Texas Health’s Marva Goins prepares the next generation of pharmacy leaders
A passion for healthcare careers runs in the family for Marva Goins.
“With a respiratory therapist father and a nurse mother, I have been exposed to acute care through my parents all my life,” said Goins, Pharm.D., M.B.A., DPLA, FACHE, senior director, pharmacy, professional, and support services for Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth. “Their dedication – they both still work PRN – inspired me to pursue a career in pharmacy.”
With oversight over the pharmacy and several support services at Texas Health Southwest Fort Worth and Texas Health Clearfork, Goins took on another role nearly nine years ago – to serve as preceptor to pharmacy students in their last year of study at the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) College of Pharmacy.
Goins feels called to developing the next generation of pharmacists and pharmacy leaders.
“I believe precepting is the duty and privilege of a practicing pharmacist to contribute to the future of the profession,” Goins said. “It’s important not only for our profession, but for the patients these future pharmacists will serve.”
Precepting on the job
Precepting one to two students at a time, Goins has her students shadow her full schedule for a hands-on experience.
“For their six weeks with me for their pharmacy administration rotation, my students become my co-director in a sense,” Goins said. “They keep the same schedule as me, including all the meetings, dealing with policies, and communicating with physicians and staff. I like to expose them to the leadership opportunities in the field in addition to the clinical side.”
‘A welcome surprise’
Nominated by pharmacy students and voted on by faculty, Goins was recently named Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences Preceptor of the Year at UNTHSC College of Pharmacy.
“The award is a welcome surprise because it gives me a view into how I have impacted my students,” Goins said. “One of the students who nominated me said that I helped them determine the kind of pharmacist that they wanted to become. That statement confirms for me that I’m living in my purpose.”
Randy Ball, M.B.A, R.Ph., Texas Health’s system pharmacy officer, praised Goins’ contribution to Texas Health’s pharmacy education program.
“Marva deserves this recognition for going above and beyond with her students to make sure they not only learn how to apply the knowledge they received in their didactic classes, but also how to be a professional pharmacist,” Ball said. “This work helps fulfill the Texas Health Mission as she’s preparing professionals to improve health.”
Preceptorship to pipeline
Texas Health provided nearly 120 student rotations during the 2022-2023 academic year.
“Texas Health is fortunate to have so many preceptors, like Marva, willing to spend their time with students,” said Ajith Pai, Pharm.D., FACHE, president, Texas Health Southwest. “Providing internships has been a great pipeline for talent over the years with Texas Health hiring many pharmacists after they completed rotations with us … including me.”
Goins is pleased to help build the pharmacist pipeline.
“It’s an honor to be recognized for my passion for helping students navigate the transition from pharmacy student to pharmacist,” Goins said. “There is a great need for healthcare workers, not just pharmacists. Like all careers, there are advantages and challenges, but the personal reward for the lives you positively impact is priceless.”
Watch Goins discuss her advice to future healthcare workers below.
