My name is Aneesh Asokan, PharmD, MBA, and I am the 2022–2023 APhA Executive Resident with the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS). I received both my PharmD and MBA from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) School of Pharmacy As a student pharmacist, I served as class president for 3 years, student representative council president for 1 year, and served on the executive boards for both our APhA–ASP Chapter and the Industry Pharmacists Organization Chapter. I served many other leadership roles both internally and externally to represent my colleagues at SIUE. During my time at pharmacy school, I also worked at a few different specialty pharmacies in both Missouri and Illinois.
When it comes to hobbies, I love watching movies and discussing film. My top three films right now are The Father, The Batman, and Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. I also love watching dark and gritty thriller television shows, like The Boys, Reacher, or True Detective. I am always looking for new recommendations that will go on my ever-growing and never-ending list. Otherwise, I also enjoy hiking, working out, and being a tourist with my camera!
Five questions for Aneesh
1. Which Disney character is most like you? I feel like I would end up being the animal sidekick character in most Disney movies, like Mushu or Pascal. But according to Buzzfeed (which means my answer is statistically sound), I am most like Elsa from Frozen.
2. What two items would you have on a deserted island? A piano and a deck of cards.
3. Which season is your favorite? Fall (and spring is a very close second). The weather is crisp, I have the perfect clothes to thrive, and the weather doesn't fluctuate too much. Plus, it’s spooky season!
4. What is your favorite meal? These days, it’s been Nashville hot chicken. A new spot opened up back at home and it had me hooked. Of course, I had to try Nashville Hot in Nashville, TN, so I tried Prince’s Hot Chicken, which was amazing. So, it’s been an addiction and I am truly afraid of the day I start using Tums or PPIs!
5. What have you enjoyed most as the BPS resident? One aspect as the BPS resident I have enjoyed is the flexibility and autonomy. The staff provides me with a ‘hands-off’ approach that allows me to delve deeper into topics and reach out to experts as I see fit. This is a valuable skill because not everything will be prescribed to me, and I will have to adapt and work with ambiguity to succeed. Importantly, the BPS staff is highly supportive of my endeavors, which gives me confidence in any activity I pursue.