On South Neosho Boulevard stands Mitchell’s Drug Store where pharmacist Lacy Epperson works as director of pharmacy clinical services. One day she can be found giving vaccinations and dispensing medications; the next, setting up for a community outreach vaccination clinic, or maybe she'll be teaching the store’s diabetes education program classes for people to learn how to self-manage their diabetes alongside other conditions—a program she established; or even overseeing the on-site pharmacogenomics testing. Her day-to-day responsibilities are always different and fulfilling.
“I've wanted to be a pharmacist since I was nine years old,” said Epperson. “It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.”
Epperson was inspired to pursue this path following her uncle’s cancer diagnosis. What began as a quest to understand medication’s role in his treatment became Epperson’s mission to help the community.
“Through my experiences and endeavors, I have affirmed my desire to pursue pharmacy, and I believe in using my skills to serve others and make a difference in the healthcare system while also educating the community on what community pharmacies can offer,” she explains. “It has been extremely rewarding.”
Epperson chose Missouri Southern for its biochemistry program and affordable pathway to pharmacy school, but along the way, she also experienced its academic, financial, and social advantages. A Webb City native, she lived at home with her parents while attending MSSU and continued working at the local pharmacy where she had been employed since her 18th birthday. Her courses were challenging, but she was offered support through study groups and one-on-one meetings with professors. No longer involved in high school athletics, Epperson made friends by attending Lion athletic events and campus activities and joining student organizations like FCA, Biology Club, Caduceus Club, and CAB. She befriended fellow Webb City graduates she didn’t have the chance to know and even former athletic rivals from other high schools. Epperson also met Jarrett, her lab partner turned husband in an anatomy and physiology class.
“I learned to participate in new organizations that aligned with my interests and involvement,” said Epperson. “Some of the friendships I made at MSSU were ones that continued to support me through my journey in pharmacy school and into my career.”
She took the next step in her education by attending pharmacy school at University of Missouri—Kansas City’s Springfield satellite campus. But now, as she’s living her childhood dream, she attributes her success to MSSU.
Since her time as a Lion and earning her doctorate in pharmacy, Epperson has worked at Mitchell’s Drugs in Neosho for four years. She has involved herself in advocacy groups addressing gap closures within healthcare, developed new healthcare services and initiatives with community health workers, became the quality coordinator of Mitchell’s Drugs’ accredited on-site self-management diabetes education program, and is the overseer of their adherence programs that coordinate care and proactiveness to align patients’ medications. These are just some of Epperson’s responsibilities in her successful, community-focused career.
“As far as my experience in school in a challenging field, I believe that those challenges have helped prepare me for my future career and continued to strengthen my ability to persevere,” she said. “I am passionate about using my skills to serve others and advance my patients’ quality of life while also creating sustainability for the pharmacy profession.”
After her time at MSSU, Epperson fondly reflects upon the university’s role in her career and the efforts it invests into its students, like when she was invited to tour medical, dental, and pharmacy schools and connected with their liaisons on MSSU campus. She even reconnected with staff and professors within the community upon returning to the area to practice and stays up to date on MSSU’s expanding programs.
“Interprofessional collaborations are important to understanding optimized patient care in one's respective field,” she said. “I am appreciative of the increasing programs available to students at MSSU, and I look forward to seeing these opportunities grow.”
