As if being a pharmacy resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center weren’t enough of a challenge, Ashleigh Neese decided to add to her workload. But her logic behind multitasking as part of the MMHC program was compelling.

“When choosing a residency, I knew that I wanted to further my education in a meaningful way,” says the Mobile, Alabama, native. “I have the drive and desire to serve patients on an administrative level, but I felt I lacked the baseline knowledge needed to truly advocate for pharmacists and patients most effectively. I wanted to learn from the incredible faculty at Vanderbilt and surround myself with other leaders in the program to sculpt my leadership style and expand my knowledge base.”

Well before she completed the program, it had already lived up to Ashleigh’s expectations. “With the tools I have gained, I am able to engage in important conversations with other pharmacy leaders,” she says. “I have also cultivated my brand and style of leadership through my sessions with my LDP [Leadership Development Program] coach.”

Ashleigh recalls that one of the experiences that best prepared her involved working with a team of classmates during their Configuring Health Care Operations Module. For their project, they worked on improving the operational process of compounding unit-dose oral liquid medications within the Pharmacy department.  

“The project,” she says, “impacted a number of the rotations I have been part of during residency. It even allowed me to provide a colleague at another academic medical center with valuable operational improvement information.

“I now feel equipped to navigate the challenging environment of health system pharmacy administration. Combined with my clinical knowledge and experience, the program has created a path for me to assume and succeed in high-level management roles.”