For Dr. Katherine Raines, a love for chemistry in a small-town high school classroom sparked a career that would eventually bring her back home to Mississippi.
“I realized I wanted to become a pharmacist when I was in the tenth grade in chemistry class,” she said. “We were making a compound in the lab, and I thought it was interesting to see how it reacted with different elements. I asked my mom if she could find me a pharmacist to shadow, and I fell in love with the art of compounding. It’s very methodical and comforting.”
That curiosity opened a new chapter, which began at East Central Community College, where she earned her associate's degree, and continued at the University of Mississippi, where she earned her bachelor's degree in pharmaceutical sciences. In 2020, she earned her Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy and went on to complete a competitive veterinary pharmacy residency at Texas A&M University.
“The job at Mississippi State opened, and I jumped at the opportunity. It was my dream job in my home state. I could not have asked for anything better,” she said.
Today, Dr. Raines is part of a small, elite group; there are only 73 board-certified veterinary pharmacists in the world. At MSU CVM, she teaches pharmacology to both DVM and VMT students, leading courses such as Pharmacology I and II, as well as surgery lectures, anesthesia rounds, and a two-week pharmacology elective for fourth-year students. VMT students join her for an intensive week-long rotation, where they get a start-to-finish view of how a veterinary pharmacy operates.
“Veterinary pharmacy encompasses every skill you gain in pharmacy school, retail, compounding, clinical, research, and communication, but with much cuter, fluffier patients,” Raines said. “I also love that so many species are treated similarly but also so differently from humans.”
As the CVM continues to grow, Dr. Raines sees pharmacy becoming an even more integrated part of the college’s mission.
“I see pharmacy being involved in more committees, didactic lectures, and on the clinic floor to help consult,” she said. “I want students to see that pharmacology can be fun and helpful. It’s not something to be scared of, and it’s something that they use every day as veterinarians.
For those interested in a career in pharmacy, she encourages them to keep an open mind.
“Pharmacy is a career filled with many different pathways. You can work in retail, research, pediatrics, emergency, cardiac, and so much more. It’s one of the most trusted healthcare professions and a fantastic career choice.”
