The 'Sir Ed' of pharmacy
BY JESSICA SUTTON
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Palmerston North's Alex Scott is the "Sir Edmund Hillary of pharmacy", says a colleague.
Mr Scott celebrates 50 years as a pharmacist this week, although he was not aware of the milestone until a letter last week from the pharmaceutical society.
Mr Scott and his wife Kathy opened Pioneer Pharmacy, on the corner of Pioneer Highway and West St in Palmerston North, 36 years ago.
Ann Davies has worked with the Scotts at the pharmacy for more than 26 years.
"It has been a true privilege and honour to have worked with Alex. He is a gentleman of principles.
"We have strong local base of regular customers who appreciate the good and honest advice that Alex provides," Mrs Davies said.
During her career she had worked with many fine people, and Mr Scott was at the top of the list – the "Sir Edmund Hillary" of pharmacy.
Apart from his fulltime job as a pharmacist, he has written eight books, paints, is a photographer, plays the violin, sings, makes documentaries, lay preaches, plays badminton, tennis and chess – but the 71-year-old has no plans to retire just yet.
"The pension isn't that good, so while I have my health I'll keep on going," he said.
As a young man, he said there were many career options available to him. His mother was a teacher, his father was a lawyer and he had relatives who were pharmacists.
"I could've been a doctor, lawyer or a teacher, and I don't remember why I chose be a pharmacist.
"I guess I thought it would be a worthwhile profession," Mr Scott said.
At 16, he began an apprenticeship at his uncle's pharmacy in Wellington, as part of a four-year pharmacy degree. Today, study is four years plus a 40-week internship. At 20, he qualified, but was not able to register officially as a pharmacist until he was 21.
Working in a pharmacy had changed little.
"A lot of things are much the same, except for the use of computers ... but we still have to make sure the right people get the right medicine," Mr Scott said.
After he was registered in 1959, he moved to Palmerston North to be closer to Kathy.
They first met when they were 10 and he remembers vividly what she said to him.
"She asked me if I loved her, and I said I loved everybody, as I was not ready for such commitment."
They married in 1961 and had two daughters. Mr Scott worked in Palmerston North hospital, various pharmacies in the city and was also a missionary in Japan for three years. Tomorrow, Pioneer Pharmacy will offer cake to all of its customers to celebrate Mr Scott's milestone.
- © Fairfax NZ News
