Arkansas
Small-Town Arkansas Roots Run Deep for College of Pharmacy Alumnus – UAMS News
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Lenora Newsome, P.D., COP ’80, has been an integral a part of the expansion of the pharmacy occupation in Arkansas, particularly in rural areas.
Picture by Nationwide Affiliation of Boards of Pharmacy
| Lenora Newsome, P.D., COP ’80, has had a distinguished profession as a pharmacist, and she or he’s not accomplished but. She’s seen the occupation evolve considerably through the years and now helps form the place pharmacy is headed subsequent by her positions on state and nationwide boards.
Nonetheless, a pharmacy profession wasn’t initially on her radar. At first, she needed to be a nurse.
“My greatest pal and I made a decision we have been going to be nurses,” Newsome stated. “Properly, she cherished it, and I didn’t. Considered one of my instructors stated, ‘Have you considered pharmacy?’ and I stated no.”
Newsome determined to consider it however continued as a common science main at Southern State Faculty, now Southern Arkansas College, later transferring to the College of Arkansas. There she attended a well being professions assembly that includes audio system from UAMS, together with J.R. McCowan, Ph.D., then affiliate dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy.
“Dr. McCowan spoke about pharmacy, and he talked about what number of girls have been going into pharmacy, that issues have been actually altering,” Newsome stated. “Afterwards, I spoke to him about it and instructed myself that it was one thing I may do.”
After graduating from the UAMS Faculty of Pharmacy in 1980, Newsome served her residency at Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Price, Texas. However her coronary heart was nonetheless in Arkansas.
“I at all times needed to return again to my hometown of Smackover to follow,” she stated. “My specialty was to be a hospital pharmacist, however that didn’t pan out in a small city. So I needed to reinvent myself and alter right into a retail pharmacist.”
Newsome labored as a pharmacist at Walgreens a couple of yr earlier than being provided a place in 1985 at Brookshire’s as the primary pharmacist at its new El Dorado location. Solely a yr into her retail pharmacy profession, she now ran her personal store.
“That was an expertise, with the ability to open a pharmacy from scratch,” Newsome stated. “What number of occasions do you could have the chance to try this? I took that problem on and was profitable. They principally left the pharmacy operations as much as me.”
It was additionally a brand new expertise with expertise. The Brookshire’s in El Dorado was computerized, in contrast to the opposite pharmacies Newsome had labored at, which nonetheless used typewriters. Fortuitously, her time as a resident with Harris Methodist gave her expertise with two not too long ago applied applied sciences — computer systems and fax machines.
“Previous to that, to gather orders we needed to make rounds to select up orders on the nurses’ stations, carry the orders again to the pharmacy and fill them, then ship the medicine again to the flooring,” Newsome stated. “So, issues how they have been within the late Seventies, it appeared very primitive to what we’re capable of do now. Pharmacy has come a good distance.”
Newsome quickly realized she loved retail pharmacy, and she or he’s stayed in it ever since. At this time, she’s a pharmacist at Walmart in Camden, but in addition works at places in El Dorado and Fordyce.
“I’m very completely happy to maintain the individuals of Camden, El Dorado and Fordyce,” Newsome stated. “I’ve a lot data that I can cross on to them that may make an enormous enchancment of their lives. It’s virtually like a ministry to me. I’m right here to assist individuals.”
In 1996, then-Gov. Jim Man Tucker appointed Newsome to the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy, the place she has since been reappointed by each governor since. She credit her lengthy retail expertise with making her a greater board member.
“You recognize, I really feel that the Lord places stuff earlier than you, and also you’re studying stuff with out actually realizing that it could be the subsequent step to doing one thing completely different,” Newsome stated.
“Lenora Newsome has lengthy been a constant, calm voice on our board, the place her sage recommendation and steering has helped form the follow panorama for Arkansas pharmacists for the final three a long time,” stated John Kirtley, Pharm.D., govt director for the state pharmacy board. “Lenora’s strategy in lots of conditions is to pay attention first earlier than commenting, however when she speaks, the individuals round her pay attention intently.”
Alongside along with her work as a retail pharmacist, Newsome has helped carry the torch for pharmacy throughout the state. She maintains her function on the state pharmacy board in addition to the chief committee of the Nationwide Affiliation of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). She beforehand represented District 6, encompassing six states: Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, earlier than serving as nationwide treasurer.
Earlier this yr, the NABP named Newsome president-elect. It will robotically advance her to successive roles as president, then chair. Lester Hosto, P.D., was the final Arkansan to serve in these roles.
“We’re there for steering for all 50 states,” Newsome stated. “You start to see the identical issues — what’s taking place in Arkansas could also be taking place in Washington, Oregon and Maine.”
Newsome is ready to take what she learns on the nationwide stage and produce it again to Arkansas, which filters all the way down to the individuals she serves every single day. She additionally will get concerned domestically, and helps with the Union County Neighborhood Basis and the Boys & Ladies Membership of El Dorado.
“I’ve been capable of develop a lot past what I anticipated of myself,” Newsome stated. “I made the selection to return again house to work in order that there could be different individuals who’d see that you are able to do one thing completely different along with your life.”
All of it stems from a love for small-town Arkansas and the individuals who have helped alongside the best way. She additionally credit her husband of 40 years, Carlton Newsome, M.D., and her household as being supportive all through her profession.
“I encourage kids you can go away to varsity and you may come again house, and nonetheless have an exquisite life and an exquisite household,” Newsome stated. “My church, my household, the little city of Smackover — everyone has helped me, and I don’t know if that might’ve occurred anyplace else prefer it did for me right here.”