Her Story
About Virginia
Virginia Gay serves as an Area Business Manager in the pharmaceutical field, where she focuses on strategic account management and market access. A Doctor of Pharmacy graduate from Auburn University, she completed a residency in oncology and academia and holds active pharmacy licenses in Alabama and Kentucky. With 15 years of prior experience as a hospital clinical pharmacist and consultant, she transitioned into commercial pharma approximately six years ago after beginning her pharmacy career in 2006. Virginia maintains certifications in lung cancer and breast cancer, along with ACLS and CPR. She has been recognized with awards including Best of the West 2022, Market Share Growth Winner 2023, and Best of the Best 2019. In addition to her professional roles, she has served as an affiliate professor for multiple pharmacy schools, acted as a residency preceptor, and authored four publications, including work featured in the Kentucky Society of Health System Pharmacists Quarterly Journal. Virginia attributes her success to the guidance of mentors who encouraged her to think outside the box, a principle she also shares as advice for young women entering the field. Her personal values center on humility, trustworthiness, and loyalty, and she contributes to causes such as the Spina Bifida Association, the National Wheelchair Basketball Association, and church community outreach programs.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Virginia
01What do you attribute your success to?
I've had a lot of great mentors over the years that have pushed me in my career to excel and think outside of the box and grow in not only knowledge but also just as a person.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
To think outside the box. People pigeonhole themselves into thinking that because they got this one degree or this one avenue that they started out in that that's where they have to remain for the rest of their lives, but my career growth would not be where it's at if I didn't think outside the box.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
It's a great field. It provides a lot of different avenues. If you love scientific information and you love to help patients, pharmacy will provide you a lot of avenues for your future.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Pharmacy overall has the challenge of being a very busy industry and providing good healthcare and making sure patients can get products is becoming a little more challenging. Opportunities for growth as far as education and learning with AI coming around the corner to help with patient access and patient care. Challenge would be aging population and a lot of medications that it can be hard for patients to manage.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Humility. Being humble. Trustworthy and loyal.
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