Dorela Priftanji

At the Forefront of Pharmacy

Dorela Priftanji, MBA, PharmD ’17, BCPS, knew she wanted to make a difference in the field of pharmacy, but she did not initially envision herself in a leadership role. That changed once she became involved with numerous extracurricular activities while pursuing her Doctor of Pharmacy. These opportunities molded Priftanji into someone who actively sought out roles where she would be leading larger scale operational changes.

Priftanji earned her doctoral degree in pharmacy from Saint Joseph’s Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (PCP). During her time at PCP, Priftanji explored what was possible with a pharmacy degree. She volunteered with the American Red Cross during blood drives, volunteered at local hospitals and served as president of the PCP Student Society of Health System Pharmacists. Priftanji then participated in a summer internship with The Johns Hopkins Hospital’s (JHH) Department of Pharmacy. The internship not only sparked her interest in pursuing a pharmacy administration residency but it’s also where she matched for her residency post-graduation.

The two-year Health System Pharmacy Administration Residency focused on clinical and pharmacy administration rotations. 

“This really prepared me for the career in pharmacy leadership I was looking for,” she says. During that time, Priftanji also completed her MBA.

Priftanji currently serves as assistant director of pharmacy compounding services for the Johns Hopkins Health System. Every patient has unique and specific needs, she explains. The treatment plan for one patient might call for an intravenous antibiotic while another could require an oral solution. Pharmaceutical compounding involves mixing ingredients to prepare medications that meet those individualized requirements.

Priftanji oversees medication compounding services for the inpatient pharmacies, including leading health system standardization of compounding practices, supporting compliance with compounding standards, and supporting assessment and implementation of robotics and workflow management systems for sterile preparations.

In total, Priftanji has been with JHH for nine years, dating back to her first internship. She was also an operations manager for JHH’s pediatric pharmacy prior to transitioning to her current role. Her career supporting optimal patient care, especially for vulnerable populations, has been fulfilling, she says. 

“It is rewarding to be in a role where I am able to lead change that ultimately make processes better and positively impacts the care of others,” says Priftanji. Having recently completed her term as president of the Maryland Society of Health-System Pharmacists, she states, “I am excited to help impact change through continued involvement with professional organizations within the state and across the nation.”

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