Preceptor Spotlight: Julie Foerch, PharmD

What do you want other preceptors to know about you? (Introduce yourself)

My name is Julie Foerch and I graduated from UW-Madison School of Pharmacy in 2009.

I have worked at Walgreens pharmacy in many roles since 2003 including pharmacy technician, intern, pharmacist, and pharmacy manager. Most of my career has been in retail, and I transitioned into my role as pharmacy manager at Community Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy in 2019. This life-changing role has been extremely rewarding clinically and has given me great work/life balance.

What rotations do you precept?

I precept APPE Elective and Ambulatory Care rotations.

What are the benefits of precepting?

Being a preceptor is a very rewarding experience. Over the years, I have seen many students I precepted graduate and take on many different roles. I have precepted students in their first years of schooling and then crossed paths with them in their last year after they've grown and developed their knowledge. I have introduced many students to the world of specialty pharmacy and have shown them the exciting relationships we build with our oncology and neurology providers. Additionally, I have been able to showcase the strong relationships we build with our patients. I love showing students the patient care that we provide and how to use our knowledge and skills to impact their quality of life. We are often the first person to talk with the patient after they've received their diagnosis. We have the opportunity to be there for them, be their resource, and guide them through their journey!

How do you adjust your precepting for an underachieving (or overachieving) student?

I have precepted a variety of students with various levels of knowledge and motivation over the years. I have found it is important to set expectations for the rotation early on. Assisting learners to determine and drive their goals helps guide the path they take at our site. Through self-directed learning and motivation, students are able to determine the pace that best suits their comfort level and knowledge. I check in often to assess how they are progressing, let them know the opportunities that exist, and remind them how they control their growth and learning. By getting to know students on a deeper level, and finding out their interests and what motivates them, I can then tailor their rotation to fit their passion. Individualizing the rotation keeps students motivated and excited about what they are doing!