Tanya Roberson, CPhT

Of Patterson Park Pharmacy in Baltimore, Maryland
 

Years in Compounding: 4
 

Path to Compounding: I pursued pharmacy because I was very interested in the science side of pharmaceuticals, but loved assisting patients. I learned about compounding when I was working for a retail chain pharmacy. There, we commonly turned away compounding business because it was “too advanced” for the retail pharmacy to handle. This was exciting to me, and I knew I wanted to learn that side of pharmacy.
 

Upon joining Patterson Park Pharmacy, I was given the opportunity to learn and grow my knowledge in this field exponentially. The most fulfilling aspect of compounding is being able to help patients who cannot otherwise be helped with the commercially available medications.

Favorite Formulas:

PCCA Formula #10816 – Capsules with PCCA LoxOral^® (PCCA members can access this formula here.)

The T3/T4 formulas are exciting because I enjoy the challenging calculations involved in their preparation.
 

It is important to be able to provide customized strengths of thyroid hormone combinations for patients who do not fit the mold of what is commercially available. PCCA provides premade dilutions of T3 and T4.
 

PCCA Formula #7224 – Suppositories in PCCA MBK^™ (PCCA members can access this formula here.)

I enjoy the progesterone suppository formulas, like this one, simply because I love the idea of helping expecting mothers.
 

Success Story: We have had numerous success stories over the years. One of my favorites is when a mother brought her newborn child into the pharmacy, frantic and on the verge of tears, because she was having a very difficult time finding a pharmacy that could make her infant’s gastric reflux medicine in a timely manner. Fortunately, we could. The mother was just so thankful and appreciative of the staff. She could not thank us enough.

Advice for New Compounders: The best advice I would give to a new compounder is to be open to challenges and never stop learning. Don’t be afraid to ask your mentor or boss to train you more. There will always be a new formula or a new special case that needs your help.

The views and therapies expressed in the above article are those of the interviewee and may not be endorsed by PCCA. The statements are provided for educational purposes only. They have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and are not to be interpreted as a promise, guarantee or claim of therapeutic efficacy or safety. The information contained herein is not intended to replace or substitute for conventional medical care, or encourage its abandonment. Every patient is unique, and formulas should be adjusted to meet their individual needs.

Patterson Park Pharmacy is owned by Saleem Shah.