It was her love of science—but disdain for blood—that first drew Jennifer Doran, R.Ph., to a career in pharmacy. But it’s the people she serves that keep her where she is, which for the last 15 years has been Wegmans #077 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. 

Doran still carries around a card she received from a customer written way back in 1996, when she was first starting out in pharmacy. The customer thanked her for always taking extra time with him when he came into the store—and even invited her to Thanksgiving dinner when he found out she would be away from her family on the holiday. Doran didn’t go, but the gesture made an impact.

Fast forward 25+ years and Doran is still getting accolades from customers who praise her for her kindness and patience. Many of them are retirees, she says, and she treats them exactly the way she’d like people to treat her parents (who are in their 80s)—with respect and empathy. 

It’s that attitude—combined with her above and beyond work during the height of the pandemic—that earned Dr. Doran the 2022 COVID Cares Pharmacist award.

Is there a story you can share about how you helped a patient during the pandemic?

In the beginning of the pandemic—when we didn’t have treatments for COVID, and people weren’t getting out as much—I had one particular customer call me hysterically crying that she had tested positive for COVID. She received some prescriptions, but we don’t have a delivery service at our pharmacy, and she couldn’t leave the house nor did she have anyone who could pick them up for her. I told her I would just leave the medications on her porch on my way home. 

She was so grateful, she sent a thank you card with an Instacart shopper who dropped it off at the pharmacy. Many months later she came in and pulled me aside and let me know she was the person I had helped out. She wanted to let me know how much she appreciated it. My response was, “It was no big deal. It was on my way home. We’re all in this together.”

In what ways, if any, have you adapted during COVID to better serve your customers? 

While we prefer face-to-face medication counseling, we can do it by phone if someone wants that. And with the antivirals now for COVID, it’s really important that our patients are well counseled. When I get a prescription for a COVID antiviral, I call the patient and say, “Don’t send anyone to pick this up because we need to talk. I want to make sure this drug is a good fit for you.” And if I can’t do it face-to-face, then I’ll certainly do it in a call.

COVID-19 information is evolving all the time, and we’re constantly trying to keep it all straight. I can’t imagine what this feels like to a layperson. But they can always call the pharmacy and we’ll give them the latest information.

How do you put yourself in your patients’ shoes?

I think we’ve all experienced a medical issue—if not for ourselves than for our child or spouse or parent—that’s made us nervous and unsure about what’s going to happen. And sometimes if a patient comes in and they’re just not in the best of moods, that could be exactly why. There are a lot of unknowns when you’re not well. I try to relate to that and give them the benefit of the doubt and be as kind and patient and empathetic as I possibly can be.

How do you get involved with your community as a pharmacist?

It’s varied over the years. When I first came out of school, there was a program where we could go in and talk about poison prevention to kids in elementary school. That was fun. At Wegmans Pharmacy, we aspire to create business partnerships where local businesses can call on us to provide services such as vaccination clinics or even health screenings if requested. 

There are a lot of unknowns when you’re not well. I try to relate to that … and be as kind and patient and empathetic as I possibly can be.

Once a year I go to my husband’s architectural office and do a flu clinic so his coworkers don’t have to worry about making time to go to the pharmacy. It’s also open to the employee families. I bring some other vaccines as well, such as Tdap or pneumonia, so if someone requests it, I have it on hand.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your job?

There’s been a big focus on vaccinations. When flu season starts picking up again, people will start thinking about other vaccinations. And that’s great because the better vaccinated they are, the safer they are and the better they’ll feel. We’re getting used more by the medical community than ever before.

I think the pandemic has opened people’s eyes to showing the public what pharmacists can do. We can test for COVID-19, we can vaccinate for COVID, and in some instances we can even prescribe the antivirals used to treat COVID. So, I think we’re moving in the right direction. I’d like to see us utilized even more.

What does this award mean to you?

I am so surprised and excited—it was completely unexpected. It’s going to get very, very busy in my pharmacy very soon. People are going to be coming for their flu shots and they’re going to say, “Don’t I need a pneumonia shot, too? What about the shingles shot? Is it time for my COVID booster?” It’s going to get crazy really quick. But that’s okay. Because that’s what we’re here for. 

When you come home at the end of the day and you’re tired, it’s nice to know that you’ve been acknowledged.