Dr. Tony Guerra shines as an innovative practitioner in a non-traditional pharmacy practice setting where he integrates his background in English with his knowledge of the pharmacy profession. His passion to help current pharmacy students reach their full potential through developing audiobooks, podcasts, and other helpful resources has allowed him to make a lasting impact on his audience. His experiences, expertise, and willingness to push the boundaries of what innovation entails has helped him succeed in his niche where English meets pharmacy.
Dr. Guerra has worked as a full-time instructor at Des Moines Area Community College for 11 years where he teaches chemistry and pharmacology to future healthcare practitioners. He also serves as an APPE preceptor for both Drake University and University of Iowa student pharmacists to help them gain confidence both in front of the classroom in addition to perfecting students’ letters of intent, CV, and teaching philosophy.
He is best known for his books on pharmacology, careers, and residences in addition to his Pharmacy Residency Podcast. His podcast episodes have featured outstanding past and current Drake students. Within the past three years, Dr. Guerra has sold over 29,000 audiobooks, 12,000 print books, and 6,000 e-books to help health professional students and practitioners succeed both in the classroom and their careers.
Following pharmacy school, Dr. Guerra earned a bachelor’s degree in English. Integrating these valuable skills into his day to day practice has helped him carve out a unique, innovative niche within the pharmacy profession. He has merged two different paths that each play a dynamic role in paving the way for current and future healthcare professionals to succeed in their individual practice setting. Dr. Guerra believes, “innovation comes from knowing two seemingly unrelated fields and bringing them together.”
Dr. Guerra found his niche in the audiobook industry when a student who was struggling in pharmacology had expressed how she wished she could be taught pharmacology during her long commutes to and from work and school. By identifying a need and knowing the value of a recorded lecture, he did just that. Since starting, he has helped countless students and practitioners through his audiobooks, podcasts, and books.
When asked what current student pharmacists who are about to enter the work force can do to become innovators in the pharmacy profession, Dr. Guerra said, “We need to push the boundaries of what a “pharmacist” does.” He recommends students pursue other degrees, certificates, or credentials outside of pharmacy to help set themselves apart and integrate their passions into their profession.
Collaboration is another key component of successful entrepreneurship. He encourages students to work in small teams and build off each other’s strengths, especially during rotations; teamwork is where entrepreneurial success and innovation stems from. Dr. Guerra has collaborated with numerous practitioners in the field. He has produced audiobooks with Brandon Dyson from TLDRPharmacy.com called 100 Strong Residency Interview Questions, Answers, and Rationales, Blair Thielemier from BTPharmacyconsulting.com on How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business, and MedEd101.com’s Eric Christianson on Pharmacotherapy: Improving Medical Education Through Clinical Pharmacy Pearls, Case Studies, and Common Sense. These collaborations have resulted in over 5,000 collaborative audiobook sales in less than 2 years. Dr. Guerra looks forward to continuing partnerships with other innovative practitioners in the field of pharmacy.
Dr. Guerra’s successes have come with hard work, valuable skills and knowledge, and willingness to take risks. He continues to pursue his passions for both English and pharmacy while serving as an inspiration for students who wish to pursue nontraditional paths in pharmacy. The DELTA Rx Institute looks forward to following Dr. Guerra’s future collaborations, podcasts, and other forward-thinking resources.
To access Tony Guerra's availble audiobooks and available free book codes, visit https://www.memorizingpharm.com/. You can also visit his YouTube Channel, Tony PharmD.
