“My dad is a pharmacist. I’ve always been drawn to that because I could see the difference he made with patient care and the chemistry behind it excited me.”
But after spending over a decade of her career in retail pharmacy, Julia found herself at a crossroads.
“Retail had burned me out and I was honestly thinking about getting out of pharmacy completely,” she said. “When the opening at Cook Hospital came up, the timing was just right.”
Now, as a pharmacy technician at Cook Hospital, Julia has rediscovered why she entered the field in the first place—and why small-town healthcare is able to deliver a high level of service, something that can be challenging to find in big-box retail.
A Close-Knit Team, Not a Conveyor Belt
One of the biggest differences? A supportive team that’s focused on patient outcomes, not sales goals.
“This is a really close-knit environment,” Julia shared. “You’re working with the hospital, the Care Center, the ER, employees—everyone overlaps. You actually know the people you’re helping.”
The pharmacy team works closely together, with technician Julia and Dave, the pharmacist, as daily regulars, supported by a team of casual technicians and pharmacists. The atmosphere is organized and relatively calm—though, like any healthcare setting, it can turn fast-paced when needed.
“It’s low-key most days, but with the ER, things can get chaotic quickly. You have to be ready to pivot.”
What the Day Looks Like
A typical day runs from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and starts with checking in on overnight activity in the ER.
“If there are new orders, we fill those right away, along with anything needed for the Care Center right away so they’re ready for med pass,” Julia explained. “Then we review what’s scheduled for the day.”
From there, the work is varied:
- Filling and organizing orders
- Processing invoices
- Delivering medications to the Care Center
- Checking medication carts and refilling as needed
- Supporting hospital and ER orders as they come in
“There’s a nice flow to it,” she said. “You’re always doing something meaningful, but it’s not the nonstop pressure you get in retail.”
Lunch breaks are flexible, too—important in a setting where patient needs come first.
Support That Actually Feels Supportive
Julia also credits the leadership style in the pharmacy for making a real difference.
“Dave [pharmacist] starts every day by asking what he can do to help,” she said.
That support extends beyond the workplace. In a small facility, flexibility matters.
“I’ve been able to leave during my shift to attend my child’s concert,” Julia shared. “That kind of understanding goes a long way.”
Who Thrives in This Role?
According to Julia, the ideal pharmacy technician at Cook Hospital is someone who:
- Enjoys variety and changing pace
- Is comfortable jumping between tasks
- Appreciates teamwork and community
- Wants stability, benefits, and balance
And the benefits matter.
“Great benefits and retirement—things you don’t usually see in retail pharmacy,” she noted.
A Career That Fits Real Life
For Julia, working as a pharmacy technician at Cook Hospital didn’t just keep her in pharmacy—it gave her a career in it.
“This place reminded me why I liked pharmacy to begin with.”
In a small town, that kind of fit matters. And sometimes, the best career move isn’t going bigger—it’s going closer to home.
