Patrick Ladapo
Patrick Ladapo is a critical care pharmacist who currently resides in Springfield, Missouri. A graduate of both Wake Forest University and St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Patrick is a dedicated and passionate medical professional, excited to serve the community of Springfield.
Critical care pharmacy is a bit different from what most people think of when they hear the word “pharmacist.” Instead of filling prescriptions, Patrick makes decisions and recommendations in the high-pressure environment of hospital floors with critically ill patients. The recommendations, prescriptions, and advice that he provides are significant factors in improving patient outcomes, reducing waste, and speeding up decision-making when time matters more than anything else.
Patrick Ladapo: Early Life and Education
Patrick was raised in North Carolina, and excelled as a track athlete. That athletic ability soon took him to Wake Forest University, where he competed as a D1 athlete for four years. While at Wake Forest, he set the school record for the indoor 60m dash, while competing (and winning) in the outdoor 100, 200, and 4X100 races.
Leaving College, Entering St. Louis College of Pharmacy
His love for fitness, sport, and health carried him to work as a personal trainer for a short time before a career as a pharmacist came calling. He left personal training, enrolled at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, and got to work. Staying healthy, engaged in the community, and on top of one’s studies can be daunting, but Patrick accomplished all three. In fact, he didn’t just “get it done,” he graduated with the highest GPA in his class, earning his degree as the school’s top student.
Volunteer Work and Accolades: St Louis College of Pharmacy
While finishing up Pharmacy school, a global event began to unfold: the Covid-19 pandemic. Always wanting to help serve others, Patrick volunteered his time in a number of ways, helping the people of St Louis stay safe and informed as the virus continued to spread. For example, when vaccines against the virus became widely available in the area, Patrick served as a vaccinator, inoculating people against the disease at a vaccination clinic.
Earlier in his studies, Patrick served as a preceptor for the St. Louis University Health Resource Center Adult Clinic, helping students as they learned, providing medicine recommendations, and performing medication reconciliations with patients.
Prior to that, Patrick Ladapo volunteered his time providing diet and exercise recommendations, consulting with patients and communities on ways to avoid high blood pressure and diabetes, and educating people on medication adherence. All the while, Patrick remained at the top of his class each semester, earning multiple scholarships on the basis of academic merit, national test scores, and more. This reputation for academic excellence did not begin in pharmacy school; he received several honors at Wake Forest and was a member of different honor societies, but it was the place where he began to shine in his calling.
Residency and Next Steps
Upon completing his degree, Patrick Ladapo moved on to a one-year residency at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Mercy is universally recognized as one of the best hospitals in the city and the larger region. Residency is an option for students after receiving their Doctor of Pharmacy degree and is designed to further develop leadership skills, improve patient-centered care, and refine problem-solving strategies. Residency helped to prepare Patrick for a long, rewarding career serving patients as a licensed pharmacist.
Today, Patrick Ladapo, PharmD, lives in the Springfield, Missouri area and is excited to help patients each day.