Dale Whitby, PharmD, BCPS works for Gold Standard Inc, an Elsevier Company. Gold Standard provides drug information products such as Clinical Pharmacology, eMPOWERx and Pharmacy Solutions to the health care community.
Dr. Whitby earned his PharmD from Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia and completed residencies in Pharmacy Practice and Pediatric Pharmacy at the University of Kentucky. Prior to joining Gold Standard, he was a Pediatric Critical Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida.
What do you like best about your current position? What do you like least?
I enjoy the constant challenge of keeping up with current literature and being able to summarize it in a useful manner for other practitioners. I also appreciate that my work
schedule is flexible. One drawback is the limited opportunity I have to serve as a mentor. I would like to have more contact with student pharmacists and residents.
Besides your pharmacy degree, what type of training is required or helpful for a position such as yours?
Residency training and several years of clinical practice are huge assets. Because of the time I spent with patients and other practitioners, I am better able to determine the relevance of information before adding it to our database. Additional training in medical writing or drug information would be helpful for a student considering a position like mine.
Do you participate in research, conferences or other professional activities?
I typically give one presentation per year at a regional or national meeting. I have co-authored three book chapters in the last three years (one pharmacy textbook and 2 medical textbook chapters). I also provide lectures for pharmacy students.
In what direction do you think the field of pharmacy and your area of focus are headed?
Because of the constantly increasing numbers of drug approvals and demands on health care professionals’ time, there is an increasing need for electronic medical information that is current and concise. I only see this field growing over the next decade.
What advice do you have for students interested in or currently pursuing a career in pharmacy?
Keep an open mind. The possibilities are endless, but keep in mind that sometimes the shortest route to a goal is not necessarily the best route in the long run. In many cases, the skills that you learn during a year or two of post-graduate training are key to opening up new possibilities for you in the future.
Is there anything else you’d like students to know about your career or the profession of pharmacy?
This is an exciting time for pharmacists. We have numerous possibilities in addition to the traditional pharmacist roles. Explore your options and choose the best fit for you.
Dale Whitby is a female.