Flying the flag for women pharmacists

Rachna Chhatralia, the superintendent pharmacist at Day Lewis and winner of the 2024 Pharmacy Business Aspiring Pharmacy Leader of the Year award, points out that, despite the pharmacy workforce being predominantly female at grass roots, leadership positions in the sector are still largely dominated by males—a reality she believes “stands to benefit greatly from change.” For Rachna, more women in leadership can drive meaningful advancements across the profession, bringing new perspectives and empathetic understanding that would benefit both teams and patient care. She urges women to embrace their potential, overcome doubts, and step into leadership roles, even if it means pushing themselves out of their comfort zone. However, Rachna acknowledges the distinct challenges that women face when progressing their careers, especially when balancing roles after career breaks for childcare. Having faced these obstacles herself, Rachna advises, “Women should not feel following motherhood, they cannot strive to achieve career aspirations. It may take a little longer, but it is absolutely possible.” Her own career was shaped by resilience, often pushing past her doubts by focusing on the end goal. She recalls, “There were times I thought, ‘I am not sure if I can do this, but I chose to challenge myself and proceed regardless.’