messages,like I said, every day,
multiple, multiple messages.
In fact, I'm probably so farbehind on my messages that I
don't always respond to people,but I do get around to it
eventually.
And, um, for me, it's amazingbecause you really get to touch
(09:59):
upon people's lives and you getto see the different, um, stages
where parents are.
So you're kind of like the newmom who's preparing and.
You know, I'm going to benursing and you know, can I pump
in the pharmacy?
And where do I pump and whatshould I do?
And the pharmacist moms groupactually, we worked on
initiatives towards that towardshaving a clean space to be able
(10:19):
to pump if you're working in apharmacy and all of that.
And then you see some of thepharmacists who are near
retirement and all of theirthoughts on, you know, this is
what I did.
And this is how you know, youcould manage this.
And this is so it's Really wellbalanced.
And I, and I love that about thegroup and that we're all over
because a lot of timespharmacists we operate in silo,
right?
(10:39):
We're all alone.
Sometimes we have a tech or twowith us, but really we're alone.
So, um, even yesterday there wassomeone asking about dosing in
the group.
They were just asking, like, cansomeone else check on this dose
for me really quickly?
I don't have time.
I need someone else to just tellme I'm doing this correctly.
And I think that's the mostvaluable part is that you have
an instant community of likeminded peers who are able to
(11:00):
answer the questions and help.
Um, there's been instances wheresomeone's like, you know what,
my mother in law is really sick.
She's in this state.
Do you work at this hospital?
Are you able to go visit her?
Are you able to go do I can'tget back to my parents and you
know, my dad just had a heartattack.
And is anyone working at thishospital?
Can they help?
And I think That's really whereI see the, you know, for me,
(11:21):
it's such a blessing to be ableto see all of.
You know, the women workingtogether to help, help each
other.
Phil (11:27):
Absolutely.
Do you happen to have a favoritestory that you, like, because I
always have, like, when I thinkabout my career in the pharmacy,
I have two or three stories thatwhen days are really bad, I just
remember those.
Do you have a one or two storiesor a story that jumps out to you
that you always lean back onwhen you're thinking, okay, this
is a lot of work?
Suzy (11:47):
Yeah, I think for me it was that when a pharmacist lost
their home and she lost her homedue to a natural disaster and
that the group came together topurchase items for her, for her
family, for her kids.
And, um, this was early on whenthe group was still fairly
small, but it was really nice.
Her house was destroyed in atornado and, um, she just had a
(12:11):
lot of stress going on at thetime and we were able to, uh,
really help her.
And then, um, Another one was awoman who was a pharmacist was
looking for a stem cell or abone marrow transplant at the
time, uh, match.
And so we were trying to reallyhelp her.
So there are, there are storieslike that, where you just come
together as a community and itreally does make a difference.
(12:34):
And then you see, you know,we're all working for the same
purpose and trying to help eachother.
Phil (12:39):
Absolutely.
Now we were talking earlierbecause you have an injured
ankle and we were talking abouthow How you probably were, I
know how exactly set it, but itseems like you've always got two
or three hats on at any giventime, because it's not like we
talk about being, I'm apharmacist and I do this little
social media thing that I'mdoing.
Like that's all I do.
(12:59):
Right.
But you've got.
You've got school.
You've been an associate deanand a dean of different things
while you've been owningpharmacies.
Plus you have a couple of kids.
Is that right?
Suzy (13:10):
Yeah.
Yeah.
We have five kids.
So we have four boys and a girltoo.
Phil (13:14):
Oh, so that's like, and you're balancing all of this
stuff.
So I'm going to ask first, doyou ever sleep?
With that big of a schedule?
Suzy (13:21):
Now I sleep.
It's funny.
Yeah.
Um, but I, so yes, I sleep, Isleep early though.
My kids always laugh.
They're like, mom, you're, yougo to bed so early.
I mean, even last night, my sonhad all his soccer friends.
We had a pasta dinner here lastnight and I'm like, I need to go
to bed.
And these, in these high schoolkids, they don't, they don't
really like to go to bed.
That's what I'm learning rightnow.
Phil (13:41):
So how old is your oldest now?
Suzy (13:43):
Uh, 18.
Phil (13:44):
Oh, see, that's fun.
So you've got five under the ageof 18 right now.
Suzy (13:49):
Yeah.
Phil (13:49):
Oh, you're in the mix of it.
Suzy (13:52):
So it's busy, but I mean, for me, it's just, you know,
I've always, I've lovedpharmacy.
I think for me, I knew that Ididn't want to go the
traditional route.
I never went the traditionalroute.
I think, you know, I, I knew.
How to work in a pharmacy andwhat to do.
But for me, I was always lookingfor non traditional things that
pharmacists can do.
And well, we have all thisknowledge and why aren't we
(14:13):
doing this?
And why aren't we doing this?
And I'd always be that oneperson.
I mean, from back when I was inpharmacy school, well, why can't
we do this?
I mean, until now, I'm like, whycan't we diagnose?
Like, why don't they put thatinto the curriculum?
Phil (14:24):
Right.
Suzy (14:25):
And then we could diagnose it, but I see that, you know,
there's a lot of organizationsthat don't want us to do that,
and there's a lot of politicsbehind that, but,
Phil (14:33):
um, But isn't it partially because, okay, so this is my
take on pharmacists, you ready?
Yeah.
For some reason, we all workalone, so we all are on our own
little islands, and for somereason, each one of us thinks
that our island is the onlytribe, and we've never bonded
together.
If we ever realize we're all thesame tribe, pharmacists are the
most accessible health careprovider.
There's nobody else you can walkup to a counter and say, Hey, I
(14:55):
have this issue.
And.
For routine things, things thathave been previously diagnosed,
things like that, we know whatto do with those things.
Like I always come in and, youknow, and I think to myself, why
can't I put refills onsomebody's blood pressure
medication?
Why can't I watch theircholesterol medication?
Um, they come to talk to meabout what they should do with
their antidepressants.
(15:16):
And so one of the things I'vealways thought is there should
be an option for pharmacists tobe able to prescribe.
And it seems like if we didthat, that would open up a lot
of healthcare.
If you could make a change ormaybe three changes in pharmacy
today that you dare say out loudbecause you know There's a lot
of people with a lot of power.
So just be careful What arethree things you would change
(15:37):
about being a pharmacist thatyou would open up like today if
you could?
Suzy (15:41):
The first thing.
So the first thing would be tobe able to diagnose/prescribe.
I think that that would beimportant because I think
pharmacists are capable of that.
We have a wealth of knowledge.
I mean, I see what my pharmacystudents come out for their
rotations with me.
I mean, they know They knoweverything.
I mean, they're, they're in tiptop shape when it comes to every
(16:01):
medication out there, everysupplement.
I mean, they're now they knoweverything.
And so I really think that ifthey added that into the
curriculum and we were able to,you know, do a little bit more,
I mean, just giving the refillslike you're, you're talking
about on blood pressure, ifsomeone's on it for, you know,
being able to check their bloodpressure and say, Okay, let's
keep them on it.
(16:22):
And let's do this.
I definitely think that'ssomething that needs to change.
I think, uh, that pharmacistsneed to advocate for themselves
a little bit more.
I think that pharmacists arealso to blame partially because
I think that we need to ratherthan saying this is what we
can't do.
This is what we can't do.
I mean, they've been talkingabout what we can't do since I
(16:44):
was in pharmacy school.
So I think we need to startsaying like, okay, we can do all
of this.
And how are we going to be ableto do more?
And I know there, again, thereare organizations out there who
are like, no, pharmacists aren'tgoing to be allowed to do that.
Cause that might take our job orthat might take.
Someone else's job.
And so there there are politics,but I think if pharmacists came
together to work on this, Ithink to your point, we are the
(17:07):
most accessible health careprofessional out there.
So I think that would make adifference.
I also think pharmacists need tostop giving so much free advice.
So, um, I think we give a lot offree advice.
I think people call us, I gettext messages from my friends
constantly, which is finebecause they're my friends.
But, you know, people are askingfor just advice and all, and all
(17:28):
of that, and pharmacists feelbad to actually charge money.
So I always mention this, I, Idid work in a clinic, um, in New
Jersey and it was in, it was inthe city and it was a great
clinic and I was charging at thetime,$250 an hour cash to see a
patient.
And these were affluent patientson the Upper West Side of
Manhattan, and so they couldafford it, and they were
interested.
(17:49):
But I always think about that,that people will pay to speak to
their pharmacist.
They, they will pay them.
You just, you might need to findthe right patient population.
And I know it's not alwayscovered by insurance, but I
think if you find thosepatients, pharmacists should
start charging.
So I think that one thing weshould do is be able to bill or
be able to charge for some Youknow, some of our skills or some
(18:13):
of our advice that we, that weprovide to people.
Phil (18:16):
Absolutely.
And I, I am 100% behind you.
In fact, I'm going to be honestwith you.
I'm going to push really hard.
One of the things I wanted todo, if I ever, I promised if I
ever got to a point where I hadany voice, there were a few
things.
