Ellen Smith

Why I do what I do:

I love my patients. My passion is to get their medications to them accurately and on time. I also now teach pharmacology to pharmacy technicians. I really enjoy training, helping students learn and promoting pharmacy technology as a career.

Latest Accomplishment:

At the 2019 ICHP annual meeting, I presented about the new CSPT certification with an overview of the cleanroom. Public speaking is a top three fear of mine, but I wanted to challenge myself and encourage pharmacy technicians to sit for the CSPT exam.

Most Memorable Experience as a Pharmacy Technician:

The Gyne-Onc Nursing Manager at Northwestern nominated me for an interdisciplinary award for my work with automated dispensing machine improvement and commitment to nursing/pharmacy collaboration. Process improvement has always been an interest for me over the years and I was honored that someone of her caliber noticed just how much impact my work with the nursing staff elevated quality patient care.

Why I Became Certified?:

Becoming certified made me feel proud that someone can vouch for my knowledge and technical skills. It shows my commitment to my career path and my interest in keeping abreast with how the profession is changing.

My Passion Outside of Work:
I love to travel. I typically take 2-3 vacations to Europe and 2-3 to Mexico each year. I am an urban explorer who finds cities with bustling streets filled with new cultures and norms intriguing. I enjoy chatting with locals, eating new foods, seeing beautiful art, and learning about unique customs.

Latest Book Read:
Dear Girls by Ali Wong. I strongly believe in the power of comedy after a high paced day working in Oncology. Often my job is chaotic and stressful - laughter elevates my mood and relieves some of the stress.

Advice to Up-and-Coming Technicians:
This is an amazing profession. There are so many opportunities within the umbrella of pharmacy technician scope of practice. In twenty years, I have worked retail, overnight shifts, OR’s, NICU’s, PICU’s, adult ICU’s, small and large teaching hospitals, and compounding TPNS. The world is your oyster and there are a multitude of work environments to keep it interesting. Soak up any information another technician or pharmacist is willing to share and find your niche.