Pharmacy in the Family: How a Professor Followed Father’s Path to MCPHS

After graduating from MCPHS in 1966, John Michael “Mike” Dunican owned and operated two Hawley’s Pharmacy locations—which he purchased from Mr. Hawley himself—in Montague. The location in Millers Falls was the backdrop for Dr. Dunican’s childhood.

“My sister and I would go down the stairs into the pharmacy from our apartment to see my mom and dad,” she remembered. “We would go through the storage room, which was filled with cases of soda and liquor, to see what they were up to.”

Dr. Dunican’s mom, a math teacher, helped run the business while her aunts—her dad’s sisters—made deliveries. Although her family sold the pharmacy when she was in elementary school, the community pharmacy made a lifelong impression.

“I saw how people looked up to my dad, and he was happy,” she said. “All the way through high school, pharmacy was in the back of my mind. I didn’t seriously consider any other career.”

A flyer from MCPHS was the final push that helped her choose pharmacy school. At the time, the University offered a five-year program in partnership with Western New England University—then College. Many aspects of the MCPHS that Dr. Dunican attended remain the same: the White Building stairs, shuttling between lectures in Reed and Stoklosa Halls, and even some of the faculty members.

“I was the student who always wanted to be in class and get good grades,” she said. “Back then, most of my classmates pursued hospital or community pharmacy. I knew what I wanted to do because of my dad.”

Although they never discussed business, Dr. Dunican said she felt a connection to her dad throughout her studies.

“The profession had already changed so much from when my dad was in school, but he did like to challenge me every now and then to test my knowledge and make sure I knew pharmacy,” she said. “I knew he was proud of me.”

Dr. Dunican worked at CVS through college, and after graduation landed a coveted position at a store in Watertown. “There weren’t a lot of jobs available, and I had to compete for my spot,” she remembered. “I worked overnights for the first nine months of my career.”

She didn’t mind the long night shifts but was looking forward to advancing her career closer to home. Eventually, a job opened at a location on Stafford Street in Worcester. There, Dr. Dunican experienced the true impact of a community pharmacist.

“It was a very busy, 24-hour store, and I got to know a lot of those patients,” she said. “It was the nineties. Nobody had internet or the ability to Google their questions, so I helped them as much as I could. It’s important to build relationships with your patients, and I try to instill that in my students.”

Returning to MCPHS

By 2000, Dr. Dunican was pharmacy manager at a CVS on Foster Street in Worcester. Next door, MCPHS was opening its second campus and sought a nearby location where pharmacy students could practice their skills.

“I coordinated internships for students at CVS, training them and placing them at stores,” Dr. Dunican said. “I built relationships with students and faculty, so when the University needed a community pharmacist to precept students on rotation, they approached me.”

It’s how Dr. Dunican says she “snuck” into a career in higher education. She gave guest lectures, then took an adjunct position assisting in the pharmacy practice lab. She joined the faculty full-time in 2002, began pursuing her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University, and continued picking up shifts at CVS stores across Worcester.

“I just love what I do,” Dr. Dunican said when asked how she juggled it all.

She watched the Worcester campus expand, welcoming other health professions and creating new opportunities for collaboration. Dr. Dunican was involved from day one.

“Our interprofessional practice and education initiatives started when this campus opened,” she explained. “We piloted our first activity with physician assistant studies, and then it grew and grew to what it is today, with all nine healthcare professions able to learn with, about, and from each other.”

Giving Back to Community Pharmacy

Over the years, Dr. Dunican has witnessed the pharmacy profession evolve, from the rise of new specialties to shifting workforce demands. One thing that has remained constant, however, is her enduring support for community pharmacists and their essential role in healthcare.

“I don’t think enough of the profession recognizes how important community pharmacy is,” she said. “When my dad was a pharmacist, every patient was important. Today, it can be easy for that message to get lost.”

So, Dr. Dunican has made a point to support students interested in this path. “I have some students who I just know would be great community pharmacists. They’re personable, caring, and have a passion that will allow them to balance the demands of the job and helping others.”

“I also talk candidly with my students about advocating for the profession,” she added. “If they’re not happy or not liking how things are done, I encourage them to stand up and try to change it.”

Dr. Dunican maintains a pharmacy practice and precepts students on rotation at CVS. While her days working behind the counter are gone, she has no plans to stop teaching future pharmacists.

“It’s exciting to be a part of this team and this University,” she said. “I’m so glad I stayed here.”