Biography
Chelsea comes to MUSOP from Beckley, WV. During her time at MUSOP Chelsea has been a member of APhA, ASHP, WVPA, and the Self-Study Committee. She is the founder of the MUSOP Substance Abuse and Recovery Club and served as the Rho Chi historian and Phi Lambda Sigma Social Chair.
“I am not your traditional Doctor of Pharmacy candidate; I’m a 35-year-old wife and mother to three incredible humans who happens to also be a bit… colorful. The decision to go back to school 10 years after my peers was one fueled by pure rebellion. Statistically speaking, I am more likely to overdose or commit suicide than to obtain a doctorate degree of any kind, but I wanted to prove to myself and those around me that I was not just another number.
I have spent these last four years of pharmacy school with my nails in the dirt because my heart is in the streets with those who struggle most. My involvement in the school has been primarily behind the scenes where I found myself most needed. These roles have included tutoring, peer-counseling, stocking the food pantry, and even the occasional welfare check when a colleague went MIA – the stress we are under as students is intense. I have been active in several organizations including the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), Rho Chi Honor Society, and the Phi Lambda Sigma Leadership Organization. I founded the MUSOP Substance Abuse and Recovery Club which raised funds for a local program called Lily’s Place which is dedicated to the care of infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and their families. I organized and produced the first MUSOP Family Night which is now an annual event dedicated to bringing together staff, students, and their families in a non-academic setting in order to foster a means of developing better at-home and at-school relationships. I have served on the board of the WV Pharmacist Recovery Network (WVPRN) since my second year of pharmacy school and intend to continue serving on the board upon graduation. I have also served as a representative of the WVPRN at national and local conferences such as the APhA Institute on Substance Use Disorders in Salt Lake City, Utah and The Appalachian Addiction and Prescription Drug Abuse Conference in Morgantown, WV.
Throughout my academic career at MUSOP and during my fourth-year Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience rotations (APPEs) I was given the opportunity to develop countless important skills and make many meaningful contributions to our profession. The Class of 2024 began pharmacy school during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of being trained in clinical immunology during my first year I was able to administer hundreds of COVID vaccines and boosters helping to slow the spread of the virus. I have developed patient handouts regarding the management of a dual diagnosis of Substance Use Disorder and ADHD. I learned invaluable lessons and skills through attending group recovery counseling sessions for substance use, all varieties of 12-step meetings, and even sitting in on mental health clinic appointments. I learned first-hand the gold standard of patient care from local pharmacists like Daniel Collins (Walgreens), Mark Dzara (Black Bear Pharmacy), Megan Mellert (PursueCare Rx; Ebenezer), Jennifer Orders (ProAct), and Patrick Huffman (VA). I’ve been able to perform numerous types of counseling sessions and help patients feel more empowered to take control of their own health. I was able to provide a rotation site with new data and patient care tools relating to metoclopramide-induced serotonin syndrome. I performed medication reviews for patients to ensure proper education on their drug regimens as well as profile synchronicity. I assisted in research regarding the use and distribution of opioid settlement funds across different states and attended Kanawha Communities that Care meetings with the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute. I met with senators and representatives to discuss healthcare related legislation. One institution tasked me with updating their Assessment of Risk forms for hazardous drugs to reflect the most current USP 800 rules. I have dosed medications for varying conditions including an extremely rare pediatric disease state that I may never see again in my career. During my rotation at CareSource I was able to develop a presentation intended to educate employees on harm reduction and the important role managed care organizations play in reducing harm. This presentation was so well received that I recorded a version to be distributed company-wide for employee education.
As for where I’m headed – only the universe knows. I will end up where I’m needed most. As long as I am able to, in some fashion, work in the areas of mental health, substance use, and/or behavioral health I know I’ll be able to make an impact. I currently work part-time as an intern at the CVS on Harper Road in Beckley as well as per diem at CAMC Teays Valley in the inpatient pharmacy. Things haven’t exactly gone according to plan, but I’m not slowing down any time soon. I’m working to draft legislation granting prescribing authority of HIV PEP and PrEP to pharmacists in the state of WV for the 2025 session while also working to expand Save a Life Day to extremely remote areas of southern WV where the stigma is as real as the need for naloxone. For the most part, when I think about the future, I’m really just looking forward to being mom.”
Chelsea Fields, Class of 2024