World Patient Safety Congress (formerly World Drug Safety Congress) reminded me once again how important it is to bring humanity into this work. Drug safety isn’t abstract — it affects real families, real communities, real lives. And this year, the conversations reflected that understanding in such a meaningful way.
I had the opportunity to speak at a fireside chat about the Future of Technology in Risk Management alongside Justin Wilson and Kal Elhoregy, R. Ph., PA. I also joined a panel presentation on Global Patient Safety: Compliance and Inspection Readiness with Reema Mehta Kal Elhoregy, R. Ph., PA., Manjiri Nirgudkar.
This year’s World Drug Safety Congress came at a time when I was already stretched thin. I arrived tired — the kind of tired where you’re juggling work, family, pressure, interviews, decisions, and then more work on top of it. I wasn’t sure how much more I had to give. I even walked in thinking, “Alright… let’s see what I’ve got today.”
But something changed almost immediately.
There’s something that happens when you’re surrounded by people who get it — people who understand drug safety not as a checkbox function or a set of SOPs, but as a real responsibility that has real consequences. Throughout the event, I had thoughtful discussions with people who genuinely care about patient safety and doing things the right way — not just the fast way. What I appreciated most was the openness in the room. People were ready to talk about challenges, gaps, and the need for stronger leadership in the spaces that impact public health. People who understand why we do this work and what it actually takes behind the scenes. Being in those rooms brought me back to center.
I spoke twice — once in a fireside chat about the future of technology in risk management with Justin Wilson and Kal El Horegy, and again on a panel about global patient safety, compliance, and inspection readiness with Rema Mehta, Kal, and Manjiri Nirgudkar. What I appreciated most is that nobody was trying to impress anyone. Nobody was pretending everything is simple. We were having real conversations — honest ones — about where things are headed and what we need to do better.
And then something unexpected happened. After one of my sessions, a group of Northeastern University students came up to talk. I assumed they’d ask about something technical, but instead they asked about purpose… leadership… confidence… uncertainty… navigating this industry when you don’t have a clear map.
Their questions were sincere, and they reminded me so much of myself when I was just starting out — trying to figure out the rules, trying to understand where I fit, and trying not to get lost in the noise. I told them what I wish someone had told me: you grow into leadership. You figure it out piece by piece. You don’t need everything sorted out on day one. And clarity comes from movement, not from waiting.
By the time I left the conference, I felt more grounded than when I walked in. It reminded me that this field is full of people who genuinely care about patient safety and doing things the right way, not the fastest way. And in a season where everything felt loud and fast, I needed that reminder more than I realized.
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