The Women in Pharmacy Leadership (WIPL) Alumni Mentorship Program pairs recent alumni who identify as female with working or retired professionals in their field of interest to help them move towards their leadership goals. In this series, Waterloo Pharmacy spotlights their experiences.
Alumni pair, Angela Puim (Vanguard graduate) and Sarah Blythe (Rx2017) were one of nine mentor and mentee pairs who participated in the 2022 alumni mentorship program. Angela’s experience as a business owner was a perfect match for Sarah, a new business owner herself.
Angela Puim and Sarah Blythe
“When the call for mentee applications came to my attention, I was just starting off in a new position as a business owner. I felt like I had no idea what I was doing from a business perspective and wanted to talk things through with a completely unbiased party,” Sarah says.
Women that start out as young pharmacists and take on a leadership role may face resistance when trying to implement change. Both Angela and Sarah, in different moments of their careers as business owners, felt the imposter syndrome many women in leadership positions feel.
I initially applied as a mentee for the WIPL alumni mentorship program. When I was approached to be a mentor and as I learned about Sarah’s journey, I realized that I had experiences to share in the hopes of helping her out in a way I wish I had guidance when I first became a business owner.
Angela is a co-owner of a community pharmacy, Preston Medical Pharmacy, and a clinical pharmacist at Two Rivers Family Health Team. She is a passionate advocate for collaborative health-care models and expanded utilization of pharmacists. She has worked on numerous community projects aimed at expanding the scope of community pharmacists.
“When you’re starting out as a business owner you don’t know what you don’t know,” Angela says. “Having someone to discuss challenges is beneficial when you’re starting out and as an established business owner. Sarah and I have great mutual trust and respect, and we’ve been learning from each others’ experiences.”
The pair met at the virtual program launch in April 2021 and began to have monthly calls after, while going for a walk or doing household chores. This non-organic mentorship was a first for them both but after the first call, they fell into a natural rhythm.
While they did not have the ability to meet in person due to geographic constraints, they found they looked forward to their calls to share their thoughts and challenges with one another. Eventually, they built a text relationship outside of the program’s monthly call for on-the-go advice.
Sarah moved from Southern Ontario to the North Bay region to start a new business in a new community without a solid network to lean on.
It was a really scary transition. This program came to me at a time when I needed it most.
"It has not only increased my confidence but hearing Angela’s different perspectives has helped me to view problems differently. I no longer jump to one solution but have gained the ability to think of multiple ways we can achieve the same outcome."
Q&A with Angela and Sarah
Angela Puim
UW: What was your favourite part of the program?
AP: It’s a nice feeling to talk to someone removed from your daily life as you’re able to talk more freely and brainstorm ideas. I hope Sarah found this mentorship to be as beneficial as I did.
SB: Attending the events was incredibly valuable. Meeting other women in the pharmacy profession and networking is something important to me and the mentorship program provided a new avenue to do so.
UW: What was your biggest accomplishment/take away from the program?
SB: Participating in this mentorship helped build my confidence, improved my critical thinking skills and gave me a new perspective when approaching problems in the business aspect. Angela has been a great role model for me. Hearing her navigate her business, career and family has me thinking about my future and all I will be able to accomplish.
UW: What are your recommendations to women in the pharmacy field?
AP: Prioritize lifelong learning and the patient. Your happiness and satisfaction in your career will make you a better pharmacist.
SB: Right now, our profession is in a spot where pharmacists are needed. You’re going to feel clinically accomplished and professionally satisfied but you also need to consider which career path works best with your lifestyle. I encourage you to think about job satisfaction and don’t always go where the money is. Take the time to find a job that best suits you.
Sarah Blythe
UW: What advice would you give future mentors/mentees?
AP: Come into this program with an open mind and approach it like a partnership. When you do that both sides will gain from the mentorship by building mutual trust.
If you’re interested in applying to be a mentor or mentee for the WIPL alumni mentorship program please visit our website.