PSS Shining Star is a PSS initiative to showcase role models in retail pharmacies. This month's Shining Star is Mr Edwin Lee from NTUC Health Unity.
Interview with our Shining Star
1. Why did you choose pharmacy as your profession?
The healthcare industry has always been an important and indispensable part of people’s lives. Going into the pharmacy profession opens up many career possibilities into both patient care and non-patient care areas.
2. Why did you choose to be a community pharmacist?
Being in the community allows greater depth of interaction with your customers. The rapport and level of trust my regular customers have with me gives me great job satisfaction. Also, being with Unity allows me to run the store and gives me the invaluable opportunity to learn more about running a business.
3. What has helped/motivated you to be where you are today?
Appreciative customers provide motivation in continuing in this challenging role. Great colleagues have also made this journey an enjoyable one. Lastly, supportive family members helped me to where I am today.
4. Who would you say is your role model? Who inspired you to excel in the pharmacy field that you chose?
There are many outstanding pharmacy graduates that have inspired me throughout my pharmacy journey – Mr Liak Teng Lit, Dr Doreen Tan, and Asst Prof Lita Chew, for example. I respect Dr Doreen Tan for her passion, energy, and motivation to push for her initiatives. Asst Prof Lita Chew’s selflessness is admirable, as she constantly puts the pharmacy profession before herself. Finally, Mr Liak Teng Lit demonstrates how a pharmacist with vision and determination can climb to the top of the healthcare system.
5. What is your advice for your fellow pharmacists and for people who are considering this career?
Never stop learning and never stop thinking of how you can improve yourself and the industry. Aim to increase the positive impact you have on the healthcare industry. For those considering a career in community pharmacy, do join if you enjoy and derive joy from interaction with people and have a genuine desire to make a positive impact on others.
6. Given that Singapore will be experiencing one in three citizens aged 65 and above by 2030, how do you think pharmacists can contribute to the healthcare of this group of people?
People are still warming up to the paradigm shift from healthcare, which involves hospitalisation and drugs, to one involving preventive care. With the greying population, community pharmacists can and must lighten the patient load from public institutions, by providing counselling services on chronic illnesses like diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia. Unique to community pharmacists, we are equipped to advise patients on supplementation, lifestyle modifications, and the use of blood glucose and blood pressure monitors.
7. What is the most memorable moment in your pharmacy career?
One of the proudest moments in my own career was when my first pre-registration pharmacist trainee was officially licensed as a full-fledged pharmacist.
8. Describe your career progression path.
I completed my pre-registration training with Unity and have been in charge of running a store while providing training to NUS students, pre-registration pharmacists, foreign students and supervising foreign-trained pharmacists. I am currently a Senior Pharmacist and the Deputy Chief Preceptor for pre-registration pharmacist training.
9. Can you describe a typical day at work?
A day at work involves counselling walk-in patients, and providing appropriate advice on medication and lifestyle modification. We fulfil frequent phone calls on drug information and minor ailment enquiries. A huge part of the day involves operations-related work as well as training the students under my charge.
10. What do you think are the important skills and attributes that a community pharmacist needs to be equipped with?
Some important skills are strong communication skills, flexibility and adaptability, professionalism, ability to multitask and to work under little supervision. A pharmacist needs to always carry a positive attitude, take initiative, and be willing to learn.
11. What is your wish list to your patients/the public who comes to you?
I hope they will be empowered to take charge of their own health and know that we are always around to help them do so.
12. What are your hopes and dreams for community pharmacy in Singapore?
I hope that people will be more aware, and will make greater use of the services and resources community pharmacists can provide. Hopefully, there will be greater collaboration between the government, public institutions, and community pharmacists. With training and overall elevation of skills and knowledge, we can play a greater role in the healthcare industry.
