This month, we are joined at Plain City Druggist by Austin Cotsmire, a fourth-year pharmacy student from The Ohio State University’s College of Pharmacy.

Austin will graduate in May 2023 with his PharmD degree and will then take the test to become a registered pharmacist. Austin will be with Tayler and the gang here in Plain City throughout August, so please stop by and meet him while he is here.

Here is what Ausin tells us about himself:

My name is Austin Cotsmire and I am currently a fourth-year pharmacy student at The Ohio State University’s College of Pharmacy. I plan to graduate in May 2023 with a PharmD degree. This will be my third advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE), and my first at an independent pharmacy! I am very excited to gain exposure to community pharmacy in a different setting and look forward to my time spent here at Plain City Druggist this month!

I am originally from North Canton, Ohio where I grew up playing soccer and various other sports to stay active. Prior to college, I worked at the Professional Football Hall of Fame and have met many inductees as a result!

I moved to Columbus in 2015 when I started my undergraduate career at OSU. I discovered I wanted to be a pharmacist in high school because of my love for the inner-workings of the human body and how medications work to alter them. Therefore, I pursued a Bachelor of science degree in pharmaceutical sciences as an undergraduate. I applied to many pharmacy schools throughout Ohio to continue my education post-graduate, but always knew I wanted to stay at Ohio State after having such a positive experience as an undergraduate.

I am currently a student pharmacist at CVS Pharmacy in Hilliard. I started there in 2017 as a pharmacy technician and worked my way up to inventory specialist. Once I started pharmacy school it was an easy decision to remain at this store as a student pharmacist since I loved all my co-workers and built strong relationships with many patients and the community as a whole. I have been a student pharmacist there since 2019 and continue to work weekends while I complete my APPE rotations at other sites. I am excited to build new relationships and explore a new area of pharmacy while I am in this unique setting.

When I am not working, I enjoy playing soccer and volleyball with friends when I can. I also enjoy attending Blue Jackets, Clippers, and Columbus Crew games, although I am a Cleveland sports fan at heart.

Aside from sports, I  love taking my dog, Harvey, who I rescued from the Franklin County Humane Society in December, for walks. I also have a passion for music and attend as many concerts and festivals as I can even if I am unfamiliar with the performers.

I recently moved to downtown Columbus, so I am working on exploring new restaurants and breweries in the area, as well, and would love recommendations!

In my future, I hope to continue my career as a community pharmacist. My time working in this setting has given me a great appreciation for the impact that community pharmacists can have on a patient’s healthcare. I have seen my mentors make huge impacts on patients’ lives which has inspired me to hopefully do the same in my future. I plan to stay in central Ohio after graduation but I would ultimately like to move out of Ohio, either out west or to one of the Carolinas.