When Dad is a sales rep, school holidays are spent tagging along on trips to pharmacies across remote Queensland. This was UNE Alumni, Kerri Barwick’s introduction into the world of pharmacy.
“I remember cleaning out the tester shed after school, lining up all the fragrance bottles neatening the shelves – even though only the (sale) reps saw it!
As soon as she was old enough, Kerri got a job in a local pharmacy cleaning hundreds of glass shelves ready for the grand opening.
“It was a Don Gardiner Store – a great place to start my pharmacy career. They were really progressive as a group with marketing but also had high professional practice standards. I remember not being allowed to serve at the back counter because I wasn’t adequately trained, I respect that discipline. I enjoyed chemistry at high school and even competed in a national titrating competition - yes, that is a thing!”
I remember not being allowed to serve at the back counter because I wasn’t adequately trained, I respect that discipline.
After high school, Kerri continued to work in community pharmacy but decided to study Business as she feared the profession may become stale. However, the pharmacy world kept drawing her back in.
“I did roles in buying, QCPP (Quality Care Pharmacy Program), training and managed the retail section of a hospital pharmacy. Then I had some time off work to have my three babies - in four years, crazy I know - and was working casually in a community pharmacy to get some time away from nursery rhymes!
“My manager there asked why I wasn’t a pharmacist and it made me think that it was something I could do. Having three kids under five meant that attending full-time classes wasn’t an option for me, so UNE was the perfect choice.
Having three kids under five meant that attending full-time classes wasn’t an option for me, so UNE was the perfect choice
“I wouldn’t be where I am now if UNE hadn’t been an option. I continued to work in pharmacy while I was studying and also ran the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program teaching gardening classes at the kids’ school - my ‘farmacy’!
Kerri with her family.
“Having the kids come to my graduation and showing them the labs where I did res school was an amazing experience. I love that I could see how it showed them they could do anything!
“After graduation, I saw a job for Trainer Assessor at the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), applied and started there over four years ago. I quickly progressed to being Lead Trainer Assessor, to Manager of Training and Assessment and I am now GM – Education, Training and Knowledge Development.”
In her role at the PSA, Kerri supports the Pharmacy industry in Australia through education on practice changes.
“This is an amazing time to be a pharmacist! We are well positioned to play an integral role in the solution to the primary care health crisis Australia is seeing.
We are well positioned to play an integral role in the solution to the primary care health crisis Australia is seeing.
“We have been able to highlight our ability to fill a gap in the system with COVID-19 vaccinations and the role we played through the pandemic, and we are seeing the product of that now in the prescribing trials happening around Australia. I love that my job is helping support our pharmacists through this.”
Kerri supports the Pharmacy industry through education on practice changes.
Kerri notes current prescribing trials have massive potential to bring patients timely and safe access to care. Particularly in regards to the prescription service trial on treatment of Urinary tract infections (UTI).
“UTI is a great example of where pharmacists have the knowledge and skills to be able to prescribe so patients aren’t waiting in discomfort for sometimes weeks to see a GP.
“Each state needs to make provisions in its legislation to allow pharmacists to work at top of scope so we can be available to patients. Queensland led the way with this, and the rest of the states will follow.”
Such trials reaffirm Kerri’s belief that Pharmacists are most certainly part of the solution of the current rural healthcare crisis.
“We are accessible and can help resolve the long wait times our regional patients are seeing. By being able to prescribe within our scope of practice, pharmacists can do more - but can’t do more with less, so need to be adequately remunerated for the service. The PSAs Professional Practice Standards released last month have a standard for prescribing that set the minimum performance expectations for safe and quality access to care.”
By being able to prescribe within our scope of practice, pharmacists can do more.
And although this is an exciting time for the industry, with much untapped potential for Pharmacists to do good across Australia, Kerri still finds time to reflect on her studies and accomplishments, offering some insightful career advice.
“The friendships I made in res school at UNE are life-long, we have seen babies, weddings, funerals, and divorces together. I think being away from my usual life as mum for res school reminded me that I was a person outside the family and could achieve things alongside that.
“Remember to stay true to yourself and don’t get swept up in what you think you should be doing.”
Kerri delivering her MasterClass seminar.
