Kenneth Hale
RPh, PhD
By: Sam Yarnell, BSPS student (Class of 2019)
What attracted you to this industry, to OSU, and this teaching position?
I originally was Pre-Med, and an advisor suggested pharmacy instead. I worked in a pharmacy, so in a way it was almost accidental. I always wanted to be a teacher that was what I originally went to college for, so that’s how I got to OSU. I chose OSU because of the prestige.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Interaction with the students and interesting projects. But the number one is students, they make my day better.
What has been the most rewarding about this job? Least rewarding?
Most rewarding would be feeling like your helping people, Generation Rx for example. The least rewarding would be how the academic world is changing the university is turning into more of a business, which is all about money which is troublesome. As well as the politics of the job, but the pros far outweigh the cons of the job.
What are your primary responsibilities? How do you spend your time?
This has changed a lot over the years. Currently its more about outreach using Generation Rx and Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug recovery, as well as teaching safe medication practices. Outreach mainly over teaching by 2/3/
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Nothing is too challenging, with the exception of staying current. But, I like what I do so it isn’t hard to keep up with the work. It is however hard to separate personal and professional life. Another challenge is the need to engage technology in the classroom, and learning how to balance one-on-one experience with technology. There is a need to compliment the active learning.
What are the most valuable skills in your job? What experiences enabled you to develop these skills?
Communication, empathy, interpersonal skills, knowledge, and writing skills, to name a few. “I don’t care how much you know until I know how much you care,” failures may happen but the people skills really help. Student organizations would have helped, but trial and error really helped. Getting my PhD really helped because of the writing required. Public speaking is a work in progress; ones that engage differently get more practice in projects that force you to do this trial and error.
What has surprised you most about the field?
Good grades and knowledge and cool jobs. “I just didn’t love it,” then I realized that the teaching is what he loved.
What motivated you to continue working in this industry?
Look to last question. I just love working here, and it’s still fun for me and is a meaningful job. As long as the dean will have me I’ll stay, health is good, and as long as I still enjoy it. If you don’t enjoy it anymore, change.
What do you expect of people starting out in this field? What educational and personal qualities in candidates attract you? How do you determine a candidate’s compatibility for the field?
If you know what you want to do you have to be very competitive. Get experiences in a little of everything as you go, think “How do you differentiate yourself from them?” Try to stand out to them a lot more. Try as hard as you can to stand out, good grades are important but be involved.
What are the vulnerabilities of the industry? What worries you?
(Job market is getting wider) Grant funding, not really in my world as much, as well as the business culture from earlier, athletics are over education it feels like. Technology, how do we do it well and not lose the personal experience of teaching and experts in the field.
About GenerationRx
What inspired you to start this initiative? Was there an experience that set it off?
At the time the OD deaths were picking up and it was unsettling, then I read a book called Generation Rx by Greg Critser. Perfect storm of what he knew, what he had done. Medication misuse is the biggest medical issue of this time.
How do you think this initiative has actively helped out this community and others?
Cumulative effort to shed light on this issue, reached over 37 million people, things are turning around slowly. To me yes, data shows that those who go to these programs say they’ll do these things.
Why should a student want to get involved with this initiative?
Most important education issue of our time, if you don’t want to I question if you’re in the right place. If not the biggest, it is for sure one of the biggest issues. Really shows you the world of education and pharmacy. Makes you stand out from other candidates when applying to pharmacy school.