For the Love of Pharmacy | The DiDomenicos
Dr. Robert DiDomenico (PharmD '96), Assistant Head of Faculty Affairs & Strategic Initiatives and his wife, Dr. Megan DiDomenico (PharmD '00) share how they met, what they love about each other, and what they love about their profession.
How they met
Robert: Technically, Megan and I met at a bar (formerly Moretti’s, now Park Tavern near campus) during my first year as a faculty member and her 4th—last—year in the PharmD program at the College. Megan’s friend was completing a clerkship with Jim Thielke, a good friend of mine and former Transplant pharmacist and faculty member. Megan and her friend were celebrating the end of clerkship and I was celebrating the beginning of vacation with a planned trip to St. Thomas. While there was definitely mutual interest in dating, having just started as a faculty member, I didn’t want to make waves by dating students. So, I waited until after Megan graduated...only she beat me to the punch and actually asked me on a date! (With encouragement from Jim, no less!)
What they love about each other
Robert: Megan is family-oriented, grounded, fun-loving, and an excellent mom to our three kids. She “gets” me, puts up with my neuroses, and has been incredibly understanding of the demands of being a faculty member.
Megan: Rob is many things to many people. I love his loyalty, his kindness, and vast knowledge of random sports facts! He is my best friend and career supporter and a wonderful father and role model to our kids.
What they love about pharmacy
Robert: The thing we love best about the pharmacy profession is the flexibility (Megan has practiced in five different practice settings for several different employers). The evolution of pharmacy (the clinical aspirations I had when I started) have largely become expectations of clinical pharmacists entering practice today.
Megan: I have to agree with Rob. Pharmacy has always been a part of my life. My Dad, Mike Breen, BS '74, inspired me to become a pharmacist. Even from his time, the pharmacy world has expanded beyond early expectations of just being a druggist. Yes, we know drugs, but we also know how to treat the whole patient -- and that is where the profession is today and is still evolving.