Three Questions With . . . Eddie Lau, PharmD, FACA, FACVP

I always envisioned owning my own business and when I graduated from pharmacy school in 2010, that was my long term goal.

I really enjoyed my compounding rotation in 2009 and decided that’s exactly what I wanted to focus on. Luckily, my preceptor (and fellow independent pharmacy owner) sat down and asked me what my career goals were. When I told him I wanted to open a compounding pharmacy just like his, he took a real interest in teaching me the business side of things. During that rotation, I was blessed with the opportunity to not just learn how to compound medications, but also how to start a business. I believed in creating a business in my own community where you can really make a difference. Every decision I make has a real impact on how healthcare is done in my small town and I think that is a really great thing. It has been the best decision I made in my professional career.

2) Can you tell us one thing about yourself that would surprise your pharmacy colleagues?

I am proud to say I am a sudden cardiac arrest survivor. It feels surreal to even say those words but this is something I get the craziest looks when I mention it. I was training to run my first half marathon in 2017 so I signed up for a smaller 10k run first. Towards the end of the race, I saw the finish line approaching and was enjoying the scenery. The next thing I knew, I woke up from what I thought was a long nap not knowing where I was. I was in shock when my wife told me what happened. In the end, I needed heart surgery to fix a rare congenital heart mutation and I am back to 100%. My wife and I are so grateful for my 2nd chance at life and that contributes to my positive attitude when I go into work everyday.

3) What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I ever received was to do things the right way and not cut corners. This advice can apply to all aspects of life, but it is definitely helpful in my pharmacy. We always invest in staff training and new pharmacy equipment so our compounded medications will be the best quality possible. In the end, your patients will have better outcomes and the great feedback will eventually get back to their doctors.