Pharmacy resident converts loss into purpose

The principle of serving those who served is fiercely upheld by many of the health care professionals who provide world-class treatment to our nation's heroes. For Bay Pines VA pharmacy resident Jacob Prevost, the drive to give back is rooted in an innate ability to transform heartbreak to strength.
"My dad was a Veteran. He served in the Army for about four years and I think his mental health condition was potentially influenced by the experiences he had. When I was 13, I lost my dad to suicide," Prevost shared.

Suicide has no single cause and no singular approach can end it, but prevention is possible-especially when Veterans find support before a crisis happens. Resources like the Veterans Crisis Line are available 24/7 to every Veteran, everywhere.

Combining two of his passions

In the aftermath of his family's loss, it would take some time for Prevost, his mom and younger brother to find themselves again. Several years passed and, toward the end of his college journey, he discovered how he could combine two of his passions.

"The loss of my dad impacted me deeply. In the years that followed, I knew I wanted to pursue something in my life that would help people," Prevost said. "I didn't know how much of an influence a pharmacist could have in the setting of mental health until I started my rotations here at Bay Pines VA. I really gained the understanding of how these concepts can come together."

Prevost (pictured above) has been a part of Bay Pines VA's pharmacy residency since July 2024. The year-long program provides an opportunity for its participants to develop competency in the areas of acute patient care, ambulatory/primary care, drug information, practice management and pharmacy operations. At the end of the residency, the goal is for the residents to evolve into compassionate and highly skilled clinical practitioners who actively contribute to positive patient outcomes.

"I'm helping them make an informed decision."

"One of the really great things about being in a pharmacy residency program here is the exposure to outpatient mental health. I've had an opportunity to go with my preceptor to meet with patients who have a wide variety of diagnoses and talk to them one on one," he said.

The pharmacy team at Bay Pines VA provides a combined total of more than one million inpatient and outpatient prescriptions annually. It is imperative that they possess a solid understanding of how these medications can contribute to an improved quality of life for those they serve.

"Throughout college and residency training, we spend a lot of time learning as much as we possibly can about these medications and their impact so that we can take the extra time to educate our patients about the medications that may be best suited for them. Being able to present all the information to the Veterans allows me to know I'm helping them make an informed decision," he said.

There are many mental health resources offered by VA, and the services can be confusing to navigate at times. There are health care professionals like Prevost who remain steadfast in their determination to improve Veterans' quality of life, one interaction at a time.

"In my experience, it takes a different level of understanding and empathy to realize that the experiences Veterans have had may have exacerbated or caused some of the psychiatric conditions they live with. It's been very healing to see that there is a whole team of people who are working to prevent lapses in care. Working to help keep Veterans' mental health as stable as possible and keep their families together feels very rewarding," he added.

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