A career built on care: Meet Jessica Brown, Australia’s Pharmacy Assistant of the Year

Jessica Brown, recently named 2025 Pharmacy Assistant of the Year, smiles widely when we ask her how she first found her way into pharmacy.

“I did VCAL at school — a vocational pathway where you split your time between school and work,” she says.

“As part of that I did an introductory pharmacy course run by PGA, and then I got a traineeship at Emerald Pharmacy in my home state of Victoria.”

Jessica was still in her teens. But she says the spark was immediate.

“I knew straight away it was what I wanted to do,” she says.

“I wasn’t someone who dreamed of being in healthcare from the start, but once I stepped into pharmacy I realised how rewarding it is.”

Pharmacy assistants are the backbone of the pharmacy. We’re here to support, advise, and make the whole place run.

Jessica Brown

Raised in Emerald in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges, Jessica has never strayed far from the community which first gave her a chance.

Her parents are still in the region and she and her partner own a home an hour’s drive away in Neerim South. Every workday begins with the long commute back to Emerald.

“It’s about an hour each way,” she says.

“If the workplace wasn’t good, I wouldn’t do it. But our team is like family, and that’s why I keep making the drive.”

Building experience across pharmacy sectors

After finishing high school in Australia, Jessica stayed on at Emerald Pharmacy for nearly seven years before branching into hospital pharmacy — working in both private and public systems.

Those years gave her insight into how different pharmacy environments operate. But eventually, she came back to community practice.

“Community pharmacy is evolving so quickly. In the next five years it’s only going to expand further and become an even larger healthcare hub.”

That perspective has shaped her vision for the future of pharmacy-support staff, too.

Pharmacy is incredibly rewarding. You can go to work every day knowing you’ve helped someone. If you want a career that makes a difference, pharmacy is a great choice.

Jessica Brown

She sees assistants and technicians not only as dispensary support, but as frontline healthcare guides.

“Pharmacists have the final clinical knowledge and sign off prescriptions.

“But pharmacy assistants are the backbone of the pharmacy,” she says.

“We support the whole place — we’re advising on over-the-counter products, vitamins, daily health questions. We make sure the business and the care side both run smoothly.”

Teamwork is everything

Emerald Village Pharmacy is a busy operation with around 20 staff. On any given day, two or three pharmacists are on duty alongside technicians, assistants, and front-of-house staff.

For Jessica, part of the pride she has in her career comes from being a team leader, but she says the past few years have tested every pharmacy team.

“The 60-day dispensing change has been difficult,” she says.

“And we’ve had challenges with staff sickness, COVID impacts, and stock shortages.

“But the way we cope is by communicating and pulling together. Teamwork is everything.”

That emphasis on collaboration is more than just words. Jessica has become a mentor to younger staff, relishing the chance to help others grow into the profession — just as she did.

“My favourite part of the role isn’t a single product or service,” she says. “It’s seeing people develop. I enjoy mentoring and watching staff grow through their roles. That’s incredibly rewarding.”

Jessica’s award-winning PATY presentation was called Level Up – and it showcased her forward-looking thoughts for pharmacy practice.

In it, she proposed streamlining vitamin and mineral testing and treatment through pharmacy-led appointment consultations.

“The idea was you could book one appointment, have your blood taken at the pharmacy, get results back, and then have the pharmacist provide vitamins or treatment in a follow-up visit,” she says.

“It reduces multiple trips to the doctor, pathology, and pharmacy. It’s all about making healthcare more efficient for the patient.”

Jessica says she believes pharmacy assistants can play a growing role in this model — with the right training.

I started pharmacy through VCAL in high school — and I knew straight away this was what I wanted to do.

Jessica Brown

Currently, Certificate IV qualifications focus mainly on management. Jessica would like to see the creation of a Certificate V with a more clinical stream.

“Pharmacy technicians could be trained in triage, first-line UTI assessment, and blood pressure management,” she says.

“It’s about supporting pharmacists and giving patients faster, more accessible care.”

Recognition in Sydney

At the national awards ceremony, which was held on Sydney Harbour as part of Pharmacy Connect 2025, Jessica says she was stunned when her name was read out.

“I honestly didn’t expect it. I thought other nominees would win. When they called my name, I was just like, ‘Oh my Gosh’!”

But the honour has only strengthened her resolve to continue championing pharmacy support roles.

She is quick to stress awards like PATY are not just about individual achievement.

“It’s about showing the value of pharmacy assistants across Australia,” she says.

“We’re here because we love helping people, and because we believe in what pharmacy can do.”

Advice for the next generation

Looking back at her own pathway, Jessica is clear about the messages she would give a teenager today.

“If you’re 14- or 15-years old and thinking about vocational training — I’d say go for it,” she says.

“Pharmacy is incredibly rewarding. You can go to work every day knowing you’ve helped someone. If you want a career that makes a difference, pharmacy is a great choice.”

Beyond her pharmacy work 

Despite her demanding role, Jessica says outside of work she’s always on the go.

She walks, exercises, and hits the gym regularly. She and her partner enjoy weekends away with their caravan and are steadily working on projects around their home.

“I bought my first house at 24 years of age,” she says. “We bought another last year, so I’m always organising things and doing projects at home.”

But no matter how busy life gets, pharmacy remains her anchor.

If the workplace wasn’t good, I wouldn’t drive an hour each way — the team is like family.

Jessica Brown

“I love it,” she says. “If you find the right team, you’ll stay. Pharmacy is where I want to be.”

A career built on care

From her first high school traineeship to becoming Australia’s Pharmacy Assistant of the Year, Jessica Brown has never wavered in her belief that pharmacy is about more than medicine — it’s about people.

“I don’t see myself leaving pharmacy,” she says.

“With the evolving scope, we can deliver so much more to our communities. And that’s exciting.”

And behind every prescription, consultation or blood pressure check is a team Jessica wouldn’t trade for the world.

“As I said — if the workplace wasn’t good, I wouldn’t drive an hour each way.

“But it is good. The team is like family. And that makes all the difference.”