Eunice Camille Mantalas, 2026 PharmD Candidate, University of Washington
When you think of pharmacy rotations, you probably imagine hospitals, clinics, or community rotations. You don’t really think about a remote rotation, let alone something on business administration – how is that related to pharmacy? That’s what makes it interesting! You get to take a peak on how pharmacies are run as a business, take on marketing projects, or communicating with professional organizations and helping with career fairs. It’s a different space, but one that makes you realize that pharmacy is beyond the clinical aspects and is also about connecting with people, planning events, and a splash of creativity.
Remote rotation? Say less!
Many of us dream of a work-from-home job, and this remote rotation gave me a little taste of what that feels like. It was different and difficult at times, especially when I struggled with distractions like checking my phone, grabbing snacks, or being tempted to take a power nap.
What helped was building structure. Checking in with my preceptor in the morning about my agenda and how much time I’d spend on each project. As a pharmacy student and parent, the flexibility has been huge. I could take my kids to music or sports practices while still moving projects forward. If you’re someone who doesn’t mind working a little after hours, don’t hesitate to do so! The time is yours and how you want to spend it.
Refining Your Soft Skills
This rotation really brings your skills to the test. I communicated with preceptors, colleges, professional organizations, students, residents, and so many others I never expected to work with. I wasn’t always confident in communication or leadership, but this experience pushed me to grow. Working from home also tested my time management, juggling multiple projects at once and learning how to stay on track.
If you’re someone who is interested in taking on leadership roles or a variety of tasks, this rotation would be for you. You get to manage and drive so many projects and share your progress with preceptors and other peers.
Pharmacy Marketing
I have been working closely with Julie, a marketing director at CPG, on a project that involves creativity and advertising. You would think that this was unrelated to being a pharmacy student, but it is! The goal of this was to capture the public’s eye and give them a different perspective on pharmacies and that their pharmacists are beyond what’s behind the counter.
Independent pharmacies have so many other services that they can provide to their community, and this was a project to help spread that idea. From researching billboard companies and costs to brainstorming slogans and imagery, this project challenged me to think differently about how we could help pharmacies connect with their communities.
Behind the Scenes of Pharmacy Rotations
Another cool part of this rotation was getting to see how much coordination goes into pharmacy education. I got a behind-the-scenes look at IPPE and APPE communications and realized how much scheduling, paperwork, and logistics the faculty and staff manage.
As students, we are told to make a preference list of our rotations and get assigned, but now I’ve seen the moving parts that make it all possible. A very big thank you to everyone who has made these rotation programs possible!
Making Space for Wearing Multiple Hats
Being part of this experience, I have taken on different roles and had to learn to adapt to each of them. There’s so much self-learning involved and doing a bit of your own research.
From leading the student book clubs and TED talks, working on marketing, becoming an event planner, to basic things such as organizing files. There’s so much to do in a unique rotation like this, and the journey really becomes your own and what you put into it.
Final Reflections and Takeaways
This rotation was nothing like rounding or counseling patients, but that’s what made it so valuable. I learned about marketing, management, and event planning, and how these business pieces connect back to pharmacy and patient care. In the end, keeping pharmacies sustainable and promoting their services all ties back to supporting pharmacists and their communities.
If you’ve ever been curious about the business side of pharmacy, I’d recommend looking into a remote business rotation. It’s a chance to build skills you won’t always get in traditional settings, such as marketing, project management, and organizational planning. If this sounds like something you’d like to try, don’t hesitate to reach out to the preceptors, faculty, or rotation coordinators to learn more about the opportunities here with Cascadia Pharmacy Group.