5 Questions for Paul Cornelison Colorado Pharmacists Society – Academy of Student Pharmacists Board Member At Large

How did you get introduced to the world of pharmacy?

I was looking for a career change after both teaching English abroad and working in the hospitality industry. My bachelor’s degree is in biology, and I wanted to do something that would nourish my love of science while also allowing me to impact a wide array of people. Since pharmacy had been on my radar for quite some time, I decided that the best way to see if it was right for me was to work with actual pharmacists. To that end, I became a pharmacy technician at Walgreens. I ended up working in two great stores that not only had incredible pharmacists, but also had a group of technicians who were in the process of applying to pharmacy school. It was the perfect environment to inspire me to begin the process of becoming a pharmacist myself. Since starting pharmacy school my eyes have been opened so much wider to the myriad paths a pharmacist can follow and the incredible impact a pharmacist can have on patients’ lives.

What factors and/or people have influenced your current leadership in Pharmacy?

Two people/groups have influenced my desire to be in pharmacy leadership and my leadership style. The biggest influence has been my mother. Before retiring, she was a special education teacher and counselor who ended up in leadership positions in both careers. She showed me that leaders are constantly focused on the needs of others; both those they serve and those they lead. The other, more recent influence has been my fellow classmates at Regis University School of Pharmacy. I have been fortunate to land in the smallest class in a small pharmacy school, and it is the most intelligent and amazing group of people I have had the pleasure of being associated with. The even smaller cohort that has taken on leadership positions includes individuals with such drive and passion to be pharmacy leaders that I can’t help wanting to be like them.

What is your favorite thing about being a CPS member?

I have been a member of CPS for the majority of my first three years of pharmacy school, but my activity has increased significantly since becoming a Board member on the Academy of Student Pharmacists. As the only Regis University student on the Board, I have really enjoyed getting to know and work with the incredible CU students who are my fellow Board members. And this illustrates the larger theme of what I love about being in CPS. It is the only organization that allows not only both CU and Regis pharmacy students to interact, but also allows these students to interact with practitioners from all areas of pharmacy practice in Colorado. I have already had some great experiences with incredible individuals through CPS, and I’m looking forward to many more.

Where do you see yourself practicing upon graduation?

As a Denver native, I would like to end up practicing in Colorado As a Denver native, I would like to end up practicing in Colorado. I want to pursue residency after graduation, so I am open to the possibility that I may need to move away for a few years to accomplish this goal. There are several areas of pharmacy practice that interest me at this point, but I know that these preferences will likely change as a result of my APPE experiences next year. That being said, my current interests are ambulatory care and chronic disease management, mental health, and infectious disease (especially viral diseases like HIV and HCV).

What impact will you have on CPS as Student Academy Board Member?

With the recent leadership transition on the Student Academy Board complete, there are a lot of exciting new ideas being worked on for next semester. These will not only affect the Student Academy, but some may impact CPS as a whole. I believe I can use my position on the Student Academy Board to have an impact in several ways. As new CPS bylaws are crafted in the first half of 2016, the Student Academy will need to draft new bylaws as well. I intend to play an active role in this process, using the lessons I have learned as a member of the Board. Also, I feel that being the lone Regis University representative on the Board brings a unique duty to make sure that the CPS Student Academy truly represents all Colorado pharmacy students. Last semester, we were successful in this regard, with both schools having equal attendance at our largest event – a dinner with two pharmacist leaders in CPS. The intercollegiate environment of the dinner was very special, and I think it is representative of great things to come for the remainder of the school year and beyond. Finally, in my other leadership roles in student organizations I have emphasized community service. In 2016 I would like to bring a service emphasis to the Student Academy.