Meet Muya Muya, a medication delivery assistant at UPMC Presbyterian who was born in Somalia and raised in Kenya before coming to Pittsburgh. Before joining Pharmacy, Muya worked in Environmental Services (EVS) and was assigned to the Pharmacy’s administrative offices. Although he recognized the importance of cleaning, he wanted a challenge and a position “to improve myself and better myself.”
As part of UPMC Support Services Career Ladder program, Muya was permitted to spend a portion of his workday in the pharmacy over a period of several months to learn about the duties of a medication delivery assistant.
In his new role, Muya organizes medication returns so the barcode information on each packet can be scanned to determine if the drug has expired, or remains safe to use. Muya then uses a hand-held scanner to determine where other returns need to be placed in the pharmacy’s automated carousel system.
The program enabled Muya to learn if the work would be satisfying for him, and the Pharmacy staff to learn if Muya would be a good fit. The shadowing experience also helped to establish realistic expectations about what it’s like to work in a busy hospital pharmacy.
“It’s busy, but I like it very much,” says Muya, flashing a broad smile as he wheels his cart into an elevator to take on another task.
For Muya, the switch to this pharmacy position brought the opportunity to work in an environment where he would be challenged. After a year or two in his current position, Muya should be ready to take his Pharmacy Technician Certification Board exam. In the industry, that certification is the gold standard for pharmacy technicians and it will help Muya move into more advanced roles within the pharmacy.
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