September 22, 2021

Adam Loyson, PharmD'14, shares his experience and advice as an officer in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service. 

U-M Pharmacy: What was your most memorable learning experience or impactful faculty mentor?

Dr. Loyson: My most impactful faculty mentor was Dean Jim Stevenson. Among University of Michigan's vast network of alumni, he was able to place me in touch with several pharmacists who were working in my field of interest, federal pharmacy and the U.S. Public Health Service.

U-M Pharmacy: What was your favorite extracurricular activity?

Dr. Loyson: My favorite extracurricular activity was involvement in the University of Michigan's chapter of American Pharmacists Association - Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP). With APhA-ASP, I was able to give back to the community, sharpen my clinical skills, serve in leadership roles, and advocate for the pharmacist profession at the state and U.S. capitols.

U-M Pharmacy: How did your fellow alumni or professional network impact your career?

Dr. Loyson: The University of Michigan College of Pharmacy's alumni network was key to landing my first job after graduation. I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for the College's supportive professional network and alumni resources.

U-M Pharmacy: Tell us about your current position.

Dr. Loyson: Known as America's Health Responders, I am a officer in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service, one of the nation's eight uniformed services, fighting disease, conducting research, and caring for patients in underserved communities across the nation and throughout the world. Currently, I am detailed to the Federal Bureau of Prisons where I work as a chief pharmacist at Federal Medical Center Fort Worth in Forth Worth, Texas providing ambulatory care pharmacy services and managing pharmacy operations for 1,500 inmates. I team with physicians on the multidisciplinary healthcare team under a comprehensive collaborative practice agreement to coordinate pharmacist-managed dyslipidemia, hepatitis C, HIV, and anticoagulation clinics for patients, increasing appropriate medication therapy and infectious disease screening.

U-M Pharmacy: How did you discover this career path?

Dr. Loyson: I first discovered the U.S. Public Health Service as a potential career path when attending the Michigan Pharmacists Association's 2013 Annual Convention and Exposition's keynote speaker address from Assistant U.S. Surgeon General and pharmacist RADM Scott Giberson as a University of Michigan College of Pharmacy student pharmacist representative.

U-M Pharmacy: What advice do you have for students interested in this career path?

Dr. Loyson: Federal pharmacy and the U.S. Public Health Service is a very unique pharmacy career path. Prior to working with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, I began my federal pharmacy career with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a position that was discovered while networking with the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy's alumni network. Given this, I highly recommend students to connect with College of Pharmacy alumni in pharmacy career fields they find interesting and may want to pursue post-graduation.