Independent by design: leadership, care and community in pharmacy

As an owner and practicing pharmacist, Ryan Fullerton, RPh, BScPhm 0T9, sees independent pharmacy as building something that lasts within a community.

Today, Fullerton owns and operates six independent pharmacies across rural Ontario, including Brown’s Pharmacy in Walkerton; K & J Pharmacy in Clinton; Nipissing Pharmacy in Verner; Remedy’s Rx on Kent in Lindsay; Stewart’s Pharmacy in Mildmay; and Stuart Ellis Pharmacy in Collingwood. His path to ownership was shaped less by rapid expansion than by building relationships and defining a clear sense of purpose.

“I graduated knowing I was interested in leadership,” he says. “But I also knew I had a lot to learn.”

Early in his career, Fullerton sought out owners whose practices reflected both strong operations and strong values. Working alongside pharmacists who managed multiple locations gave him a firsthand view of what sustainable ownership required, and that experience eventually led him to partner with longtime owner Ken Brown, BScPhm 7T3, whose approach would influence Fullerton’s own.

One condition of their agreement was firm: living in the community was non-negotiable.

“For me, that aligned exactly with what I wanted,” Fullerton says. “If you’re going to serve a town well, you have to be part of it.”

Practicing pharmacy in rural communities

Fullerton grew up in Iroquois Falls, a small town in northeastern Ontario, and spent much of his childhood in his father’s pharmacy. His father, Murray Fullerton, BScPhm 8T1, was a respected local pharmacist and a familiar presence in the community. The pharmacy was a space where people were known and supported and that experience shaped Fullerton’s view of rural practice.

In smaller communities, pharmacists often care for the same families across generations. They work closely with local physicians and health care providers, relationships that strengthen trust and support better clinical decision-making.

For Fullerton, rural practice offers both professional scope and personal connection. It allows pharmacists to respond directly to the needs they see every day.

“In rural communities, you’re often the most accessible health care professional,” he explains. “People will stop you and ask questions because they trust you. That accessibility matters.”

Balancing ownership and patient care

Fullerton continues to work as a dispensing pharmacist, a choice he sees as essential to his leadership. Staying on the front line helps him understand day-to-day challenges and helps him make more informed decisions as an owner.

“The stronger your business is, the more you can reinvest into patient care and your team,” he says. “You have to keep that balance.”

He is realistic about the demands of entrepreneurship and ownership. Attending local events, supporting sponsorships, and showing up consistently is part of the role.

Mentorship and succession

The approach Fullerton uses with early-career pharmacists reflects the opportunity he was once given.

Brown’s mentorship included financial backing, guidance, and steady support through major decisions. Fullerton has adopted a similar model, actively mentoring pharmacists who are interested in ownership and encouraging them to explore independent practice.

“Start talking to owners. Get experience in independent stores. Show up. Be curious. You never know which connection will open a door.”

“Start talking to owners. Get experience in independent stores. Show up. Be curious,” he advises. “You never know which connection will open a door.”

He also encourages early-career pharmacists to build professional networks without focusing solely on immediate outcomes. Relationships built authentically, he believes, tend to open doors.

A long-term commitment to community

For Fullerton, the fundamentals of pharmacy ownership have not changed. Empathy, work ethic, and trust remain core.

“If you genuinely care about the people you serve—your patients, your staff, your suppliers—you can build something meaningful,” he says. And he sees that impact daily, whether through trusted patient relationships, collaboration with local health care providers, or pharmacists stepping into ownership themselves.

Independent pharmacy, in his view, is not simply a career choice. It is a commitment to community, mentorship, and care.