Kim Tran, PharmD, knew she wanted to practice at the Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC) ever since she trained there as a pharmacy resident in 2014-15. She was drawn to CUHCC’s model of collaborative care.
“Patient's needs are so varied and complex and it literally takes an entire team or village to provide patient-centered care,” Tran says. “Collaboration can and should happen at all levels and all teams—from front desk and the medical team, to mental health, community program, dental, and more. All working with shared goals in mind with the patient as the driver of the team.”
As Minnesota's first and longest-running federally qualified health center, CUHCC serves nearly 10,000 Twin Cities residents of all ages each year through comprehensive, culturally responsive care. According to Tran, one of the benefits of working at CUHCC is the ease and accessibility of staff and providers to collaborate.
“Even as a new resident at CUHCC, I was very much included as a full member of the team, and the staff was looking for me to share my professional input,” says Tran. “What I didn't realize until more recently was that not only did CUHCC help me develop into a good clinician, but the experiences here also helped me hone in on my leadership skills.”
Today, Tran is CUHCC’s Director of Pharmacy and oversees medication management services, medication use systems and access, all while helping patients understand and manage their medications to meet their health goals.
“I like being able to work one-on-one with patients, learning about their medication experiences, and finding creative solutions to their drug therapy problems,” says Tran, who earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy.
Pharmacists like Tran play a key role in improving patient care at CUHCC. Through some recent grants, they were able to provide continuous blood glucose monitoring for patients, especially those who are uninsured.
“I've seen so many patients engage in this new technology and improve their diabetes care in a matter of months, even without making many medication adjustments,” says Tran. “These devices provide more insights on a patient's diet and lifestyle, and how they affect their blood sugars. Patients are able to use this data to make their diet and lifestyle changes in ways that a simple fingerstick never was able to do.”
As a former pharmacy resident, Tran is now in a position to help train future professionals to serve diverse, under-resourced communities—addressing Minnesota's workforce needs while advancing health equity. Working with pharmacy residents, Tran says she is inspired by “their passion, excitement, ingenuity, and potential to make changes beyond CUHCC's four walls.”
Tran says what she enjoys most about practicing at CUHCC are the patients, learners, staff, and the variety of challenges that may come her way each and every day.
“Sometimes the work and tasks do get daunting, but knowing that I'm in an environment with staff sharing the same mission and vision really helps me to recharge and reminds me why I became a pharmacist in the first place,” says Tran.
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