From Apothecary to Empire

An alum’s journey from teenage pharmacy assistant to healthcare pioneer highlights the possibilities of a pharmacy degree.

In his five-decade career in the field, Ernie Gates, ’67, built multiple companies while pioneering specialized pharmacy services that bridged the gap between traditional practice and emerging healthcare needs.

It all started with a pharmacy degree from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS).

“I’m not the type of person who can do one thing and say it’s going to work forever,” said Gates, president and CEO of Gates Healthcare Associates, a health consultancy based in Middleton, Massachusetts. “The pharmacy degree is a precursor that allows you to branch out in so many directions.”

Innovation Through Specialization

Gates’ career in pharmacy began in earnest when, at 13, he took a job at a best friend’s apothecary in Lynnfield, MA. Intrigued by the profession, Gates enrolled at MCPHS as one of the first five-year cohorts.

Upon graduation, he was drawn to the prospect of making a meaningful difference in people's lives, initially focusing on assisting patients in understanding their medications.

“I felt energetic that I was able to be in a field of helping people,” Gates said.

In 1979, Gates opened his own pharmacy in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, a small community about 17 miles north of Boston. This first solo endeavor set the stage for Gates’ future.

His move into consultancy came when he aided a substance abuse hospital facing regulatory accountability troubles. The facility needed help with pharmacy operations and procedures to meet regulatory requirements. Gates addressed these issues by writing specialized software for unit dose systems and establishing a unique delivery system in which medications were prepared at his facility and transported to the hospital daily.

He also established one of the first automated pharmacy systems in a major Boston jail, eliminating the need for a 24-hour pharmacist.

Gates’ work in compounding, which began in 1982, led him to collaborate with doctors nationwide and eventually established a fertility treatment center. The center became so successful that it maintained a significant waiting list.

He was also at the helm of opening the first oncology-specific pharmacy in which provided specialized oncology-only prescription services including IV preparations and hospital deliveries. The operation expanded to five state locations.

The Future of Pharmacy

In 1994, Gates sold his multiple companies to fully transition to his “final dream” of compliance consulting, assisting health care facilities in their interactions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other state regulators.

The venture helps keep the public safe, Gates said, and has created opportunities for other pharmacists to serve as compliance consultants. “We try to be proactive instead of reactive,” he said.

After a half-century in the field, Gates sees more future opportunities than ever, citing increasing specializations particularly in clinical, regulatory, biotechnology, automation, telepharmacy, and informatics.

“Traditional medications treat symptoms,” he said. “Biotechs try to treat symptoms and the cure for the conditions.”

He predicts that pharmacists' roles will continue to expand, similar to how nurse practitioners evolved into providers who can see patients and write prescriptions. He believes pharmacists are heading in a similar direction.

Gates credits his success to the alumni network and connections he built at MCPHS. With his entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to collaborate with others, these relationships helped fostered his work with hospital professionals, physicians, and healthcare providers throughout his career. “If it wasn’t for the college,” he said, “I would have never been able to do the things I did.”