Words by Anna Lee Vaughn | Images by Al Blanton
Growing up, Jake Barnett always had an interest in the medical field. However, he did not always know what his niche would be. But through a pivotal moment in his youth, Jake received valuable advice that shifted his perspective and solidified his career choice.
“My neighbor was a physician, and he talked me out of being a doctor. He said if I wanted to be in the healthcare field, raise a family, and have some free time, I might want to look at something else,” Jake recalls. “My dad had a couple of pharmacist friends, so I consulted with them, and that’s how I ruled out being a physician and started learning more about being a pharmacist.”
Jake worked at Jasper’s English Plaza Pharmacy while attending Walker College. He then went to Auburn University to complete a Medical Technology degree. He then attended Samford University’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy in Birmingham from 1994 to 1998.
While attending a post-graduation seminar at Samford, Jake connected with Ray Robertson, former owner of Professional Pharmacy in Jasper. Robertson had recently picked up compounding, a service to “customize” remedies for customers, and was considering hiring another pharmacist.
Jake began working at Professional Pharmacy in 1998 and slowly bought into the store over the years. After partnering with Robertson for several years, Jake took full ownership of the pharmacy in 2015. The pharmacy offers services for prescription medication, compounding, immunizations, and many over-the-counter products.
“Our main focus is taking care of patients, filling their medicines, and making sure patients are using them correctly. I have enjoyed the relationships I have made and helping people achieve the goals they want,” says Jake. “I’ve always believed if I do the right thing and take care of the customer, business will flourish. Throughout the challenges the healthcare field presents, we’re going to continue to be here as long as we can, and we’re going to continue to provide top-level service for our customers.” WL
Professional Pharmacy is located at 2001 N Airport Rd, Jasper, AL 35504. For more information, visit Professional Pharmacy on Facebook.
