Brittney Keller is not having a summer typical for a college student. Today she is watching as surgeons look inside a patient’s gastro-intestinal tract. Keller is spending the summer at Christian Hospital in St. Louis County. She’s interning in the hospital’s pharmacy to learn about a side of the profession few see.
“My experience at Christian has opened my eyes a little bit,” she says. “Clinical pharmacy is more behind the scenes; you look at patients’ charts, see what medications they’re on and consult with the doctors.”
Keller says this summer’s work has confirmed her passion for helping others.
“Brittney is a joy to work with. She is always so upbeat, polite and smiles often,” says Karen Scott, RPh., inpatient pharmacy manager at Christian Hospital. “She grasps onto new information quickly and is hungry to learn additional information.”
Keller is a fourth-year student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. When she’s not following the pharmacists at the hospital, she’s devoting her time to minority high school students interested in health care careers. A similar program at her home in Atlanta attracted her to pharmacy.
“I didn’t want to attend medical school; I don’t like the idea of cadavers,” Keller says.
She stayed near home and graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree from Spelman College before moving to St. Louis.
Giving to others is a central theme in Keller’s life. She says, “My parents and my college professors say, ‘To whom much is given, much is required.’ There have been a lot of pharmacists who have given back to me… letting me shadow, pick their brains, and they answer my questions all the time. That’s what I like to do for high school students who are interested in pharmacy.”
Keller says she sees the world of pharmacy becoming more diverse in part due to summer programs at schools like St. Louis College of Pharmacy, which target minority students. “Pharmacists have to look like the people they are serving,” says Keller. “Students here at St. Louis College of Pharmacy need to be exposed to different cultures and viewpoints so there’s not a big culture shock once they start their practice.”
One of the largest problems in pharmacy is making sure patients take their medicine as it’s prescribed. A patient discharged from the hospital may be put on new medications. Keller says it’s a rewarding experience seeing a patient understand their new regimen.
“When a pharmacist offers their time and undivided attention to a patient, you can see a bond being formed,” she says. “That’s what it’s all about, making people feel better and offering solutions for complex problems.”