And one of them was, is that weshould be able to prescribe.
There's going to be some nuancesto it.
And there's a few States,including Utah that have put it
out there that after primarydiagnosis, pharmacists can
prescribe.
Because there are a lot of areasright now that are lacking of
(18:37):
healthcare.
And I think that as much as wetalk about our profession as a
way, because we are in there, Ilook at the patient populations
and I know what they're goingthrough.
There's a reason why they cometo the pharmacist.
It's not just because we'reaccessible.
It's because we've created aplace where they can trust and
they feel like it's, They can bethere.
(18:59):
And so I say we get themtogether.
I mean, it's time.
You are just amazing.
So if you and me and a fewothers just really pushed, I
think we can do it.
Like, I honestly think we canchange the world.
Suzy (19:11):
We should do it.
I think we're doing it.
Yeah.
Phil (19:14):
And then the other thing I always think about is, is that
when you got to get a cup ofcoffee, it costs you$5, right?
I feel somebody's Digoxin thatthey could die.
And I get$1.98 so the idea thatthere's not a minimum like let's
give time to the pharmacist tomake sure it's safe on those
lower end medications is crazyto me, considering we spend more
(19:35):
money on prescription drugs thanany other country in the world.
Suzy (19:39):
100%.
I think it's crazy when I usedto tell people that.
I wouldn't get paid for fillinga medication.
These were my non pharmacyfriends.
They would be like, what are youtalking about?
How do you not?
I'm like, no, I'm losing moneyfilling this Medicaid and people
don't, other pharmacists evendidn't believe me.
They'd be like, what do you meanyou're losing money filling
this?
Phil (19:57):
And you're like, I could give this person$3 and tell them
to go next door and be out lessmoney.
Or$5.
Like it's insane.
People don't understand howmany, and it's a lot.
It's like 27% of all genericdrugs are now negative
reimbursed for independentpharmacies.
So you're, you're better off notfilling it and you fill them
because you do care.
Like every day you look at thatnegative reimbursement.
(20:19):
You're like, I like this person.
I like this person.
Suzy (20:22):
Yeah.
Phil (20:22):
And that's a terrible place to put pharmacists at.
And now I think that it's gotbad enough that I think there's
finally a chance for us to takeMothers like you, I don't care
what jobs they're in, theyshouldn't have to work 10 hour
days, not see their kids, andnot know that their job's
secure.
Like, that's just not, that'snot cool.
(20:43):
That's not, you know, cause theywork so hard and it's not just
pharmacists.
That's the technicians.
I can't believe what techniciansdo for as little as they get.
Suzy (20:51):
100%.
Yes.
100%.
Phil (20:53):
I would quit and I would go to McDonald's like that's
how, you know, cause they couldmake more money and I swear the
hours would be better.
It'd be less stressful, youknow, cause you're not getting
screamed at.
And, you know, And very fewpeople die from eating bad meat,
you know, so
Suzy (21:06):
You might get yelled at if you put if you don't put enough
ketchup or barbecue sauce, butthat's about it, right?
Phil (21:11):
Right.
You're not sitting in front of aboard or something like that.
Like there's not all those otherthings.
And so I, you know, the aspharmacy goes, I think that we
need to take away from thosethat are making the very most
like yesterday they had Ozempicin front of the Senate.
Did you see that?
Suzy (21:25):
I saw that.
Yes.
Phil (21:27):
And they're talking about the rebates and how this whole
thing works.
And you're like, all thepharmacy people in the pharmacy
world realize.
Pharmacists are getting$7 forthis prescription.
The patient's paying$500 for it.
So where's the money at?
And the money is already in thesystem.
And I think pharmacists, if weadvocate for ourselves, we could
change it so every patient inthe United States wants to give
(21:49):
their pharmacist a hug becausewe could fix it if we got
together.
But for some reason, we justlike, we're like crabs in a pot.
We just keep dragging each otherdown.
And I, I think we can fix itwithout, I think people are
ready.
Suzy (22:01):
I think they are ready.
I think, you know, I mean, Ihave 45,000 people behind us
right now too.
I think all these pharmacies inmy group are all, they're ready.
I mean, I think people are readyfor change and I read it all the
time.
You know, they're, they'reready.
You know,
Phil (22:15):
Let's do it.
You know what?
I'll get I've got some friends.
We'll, we'll draw up somelegislation and we'll go march
on Washington, DC together.
Can you imagine for the firsttime ever having a 100,000
pharmacists all marching likefor the first time getting a
little attention that we don'twant to have what we have those
dangerous situations.
I get more questions aboutweight loss, drugs than anything
else right now.
(22:36):
Are they safe?
Can I stay on them for longterm?
And yeah, I have a few concernsbecause you have to ask
yourself, why did we need theshot in the first place?
Our bodies produce GLP oneinside the L cells.
And those are found inside yoursmall intestine.
Whatever you could do to helpthose L cells produce its own
GLP would be immenselyimportant.
(22:57):
And in this case, Triquetra gotGLP Activate.
GLP Activate combines multipleproducts in order to help your
own L cells be the healthiestthey can.
And when the L cells happy youput out your own GLP and you
don't have to take those shots.
It also puts the amount thatyour body is used to having.
So you can go back to the way itwas GLP activate.
(23:18):
So you want to go right now toTriquetraHealth.com and put in
code GLP120.
Get your GLP Activate, figureout what's going on in there
instead of just trying tooverwhelm it.
Last year, did you watch all theCVS walkouts?
Suzy (23:34):
I did.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Phil (23:35):
So explain it a little bit to the audience because I talk
way too much in this thing.
You're taking it.
Suzy (23:40):
No, it's fine.
I mean, I think a lot ofpharmacists, you know, what's
interesting is actuallysomething came up just yesterday
too.
So it's similar to the CVSwalkout.
So the CVS walkouts were thatpharmacists were pretty much fed
up and they're feeling burnt outand, uh, they, they, You know,
need more help and they wantedthey did get their bathroom
break or their lunch breaks, butit's still not enough.
(24:02):
And interestingly, yesterday,last night, actually, in my
group, this is a video goingviral right now.
And I feel bad for thepharmacist and I really want her
to know that.
We're behind her and we supporther.
But she, uh, someone, a patientcame in the pharmacy and was
yelling at her.
Her pharmacy super busy.
I believe it was a CVS.
There were like four differentother people crying, screaming,
(24:23):
and someone happened to bevideoing it, put it on TikTok.
It already has over a millionviews.
And she just went a little, shewas upset and she shut all the,
she just pulled the curtain downbecause people were screaming at
her.
She shut the blinds and said,you know, I'm going crazy and I
need to, I need a break rightnow.
Phil (24:40):
And, and how unsafe is that situation?
Like people, you see how they'refrustrated.
We actually understand yourfrustration better than you do
as much as you think you do.
Cause we actually see everythingthat's going on.
We know how hard it is.
It's unsafe.
Like it's truly unsafe in thatsituation.
Suzy (24:54):
Yes, it is unsafe.
And then you have people there.
There was a woman there who wasasking for her cancer
medication.
I believe they were saying inthe I watched the video after
it.
And it's just it really isunsafe.
And that's what we need to talkabout.
And, uh, you know, how ourpatients are going to get their
medication and I think, um,talking about the feelings that
(25:15):
these pharmacists have, likeworking all these hours, not
feeling supported, not havinganother pharmacist there or
someone to help them and, um,you know,
Phil (25:25):
I think she's brave.
I think that was a brave thing.
Most, most of the timepharmacists just keep taking it
on the nose.
Like, you know.
Suzy (25:32):
Yeah.
No, they do.
You're right.
And that's what happens.
But she was, you know, she wasbrave enough to do it and, and
she got filmed.
So I don't know what theconsequences will be if, you
know, if she'll lose her job orwhat will happen or not happen,
but I know there's a lot ofpeople who are behind her right
now.
And I think.
Phil (25:47):
And we'll find her one.
If she, if she loses her job,we'll find her one.
We'll just reach out toeverybody we know.
We'll find her one.
Because it comes down to thesituation is as frustrated as
you are in that pharmacy at thatmoment.
The second they put the wrongpill in that bottle or the
second you don't get theattention you need, you're going
to be a lot worse off.
So it takes a lot.
Um, I was listening to one ofyour podcasts and one of the
(26:07):
questions you always deal withis how to deal with difficult
situation.
It was one of the Coffee withSuzy episodes on your podcast I
was listening to.
And you kind of talked about howgenerally, and I think this is
really true of a lot of people,they don't, they'll do
everything not to have conflict,which then creates more toxicity
within them.
Suzy (26:25):
100%.
Yes.
I mean, and they do that.
And pharmacists are noted, likethey're kind of known to do
that.
They're most pharmacists areconflict avoiders, and they're,
you know, the person who didwell in school, and they're a
rule follower, and they, youknow, they always were raising
their hand and getting theanswer correct.
Phil (26:42):
You're speaking to like the whole audience because
there's so many people who arejust like, we always bring up
pharmacists, but like, you'respeaking to what I hear.
From my audience all the timethat they live in fight or
flight all the time and they'rejust trying to dodge things.
