After growing up as the farmer’s daughter and now discovering my passion for pharmacy, being able to integrate the two unique professions has given me great satisfaction. Over the past week we have traveled to some of the most peaceful areas of the state with wide-stretching pastures and rows upon rows of cornfields providing health screenings and medication advice to the farmers and ranchers of the state of Missouri.
I was born and raised on a beef cattle farm where I showed cattle in 4-H, was a member of my local FFA chapter and always helped out wherever an extra hand was needed on the farm. As I continued on through high school and college I experienced the immense joy that comes with being able to truly help people and make a difference in others’ lives and wanted to continue to do so. I chose pharmacy as my career path and have since completed 5 years of education, currently in my sixth, and will soon graduate this upcoming May. My plans after graduation include completing a one-year residency program to further my knowledge and expertise in the world of pharmacy.
By participating in the Pharm to Farm program, I hope to learn how to tailor my skill set to the needs and wants of our rural population to one day be able to go back and better serve my own community in rural Missouri. I feel as though I have a unique connection with farmers and ranchers and can easily relate to their hardworking lifestyle. We recently traveled to my hometown to provide our services, which was extremely rewarding for me to be able to help familiar faces. I am truly excited for what’s yet to come during this experience!
Lauren Aversman, Pharm.D. Candidate 2016
Olivia and Lauren check out some local artwork recommended by one of the Pharm to Farm clients
Over the past week of my July rotation I have really seen how my pharmacy training can be applied to care for those working on a farm. We have visited several farmers across the state of Missouri and by seeing the type of agriculture operation and reviewing the farmer’s medication history, we have been able to provide recommendations as to how to prevent side effects of medicine that could potentially result in a farm injury. I enjoyed the drive through the rural areas and talking with the farmers, mostly because it reminded me of home, but also because of the people I had the opportunity to meet. It has been great to meet people all over the state that you can relate to and share stories with from farming experiences.
I am from a small town about 30 minutes southwest of Jefferson City, MO, where I grew up on a farm. I hope after the experience I gain from the Pharm to Farm rotation, I can bring back what I’ve learned to those in my community. I can already tell from just a few visits with farmers on this rotation that health is a priority, especially among those that don’t seem to find the time to see their doctor between feeding the calves and re-planting soybeans. I’m excited to see where the next three weeks take me and all the different people I’ll meet. One reason why I chose the pharmacy profession is to make a positive impact on the health of those who feed our country and through this rotation I am certain I will.
Olivia Schwaller, Pharm.D. Candidate 2016