Jan Marie Salcido, Pharm.D., had a path to pharmacy that began with an unexpected twist. 

She initially pursued a biotech career, working as a bench chemist. The moment that altered the course of her life was when Dr. Salcido’s husband shared an article that ranked “pharmacist” as the top career choice for women. The opportunity to blend her scientific acumen with a people-centered career struck a chord. Inspired by the article, Dr. Salcido entered the University of Southern California’s pharmacy program and soon realized she had found her calling. “Immediately, I knew this is what I was meant to do,” she says.

Today, as a pharmacy manager at Ralphs #96 in Pasadena, California, Dr. Salcido’s typical days involve long but fulfilling shifts. Alongside her dedicated team, she ensures that each patient receives personalized care, often going the extra mile to meet their unique needs. 

Thanks to her outstanding performance, Dr. Salcido has even found herself immersed in the world of Hollywood. She recently served as a commercial consultant for Kroger, the parent company of Ralphs. In this role, she advised an actress portraying a pharmacist on real-life details like the proper location for an immunization. “It was such a fun and special moment,” she says.

Dr. Salcido’s enjoyment of her profession even extends to her own name badge, which boasts, “I love my job.” She acknowledges the challenges that come with a pharmacy career, including navigating the tumultuous waters of the pandemic, but her unwavering commitment to her role remains unshaken. “I’m proud of the relationships I’ve built in my community,” she says.

She takes immense pride in knowing that her patients are well-cared for, safe, and becoming advocates for their own health. Her ability to make a difference in their lives, beyond simply dispensing medications, is why she was named a 2023 Best of the Best Pharmacy Award winner. Dr. Salcido shares what drives her to go the extra mile, how she cares for her community, and what she enjoys about being a pharmacist.

What is your approach to service?

No one is thrilled to go to the pharmacy: Some people have just had a major medical event or they don’t like spending a lot of money on medication. I approach all my interactions with the mindset of giving them the best service we can. Being nice to people, and being friendly and smiling, can really turn their mood around. We’re lucky at our store. We’re not a super high volume pharmacy, so we’re able to give that personal touch to each patient.

There’s so much that I can help my patients with for their overall health. It’s important to help patients become their own advocates. We’re always trying to sneak in ways that lifestyle changes can help patients with their conditions, like encouraging walking for exercise. 

How do you go above and beyond for your customers?

Helping people—in the pharmacy and outside of the pharmacy—fulfills me. It’s what drives me to do well. At our store, we like to give that personal touch to each patient. Our staff is pretty much familiar with everyone. It feels almost like a very large extended family, and that’s the care we try to provide. All of us, myself and my employees, are constantly solving any problems, and we won’t stop until it’s resolved. 

For example, we’re always looking for cost savings. Discount cards are something we pretty much apply to everyone. It’s so tricky the way insurance works now, especially Medicare. If patients aren’t told by their pharmacy team, they don’t even know that there are options to save money. We’re very proactive about adding savings when we can.

Can you share a time when a customer was particularly appreciative of your service?

A woman who was traveling from out of town came into our store because she didn’t bring her medications with her. I called her doctor, got refills when the current pharmacy was out, and then put the refills through the insurance as a vacation supply. Doing this isn’t something that is very complex, but she was just so moved by the ease of our service. She wrote a really, really touching letter to our store leader, and Ralphs recorded a video segment on our store for the company intranet. It was a really special thing.

Do you have any other favorite moments as a pharmacist?

One of our patient’s daughters was recently diagnosed with seizures. We communicated with her insurance and the neurologist to try and figure out what would work for her. Her mom had been on a medication that caused her to have a serious skin condition, so we were worried about the daughter having that same reaction. We did a very, very slow titration up, and I would check in with the mom pretty much daily. I think that was a special moment because we made sure she got the best care. And she’s now been at two and a half months of no seizures after trying five or six different medications. That’s made me feel very good.

How do you serve the larger community?

I live and work in Pasadena, so I’m pretty involved. I volunteer at a food bank called Friends In Deed and its program called The Women’s Room, which is a safe place for homeless women. Every Wednesday morning I go there to help distribute toiletry kits, showers, and snack bags. We also serve breakfast and lunch to them. I’ve met all the women who go there, and now some of them are our patients at Ralphs. We’re down the street, and they stop in at the store sometimes just to say hello.

What’s something you wish people knew about pharmacists?

Many people don’t realize how educated pharmacists are with drug information and how much we collaborate with healthcare providers and insurance companies. Some people still have the view that we just get the medication ready. A pharmacist can be such a good resource for everybody in our community: doctors, patients, grocery shoppers, or anyone with an ailment who needs some advice before they take the next step. 

In the future, pharmacists are probably going to be in more of a clinical role even more so than we are now. That’s been changing in the course of my career, and I can’t imagine what 10 or 20 years from now will hold.

What has surprised you the most about being a pharmacist?

The fact that so many people let you into their life. We’re an accessible healthcare provider, so they know we always answer our phone and they can stop by and find us to answer their questions. I dreamed of these types of relationships being built, and I didn’t know that it could actually happen.