Front Matter
Preliminary Material
Letters
Give to Others, and You Will Receive Tenfold in Return
Stay True to Your Values
Just How Do You Know When to Make a Job Move?
It Takes a Team to Create Change
You Need the Big E: Enthusiasm
Venture Out of Your Comfort Zone
We Can Have It All, We Just Can’t Always Do It All
What Are You Going to Do for the Rest of Your Life?
Love Being Exactly Who You Are
Life Is What Happens While You Are Busy Making Other Plans
Lessons Learned from Others’ Experiences Enrich Our Lives
Living with Imposter Syndrome and Knowing That You Belong in the Room
Don’t Fret about Career and Personal Life Balance—There Is No Such Thing
Serve Your “Every Patient”
Be Active, Shape Your Future, and Demonstrate Leadership for Others Following in Your Path
Be the Voice
Follow Your Heart, Seize Opportunities, and Realize There Are Always Trade-Offs
Social Relevance, Purpose, and Legitimacy
Build the Strongest Foundation of Knowledge and Skills That You Can
Learning to Ignore the Lies We Tell Ourselves
We Need More Pharmacists Outside of Pharmacy
A Mantra to Live By: Sí Se Puede! (Yes, You Can!)
Do Not Ask More of Your Staff Than You Are Willing to Give
You Can Only Control Your Choices
Networking Is Not Overrated, It Is Underestimated
Grow, Create, Lead
There Is No Growth in a Comfort Zone and No Comfort in a Growth Zone
If You Don’t Have a Mentor, Get One
Find Your Passion and Pursue It with a Sense of Urgency
Pharmacists Finally Forged Their Place in the World of Public Health
My Cancer Experience Taught Me to Put Patients First
Planning for the Future
Nurture an Enduring Passion for Patients and the Profession
Pursuing Constructive Change in Pharmacy
Final Thoughts

Making Difficult Career Decisions

in Letters to a Young Pharmacist
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37573/9781585287109.028
Restricted access

Mike is the leader that every board of directors wants in a senior executive role in their organization. He is the ultimate professional and a great leader with a tremendous ability to develop and execute a strategic vision. Mike’s successful career is a testament to these abilities. His other admired characteristics include his thoughtful and reflective analysis of difficult situations. Thus, the thoughtful approach to making difficult decisions that he shares in his letter is not a surprise to anyone who knows him.

Mike currently serves as the President and CEO for Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. His previous experience includes direct patient care and administrative and pharmacy leadership positions in large health systems and academic medical centers. He certainly gives back through his involvement in a number of community and professional activities including serving in leadership roles for the Dallas/Fort Worth Hospital Council, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Young Adult Oncology Coalition, and others.

He received his bachelor of science and master of science degrees from the University of Kansas where he also completed his residency training in pharmacy administration. He has enjoyed a very successful career and, of course, has faced several crossroads during his career. From those experiences he offers very thoughtful advice: objectively analyze the situation and distill the decision down to the elements that are most important to you.