Suzy (26:54):
Exactly.
Yeah.
So it can come up whether it'sin your professional life or
your personal life, you know,but really you need to face the
issue.
And the earlier you face it, thebetter.
And it starts out.
I mean, In middle school, youcan think about it.
There might be a conflict wherea kid feels, you know what, they
were bothering me.
They were making fun of me.
And does that kid just go avoidthem and go play with a
different group?
(27:15):
Or does that kid say, you knowwhat, you bothered me?
And the other kid's like, Oh,no, don't worry.
I'm sorry.
And then the other kid's like,Okay, I forgive you.
And you learn how to resolve itright there on the playground
or, you know, are you justavoiding each other permanently
after that and you're like,okay, well, I'm not going to
talk to you and I'm not going totalk to you and, and, and it can
happen in the workplace, whichmakes it even more difficult
(27:36):
because then you're working withthat person and, and they're
disgruntled and, and you'redisgruntled and, and, you know,
it doesn't make set up for asuccessful work environment
either.
Phil (27:46):
No, and then you get these toxic feelings towards people
that are inside your head, likeyou give them a power inside of
you because you're going throughscenario after scenario after
scenario, like you've, you hadthis conflict, you didn't do
anything with it, so the rest ofthe day you're like, oh, I
should have said, or I shouldhave done.
And by the time you're done,you're in this like super
negative cycle.
You know, before, when I was inmy own little store, in my own
(28:07):
little world, I used to seepeople and my wife would ask me,
are there more good people orbad people in the world?
And so I'm going to ask you, doyou think there's more good
people in the world or badpeople?
Because your world is huge nowwith 45,000 people.
Suzy (28:22):
You know, I still think good.
Personally, I think there's moregood.
I that's my belief.
Um, it's funny because myhusband has asked me that as
well.
And, um, but I still think good.
I think in general.
You know, good.
I think that they good peoplemight do bad things sometimes,
but I think at the core, we'reall still looking for love and
(28:43):
you know in acceptance and inall of that.
So I think personally, I've seena lot of good and I've seen a
lot of good come out of thegroup I do think that there's
moments in time where peoplemight not be happy for you, or
they're, I mean, even within mygroup, there's women who are
like, Oh, why is she talkingabout this?
And she's always talking aboutthat.
And I mean, there's catfightsand they live a million miles
(29:05):
apart.
So that's going to happenregardless.
Phil (29:08):
And I actually 100% agree with you.
I think there's lots more goodpeople.
And I think if you listen to thepeople who are.
Maybe saying or doing the thingsthat are bad and you hear them
and you see why they're, theywould say what they do.
It's so, like, that's the thing.
I'm, my perspective has changedon a lot of things.
I used to think they werevillains in the world and now I
realize it's just everybodytrying to get through life.
Suzy (29:29):
Yeah.
Phil (29:30):
And the second we stop fighting and we start listening,
no matter where you're at,You're like, Oh, well, there is
a solution and I, and I think I,that's why I love what you've
done.
Like, it's really hard to manageanything that has this many
voices in it.
Suzy (29:44):
Yeah.
I mean, thank you.
It's, I think, yeah, listeningis important and listening is
key.
I think with that, just likewith your patients, right.
Or with anyone, even yourfollowers on social media, it's
listening to what people areasking and what they're saying
and what, what they're in needof, um, as well.
I think that's important.
I always say this and I'm apharmacist, but I'm always like,
you don't just.
Give a, you know, a medicationfirst, you have to get to like
(30:06):
the root cause and you have tounderstand why things happening
before you just go pop a pilland numb everything away.
So
Phil (30:13):
Look at that.
You tied right in.
I started the podcast because Ihad so many people who got tired
of just going in and speaking toa health care provider, whoever
they are.
They would listen about foursymptoms and say, here, take
this medicine and send them outthe door.
And then they don't take it.
And we're like, well, if youjust took it, it'd be fine.
You know, they're like, justexercise, just get rid of
stress.
And they haven't even stopped tosay, okay, what, what do you
(30:34):
want?
And I love that you've askedyourself, what do you want?
I've watched you and, and reallySuzy, you're one of the smartest
people I've ever interviewed totalk to at all.
Like you're, you're justbrilliant in every single way.
And so I'm going to say yourbook again, cause we're going to
do it because I have two morequestions, but I want to make
(30:54):
sure I say it right The UltimateGuide to Becoming a Medical
Science Liaison.
So you can find your way.
Instead of having to be told foranybody that's looking into
pharmacy to become one who is inthere or is currently thinking,
I can't do another day here.
Suzy (31:10):
Yes.
Phil (31:11):
Which is a lot of them.
Before you give up on it,realize that we are pushing
boundaries that Suzy and I arestarting the revolution.
It's going right now.
We're doing this thing.
Like, I'm serious.
In the next four years, you'regoing to see some major things
at least make noise becausepharmacists will help people.
And that's really what both Suzyand I want.
But big question I have for you.
You have five kids.
Suzy (31:32):
Yeah.
Phil (31:32):
I have four.
I get this one all the time.
Would you have your, your kidsbecome pharmacists?
Suzy (31:40):
I get this question all the time, too.
So it's quite interesting youask, and I feel like it's, um,
loaded.
But I, I think I always tell mychildren this.
I say, whatever you are going tobe, be the best at it.
So I think if you're going to gobecome a pharmacist and you're
going to be a mediocrepharmacist or a subpar
(32:01):
pharmacist, then don't be apharmacist.
If you're going to be thepharmacist who is like
complaining every day, and Ican't do this, and this is
terrible, and this field sucks,and I don't want to be, you
know, then, then don't go intopharmacy.
I think, you know, if you wantto, be, go be a barber, go be a
barber, but be that go, youknow, go, I don't know, be the
best barber out there, you know,and I think for me, that's what
(32:24):
I really tell my children.
And I think that for me, I lovepharmacy.
I've made a career, you know, mywhole life is pharmacy, but I
really wanted to do more for theprofession.
And I've done a lot of differentthings in pharmacy, whether I've
worked in a hospital orindependent and I've worked in
pharma.
I've worked in academia, so I'vedone a lot in pharmacy and, um,
(32:48):
you know, been an author and diddid a lot of different things
and research or presentedresearch in the area.
And there's so much that we cando as pharmacists.
I think that Sometimes we limitourselves.
And I think that's really whatmy whole purpose is now is
really to let pharmacists know,like you have this degree, you
have this knowledge.
So now use it and you can use itin so many ways.
(33:08):
You don't just have to use it aslike this little career and
you're on this trajectory for 45years until you retire.
And really you, you can do, youcan pivot and you can switch and
you can find whatever makes youhappy and feeds your soul.
Phil (33:21):
That's just great advice for anybody.
And making that pivot is.
Enormously scary like um, yeahthree years ago.
I started social media.
It was enormously scary to me Iwanted to hide in my little
hidey hold I find myself evenstill.
Even with success that I find inlife, the first thing any of us
do when we make change is wantto run back to that thing that
we know, even though that thingthat we know may be the worst
(33:44):
thing in our life.
Suzy (33:45):
Always.
Yeah, exactly.
That's what we, that's what wedo.
But you found the most success.
I mean, you're, you're great atwhat you do and I feel like
you're educating so many peopleon, um, you know, on pharmacy,
so.
Phil (33:56):
Well, and I love all of your content.
I was telling you before this,like, your content is so much
better put together.
Mine's like, hectic, and peopleare trying to figure out what's
go they have to watch it threetimes just to figure out.
Suzy (34:06):
No, I love it! It's so entertaining! I'm like, very
entertained by you, so.
Phil (34:10):
Yours is always straightforward and really great
information.
But I do think there's a lot ofpeople who are listening in
general that I would say to themthat just because you feel like
you know something doesn't meanit's the best thing for you and
especially as you get older whenyou're younger, you'll you'll
make changes pretty quickly.
One day you're hanging out withone group of friends and the
other.
As we get older, when you startto look at things that make you
(34:31):
feel less than.
You just have to make thatchange in that first 30 days is
really hard.
And when you do that, though, itopens up your world to
possibilities that are justincredible.
And Suzy's a great example ofsomeone who's done that.
You look at what she's done inher resume.
She's got five kids.
(34:52):
She's done so much schooling.
It's incredible.
She has enough letters behindher name that she could spell
brilliant right out.
I seriously think it's there.
And I look at someone like youand I, and I, and I put it out
there to the world saying, youdon't have to be what you don't
want to be.
Just keep pushing.
And you're just such a greatexample of that.
Suzy (35:11):
Thank you.
Yeah.
No, I mean, that's what have tokeep pushing.
I mean, you have to, if you'renot happy with what you're
doing, I just, I always tell alot of my pharmacy students,
that's just find where you arehappy.
And if you're, if it's notspeaking joy or, you know,
you're not finding happinessthere, then that's not for you.
I tell my kids the same thing,then you have to find what does
make you feel at peace and whatbrings you peace.
So, uh, and I think a lot ofpharmacists are like, well, this
(35:33):
is fine and this is what I do.
