March 2022 OPA Extern Profile: Paul Matheke
Name: Paul Matheke
E-mail: paulmatheke@gmail.com
Pharmacy School: The Ohio State University
Undergraduate degree/institution: The Ohio State University
Rotation Month at OPA: March 2022
How did you get interested in the profession of pharmacy?
I became interested in pharmacy because I was initially curious about health care and wanted to help people in my career. Two of my cousins are pharmacists as well and gave me advice that helped spark my passion for pharmacy.
Why did you choose OPA as a rotation site?
I chose OPA as a rotation site because I am passionate about legislative and regulatory affairs. In addition, I am passionate about being an active member of the pharmacy profession and OPA seemed like a great choice to be engaged in the community.
What was the most significant or surprising experience at OPA?
The most surprising experience was being on the inside of planning and running the annual conference. It was very insightful to see how important the conference was to developing professional connections and focusing advocacy efforts for pharmacy.
Why I think it’s important to maintain my OPA membership after graduation.
I think it’s important to maintain my OPA membership after graduation because it is a great way to stay an active advocate of your profession. In order to improve the profession of pharmacy, you have to be intimately aware of the legislative and regulatory processes that impact your day-to-day. Simple changes to wording can have drastic impacts on your career and that is why you need to be organized in your efforts to advance your profession. Not everyone is naturally inclined to advocacy-related activities, so OPA membership is important because you are contributing to professionals expressly focused on advocating for you.
What other pharmacy associations/organizations do you belong to?
APhA
Hobbies:
Playing the bass guitar, collecting vinyl records, playing tennis and basketball, skiing.