Meet your Instructor

Kristie Fitzgerald 

Hello! I'm excited to help you become more familiar with Pharmacy Practice.  Please call me Kristie or Ms. Fitzgerald

A little about me - 

I have been a practicing pharmacist for 42 years and have been involved in most practice settings over my career.  I am a published author, textbook reviewer, presenter and educator of pharmacy students, pharmacy resident candidates and pharmacy technicians.  I retired from Intermountain Healthcare as the clinical pharmacist of the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in 2016.  In that position, I worked with neonatologists, nurses and healthcare systems to implement standards for a state-wide program for the recognition, support, treatment and follow-up for drug-exposed infants, their mothers and caregivers.  I have been teaching technicians at the Salt Lake Community College for the last 20 years. After leaving patient care I became the Pharmacy Technician Training Program Manager for the College.  ASHP surveyed our training program and granted a 6-year accreditation.  I am excited to share with all of you the current details about the ever-changing landscape of pharmacy technician education and licensure.

I do have a life outside of pharmacy and students.  I am married to Brian and we have two adult children, Emily and Robert.  You will learn about them through the program as they are examples in many of my lecture discussions.  I have two young granddaughters, Zoey (2) and Nora Jo (4 months).   I have a darling Yorkie, Finn.  I love to putter in the yard, travel when I can and love animals of all kinds, especially birds.  I am a weekend cook and can make some very tasty cakes and pies.

I became interested in Pharmacy Practice when I had an engaging chemistry teacher in high school.  At that time, I decided pharmacy could be a good career option and unlike many of my friends, I never changed my mind.  Because of that, I was one of the youngest graduates in my class and, in a class of 79 graduates, only one of four females!  Things have certainly changed!

To all of you taking this class, I hope you will find the material interesting and relevant.  I will still say that in all these years, I have never had a boring day.  Each brings some new insight, understanding or challenge to figure out.  Whether this is a final destination for a lifelong career or a means to an end to provide the financial support to pursue other dreams, I hope you enjoy the process, meet some lifelong friends and enjoy success in the undertaking.

Communication  

I will strive to answer any email messages within 48 hours.  

Please allow sufficient time before deadlines to work on assignments. If questions arise, please include precise details and a screenshot from your device to speed your answers.  Take full advantage of the tech support options at SLCC and the Canvas Support Hotline, with no waiting.