And, you know, and.
I think you need to findsomething that really will feed
you because otherwise you get to40, 45 years old and you're
like, what did I do with mylife?
Like, why, why did I, why didn'tI do more?
Why didn't I do that?
And I see, I just see all thestories from all of these women
in my group and, uh, you know,and I, and I see the
(35:54):
differences.
Phil (35:55):
But 45 is not too late.
Like that's
Suzy (35:57):
Never that's what I'm saying.
So you can change at 45.
Phil (36:00):
Yeah thanks to inflation we'll work till 70 anyway.
Suzy (36:02):
You're like ready for your next career.
That's what I always say.
I'm like, so if you get to 40and 45, and you're like, you
know, why did I waste myselfdoing this?
Like, It's time to do somethingdifferent.
Like you, you, you're able to doit.
You don't have to continue doingthe same thing forever.
Phil (36:16):
And it's the same with kids.
Like, I think that's the samething with children.
You're like, okay, this is whatI do.
And this is where we're at.
And you can wake up the nextmorning and say, I'm going to be
just 1% different today.
And then 1% different the nextday.
And we're going to change towhere I want to be.
Okay.
So the last question I askeverybody is, um, when I started
social media, I just wanted tosave my store and it moved a lot
(36:39):
bigger than I expected, which Ithink you probably can relate
with.
You're like, what in the world'sgoing on here?
So then I had somebody asked me,he said, he told me that you had
a chance to have a platform.
You need to start thinking aboutwhat you really want from this.
And I came up with the idea thatif we could make the world 1%
kinder, it would be a success inmy life.
If I could just make the world1% kinder.
And so I always end by tellingeverybody to go find somebody,
(37:01):
give them a hug.
Tell somebody who's yelling atyou something nice, do something
just to make the world 1%kinder.
But, Suzy, if you could giveadvice to people how they could
make the world 1% kinder, whatwould you say?
Suzy (37:14):
So, I think it's, like, I actually have a story about
this.
Phil (37:17):
Oh, good.
Tell the story.
Suzy (37:18):
I go to the gym all the time, and everyone's really
friendly.
I love going to the gym.
And there's one guy that worksat the front desk, and he, I
would love for him to evenlisten to this, but he probably
doesn't even listen to anything.
But he's always disgruntled andhe works at the front desk and,
you know, I'll, I'll sign in andI'm like, hi, how are you?
Nothing.
I mean, nothing.
He's just always just like, I'mlike, what's your name?
(37:41):
You know, blah, blah, blah.
And he's just always angry orupset.
And, you know, I don't know.
And then I thought it was me.
I'm like, maybe he doesn't likeme.
Like, maybe he's just like, Oh,this old lady's here.
And why, you know, like, why isshe bothering me?
And, um, Yeah.
And anyway, to make a long storyshort, I've been killing him
with kindness, right?
I've been like all the time.
(38:01):
I'm like, how are you?
Where, where'd you grow up?
Do you have any siblings?
So like, I started like, Likekind of breaking him down and my
other friends at the gym alltalk about him.
They're always like, Oh, he's sorude.
I don't know why he works here,blah, blah, blah.
But now he's been so nice to melike the past month, all of a
sudden it's been great.
He's even like, would you like afree water bottle?
Would you like, you know, wouldyou like this?
(38:22):
And it's so Um, so my advice isthat if someone is rude, and I
come to find out that he had amuch more difficult life or more
like he's been opening up to me,I think too, so I think if you
encounter someone who is rudethat know that everyone is
dealing with something andeveryone has a story and so
don't take it so personally.
I think a lot of people take itpersonally and they're like, oh,
(38:43):
he's really rude and it's it'smy fault.
Or, you know, he doesn't likeme, but.
You know, that person isprobably facing something else
that you probably don't knowabout.
And so I think that just tryingto be nice, regardless, even if
someone is really rude, which Iknow is sometimes difficult,
but, um, I tell my kids thattoo.
And, and then, and sometimes itworks.
And sometimes all of a suddenthey'll, you know, they'll
(39:04):
friend you.
Phil (39:06):
Oh, I love that.
I do love that because I saw aquote the other day that says
when you take somethingpersonally just remember they're
not actually thinking about youthe way you are.
So And so I love that.
All right.
Well, this has been Take YourMedicine podcast I'm, Phil
Cowley.
If you like the episode come andfollow us.
Also make sure you go look up@drsuzannesoliman on Instagram.
(39:28):
Go check out her book.
The Ultimate Guide to Becoming aMedical Science Liaison.
It's on Amazon.
It's all over the place and youcan find it on her website as
well.
She is absolutely brilliant inevery way.
And thank you so much for beingon.
Suzy (39:43):
Thank you.
Thanks so much for having me.
Welcome to Take Your Medicine podcast.
I am Phil Cowley, pharmacist of25 years.
And the one thing I've learnedis you need to listen to your
patients.
Everything I really learned inpharmacy, I've learned by taking
a minute to listen to thepatients and their stories.
And from that, I think thatknowledge needs to be spread to
everyone.
So that's why I started TakeYour Medicine podcast.
And today we have the brilliant,beautiful wonder mom.
(00:27):
She's got more on her resumethan I can even imagine.
See on my resume it saysIndependent pharmacy owner, her
starts there.
She's got her PharmD which is adoctor of pharmacy.
She's gone for fellowships,board certifications.
I could keep going but the thingthat gets me the most is a
hundred publications.
Welcome to the show.
(00:47):
Dr.
Suzanne Soliman Suzy SuzanneSoliman.
She's on instagram, and she's anauthor, which right now I need
everybody to go look in Amazon.
I ordered mine, but it came toolate.
It's coming today.
Her book is called The UltimateGuide to Becoming a Medical
Science Liaison.
Her name is Suzy Soliman and sheis just wonderful.
Thank you for being on thispodcast.
Suzy (01:08):
Thank you.
Thanks so much for having me.
I'm super excited to be here.
Phil (01:13):
Suzy, um, one thing that you do have going on, which I
looked at, is you in 2017, lifewas a little hectic.
Is that right?
Suzy (01:22):
I would say hectic is a good word to describe it.
Yes.
Very good word.
Phil (01:27):
So, trying to work and have kids is, I mean,
personally, so one thing Ialways look back on my own life
and I think to myself, I shouldhave worked less now that my
kids are getting older.
Like, I don't know.
I know that you say that whenyou're younger, but when you're
younger, all you can think of isif I don't do this, my career is
going to go a differentdirection.
And I really believe as aparent, there's no winning
(01:49):
personally.
You're always losing on onefront or the other.
So I want to take us back to2017 and I want to hear the
whole baseball story.
I want to hear the whole thingbecause this is a huge thing
that you did in 2017.
Suzy (02:01):
Uh, yeah, it was so life was crazy.
And as you mentioned, I think,you know, as a parent, we
struggle because we're trying todo it all.
And I think whether you're a momor you're a dad, you're, you
know, you're trying to balanceeverything.
And for me at the time, I, youknow, I had finished pharmacy
school, I did a residency, I dida fellowship, I was like, you
know, I have this great career.
(02:22):
I'm able to travel.
Uh, at the time I owned my ownpharmacy and as you know, I had
to work at night and I had towork on the weekends.
And, um, that year specificallymy, my son was on the baseball
team and he was also on thesoccer team.
And so soccer came first.
I missed so many games.
Then baseball came and I startedand I just felt terrible.
(02:43):
And one night You know, it wason a Saturday and all the other
moms are there.
And I'm just like, why do I haveto work on the weekend?
Why do I have to work on aholiday?
Why am I missing?
But I also knew that I didn'twant to give up my career.
It'd be, you know, so it was, Iwas just struggling.
So I, I went to the internetand, you know, in the middle of
the night,'cause that's not whatyou're supposed to do, but
(03:05):
that's what I decided to do.
And I went on there and I waslike, you know, I can't be the
only person struggling withthis.
And I didn't wanna go to, uh,the local Facebook groups.
And I really looked for otherpharmacists who might be
struggling and I couldn't findone.
So at the time I started a groupcalled the Pharmacist Moms
Group.
Very generic name.
And I invited about 30pharmacists that I knew, maybe
(03:27):
50 pharmacists that I knew whowere also moms and that I maybe
went to school with or I haddone residency with or worked
with and within a month, thegroup was at a thousand and
really the focus I think wasreally just about time
management, guilt, lack ofquality time, you know, um,
Talking about child careconcerns, household
(03:49):
responsibilities and the groupreally just took off from there
at right now.
We're currently at 45,000members and it just spun.
It just spun organically,really.
And I found that all of a suddenI wasn't the only person
struggling with this and thatthere was a lot of us
struggling.
Phil (04:09):
Yeah, it's a really hard thing.
You know, you have to rememberthat in the pharmacy world, it
wasn't too many years ago, theyhad to pass a law so we could
have a bathroom in the pharmacy.
So we didn't have to hold it for10 12 hours a day.
