#WeAreNorthern

Meet Soha Henry, EMR Medications Analyst/Pharmacist, Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Program.

Q: What’s your coffee order?

A: A half-strength extra-hot almond flat white with a little splash of hazelnut syrup. I like to think of it as my way of easing into the day without overwhelming my caffeine tolerance.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey to Northern Health?

A: I actually started my Northern Health journey as an intern pharmacist… quite a long time ago now! Since then, I’ve been fortunate to gain experience across many different areas of pharmacy, including community pharmacy, Home Medication Reviews, compounding, and even rural pharmacy.

I returned to Northern Health in 2016 and have had the opportunity to work across four sites in a variety of roles, including clinical pharmacy, operational areas such as dispensary and aseptic manufacturing, clinical trials, the COVID-19 vaccination program, and specialised areas such as dialysis.

In 2022, I joined the EMR project before its full implementation in September 2023. Since then, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride, in the best possible way! There has been a huge amount of learning, exciting career growth, and plenty of challenges while balancing business-as-usual work with multiple projects running in parallel. Everyday is different, and that’s exactly what I love about it.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working at Northern Health?

A: The variety of opportunities available. Northern Health has given me the chance to continuously learn, grow and explore different areas throughout my career. No two days are ever the same, which certainly keeps things interesting!

Q: Describe Northern Health in three words.

A: Dynamic, evolving and rewarding.

(And if I could sneak in a fourth word… never boring!)

Q: If you weren’t in your current role, what would you have been instead?

A: Definitely a teacher. I genuinely enjoy helping others learn, whether it’s supporting colleagues, teaching students, or explaining complex concepts in simpler ways. I suppose a little bit of the teacher in me still finds its way into my current role.

Q: Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?

A: A big part of my life revolves around serving within my church community. I’m heavily involved in Sunday School teaching for children of all ages, youth activities and community programs. I also enjoy incorporating my cooking and baking skills into serving others.

I’m passionate about supporting fundraising initiatives for charities that assist people who are less fortunate, both here in Australia and overseas. It’s incredibly rewarding and serves as a wonderful reminder that even small acts of kindness can make a big difference.

My family would probably say I’m always volunteering for “just one more thing” at church – whether that’s teaching, organising an event, or finding an excuse to bake another dessert for everyone to enjoy!

Q: Sweet or savoury?

Can I choose both? I’m a big fan of the sweet-and-salty combination (popcorn is a perfect example!).

But if I absolutely had to choose, I’d have to say savoury… although I’ll never say no to a little sweet treat on the side.