In the heart of red dirt country, young pharmacist Shaylee Mills is blending her passion for healthcare with the use of social media.
Known as “The Rural Pharmacist”, Shaylee uses her socials to offer an insider’s view into life as a rural pharmacist, with the goal of inspiring pharmacy students and early-career professionals to consider rural healthcare.
Shaylee’s journey into rural pharmacy began during her final year as a student when she took a placement at Pharmacy 777 in Karratha. What started as a three-week experience inspired a life-changing decision. “It only took three short weeks for me to be convinced that I would come back as a pharmacist one day,” she said.
“By 2023, I had packed my bags and moved to Karratha to join the team full-time and haven’t looked back since.”
As a rural pharmacist, Shaylee wears many hats, with her day-to-day work centred on providing primary care advice and pharmacy services, focussing on chronic disease management and acute care.
“The role of a pharmacist often extends beyond filling prescriptions in locations like the Pilbara where healthcare can be less accessible,” she said.
“Rural pharmacy is different to metro pharmacy in that it is heavily centred around primary care advice.
“I spend most of my time talking to patients about chronic disease management or providing acute care if other health services aren’t available.”
One of her favourite parts of work is her involvement with the Mawarnkarra Health Service in Roebourne, where she participates in multidisciplinary care. “Each day, a pharmacist visits the clinic to work with other health professionals and patients regarding medication management,” she said.
“It’s a true definition of multi-disciplinary care when you get to work alongside doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and specialists under the same roof.”
But it’s not just the professional opportunities that have kept her in the Pilbara. “My love for the Pilbara is based around the people,” she said. “The team I work with, the community I serve, and the friends I’ve made make it feel so easy.
“It’s just a bonus that the Pilbara is also accessible to the best of WA, and it’s summer all year-round.”
In addition to her pharmacy work, Shaylee shares her love for rural health through social media. Recognising the gap in awareness about rural pharmacy careers, she started to share her experiences to promote the benefits of working in rural healthcare.
“Our healthcare system needs more rural pharmacists, but I feel there’s a gap in exposing pharmacy students, interns, and early-career pharmacists to what working in rural pharmacy is truly like,” she said.
“Social media is the most powerful tool available to us to visually show people what the possibilities are.”
Regularly posting about the challenges and rewards of rural pharmacy, while offering a look at her daily life in the Pilbara, Shaylee said whether she was sharing stories about helping patients with medication management or highlighting the logistical challenges of getting medicines to remote areas, her content provided a relatable and positive outlook on rural healthcare.
“I try to be as positive as I can about the industry,” she said. “There’s always negatives, but having this positive outlook is what people really appreciate.” For Shaylee, the goal is to spark interest and open doors for those who may never have considered rural pharmacy before.
“When I went rural, I really started to realise that I actually enjoyed my job,” she said.
“There’s a lot of pharmacists that would say that, and a lot that would never say that, and I think that’s something special, and should be spoken about.
“Working in rural areas comes with its own set of challenges, particularly around logistics. “From dealing with medication shortages to navigating weather-related disruptions like floods and cyclones, but you learn to be adaptable.”
Despite these obstacles, the collaborative approach when working in rural healthcare is something she has come to appreciate. “It’s like a real team effort—everyone comes together because there’s nobody else,” she said.
“In the city, it can feel a bit segregated, but here, you have to work together.”
Shaylee hopes sharing her experiences online will encourage others to follow in her footsteps. “When you’re fresh out of university, you want as much experience and exposure, and the broadest skill sets possible,” she said. “I encourage others to go rural as soon as you can, do it while you’re young —you’ve got nothing to lose, and you won’t regret it.
“We need a lot more positivity in the pharmacy industry, especially in community pharmacy, so I hope I can continue to inspire others – one post at a time.”