For Sarah Sorum, ‘06 R, a residency at Osterhaus Pharmacy in Maquoketa, Iowa, was more than the beginning of a pharmacy career — it was the foundation for a path into leadership, advocacy, and practice transformation.
Sorum discovered the residency through a University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy service-management class. It sparked her interest in an Iowa community-based pharmacy residency. She embarked on a two-day road trip interviewing at every site across the state, ultimately matching at Osterhaus Pharmacy. It proved to be a defining moment and offered an early glimpse of what pharmacy could become.
Offered through the UI College of Pharmacy Community-based Pharmacy Residency Program, the residency emphasized direct patient care and program development, with experiences ranging from caring for Iowa Medicaid patients and leading immunization clinics to participating in interdisciplinary rounds and spending time in the UI Health Care Pain Management Clinic. “The residency gave me a preview of what pharmacy could be before most of the profession had caught up to it,” said Sorum.
It also sparked a lasting interest in professional engagement. While with Osterhaus Pharmacy, Sorum met Chris Decker, a Maquoketa native and then executive vice president and CEO of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW). That connection would prove pivotal. After completing her residency, she became active in the Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA), presenting posters, serving on committees, and attending conferences. In the summer of 2007, Decker hired her to join PSW, launching a career dedicated to advancing the profession.
Opportunity Ahead
Today, she sees tremendous opportunity for pharmacy in rural health care. “Pharmacists have the skills and training to serve as keystones of health care in rural communities, providing access to care where there may be no other provider nearby," said Sorum. "They can triage patients and engage closely with the rest of the health care team through referrals, point-of-care testing, chronic disease monitoring and management, remote patient monitoring, transitions-of-care management, and telehealth."
Iowa's progressive practice framework, shaped largely by IPA leadership, offers an example of what is possible when pharmacists are empowered to practice to the full extent of their training – something PSW is advocating for in Wisconsin.
That commitment to advancing the profession now extends nationally through Sorum’s service as president of the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA). At the heart of that work is a simple philosophy: pharmacy is stronger when its advocates work together.
“The opportunity to serve as the leader of NASPA this year is very meaningful to me. NASPA's mission is to enhance the success of state pharmacy associations in their efforts to advance the profession of pharmacy. There's no group more dedicated to practice advancement right now than state pharmacy associations. State advocacy is where change is happening,” said Sorum.
For students and residents interested in leadership, she offers straightforward advice. "Get involved and be present. Attend conferences, join state pharmacy associations, introduce yourself to leaders and build relationships," said Sorum. “Those connections can open doors you don't yet know exist.”
After more than two decades in the profession, what keeps Sorum energized is seeing pharmacists develop innovative ways to better serve patients — and helping remove the barriers that stand in their way. Whether through training, resources, advocacy, funding, or connections, She is passionate about bringing innovators together and turning their ideas into better care, particularly for underserved and rural communities.
From an Iowa residency that offered a glimpse of pharmacy's future to a national leadership role focused on advancing the profession, Sorum's journey has been shaped by one enduring lesson: show up, get involved, and work together to create change.