Thommi Fairchild, MHA, CPhT
Sterile Compounding Supervisor
Mayo Clinic, St. Mary's Hospital
Rochester, MN
Certification
Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB)
Number of Years at Organization
4
Why did you become a pharmacy technician?
I honestly kind of fell into this career. It started as a job in college that turned into an internship with Walgreens. I pursued corporate accounting and management after getting my bachelor's degree in business management, but kept finding myself back in the pharmacy. When my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2017, my focus and drive for hospital pharmacy really began. I wanted to know everything there was to know about intravenous (IV) medications and chemotherapy. During his infusions, we would talk about my transitioning into a hospital setting and all the things I would need to learn. At this point in my career, I was absolutely comfortable at Walgreens. My dad really pushed me to start exploring outside of my comfort zone.
How long have you been practicing?
I have been involved in pharmacy since 2004. I started in the community setting with Walgreens and have since moved into the hospital setting.
What are you most proud of in your professional career?
I’m most proud of my involvement in groups and professional organizations such as TPTS, ASHP, and the Minnesota Society of Health System Pharmacy (MSHP). I currently serve as vice chair of the TPTS Career and Leadership Committee, the technician representative on the ASHP Council on Public Policy, a member of the ASHP Section of Inpatient Care Practitioners Advisory Group on Sterile Compounding, and the technician board member-at-large for the MSHP-Southern Affiliate. Additionally, I chair the members and events committee with MSHP. I have expanded WAY outside my comfort level and gotten heavily involved at the state and national level and LOVE it.
What is your most memorable experience as a pharmacy technician?
This is a difficult question to answer as there have been so many memorable moments over the years. I have been honored to have been invited to present at a couple of conferences. If you knew me in high school or college, I was the one who would do everything I could not to present in front of a class and was likely "out sick" those days. I am also attending ASHP Policy Week for the first time this year and am absolutely terrified, but excited all the same. I am sure it will be yet another memorable experience to put in the books.
Why did you become certified?
I became certified not only because it was the next logical step, but also because I truly love learning and am a competitive person by nature. I am constantly looking for what I can do next, and pharmacy falls right in line with that mentality. You can't be stagnant in this profession, even if you tried. There is constant change, whether it's a new drug, a new/updated protocol, or process/implementation.
What career advice do you have for others interested in becoming a Pharmacy Technician?
Be open to anything and everything. I am constantly telling people to "be comfortable with the uncomfortable" and I whole-heartedly mean it. If something scares you or seems intimidating, find a way to get involved. Pharmacy has an AMAZING group of people that are all willing to help you grow both personally and professionally if you are open to it.