Pharmacy alumni: Where are they now?

Emma Sykes undertook a Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of Sydney from 2013 to 2018. When she first entered into her degree, she wasn't entirely sure of what to expect of her degree, but she knew she loved science and being around people so pharmacy felt like a good fit. Shortly into her studies, she realised the impact that pharmacists make and knew she was on the right path.

In her short time as a pharmacy grad, Emma has had roles as a pharmacy assistant in a community pharmacy, lab technician at a compounding pharmacy, intern pharmacist at a hospital and most recently, working as a resident pharmacist at Alice Springs Hospital.

Why is working in pharmacy important to you?

The pharmacy profession is important to me because I see us as the link between patients and the mainstay of most treatments; medicines. In the search for health we provide information, encouragement and advice for patients to find their own unique way to become well and maintain health.

What is the most meaningful aspect of your job?

I think in my intern year I would say the most meaningful part of my job was being the detective and finding solutions to problems or ways to improve treatment for patients within the multidisciplinary team. I still find this an exciting part of everyday clinical pharmacy, however this year I would say I get most meaning from having open and frank discussions with patients about their medication management and if possible, convincing them to continue with treatment that they may have become disenfranchised from.

Is there something unique to working in Alice Springs that you might not find in other pharmacies/communities in Australia?

Absolutely! I think Alice Springs is very unique, certainly compared to the urban centres. We service Central Australia which covers more than half of the Northern Territory’s square meterage, with even some interstate communities being closer to us than anywhere else. On top of that, as with the rest of Australia, Alice Springs is a very culturally and linguistically diverse community! As a result we have a vast diversity of patients, not only with international immigrants but also within the local Indigenous communities. For example, there are more than 100 Indigenous languages and dialects spoken in the NT.

Since we cover so much ground, you notice how being rural or remote can really affect how individuals respond to their health. There is a resilience that is built up in remote communities about health and sickness, especially within the Indigenous communities. People value their relationships with their families and the land incredibly highly, and often put those relationships before themselves.

Unfortunately that strength can sometimes mean we see outcomes at their worst, when they could have been preventable early on. In response to this, our goals of care are usually more focused on what each patient wants, needs and can manage. I think this holistic view and emphasis on patient autonomy could be encouraged more in metropolitan areas.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

I usually get to work for morning scrum where we get allocated our extra jobs for the day. The pharmacists rotate in helping with education which is a great way to refresh or update your clinical knowledge. Then I collect my morning orders and head to the ward for the allied health meeting on the surgical ward. Since it is a high turnover ward this is a good way to get an overview of all the new patients so that you can prioritise your day. Throughout the day I juggle doing ward orders, talking to patients about their medication history, screening discharge medications and writing transfer letters to the local GPs.

As I am undertaking the Residency Program here, I might have my preceptor with me to bounce ideas off and give me feedback. I also am currently in the process of organising a research project as a requirement of the Residency Program so some days I attend to that.

By the end of the day I feel like I’ve barely had enough time to breathe but I kind of like that rush and we have a great team here to debrief and clock out with for a bit of Thursday night trivia.

What do you like most about your chosen career path?

I am still early in my career but I do think that each opportunity I have taken has allowed me to build on my knowledge and experience to the point where I am proud to make meaningful recommendations which can make real differences to patient’s lives.

Particularly in the hospital setting – you are surrounded by professional people who are experts in their fields. You eventually start picking up on the plethora of ideas and concerns floating around you which allows you to become a holistic practitioner and truly be the patient’s advocate against what can be quite regimented treatment guidelines.