So it's not, pharmacy has alwaysbeen a very interesting place to
work because we work really longhours and quite honestly, they
don't, um, to this point, theyhaven't, in general, most of the
(04:32):
management groups out therehaven't really given us a lot of
room to be what we need to be.
And so we start our ownpharmacies, And then you realize
those hours are even worse thanthe ones you were working
before.
Suzy (04:42):
Exactly.
Yeah.
Yeah.
The only benefit was sometimesmy kids would be able to come to
the pharmacy.
So that, that was a little biteasier, but definitely then
you're, you're, you know, you'realways working when you own a
pharmacy, you're working all thetime.
Even if you're not in thepharmacy, you're still probably
working.
So, you know, and shutting thatoff.
And I think just juggling theyounger children, I think, you
(05:04):
know, is a lot more difficultthan, you know, when they're
under five, for me at least, itwas just It's crazy.
Like this one's here, this one'shere, this one's there and, and,
um, and all of that.
But knowing that there was acommunity or other people that
women I could relate to thatjust felt the demands, the
stress, the burnout, all ofthat.
(05:24):
Um, but still wanting to bethere for our kids and, you
know, make it to their soccergames and make it to their
baseball games and still bethere for our patients, I think
really helped, at least me.
Uh, it definitely helped me.
Phil (05:38):
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So, well, you can have a better,longer life.
Now, one thing you've done thatI think is, it's not just that
you started this group becauseeven your book, which again,
everybody needs to go look atthis book because it'll help you
find your way through a lot of,a lot of people who struggle
with their, um, usually they saynine to five, but since this is
pharmacy, we'll say eight toeight schedule when they go to
work.
(06:44):
With your new book, The UltimateGuide to Becoming a Medical
Science Liaison that you can geton Amazon.
It kind of breaks down likeother ways for you to become
both a pharmacist, be able towork different type things,
breaks down how you get thereand still be able to be home
with your kids.
So, yeah.
If you get a chance like go getit if you're struggling with the
job you're currently in and forthose people saying hey should I
(07:06):
go into the pharmacy world youreally should probably start
with this book, because it'llopen up your eyes because not
everybody wants to stand in theback of the grocery store which
isn't a bad I actually reallyliked it when I worked in the
back of the grocery storebecause I had my patients but
there's a lot of people whodon't want to do this this will
open your eyes saying should Ireally go into this career um
because there are a lot ofpeople in the pharmacy world
(07:27):
right now who are struggling towant to stay in it.
Suzy (07:31):
Yeah, yeah, there really are.
I get messages and emails everysingle day from pharmacists who
are asking, you know, to lookfor non traditional
opportunities.
And that's really what led me towriting this book.
It was about what, what are thenon traditional roles out there?
And for me specifically, becauseI did have a career in pharma
(07:51):
and I've worked in pharma andI've, uh, you know, done a lot
in pharma, and I have a lot ofpharmacy students.
I still precept at Rutgers andat FDU and St.
John's, and I have students allthe time who are asking me these
questions.
I think that it's important tolet pharmacy students know,
pharmacists out there, that ifyou do not like what you are
doing, the The best thing aboutpharmacy is that you can pivot
(08:15):
and there are many other rolesout there.
You're not just, you know, well,I'm trained this way and this is
all I can do.
There are many other ways tofind your, your niche or your
area of interest really.
Phil (08:28):
Absolutely.
And that's really a hard thingas a, as a parent, but I think
it, I think moms have doublebad, like you watch it with them
because there's just.
I'm a father, I'm a father offour boys, and I would do
anything for my kids.
And when my kids were underfive, like, those are the best
years of my life, and those arethe years I spent most in the
pharmacy.
And I, I often look back onthose years, and I think, if I
(08:49):
could go back for just a minuteand grab one of my three year
olds and just hug them and juststay home for the day, I would
do it.
But you also have this pressurewhere you need to be able to
provide for those children.
And I think that that's like auniversal, It is a universal
struggle that everybody willhave.
I think, I think anybody thatworks will always have it.
(09:09):
What I really love about whatyou've done.
Is instead of being weak andstaying at home and just letting
it eat you alive.
You're like, I have to go helpother people.
I know you say you were lookingfor help, but part of what you
were out there saying is we needa community.
To me that that's a big leap offaith and there's no way that
that group you've started iseasy to manage and to keep up
(09:30):
with and, and everything else.
So have you found it to berewarding even with all the
work?
Suzy (09:36):
Oh, I love it.
I don't even think, you know,it's not work at all for me.
I love it.
It's, you know, I get messages,like I said, every day,
multiple, multiple messages.
In fact, I'm probably so farbehind on my messages that I
don't always respond to people,but I do get around to it
eventually.
And, um, for me, it's amazingbecause you really get to touch
(09:59):
upon people's lives and you getto see the different, um, stages
where parents are.
So you're kind of like the newmom who's preparing and.
You know, I'm going to benursing and you know, can I pump
in the pharmacy?
And where do I pump and whatshould I do?
And the pharmacist moms groupactually, we worked on
initiatives towards that towardshaving a clean space to be able
(10:19):
to pump if you're working in apharmacy and all of that.
And then you see some of thepharmacists who are near
retirement and all of theirthoughts on, you know, this is
what I did.
And this is how you know, youcould manage this.
And this is so it's Really wellbalanced.
And I, and I love that about thegroup and that we're all over
because a lot of timespharmacists we operate in silo,
right?
(10:39):
We're all alone.
Sometimes we have a tech or twowith us, but really we're alone.
So, um, even yesterday there wassomeone asking about dosing in
the group.
They were just asking, like, cansomeone else check on this dose
for me really quickly?
I don't have time.
I need someone else to just tellme I'm doing this correctly.
And I think that's the mostvaluable part is that you have
an instant community of likeminded peers who are able to
(11:00):
answer the questions and help.
Um, there's been instances wheresomeone's like, you know what,
my mother in law is really sick.
She's in this state.
Do you work at this hospital?
Are you able to go visit her?
Are you able to go do I can'tget back to my parents and you
know, my dad just had a heartattack.
And is anyone working at thishospital?
Can they help?
And I think That's really whereI see the, you know, for me,
(11:21):
it's such a blessing to be ableto see all of.
You know, the women workingtogether to help, help each
other.
Phil (11:27):
Absolutely.
Do you happen to have a favoritestory that you, like, because I
always have, like, when I thinkabout my career in the pharmacy,
I have two or three stories thatwhen days are really bad, I just
remember those.
Do you have a one or two storiesor a story that jumps out to you
that you always lean back onwhen you're thinking, okay, this
is a lot of work?
Suzy (11:47):
Yeah, I think for me it was that when a pharmacist lost
their home and she lost her homedue to a natural disaster and
that the group came together topurchase items for her, for her
family, for her kids.
And, um, this was early on whenthe group was still fairly
small, but it was really nice.
Her house was destroyed in atornado and, um, she just had a
(12:11):
lot of stress going on at thetime and we were able to, uh,
really help her.
And then, um, Another one was awoman who was a pharmacist was
looking for a stem cell or abone marrow transplant at the
time, uh, match.
And so we were trying to reallyhelp her.
So there are, there are storieslike that, where you just come
together as a community and itreally does make a difference.
(12:34):
And then you see, you know,we're all working for the same
purpose and trying to help eachother.
Phil (12:39):
Absolutely.
Now we were talking earlierbecause you have an injured
ankle and we were talking abouthow How you probably were, I
know how exactly set it, but itseems like you've always got two
or three hats on at any giventime, because it's not like we
talk about being, I'm apharmacist and I do this little
social media thing that I'mdoing.
Like that's all I do.
(12:59):
Right.
But you've got.
You've got school.
You've been an associate deanand a dean of different things
while you've been owningpharmacies.
Plus you have a couple of kids.
Is that right?
Suzy (13:10):
Yeah.
Yeah.
We have five kids.
So we have four boys and a girltoo.
Phil (13:14):
Oh, so that's like, and you're balancing all of this
stuff.
So I'm going to ask first, doyou ever sleep?
With that big of a schedule?
Suzy (13:21):
Now I sleep.
It's funny.
Yeah.
Um, but I, so yes, I sleep, Isleep early though.
My kids always laugh.
They're like, mom, you're, yougo to bed so early.
I mean, even last night, my sonhad all his soccer friends.
We had a pasta dinner here lastnight and I'm like, I need to go
to bed.
And these, in these high schoolkids, they don't, they don't
really like to go to bed.
That's what I'm learning rightnow.
Phil (13:41):
So how old is your oldest now?
Suzy (13:43):
Uh, 18.
Phil (13:44):
Oh, see, that's fun.
So you've got five under the ageof 18 right now.
Suzy (13:49):
Yeah.
Phil (13:49):
Oh, you're in the mix of it.
Suzy (13:52):
So it's busy, but I mean, for me, it's just, you know,
I've always, I've lovedpharmacy.
I think for me, I knew that Ididn't want to go the
traditional route.
I never went the traditionalroute.
I think, you know, I, I knew.
How to work in a pharmacy andwhat to do.
But for me, I was always lookingfor non traditional things that
pharmacists can do.
