It only takes one conversation with Dr. Nakia M. Shaw, Pharm.D. to feel the passion he puts into McArthur’s Apothecary. Dr. Shaw credits that passion to his family members, many of whom have already passed.
“I’ve been in healthcare for more than 18 years in some form or another. I’ve done it all,” said Dr. Shaw when asked how he decided to open his own pharmacy in March of 2016. Dr. Shaw is a second generation pharmacist but this is only part of his story.
His passion lies in the lives and deaths of his family members, many of whom received less than quality care from their healthcare providers. His mother-in-law, who died of complications from treatment of her ovarian cancer, had the most profound effect on his work as a pharmacist. “Before she died, she charged me with giving back. I’m doing this because healthcare failed her.”
When visiting the McArthur’s Apothecary website, it’s important to note the significance he places on educating his patients. “I’m setting up my business to empower my patients. I like Digital Pharmacist because they allow that to occur. I’m empowering my patients to empower themselves,” something he feels was lacking in his family members’ experiences. As with many other patients, they were “tolerated rather than treated,” said Dr. Shaw.
Dr. Shaw’s mentor, Eldred Sinkoe, Registered Pharmacist and Chief Pharmacy Compounder for McArthur’s Apothecary, also plays an important role in his life and the direction of the pharmacy. Sinkoe was Dr. Martin Luther King’s pharmacist. His values, and those of Dr. Shaw, are those of inclusivity, accessibility, and equality between “those who have and do not have,” said Dr. Shaw.
For those patients whose finances limit their access to healthcare, Dr. Shaw works with government 3040b programs, hospitals, churches and 501c3 organizations to bridge the gap and ensure everyone receives quality care.
“This country needs to wake up in healthcare,” said Dr. Shaw. He believes society will collapse when the industry focuses on business and money before patients.
Dr. Shaw runs McArthur’s Apothecary based on principles his mother-in-law instilled in him. “The greatest feeling of worth is knowing that you’re giving without expecting anything back.”
