Through his podcast, “PharmaSoul,” ̳ School of Pharmacy student Calvin Flemons blends faith, healthcare and cultural identity to create conversations about perseverance, purpose and representation.
Flemons, who is set to graduate this spring with his Pharm.D./MBA through with the Henry W. Bloch School of Management, launched the podcast in August 2024 after one of the most personally and academically challenging years of his life, the podcast reflects Flemons’ belief that visibility and voice can shape both individual lives and the future of the profession.
“I decided I've overcome a lot, and in August I just started getting myself back together,” Flemons said. “I wanted to start something that would not only inspire me and help me, but also help others.”
His podcast centers around three pillars — faith, pharmacy and Black excellence — areas Flemons says encompass the most important parts of who he is.
“Every piece of content that I post is for others, but it's also for me,” Flemons said. “It can be something that I'm currently battling, something that I'm going through, a good piece of advice that I need to hear myself. I kind of look at it like — if I need to hear it, then I'm sure someone else probably needs to hear it too.”
To highlight his experience in pharmacy, Flemons produces episodes focused on the profession, recaps of recent rotations he’s completed and educational content about medications and patient care.
“As a pharmacy student, that's a big part of my life,” Flemons said. “So I really want to push pharmacy to bring more light to the profession, but also to educate others about what we do about their medications, the importance of pharmacists in general and how we contribute to every aspect of healthcare.”
When Flemons brings guests on his podcast, he often uses these episodes to highlight his Black excellence pillar. He has interviewed a variety of Black professionals who excel in their fields, including lawyers, politicians, teachers, entrepreneurs and pharmacists.
“This piece is really important for me, because everyone wants to be seen. Everyone wants to be heard,” Flemons said. “And if I can find some way to show the good work people are doing, whether it's in their career or community, I really want to showcase that and highlight that.”
Flemons is passionate about creating representation, especially for younger individuals who are deciding on careers and might find inspiration in seeing someone who looks like them in a career they had never considered.
“Representation is important simply because a lot of people don't know what's possible if they've never seen it or they never heard about it,” Flemons said.
The same concept applied to Flemons when he participated in the BESt Pharmacy Summer Institute while in high school. The BESt Pharmacy Summer Institute is a four-week program for St. Louis high school students, collaborating with Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Express Scripts, and University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis to prepare multicultural students for a future in healthcare. Flemons recalled the experience as eye-opening in terms of representation, but also in the way it exposed him to so many pharmacy career possibilities.
“I was interested in pharmacy, but besides Walgreens and CVS, that's really all I knew,” Flemons said.
Pursuing a career in pharmacy is what led Flemons, a St. Louis native, across the state to ̳ — a decision that has shaped him positively.
“I’m so grateful I came to ̳,” Flemons said. “Whether it's the professors, different staff members, leadership positions, school…I think all of it has come together to pour into me and shape who I am today.”
One of the faculty members who has impacted Flemons is Steven Stoner, Pharm.D., associate dean for student affairs and clinical professor.
“Dr. Stoner not only poured into me, but he's poured into every single student there,” Flemons said. “And he really makes sure that we're all seen, we're all heard and that we're also supported.”
Stoner has also enjoyed mentoring Flemons and sees his podcast as a reflection of his strengths.
“I really got to see that he possessed an incredibly creative side and that he was often thinking outside of the box, or at least two steps ahead,” Stoner said. “The podcast he has developed is just one example of his creative side, and it also exemplifies how strong of a leadership voice he has.”
Flemons, who is also completing his MBA concurrently with his pharmacy degree, hopes to use his leadership capabilities toward future career opportunities. His long-term goals include becoming a clinical pharmacy professor or obtaining a leadership role at a hospital or within a pharmaceutical company.
“My goal is to be a mentor, kind of like our current professors are now,” Flemons said. “Pouring into students, leading them, improving on those clinical skills and then really just leading the next generation of pharmacists.”