And well, we have all thisknowledge and why aren't we
(14:13):
doing this?
And why aren't we doing this?
And I'd always be that oneperson.
I mean, from back when I was inpharmacy school, well, why can't
we do this?
I mean, until now, I'm like, whycan't we diagnose?
Like, why don't they put thatinto the curriculum?
Phil (14:24):
Right.
Suzy (14:25):
And then we could diagnose it, but I see that, you know,
there's a lot of organizationsthat don't want us to do that,
and there's a lot of politicsbehind that, but,
Phil (14:33):
um, But isn't it partially because, okay, so this is my
take on pharmacists, you ready?
Yeah.
For some reason, we all workalone, so we all are on our own
little islands, and for somereason, each one of us thinks
that our island is the onlytribe, and we've never bonded
together.
If we ever realize we're all thesame tribe, pharmacists are the
most accessible health careprovider.
There's nobody else you can walkup to a counter and say, Hey, I
(14:55):
have this issue.
And.
For routine things, things thathave been previously diagnosed,
things like that, we know whatto do with those things.
Like I always come in and, youknow, and I think to myself, why
can't I put refills onsomebody's blood pressure
medication?
Why can't I watch theircholesterol medication?
Um, they come to talk to meabout what they should do with
their antidepressants.
(15:16):
And so one of the things I'vealways thought is there should
be an option for pharmacists tobe able to prescribe.
And it seems like if we didthat, that would open up a lot
of healthcare.
If you could make a change ormaybe three changes in pharmacy
today that you dare say out loudbecause you know There's a lot
of people with a lot of power.
So just be careful What arethree things you would change
(15:37):
about being a pharmacist thatyou would open up like today if
you could?
Suzy (15:41):
The first thing.
So the first thing would be tobe able to diagnose/prescribe.
I think that that would beimportant because I think
pharmacists are capable of that.
We have a wealth of knowledge.
I mean, I see what my pharmacystudents come out for their
rotations with me.
I mean, they know They knoweverything.
I mean, they're, they're in tiptop shape when it comes to every
(16:01):
medication out there, everysupplement.
I mean, they're now they knoweverything.
And so I really think that ifthey added that into the
curriculum and we were able to,you know, do a little bit more,
I mean, just giving the refillslike you're, you're talking
about on blood pressure, ifsomeone's on it for, you know,
being able to check their bloodpressure and say, Okay, let's
keep them on it.
(16:22):
And let's do this.
I definitely think that'ssomething that needs to change.
I think, uh, that pharmacistsneed to advocate for themselves
a little bit more.
I think that pharmacists arealso to blame partially because
I think that we need to ratherthan saying this is what we
can't do.
This is what we can't do.
I mean, they've been talkingabout what we can't do since I
(16:44):
was in pharmacy school.
So I think we need to startsaying like, okay, we can do all
of this.
And how are we going to be ableto do more?
And I know there, again, thereare organizations out there who
are like, no, pharmacists aren'tgoing to be allowed to do that.
Cause that might take our job orthat might take.
Someone else's job.
And so there there are politics,but I think if pharmacists came
together to work on this, Ithink to your point, we are the
(17:07):
most accessible health careprofessional out there.
So I think that would make adifference.
I also think pharmacists need tostop giving so much free advice.
So, um, I think we give a lot offree advice.
I think people call us, I gettext messages from my friends
constantly, which is finebecause they're my friends.
But, you know, people are askingfor just advice and all, and all
(17:28):
of that, and pharmacists feelbad to actually charge money.
So I always mention this, I, Idid work in a clinic, um, in New
Jersey and it was in, it was inthe city and it was a great
clinic and I was charging at thetime,$250 an hour cash to see a
patient.
And these were affluent patientson the Upper West Side of
Manhattan, and so they couldafford it, and they were
interested.
(17:49):
But I always think about that,that people will pay to speak to
their pharmacist.
They, they will pay them.
You just, you might need to findthe right patient population.
And I know it's not alwayscovered by insurance, but I
think if you find thosepatients, pharmacists should
start charging.
So I think that one thing weshould do is be able to bill or
be able to charge for some Youknow, some of our skills or some
(18:13):
of our advice that we, that weprovide to people.
Phil (18:16):
Absolutely.
And I, I am 100% behind you.
In fact, I'm going to be honestwith you.
I'm going to push really hard.
One of the things I wanted todo, if I ever, I promised if I
ever got to a point where I hadany voice, there were a few
things.
And one of them was, is that weshould be able to prescribe.
There's going to be some nuancesto it.
And there's a few States,including Utah that have put it
out there that after primarydiagnosis, pharmacists can
prescribe.
Because there are a lot of areasright now that are lacking of
(18:37):
healthcare.
And I think that as much as wetalk about our profession as a
way, because we are in there, Ilook at the patient populations
and I know what they're goingthrough.
There's a reason why they cometo the pharmacist.
It's not just because we'reaccessible.
It's because we've created aplace where they can trust and
they feel like it's, They can bethere.
(18:59):
And so I say we get themtogether.
I mean, it's time.
You are just amazing.
So if you and me and a fewothers just really pushed, I
think we can do it.
Like, I honestly think we canchange the world.
Suzy (19:11):
We should do it.
I think we're doing it.
Yeah.
Phil (19:14):
And then the other thing I always think about is, is that
when you got to get a cup ofcoffee, it costs you$5, right?
I feel somebody's Digoxin thatthey could die.
And I get$1.98 so the idea thatthere's not a minimum like let's
give time to the pharmacist tomake sure it's safe on those
lower end medications is crazyto me, considering we spend more
(19:35):
money on prescription drugs thanany other country in the world.
Suzy (19:39):
100%.
I think it's crazy when I usedto tell people that.
I wouldn't get paid for fillinga medication.
These were my non pharmacyfriends.
They would be like, what are youtalking about?
How do you not?
I'm like, no, I'm losing moneyfilling this Medicaid and people
don't, other pharmacists evendidn't believe me.
They'd be like, what do you meanyou're losing money filling
this?
Phil (19:57):
And you're like, I could give this person$3 and tell them
to go next door and be out lessmoney.
Or$5.
Like it's insane.
People don't understand howmany, and it's a lot.
It's like 27% of all genericdrugs are now negative
reimbursed for independentpharmacies.
So you're, you're better off notfilling it and you fill them
because you do care.
Like every day you look at thatnegative reimbursement.
(20:19):
You're like, I like this person.
I like this person.
Suzy (20:22):
Yeah.
Phil (20:22):
And that's a terrible place to put pharmacists at.
And now I think that it's gotbad enough that I think there's
finally a chance for us to takeMothers like you, I don't care
what jobs they're in, theyshouldn't have to work 10 hour
days, not see their kids, andnot know that their job's
secure.
Like, that's just not, that'snot cool.
(20:43):
That's not, you know, cause theywork so hard and it's not just
pharmacists.
That's the technicians.
I can't believe what techniciansdo for as little as they get.
Suzy (20:51):
100%.
Yes.
100%.
Phil (20:53):
I would quit and I would go to McDonald's like that's
how, you know, cause they couldmake more money and I swear the
hours would be better.
It'd be less stressful, youknow, cause you're not getting
screamed at.
And, you know, And very fewpeople die from eating bad meat,
you know, so
Suzy (21:06):
You might get yelled at if you put if you don't put enough
ketchup or barbecue sauce, butthat's about it, right?
Phil (21:11):
Right.
You're not sitting in front of aboard or something like that.
Like there's not all those otherthings.
And so I, you know, the aspharmacy goes, I think that we
need to take away from thosethat are making the very most
like yesterday they had Ozempicin front of the Senate.
Did you see that?
Suzy (21:25):
I saw that.
Yes.
Phil (21:27):
And they're talking about the rebates and how this whole
thing works.
And you're like, all thepharmacy people in the pharmacy
world realize.
Pharmacists are getting$7 forthis prescription.
The patient's paying$500 for it.
So where's the money at?
And the money is already in thesystem.
And I think pharmacists, if weadvocate for ourselves, we could
change it so every patient inthe United States wants to give
(21:49):
their pharmacist a hug becausewe could fix it if we got
together.
But for some reason, we justlike, we're like crabs in a pot.
We just keep dragging each otherdown.
And I, I think we can fix itwithout, I think people are
ready.
Suzy (22:01):
I think they are ready.
I think, you know, I mean, Ihave 45,000 people behind us
right now too.
I think all these pharmacies inmy group are all, they're ready.
I mean, I think people are readyfor change and I read it all the
time.
You know, they're, they'reready.
You know,
Phil (22:15):
Let's do it.
You know what?
I'll get I've got some friends.
We'll, we'll draw up somelegislation and we'll go march
on Washington, DC together.
Can you imagine for the firsttime ever having a 100,000
pharmacists all marching likefor the first time getting a
little attention that we don'twant to have what we have those
dangerous situations.
I get more questions aboutweight loss, drugs than anything
else right now.
(22:36):
Are they safe?
Can I stay on them for longterm?
And yeah, I have a few concernsbecause you have to ask
yourself, why did we need theshot in the first place?
