Rebekah Miehlke

Why I Do What I Do

I love what I do! I always wanted to work in healthcare, and in high school I was given the chance to work in a pharmacy and I was hooked. I have had the opportunity to work in retail, inpatient pharmacy, long-term care, specialty pharmacy, home infusion pharmacy, as well as supervise and manage technicians in a variety of roles. Every day is new and different and I am positively impacting patients.

Latest Accomplishment

I have recently been presenting at a local technical college that has pharmacy technician programs. This has been beneficial for me to see what the technician market looks like and generate some interest in the areas of pharmacy that I have worked in as well as answer questions that students have about the profession.

Most Memorable Experience as a Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy has given me so many memorable experiences but the one that stands out to me is when I was working at home infusion. We had a young patient who was terminally ill and the family had been given a trip to Disney World. The medical team was unsure if we would be able to make this trip possible since the patient was on so many medications, some with shorter stability, but we were able to ship medication to their hotel for the day they arrived and throughout the week they were there. The family couldn't believe the work we did to make this trip possible for their family. I know I made a difference in that family.  

Why I Became Certified

I have been certified since 2000. At that time it was not a requirement, but for me it was a responsibility that I had to my patients. I believe certification is an important part of advancing the pharmacy technician profession. Certification shows commitment to the profession and knowledge of the roles and requirements of a pharmacy technician.

My Passion Outside of Work

My passion is my faith and my family. My husband Paul is a home-care nurse and we have a 5-year-old son named Harrison and a 4-year-old daughter named Helena. I work hard so I can play hard at home. As a family we enjoy exploring new places, camping, and swimming. I like to cook and try new recipes when I am at home.

Latest Book Read

I finally finished reading Brene Brown's book, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. I received this book as a gift from a leader that I respect and, after numerous attempts and interruptions, I finished reading it. This book shows that being vulnerable is courageous and can lead and teach us so much more than if we chose to be afraid and stand on the sidelines of life. It is a wonderful book that is applicable in all areas of my life.

Advice to Up-and-Coming Technicians

The best advice I ever received was to take every opportunity to learn and grow even if it was outside my comfort zone. By saying "yes" to many things, I have learned new aspects of pharmacy, met new people including mentors, and have been given many opportunities that I might have missed if I hadn't said yes. Be open to new experiences, you never know what door they might open.