Student Spotlight: Jason Williamson, MS Pharmacy Leadership

UC Pharmacy Leadership Student Featured at ASHP Virtual Conference

MS in Pharmacy Leadership student, Jason Williamson, had a poster with his preliminary findings from his Capstone accepted at ASHP’s National Pharmacy Preceptor Virtual Conference in October.

UC Online recently talked with Jason about his experience at the University of Cincinnati and the Pharmacy Leadership Program. He provided his perspective on being a student in the program and discussed his poster and capstone project.

Q: What motivated you to seek your MS in Pharmacy Leadership?

I completed a leadership program with the Michigan Pharmacist Association, but I wanted to continue my professional development and leadership training. The MS in Pharmacy Leadership allowed me to gain additional training and experience to be a successful pharmacy leader.

Q: Why did you select the Pharmacy Leadership program?

The program was a better fit for me than other master’s programs due to its focus on pharmacy leadership. The requirements and experiences that the MS in Pharmacy Leadership were relevant to my practice as a pharmacy manager, and I felt that these would allow me to focus on the skills and topic areas needed to advance my career in pharmacy administration.

Q: Why did you select UC, and are you happy with your choice?

I am very happy that I chose UC for my master’s program. Taking part in the program with other up-and-coming pharmacy leaders has been a great experience, and coursework is taught by experts in the field of pharmacy leadership and focuses on applications to real-life situations in pharmacy practice.

Q: How are you handling the school, work, life balance while in the program?

Admittedly this has been a significant challenge for me. However, the flexibility of the program and the willingness of the faculty to work with me through these challenges has been a pleasant surprise. The dedication of program leaders and faculty, and the encouragement I have received along the way has been outstanding.

Q: Can you provide a brief overview of what your Capstone is about?

My Capstone focuses on an assessment of burnout and personality traits in pharmacists practicing at health systems with pharmacy residency programs. I surveyed pharmacists at three hospitals within Ascension Health and gathered demographic information; burnout scores in the areas of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment (Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel); and personality traits as identified by an online personality test (16 Personalities). I worked with a statistician to evaluate the relationship between groups of participants based on personality or demographic information collected (i.e., years in practice, primary practice area, involvement in residency precepting).

Q: How does your poster play into your Capstone?

The poster highlights preliminary findings from my Capstone project. The poster was showcased at ASHP’s National Pharmacy Preceptor Virtual Conference in October.

View Poster: Assessment of Burnout and Personality Traits in Pharmacists Practicing at Health Systems with Pharmacy Residency Programs

Q: What made you decide to submit your proposal to the ASHP?

The topic seemed to fit well with the focus of the conference, and I wanted to highlight the work I had done on my Capstone project with my professional colleagues. Though I had a slight level of hesitation due to the conference being offered virtually for the first time, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to engage in a new format with other pharmacy preceptors and residency program leaders across the US.

Learn More About the Pharmacy Leadership Program with UC Online

The Pharmacy Leadership program from the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy is flexible and 100% online. Build your business management skills and advance your career as a leader in the pharmacy field with a program custom-built for busy working pharmacists.

Learn More about the Pharmacy Leadership program with UC Online.