ALUMNI
Pharmacist Tom Johnson talks career, favorite NDSU memories and more
Published February 2016
NDSU alumnus Tom Johnson is the first pharmacist from South Dakota to be named a fellow to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
Throughout his career, he has invested in other people as an instructor and mentor.
Johnson also gives back to NDSU by serving on the NDSU Alumni Association’s board.
Major: PharmD
Graduated: 1997
Lives and works in: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
What do you do at your job? I am assistant vice president of hospital pharmacy for Avera Health. I oversee hospital pharmacy services for the Avera Health System.
What is your career timeline?
- 1997-98: Pharmacy residency at St. Alexius Medical Center, Bismarck, North Dakota
- 1998-2010: Faculty for the College of Pharmacy at South Dakota State University/clinical pharmacy specialist in critical care at Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- 2011-15: Director of Hospital Pharmacy at Avera McKennan Hospital
- 2015-present: Assistant vice president of hospital pharmacy at Avera Health
What is one of the most exciting things about your work? What I enjoy is seeing other people grow and succeed. I think that's why teaching and then administration have been satisfying jobs for me.
Who are NDSU mentors who have influenced you? Diann (Clarens) Hoedl, Don Miller, Bob Sylvester, Chuck Peterson, Bob Bieberdorf, Kyle Mack and many other people.
Who are your NDSU friends? Lots of people in the Gold Star Band and pharmacy programs.
What is one of your favorite memories of NDSU? Marching in the Gold Star Band for the first game in the Fargodome in 1993.
What accomplishments are you most proud of? Organizing and editing a critical care pharmacy textbook, and all of the successful students and residents I have mentored over the years.
What advice would you give your 25-year-old self or an NDSU student studying in your field? Be patient. Not everything happens all at once. Sometimes you have to put in time in areas that are not exactly your final goals/destination in order to build valuable experience.
Tell us about your family: My wife, Jodi, and I have three dogs: Max, Truman and Henry.