Our bodies produce GLP oneinside the L cells.
And those are found inside yoursmall intestine.
Whatever you could do to helpthose L cells produce its own
GLP would be immenselyimportant.
(22:57):
And in this case, Triquetra gotGLP Activate.
GLP Activate combines multipleproducts in order to help your
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And when the L cells happy youput out your own GLP and you
don't have to take those shots.
It also puts the amount thatyour body is used to having.
So you can go back to the way itwas GLP activate.
(23:18):
So you want to go right now toTriquetraHealth.com and put in
code GLP120.
Get your GLP Activate, figureout what's going on in there
instead of just trying tooverwhelm it.
Last year, did you watch all theCVS walkouts?
Suzy (23:34):
I did.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Phil (23:35):
So explain it a little bit to the audience because I talk
way too much in this thing.
You're taking it.
Suzy (23:40):
No, it's fine.
I mean, I think a lot ofpharmacists, you know, what's
interesting is actuallysomething came up just yesterday
too.
So it's similar to the CVSwalkout.
So the CVS walkouts were thatpharmacists were pretty much fed
up and they're feeling burnt outand, uh, they, they, You know,
need more help and they wantedthey did get their bathroom
break or their lunch breaks, butit's still not enough.
(24:02):
And interestingly, yesterday,last night, actually, in my
group, this is a video goingviral right now.
And I feel bad for thepharmacist and I really want her
to know that.
We're behind her and we supporther.
But she, uh, someone, a patientcame in the pharmacy and was
yelling at her.
Her pharmacy super busy.
I believe it was a CVS.
There were like four differentother people crying, screaming,
(24:23):
and someone happened to bevideoing it, put it on TikTok.
It already has over a millionviews.
And she just went a little, shewas upset and she shut all the,
she just pulled the curtain downbecause people were screaming at
her.
She shut the blinds and said,you know, I'm going crazy and I
need to, I need a break rightnow.
Phil (24:40):
And, and how unsafe is that situation?
Like people, you see how they'refrustrated.
We actually understand yourfrustration better than you do
as much as you think you do.
Cause we actually see everythingthat's going on.
We know how hard it is.
It's unsafe.
Like it's truly unsafe in thatsituation.
Suzy (24:54):
Yes, it is unsafe.
And then you have people there.
There was a woman there who wasasking for her cancer
medication.
I believe they were saying inthe I watched the video after
it.
And it's just it really isunsafe.
And that's what we need to talkabout.
And, uh, you know, how ourpatients are going to get their
medication and I think, um,talking about the feelings that
(25:15):
these pharmacists have, likeworking all these hours, not
feeling supported, not havinganother pharmacist there or
someone to help them and, um,you know,
Phil (25:25):
I think she's brave.
I think that was a brave thing.
Most, most of the timepharmacists just keep taking it
on the nose.
Like, you know.
Suzy (25:32):
Yeah.
No, they do.
You're right.
And that's what happens.
But she was, you know, she wasbrave enough to do it and, and
she got filmed.
So I don't know what theconsequences will be if, you
know, if she'll lose her job orwhat will happen or not happen,
but I know there's a lot ofpeople who are behind her right
now.
And I think.
Phil (25:47):
And we'll find her one.
If she, if she loses her job,we'll find her one.
We'll just reach out toeverybody we know.
We'll find her one.
Because it comes down to thesituation is as frustrated as
you are in that pharmacy at thatmoment.
The second they put the wrongpill in that bottle or the
second you don't get theattention you need, you're going
to be a lot worse off.
So it takes a lot.
Um, I was listening to one ofyour podcasts and one of the
(26:07):
questions you always deal withis how to deal with difficult
situation.
It was one of the Coffee withSuzy episodes on your podcast I
was listening to.
And you kind of talked about howgenerally, and I think this is
really true of a lot of people,they don't, they'll do
everything not to have conflict,which then creates more toxicity
within them.
Suzy (26:25):
100%.
Yes.
I mean, and they do that.
And pharmacists are noted, likethey're kind of known to do
that.
They're most pharmacists areconflict avoiders, and they're,
you know, the person who didwell in school, and they're a
rule follower, and they, youknow, they always were raising
their hand and getting theanswer correct.
Phil (26:42):
You're speaking to like the whole audience because
there's so many people who arejust like, we always bring up
pharmacists, but like, you'respeaking to what I hear.
From my audience all the timethat they live in fight or
flight all the time and they'rejust trying to dodge things.
Suzy (26:54):
Exactly.
Yeah.
So it can come up whether it'sin your professional life or
your personal life, you know,but really you need to face the
issue.
And the earlier you face it, thebetter.
And it starts out.
I mean, In middle school, youcan think about it.
There might be a conflict wherea kid feels, you know what, they
were bothering me.
They were making fun of me.
And does that kid just go avoidthem and go play with a
different group?
(27:15):
Or does that kid say, you knowwhat, you bothered me?
And the other kid's like, Oh,no, don't worry.
I'm sorry.
And then the other kid's like,Okay, I forgive you.
And you learn how to resolve itright there on the playground
or, you know, are you justavoiding each other permanently
after that and you're like,okay, well, I'm not going to
talk to you and I'm not going totalk to you and, and, and it can
happen in the workplace, whichmakes it even more difficult
(27:36):
because then you're working withthat person and, and they're
disgruntled and, and you'redisgruntled and, and, you know,
it doesn't make set up for asuccessful work environment
either.
Phil (27:46):
No, and then you get these toxic feelings towards people
that are inside your head, likeyou give them a power inside of
you because you're going throughscenario after scenario after
scenario, like you've, you hadthis conflict, you didn't do
anything with it, so the rest ofthe day you're like, oh, I
should have said, or I shouldhave done.
And by the time you're done,you're in this like super
negative cycle.
You know, before, when I was inmy own little store, in my own
(28:07):
little world, I used to seepeople and my wife would ask me,
are there more good people orbad people in the world?
And so I'm going to ask you, doyou think there's more good
people in the world or badpeople?
Because your world is huge nowwith 45,000 people.
Suzy (28:22):
You know, I still think good.
Personally, I think there's moregood.
I that's my belief.
Um, it's funny because myhusband has asked me that as
well.
And, um, but I still think good.
I think in general.
You know, good.
I think that they good peoplemight do bad things sometimes,
but I think at the core, we'reall still looking for love and
(28:43):
you know in acceptance and inall of that.
So I think personally, I've seena lot of good and I've seen a
lot of good come out of thegroup I do think that there's
moments in time where peoplemight not be happy for you, or
they're, I mean, even within mygroup, there's women who are
like, Oh, why is she talkingabout this?
And she's always talking aboutthat.
And I mean, there's catfightsand they live a million miles
(29:05):
apart.
So that's going to happenregardless.
Phil (29:08):
And I actually 100% agree with you.
I think there's lots more goodpeople.
And I think if you listen to thepeople who are.
Maybe saying or doing the thingsthat are bad and you hear them
and you see why they're, theywould say what they do.
It's so, like, that's the thing.
I'm, my perspective has changedon a lot of things.
I used to think they werevillains in the world and now I
realize it's just everybodytrying to get through life.
Suzy (29:29):
Yeah.
Phil (29:30):
And the second we stop fighting and we start listening,
no matter where you're at,You're like, Oh, well, there is
a solution and I, and I think I,that's why I love what you've
done.
Like, it's really hard to manageanything that has this many
voices in it.
Suzy (29:44):
Yeah.
I mean, thank you.
It's, I think, yeah, listeningis important and listening is
key.
I think with that, just likewith your patients, right.
Or with anyone, even yourfollowers on social media, it's
listening to what people areasking and what they're saying
and what, what they're in needof, um, as well.
I think that's important.
I always say this and I'm apharmacist, but I'm always like,
you don't just.
Give a, you know, a medicationfirst, you have to get to like
(30:06):
the root cause and you have tounderstand why things happening
before you just go pop a pilland numb everything away.
So
Phil (30:13):
Look at that.
You tied right in.
I started the podcast because Ihad so many people who got tired
of just going in and speaking toa health care provider, whoever
they are.
They would listen about foursymptoms and say, here, take
this medicine and send them outthe door.
And then they don't take it.
And we're like, well, if youjust took it, it'd be fine.
You know, they're like, justexercise, just get rid of
stress.
And they haven't even stopped tosay, okay, what, what do you
(30:34):
want?
And I love that you've askedyourself, what do you want?
I've watched you and, and reallySuzy, you're one of the smartest
people I've ever interviewed totalk to at all.
Like you're, you're justbrilliant in every single way.
And so I'm going to say yourbook again, cause we're going to
do it because I have two morequestions, but I want to make
(30:54):
sure I say it right The UltimateGuide to Becoming a Medical
Science Liaison.
So you can find your way.
Instead of having to be told foranybody that's looking into
pharmacy to become one who is inthere or is currently thinking,
I can't do another day here.
Suzy (31:10):
Yes.
Phil (31:11):
Which is a lot of them.
Before you give up on it,realize that we are pushing
boundaries that Suzy and I arestarting the revolution.
