Robbie Keister recognized from an early age the impact an attentive, compassionate healthcare provider can have on their patients and loved ones.
Not only did those providers bring peace of mind when his family members were dealing with medical concerns, they also helped to inspire him to pursue a career in pharmacy.
CELEBRATING SUCCESS: UToledo recognizes the Class of 2023 with a series of stories featuring students receiving their degrees at spring commencement.
“I wanted to be able to make that kind of difference in other people’s lives,” he said. “I know how much it can stress a family when they’re in the dark or don’t know how well a patient is doing. Being able to alleviate the concerns of the family and help the patient live a better life, it hits home for me.”
Keister is well on his way to that goal.
After graduating from The University of Toledo later this month with his doctor of pharmacy degree, Keister will begin a yearlong residency at The University of Toledo Medical Center focusing on ambulatory care.
“Robbie is academically excellent, but he is also very down to earth, approachable and friendly,” said Dr. Megan Kaun, a senior lecturer and director of experiential education in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. “He’s the kind of person you feel comfortable opening up to, and when your patient is willing to do that, you always get better outcomes.”
One of four valedictorians in his class, Keister was able to complete the six-year PharmD program in just five years thanks to dual enrollment classes in high school and summer college courses.
Keister will be the second in his family to earn a pharmacy degree from UToledo. His older sister, Julia, received her Doctor of Pharmacy in 2021.
Keister
His decision to come to UToledo, however, wasn’t just because he was familiar with the program.
“All my interactions with the different colleges of pharmacy were about the same until I called The University of Toledo. Immediately on the phone, the staff member made me feel almost like part of a family,” he said. “I never felt a more welcoming environment than here at UToledo. I knew this was the place that would help me achieve my dream.”
Keister said he felt that support and commitment throughout his time at UToledo, both from faculty and his fellow students.
He’s particularly grateful for the mentorship of Kaun, whom he first met as a 17-year-old high school student attending pharmacy camp at UToledo. When he joined the pharmacy program, Kaun was assigned as his faculty advisor.
“Personally and professionally, she is a huge reason I’m here today,” Keister said. “She was always there for me, helping with research projects, seeing how I was doing and pushing me to progress as well. She’s been a fundamental part of my growth and development in the program.”
After residency, Keister hopes to find a position in an ambulatory care setting where he can pursue a collaborative practice agreement — a kind of formal relationship between a physician and pharmacist that allows the pharmacist to play a more direct role in planning and directing certain aspects of a patient’s care.
“That’s what I really love doing. You get to have that one-on-one and see them have an improved quality of life,” he said. “That’s what’s heartwarming to me. Knowing that I can make that change for that patient, I can get that patient to their goals and improve their life.”
