Helen’s choice of VA for her pharmacy career means providing holistic care to Veterans and training new pharmacists

Helen, a pharmacist at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), doesn’t simply fill prescriptions. Her choice of a VA career means serving on an integrated team that regularly collaborates to arrive at the best therapies to enhance Veterans’ care.

“It is definitely a multidisciplinary team,” Helen said in a video. “It’s nice that a dietician, a nurse practitioner, a pharmacist and a physician can really concentrate on that one patient and the end result is providing quality of care for that patient. It’s very rewarding.”

Choose VA to train future pharmacists

This holistic care approach contributed to Helen’s choice to continue her pharmacy career at the same VA facility where she was trained, even after a year of employment in the private sector. At VA, she coordinates patient pharmacy care, shapes the graduate medical education programs she benefited from and mentors other VA pharmacists.

“One of the rewarding things about being a mentor is that when … I see that light sparkle in their eye, that lightbulb comes on that kind of says, ‘Oh! This is a new idea, something that I’ve never gotten before,’” Helen said.

By offering training to the next generation of pharmacists, VA also benefits. Freshly trained staff and the collaborative atmosphere expose Helen — and Veteran patients — to the latest innovations in care.

“We have ongoing new blood coming in, which I think really energizes the place with new medicine, new ways of doing medicine and always being challenged as we get new interns, residents, even in the field of pharmacy,” Helen said. “And that, I think, makes change happen in a positive way.”

Choose VA for work-life balance

VA pharmacists enjoy excellent and competitive benefits including medical and dental insurance, retirement options and generous, accruable time off that employees can use to be with and care for their family members.

“I think VA really encourages life outside of work,” Helen said.

And while at work, the VA collaborative experience goes beyond the pharmacy counter.

“They do encourage you to get involved, not only in just the day-to-day affairs, but in each other’s lives too,” she said. “In fact, I was just talking to a technician today about the fact that it’s like a family.”

Choose VA Today

Helen chose a VA career to be part of a collaborative atmosphere and care approach. See if a VA career as a pharmacist is the right choice for you too.

• WATCH Helen describe why she chose VA for her pharmacy career.
• EXPLORE a VA pharmacy career.
• APPLY for an open position near you.
• LEARN how to Choose VA at www.vacareers.va.gov.
• Follow our Choose VA blog series.

• Read about Dr. Matt.
• Read about Dr. Donna.
• Read about Veteran and nurse Luis.
• Read about Veteran and nurse Leola.
• Read about Dr. Anna.
• Read about Dr. Patrick.
• Read about nurse Marlene.