In this episode, Morgan Grier and Micaela Hayes discuss Micaela's personal and professional journey to becoming an ambulatory care pharmacist. Micaela shares her early interest in softball and how it led her to explore pharmacy as a career. She talks about her educational path, including her undergraduate studies in biochemistry and her decision to pursue pharmacy school at Wingate University. Micaela also discusses her passion for ambulatory care and her goals for the Pharm So Hard Ambulatory Care Podcast, which include promoting the versatility of ambulatory care practice and advancing the pharmacy profession. In this conversation, Micaela Hayes discusses her vision for the podcast, which includes a deeper dive into ambulatory care and reviewing clinical topics. She also shares her plans for engaging with the audience through social media and other platforms. Micaela highlights the challenges of reimbursement and limited acknowledgement of pharmacists as providers in ambulatory care, as well as the successes of pharmacists in demonstrating their value to the healthcare team. She offers advice to aspiring pharmacists, emphasizing the importance of seeking out opportunities and mentorship. Outside of pharmacy, Micaela enjoys horses, music, and dancing. She also shares her excitement about her upcoming low-maintenance wedding in October.

Takeaways

• Micaela's journey to becoming an ambulatory care pharmacist started with her early interest in softball and her love for working on a team.

• She pursued pharmacy as a career after her sister suggested it as a good fit for her interests in math and science.

• Micaela's passion for ambulatory care stems from her desire to work in an interdisciplinary healthcare team and spend one-on-one time with patients to improve their health.

• The Pharm So Hard Ambulatory Care Podcast aims to create a community of ambulatory care pharmacists, provide valuable content, and promote and advance the pharmacy profession. The Pharm So Hard Ambulatory Care Podcast will focus on ambulatory care and clinical topics, providing insights into different roles and models in ambulatory care and discussing guideline updates.

• Engaging with the audience will be done through the podcast, social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube, and LinkedIn.

• Challenges in ambulatory care include reimbursement issues and the need to advocate for the value of pharmacists in the healthcare system.

• Successes in ambulatory care include demonstrating the value of pharmacists in improving patient outcomes and contributing to preventative care.

• Aspiring pharmacists should seek out opportunities to explore their interests, connect with mentors, and advocate for the experiences they want.

• Micaela's hobbies include horses, music, and dancing. She is also excited about her upcoming low-maintenance wedding in October.