SPECIAL HONORS: Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy technician William Seamster (Photo by Jay Paul)
William Seamster’s first job after graduating from Godwin High School in 1998 involved handling burgers in a fast food restaurant, not medicine in a hospital. But after a few months of working in a burger bistro during the summer, Seamster opted to follow in his mother’s footsteps and work at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital.
“She helped clean and so she heard there was a transporter position open at the hospital,” Seamster says.
After several years of being a transporter, moving medications from different floors, Seamster became interested in becoming a pharmacy technician. The hospital started a state-approved pharmacy program for its employees.
“I wanted to try some new things and was able to learn a lot from my co-workers,” Seamster says.
After two decades at Henrico, he still loves his job and exemplifies the pharmacy department’s motto of always working with kindness and compassion.
“I definitely like the interaction I get to have,” he says. “I am a big believer in ‘thank you’s’ and ‘have a nice day’.”
That attitude has earned him special honors in the Top Doctors survey as a pharmacy technician.
Seamster starts his work days prepping automated medication dispensing machines. It’s a job that requires teamwork and communication, he says.
A positive work environment is also an important factor in creating a healing environment.
“I think it helps because people work together, ask each other for help,” says Seamster. “One big thing is to keep people comforted and help them catch a breath and hopefully cut down on mistakes.”
During his shifts, Seamster makes a point to be a smiling face, to always say hello when walking the floor and to check in on his co-workers to make sure they are doing OK.
“It takes one person to say you can do it,” he says. “That’s all it takes is that one person.”
Emily Chambers, an oncology clinical specialist, has worked with Seamster since 2006. She says he’s “that one person” who helps to make the pharmacy department a successful work environment.
“Will is the hardest-working person in the pharmacy department,” Chambers says. “He always ensures that work is done correctly and in a timely manner.”
Over the past 11 years, Chambers knows that it will always be a good day when she is working with Seamster and knows that many other co-workers in the pharmacy department feel the same way.
That’s because Seamster can best be described as someone you can count on. “He is always willing to pick up any shift where there may be a need,” Chambers says. “On occasion, we have emergent need for night-shift coverage, and Will always agrees to fill in, even if that means leaving work to sleep and returning later on that night.”
