Kessler's Pharmacy

01/27/2026

Savings you're going to ❤️. Prices valid now through February 7th. Valentine's items on sale through February 14th.

12/30/2025

Start the New Year with savings! Prices valid now through January 10th.

12/27/2025

12/18/2025

🌟 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: 𝗝𝗼𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀, 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗗 ’𝟭𝟳 🌟
Community Pharmacist, Kessler’s Pharmacy

Independent community pharmacy offers a setting where relationships matter and patient care is deeply personal. For Joe Burns, PharmD ’17, this environment allows pharmacists to make a meaningful impact while helping students experience the full scope of community practice.

“Independent community pharmacies are highly accessible and allow pharmacists to build strong, long-term relationships with patients, enabling personalized, patient-centered care,” Burns said. Through services such as medication therapy management, immunizations, point-of-care testing and individualized counseling, pharmacists play a direct role in improving outcomes.

Students on rotation are immersed in this experience from day one. “Students play an active role by gaining hands-on experience with dispensing and pharmacy operations while also participating in direct patient care,” Burns said. These opportunities include counseling, immunization support and chronic disease management, giving students exposure to both the clinical and operational sides of pharmacy practice.

Burns says students who do well in an independent community pharmacy bring “a strong work ethic, genuine compassion for patients and a coachable, positive attitude.” His advice is to engage fully in the experience. “Actively engage with patients and staff, stay open to feedback, ask questions and take initiative, even during busy times,” he said.

Looking back on his time as a preceptor, the most meaningful moments come from watching students grow throughout their rotation. “It’s fulfilling to see a student grasp a new concept or skill early on and, by the end of their rotation, independently perform tasks like counseling a patient or managing a complex prescription,” Burns said.

Pictured from left: Wyatt Burns ’20 PharmD, Joe Burns ’17 PharmD and Mike Burns ’85 PharmD

12/07/2025

More from the parade

12/07/2025

Photos from the parade

11/25/2025

Savings that will make you Merry! Prices valid now through December 13th. Christmas items on sale through December 26th.

11/17/2025

Getting ready for the holidays! Who else already has their decorations up?