Steven Lamb, ’22 MBA, ’22 PharmD

BAA: Tell us about your schooling & career leading up to your MBA and what influenced your decision to pursue an MBA from the Alberta School of Business?

Interestingly, my career experience leading up to my schooling and MBA completion had very little management experience. Workplace experience ranged from construction and landscaping to providing in home support services for individuals with disabilities. Academically, I was pursuing a biology and neuroscience degree. With this said, in my various positions, I often found myself having a management mindset and would wish that I had the experience and schooling to further pursue leadership positions in these roles.

My interest in the medical field led me to being admitted to the faculty of pharmacy (PharmD program) at the University of Alberta, and my leadership mindset and continued interest in leadership and management lead me to pursuing my MBA. The decision to pause my pharmacy program for one year to complete the MBA was heavily influenced by my desire to be a leader in the pharmacy workforce and to have the qualifications and knowledge to do so.

The PharmD/MBA crossover program was the perfect option to allow me to achieve all of my educational goals, and it continues to be a great choice for anyone with a similar drive to succeed. I am so glad that I made the choice to complete the MBA; not to mention the University of Alberta is highly reputable and offers excellent opportunities post graduation.

BAA: How was student life for you? What activities did you get involved in that enhanced your experience in the program outside of class?

COVID hit before my MBA program began, so student life was mostly deciding whether I should wear my pajama pants or actually get dressed for online classes in my basement. Given the limited face-to face contact, I did not get many opportunities to meet my colleagues. However, we did meet virtually for some events in the evenings and occasionally ventured out together for a bonfire. Mostly I would say that people remember me as either the guy whose head shifted back and forth across the screen as I walked on the treadmill during class, or as the guy with the aquamarine basement walls.

On a school-related note, I did take the opportunity to volunteer with Net Impact, who connected some classmates and I with a not-forpProfit organization. We spent about six months developing a strategic plan to expand their operations. I also took the opportunity to participate in two case competitions and attended the excellent MBA Gala. I decided to forego running for any student-body positions in favor of spending my time with my newborn baby girl. I found that networking, participating in competitions, and getting involved in volunteer organizations really helped to bring the practical and the theoretical into one coherent education. Theory gives you the tools, but practice makes perfect.

BAA: Can you tell us about your journey since graduating with your MBA?

Immediately after graduating with my MBA, I took an internship with RJH Biosciences where I worked to connect the founders with investors and provide financial projections to be used for investment pitches. Then, due to the nature of my combination PharmD/MBA program, I then returned to pharmacy school to complete my final year of practicum before licensing and final exams.

Once I officially graduated, I interned as pharmacist at Shoppers Drug Mart in Lethbridge and was hired there once fully licensed. One year after starting my career, Shoppers Drug Mart opened the third Pharmacy Care Clinic in Alberta in my store. I was promoted to Pharmacy Manager and asked by the owner to develop the process and culture of the new clinic, as well as being the primary pharmacist in it. We quickly became and remain the most profitable clinic in Alberta, and we have prevented thousands of expensive, unnecessary emergency room visits for minor ailments, saving the medical system thousands of dollars. With this new formula for patient care, we have achieved unprecedented pharmacy growth in just two years.

Just recently, I accepted a position to take the next step in my career by becoming licensee of another large pharmacy in Lethbridge, and I look forward to utilizing acquired and practiced MBA skills to work with the new team.

BAA: You’ve recently become manager of your pharmacy. How are you able to apply what you learned in the program in this new role?

The best way to describe my approach is that I constantly look for opportunities and make strategic plans to take them. For example, when the Pharmacy Care Clinic opened, I was tasked with building the operating procedures for my store. As I sat with patients, I identified that most patients give more value to how they felt during an interaction, than the result of it. As such, I designed a process that encourages pharmacists to spend more time listening and building rapport with patients, while still providing care to the best of their ability. Yes, it would be easier to get patients in and out in record time, but those patients aren’t the ones referring their friends and family to us.

As a result of this patient-centred and value-based approach, we achieved 18 per cent prescription growth in year one of the clinic and are on track for 12 per cent this year. I want to clarify that while I am focusing the fantastic growth, our top priority is, and will always be top quality patient care. Growth is just the natural benefit of high patient satisfaction.

BAA: How has your Alberta School of Business education influenced what you bring to this new role?

The simplest way to describe it is that I am much more prepared with resources, knowledge and connections to address the challenges that will come up. I am approaching the position carefully, evaluating the culture and operations, and I am constantly developing new ideas to improve morale and engagement while improving role clarity.

The MBA provided me with the knowledge and tools to approach new opportunities in ways that help both the team and I to build a long-term growth mindset and celebrate successes along the way.

BAA: What advice would you have for recent grads as they move into the next steps in their careers?

Get involved in the community – access resources like chambers of commerce, talk to others in your field, build a broad network and keep your options open and try to get ahead of new trends in the market to make yourself invaluable.

Don’t let imposter syndrome get to you. You have something to offer that is unique, but don’t worry if others don’t see it right away.

Manage your expectations, it will take time for you to find your niche and grow into the business leader you want to be – so, go work for someone that sees your potential and encourages you to push your limits.

Ask for more and then exceed expectations – don’t do so much that you drown, but showing initiative and getting things done goes a long way in building your personal brand.