Where it all started . . . with Community
In the rural reaches of Pine County, Minnesota, a life philosophy took root in young Kate France's mind: “If you think you can make the world a better place, why aren’t you doing that right now?”. This mantra, imparted off-handedly by a high school teacher, became a guiding principle for Kate through pharmacy school, propelling her into a purpose-driven career centered on community engagement.
Kate France had not really considered pharmacy as a career, and credits the start of her journey to becoming a pharmacist to a research mentor who recognized the potential in her. “Dr. Brown was really the first one to tell me that I was going to be a pharmacist, and, wrote my letter of recommendation to get me into the program.” She also acknowledges her strong foundation in science from high school, where she had "amazing mentorship and support from my community."
Finding Purpose in Serving Indigenous Communities
With family members who are descendants of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, France's drive to support Indigenous and Tribal nations stems from a deeply personal place. "I want to create space and create mechanisms of support, and really do our best to further opportunities for Indigenous people from a healthcare perspective, from an education perspective, from a well-being perspective," she explains.
Right from her first year, Kate embraced opportunities to enhance Indigenous health. Working with Dr. Laura Palombi on a HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) grant, France helped establish what they believe is one of the nation's first vending machines distributing naloxone, PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), harm reduction aids such as fentanyl test strips, Xylazine testing supplies and other essential items like socks and underwear, on the Bois Forte Nation reservation. This initiative combined practical harm reduction with care, demonstrating a philosophy France learned from her mentor, Dr. Palombi: "Just because you are underserved does not make you undeserving of quality care."
Enhancing Community Health through Connection
Kate’s motivation for community engagement and commitment to community health extends beyond her heritage to personal experience. With a family member in active recovery from substance use disorder, France understands that "the opposite of addiction is connection." This insight drives her work beyond just providing access to naloxone and testing strips to fostering community connections and providing psychosocial support. "Yes, we created this amazing vending machine and had really great outcomes," she shares, "but one of my favorite sub-projects that we got to do as part of that grant is one Valentine's Day, we wrote a card for elders on that reservation with a message of support, affirmation, and hope."
She encourages her mentees to volunteer at the Health of People Everywhere (HOPE) Clinic in Duluth, a free clinic run in partnership with the medical school. She demonstrates commitment but not just recommending this opportunity, but often drives students to the clinic herself, removing transportation barriers to participation.
She urges students to build community with the populations they serve. "What I encourage all of my students (mentees) and remind them of is, yes, you are going to make a lot of money as a pharmacist, but you are infinitely closer to requiring the support of your community and social services than you ever are to becoming this echelon of wealth," she reflects. She firmly believes that this perspective helps break down barriers between healthcare providers and vulnerable populations.
Not surprising, Kate's approach to community service emphasizes human connection over clinical tasks. At the HOPE Clinic, she values sitting in the cafeteria playing cards with community members, hearing their stories, and building relationships. When students return from these experiences, they consistently express surprise at how meaningful the connections were, to which Kate responds: "Yeah, because they're people. And at the end of the day, it's about that human connection."
Looking Forward: A Community-Centered Practice
Kate successfully matched for a Community Pharmacy Residency at Welia Health Community Pharmacy in Pine City, her hometown – the pharmacy connected to the hospital she had interned at throughout her training in pharmacy school. As she transitions from being a student to a practicing pharmacist, Kate has already begun implementing community-focused initiatives. Through the efforts of Kate and her team, the pharmacy is now a naloxone access point.
Kate is already working to establish the first non-sheriff-led drug take-back program in the area. She plans to leverage partnerships with organizations like the Rural AIDS Action Network (RAAN) and Harm Reduction Sisters to expand community health services. When existing structures don't address community needs, she embraces the challenge: "As hard as it is to become the representation that you lack, I argue that it's one of the most rewarding experiences that one can have."
The opioid epidemic's impact on her community has further fueled Kate’s drive. "Within the past year, I can name at least two different people, and one within my class that I graduated high school with, who have passed in relation to this," she shares. Each loss reinforces her commitment to prevention and support services.
The Pharmily – Finding Community Within
To the pharmacy student just getting started at the college, Kate emphasizes persistence, humorously counseling "Number one: don't drop out," while sharing that she herself frequently considered quitting, especially early in the program. Her main piece of advice centers on building and relying on a support system. She encourages new students to "rely on your Pharmily. Allow yourself to be vulnerable enough to accept help and to ask for help," describing this as one of the hardest but most valuable lessons she learned during pharmacy school.
She explains that "family" extends beyond blood relations to include professors, support staff, peers, and other pharmacy students. Kate stressed how empowering it is to know that "you deserve to be here. And we want you here."
Kate also advises students to find meaning outside of pharmacy studies. She tells all her mentees to "pick something outside of pharmacy that drives you" because "you have to be a person before you're able to become your occupation." She reminisced on how she would often take students to workout classes, modeling to them how to maintain this balance.
Finally, she offers perspective about the pharmacy school experience: "We joke that pharmacy school will be gone in a blink, but it truly does just go by at such a rapid pace. And so, if you're going to be here, you may as well make it worthwhile."
Community Engagement as an Essential
For Kate, community engagement isn't optional – it's fundamental to her identity as a pharmacist. "It's not just something that I should do or could do. It's something that in my heart I know I have to do," she explains. "It's as much a part of the reason why I went to pharmacy school as being called doctor is."
As she graduates, Kate carries with her the wisdom that has sustained her through challenging times: the importance of community support and finding purpose amidst challenges. In her own words: "If you can dig deep and find whatever it is that drives you forward in the midst of the darkness, and cling to that and push through wholeheartedly and steadfastly, then there's nothing you can't do."
Kate’s philosophy of practice is embodied in community and care. In her words, "We truly need to put the care back into healthcare. And I think through community-focused efforts, and by being that person for your patients... that is not only the way forward, but the only way forward."
