Cardinal Health Women in Pharmacy program to guide entrepreneurial pharmacists

LAS VEGAS — Cardinal Health will host its fourth annual Pharmacy Boot Camp on July 25, as part of its Women in Pharmacy program at this year’s Retail Business Conference in Las Vegas from July 22 to 25.



"The Boot Camp is designed to give pharmacists and student pharmacists the business acumen and confidence needed to own their own pharmacies," Eden Sulzer, director of Cardinal Health’s Women in Pharmacy program, said. "The program will serve as a crash course in ownership and a forum for sharing ideas and inspiration. Our goal is for attendees to leave feeling empowered to reach their dreams of becoming successful independent pharmacy owners, serving their communities."

Open to all RBC attendees, the Pharmacy Boot Camp will offer an intensive daylong lesson in operating a successful community pharmacy, featuring:

• 
  A Paths to Pharmacy Ownership workshop, which highlights the basics of start-ups, acquisitions and franchises;


• 
  Financial fitness tips, addressing how to build personal equity;


• 
  Tips on driving growth through services that identify potentially untapped revenue opportunities;


• 
  A panel discussion with new and established pharmacy owners;


• 
  A guided tour of the tradeshow floor and the opportunity to network with nearly 400 manufacturer, automation, software and pharmacy business vendors; and


• 
  The "Mix, Mingle & Mocha" networking reception, where aspiring pharmacy owners can meet successful pharmacy entrepreneurs.

"According to the 2014 National Pharmacist Workforce Study, women now make up 57 percent of all U.S. pharmacists, but there has been no increase in female pharmacy ownership in over a decade," Sulzer said. "We believe that key barriers include access to capital and a real or perceived lack of business or financial acumen. Our Pharmacy Ownership Boot Camp will specifically address these concerns, and offer guidance on how to successfully run an independent pharmacy."

RBC’s other Women in Pharmacy events include a booth on the tradeshow floor and a continuing education opportunity addressing the unique security issues of female pharmacy owners

In support of the effort to encourage women pharmacists in pharmacy ownership, Cardinal Health has donated more than $5 million in pharmacy school scholarships to male and female students who aspire to own their own pharmacy, as well as providing mentoring and networking opportunities for learning business development strategies.