It's going right now.
We're doing this thing.
Like, I'm serious.
In the next four years, you'regoing to see some major things
at least make noise becausepharmacists will help people.
And that's really what both Suzyand I want.
But big question I have for you.
You have five kids.
Suzy (31:32):
Yeah.
Phil (31:32):
I have four.
I get this one all the time.
Would you have your, your kidsbecome pharmacists?
Suzy (31:40):
I get this question all the time, too.
So it's quite interesting youask, and I feel like it's, um,
loaded.
But I, I think I always tell mychildren this.
I say, whatever you are going tobe, be the best at it.
So I think if you're going to gobecome a pharmacist and you're
going to be a mediocrepharmacist or a subpar
(32:01):
pharmacist, then don't be apharmacist.
If you're going to be thepharmacist who is like
complaining every day, and Ican't do this, and this is
terrible, and this field sucks,and I don't want to be, you
know, then, then don't go intopharmacy.
I think, you know, if you wantto, be, go be a barber, go be a
barber, but be that go, youknow, go, I don't know, be the
best barber out there, you know,and I think for me, that's what
(32:24):
I really tell my children.
And I think that for me, I lovepharmacy.
I've made a career, you know, mywhole life is pharmacy, but I
really wanted to do more for theprofession.
And I've done a lot of differentthings in pharmacy, whether I've
worked in a hospital orindependent and I've worked in
pharma.
I've worked in academia, so I'vedone a lot in pharmacy and, um,
(32:48):
you know, been an author and diddid a lot of different things
and research or presentedresearch in the area.
And there's so much that we cando as pharmacists.
I think that Sometimes we limitourselves.
And I think that's really whatmy whole purpose is now is
really to let pharmacists know,like you have this degree, you
have this knowledge.
So now use it and you can use itin so many ways.
(33:08):
You don't just have to use it aslike this little career and
you're on this trajectory for 45years until you retire.
And really you, you can do, youcan pivot and you can switch and
you can find whatever makes youhappy and feeds your soul.
Phil (33:21):
That's just great advice for anybody.
And making that pivot is.
Enormously scary like um, yeahthree years ago.
I started social media.
It was enormously scary to me Iwanted to hide in my little
hidey hold I find myself evenstill.
Even with success that I find inlife, the first thing any of us
do when we make change is wantto run back to that thing that
we know, even though that thingthat we know may be the worst
(33:44):
thing in our life.
Suzy (33:45):
Always.
Yeah, exactly.
That's what we, that's what wedo.
But you found the most success.
I mean, you're, you're great atwhat you do and I feel like
you're educating so many peopleon, um, you know, on pharmacy,
so.
Phil (33:56):
Well, and I love all of your content.
I was telling you before this,like, your content is so much
better put together.
Mine's like, hectic, and peopleare trying to figure out what's
go they have to watch it threetimes just to figure out.
Suzy (34:06):
No, I love it! It's so entertaining! I'm like, very
entertained by you, so.
Phil (34:10):
Yours is always straightforward and really great
information.
But I do think there's a lot ofpeople who are listening in
general that I would say to themthat just because you feel like
you know something doesn't meanit's the best thing for you and
especially as you get older whenyou're younger, you'll you'll
make changes pretty quickly.
One day you're hanging out withone group of friends and the
other.
As we get older, when you startto look at things that make you
(34:31):
feel less than.
You just have to make thatchange in that first 30 days is
really hard.
And when you do that, though, itopens up your world to
possibilities that are justincredible.
And Suzy's a great example ofsomeone who's done that.
You look at what she's done inher resume.
She's got five kids.
(34:52):
She's done so much schooling.
It's incredible.
She has enough letters behindher name that she could spell
brilliant right out.
I seriously think it's there.
And I look at someone like youand I, and I, and I put it out
there to the world saying, youdon't have to be what you don't
want to be.
Just keep pushing.
And you're just such a greatexample of that.
Suzy (35:11):
Thank you.
Yeah.
No, I mean, that's what have tokeep pushing.
I mean, you have to, if you'renot happy with what you're
doing, I just, I always tell alot of my pharmacy students,
that's just find where you arehappy.
And if you're, if it's notspeaking joy or, you know,
you're not finding happinessthere, then that's not for you.
I tell my kids the same thing,then you have to find what does
make you feel at peace and whatbrings you peace.
So, uh, and I think a lot ofpharmacists are like, well, this
(35:33):
is fine and this is what I do.
And, you know, and.
I think you need to findsomething that really will feed
you because otherwise you get to40, 45 years old and you're
like, what did I do with mylife?
Like, why, why did I, why didn'tI do more?
Why didn't I do that?
And I see, I just see all thestories from all of these women
in my group and, uh, you know,and I, and I see the
(35:54):
differences.
Phil (35:55):
But 45 is not too late.
Like that's
Suzy (35:57):
Never that's what I'm saying.
So you can change at 45.
Phil (36:00):
Yeah thanks to inflation we'll work till 70 anyway.
Suzy (36:02):
You're like ready for your next career.
That's what I always say.
I'm like, so if you get to 40and 45, and you're like, you
know, why did I waste myselfdoing this?
Like, It's time to do somethingdifferent.
Like you, you, you're able to doit.
You don't have to continue doingthe same thing forever.
Phil (36:16):
And it's the same with kids.
Like, I think that's the samething with children.
You're like, okay, this is whatI do.
And this is where we're at.
And you can wake up the nextmorning and say, I'm going to be
just 1% different today.
And then 1% different the nextday.
And we're going to change towhere I want to be.
Okay.
So the last question I askeverybody is, um, when I started
social media, I just wanted tosave my store and it moved a lot
(36:39):
bigger than I expected, which Ithink you probably can relate
with.
You're like, what in the world'sgoing on here?
So then I had somebody asked me,he said, he told me that you had
a chance to have a platform.
You need to start thinking aboutwhat you really want from this.
And I came up with the idea thatif we could make the world 1%
kinder, it would be a success inmy life.
If I could just make the world1% kinder.
And so I always end by tellingeverybody to go find somebody,
(37:01):
give them a hug.
Tell somebody who's yelling atyou something nice, do something
just to make the world 1%kinder.
But, Suzy, if you could giveadvice to people how they could
make the world 1% kinder, whatwould you say?
Suzy (37:14):
So, I think it's, like, I actually have a story about
this.
Phil (37:17):
Oh, good.
Tell the story.
Suzy (37:18):
I go to the gym all the time, and everyone's really
friendly.
I love going to the gym.
And there's one guy that worksat the front desk, and he, I
would love for him to evenlisten to this, but he probably
doesn't even listen to anything.
But he's always disgruntled andhe works at the front desk and,
you know, I'll, I'll sign in andI'm like, hi, how are you?
Nothing.
I mean, nothing.
He's just always just like, I'mlike, what's your name?
(37:41):
You know, blah, blah, blah.
And he's just always angry orupset.
And, you know, I don't know.
And then I thought it was me.
I'm like, maybe he doesn't likeme.
Like, maybe he's just like, Oh,this old lady's here.
And why, you know, like, why isshe bothering me?
And, um, Yeah.
And anyway, to make a long storyshort, I've been killing him
with kindness, right?
I've been like all the time.
(38:01):
I'm like, how are you?
Where, where'd you grow up?
Do you have any siblings?
So like, I started like, Likekind of breaking him down and my
other friends at the gym alltalk about him.
They're always like, Oh, he's sorude.
I don't know why he works here,blah, blah, blah.
But now he's been so nice to melike the past month, all of a
sudden it's been great.
He's even like, would you like afree water bottle?
Would you like, you know, wouldyou like this?
(38:22):
And it's so Um, so my advice isthat if someone is rude, and I
come to find out that he had amuch more difficult life or more
like he's been opening up to me,I think too, so I think if you
encounter someone who is rudethat know that everyone is
dealing with something andeveryone has a story and so
don't take it so personally.
I think a lot of people take itpersonally and they're like, oh,
(38:43):
he's really rude and it's it'smy fault.
Or, you know, he doesn't likeme, but.
You know, that person isprobably facing something else
that you probably don't knowabout.
And so I think that just tryingto be nice, regardless, even if
someone is really rude, which Iknow is sometimes difficult,
but, um, I tell my kids thattoo.
And, and then, and sometimes itworks.
And sometimes all of a suddenthey'll, you know, they'll
(39:04):
friend you.
Phil (39:06):
Oh, I love that.
I do love that because I saw aquote the other day that says
when you take somethingpersonally just remember they're
not actually thinking about youthe way you are.
So And so I love that.
All right.
Well, this has been Take YourMedicine podcast I'm, Phil
Cowley.
If you like the episode come andfollow us.
Also make sure you go look up@drsuzannesoliman on Instagram.
(39:28):
Go check out her book.
The Ultimate Guide to Becoming aMedical Science Liaison.
It's on Amazon.
It's all over the place and youcan find it on her website as
well.
She is absolutely brilliant inevery way.
And thank you so much for beingon.
Suzy (39:43):
Thank you.
Thanks so much for having me.
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