In the dynamic environment of an urban medical office, Matthew Kamada ’13, PharmD, BCPS, FCSHP is responsible for managing the complex web of patient medications. Serving as an ambulatory care pharmacist at Kaiser Permanente in Cerritos for over a decade, Dr. Kamada has embraced a principle that may seem counterintuitive — slow down.

“As pharmacists we are naturally hardwired to be extremely efficient and direct,” said Dr. Kamada. “Learning how to connect with patients, asking open-ended questions and utilizing reflective listening are important components in understanding the patients’ thoughts, worries, motivations and more. This will help us increase the patients’ trust in us and ultimately lead to healthier lives.”

Dr. Kamada recently received the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists (CSHP) Practitioner Recognition Program Award; with it comes the distinction of fellowship status. He joined the organization nearly 15 years ago as a student at Pacific. Dr. Kamada has served as a board member of the South Bay/Long Beach chapter of CSHP since 2013 and served as chapter president in 2017. His current focus is building connections with the pharmaceutical industry.

He urges both students and practicing pharmacists to engage with local professional organizations.

“Being around motivated professionals is contagious,” explained Dr. Kamada.

The CSHP fellowship distinction also recognized his investment in the next generation of health care practitioners. For nine years, Dr. Kamada has served as a preceptor for the cardiovascular rotation of the PGY1 pharmacy residency at Kaiser Permanente Downey.

“This has helped me stay up-to-date on clinical knowledge, as well as kept me involved with the local CSHP chapters and schools of pharmacy,” he said. “I enjoy challenging new graduates to apply their textbook knowledge to real-life scenarios.”

Dr. Kamada credits his father, a retired pharmacist, with modeling the importance of work-life balance.

“I remember visiting my dad in the hospital pharmacy, but I also remember him being at all my youth sports events, as well as coaching my teams from time to time,” he said. “The balance between being present as a father and having a reliable, respected profession is what motivated me to pursue a career as a pharmacist.”

Following in his father’s footsteps, Dr. Kamada prioritizes spending time with his three young children, coaching their sports teams and serving at his local church.