Rebecca Leinart, PharmD, has always had a passion for helping patients.
Even as a 17-year-old high school student working in a CVS Pharmacy in rural Clinton,
Tennessee, she knew very quickly that she loved teaching and helping the community
in ways to improve their health and medication management.
That led her to pursue her PharmD at East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College
of Pharmacy. She graduated in 2013 and went on to become a career pharmacist at CVS
Pharmacy serving in every position one can do in the career, including Pharmacy Tech;
Intern; Staff Pharmacist; Pharmacy Manager; District Leader; Corporate Workforce Manager;
Division Leader; and currently, District Leader, overseeing all of the CVS Pharmacy
in Target locations in the state of Tennessee.
Recently, her career took another rise when she was offered a position on the Tennessee
State Board of Pharmacy, a seven-year term running until June 30, 2030.
"I sat stunned in my office," recalled Leinart, who said she received the email late
in the day on Friday before July 4. A few minutes later: "I told everyone in my office
and ran around, jumping and squealing because I was so excited."
The Tennessee Board of Pharmacy was created in 1893 and licenses and registers Pharmacists,
Pharmacies, Pharmacy Technicians, Manufacturers, Wholesale/Distributors, and more,
according to the Board's website.
The Board also enacts rules addressing professional conduct and standards of practice.
Their purpose is to ensure that the pharmacists of Tennessee are providing competent
pharmaceutical care in accordance with state and federal laws.
ETSU Gatton College of Pharmacy now has two alumni serving the Tennessee Board of
Pharmacy. Alumna Lucy A. Shell ('14), PharmD, serves as the Board’s Executive Director.
“This position is way bigger than I ever thought I could be in my whole entire career,”
said Leinart. “I’m excited to be part of change that moves the practice along and
is in line with protecting patients.”
ETSU Gatton College of Pharmacy played a key role in Leinart’s career path, and she
recalled her time at the college with a caring culture that continues to this day.
In her third year, she developed a health condition that required her to stay at home
but saw an outpouring of support from faculty and friends.
“Every teacher came in and administered exams,” said Leinart. “They did everything
they could to help me stay on time.”
Like a lot of career pharmacists, Leinart’s passion for helping patients helped motivate
her to excel beyond the day-to-day job, and in her case, accept a position on the
Tennessee Board of Pharmacy.
“The thing I love most about community pharmacy is the impact I have on patients’
lives,” said Leinart. “When I could sit down with a patient to teach—that's why I
chose retail over hospital. It was a hard decision to take my job as District Leader,
but what I've traded that for is that I can touch leaders who make those impacts.
I can help coach them to deliver patient care the way I would want to.”