Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Chandler Schexnayder.
Hi Dr. Schexnayder, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hello, everyone! I am Dr. Chandler David Schexnayder, and I am from Patterson, Louisiana, a small city in St. Mary Parish. I was fortunate to grow up understanding education as the foundation for any and all growth. Even as a preschooler, it was apparent that my career trajectory would be in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) from frequently observing the tutoring of a 30-year-tenured math educator (my grandmother). However, my grandmother always encouraged me to peruse my inner artist and placate my love for writing. I was able to take her teachings, the support of my tight-knit family, and the motivation from my community to perform well in academics and beyond. After a pharmacy student visited our high school my senior year, I made my decision to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy degree at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans.
As one of the greatest historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the world, Xavier challenged and catapulted me to new heights that I physically could not see until I arrived. At this university, I confirmed my passion for education and servant-leadership, grew my knowledge in pharmacy and STEM, and enhanced my skills to master my weaknesses. At Xavier, I was able to create and garner relationships with special people to last several lifetimes, and most importantly, met my amazing wife who has been paramount in everything that I have done and will do. After successfully obtaining my Doctor of Pharmacy degree, I transitioned from Xavier to a pharmacy residency program at a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospital.
Completing a rigorous postgraduate year one (PGY1) residency and a postgraduate year two (PGY2) residency in ambulatory care were great decisions to set me up in one of my current roles as a home-based primary care clinical pharmacist practitioner. I am board-certified in pharmacotherapy, ambulatory, and diabetes care and education. My role in pharmacy and relationships maintained along the way have allowed me to be the Head of Community and Capital at Pharmacy Initiative Leaders (PILs), Inc. which is a social enterprise dedicated to change the look and feel of healthcare at every stage. With this organization, I coach aspiring pharmacists to secure residency program positions and curate opportunities for fellow pharmacists to excel in their careers. All of the insights and skills I have amassed from these experiences have motived me to take my influence and impact as an educator to the next level and create SchexLevel Education LLC.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Although my story seems to have been a smooth road, this is far from the truth. I spoke about this extensively in the book “I Wear A White Coat: From Tribulation to Triumph: The Authentic Truth of the Black Doctor’s Journey” as a contributing author (available on Amazon). In my chapter titled “Whatever It Takes”, I detail how the loss of my grandmother, losing touch with family and friends, uncharacteristically failing exams, and managing imposter syndrome served as humongous obstacles throughout this journey. However, due to God’s will coupled with the support of my family and community, I am continuing to overcome these massive hurdles with perseverance and belief. Even after completing many of the goals aforementioned, faint but relevant thoughts of imminent failure and “not doing enough” crept into my mind and told me that I wasn’t ready to start this business. Giving myself maximum grace, kudos, and affirmation that I am worth everything I am offering and that I am highly qualified directly upholds the mission we are on to educate the masses with our skills, knowledge, and creativity.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about SchexLevel Education LLC?
SchexLevel Education LLC is a limited liability company focused on creating and curating next-level education. We aim to provide multiple services/products including but not limited to presentations, medical writing, books, and other education ventures. Our owner and lead educator/writer, Dr. Chandler David Schexnayder, is a clinical pharmacist practitioner with extensive patient care experience in medication management. Dr. Schexnayder has been trained by an accredited pharmacy residency program, board-certified in pharmacotherapy, ambulatory care, and diabetes, and has multiple first-author publications of peer-reviewed journal articles and a book as a contributing author.
(1) Presentations: Because of our skillset and experiences, SchexLevel Education is able to provide presentations to the community and healthcare personnel on the following topics: diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, anticoagulation, heart failure, bone health, anemia, polypharmacy, career/residency planning, personal branding, interview preparation, curriculum vitae/resume/letter of intent writing, and many other topics. SchexLevel Education has been very proud to be able to host presentations for Xavier University of Louisiana, Southern University, National Black Nurse Practitioner’s Association, Delta Research and Educational Foundation, and various chapters of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association.
(2) Medical Writing: SchexLevel Education LLC also provides medical writing services for organizations that participate in grant writing to host continuing education seminars. We have been able to prepare needs assessments and concept proposals for the following topics: continuous glucose monitoring, diabetes technology, and glucagon like-peptide 1 receptor agonists in stroke and chronic kidney disease. We also offer medical writing services in the topics aforementioned in the presentations section (1).
(3) Books: SchexLevel Education is also in the process of creating books for both children and adults to promote story-telling and education in countless areas including but not limited to family, community, healthcare, STEM, self-help, fiction, and non-fiction.
We are proud to have been able to connect with so many individuals from all walks of life and leave them with something to reflect on. We are confident that effective education cannot be done by one party. Our hope is that our educational services will touch at least one life whom will touch another whom will also touch another. Education is a never-ending cycle of giving that we plan to facilitate time and time again. We are specialists in our own right, but we are also not limited by the methods of education available. In these unprecedented times, SchexLevel Education has been able to empower people virtually, in person, and indirectly through print and electronic means. I am very excited about what we will able to do for the world. Everything is SchexLevel!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Humility has helped me tremendously up to this point, and I believe it will continue to be a mainstay in my future success. Despite my accomplishments, I have a clear acknowledgement that there is so much that I do not know. Being a new business owner, I must be willing to be patient, stay grounded, and have faith in the process. I am a very confident individual, and I will continue to be so. However, I strongly believe that the ability to learn from others and be coachable at every stage will elevate SchexLevel Education and the people we are able to touch.
Contact Info:
- Email: education@schexlevel.com
- Website: https://www.schexlevel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_chandlerdavid/, https://instagram.com/schexlevel?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/Wear-White-Coat-Tribulation-Authentic-ebook/dp/B09LTLW1W9/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1652069420&refinements=p_27%3ADr.+Chandler++Schexnayder&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=Dr.+Chandler++Schexnayder
Image Credits
@WiseBoyPhoto
