Native Nebraskan Gregory Johnson, PharmD, turned his love of science into a career in pharmacy. During his 15 years with Texas Health Resources, he has worked as a manager and director at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen and now the director of pharmacy at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. In his own words, Gregory helps his team make music every day.
How did you get into pharmaceuticals?
During undergrad, I thought I was going to be a teacher and a football coach. I was drawn to subjects such as biology and chemistry. I did a field experience 360 where you watch a teacher and student teacher. I have a lot of respect for teachers, but I realized it wasn’t for me. I knew I still wanted to do something with science, and pharmacy was the next best thing. I went to school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. My first job was in the Metroplex. Like so many of us transplants, I thought I’d be here for a few years. I ended up getting married, having kids and putting down some roots.
When did you start at Texas Health?
A pharmacy manager position opened at Texas Health Allen in 2004. It was only five minutes from my house. I was promoted to director of pharmacy. After four years at Texas Health Allen, I was hired as a director at Texas Health Dallas. It was the same title, but the scope of the job was very different. I went from a 50-bed hospital to 500 beds. There was a little bit of a learning curve. Now the hospital has 875 licensed beds and there are about 70 people on our team.
What’s your typical work day?
Every morning starts with a daily safety briefing. We have an assessment each day. There are a couple scheduled placeholders in my Outlook calendar but beyond that no day is typical. Most days I’m jumping from place to place. I meet with key customers, administration, finance, human resources, nursing groups and pharmacists. I feel like I’m coordinating the orchestra. I help everyone make music and I want it to sound as good as I can.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love the people I work with. When you’re in a director role, you make sure your team is put in the best scenarios where they can be successful, and we celebrate each other’s successes.
What do you like to do outside of work?
My social calendar revolves around college football. Coming from Nebraska, there’s nothing that competes with college football. I enjoy spending time with my family. My son is an electrical engineer student at Texas A&M University. I have two daughters – one is in eighth grade and the other is a junior in high school. They keep you hopping! I also like to go fishing with some old college buddies and unplug for a few days.
by Amanda Uffman • Posted March 5, 2019
