4 Star Wars Quotes for Force-Sensitive Pharmacists

Since the premiere of its original film in May 1977, the Star Wars saga has had a profoundly forceful effect upon its audience’s imagination, leading countless moviegoers to find adventure, entertainment, and inspiration in a galaxy far, far away.

For many fans of George Lucas’ epic space opera, much of the franchise’s success can be attributed to its universality. Beneath its science fiction setting and alien characters, Star Wars is a classic story of good and evil rooted in the archetypal hero’s journey, allowing it to resonate with individuals across generations, cultures, and vocations.

Perhaps surprisingly, Star Wars can also prove relevant to pharmacists, reminding them of their shared human experiences while providing insights that they can apply both in and out of the pharmacy. In celebration of Star Wars Day, here are a few quotes from the movies that pharmacists, pharmacy students, and pharmacy technicians may find particularly relatable or motivational.

Whether you’re a seasoned Star Wars master or an uninitiated apprentice to the ways of the Force, May the Fourth be with you!

1. “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

Much like the mystical Jedi of the Star Wars universe, pharmacists draw upon their knowledge and experience to help those around them. However, they will inevitably face challenges in the pharmacy that cannot be overcome with telekinetic powers or lightsabers.

Many pharmacists, then, may be all too familiar with the Jedi Master Yoda’s assertion that merely “trying” is often not enough. Given the significant impact they can have on their patients’ health, pharmacists understand the importance of breaking down barriers to quality care, no matter how daunting the task may seem.

2. “Many of the truths that we cling to depend on our point of view.”

When he first introduces Luke Skywalker to the concept of the Force, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi tells the young hero that his father, Anakin, was murdered by a fallen Jedi known as Darth Vader. Spoiler alert: that isn’t quite the case. Nevertheless, when Luke later asks Obi-Wan why he didn’t divulge the truth about his father’s identity, his mentor responds that his initial statement was true “from a certain point of view.”

Although pharmacists are unlikely to find themselves withholding information about a patient’s parentage, they do frequently encounter patients with different worldviews and perspectives than their own, which can occasionally make communication difficult. Obi-Wan may have stretched the truth about Anakin’s “death” a little too far, but his words here remind pharmacists that all patients bring a unique point of view into the pharmacy. By remaining open-minded and empathetic, pharmacist and technicians can seek to better understand their patients as individuals while providing more personalized care.

3. “That’s not how the Force works.”

Patients may also harbor assumptions about how a pharmacist or technician’s job is meant to be performed. Just as the reformed Stormtrooper Finn suggests that his team simply “use the Force” during a difficult mission, some patients will occasionally suggest that pharmacists do little more than putting pills in a bottle. Upon hearing these kinds of comments, many pharmacists can probably relate to the frustrations of an exasperated Han Solo, who angrily tells Finn that it isn’t that easy.

Yet as tempting as it may be for pharmacists to give in to their hatred and join the dark side, these remarks can provide them with an opportunity to educate their patients on the pharmacy process and help them to take control of their health.

4. “The belonging you seek is not behind you, it is ahead.”

In many ways, the Star Wars saga is ultimately about accepting a call to a greater purpose. Just as Luke sought to fulfill his destiny and become a Jedi, many pharmacists have felt “called” to the profession by a desire to help others.

But there are times when those in the pharmacy field may identify more with Rey, the heroine of The Force Awakens who expressed a far greater reluctance to answering her call than Luke. For pharmacists, students, and technicians who find themselves lost or uncertain as the pharmacy landscape continues to shift around them, the mysterious Maz Kanata offers some powerful advice: the best path is the one forward.

Pharmacists may not wield lightsabers or use the Force, but as long as they continue to learn and grow as providers, they can still be heroes who make their own corner of the galaxy a little healthier.

A lifelong Star Wars and Tolkien nerd, Ryan worked as a certified pharmacy technician a long time ago in a pharmacy not too far away.