From Behind-the-Scenes to Center-of-Care

When Jakie Monroe, PharmD, first stepped through the doors of Strong Memorial Hospital, he was part of the Environmental Services team, responsible for cleaning rooms, taking out trash, and maintaining floors on the WCC5 unit. He never imagined that he'd return to those same halls nearly a decade later—not with a mop and bucket, but with a white coat and a PharmD degree.

Jakie’s journey is one of grit, growth, and an unwavering belief that your beginning doesn’t define your end.

In 2014, family friend Sharon helped Jakie land his first job at URMC through Strong Staffing. That opportunity—his foot in the door—would prove life-changing. He worked tirelessly as a cleaner before transitioning into a floor tech role, stripping, waxing, and polishing floors, replacing curtains, and daily upkeep that keeps the hospital running.

A chance encounter with a pharmacy technician changed everything. “They looked important,” Jakie recalled. “I asked, ‘What do you do?’ That conversation lit a fire in me.”

He applied to transfer to the Pharmacy Department but wasn’t selected for an interview. Instead of backing down, Jakie doubled down. Despite skepticism from friends and family, he enrolled in the REOC Pharmacy Technician program, supported by his now-wife, Aren Monroe. “Everyone told me to stay where I was,” he said. “They were nervous because they’d seen me fail many times before. But Aren told me, ‘Keep doing you.’”

The five-month program included an externship, and Jakie was placed at Strong’s inpatient pharmacy. He thrived there and eventually became a certified pharmacy technician. By June 2016, he had secured a full-time role at Strong Ties Pharmacy and later moved to Strong Memorial’s Inpatient Pharmacy.

He juggled responsibilities such as managing inventory, assisting pharmacists, and delivering medications. But deep down, he knew he wanted more.

A Pharmacy intern helped Jakie map out a plan to get into pharmacy school. “I told her I was scared—I didn’t think I was smart enough. She looked at me and said, ‘I’ve got you.’” Together, they built an academic plan Jakie laminated and carried with him.

He enrolled at Monroe Community College while working per diem and cutting hair on the side. After completing his pre-pharmacy studies, he was accepted to the Wegmans School of Pharmacy at St. John Fisher University in 2019. His path wasn’t linear—he had to take time off and restart his program, but he never stopped moving forward.

Jakie returned to the inpatient pharmacy as a pharmacy intern while continuing his studies. All this while raising a daughter, Zuri, born during his most demanding year. “I’d show up to class with red eyes and no sleep,” he said. “But I knew this was bigger than me. I wanted to be the role model I never had. The harder it got, the more I wanted it.”

In May 2024, Jakie graduated and became a licensed pharmacist, rotating through internal Medicine and central Pharmacy operations at Strong. Despite his white coat, he hasn’t forgotten where he came from. “Don’t sleep on Environmental Services,” he said. “That’s where I started—and it matters.”

Throughout his journey, Jakie found guidance and support from others who believed in his potential. Mentors Joshua Weitz, Janice Loss and Leslie Loss played pivotal roles, offering advice, encouragement, and the occasional reality check that helped shape him into the pharmacist he is today.

For Jakie, representation is everything. As a young Black pharmacist, his example inspires his daughter, nieces, nephews, and community. “We don’t see many people who look like me in these spaces. I want the next generation to know what’s possible.”

His story is far from over. He’s still learning, still growing, and still looking ahead. But he never forgets what it took to get here, and the countless others who helped him along the way.